Rowena's piece of the forest - 28/4 More Witch elves

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Rowena's piece of the forest - 28/4 More Witch elves

Postby Rowena » Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:27 pm

I have so far been only lurking and gathering courage to show my creations. I am only starting with miniatures and the figures that will appear both on my blog and here are the first ones I have ever done.
However, I have just finished something I am quite proud of and would like to show, as it's the first thing of this kind I've ever done. :)
Two notes to begin:
I am not working within the warhammer lore, as I don't know the world. At all. I mostly like the models, but I don't call my elves Asrai. (Does my stuff still fit here then?)
And the thing I would like to present today is not even elven, it only happens to be n the same forest with them, ( :evil: )

It was sleeping. It was waiting.
The old place of sacrifice was long abandoned, the people who had once used it gone and forgotten. It did not care for them, even if their bones would be lying among those of countless others on the bottom of the lake. It only knew someone had once fed it and that the feeding had stopped.
It was dead now, without new lives to steal, as dead as it had been long before. There was no power left in the rune-covered tree to give away the presence of something sinister.
But it was still there. Sleeping. Waiting.
And the waters of the lake never lost the red colour of blood...


Image

Skulls are partly from Warhammer skeletons (bought as bits) and partly piles for bases. The tree is from Hordes (Cassius the Oathkeeper and Wurmwood) and was the inspiration for the piece.

Top view with the skuls on the bottom of the lake:
Image

Side views:
ImageImage

Right now I'm thinking about making more similar scenery pieces and maybe to glue them together later. I would like to make an elven counterpart to this, a tree of life their village would be built around.
Last edited by Rowena on Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:42 pm, edited 22 times in total.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest

Postby popisdead » Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:45 pm

Looks good, thanks for sharing it with us.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest

Postby Cato » Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:05 am

Wow that looks great! What did you use for the water?
Image
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest

Postby Rowena » Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:51 am

Cato wrote:Wow that looks great! What did you use for the water?


It is crystalic resin (or at least I hope that's what you call it in English) toned by a vitreo colour. It really looks like water and you don't have to do it in layers, which is why I used it.

And thank you for the compliments. *blushes*
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - now with more pics!

Postby Tenaka » Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:15 pm

It's great to see some of your work, especially such an original piece with the fluff to go with it. I could see this sinister pool luring the odd stray beastman to its fate....
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - now with more pics!

Postby Baardah » Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:31 pm

Great stuff. I took a look at your blog too.... Some nice work there too. I especially liked the poses on your dryads. very dynamic. If I was forced to deliver some constructive criticism, it would be about the basing of your models.

It just doesn't sit right with a fantasy player to see models with round bases, but I take it you are not much of a gamer, but then again quite an artist :)
My other issue is 'basically' (pun intended) that you shouldn't cover base rims with flock or other basing material. A black baserim would actually help your excellent bases....pop, in lack of a more elegant word....

But bottom line is that your models and terrain is beautiful :D
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - now with more pics!

Postby Rowena » Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:23 pm

Baardah wrote:Great stuff. I took a look at your blog too.... Some nice work there too. I especially liked the poses on your dryads. very dynamic. If I was forced to deliver some constructive criticism, it would be about the basing of your models.

It just doesn't sit right with a fantasy player to see models with round bases, but I take it you are not much of a gamer, but then again quite an artist :)
My other issue is 'basically' (pun intended) that you shouldn't cover base rims with flock or other basing material. A black baserim would actually help your excellent bases....pop, in lack of a more elegant word....

But bottom line is that your models and terrain is beautiful :D


Thank you for both the compliments (I am so glad you like my humble creations, especially as I love your work) and the criticism. I want to learn, after all. :)

I am not a gamer at all, I have never played and probably never will. I just fell in love with the models. (they're so tiny and detailed! *squee!* :) )

As to the bases... I tried square ones which came with the models and they seemed too geometrical. Seeing figures all lined together in movement trays sometimes makes me reconnsider, but I always remind myself that I'm not building an army. The baserim is also something I have come to in time. As I am not sure if I'm making single figures and terrain or basically dioramas, I don't want the bases to stand out too much, which is why I try to hide everything that shows it's a base. I plan to put them in scenery one day and would like them to blend in, with the models themselves catching the most attention.
It's probably a question of indent more than anything else, but I guess my approach is very uncommon. :) And sometimes I am thinking of changing style. Hm... how hard would it be to magnetize everything and change bases according to what I need? :D
And I love puns. *giggle*
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - now with more pics!

