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Going somewhat background heavy in this as my first proper AoS army, also gives an excuse for some terrain building I hope will evolve into a display board for armies on parade at some point too. Each of these models will be named by me (if I can think of anything cool sounding) or much more likely a random name generator I found for elven names (here) with the rule that I have to use the very first name it comes up with and that I have to do each one at a time. Of course I won't remember them all so I'll be putting a number under each of the dryads and any other rank and file like stuff to keep track of it somewhere else; could also come in handy for armies on parade too.

------------------------------Contents------------------------------

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Some of these may double up if the posts have both completed and WIP shots in them, I'm trying to keep them sorted into either section to make quick browsing easier.

------------------------------WIP and Ideas------------------------------
21/6/16 - Branchwraith and Wyldwoods
22/6/16 - Dryads 1-15 built
23/6/16 - Treelord built
30/6/16 - Dryads 2-6 WIP and a new direction for the wyldwoods
3/7/16 - Dryads 2-6 almost finished
4/7/16 - Treelord WIP
6/7/16 - Dryads 7-15 WIP

------------------------------Completed------------------------------
27/6/16 - Dryad 1: Jannel
29/6/16 - Branchwraith: Indilwen
4/7/16 - Dryads 2-6: Herlimiel, Medraunima, Andothwen, Miniranna and Eruwen
6/7/16 - Treelord Edendil

------------------------------Lore Stuff------------------------------
Names

Spoiler:

Branchwraiths
Indilwen

Treelords
Edendil

Dryads
1 Jannel
2 Herlimiel
3 Medraunima
4 Andothwen
5 Miniranna
6 Eruwen

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So far I just have some dryads, a wyldwood made of 2 woods and a treelord to start me off. Branchwraiths were out of stock when I was trying to get this started so instead I've just made my own from witch aelf parts and the dryad kit, nothing too fancy but I like the look of it.


This branchwraith will be my general while I learn how to play this army and probably afterwards, going with the name Indilwen for them since I'm not entirely sure how elfy the names for the sylvaneth are but whatever it looks decent. I actually got more stuck on the name for the force overall first.

The wyldwood before and then after I got around to putting on all the leaves and extra branches to make it look better.


I'm thinking of maybe only getting two more woods but I'll see how I go with them later on, I might want more; especially if I decide on building Durthu at some point. I've almost figured the colour scheme out, thinking of sticking with kind of a darkish grey sort of bark look and the leaves possibly green or go with more of a sakura look and go with some pink in there too.

Still not even a drop of paint yet, but almost built everything I need to build for now.

Actually kicking around the idea of using a name generator to give each model a name, for the dryads I'd put a number under the base as they're done to help match them up at least. But stuff like branch nymphs and treelords should be a given for this sort of thing.

What season you going to be painting them in? Harsh winter? Vibrant autumn? Blossoming spring? Lush summer?

Should be a tree-t to watch them grow as an army!

This blog is already giving me wood

Seriously though I always wanted to do a tree army.

 Nevelon wrote:
What season you going to be painting them in? Harsh winter? Vibrant autumn? Blossoming spring? Lush summer?

Should be a tree-t to watch them grow as an army!

I'm aiming for spring/summer, I'll just have to see how the scheme I have in mind turns out. Picked up a bunch of new paints for it today going with a few different tones of green and some browns to try to give the dryads all sort of a different look to have like a mix of tree types while remaining uniform enough. Would make them more interesting to have slight variation in the force rather than a sea of all the same type of tree in my opinion.

variation would be very cool! could have a whole seasonal thing going, as in all four seasons, slowly changing across the whole army

You could also break up squads by tree type. Just be sure to keep the Oaks and Maples apart

There is unrest in the forest /
There is trouble with the trees /
For the Maples want more sunlight /
And the Oaks ignore their pleas…

/Rush

Just finished the first dryad after figuring out a scheme I like, couldn't find where I had left my grass flock so went with tufts instead but I kind of like it a bit better anyway.


Got a second box of dryads so built a second branchwraith and have the next 15 dryads almost built too. Trying to get them all built first before I really get into painting them, but also considering cutting down the time by getting the dryad bark spray too since I started with black then used that anyway. Then instead of using greys like I had originally planned and like another test model will have, I went with greens like Loren Forest, Straken Green and then Ogryn Camo.

Edit: forgot to mention as I'm finishing each dryad I'll be painting a number under their base to show which one they are. The original idea is that this would help thematically cause I was then using this name generator (http://www.rdinn.com/generators/2/elven_name_generator.php) to give a name to each then just keeping track of it somewhere. Another idea I had later with this is I can use these numbers to actually help plan out placement when it comes to armies on parade and such. This first Dryad got the name Jannel; characters like the branchwraiths and treelords I'm going to be making up myself first at least and then a name generator if nothing comes to mind.

