Painting wood elves

[Wildeybeast]

So, I've been putting off painting my wood elves for ages as I can't decide what color scheme to go for. I like all my armies to look slightly different to the mainstream and have a stand out colour scheme (hence my Nordland empire) but I'm really stuck on the Wood elves. I think I want to explore the spring theme, but all the examples I've seen so far just involve painting light green, which is rather boring. For more me, spring is time of things flowering, I iamgine Athel Loren coming to life and a place of vibrancy, so bright tree blosom colours spring to mind- pinks, cherry, yellows, whites and so on. The issue is how do I use these colours on my elves without making them look too....*ahem*....'effeminate'. If anyone has any suggestions of how to use these colours, or any other standout spring colours, I will gratefully consider any ideas people have.

[Chronowraith]

It's perfectly doable. I agree that spring is about bright and vibrant colors and painting those really make things pop.

They key? Color balance. Don't overload your palette with too many colors and you want more earthy colors (greens and browns) than the brighter pinks, oranges, etc.

Suggestion? Paint bright a vibrant greens and browns, use subtle color shading effects with nontraditional colors. Then paint small decorations, flowers, small items on clothing, tips of vines, and other small details using your expanded color palette. So you end up with bright and vibrant living plants but also the wonderful colors that you typically see in springtime.

For alternate shading I suggest using a mix of asurmen blue and baal red (or ogryn flesh). Stay away from using Badab Black, Devlan Mud, or Gyphonne Sepia as they can make things look "Dirty".

I'll see if I can post some samples in the next couple days. I have an old wood elf mage I've been meaning to paint anyway.

[faolan]

Add in a small amount of yellow ink to your greens, and sometimes into your browns, to make 'em pop like you want, so they carry that vibrancy.

The other thing is, who says it has to be brown? Lots of tones for the earth, including clay red to black to white earth or the slightly rusty orange of areas with a lot of iron in the ground.

[Wildeybeast]

Both excellent suggestions, thanks for the help guys. I'll give what you said some thought and try some experimenting I think

[Deadlift]

The issue is how do I use these colours on my elves without making them look too....*ahem*....'effeminate'.

All elves are effeminate :)