Postby Baardah » Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:57 pm

If you build them for dioramas it's a little different I guess. You could make "holes" in your dioramas where the bases fit and the basing material flows over. Check out this army to see what I mean
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - now with more pics!

Postby Baardah » Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:57 pm

And remember, I'm only nitpicking. Your work is still great :)
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - now with more pics!

Postby Rowena » Thu Feb 02, 2012 12:21 am

More like half-dioramas, I would say. *laugh* And feel free to nitpick as much as you like, I want to learn. Thank you for the link. :)
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - Treeman

Postby Rowena » Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:10 pm

I have finished a new model. :)
It is not much, just brown wood, but it is probably the largest model I have planned for a long time. (Even though I have forgotten to take a reference photo with an elf, I'll probably do that soon and edit the post)
The model itself is treent by Wizards of the Coast, found thanks to the Alternative Treeman thread here on the forum. I don't like the GW treeman, and am so glad I was able to find something I do like the style of! :)

Image

back view:
Image

And one more pic in the "dramatic lightning" of full direct sunlight:
Image
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - Treeman

Postby Tenaka » Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:30 pm

What a difference changes in lighting makes to the photos. I think the last photo in the sunlight really shows off the model well - as well as the cool 'hammer horror' style shadow behind him! Brilliant. If I may, I think a black wash into his mouth would really add to the depth; a gaping mouth into the deep recesses of his trunk! Finally, some sand glued and painted between the roots of his feet and some leaves would blend him into the base much better which already looks really good, but just separate from the Treeman.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - Treeman

Postby Cato » Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:50 am

That's a really cool model :thumbsup:
Image
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - Sacred Guard

Postby Rowena » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:20 pm

After a log time of being very busy (sadly in other fields than miniature painting), I have finally managed to get something new done.
Inspired by Rab's use of the Dark eldar Mandrakes, I have decided to have a go at them myself. This is the greatest conversion I have done so far. I have cut off the whole lower half of the Mandrakes, gave them Glade Guard legs (again extended, just like the Glade guard models I have done previusly) and Wood elf swords.

They are supposed to be elves sworn to protect the sacred part of their forest (I'm working on the actual place for them to guard) and Ennelie the sorceress/priestess. I imagine them as half elves and half forest spirits by now. This is also the reason they are wearing purple instead of the usual green.

First one:
Image

Second one:
Image

And both together with Ennelie as their leader:
Image

EDIT: And thanks, Cato. :) I was searching for a suitable treeman for a long time and I really like this one. :)
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - Sacred Guard

Postby Rowena » Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:24 pm

I really like my Sacred Guard, their half-elf-half-forest-spirit look. And I like to think they are unique. (And I'm so grateful to Rab for directing me to the Mandrakes! :) ) I wanted to extend their group and while I am working on converting the rest of the Mandrakes I got in the box, I started thinking about making a female one.

Now, I most definitely could not use the same conversion for a lady, as I wanted her to be visibly feminine, preferably with long flowing hair. To fit, I also wanted her to be eerie, unearthly-looking and not overdressed, though naturally not topless. Yeah, quite a lot to ask, I guess.

But after some browsing, I came across Reaper's Lurien (originally meant to be a ghost) and she looked just perfect for what I had in mind, so I purchased her almost immediately.

This is what she looks like painted:

Image Image

I am not really happy with the highliting/blending on the purple, so many folds in that crazy cloth. Maybe one day, when I'm feeling brave enough, I will retouch her.
I also wish I had removed the mold-lines on her (can you even do that to a metal mini with a hobby knife? I wouldn't want to destroy it), but as I realzed this when I was about halfway with painting... I guess I'll do that to the next mini I paint.

