Rats vs Elves - A Painting Saga

[boli]

OK, this has taken a while but I have finally got a camera; so as promised in my sig since I joined its time to create a Project Log I have got quite a lot of minatures to paint but what I am building and trying to paint up are Skaven, Wood Elves and High Elves.

The skaven is going to be my army; and something I have wanted to build since bout 1993 when they were featured in white dwarf magazines. I've always loved the idea of creating a huge horde army orcs and goblins never appealed to me but the rats with their weird and wonderful technology which was more likely to blow themselves up than the enemy had a certain appeal Since I like all aspects of the Skaven I'm going to do a "grand alliance" army taking units from all clans but the colouring is going to be more unit based than clan based.

The elves I plan to do as a dual alliance army and are for my g/f She couldn't decide which elves she wanted liked one had plenty of dragons was generally easier to play and the other looked "pretty". In the end I made a compromise and said I will paint her High Elves with a "Pink" Accent. truefully even though I cringed when I first agreed to it I've done a few test pieces and the pink has come out very nicely. The wood elves are going to be in dark green and "mahogony" brown

BIG EDIT: added army shots of half and finished units

I'm removing the to-do list as quite frankly I don't even know anymore.

[mattieice]

Hey, good luck. That sounds daunting. Skaven and Wood Elves are my two armies. If you like, you can check out my Wood Elf PLog in my signature.

[boli]

Completed Plague Furnace; quite chuffed how this turned out



The Plague Monks who will push it... obviously I still need to sort the weapons out and highlight a bit but the main part done. considering how easy I found to paint these it almost made me consider an entire PM army :P



My Grey Seer on foot... had to use a 40x40mm base in the end; think it turned out ok th.. stands out in the rank and file and any challenges he's hiding in the back! :P think I need to return to this and clean/shade it a bit more.




Warp Lighting cannon.. my second WLC I going to have to paint most of it BEFORE I glue it together... got really annoying!



Doomflayer... really *really* bad photo and my first completed skaven unit



my current progress on the HE Mage for the dragon - as noted above... pink but I think it turned out quite well.



Working Progress on my HPA, still need to finish the base and the rats as well as highlight some more but after about 14 million washes ojn the skin quite chuffed over how it turned out.



The HE lord on the griffon from the IoB box really beautiful model - wish I had done it more justice!

[Student]

Looks cool. What is your Greyseer stood on?

[boli]

I chopped off the top of the screaming bell... I tried to put him on a normal 20x20mm base, but it never looked right :/

[Azrial14]

Not too shabby like Iadmire your spirit doing 3 big armies at the same time
Keep up the good work

[boli]

Thanks for the vote of support

Couple of updates... *sigh* The lack o a decen camera and place to take photoes really lets me down... but at leats you can get the idea



My Wood Elf Lord... yeah I know its from Reaper models but its *sooooo* pretty I had to get it



My "Work in Progress" Dragon; I did the rider previously; as you can see my pink colour scheme working here ... just noticed from the photo there are a couple of mould lines I missed but I still have to finish highlighting/shading correctly anyways - plus basing... but you can see what I'm doing with this. Note no reins; unfortunaly this was an ebay purchase and there were a couple of pieces missing/broken so I had to make do. I think it looks better this way; Anyways helps differciate between this and my other dragon - full reins and my lord on a dragon - this is obviously a mage



And my production line next to my working area (bed); just working on adding the base colours before shading please ignore the background :P

[boli]

Small Update: (no piccys I'm afraid; hope to get some army shots at the weekend when I have some natural light)

Got a few new additions to my Skaven force: 6 Jezzails 16 Plague Censor bearers, 4 Rat Swarms; All hail the mighty mighty ebay

After dealing with some personal problems the previous week I've thrown myself at my painting again. Mainly I'm concentrating on "finishing what I started" so I've spent most of this week painting my plaguemonks. Since this is a almost complete batch job for the entire unit they are starting to appear rapidly at the end... its the equivilent of watching sherman tanks rolls off the production line right now... finished 10 last night another 8 just need a few tweaks and 24 more close behind... got a few (think 7?) lagging behind right now but aside from that I'm on target

I have the plague furnace completed so once these and the movement tray has been done I'll have my first real unit; *wipes tear from eye* Its going to be a great day

[boli]

preview of my BSB/Unit filler conversion

[boli]

Working on my many many giant rats 27 down 46 more to go!

