Tuesday, 27 September 2011

Quick tip; realistic chipping.



Hello everyone. I haven't created a tutorial in a while, so I thought i'd create a quick one while I wait for a new daylight bulb to arrive to photograph Belial. Although this technique has a few tutorials available online already, mine is slightly different in that we use a lighter colour to chip, not a darker one (that's not to say that such articles already exist, it's just I haven't seen one). 

Things you will need: 
Sponge (from GW blister pack or foam from GW carrier case.)
'Miniature' paint brush (short bristled brush for better control)


First up, our subject; the humble Metal Terminator Librarian circa 1990. I have been refurbishing my old Black Templar force into a Deathwing army, and found this gem (as well as a mauled grey knight miniature) hidden at the bottom of my bits box. I decided to go with a classic paint scheme of blue armour which looked a little flat once I had finished . The armour was neat and highlighted well, but it just didn't feel right. I wanted to add scratches to the armour like the rest of the Deathwing force, but I had reservations of chipping the armour with dark colours. For this, I decided to go down a different route.  



Step 1: Colour recognition. 

I used VMC Prussian Blue (regal blue is GW's equivalent) as the mid tone for the Librarian, highlighting it with increasing levels of VGC Glacier Blue (space wolves grey). Mixing up 2 parts Prussian blue to one part Glacier blue, I made the colour that would be used for the chips. I also added a little acrylic retarder to keep the paint usable for longer. 



Stage 2: Getting dirty

Lightly dabbing my sponge in the paint, I apply it to areas that I think would be chipped. The edges of armour, feet and shoulder guards would see pleanty of battle damage/ natural wear and tear, so I concentrated on these areas. 



Step 3: Fine detailing

This stage really brings the process all together. Mixing one part Black to two parts VMC Burnt Umber, paint the top and inside areas that were highlighted by the sponge in the previous stage. 




The point of this stage is to create shadow for the highlights created. With a little patience and perseverance building up the chips, you will end with with a very satisfying technique. 

LilLoser  


Saturday, 24 September 2011

Deathwing Dreadnought Cain





Dreadnought Cain is one of the centre piece models of this army. Big, hulking and domineering, the old metal dreadnought model is a suitably impressive bit of kit  to serve this purpose. Although unfashionable to field in this edition, I can't help but work in one of these walking coffins into a game. I'm a nut for the Dreadnought kit, and I wanted to update this older model in line with the rest of the army, but in truth, not much needed doing.

 I created a skull on the base (inspired by one of the illustrations in the 2nd edition books) and modeled a devotional brasier that burns the skulls of traitors with sacred promethium. 

LilLoser

Saturday, 17 September 2011

Deathwing; Squad Belphegor










Squad Belphegor accompanies Belial to war, forming his personal cohort and spearhead of attack. Belphegor is the most senior sergeant of the army and is second only to revered Cain in council to the Lord of the Deathwing. When squad Belphegor takes to the field, the air scorches with lightening, and thrums to the irresistible crack of hammers destroying all before them. 

Every Deathwing army worth its salt in this edition, sports a unit of super hard assault terminators; brimming with thunderhammers and storm shields. The sergeant was created to be a tester for Belial where I could trial sculpting candles and painting a satisfying green. Of all my units, I think this one is the atmospheric. The bases have quite a lot of decoration on them, and the assault cannon terminator has the background arch. 

One of the details of this unit I wish to highlight are the Storm shields. I used a trick that Winterdyne uses quite a bit on flat, undetailed area's. By simply painting a few straight lines on a flat surface, then highlighting around these lines, you can create a very satisfying cracked stone effect. This is very simple to achieve, takes no time to do and looks fantastic. 

LilLoser

Thursday, 15 September 2011

Deathwing; Squad Zhagen















The third of my four squads, Zhagen is the auxiliary assault unit that supports Belial and Belphegor (to be pictured tomorrow). I created Zhagen from a damaged space marine terminator and a few bits and pieces from the Corpse Cart. I wanted to create an aggressive, dynamic pose that incorporated some visual hallmarks of the warhammer universe. 

LilLoser

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Deathwing; Squad Imahiel
















The second of my Deathwing squads; Imahiel 'Victus Priscus' which literally translates as the 'living ancient'; but can be read as the living dreadnought. The nickname is a playful nod to the age of the miniature, and the venerable status of Imahiel.  The watcher that walks beside him is a figure of ambigous portent. On the one hand, having a watcher follow Imahiel marks him for greatness within the chapter, but it may be a harbinger of the sergeant's demise, and final ascension to the chassis of a dreadnought.

I've photographed the bases to show some of the smashed masonry I have included. 

LilLoser

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Deathwing; Squad Appollyon




















The Emperor Tarot

The Emanation of the Giant

Appollyon's banner image is inspired by the Artwork of William Blake, and the Emperor Tarot Card. I believe the exact image I copied from was from the poem Jerusalem.

If you haven't seen any of William Blake's work, please open another web browser and look right now. They are nightmarish and beautiful and haunting and I'm sure will inspire someone reading this. There are many hunched, tormented figures in Jerusalm, crouching down, often naked, covering their countenance from the viewer. I wanted to translate the sense of shame to the figure of the Emperor of the Tarot as an allegorical representation of the Unforgiven's penance. I have also given the emperor a broken sword; something for all those Jungian & Freudian students out there. 

Then I set the entire thing on fire! As much as I'd like to say I used blessed promethium to burn the banner, the reality is far more mundane; I used matches in controlled bursts to achieve a satisfying result. I think I may have gone a little over board with the matches, and on reflection, the image I chose to paint was too complicated. I needed a clearer, simple banner to burn the crap out of. Lucky I took a photo beforehand to show my intention.

Enjoy.

LilLoser