In the Shadow of Mighty Wings; that rite of war won't paint itself.

Just a quick update today to see how my assault squad is coming along. I'm painting up sixteen of the buggers and I'm considering my options for magnetising inferno pistols at the wrist. I've also spent an unseemly amount of money on Sanguinary Guard jump packs. 

Until next week! 

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings Land Raider Proteus Astrophel

My Land Raider Proteus Astrophel. This was a big project incorporating many advanced weathering techniques that I have been experimenting with one the past couple of years. I know from the outset that my Blood Angels would be ornate and decorated with freehand. With lots of open flat surfaces, this gave me the opportunity to practice a little freehand then break it up with battle damage. Having now seen the Forgeworld colour plate I have a few ideas of what I'd how I'd like to paint my next vehicle.

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Sparmax MAX- 4 Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: New kits, plastics and Blood Angels

We haven’t discussed the new sets have we? Or the new images of forthcoming book. Well I’m excited. Very excited by the possibilities the new resin kits open up as well as the art direction forge world are implementing for the 9th. Before we saw the colour plates I wondered what the secondary colour would be. For most Horus Heresy Armies it’s black, and it seems to be that way for the Blood Angels also. I thought they may have gone with a yellow as a throwback to Rogue Trader images (that’s not to say that you can’t use yellow - or that this is in anyway the correct way to paint the Blood Angels - the legion was large and had many factions). 

Black, red and gold - a strong colour combination that is in line with their romantic vibe as well as being particularly vampiric. The black second colour will provide an excellent base for strong freehanded images. Unlike other heresy armies who use a sign system (abstracted human forms, eyes, roman numerals etc) the blood angels seem to have full blown fresco's painted on their vehicles. It's incredibly daunting, but something that should stretch the hobby legs of any painter. 

9th Legion torsos and heads. I won't be buying any of the shoulder pads as I prefer to user decals. Decals offer a greater opportunity to weather the surface. 

There are two things that I am eagerly awaiting from Forge world;

1) What colour are assault marine helmets? 

We know in the 40K universe that assault marines have yellow helmets due to the reorganisation of the legions after the Horus Heresy. The yellow helmet denotes their role as fast attack within the chapter. However does this demarcation extend to Heresy era Blood Angels? You can find supporting images for either interpretation and I'm sure the sentiment that you can paint them however you want will persist, but I'd love a little clarification. 

2) Decal sheets. 

Will the chapter symbol change? Will it be more akin to the classic rogue trader style or the modern one.

In the future I'd love to have brass etch (I know there is a brass etch already but the new stuff looks Heresy centric), legion characters and special units but I am more than willing to wait for these. I think that the 9th will really come into their own at the Battle of Terra, which is for me the seminal battle of the Blood Angels that I associate closest to their back history. 

Something that came up in the last seminar was how the Blood Angels view their vehicles. Each is a work of art. This gives us the chance for lots of freehand, working with renaissance images and playing with some the greatest classical images win your cultural lexicon.  

Here’s a brief (and I mean very brief) overview of the guiding principles used in renaissance art. If some of this makes it into your own work for the 9th then this article will not be a waste.  

Paintings of the Renaissance demonstrate the application of humanistic ideals learned from the ancients. In works from the Middle Ages, saints and Biblical figures are arranged in unnatural, geometric groups, and backgrounds are nothing more than washes of gold. The Renaissance painter depicted the human figure as realistically as possible, often with backgrounds of the natural world. Science had taught the artist how to show linear perspective--that is, how to represent objects in relative sizes so that smaller objects appear to be farther from the viewer than larger objects. Careful use of light and shadow (called "chiaroscuro") made figures appear full and real. Renaissance painters not only portrayed objects with more realism than earlier artists did, they often filled their canvases with more objects, all carefully and accurately depicted.

Painterly techniques of linear perspective, shading and other methods of realism were mastered.

