Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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Rage Unbound - New Bloodthirster of Khorne
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Arkhan the Black Mortarch of Sacrement. Commission
Arkhan paused and pondered the question. He had died and been reborn, reshaped by the Dark Lord. But how much of himself crossed back over from the void? What memories, if any, remained dead, lost in time like so many sand grains passing through death's bony fingers?
That was what he did. Nagash hollowed out his wards replacing whatever they once had been with his own dark, vital will. Was he Arkhan or Nagash's memory of Arkhan?
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Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
My first memory of Arkhan is of a mad smiling skull dressed in papal attire astride a bone chariot. He represented the quintessential archetype for what the undead were - a collection of gothic horrors in a fantasy universe.
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Narik Dreygur Consul Praetor Iron Warrior Commission
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
This model was an experiment in the use of metallics over a large surface. Iron warriors suffer from having too many metallics in their scheme. It's a nightmare to photograph and to shade. A well shaded true metallic surface is a joy to behold but it is one of the hardest things to get right. If done successfully you should not notice the shading as the metallics will look natural, but when not done well makes the model look untidy.
I started with a base of Gun Metal from Vallejo's range and worked in higher shades onto the raised surfaces. I then washed the model with Tamiya Smoke. This is quite a thick coat but seeps into all the recesses of the model making the metal look grimy and worn (which was the effect I desired).
A challenging but pleasing model to paint. I have to pick one of these up again at the Warhammer World opening day.
Myles
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Autilon Skorr Consul Praetor Alpha Legion Commission
Autilon Skorr Consul Praetor Alpha Legion
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
What a masterpiece of a model! Many people don't like the lion/hydra/animal mask by by god when seen in person it is magnificent. I went a different direction with it and painted the mask silver. For some reason it reminded me of the Gladiator that is sent to kill Russel Crowe's character in the movie Gladiator (you know the one scene with all the lions).
I didn't want much in the way of contrasting colours present on this model. For me the Alpha Legion are all about greens, purples, blues, turqoises - colours that are bunched in that area of the colour wheel. Let the Ultramarines bandy around complimentary colours, the Harrowing are a lot more subtle.
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Flamespyre Phoenix Commission Magnetised Rider
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
This Flamespyre is to go alongside the Eryllion Tournament army I painted up last year. Out of the two configurations I prefer painting the Flamespyre - it's so much more dynamic and satisfying. A Phoenix should be on fire right?
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Vio'Scious Ch'Ihll The Blood Raven. Dark Elf Pegasus Rider
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
Vio'scious Ch'Ihll is captain of the Raven's Delight, a once great host now greatly diminished to those members who were fleet enough to outpace their pursuers. The moniker Blood Raven was hung about him after his many flights across Naggaroth, fleeing the vengeful blades at his back. The raven is a craven bird in Naggarothi lore and Vio'scious has a growing repute for savaging the weak, helpless and lamed for his continued survival.
Vio’Cious is the Son of Briarch Ch’Ihll the former first Sword of Ch’Ihll, and is an uncle to Cynath Ch’Ihll. Upon the death of Briarch his children sought to take the mantle of first sword of the Ch’Ihll dynasty, thus sparking a bloody internal family affair. Vio’Scious sought to marry Tyriz Mal, daughter of the Dreadlord Daemon of Naggarond, putting a thousand swords to Vio’Scious claim. Unfortunately the Daemon’s men butchered Vio’Scious’ merge household while the newly weds were consummating their marriage. The Blood Raven earned his moniker by stealing away from the highest point of the Marriage tower, his wife cut open and emptied onto to the bridal bed.
He has fled from city to city, raising hosts by borrowing money against the Ch’Ihll name, and having them dashed against stronger forces. His life has been a protracted retreat from the Dark Elf Capitol, running from his siblings, the revenge of his step father and his debtors.
His Preyton, stolen from the docks of Karond Kar in his flight from Naggaroth, mirrors the black cruelty of the Dark Elf well. His current band of mercenaries, the Crow’s Delight, are practiced in lightning raids, thrilling in riding down the weak, the lame and the helpless. although few in number their presence in the Black Prince’s host gives outriders of exceptional resourcefulness and cruelty. But it also gives the Black Prince a problem with an older, ambitious sibling.
