[PLOG] Druchii-on-a-budget army

[Lesebyst]

Hi all, rather than create a million different topics I thought it would be better to create a PLOG. I'm building up an army as cheaply as I can and am filling the ranks with a mix of 4th-7th edition figures and kitbashes (mostly through eBay bulk lots). This will be a lacklustre PLOG in comparison to the others here but I'm really keen on hearing feedback about how to improve. I've been painting for a month - I used to 'paint' in the 90s but looking at the old HE models I've dug out of the loft, I used to use masonry paint and a paint-roller. I'm not disgusted with what I've painted so far, but looking through the other PLOGs here I can see I have a lot to learn.

To start with here's my first conversion, I finished it last night. It's an old Hydra Beastmaster with a corsair bow and a BG axe to make a GW-equipped Bloodshade. I'm happy with the pose but I struggled with the paint. The face has what looks like wind-swept hair across the left cheek which caused a lot of stress and the one eye was so deformed I gave up and stuck an eye patch on him. The weapons look unfinished but I don't know what to do with them.


(Full size link for zooming)


The cloak from behind

Any advice on how to improve these would be greatly received. I won't repaint them (not yet at least) as I have about 60 other figures to do first, but if I could learn as I go along that would be fantastic. Thanks in advance!

[Dyvim tvar]

Not bad. The faces and eyes in particular are better than about 90 percent of the paint jobs I see. But I do think that in general, the paint is too dark. I would add another level of highlighting.

[Daeron]

I think that's a very well done conversion. In terms of painting, I was wondering what kind of brush you were using. Looking at some highlights and the eyes, the skills seem okay and the detail is sufficient to suggest you thin your paints adequately. Indeed I would try with another highlight to liven up the colours a bit.

The weapons could be touched up by adding more contrast on the RXB. I think mixing your current brown with some ushabti bone should give a proper highlight colour. The shaft of the axe could be touched up by adding wood grain or lines. Usually, I paint the shaft somewhat darker, then add very thin lines of a medium brown and finally a few lines of a thinned blend of the brown with ushabti bone. It really helps to give the shaft some definition.

It's a bit of a clumsy picture (sorry) but the second Corsair from the left has this texture painted on his shaft:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img844/8454/qx37.jpg

If you like to kitbash and scratchbuild, perhaps we can exchange some ideas. I'm not sold on every little aspect of the models and I'm trying to improve or rebuild some models.
For example, I'm thinking out a design for a bloodwrack shrine. G.W.'s model is impressive, but it just doesn't feel like a bloodwrack shrine. It feels like a Cauldron of Blood with a mirror. So I'm going to scratch build one, in due time. The only part that will be genuine is the Medusa. But in all honesty... That's actually easy to build: anything that looks like a shrine will fit the description

[Lesebyst]

Thanks for the feedback!

Dyvim tvar, yeah it is looking a bit flat and dark. I'll have a go at highlighting, especially on the Bloodshade's tunic. I've missed off the highlights on the forehead of the other shade as well, doh! Generally I've been dry-brushing rather than highlighting, I had kind of overlooked the technique on everything other than skin. Sounds a bit silly now I think about it, I'll see if I can get to grips with it!

Daeron, I was using the 'Wargamer: Detail' brush mostly, with 'Wargamer: Insane Detail' for the fine details. I say 'was', I appear to have wrecked the point of the Detail brush :/ I love the handles on them, will definitely get another!

Thanks for the advice on the weapons, I like the effect you described for the shaft and will give it a try. Highlights on the RXB sound like the way forward as well, I'll keep trying on this model rather than continue with the new shade I started to paint. I've had a little crisis with the next shade, for old-times sake he has to have a Defias-red mask, which I think means I should probably bring in subtle bits of red on other shades....

