Paint Basing Scheme Advice Wanted: Woods of Ghur

[Wildermorne]

Hey everyone! New here to the TGA forums and I'm looking for some thematic advice for my Sylvaneth! Fluff wise, my wargrove fled to the savage lands of Ghur at the height of Nurgle's invasion of Ghyran, and I have modeling ideas to reflect this (skulls and bones, green stuff feathers,  spite heads for revenants etc.) But what I'm really struggling with is finding a good colour and basing scheme to reflect the realm of Ghur they inhabit. Any experienced painters and sylvaneth players have some ideas? 

 

Thanks!!

[DionTheWanderer]

Maybe have a look at some natural photos for inspiration?

I'm thinking scrubland - trees holding on at the edge of their natural habitat because they've been pushed out by invading species. Something like the attached photo.

You could get a base effect by using some sand and textured paint (maybe arma dust, drybrushed with Ush Bone?) and a lot of yellowish/dry coloured static grass? You can get that off ebay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/123018935535?chn=ps&var=423455217678 https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/122601960437?chn=ps&var=423013209712 https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/123018935535?chn=ps&var=423455217678) - I use model railway tufts for my bases, and one tuft can be cut into two or four which is more than adequate for several models. You could even throw some cacti into the mix: https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=off&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBGB798GB798&biw=1396&bih=644&tbm=shop&ei=W-GbW-y4O-XMgAbsvJiYAw&q=cacti+model+railway&oq=cacti+model+railway&gs_l=psy-ab.3...95226.97711.0.97940.7.6.1.0.0.0.100.396.5j1.6.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.Ht5Qo89EplA#spd=4505764445357513127

 

That would also give you a matching yellowish, faintly unhealthy coloured leaves, and bleached/dry wood scheme for your sylvaneth which could look quite cool. 

[Nin Win]

So the challenge is to have both the base and the model evoke Ghur but you also need contrast between the base and model or the miniature can get lost in it's own base.  Like if you have the same colour on both.

I think the scrubland suggestion is good, as well as an African savana type terrain.  Since that kind of a base is going to have lots of green and off green on it (as well as tans and whatever) then what about a dark reddish brown for the tree parts?

You don't need to paint those horizontal lines (unless you really want to) because the various bits of bones and skulls and whatnot that you mentioned will be the ideal place for that sort of bone colour.

For the spirit looking guys, I think if you went for the classic bluish white like how they show to paint some of the nighthaunt stuff on the Warhammer TV videos should work well.

So that's one option.  The other option is a desaturated high contrast style with very dark browns but very light edge highlighting and strong dark recess shades on all the bark.  The bones should be very dirty yet white along the edges.

^{Miniatures by Vikingpainting (not mine)}

The dead and stark look with dirty bone will contrast really well with a vibrant base with tufts and whatnot.  Notice the limited colour palette on those miniatures.  There are only a handful of different colours on the miniature, but it looks great.

For whatever scheme you end up with, keep any green on either the miniature or the base drab.  Like a military green.  The other one (base in the case of the picture above) should get the vibrant and truer greens.  This will make sure the green on the model doesn't melt into the base and look indistinct.

[DionTheWanderer]

5 hours ago, Nin Win said:

So the challenge is to have both the base and the model evoke Ghur but you also need contrast between the base and model or the miniature can get lost in it's own base.  Like if you have the same colour on both.

I think the scrubland suggestion is good, as well as an African savana type terrain.  Since that kind of a base is going to have lots of green and off green on it (as well as tans and whatever) then what about a dark reddish brown for the tree parts?

You don't need to paint those horizontal lines (unless you really want to) because the various bits of bones and skulls and whatnot that you mentioned will be the ideal place for that sort of bone colour.

For the spirit looking guys, I think if you went for the classic bluish white like how they show to paint some of the nighthaunt stuff on the Warhammer TV videos should work well.

So that's one option.  The other option is a desaturated high contrast style with very dark browns but very light edge highlighting and strong dark recess shades on all the bark.  The bones should be very dirty yet white along the edges.

