Vindicare Part 3 - For the Gold...

Recently, things have been very busy, so I have not made any updates. I won't bore you with the details, except to say that one of the things that had me so busy was the Astronomi-Con Toronto tournament on June 11-12. Now that that is said and done, and I've had a chance to rest and visit with friends from out of town, and deal with day to day life, I have decided to do an update.

This update comes at the request of a friend of mine, who was also at the Astronomi-Con Toronto. When we were talking about hobby stuff he mentioned that I never did finish the Vindicare Assassin that I was working on, and he would really like to see the finished model.

Well, George, this one is for you!

Here you can see I blended all the grey highlights down to the black for a deeper tone. This also added more weight and volume to the model. This was done with wet blending and a Badab Black Wash to equalize the tone.

I've also painted up the leather belts and pouches, blending from a Scorched Brown to a lighter Vallejo Game Colour Brown Leather colour. The face mask started with GW Graveyard Earth and blended up with Bleached Bone.

The brass shells were painted with Vallejo Game Colour Tinny Tin, Brassy Brass, then Shining Gold. The metal was painted with VGC Gun Metal, then Silver. Both were given a Devlan Mud wash, followed by a Badab Black wash. The gun metal was then given an Asurman Blue wash, and then final highlights on all the metal were with VGC Silver.

To add some contrast to the model, I gave the guns a deep black coat of paint with very subtle highlights in a Vallejo Game Colour Caymen Green. I then blended up from Vallejo Game Colour Black and Caymen Green to Vallejo Game Colour Yellow Olive, washed with Badab Black wash, and then a final highlight of pure Yellow Olive.

The scope was painted with a standard red gem effect, going from VGC Black through GW Blood Red, Blazing Orange and Sunburst Yellow. To tie it together this was glazed with the old GW Purple Ink. And a single VGC White reflection spot was added. The eye lens was painted similarly, except only going to red. A purple glaze was then used to colour shift the red to make it deeper and more menacing.

The rocky base was painted very simply. First it was given an overbrush of Vallejo Game Colour Stonewall Grey, then given several thin washes of GW Devlan Mud, very thin Thraka Green, followed by several thin washes of GW Badab Black.

This completes the Vindicare Assassin model, though I may come back to add some yellow static grass to the base to hint at some dried weeds.

Related Article:
Vindicare Part 1 - Strike a Pose
Vindicare Part 2 - Back in Black
Vindicare Part 3 - For the Gold

Links:
Games Workshop
Vallejo

At Last! The Grey Knights Emerge From the Immaterium!

At last! Games Workshop has officially announced today the imminent re-release of the Grey Knights Codex and model line, which will include all new plastic models.

Details as to the model mix, and the focus of the codex are scarce at this time, but look for GW to leak more info as the next few months roll on, until the final big splash release in April!

Needless to say, this much anticipated release has been the subject of much speculation over the last few months, after GW removed the models and codex books for sale form their stores. The rumour mills are churning, and there is much slathering of lips and champing at the bit... what is a Grey Knights Player to do in the meantime?

Well, I'd suggest trolling the web for some cool pictures to inspire and increase your agony waiting for their imminent arrival.

So, to start, I offer up one of my own Grey Knight models for your consideration.

The keen eyed of you, will notice that while this model is different from the previous range, it is indeed, not a new model. It is in fact one of the original Grey Knight Terminators, combined with newer Grey Knight Terminator Captain arms. While generally a good fit, they did require a hint of modification to make it look seamless, and as if they were designed to fit, including a tiny bit of green stuff work. 

The base is a standard 40mm round base, built up with several resin ruin pieces from the GW 40K scenic basing kit. This was done to give the model height, and make it a) imposing, and b) large enough that when stood beside a standard second generation metal Grey Knight Terminator model, it did not look out of place.

This is a standard technique I use to make smaller models appear larger through the illusion created by a taller stance. For those of you who are picky about true line of sight in the game, I don't worry about it too much. This is a game about COOL MODELS, not just about winning, and I won't even go into "Modelling for Advantage"...

You probably noticed that I've painted this Grey Knight in...well....grey... This was a conscious decision, and one I will stand by, based on original colourations of the original Grey Knight models and artwork, which depicted them in dark greys, even black, with gold trim.

The model was undercoated with GW Chaos Black spray. I then painted on several thin layers of Chaos Black by hand, using a large tank brush. The Grey was blended up using a combination of wet blending and layering techniques from Chaos Black all the way up to Codex Grey, and to a final highlight of equal parts Codex Grey and Skull White.

The black bolter casing was a simple wet blend from Chaos Black to Codex Grey to Skull White. I blended from darkest to lightest to light limit the Skull White, yet take advantage of how it helps brighten the black.

