Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi everyone! My name is Joey and I'm totally new to Warhammer Fantasy and I was immediately drawn to the wood elves due to their awesome models, lore and wide range of colour schemes. I’m trying to get a feel for the hobby and have decided to document my experiences from buying my first box of Warhammer ever (a Wood Elf Battalion) through all the stages of planning, assembling, painting, battling right up to the final goal of entering a tournament and attending Games Day!

I’m certainly no expert in any of this, having no artist skills or ventured into any sort of strategy game like this before, but I think whatever the outcome it will be an interesting experience. I would be happy for anyone’s thoughts, feedback, encouragement or (constructive ) criticism, both with my modelling & painting, along with the general idea of a “start to finish” documentary of the building of an army by a total beginner through to the final stages of battling!

Thanks for all the positive feedback so far!



I'm going to use this post as the archive for finding videos. Please choose your episode below!

#1: Warhammer Joey Introduction.
#2: Forum Feedback.
#3: Spellsinger Painting.
#4: 1000 Point Army List.
#5: Buildin' Treekin.
#6: Paintin' Treekin.
#7: Battle Report - Wood Elves vs Tomb Kings.
#8: Got Wood!
#9: Morgan Treeman.
#10: Q & A.
#11: Doubles Battle/Guide.

Looking forward to the next installment, everything has been great so far. Consider me subscribed.

Next video is up

Congratumalations on another great entry! And to your Wood Elves for their first win.
I'm honoured by the mention, glad i could help.

Feedback on the video:
1. A triumph over Goblins is no greater than any other force really. It's down to how well their list has been structured and how good the player was. On saying that, i'm sure you played fantastically. Well done!
2. Defensive play is the best in my opinion, i use it in most of my gaming exploits although funnily enough not in Warhammer. The main reason for that is for a change of pace and so i can roleplay it a bit. The other reason is that most games are limited to 6 turns and many of them will require you to capture objectives and such. That makes standing still quite a bad idea. My suggestion would be to try and mix attacking and defense. This is quite advanced stuff though so don't worry about it just yet, concentrate on painting and learning the rules.
3. On that subject, try writing lots of hypothetical army lists. Writing lots of lists will force you to read the important rules over and over again. You may also want to get yourself a rulebook.
4. Russell Brand? Must be the accent...

Hey Joey,

Watched the second video of your "Start to finish - A Wood Elf Documentary" (not sure if the name will stick, but what the heck)

Your right, about the sheer amount of information that can be fired your way, When I first started playing/painting way back when, I found it easiest to work on only one or two specific parts of the game till I had a firm grasp on what should happen (such as movement and shooting) once I had that then moved onto adding more and more. While this worked for a young lad who had the attention span of a gnat perhaps the same train of thought could be applied if you feel your getting to much information?

You asked about game length? I think it comes down to a couple of factors:
- How many points your playing - a large 2000 point game will take longer than a 500 point game
- How experienced you are - if you have to consult rules/tables, this will slow the game down a bit

I had a game last Thursday at my local Games Workshop and we played a 1000 point game from about 7:30pm till 9:00pm when the store closed so the time you played sounds about right.

Nice to hear you offering shout outs to those who have commented, one sounded like my comments but had a different name attached to it, it shows that it must have been good advice if more than one person has mentioned it

The pictures on your Introductions thread look really good, I'll show you one of my first models to give you a comparison on where I started to where I am now (hid in spoilers because its quite shocking, and I wouldn't want to derail the thread to much) so if your painting as well as your are now, it can only get much better!

You'll notice I host the pictures here on Dakkadakka It means that other people who check from work don't get blocked by over zealous firewalls.

Before


After 15 years


*stealth edit* subscribed here on Dakka

It was just good advice! lots of people said roughly the same thing, but I'm glad it's all consistent information!