High Renaissance Aesthetics

Techniques involving linear perspective and vanishing points, foreshortening, illusionistic devices, chiaroscuro and sfumato shading - all these methods were mastered during the High Renaissance. During the cinquecento, the near universal adoption of oil painting eliminated the matt colours of the 15th century, and made it possible for distance to be conveyed solely through the gradation of tones - a process known as aerial or atmospheric perspective.

Even so, despite the growing realism being achieved in their art, High Renaissance artists aspired to beauty, and harmony more than realism. Their paintings may have been based on nature but they had no interest in mere replication. Instead they looked for ultimate truth in a study of the classical world of Greek and Roman culture. It was this that provided artists with an ideal of perfection: their aesthetics. Thus, Greek philosophy provided the secret of the perfect human type with its proportions, muscular structure, oval face, triangular forehead, straight nose, and balance - with the weight on one hip - all of which can be seen in the paintings of Raphael, and the immensely expressive sculpture of Michelangelo. The latter in particular was never afraid to bend the realistic rules of anatomy and proportion, in order to increase his power of expression.

It was through Classical Greek philosophy that Renaissance theorists and artists developed their idea of 'Humanism'. Humanism was a way of thinking which attached more importance to Man and less importance to God. It imbued Renaissance art with its unique flavour, as exemplified in works like Leonardo's Mona Lisa (a non-religious painting), Michelangelo's David - a more human than religious statue - and Raphael's cool secular fresco School of Athens. Even when High Renaissance artists painted a religious painting or sculpted a religious scene, very often they were not glorifying God but Man. They were exalting the ideals of classical aesthetics.

Something to bear in mind when planning a big freehand project is to work with the lines of the vehicles, not override them otherwise your design will end up looking like graffiti. Take the lessons of the renaissance to heart - work to create a harmonious piece, working within context of the model, don’t go against the grain. 

And finally the new plastic Heresy Set! 

I feel like I should do a separate article on this as the set opens up a whole new vista of possibilities for adding to and developing new armies. There's a great article on Bell of Lost Souls with an introduction to 30K and what to do with two of the new box sets. 

Because I have 18 tactical marines painted already I feel that I need Assault marines next (because, you know, Blood Angels) I don't think this will be the best value for money for me. However, when has a good decision ever gotten in the way of buying toy models? With the sheer bulk of marines this set provides it will allow me to make support marines with Volkites (nothing says 30K dark tech quite like Volkite weaponry), convert destroyers, create breachers and fill out some of those choices that orbit around the main thrust of the army, but help modify it. I dare say that the terminator set and Contemptor will be incredibly good value through eBay and will allow you to easily create Contemptor Talons (maybe a small Zone Mortalis force) and Pride of the Legion Forces. 

The most exciting part of this is the interest it is generating in the community. I can't wait to see a whole heap of people join in and get going with their forces. I can't wait to see the same inventive endeavour I see people put into 40K collections. 

Until next time. 

Myles

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings; Master of Signal Showcase

Part of my personal collection of Horus Heresy Blood Angels. 

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush

Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush

Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: Nassir Amit the Flesh Tearer Champion of the Legion

I created this model as a mock up for a space marine legion. I love the champion of the legion command set. The mis matched armour fit perfectly into my image of a Blood Angel Force squaring down the Traitors at the siege of Terra. 

Although some won't see this as the redoubtable Flesh Tearer (I understand when people read the novels they form a distinctive image in their mind of what the character shall be and any other rendition is dismissed out of hand) I created this model with him in mind. Perhaps it would be fairer to say that this model is inspired by Amit. 

As with all the models to date there are no unit identification markings or legion symbols. I'm waiting for Forge World to release a decal set to ensure a constant result across my collection. I can also add a bit more weathering a chipping techniques to make the armour more battle worn. 

Oh and the sword is from Maximini I believe. I bought it so long ago I can't remember where exactly it came from. He has a touch of Final Fantasy triumphalism about him. 