Anyway, I think she fits quite well with her brothers. :)

Image
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 19/4 More Sacred Guard

Postby Fortwangle » Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:42 pm

I don't know what you're talking about, that looks really great!
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 19/4 More Sacred Guard

Postby Rowena » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:42 am

Thank you. I guess what I'm talking about is more visible when you see the mnnis in person, but still thank you for your kind words.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 19/4 More Sacred Guard

Postby kbdrand » Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:22 am

For mold line son a metal model you should use a small file, not a hobby knife. I find a file works much better.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 19/4 More Sacred Guard

Postby Blackcat » Sat Apr 21, 2012 1:41 pm

Omg there are faces in the water.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 19/4 More Sacred Guard

Postby Rowena » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:35 pm

Larae was never supposed to be the only child in my elven forest, but I've found out that suitable minis are *very* hard to come by. Even when I find a model that's intended to be a child, usually it looks too much like a human villager rather than an elf.
So when I saw the Dark Sword Arya (from their Song of Ice and Fire line), I was positively overjoyed. At least there was a very pretty and detailed mini wearing a cloak (that I could paint green to tie with the rest of my elves) Never mind the short hair, I was getting this model.
Also, I could decide that the mini was in fact a boy (as Arya was pretending to be one anyway at this point in the books), to set the boy/girl ratio right.

Larae now has a companion and seems to enjoy it. I think they make a nice pair.

Image

And here is the new boy all by himself.
When I put the two kids together, their faces look very different and I think it is because of the sculpt as well as painting, but it isn't too noticable to bother me. I also think he may still look maybe a little bit too human with his short hair and his clothes, but... I am so happy anyway!

Image Image
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 29/4 New Child

Postby Rowena » Fri May 04, 2012 12:47 pm

I would like to ask for an advice.

I would like to make some kind of a champion/leader figure for my Sacred guard (still my favourite models from what I have), but have no idea how. I still have some unconverted mandrakes (and one more converted I'm painting right now), so I could sure use that, but what should I do to make him visibly different?
Or I could use a completely different mini, but I would like to keep the feel...

Any ideas, anyone?
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 29/4 New Child

Postby alexwellace » Fri May 04, 2012 6:51 pm

I will say i love your work, its nice to see a player who can really apprieciate how great our models are without complaining about there price and combat effectivness. but as of yet i have no idea's for the champion yet, but if i see 1 i will tell u straight away. also maybe you could convert the mandrake into a musician? using a wardancer drum or something.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 29/4 New Child

Postby Rowena » Fri May 04, 2012 7:10 pm

Thank you. :o
I think the difference may be that I'm not a player at all, so I can happily forget about combat effectiveness and concerning price... well, I'm not building an army, so I can just enjoy the prettiness.

And I guess finding a suitable way to make a champion isn't going to be an easy task, so thanks, really.

The musician is a great idea, in fact I am painting one right now. (Great minds think alike? :) ) I didn't think about the drums, though (maybe because I don't have any wardancers yet), that might also look nice... Hm...
Anyway, bad pic of the (very much) WIP:

Image

I am also considering giving another converted mandrake a glade guard standard. Or maybe getting the awesome dark elf sorceress and put the standard instead of the top of her staff?
Last edited by Rowena on Mon Oct 01, 2012 2:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 29/4 New Child

Postby Rowena » Tue May 15, 2012 8:33 pm

Still no champion ideas. I have however bought the dark elf sorceress that seems to be a favourite on this forum. I think I love the model already, she is so tiny and delicate... I can't understand why didn't I buy her long ago.
Anyway, I would like to try to make her the standard bearer for my sacred guard, as she's already holding a staff and all. This is what I have so far:

Image

The blue/green stuff is holding her together, because most of the parst aren't glued yet. Right now I am thinking of shortening the wire on top of her staff (but I'm a little bit afraid the standard would then clash with her hair too much) and maybe giving her glade guard legs instead of the ones she came with. It might tie her together with her brothers and I don't really like the boots on this model.

What do you think? :)
Last edited by Rowena on Sat May 19, 2012 8:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rowena's piece of the forest - 29/4 New Child

Postby Cato » Tue May 15, 2012 10:15 pm

It looks great! I think glade guard legs might ruin it, so you should keep it the way it is. Very nice :thumbsup:
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