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Every Dark Elf army needs a pegasus rider doesn't it? I didn't want to create a model just for the sake of gaming purposes as I find these model tend to lack character and are quickly forgotten for the more personal elements of a force. I knew I had to have the Preyton somewhere in my collection and a quick mock up of the old Asdurael Vect Kit seemed like a match made in heaven!
I decided to go for a strong black and red colour scheme. This is an incredibly effective combination but also helped distance the Blood Raven visually from the rest of the Ch'Ihll host. Vio'Cious adds a welcome splash of colour to the force. His Raven's Delight will be a unit of Dark riders that accompany him into battle.
With the changes to the Warhammer World it's hard to see where the force stands at the moment. It was built with 3rd edition sensibilities and 8th edition practicalities. The new edition looks set to break away completely from the past and so there is no reference point to know where to push the force on from here. I'd like to add a unit of crossbowmen, finish the Witch elves and create a unit of Sisters of Slaughter as these are iconic to the army (less so the sisters, I just love the models). To finish it all off though I just may need to go out with a flourish, like the Warhammer Wolrd itself and End Times my Lord onto a Dragon.
Myles
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Unreleased Dark Elf Sorcerer Marilste the Cripple of Karond Kar
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
Mariliste, the Cripple of Karond Kar
Marilste was one of many children born into an affluent slavers family of Karond Kar. Fourth in line of inheritance of a brood of six, all of whom were vastly more powerful, knowledgeable, politically savvy or downright more vicious than the weakling child nicknamed the Cripple. Marilste was an oddity for Dark Elf society, a collector, an archivist with a love for the creatures of nature. As a child he had raised three dogs that he intended to act as a bodyguard, but were killed for sport by his father and his court in a drunken trist.
It is perhaps thanks to this infirmity a that Mariliste was left largely unmolested growing up as the siblings fought views blood vendetta’s amongst themselves. It was only when three were left, Draegon the warlord, Scaritath the blade mistress and Marilste, that 'the cripple' suggested a final duel to settle the matter once and for all. Marilste told them that his failing nerves could no longer sustain the constant threat of assassination from his brother and sister and would rathe die in a place of his choosing.
Thus did the three enter the Temple, a large Amphitheatre built into the ancestral home of the Mariliste blood line where such ritual battle were held. Draegon and Scaritth were instantly upon each other matching blade strike for blade strike. They had both reasoned that Mariliste would be no threat once their counterpart must be dealt with swiftly. Marilste took to the edge of the he Dias as it was engulfed in the flames from three Hydras who were hidden in the shadowed alcoves. 'It was short sighted of you to think I would wager my life on a fist fight between you two. Poorer judgement yet to allow me the choice of venue".
Marilste's obsession with cryptozoology has seen him travel the world, accrue in such rarities as the Bordeloux preyton, the Fiender- giest of the dark Marshes and several hydras, manticores and Charybdis. However there is one creature above all the self taught sorcerer lusts above all else - the black chimera.
He studied the higher mysteries but fled from Naggaroth in the wake of the Witch King’s decree that male sorcerers should be put to death. Mariliste founded the cabal of the Jade Serpent which drew all manner of dispossessed and vile sorcerers to him. Marilse managed to accrue a great wealth and permanently bought the services of a travelling troupe of Druchii soldiers who took on the name of the Jade Serpent. Gelding these warriors Marilste made them a band of prostitute soldiers, turning a profit from them when not engaged in war.
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Sapce Hulk Commission Vengeance of the Blood Angels
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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Classic Dark Elf Hydra. The Golden Hydra of Khursh. Old Hammer!
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
The Golden Hydras of Khursh are an oddity to many Old Worlders who are more used the drab reptilian greens and khaki colours of the West. The terrible beings of the East are said to breed such creatures for their exotic skin, each generation becoming ever more colourful and bizarre. The rarest of these creatures is a clutch of eggs named the Golden Hydras - beings so powerful that they could rival the dragons of the pre dawn age. No such creature has been seen in living memory, even by the long lived elves and such creatures re believed to be fable.