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush

Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush

Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: WIP Blood Angels and Basing

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7

All the talking is done. All the prep...prepared. Now comes the hard slog of getting those infantry painted. My plan of attack is to paint in bulk while my enthusiasm for the project is still a raging wild fire. This will help me practice my technique, colour blends and spot highlights that can be used with greater clarity on rare units. I won't be adding any legion decals to the shoulder pads yet as I want to wait and see what Forge World produce. I'm slowly completing a model at a time and I have a Land raider and 10 terminators airbrushed. The above models are completed examples.

The Sgt. was an experiment in how to create power fields that surround power weapons. I wanted a crackling, ripping energy effect like the lightning in a tesla ball.

Instead of painting the bases with the models I've also done them en masse. Ford would be proud.

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: Blood Angel Horus Heresy post 4

On collecting Legion Blood Angels

I like typing up a design brief before I start each project. This mission brie helps me refine my initial inspiration for the project, allowing me to review it over the years and stay on track. Here are my design notes for Legion Blood Angels. 

1) No Saltires. “The Death Company is arrayed in black armour upon which are painted red saltires, crosses of blood red which symbolise the sacrifice of Sanguinius.” 

Some artists have done a fantastic job putting the saltire in a different context, but this image is so closely intertwined the Death Company and the 41st millennium that I can’t bring myself to incorporate it in the Heresy era force. 

2) Angelic over barbaric. I have a fan theory why Blood Angels drink blood and it has to do with the little talked of ability of a space marine’s ability to absorb surface memories by eating flesh. 

Why do they drink blood? 

"It’s invigorating. We absorb memories, and those memories are…intoxicating. As Astartes we have to kill our humanity in order to ascend to the Host. I have felt the fear of a thousand men, tasted the last panicked moments of their existence. I have experienced their love, lust and those few precious moments of hope granted in a life time. I’m not ashamed to admit that the death I taste is as sweet as the memory of life. 

By imbibing blood we are able to partake in the humanity that has been denied us.

Our brothers in the medicae purify our Blood between compliances. Although rarely discussed the mode of our transubstantiation must be constantly monitored; our bodies purified. Some would call this a flaw in our genetic make up, but what machine was ever so constructed to endure such hardships as we that didn’t need repair? We are all born base, our bodies marked by Baal but we are transformed like no other Legion by the grace of the Angel. The living Blood of Sanguinius sustains us in more than a spiritual sense."

Remberances of Terra. Collected Visions. attributed to Sgt. Raphaeno, 3rd company. Blood Angels. 

The sanguinary priesthood post heresy are injected with the blood of Sanguinius to keep it vital and living, to be injected into other blood angels. I believe that more than a way of triggering the geneseed that this process actually helped smooth out the underlining flaws of the IX genetic make up. While Sanguinius was alive he was able to mitigate the worst of this flaw with his own blood, or merely his presence was enough to some how psychically smooth over the black rage. 

I always liked the idea of the Black rage being a form of racial post traumatic stress disorder suffered by the Blood Angels in the wake of the Horus Heresy. But this idea was put to rest in Fear to Tread. The flaw was present before the Heresy. 

3) Chalices & tear drops. 

A chalice is used in Fear to Tread to denote fraternity. Squads of marines drink the blood of their brothers from a chalice. Putting aside the sanitary concerns of such an act for the moment, the Chalice is a potent symbol within the Blood Angel legion; it is a metaphorical link between brothers, and to their Primarch. A chalice would make an excellent Legion Vexilla. 

The tear drop motif was first seen in the aftermath of Murder when Sanguinius marks his face with a single tear drop. This melancholic symbol could represent many things within the symbolic language of the Blood Angels but is no doubt a potent and easily recognisable symbol. 

4)  New-school BAs - Red, Bone, Green. Old-school BAs - Red, Black, Yellow 

5) Red armour should have a shine on the surface, not towards the edges, so effectively gloss, as opposed to matte.

6) Blood drops & gems blue + Purple. 

7) Black details, contrasting black armour plates, black flame details.

8) