Dayspringer's Dark Eldar

[Dayspringer]

Yes, another DE thread! Sorry!

Anyway, I've not got very far with my DE. Most are assembled, but I'm not even sure about a colour scheme yet. So with that in mind, updates to this log may be slow for the time being (I'll go back to my Skaven as well soon, I promise!)

Now, I'm a big fan of plastic (easier to work with, plus I am clumsy and knock things over all the time). The new plastics are just fantastic , so this isn't a big problem for most of the army. A few kitbashes might be in order for some of the more exotic units, however.

Most of my figures are stock kits, so I won't bore you all with posting pictures of everything.

First up, my Incubi prototype. Which ended up looking very similar to one Morthai just posted. Great minds, I suppose :P (I wish!)



Next up is my first HQ. Inspiried by an old Doghouse project I remember seeing a while ago, she was meant to be my Archon. However, she kind of turned out a little more...nude than I was originally imagining! I think she'll work quite well as a Succubus, however.



Next is a WIP shot of my Archon. Just blu-tacked together at the moment, and obviously missing some bits, but I'm trying to get a feel for the pose. Any suggestions/feedback?



Thanks for looking!

[Rabid Bunny 666]

Sweet, i'm liking the Incubi conversion, the dome helmets will make them stand out from the rest. The Archon is looking good, but I think the Doghouse style Succubi looks a bit static.

[Gresil]

The Archon looks a bit like she's squatting at the moment, but that might be tricky to address with those legs.

What did you use for the Succubus body? I'm sure she will look good painted, although something doesn't seem quite right about her scale... perhaps the head is too big for the body, or maybe it's just me.

Love the Incubus! Again, where is that weapon arm from?

[Lanparth]

Its a Dire Avenger Arm.

[Dayspringer]

Thanks guys!
The succubus is basically a Deamonette body with dire avenger (or possibly guardian) legs from the knees down. DE arms and head, obviously.
You're both right about the succubus. DE all have fairly bulky (for eldar anyway) collars, so fitting the head to the deamonette body was trickier than I originally anticipated. The head is a little larger, but the collar really highlights it. Also, the DA legs were spread out but the deamonetter legs were close together, which made the pose end up slighty awkward. It's something I didn't notice till I was half way through the conversion. You live and learn.

For the Archon, I'm wondering if modelling some pipe or ruins to her base and having her stand on that, so emphasise the fact she's sort of balancing (rather than standing flat on the ground) might help?

[NephilimX]

I'm actually planning on doing the exact same thing, concerning your archon, and my original idea was what you're thinking, to mount her on some sort of slanted base to emphasize dynamism. It'll give her something of a predatory feel, imo, instead of squatting. Great work so far.

[SpeedFreek]

On the Succubus:
I think you have to make the legs a litle longer and the neck a little shorter.
The proportions seem to be a bit of.

[Morthai]

Nice start so far.
I'd consider changing the dire avenger halberd blade for some more evil looking ending (old dark elf spears (after some work to make them less thick) or new corsairs blades are great). Also I've think part of the HE fenix guard halberd blade (just the cutting part) turned upside down will look nicely. Something akin to old school incubi weapons.

I like your Succubus. I'm not sure if the legs are a little bit off proportions or it is just because of the angle.
Keep it up

[Gresil]

For the Archon, I'm wondering if modelling some pipe or ruins to her base and having her stand on that, so emphasise the fact she's sort of balancing (rather than standing flat on the ground) might help?

Have you altered the angle of her right foot? I used those legs for a Sybarite, putting him on a slanting 'rock' made of green stuff, and he doesn't look like he's squatting.

Here's a link: http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...e/100_2506.jpg

Perhaps it's to do with the angle you choose for the torso as well? I think your idea of having her balancing on ruins might work too.

[Dayspringer]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

My hobby energies have mostly gone into assembling basic guys and raiders recently, all of which you've seen a hundred times before so are not really picture worth. I'm getting towards the more exciting bit now though. Paint!

I can't decide on a colour scheme, so I did some test figures (raider crew are very handy!). All of which are, admittedly, slightly sloppy (bad priming for one) but they should get the idea across.

SCHEME ONE


Pros: Yellow is pretty striking. Yellow is pretty unique as well, so I'm less likely to run into someone else with a similar army.
Cons: Took ages. Painting yellow is a pain and I don't think the way I did it looks that good. Painting yellow on the smooth flat vehicles will probably drive me insane.


SCHEME THE SECOND


Pros: Looks the most vibrant of the 3 in real life. Scheme would be very easy to do on vehicles as well as infantry.
Cons: Fairly standard looking DE scheme, perhaps? No distinction between the clothy bits and the armoury bits like there is on the other 2 tests, but I can always play around with that I suppose.

SCHEME C


Pros: Red and black looks suitably evil, I think. Contrasts nicely with the bright hair colours that will be dotted about the army too.
Cons: Very similar to my Dark Elf scheme, if and when I decide to pick them up again. Even with foundation paints, getting a smooth red on vehicles might be a challenge?


Anyway, what do you guys think? Which is your favourite?

[Shinigami]

sceme C!

that one rocks i think!

[Gresil]

Scheme B is easily my favourite - if you throw in a contrast colour like you said, e.g. on the rifle barrels, tabards or hair, it would work great. Definitely looks the most evil, and also not too time consuming.

[Hadriel Caine]

I like the red. I don't like the yellow. The black with stark highlights is a nice idea but not especially well executed (i'm aware its a test mini)

for vehicles buy spray in the correct colour. definitely worth it in the long run: its so much smoother.

EDIT// I thought I'd posted here before, sorry, the Incubi looks AMAZING.

[Keravin]

The yellow would need something as it's just flat.

I think I prefer scheme 2, but I'd want to see it properly worked up.

[Souleater]

I'd go for C, too. It might be harder to paint but it brings out the detail on the tabletop.

[Hadriel Caine]

Just used your Incubi as inspiration for my trueborn, thanks for the idea!

[VenomBlood]

I like a second theme. Third one seems good too, but I prefer to do black hair with red armour. I think that it's look more agressive. Anyway, red colour on second variant is very promissing.

[Henge Guardian]

Scheme B please! Looks fantastic. I'm thinking more people will be using the blank helmets for budget incubi than actually as wych heads. I know I will be.

Just out of curiosity, could you walk me through the second scheme whether you use it or not? I'm currently experimenting with my DE schemes and I haven't found anything i'm happy with yet.

[Dayspringer]

Hello everyone! Thanks for all the comments! Feedback helps keep me motivated in the eternal war against the endlessly growing piles of grey miniatures that somehow keep appearing in my house.

@Hadriel Caine I had a look at your log, your trueborn look very cool. I was thinking about the hellglave arms myself, good to see they work nicely!

@Henge Guardian The second scheme was my take on this lovely tutorial from Dave Taylor.

Ok, so after much deliberation I decided on the red scheme. Well, a variation of it anyway. I switched out the scab red for blood, and finished it off with a red wash. Much more vivid, even if it did take a few layers to get smooth.




These guys took a while, but most of that was the jetbike canopy. I've started on some warriors which should be a little quicker to finish, I hope. Not looking forward to the raiders!

I'll also go back and do some freehand to the canopy at some stage, but i'm wussing out of it for now.

[The Laughing God]

Awesome red you go there. Snow bases for the win! It really goes well with the color scheme.

Raiders will be a pain, but totally worth it in the end.

Keep it up,