Refreshing Sylvaneth

Sylvaneth are my primary army — and the main reason why I started playing Age of Sigmar back in its 1st edition. They are also the closest thing to the Wood Elves I loved in Warhammer Fantasy Battles. I have a few other armies that I enjoy collecting and painting, but there will always be a special place in my heart for the forest spirits.

However, Sylvaneth were also the first AoS army that I fully painted. Most of that work happened between 2016 and 2019, and my painting skills have progressed significantly since then. As time went on, I started noticing that the paintjobs on some of my favourite models no longer matched the standard of my more recent work. That left me wondering how I should approach the problem.

I did not want to fully repaint the miniatures. That would feel excessive and, in a way, those older Sylvaneth models are a snapshot of my painting skills at that point in time and a clear reminder of how much I have improved over the years. At the same time, I also did not want to leave them completely untouched.

Eventually, I realized there was a middle ground. Instead of repainting the models from scratch, I could strategically touch up certain details and areas to make them stand out more while still preserving the character of the original paintjob. 

The first of the models I worked on was the Treelord I wrote about some time ago. Next were the unit of Kurnoth hunters with scythes. I love those models - Kurnoth Hunters are my favorite Sylvaneth models as wells as some of my favourite Age of Sigmar miniatures. The original paintjob was a bit "flat" when it came to the details: everything was precise and clean, but there were no highlights or emphasis on specific parts of the model. Also, the bases were pretty simple and did not help in makind the model stand out. Below you can see the pictures of the models before the refresh: 

I wanted to perserve the original identity of the model (which I liked a lot), while improving "readability" and atmosphere. I think the bark has much better texture now, the green foliage/branches are not so overpowering, the weapon gradient is much better and the base actually frames a miniature (instead of being just some mud with grass).

Looking at the models side by side, the changes are not too dramatic, but they make a surprisingly large difference overall (at least to me). The original version was already clean and precise, so I did not want to repaint it from scratch. Instead, I focused on improving contrast, adding selective highlights, and making certain details stand out more clearly. I also reworked the base to give the miniature a bit more atmosphere and visual framing.

The end result still feels like the same model I painted years ago, just viewed through the lens of the experience I gained since then. And that was exactly what I was aiming for (and seeing the result, it's clear that the repaint would be such a mistake)!

Pink Horrors

Over the past few weeks, I have focused on painting my Disciples of Tzeentch models - primarily the daemons, since I can use them both in AoS and TOW games. My plan is to have fully painted Tzeentch army by the end of the year (or be very close to that). I made some pretty good progress and this week I have also managed to finish a unit of Pink Horrors. I was able to find colour scheme that I could replicate quickly, with just the right amount of details. On the pictures below, you can see them on the movement tray I painted as well. 

Brimstone Horrors

Today I have painted a unit of Brimstone Horrors for "Warhammer: The Old World". These little guys were fun and quick paintjob, done within an hour. I just need to buy another pot of Yiriel Yellow, because I did not manage to do the highlights I wanted. I wanted to represent the "Swarm" rule, so I placed two models on each 40x40mm base. With 6 wounds and ward save, thes guys should be pretty annoying on the battlefield. I am also finishing the unit of Pink Horrors, so expect more photos soon! 

Painting Tzaangor Skyfires

Over the weekend, I painted the first of six Tzaangor Skyfires. I consider Tzaangors among my favourite AoS models and together with Kairos Fateweaver and Lord of Change, they are one of the main reasons why I am playing Disciples of Tzeentch. However, they are really tricky to paint. I think GW went a bit too far when it comes to amount of details and different materials/textures on these models. You have skin, cloth, metal, horns, tentacles, feathers, flames... At the same time, while they technically are Beastmen, you really cannot go "quick & dirty" with Tzaangors, like you can with their cousins - that approach won't work here due to model design. This was the main reason why I had my 20 Tzaangors comission painted - I simply didn't want to spend so much time painting all those models. However, I wanted to paint Skyfires and the Shaman myself. 

I tried to strike a balance between doing too much and doing too little. I wanted to paint the model reasonably quick, but I also wanted it to look good and not deviate too much from what I usually do. I have manged to finish it in a few hours (between 4 and 5) and I expect other models to be done in less time (because now I have the colour scheme and approach figured out). I really enjoyed painting this guy and I am very satisfied with the end result. 

Painting Sigmarite Chapel

Recently, I have finished painting Sigmarite Chapel. This is one part of the "Fortified Manor of the Empire" kit, but you can also buy it separately (the other part is the Watchtower). I really love this terrain piece and in general, since I don't have almost any buildings in my collection of scenery pieces, I bought it as soon as it was released (I have mostly ruins and forests). The paintjob was quick and easy (I utilized drybrushing a lot). I am now finishing the watchtower and working on the walls and fences - expect some pictures on the blog soon.