Converting and painting Cave Dweller Savages and Spearwives (and testing a warm slapchop base)

It's been a while since I used the slapchop method. These minis looked detailed enough to support it.

Conversions

Break out the GSW fur texture. Break up the identical models using extra capes, furs, strips, etc.

Warm slapchop v1

So I tried something new, by going ivory instead of grey for the gradient. First drybrush: Bonewhite.

Then Off White.

And finally Dead White.

Apply the Contrast paints

Test all available skintones. Reikland Fleshshade is noticeably lighter, but the rest don't make a difference.

Test the hair. Aggaros Dunes makes a nice blond. Agrax is a whispy brown. Soulblight Grey works for old man hair. Slightly diluted Basilicanum Grey works for black hair.

Tested bone colors, no difference between Seraphim Sepia and Skeleton Horde.

Snakebite Leather and Garaghak's Sewer, both diluted, make for great leather colors.

And finally, the furs. Diluted Gore Grunta fur is the strongest. Apothecary White, Ratling Grime and Gryph Charger Grey make for a nice variety and can go on undiluted. Soulblight Grey is barely noticeable, but slightly softens the contours, so it kind of works.

Conclusion

Looks OK, even the fleshtones, due to the intensive middle layers I put on. However, I still find the black shadows jarring. Let's try something else.

Warm slapchop v2

For my second attempt, I primed Wraithbone and undercoated Cygor Brown. I did some black-primed guys in parallel for comparison purposes.

Same warm drybrush. Differences were minimal but promising.

However, using the same paints, the finished miniatures were indistinguishable. Shadows appeared just black on all of them. Sigh.

Warm slapchop v3

Prime black.

Left: Charred Brown. Right: Dark Fleshtone.

Apply the Contrast paints.

Compare to the other guys.

Conclusion: not worth the effort. While some warmer colors look better on the right e.g. Gore Grunta Fur, weaker colors like Ratling Grime benefit from sharper shadows, and colder colors like Gryph Charger Grey actually look worse on the right. Male faces are okayish either way, but female faces are way too rough with slapchop.

Back to the basics

Armed with the knowledge gathered, I just did the rest of them using regular old greyscale slapchop.

Paint the female skintones manually medium skintone.

Finishing touches

Female face and diluted Ultramarine Blue facepaint. The Cave Dwellers have enough skin exposed to support paint on their arms and legs.

And of course Ice base.

Movement trays

Prepare them with some extra basing material: skulls, rocks, and 3d printed trees and rabbits.

Paint the Ice base.

Paint the trees Dark wood. Bone. Paint the arctic hares Grey Seer, then Soublight Grey. Highlight white. Paint spots Black Templar.

Finished!