I love the first picture It has a kind of 90's colour scheme to it- pale yellows and lots of colour haha but good lord your second photo is amazing.
How do you get to a point that your hand stops wobbling about every where messing up smooth lines?

Indeed, there are only a few things people can really bring up so sometimes you will get the same advise doled out time and time again.

The first guy was painted around 1997, the paints weren't thinned, the brushes to large and I only had access to some ink's to shade, you couple this with youthful exuberance... well the possibility's are endless. I do distinctly remember that when I finished the model I thought it was a master piece and I would like to at some point repaint him to a high level, or possible get a second one of the model so I can keep a small reminder of where I've come from.

The second pic? that's my latest work (finished on Sunday IIRC) and I found that practice really does help when you are trying small things, I also have a cheat method when it comes to scripture on the banners and scrollwork. Can I ask how you are currently painting? It's a weird question however I've seen many people who paint differently and they achieve different results because of it.

I sit with the model cupped in my left hand with the left forearm propped against my desk, the right hand palm rests against my left palm with the left forearm propped up against the desk as well, this gives me a solid frame to minimize movement and thus spoiling a strait line while still allowing me to spin the model or reposition it without worry.

I've seen some painters who will prop one elbow on top of the desk and use the other hand free so they can move around the model without issue, but I tried that once with disastrous results (of which there are no remaining models to show those results )

I paint elbows on table holding the base and face as close as possible. I find my self holding my breath when I'm doing something particularly tricky :S
I done the foundation paint on my spell singer and a light wash but I have a feeling I'll be painting for quite a while this evening.

Don't feel the need to finish the model in one go, there's no pressure. Maybe finish it tomorrow? Unrealistic or forced targets will kill your hobby 'get up and go.' Take it at whatever pace makes you comfortable and most importantly, have fun!

Once I start I'll want it finished and lovely- I hate the beginning when it looks all splotchy- it's the drying part that's frustrating I want to keep going

"Don't feel the need to finish the model in one go, there's no pressure. Maybe finish it tomorrow? Unrealistic or forced targets will kill your hobby 'get up and go.' Take it at whatever pace makes you comfortable and most importantly, have fun"
Probably the best advice posted so far.

Hey Joey, if it wasnt for the effort you put into these Videos I'd cry foul!!

Seems you have a decent amount of natural skill if these are your first models. I'm a bit of a nut about bases however, I'd try to break up some of the grass on your bases, it looks a bit too clean at the minute... prehaps a mud patch here or there?

Look forward to more.

Cry foul? Why?- Is it my awesome dryads?
In fairness I only think they look nice now is because I discovered highlighting.

Plus due to my gender -though I hate to say it- make up has some part to play in me picking it up quite quickly. Eye liner is some tricky business I'll have you know

Had a lot of advice on bases actually a mud patch some great! How do I do that? spoldge some brown paint around. Or any pictures you could show me?

Great stuff! What a great idea to post videos.

I have some experience in making videos, and if you dont mind here is a couple of tips: Your sound is very low (sorry, English is not my first language, anyways I had to turn up my volume and next I will blow my ears off when I want something else). And I dont think you need 7 min + Peoples attention-span are not up for it. I'd say 4-5 min max. Perhaps start a new video for later release after that. Just my 2c.

Good luck with your army

No no, it's all appreciated. I'm new at literally all of this, videos included!
Short and sweet got it. It's just that there's so much to cover!!
Guess that means a lot of videos

A lot of videos means a lot of updates means a lot of visits means a lot of feedback

win-win-win-win

Oh btw, why not post pictures here on dakka for everyone to see?

Yup, they are really good for your first efforts, first time I ever painted was ....well.... terrible, but thats a different story.

Eye liner... Damnit, I knew I was missing something out not going goth!

Best way for mud is adding some sand mixed with PVA glue before you undercoat your models.