^{Miniatures by Vikingpainting (not mine)}

The dead and stark look with dirty bone will contrast really well with a vibrant base with tufts and whatnot.  Notice the limited colour palette on those miniatures.  There are only a handful of different colours on the miniature, but it looks great.

For whatever scheme you end up with, keep any green on either the miniature or the base drab.  Like a military green.  The other one (base in the case of the picture above) should get the vibrant and truer greens.  This will make sure the green on the model doesn't melt into the base and look indistinct.

While your points are excellent, I wonder if Sylvaneth, uniquely, are any army who might look good blending into their bases a bit? 

I do like the idea of the scrubland base with the reddish colour scheme though - looks excellent  

 

[Wildermorne]

Thank you both for the insightful replies! I do like the idea of bone contrasting with a darker/drabber browns, and to the point on unhealthy looking leaves, I never thought of that before! It could give the feel of an old forest hanging on to survival. 

Ok some ideas are starting to form...I may post back later with a colour palette I'd like to run by. For now though, I had impulse bought some creeping vines a few months ago that have just been sitting on my desk...I wonder if I could make sort of roots cutting through a badlands/rocky type terrain..using the scrubland grass to show life clinging on to the barrels fighting for survival!

[Wildermorne]

Alright, after fooling around in the citadel paint app and getting a feel for some color theory, I think I may have a start I'd like to run buy you fine fine people here:

For the main bark, I was thinking of something like this, sort of a dirty grey colour that's fairly neutral and would allow things like bone and leaves and runes to really pop against it. However, instead of using Nuln oil to shade, I may use Agrax  to get a bit of a browner tone if that works at all. The bone too would have more of a dirtier feel to it as well, and I'd even like to try and make weapons of the revenants and kurnoth hunters this bone colour too!

I do like DionTheWanderer's point on having the yellowish leaves making the vegetation look more sickly/unhealthy, however I also had an idea to make the colour of the eyes/runes of my Sylvaneth amber, to reflect the amber magics of Ghur seeping into the soulpods of the wargrove. Because of this, I opted to choose a more reddish brown for the leaves.

There's still 2 colours that I haven't quite gotten down, and that's the skin colour of the revenants, and the inner  bark that shows underneath the armor of bigger models such as Kurnoth and Treelords (though, this may be one colour as well!)

 

Apologies if this sounds kind of ranty and dragging on, this post also serves the purpose of having somewhere to store my ideas as much as share them hahaha

[DionTheWanderer]

Only risk is that with reddish leaves you run the risk of looking a bit autumnal, which is a pretty common trope for Wanderers/Sylvaneth armies. I like the reddish bark idea that NinWin came up with.

[Wildermorne]

6 minutes ago, DionTheWanderer said:

Only risk is that with reddish leaves you run the risk of looking a bit autumnal, which is a pretty common trope for Wanderers/Sylvaneth armies. I like the reddish bark idea that NinWin came up with.

Hmmm this is true. I do recall on warhammer TV one of those tip of the day videos for a reddish sylvaneth bark! Or use the red/brown I had laid out planned for the leaves .

[Wildermorne]

Hello again all! figure I'd also show some small conversions to Ghur-ify come of my Sylvaneth a tad. No major kitbashes as of yet, just smaller details to make the mini their own!

First off is my Branchwych, Yaghara. Did a small (and nervewracking) repose to have her calling forth the critters of the forest. Left to add: may replace one of the bugs with a razorwing, size pending, and may perch an owl from the dryad kit atop her scythe. I also may have a few feathers tied into her antlers.

My nameless Branch Nymph, leading her bramble of dryads. Simple head replacement with a skull from the citadel skulls kit, and her antlers are made from Dryad hands.

And lastly, my Kurnoth. I am in love with these sculpts so I didn't want to convert them TOO much, On the 2 standard hunters, I replaced a shoulder pad with a bestial skull where it fit the best. As for the Huntmaster, I pruned his crown to look more like antlers, and rather than replace a shoulder with a skull, I managed to turn one into a girdle of sorts.

 

Hope you guys enjoy!

[Arnied3]

Awesome work! have you made any more progress since?

[Wildermorne]

3 hours ago, Arnied3 said:

Awesome work! have you made any more progress since?