[boli]

Thank you spring!

Managed to get a full army shot of my Skaven in (see post #1); unfortunatly the good weather also explains my lack of progress with this Although I am currently in the middle of painting teclis - but I have a feeling he will be striped soon as I'm still not sure on his colour scheme.

I'll try and add a better shot of my other armies in whilst the good light holds!

[boli]

Finnally finished a unit... got a few touches to complete but in essence.. my first completed unit

In game terms 65 Plague monks pushing a plague furnace, In modelling terms 56 plague monks and a plague rat oge

I'll prob add a couple of Giant Rats and make the Rat Ogre base better but in reality I *had* to do something for the rear of the Plague furnace as the overhang meant you couldn't actually put any units at the rear of the furnace. I originally tried just using a 3x2 piece of terrain (was going to put giant plague rats on it) and 3 plague monks behind but in reality those 3 stuck in the last rank looked stupid so I remodled one of my rat ogres to look as if they were pushign it... green-stuff some rags on it and painted it the same as the PMs and jobs a good-un.

Well at least I think its good Think I'll take a break from Skaven for a whlie... got my eye on 15 silverhelms; oh and I *really* do nered to finish my HPA and Dragon mage


(Click for a larger view)

[boli]

Did a test piece for my Silver Helms.... keeping in my "pink theme"



Although it seemed a bit *too* pink so I tweaked it to a better colour scheme with a white cloth, turned out nor bad if I do say so myself

Only another 14 SHs to go

[boli]

Unit of 5 Silver Helms almost complete... I'm going to be touching them up, but they are "table quality" right now and I couldn't wait to share... I think they look really good together and the colour scheme althought I was initially dubious about I think it works very well.

[Niekish]

I actually think the pink works well on the wood elves.

About the skaven. I think the green colours just look like green-stuff, an I'm not really sure whether I really like them.
Maybe it's because of the 'bad pictures', like you call them (), but it seems to me you just adore washes? Am I right?
To get a better result you might try to create a lot of highlights. Like the cloak of your wood elf lord. It's just a basecoat (I guess) and after that you highlighted the edges with a much, much lighter colour. I'm sorry, I'm just trying to help but it might sound a little harsh.

PS. Try to Water down your paint, and paint several layers of a colour. (If you were not already doing that.)

Niek

[boli]

For me washes are the *only* was I can actually hope to get these armies completed. I'll say I definatly have improved from my first units but I decided to continue with the method I was using previously in order to have a semblance of uniformity in the units.

As for the "green stuff" of the Plague Monks - I considered doing highlighting on the robes but at ths point in time I have declined; I highlighted the Plague Priest a fair bit but I am quite enjoying the grungy look of the rest of the PMs I may return to the unit to clean up and highlight here and there but right now I'm just basking in the point I have actually finished a single unit

I am highlighting a lot more on the High Elves (not wood elves :P)... the above *definatly* needs to be tweaked on highlighting to white on the pink; I just rushed the completion of the bases in order to get them finished before I left on holiday but I am goign to return to that unit after I finally finish my Dragon mage and HPA. (both of which are undergoing a heavy dose of highlighting! I do like the pink colouring however and it *should* pull all the rest of my army together under a scheme.

As for the the WE Lord I fear I definatly have to take that picture again; the flash made a very harsh light on the cloak and it definatly did not do it justice. I was actually quite proud of the cloak when it was complete; I was doing a contrast between the deep dark green of the cloak purposefully lacking in highlights the camaera flash added the crazy near-white highlights :/ Although since that was pretty much one of the first I painted I may be stripping it completly for another go. I really need to do that beatiful model proud!