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I've painted up several Hydras from my dark elf force over the years and I was bored to tears of drab colours. Why can't a Hydra look fabulous?
I started with a base of white, then a lemon yellow which was given successive washes of browns, purples and warm oranges. The scales are highlighted with a rotting flesh (beige with a touch of green). The markings are turquoise shaded with green.
Myles
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Unreleased Dark Elf Sorcerer on Howdah. Marlieste of Karond Kar.
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
Raiding the lands of the Tomb Kings, Marilste and an escort of Ch'Ihll guard seized a fabled clutch of Golden Hydra eggs. This being is the first Golden Hydra to walk the earth in millennia. Marlieste will do everything in his power to break the will of the Hydra, retarding its normal growth with black magics to keep it stunted and small so that he may ride it into war for millennia to come.
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This is a model near and dear to my heart. I saw this model for the first time in the Dark Elf Army book (3rd/4th edition), and he subsequently popped up in the 4th edition Rule Book, White Dwarf entries and various other supporting picture content for Games Workshop products. I only remember seeing him on foot (although I am assured the Hydra makes appearances in the 4th edition books). As an over indulged only child it infuriated the hell out of me that I could not buy this model (of the America Games Day only release executioners).
This grudge would stay with me throughout my adolescent life and into adulthood. Then eBay happened.
There are a multitude of things you have to think of when approaching this kind of project. Should it be painted in an old hammer style, or should I use more modern techniques? Should I use the original size base, a modern sized base appropriate for the create, or go with what I think looks best? Colour choice - should I go with a classic scheme or should I go for something uncommon? Should I glue the model in place or magnetised it?
I love the work of Georg Damm (more commonly known as Georc) and I feel that I'm walking in his shadow when painting this model. Although his own version was done many years ago and does not reflect the magnitude of painter he has turned into, it still remains a seminal piece for this model.
Georg took the classic approach, using earthy tones to produce a paint job in line with my conception of a Hydra (Jason and the Argonauts has left an impression). The Black robes of the sorcerer work well with the overall tone of the model. If Georg hadn't have conquered this scheme already I would have done something similar. However why go over ground well covered?
Why the yellow? It stems from a linked mini campaign (one of the new digital ones - I believe it is called northern wastes) I played with a friend where my Dark Elves were exploring a part of Troll Country and inadvertently stumbled on the outskirts of a Tomb Kings metropolis. Over the course of the campaign the idea surfaced that the Sorcerer Lord was on a quest for the fabled Golden Hydra of Khursh. The final scenario saw us battle beneath the fabled hydra - but instead of the flesh and blood hydra the sorcerer was led to believe it was, instead it was a literal golden statue shaped in the image of a hydra. Disappointed, the Lord ordered the statue cut apart by his corsair bodyguard and smelted down, only to find a hydra egg at its heart.
The model was painted with an airbrush to block in the colours - base, shading and broad highlights, then I switched t a brush to define the details and wash a bit of interest into the yellows. I used russet browns in the shadow and ink in between the scales. I knew from previous experience that turquoise works well as an accent colour to yellow. I purposefully varied the patterns on the heads - you do not see exact patterns being repeated across species, why should it be the same on this? Although I used what I consider to be more modern techniques I still used old school techniques to help bridge the gap between now and then.
I didn't go for the small square base, but I went for the more modern rectangle. The model is very front heavy (if you look ad the photographs of the base you can see there is a slight bend on the centre) but I felt this better help frame the model - from streamers to heads. I have not glued the Sorcerer lord to the Hydra but instead I've attached a thick brass rod from his feet that go through the Howdah, into the back of the hydra. Once threaded it holds as seen in the photos, which I imagine will make for some scary moments when balancing on terrain. I don't believe that magnetising is the answer here as the models are lead and very heavy.
This model will form the core of the Ch'Ihll rearguard. Much like my child hood self, the Sorcerer (named Marilste) is a collector or rarities and monsters. His host will comprise of classic Citadel miniatures and any monsters that I collect.
http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/File:Unreleased_-_Dark_Elf_War_sorcerer_for_War_Hydra.jpg
http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/File:Unreleased_-_Howdah_for_War_Hydra.jpg
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Autilon Skorr Painting Tutorial Part 1
Forge World Event Only Alpha Legionnaire.
