Wood elves midsummer army (updated 6/2-09 spellweaver)

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Pettersson
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Wood elves midsummer army (updated 6/2-09 spellweaver)

Post by Pettersson »

Greetings!
First, sorry about any bad english spelling, Its not my first language. So, Im planing to build an huge wood elve army over time (And time it will take). The color theme is "midsummer". Midsummer means wery bright green colors and maybe some flowers to. The first photos is crappy but im going to see if I can get some help on that aspect soon.

The first samples are "pilots" for my color theme and none are totaly finished or based, but it would be nice to get some opinions on the colors and styles. Remember that Im a crappy photografer so wood, Leader, details, eyes and hair cant be judged from these bad photos. They look better in IRL

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... es/eg2.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... es/eg3.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... erpict.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... rpict2.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... rbabe1.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... es/wd1.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... thsvrd.jpg
Last edited by Pettersson on 06 Feb 2009, 13:34, edited 8 times in total.
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Zardan
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject.

Post by Zardan »

First, in my opinion: These models are super-cool. They have well-defined contrasting colors that mix well and don't kill the overall composition.

For the in real life part, yes I know. Photos eats away at least three degrees of highlights.

Second, for your photos - try to take shots without zoom, and a little farther away so the focus is on the mini and not on the background (hard to do). The shots will be better and more accurately portray your work. :)

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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject.

Post by Pettersson »

Tack!:)
Im trying that tips about the photos out now, its not easy I tell you. But I might post som better pictures soon now, maybe tonight even.

(Tjenare föresten, var är du ifrån föresten Zardan ?, Själv är man Umeåbo)
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Zardan
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject.

Post by Zardan »

I've just noticed something about your shots. The background is to near the mini. That's probably what's blurring your main figure. Try shooting the model farther away from the background (say 10-15 cm). White background is good, the camera tends to ignore focusing on white paper.

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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject.

Post by Beithir Seun »

Some nice figures and I agree with Zardan's comments about the well-defined contrasting colours. Great work Pettersson!
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject.

Post by Mist Walker »

I think all but the first wardancer are nice, the wardancer being too heavily tattooed
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Pettersson
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject.

Post by Pettersson »

Hi
Im working on the phototecnic but I think I need a better camera, Im going to ask someone in my club to help me some day. Meanwhile...Im working on Orion now and I love him, He is one of GW:s best figures for painting.

He is not yet ready but he is on his way. Soon he gets his hat and bow.

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... dorion.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... orion3.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... orion2.jpg

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh30 ... orion1.jpg
Last edited by Pettersson on 06 Feb 2009, 13:35, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. (Orion update)

Post by Pettersson »

By the way Zardan, As a Swede, check out http://www.stridshammaren.se Its a pretty new forum but it is really good and it has aspirations to be the "national" tabletop forum for swedish gamers and painters.

Ha det bra i småland
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Zardan
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. (Orion update)

Post by Zardan »

Orion is dark and menacing. I'm about to paint this model myself in the not very far future and have thought a lot about the color choice. I think you have choosen the colors quite carefully - dark greenish against that rusty brown. That's nice. The gemstone is superb. The glowing eyes-thing is cool too. Seems suitable to forest spirits.

Thanks, I'll check out that link, since I haven't seen it before!
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. (Orion update)

Post by Pettersson »

Tanx mate
It means allot when such a good painter as you say somthing nice about ones work :) Saw your flower tutorial by the way, it was great, I havent based any of my elves properly yet so Im going for your flower tecnic on some of them.

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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. (Orion update)

Post by Lord Khaladin »

i must say i'm quite enamoured with your scheme. the eternal guard is particularly cool. zardan's flowers will work well with this theme. It isn't often you see a summer scheme these days, with the more definite autumn and winter themes gaining favour. Good work. The skin on orion is great. One thing that could be improved is the tattoo work on your wardancers.. it seems a bit sketchy is all. Its probably the camera though.
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. (Orion update)

Post by Pettersson »

Tanx :)
Yeah the wardancer pics are realy bad, The tattoos look better IRL. The blue pictish lookin dude is just an experiment and I wont be doing more of his kind. Hes a little to much. When Ive painted up some more figures I will get hold of someone at my club who has equipment and knowlage, and then get some more describeing and good photos. The Orion photos are better but I still miss pretty much of the highlights and true looks of some details.

Rock on!:ninja:
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. (Orion update)

Post by Pettersson »

Well Ive started working with my wood elves again after a long period painting historical miniatures. Orion is still WIP but is soon finished. Just some more work, the bow and some Zardan flowers and its done. After that a HIghborne.
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Image

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Jerubaal
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. Im Back

Post by Jerubaal »

Wow - great painting!
I tried doing a summer theme, but since I don't have much time, I've not developed it very well. I really need to try blending colours more - it that how you did the gems? My gems are just one, flat colour :(

These pics are inspiring - and my wife is out 3 nights this week, so lots of painting time!
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. Im Back

Post by lune »

Nice ideas. Just some things that could maybe improved imo:
swords and other weapons: if keeping this green swords and so on I'd suggest thinner highlights and more layers to give them an actually more 'glooming' effect rather than some leaves in the wind :smirk:
As for leather (not to improve, just to vary):
Scorched brown highlighted with snakebite leather, very detailed stuff another highlight with 1:1 snakebite leather : bleached bone make a nice, soft leather.
Another brown leather that looks very natural (I only use it on larger things) would be to base on bestial borwn, next layers all thinned, consisting of bestial brown and a bit of bleached bone (slowly taking more), finishing with brown ink watered down and a tad glue to make the ink cover smoothly (last layer needs to be done 2-3 times normally).
A red leather looking rather nice would be scab red or red gore, followed by blood red highlights (again, very bright highlights get a small amount of blazing orange) and unthinned chestnut ink over it.

I'm looking forward for your next pictures :nod:
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. Im Back

Post by Anardakil »

Those are some wonderful greens! :)
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. Im Back

Post by Pettersson »

Tanks guys :)
The old figs have these super green organic lopking wepons. Well I dont like them now and I have started to do them diffrently. I mix my own light green metal and wash it in GW:s Gryphonne sepia. The result is allso organic looking but wery alvish and metal. You can se the example in this almost finished mini:

Image
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army prodject. Im Back

Post by Pettersson »

Jerubaal said
it that how you did the gems? My gems are just one, flat colour
They are not as hard to do as it looks, Ive learned it some years ago. I can try to see if I can find a good tutorial that I can post. I have some pictures on my computer somewere, taken from White dwarf magazine :)

Ill be back on this subjekt
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Re: Wood elves midsummer army (updated 30/1-09)

Post by Pettersson »

90% WIP Spellweaver Some last work on this is needed specially on the base. It looks much better in reality, hope you like it :)

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