The steel bits were base coated with Chaos Black. I then layered equal parts GW Chaos Black and Boltgun metal, Boltgun metal, and Chainmail. These were done with layered feathering, to change texture from the softer warmer metals and make it look more stark and severe, and to simulate a sharpened edge - which is further enhanced by the filing job I did to reduce the thickness of the blade edge. Again, to tie the tonality, I glazed it with very thin black ink

The gold bits were base coated using Scorched Brown. I find the red tones in the brown help make gold and brassy colours pop a bit more, and it is warmer visually than painting them over black. I then painted on Tin Bitz, Dwarf Bronze, and Burnished Gold, blending the intermediate stages as I went. I washed this together using a thinned down brown ink, as a glaze. This ensured the tone remained uniform. I then directly painted the crevasses with undiluted brown ink to make them more bold. Finally, I made some subtle "bright" highlights on the higher textures, to make it have an aged shine.

The green laurel started with Dark Angels Green, and I picked out highlights with Snot Green, then Goblin Green, and finally gave it a unifying glaze with thinned green ink, followed by a darker wash to pick out the crevasses and details.

The red details all started with a base coat of Scorched Brown. Again, this is because of the red tones already in the brown, which help the red go on more easily, and help keep it warm and brighter. I blended upwards from Scab red to Blood red, adding a touch of Snakebite leather to the red for a final highlight, and edge highlighting.

Though difficult to see, and very small on this particular model, the eye lenses were painted with a red gem effect. This started with Chaos black, highlighted up to Scab Red, Then Blood Red, and finally Fiery Orange. I glazed this with a Purple Ink, and gave it a tiny white dot to simulate the reflection spot.

The white detail bits started with a Shadow Grey/Skull White mix, and layering on more white. I kept this thin and did multiple coats to ensure better control and a smooth finish that does not look chalky, a problem all too common with white painted models.

Finally, the paper, purity seals, and scroll work were base coated with Graveyard Earth. I then layered an equal mix of Bleached Bone and Graveyard Earth on top. Finally, I blended in pure Bleached bone, up to about a 50/50 mix of Bleached Bone and Skull White. The scroll work lettering and detail was painted on with a 50/50 mix of Chaos Black and Brown Ink. The ink helps thin the paint to ease the freehand lettering work on the name scroll, as well as allow fine lines to simulate written passages elsewhere.

When painting the base, I wanted to ensure the model stood out, and didn't blend into the base. To do this I used some slight contrast by painting the concrete in a reddish pallete, and the dirt with a reddish brown. Queuing off the red detail on the Terminator also helped create a colour triangle which draws the eyes to the core of the model. The reddish colouration was intermingled with grey and bleached  bone, blended, overbrushed, and  drybrushed to simulate a dusty ruin, without over accentuating the base.

Hopefully this has been inspiring enough to make you go off in search of more pictures of Grey Knights and start working on your own!

Sternguard Veteran Sgt Aristotle

Today I've decided to take a look back and post a model I made a long time ago. Originally, this model was created to represent an Emperor's Champion for my personal brand of Space Marines, back when all chapters were allowed to have Emperor's Champions. But no sooner was it finished than the rule was invalidated, so he quickly became a Veteran Sgt in my command squad.

I started with the Limited edition Black Templars Marshall model. I thought it fitting that a Black Templar limited release model be converted to be an Emperor's Champion.

Many bemoaned my choice of this model to convert, but I think it was worth while in the long run. Plus I happened to have a second copy of the model, so it really wasn't that risky a sacrifice.

To start with, I chopped off the sword blade, and added the blade from the metal Terminator Captain to give the sword the heft necessary for The Black Blade. I chopped off the bolter, and converted a plastic bolter to be master crafted using some wing detail bits on the housing.

I also decided the Champion needed to be a little less bald, so I sculpted on some hair.

Notice the left shoulder pad has also been cleaned of the Templar's cross. I hand filed it to protect the little Terminator honour badge in the corner.

And to give it a more personalised and characterful touch, I sculpted a sword and laurel on his right shoulder pad to replace his normal squad livery. The sword later became the livery for what are now my Sternguard units derived from the Crusading/Questing company.

Originally, when I sculpted in detail for the power sword, I added the cables for the power nodes, but I didn't feel like that appeared like a relic of the chapter, so I shaved that detail off and painted the sword in fiery colours to give the impression that it was made from an ever burning material of unknown or secret heritage. I also decided to use a banner pole topper as the iron halo, which I glued to the backpack to finish off the model.

There's a bit of a bubo here on the left shoulder pad which I have since repaired since the photo was taken. I have also added the chapter badge to the shoulder.

Overall, I am very pleased with how this model turned out, and it was a very characterful addition to my army, leading the Sternguard to numerous victories...and the occasional defeat.