At the Horus Heresy weekender the topic of the alpha legion cropped up. Exactly what colour are they? It seems every new document or image portraying this legion has contradictory information. In some images they are purple, in others a metallic blue with a green shine. I’ve read ‘Eavy metal articles where the model has been painted in a dark blue/ purple and highlighted with green. Some have freehand scales, others are devoid of legion insignia. Nothing is easy when it comes to the Alpha legion but instead of this stymieing your imagination, use it as as a spring board. The Alpha Legion have no uniformity and allows the painter the versatility to explore their own interpretation of what this mysterious legion should look like.
Preparation
Forge World resin needs to be cleaned in hot soapy water. Sometimes this still leaves a shiny layer of mould remover. I’ve recently started to use Cilit Bang Grease remover for that extra bit of grease removal. It hasn’t melted any of my models (yet! - I doubt it will but please no angry e-mails if you use the extra strong stuff) and does a pretty good job of removing the mould release agent. There were precious little mould lines to remove, but I used Wilder sanders - little fine grade emery boards that give an amazing finish once you’ve filed the models.
Tools used
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
Resources - I bought all the tools (save for the brushes) used in this article from airbrushes.com. I’ve bought from other shops i the past and from various sellers on eBay but I’ve found this website to be one of the most comprehensive sites for everything a modeller may need.
Undercoat the model white. Why white? I wanted a light vibrant end product which I would not be able to achieve to fully with a black or grey undercoat. But please feel free to use a black or grey undercoat and use this tutorial to guide you through the painting process. I’d love to see your final result if you do this.
Step 1 - Airbrush Vallejo Game Colour Turquoise (mix with Life Colour thinner 30:70 mix). PSI 20.
You don’t have to worry too much about your technique here as we are just base coating the model. Use even strokes with brush and use multiple layers to create a consistent layer of colour. If you find that the ratio is a little off please adjust it so that the paint is flowing evenly from your airbrush.
Turquoise is one of those colours I love to use as you can go in many directions with it. You can shade with a darker shade of blue, green, even purple and highlight with a lighter shade of blue or green. You can manipulate it in a lot of interesting ways. The turquoise we have chosen is slightly darker and desaturated, which will make our highlights contrast with the base layer.
Step 2 - Airbrush Com Art Medea White (mix with Life Colour thinner 10:90 mix). PSI 20.
This is our first highlight of the armour. I use the Iwata CR Plus High Line airbrush which has a little nozzle underneath the nozzle that can regulate the amount of paint that comes out. This allows for a greater degree of accuracy when airbrushing areas of the model and minimises those unsightly overspray flecks of paint that can sometimes occur.
With the first pass of the airbrush concentrate on sketching in where the light would fall on the armour of the model.
At this point it is worth considering the context of the piece. Horus Heresy collectors do have more of a historical vibe to them, as we are interested in re-creating their favourite armies or characters to exacting details. When planning my own Blood Angel Heresy force I agonised for weeks over which armour they would have, where in the Heresy were they when I came to paint them, and would specialist troopers like assault marines have yellow helmets? Defining the context of your force is part of the joy of collecting a Heresy army as it allows us to delve into the history once more and unearth gems of details for us to create.
I wanted to paint this model with very clean lines to show off the sculpt in an uncomplicated manner as possible. I over heard Mark Bedford talk about battle damage techniques normally used on tanks being applied to marine, and he commented that it breaks up the line of the miniature, it confuses the eye and can destroy the outline. I like that interpretation and I can agree that by adding chipping effects to exposed areas of the armour does break up the lines of a model. I wanted to avoid this here. The character of the model is therefore informed by this decision. This may be a marine who has recently made planet fall and has not had the chance to get dirty, or that he miraculously turns up half way through a campaign unblemished by the savagery of war. I think either would be fitting for this Alpha Legionaire.
Once you’ve put in the basic highlight scheme reinforce this by adding a layer just inside the first highlight. You can repeat this stage as often as you feel is necessary to achieve the effect you wish. The more white stages you add, the smaller the bands of highlighting layers become, you intimate that the light source which the armour is reflecting is stronger. I find three layer of this stage to be perfect.
