Birch Dryads?

[grunts1175]

Hi everyone. I've just started a Wood Elf army and I'd like to do my Dryads in a birch bark colour. I could probably work it out myself eventually, but I'm hoping someone can shortcut me to a good method of painting birch bark.
I'm thinking a grey basecoat, highlighted up to an off white, then go back with a tiny brush for the black lines. Any suggestions?
Here's a pic of what I'm trying to get for reference
View attachment 4276

 

[freakinacage]

sounds like you have hit hte nail on teh head there. i would keep your highlighting streaky and around the trunk so it adds to the texture

 

[Dragonsreach]

Dheneb Stone, bleached bone, Skull white.
Allow the Dheneb to go on streaky and you'll be part way there.

 

[Chrome]

I think you should keep the vertical highlights lighter and the horizontal ones darker, all protrusions and deviations from the 'main' body of the tree are miscoloured unless they're branches.

http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/betula/betul/betupen5.jpg

http://www.fotografjohanbjurer.se/res/default/foto3bjork.jpg

http://jessicalindgren.se/blogg/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/vinter_bjork_2_1.jpg

If you are doing birches you have the possibility to vary your colours quite widely since they come in a few different colours, here's an example:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_UmPTRsHhbrw/SnBTgXuegzI/AAAAAAAACYM/05k1BkxJlyc/29jul08_bj%C3%B6rk_blogg.jpg
http://alltomtradgard.se/_internal/cimg!0/8ciqluyh5d517tdj4ec499qu1gu52ps

If you want more references I can take a short walk and take some pics, I've got a lot of them right outside in various ages.

 

[grunts1175]

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I did up a test model last night and it looks not too bad.

 

[grunts1175]

Sorry for the double post. I woke up the next day and took another look at the birch dryad...its crap. Went back to the drawing board and scrapped the birch idea for this. Not exactly what I had in mind at the onset, but it works and doesn't take forever.