Unfortunately I sadly haven't. LOTS of ideas still but life's got me fait busy lately. I do plan on painting my dryads soon though so I will post more whe  things get rolling again!

[Arnied3]

I know that pain all to well! I will be keeping an eye out for you!

[Wildermorne]

Hey guys! so a bit of an update! no paint on the models yet but I did some (quite nerve wracking) conversion work on the Branchwych and Tree Revenants! 
For the wych. Oh boy. what a ride. I had this idea to give her a mask of sorts, but didn't want to replace the head entirely with a bird skull. So I hollowed out the skull and shaved away at the wych's face to fit, while using greenstuff to meld the skull more to her head, make it more fluid. I also replaced her hair with one from the Witch Elves (generously donated from a buddy of mine. some strapping around the Orruk skull using greenstuff and I think it turned out pretty well! (Considering its my first time using greenstuff.) I may see if i can find some leaves to dot into her hair. Im getting a very "wicker man/voodoo" vibe from her, which I think fits the realm of beasts quite well!

For the Revenants, A simple head swap gives them a more feral appearance, and I also used Spite revenant claws in the off hand, to give off a more bestial vibe. I'm CONSIDERING greenstuffing more tribal looking hair on them, though I'm not quite confident in my sculpting skills....yet. Oh! and I shaved the banner's emblem off, using some liquid greenstuff equivalent to try and hide the scratch marks. In the paint phase, I'm planning to hand paint a more tribal looking banner. 

Cheers!

[Arnied3]

That Branchwych looks great!

[Wildermorne]

2 hours ago, Arnied3 said:

That Branchwych looks great!

Thank you so much! I wasnt entirely happy with how I green stuffed the hèad. So that may warrant a rework. On the note of sculpting, anyone have advice for sculpting hair? As mentioned I'm planning on green stuffing more tribal hairstyles for my revenants (maybe even a few ork/animal skull masks) and I wouldn't mind some advice from folk more experienced in sculpting

[Kramer]

19 hours ago, Wildermorne said:

Hey guys! so a bit of an update! no paint on the models yet but I did some (quite nerve wracking) conversion work on the Branchwych and Tree Revenants! 
For the wych. Oh boy. what a ride. I had this idea to give her a mask of sorts, but didn't want to replace the head entirely with a bird skull. So I hollowed out the skull and shaved away at the wych's face to fit, while using greenstuff to meld the skull more to her head, make it more fluid. I also replaced her hair with one from the Witch Elves (generously donated from a buddy of mine. some strapping around the Orruk skull using greenstuff and I think it turned out pretty well! (Considering its my first time using greenstuff.) I may see if i can find some leaves to dot into her hair. Im getting a very "wicker man/voodoo" vibe from her, which I think fits the realm of beasts quite well!

For the Revenants, A simple head swap gives them a more feral appearance, and I also used Spite revenant claws in the off hand, to give off a more bestial vibe. I'm CONSIDERING greenstuffing more tribal looking hair on them, though I'm not quite confident in my sculpting skills....yet. Oh! and I shaved the banner's emblem off, using some liquid greenstuff equivalent to try and hide the scratch marks. In the paint phase, I'm planning to hand paint a more tribal looking banner. 

Cheers!

Oh man! Great stuff with the mask! Can imagine that it would be nerve wracking! Great work though!

[Wildermorne]

Hey all! Happy Holidays and a real quick update on some things. First of all. Ive started basing my dryads with my (finally) decided theme. With Ghur being a predatory realm where even the land itself devours and hunts, I thought it would be fitting to have roots appearing to burst out of the rocky ground, ferociously carving new woods where my sylvaneth walk. 

 

Secondly, is just some reuse of the branchwych's hairpiece I snipped off. Thought it looked good as a long braid for my Primal Revenant . I SWEAR I'll get to painting soon. So stay tuned!

 

[Wildermorne]

PROGRESS!!

I've fully dove into the painting  now, and I'm pleased to show off my first Dryad of my Ghurrish Wargrove!! I'm super happy with how it came out, hope you enjoy! And more to come!