I know what you mean about the Shrine, I'd always imagined the model would look more like a shrine (with an altar perhaps?). According to Wikipedia, "A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity". Who are the Bloodwrack shrine's dedicated to, Atharti or Khaine? I can't imagine either of them being too impressed with a mirror on a stick, no matter how impressive the staircases are

[Amboadine]

NIce to see another Plog going. Nothing much to add to the above comments. Another highlight would definitely help.
Cloaks are looking good, nice use of green stuff.
Looking forward to seeing the next update.

[MangoPunch]

I really like your ambition on this project. Do you have a target army or units that you are building? Or are you building minis as inspiration hits and you get the parts?

I think the detailed faces definitelly add a lot to the minis and agree with others tha the weapons look a little flat (particularly that axe). Great start so far! I look forward to seeing your army come together!

[Scythe]

Some black or brown or blue or any combination thereof ink on the metal parts of the weapons would probably make them more dynamic. Even more so if you go on to add some edging with a brighter silver colour.

Or, you could go with the Dr. Faust method! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JdEDuBaGVc

[cultofkhaine]

Hi Lesebyst - great to see the start of your PLOG and thanks for posting.

Those greenstuff cloaks look great and paint job coming along nicely. I agree with Dyvim tvar a bit more highlighting on the edges would make them pop a bit more.

Look forward to seeing your progress and welcome back to the hobby

[Lesebyst]

I've spent all week getting nowhere with making green stuff cloaks (to the point where I'm going to buy one corsair on eBay and make a mould) but finally made a start on the cold ones. One is finished, the others are base coated while I decide if I should vary their colour schemes or not. I'm going to be using three different types of Cold One, vicious raptors for Knights, tough sturdy cows for chariot pulling and pedigree-and-inbred-looking 4th edition ones for carrying nobles. It might be better to give each 'species' its own colour. Though saying that, I love the orange Cold Ones I've seen, perhaps five of each...

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The leather is a bit chalky, but hopefully it can be fixed with a wash of Reikland flesh shade. I'm over the moon with the eye though in all honesty it's a total fluke! The base is awful a usual, really need to do something about them. The premade stone slab ones are my favourite, will have to find a tutorial on how to make them

[Amboadine]

Nice lush field he is grazing in
I like the colouring, nicely done, agree that the leather needs a wash to finish.

[Lesebyst]

Lush fields are apparently the natural environment for this sub-species of Cold One, young pig-tailed Druchii shepherdesses take them up into the alpine Blackspine pastures each morning where they gambol and play

[T.D.]

Beautifully painted Cold One!

P.S. Love the Avatar -- where is it from?

[Lesebyst]

Thanks hehe it's based on

from a web comic. It spawned a whole load of 'X' all the 'Y' pictures, but it needed a Druchii version

[Dyvim tvar]

Really solid job on the cold one. Taking the time to pick out the scales in different blues really paid off.

[Rowena]

That's a lovely Cold One, looks very realistic with the detailed scales.
I'm interested in the different types, the idea of differentiating them is definitely interesting and I can't wait to see how it works out.

[T.D.]

Thanks hehe it's based on

from a web comic. It spawned a whole load of 'X' all the 'Y' pictures, but it needed a Druchii version

Love the source ...and dig the Druchii version

[Lesebyst]

I'm very slowly getting through rank-and-file, but fancied a change so over the weekend I've added three dismounted heroes to the army. GW don't seem to want to make any level 1 sorceress models (to me they all look like scary level 4s) so I've made one myself out of an old Dark Eldar Wych torso with some greenstuff and warrior bits. I might try giving her a cotton-wool fireball to throw, but that would probably mean a repaint for the lighting effects so it's at the bottom of the priority list As I don't have any BG for him to lead, the BG champion will be promoted to a Master. The other sorceress was mostly painted a couple of months ago, just had to redo some of the fidley bits. All in all it felt like a good weekend, after painting multiple near-identical models at a time the variation was enjoyable!



The Wych-sorceress arm looks odd from that angle, this is it from the back

[Amboadine]

Nice concept for the lvl 1. Executed nicely. Thanks for the update.