Cool scheme. Very creepy.

EDC

Finished the first branchwraith, Indilwen.



Think I need to get some pictures out in sunlight when I can to try to catch the green tones I'm putting into this more. The plant I've gone with basing stuff off is the orchid, I keep one in the house and looking at its roots and such have helped with working out how to blend stuff around a bit for these; going with some more green on their limbs while keeping the core a dark woody colour.
As its in a pot like this.

Which sits in another ceramic one to keep watering it easy, but lets you get a nice look at the roots as well.

Still building some more dryads in the background while I try to get this whole first unit painted, figured I could probably get them done in batches of 5 or so if I really worked hard on it. But for now a WIP pic since I've been posting a bunch of completed pictures instead of showing how it progresses too.


As for the terrain ideas, since I'm trying to go for a rainforest/jungle look a little now I feel like the trees from the citadel woods feel a little out of place for wyldwoods. Mostly though they're pretty annoying to transport and with only a single wyldwoods made from 2 woods they take up just over a quarter of my new case...

Anyway the gaps for the trees fit the 50mm bases perfectly, however only while upside down. Which with my idea is actually a pretty good thing. I've ordered a bunch of these.

Colour doesnt matter because none of them really matched what I'm after so I'll just paint them anyway but at something like $6 for 100 it's a pretty safe gamble. They'll sit about 3cm high which is about to the top of a dryad's chest too so reasonable height but certainly not tall enough for replacing the trees at least by themselves so I've also ordered these.

Hopefully they'll work out alright but the idea is to use texture paint to get the bases to match the rest of the woods' base and with the gap because the base is upside down this should actually make it level with the wood's base itself. The trees I'll probably put to use for the armies on parade thing though by not gluing either I can just swap them as needed. Just think these shrubs and such might look better as a wyldwoods rather than just more of the same normal trees I see on the table, would help keep them entirely different too, plus with how the branchwraith summons dryads I guess you could think of it as if they come out of these plants or something I don't really know; just they'll be a lot better to transport.

Awesome. Those little plants are going to look great.

(p.s. Could you spoiler that giant picture, it messes with display, thanks).

EDC

Almost finished with these next 5.


Also was lucky enough to get a preorder in for 2 boxes of hunters and the book before it went out of stock, so that's going to be pretty fun to work on and something I'm looking forward to. I've decided I'll have them all with bows to add some much needed ranged support for these guys to help deal with things like bastiladons at least a little. They look like they'll be pretty good in combat too so later on I'd make a unit with greatswords I guess, haven't decided between the scythes and swords yet.

Also ordered some new dice to go along with these kind of, I just think they looked cool. Was waiting to see how the Sylvaneth ones would look and they're fairly disappointing.

Lucky you got those Hunters. They are some amazing models!

Treelord first, actually forgot part of the green before the wash but tried to fix it up after anyway and it's fine I think.

Painting it exactly the same as all the dryads anyway.


Dryads 2 to 6 are done now, leaving only 9 to go for the first squad.
Name generator time of course... cause why not.
Some of these names as well.

2nd dryad, Herlimiel


3rd dryad, Medraunima


4th dryad, Andothwen


5th dryad, Miniranna


6th dryad, Eruwen

Finished off the treelord, Edendil thanks to the name gen, and got some nice pics of the stuff I had finished while at the GW today.






Also got a chance to speed paint some of the rest of the 9 dryads in the squad and realise just how lazy I've been with painting getting them all up to just needing the leaves, bases and eyes done to finish them off.

Also found a little lantern thing to help add some more white light to help brighten up the pictures.

Wow. They look a lot better “live” on the table. Color comes out more. What are you using for your at-home photo setup?

You are really cranking these guys out.

 Nevelon wrote:
Wow. They look a lot better “live” on the table. Color comes out more. What are you using for your at-home photo setup?

You are really cranking these guys out.

I have a white shelf and was using my phone (galaxy s3), I literally just added in a lantern or lamp thing in that last picture there to get some more light into it. Should probably get some paper again or something to soften the light a bit too I guess.

Yeah, they are very well highlighted. I especially love the eyes how they look like they're glowing, but don't overwhelm the other facial features.

Looking forward to what's next.

Finished the rest of the dryads off for the first 15, but taking time with pictures as still coming out dark.

Dryad 7: Enatolthiel


Dryad 8: Velayaiel



Anyway got the first box of the hunters built, didn't like how the third archer is in a running pose while the others are more or less standing or walking and firing, so traded out the running one with the second box. Since I made up my mind that I'd go with scythes instead.

Nice blog, Ill be watching how it goes.