Thanks for the critisim however, I do try and keep my paints as thin as possible but I fear most of them are as thin as I can make them without them separating. Most of my paints are over 15 years old and the old-old-old sets of paint; a few old timers may notice the pink I am using on the High Elves as "Tentacle Pink" with a Red Wash over it.

[Niekish]

For me washes are the *only* was I can actually hope to get these armies completed. I'll say I definatly have improved from my first units but I decided to continue with the method I was using previously in order to have a semblance of uniformity in the units.

Ah, okay. Maybe I didn't read it that well then, but I think, the better an army is painted (by yourself ofcourse), the more likely it is to have fun playing it. So, I'm not saying yoursdoesn't look good, or hasn't been painted properly or something like that. Just trying to help you and figure out how to improve.

As for the "green stuff" of the Plague Monks - I considered doing highlighting on the robes but at ths point in time I have declined; I highlighted the Plague Priest a fair bit but I am quite enjoying the grungy look of the rest of the PMs I may return to the unit to clean up and highlight here and there but right now I'm just basking in the point I have actually finished a single unit

Okay, as I said, I'm just trying to help by getting possible solutions to improve the looks. If you like your PM's I rest my case. Because in the end it's you who play with them and háve to like them. I'm not a skaven fan at all. I paint WE's, and hoped you to show your models of. Which you did, but not as much WE's as I hoped for. But I'll just be patient and wait for them, and while I'm waiting I just comment on everything possible. ^^ (So you know....)

I am highlighting a lot more on the High Elves (not wood elves :P)... the above *definatly* needs to be tweaked on highlighting to white on the pink; I just rushed the completion of the bases in order to get them finished before I left on holiday but I am goign to return to that unit after I finally finish my Dragon mage and HPA. (both of which are undergoing a heavy dose of highlighting! I do like the pink colouring however and it *should* pull all the rest of my army together under a scheme.

Hehe, I just adore the painting on the High Elves. You too a 'risk' to paint them pink, and it turned out really well. This is actually why I made my point about your skaven. Because I thought (and still think) your HE looked great, especially when you compared them to your Skaven. I had the idea you were kind of rushing your Sakven so you could resume painting the HE... (You see what I'm trying to get at?? Because I have some trouble to say what I want to say.. )
But why rushing before holiday? See it like this: You rush, take a break(holiday), then you come back and do again, but then not rushed. So you actually rushed for nothing. haha.

As for the the WE Lord I fear I definatly have to take that picture again; the flash made a very harsh light on the cloak and it definatly did not do it justice. I was actually quite proud of the cloak when it was complete; I was doing a contrast between the deep dark green of the cloak purposefully lacking in highlights the camaera flash added the crazy near-white highlights :/ Although since that was pretty much one of the first I painted I may be stripping it completly for another go. I really need to do that beatiful model proud!

Never take a Photograph of your mini with Flash on (people told me) becuase it would look very harsh. xD
So, that might explain why I had this critism. ^^, Well, when you very quite proud of your paint-job, why re-do it?

Thanks for the critisim however, I do try and keep my paints as thin as possible but I fear most of them are as thin as I can make them without them separating. Most of my paints are over 15 years old and the old-old-old sets of paint; a few old timers may notice the pink I am using on the High Elves as "Tentacle Pink" with a Red Wash over it.

Hahaha, well I think some paints turn out really good. Others, IMHO, don't.
You should try the new ones, maybe it pleases you? Or works better for you. Or just stick with the old ones. But when they separate, I'd recommend getting some new ones!

Keep up the good work, and do what you want, and how you want them to look like.

Niek

[boli]

[I]Ah, okay. Maybe I didn't read it that well then, but I think, the better an army is painted (by yourself ofcourse), the more likely it is to have fun playing it. So, I'm not saying yoursdoesn't look good, or hasn't been painted properly or something like that. Just trying to help you and figure out how to improve.

[I]Okay, as I said, I'm just trying to help by getting possible solutions to improve the looks. If you like your PM's I rest my case. Because in the end it's you who play with them and háve to like them. I'm not a skaven fan at all. I paint WE's, and hoped you to show your models of. Which you did, but not as much WE's as I hoped for. But I'll just be patient and wait for them, and while I'm waiting I just comment on everything possible. ^^ (So you know....)