Sternguard Heavy Flamer

Here's a model that I converted and completed in April for the Astronomi-con tournament in Toronto.

He was made especially for my Space Marine Sternguard squad, as I team them up with a chapter master and use them as a hybrid shooty/assaulty unit. They are especially good when coupled with Pedro Kantor. The Heavy Flamer ensures horde units are thinned out so that the squad can survive the round of combat, due to reduced counter attacks. But it also means getting in close...and since that is what they intend to do anyway, it works out nicely. Normally I field them in a razorback, but am now considering putting them in a Landraider and expanding the squad.

When I started thinking about how I would make the model, I considered using the Legion of the Damned Heavy Flamer model from GW. But realised it just wouldn't fit in with the original squad, which all wears the MK VIII Errant armour.

So instead I used a plastic heavy flamer arm from the Space Wolves Wolf Guard Terminator kit and converted it to fit this model. I removed all the wolf icons and the terminator arm. Then I grafted it onto a regular marine arm, resculpted the tubes to the back, added a couple of purity seals, some paint and presto blammo, I got a really nice and convincing Sternguard Heavy Flamer out of it. As mentioned already the squad is composed of MK VIII armour. However, instead of using the plastic MKVIII chest piece, the miniature itself is one of the 2nd generation metal MKVIII Errant Space Marine Armour.



I'll be doing another Sternguard with Heavy Flamer, to really put a hurt on horde type armies, especially if that squad escorts a Librarian with Avenger, or to make it even more nasty if I make the Sternguard a 10 man squad with two heavy flamers. For a slight difference, I'll be converting that heavy flamer from a previous generation plastic Terminator heavy flamer, with the conical nozzles.


Here is the foundation model I'll be using for that model.

I started with a black base coat. This model has been spray primed with Citadel Black Primer (yes I still have some). I then add the highlights by wet blending directly from Chaos Black to Shadow Grey. This is done in a single wet blending step for each area of armour. Doing a two colour gradient in a single blend step helps keep the highlight gradient sharp, and clean. Note that the edges are NOT done with edge highlighting, rather, that is the highlight effect I achieve through wet blending and leaving the edge with the brightest colour. Basically I draw the dark colour towards the ridges, and deposit the lighter pigment there, while creating an even gradient. Finally, I give it a black ink wash. This ensures the gradients appear smooth, and the tone is consistent. It also goes on a touch shiny, which I like for marine armour.


The next picture shows work proceeding on the bone armour pieces. In this picture you can see various stages. I took this shot to reduce the number of pictures for the tutorial. Anywhere that I paint bone, I begin with a coat of original GW Bestial Brown. However, that is no longer available, so Khemri Brown Foundation is a suitable replacement. You can also use Snakebite Leather, though it gives a more yellow tint. 


Here you can see the helmet, chest eagle and belly armour in Snakebite Leather, as I could not find my Beastial Brown. The belt, knees and ankles were given a thin coat of Bleached Bone. It should be about the consistency of skimmed milk, and translucent. Apply it so that you are drawing the brush away from the darkest part, to the highlight. This leaves a translucent gradient, and then deposits pigment on the highlight. Repeat several times until the coat is nice and even. The trick to preventing it from looking chalky is several nice thin coats.

Below you can see the model after several thin coats of Bleached Bone. The photo is a little over exposed, so the highlights are blown out a bit, but you can see how even and smooth the bone is without looking chalky.

Once I have an even transition from the brown to the bone, I start wet blending again. I repeat the translucent layer of bleached bone, and blend in some skull white on the highlight. This is done while the layer of paint is wet, and mixed directly on the model. I let it dry, then do this again with slightly lighter mixes of bleached bone, adding white to my mix every layer. I repeat this for several coats until I have a mix of about 50/50 bone to white on the palette, and finally edge highlight with that specific colour. I then add some spot highlights of pure white on points of interest, like the edge of the belt, the head crest, and the eye surround.

I find the most convincing aged bone effect is done by laying this translucent paint over the darker brown, so that you can almost see the brown through the top layers. If you ever look at dried out bones, say after a BBQ of chicken wings, or ribs, you will see that same effect, as the marrow is almost visible through the bone. 


Of course, changing the base colour will change the tone of the bone, making it look more or less age worn, fresh, wet, dried out, etc. Experiment to your personal taste, but I've had very positive and pleasing results doing the same effect over purple, red, blue, black and grey. Green is a nice option too and gives the subject an almost otherworldly effect. You can also make the bone look fresh by using reddish tones, and then giving the area of deepest undertone a thin gloss varnish, to appear gristly and wet.


That's it for now. I'll continue to update this as I make progress on the model.