Darnit.
The current challenge is to paint up a Heavy Support and/or Troops choice - instead of slogging through another squad of guardsmen I thought I'd root around in the Closet of Doom and see what I could come up with. I returned from the depths bearing the handful of Eldar models I'd purchased to accompany a Radical Ordo Xenos Inquisitor and his retinue (another half-realized project). There were several models in boxes and blisters: a Farseer, a squad of Rangers, and a Warwalker, and on a shelf I found a Wraithlord that I'd originally painted up in Iyanden colors on a lark years ago. Some superglue, a hit of primer later and I dove in. Though at the time I had no batteries for my camera and I wasn't able to get in progress shots until the following day.
I decided I rather liked the look of Alaitoc, the blue and yellow on the vehicles was what originally caught my eye. I'm going to try my hand at the stippled-blue look, and the War Walker got to be the initial test model. I think I need to add one more slightly lighter blue stipple layer yet. At the moment there's quite a lot of work still to go, but I'm more or less pleased with the overall effect, and the Blue/Yellow/Bone seems like a nice change of pace, palatte-wise.
I also started work on the Rangers squad, again just up to the base colors stage. I'm planning on adding a camo pattern to the cloaks, but I'm undecided whether to go with the lighter khaki scheme as shown in the codex, or with a green or grey scheme instead. I'm leaning towards the green though, as I intent to add a fair bit of grass to the bases for this army.
So far they've been fun to paint if just for being something new and different. One of the things that I'm looking forward to is the fact that many of the Eldar units, particularly the Aspect Warriors, all have separate and distinct color schemes - You're never really painting more than 15-20 models in the same colors. Not quite like the guard where it's 100+ models all in the same fatigues...
I'm not giving up or setting aside the guard by any means - I just needed a little change of pace to keep my enthusasm up. I'll be returning to paint up the Stormtroopers and King Russ tanks in short order!
I know how you feel, I've been painting shades of grey for far to long. I think I'm going to have to pick up some different models just for a change.
ReplyDeleteThose Eldar are looking very nice!
Looking good, I say run with the Eldar a bit, get about 1000pts painted and then go back to the Guard for a while and then come back and finish the eldar.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to be what I do, Over the last several months I have painted 1000pt blocks of Nurgle Daemons, 1200pts of Howling Griffons, and now I am starting to work on Orks. Already I am starting to form the plans for my next batch of Daemons and November is looking promising as the time period to get them going.
Good luck and I love what you have done so far. I think you could us a bit more stippling in the current blue color on the warwalker, on the upper parts of the legs and top of the walker, before going on to a brighter color.
Thanks folks!
ReplyDeleteHuron, that's more or less what I have in mind, points-wise. I'll likely pick up a battleforce or two for the waveserpents, guardians and such, then fill in the gaps with some Aspect Warriors (I'm thinking Warp Spiders, Fire Dragons, and Striking Scorpions).
I think you're right about the stippling too, a bit more of the enchanted blue on the upper edges before I move on to an ice blue/enchanted blue highlight is a good call!
Cheers!
Multiple paint schemes per army is the way to go! Keeps you sane, and saves the wallet from having to go and buy another army.
ReplyDeleteAt least for now.
Damn you GW.
Excellent looking models. I especially like the robes on the Rangers - very lived-in and rugged looking and evocative of the role Rangers play in the Eldar army.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I can completely empathize with your "painter's fatigue" - even painting 10 of the same type of model makes me antsy and itching for a new color scheme and army.