Mainly as its the last thing I painting if you check out that guys base you may get the idea. ^^

There is also a Blog somewhere called "muddy times", if i find it 'll link it, he does great bases for his 40k army.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/60/314300.page

If you want mud, that guy is good.^^

I only have my dryads on the welcome thread here.
Will post the spell singer tomorrow here when it's done.

Also Love the mud effect- seems fitting with it being autumn too. Plus, walking trees= some messy grass I would imagine!

TheJoeyberry wrote:Also Love the mud effect- seems fitting with it being autumn too. Plus, walking trees= some messy grass I would imagine!

True, I'm not big on dryad fluff tho, when they arent defeating goblins on the battle field do they take root in a forrest somewhere? If so, maybe nice to muddy up some of those treeguys - Maybe have one up rooting himself?

Tortured-Robot wrote:Maybe have one up rooting himself?

That's a fun idea but for her first models i'd suggest keeping things simple, conversion work looks horrible without practice and she'll end up ruining her very pretty models. Hell, my conversions still look like someone has vomited resin on them, it's not something anyone should jump into at the deep end.

You never know what you can do till you try

Prehaps - that said, I would still try adding some pva and sand here and there to future bases, I think it'll look smart!

Wood Elves? Aspiring new painter? Videos instead of walls of text?

Consider my subscribed!

Also those Dryads look fantastic! They blow my first army (yes not my first model but my first army!) clear out of the water. And since you can only go up from your first model I must say I will be following this thread with great interest

A unique appraoch to a P&M thats for sure. Though i gotta admit:


Any pics?

Ladies are fairly well suited to hobby in my experience, a dewd will start loads of projects but girls have a longer attention span. So will actually finish their projects. [Looks at own unifinished paintjobs, Unopened Kits and half completed sculpts.]

The whole group.




General Treevous! (four arms!)




I really like how the leaves came out on this one. I added an extra set of branches to his back!



Here are some pictures, although in the next video I'm incorporating stills showing my progress with the spellsinger and talking over it for the most part. I'll post photo's here as I go anyway

I was going to suggest you join Asrai.org but it seems you have beaten me to the punch!

Johnny-Crass wrote:...those Dryads look fantastic! They blow my first army (yes not my first model but my first army!) clear out of the water...

Seconded, your Dryads put the entire 2000pts of my first army to shame. In fact, i was going to put them on dakka to document the DIY fluff but i'm more ashamed than ever now. Lol!

Perkustin wrote:Though i gotta admit:

Spoiler:

i haven't watched the videos. i kinda have a phobia of youtube videos where people are talking at the Camera. Find it too 'forward' like someone that hugs you if you dont know them that well... Lol hard to explain.
Anywaysssss........

I feel you, i tend to listen to for the main part rather than watch, the eye contact is a bit intense. I thought i was just weird but i enjoy your observational comedy skills, bravo!

Perkustin wrote:Ladies are fairly well suited to hobby in my experience, a dewd will start loads of projects but girls have a longer attention span. So will actually finish their projects. [Looks at own unifinished paintjobs, Unopened Kits and half completed sculpts.]

<Looks at his own signature. Remembers all of the stuff that he didn't write down. Cries. >

Really interested in seeing your Spellweaver, J-Dizzle. I wonder if that'll catch on?
And since everyone is still avoiding the bad 'Treevous' joke, i'll take the nerd bullet. <Respectful clap.>

Episode 3- Finished my Spellsinger.
Any ideas how I fix her face up?

I swear by white primer. I think the face looks pretty good. Props with the foundation layers. Over all I think it looks fantastic.

Also your sweater is awesome!

One thing I do with faces is get a nice deeper base then keep highlighting up then a quick wash. works great but remember highlight up

Great show. (I wanted to say 'great idea with the videos, and then realized I've said that already...)

Faces? Have them all wear helmets! Sorry - that would be my only tip on faces. Its a topic I struggle with myself. Maybe that's why I choose greenskins.

That makes me feel a little better- also about the sweater/jumper! Other Jumper comments have been less favourable