Stage 3 - Airbrush Vallejo Game Ink Black Green (mix with custom made gunk 10:90) PSI 20…
…To be continued.
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Alexis Pollux The Crimson Fist Commission
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
Alexis Pollux the Crimson Fist.
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Imperial Fist Forge World Command Squad Commission
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
"There is only the Emperor, and he is our shield and protector."
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Strike force Animus Vanguard to apocalypse Ravenwing Bikers
Once upon a battlefield dreary, where I cowered, spent and blearly,
Within an Imperial bunker, darkly stained with dust and gore -
As I cowered, nearly shuttering, suddenly there came a sputtering
As some weapon quickly stuttering - firing at my bunker door.
"'Tis some bolter", I murmmered, "firing at my bunker door -
Only this and nothing more."
Within an Imperial bunker, darkly stained with dust and gore -
As I cowered, nearly shuttering, suddenly there came a sputtering
As some weapon quickly stuttering - firing at my bunker door.
"'Tis some bolter", I murmmered, "firing at my bunker door -
Only this and nothing more."
More poetry with the next post...
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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Jago Sevatar, Prince of Crows. Horus Heresy Character Night Lord
“It is wise of you to wear the helm this time, cousin. The last time I saw your face, most of it was a wet ribbon of flayed flesh stuck to the ground by my feet. My brothers in the First Company enjoy the tale, for it was the first time I’ve ever started to skin an Angel while he was still alive.”
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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Alexis Pollux The Crimson Fist Commission
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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The Lady and the Dragon MDP products
Hello everyone. This one I am incredibly proud of. This sees me spread my wings beyond GW into a new realm of miniature painting. And boy is this different. This model was painted for MDP (mode display products) and will be on display at salute 2015. This was temendous amounts of fun to paint, and instead of giving you a blow by blow account of paint recipes I thought we'd examine the mood we were trying to create.
When I saw the dragon my first inclination was not that it was a terrifying beast - to me it looked curious rather than threatening. Not what you expect from a diorama depicting a a young woman setting out to slay a wyrm. I wanted all the threat to be coming from the young lady, so I painted her in strong red and violet tones. In my minds eye I see her as belonging to an order that hunts these creatures down, while the dragon, having not learned to fear man is curious to find out what this awkward bi pedal creature wants of him. The scene is poised on the pint of an ambiguous action - will there be violence or understanding?
Myles
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The Averland Swans - An Homage to Swansea F.C
A vanity project for myself after becoming hooked on the iPad version of Blood Bowl. Listening to 3 die block podcast kept the enthusiasm and before I knew it I'd painted a team! The colour palette was pre-determined by my local football team; Swansea City F.C. Each team member was painted to represent a member of the current football team or legends of the club's history.
This version of the human team is my favourite in Citadel's catalogue. It has a dynamism and elegance that is lacking in other versions.
Because of the large amounts of white I decided early on to use a blue undertone for the armour parts and a beige undertone for the cloth. I also painted up a Dark Elf Team alongside the Swans and I made the concusses decision to make the humans look worn and weathered. I used Wilder products (mud, brown filter etc) as well as oil washes to give a grimy appearance to the players.
A few of the players have some rather fetching footwear. What professional footballer would go on the field without wearing the latest sponsored, super engineered luminous turquoise boot?
Team Roster
Ogre
Thrower
Blitzer
Blitzer
Blitzer
Blitzer
Catcher
Catcher
Lineman
LinemanLineman
Lineman
Lineman
Lineman
Re-roll x2
Excess 30,000 coin.
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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Hunters of the Damned Heavy support Bikers and Ravenwing Commission Strikeforce Animus
Ravenwing Hunters of the Damned
This is an addition to a previous Dark Angels force painted up for a client. He now has a truly massive force of Unforgiven and more is on the way...
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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Ravenwing Land Speeders Strike force Animus Commission
Strike Force Animus
Land speeders for a larger force of Unforgiven. Check out Strike Force Animus on the search bar for more pictures.
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush
Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
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