I may return to the PM and highlight the edges and clean up in the future - I had considered it myself... likewise the banner is just plain green with washes. It certainly doesn't help that the green undercoat I used was the perfect colour but it is a really old paint and does NOT work well as a highlight (to mix with or use in a thin glaze - I tried ). Right now however they are table quality and once my skill level improves highlighting and improving them should be both straightforward and I will be able to build on what is a nice "basecoat".

As for the wood elves... heh I've not started those yet.. I bought them second hand so in two minds in how to strip these fragile models or paint over them. I've been eyeing up my old-edition warhawks however... once I find a method to base them so they don't fall down all the time!

Hehe, I just adore the painting on the High Elves. You too a 'risk' to paint them pink, and it turned out really well. This is actually why I made my point about your skaven. Because I thought (and still think) your HE looked great, especially when you compared them to your Skaven. I had the idea you were kind of rushing your Sakven so you could resume painting the HE... (You see what I'm trying to get at?? Because I have some trouble to say what I want to say.. )
But why rushing before holiday? See it like this: You rush, take a break(holiday), then you come back and do again, but then not rushed. So you actually rushed for nothing. haha.

It wasn't really rushing, just "incomplete"; I still need to highlight to white on the pink; clean up the face and generally sort out any flaws. However I was mainly just trying to see how they will work together in a unit as I've been in two minds over the pink as the original reason (they were for my ex-g/f) has since passed. A couple of test pieces is good and all ; but to see the overall effect I will need a unit (small that it is). Now I've seen that is *does* work I have chunk of old-old-style Phoenix guard who are just screaming out for bright pink cloaks :P

Never take a Photograph of your mini with Flash on (people told me) becuase it would look very harsh. xD
So, that might explain why I had this critism. ^^, Well, when you very quite proud of your paint-job, why re-do it?

Sadly I had no choice as it was the depth of winter (near enough) I got to work in the dark and return to home in the dark for about 5 months of the year; and even at weekend there is little in the way of good light; the difference between the pictures of the armies in the first post shows the huge difference between good and bad lighting

Hahaha, well I think some paints turn out really good. Others, IMHO, don't.
You should try the new ones, maybe it pleases you? Or works better for you. Or just stick with the old ones. But when they separate, I'd recommend getting some new ones!

Keep up the good work, and do what you want, and how you want them to look like.

Niek

I'm keeping with my old ones for as long as possible as I know all the colour combinations which work with them. and likewise need to complete full units with these until I move onto a new set of paints However good the new paints are if the patche sof colours don;t match my old it'll be extremly frustrating to see :/

Nice to see You're keepign tabs on me.. I hope to show you some of my more complex work soon... I'm currently half-working on Teclis right now which i've spent an inordinate amount of time on him

Your WE look very nice... although i wish you had more pictures up... but I can wait

[Niekish]

Well, it's quite late already, and I'm quite tired...

Went to the shop today, and bought myself 13 new paints. Tomorrow I'll start my Glade guard painting guide. So there will be some more pictures up. ^^
As for your paints. I really would buy the new ones. I am not promoting Games Workshop or something, let's make that clear. but when you've painted half your army, and decide: yeah let's get new paints. U use them, both army parts look different. Right, you just started your armies. And as you said, you want to re-do some models, well, just invest some.
I'm sorry about you breaking up with you (now ex-) Girlfriend. But now at least she doesn't spend anything anymore. haha (Sorry... )
So, invest some, there is a new range pf paints just out, with lot's of highlights, well as I said, I'm going to put on my guide tommorrow so.

Good Night

EDIT: You might try a daylight lamp!

[boli]

Finished my Dragon Mage and I figured I'll take a better couple of pictures of my Lord on a Griffin as well







Now to continue on my Phoenix guard... got the coulor scheme down and they're gonna look sweet! (At least in my opinion anyways :P)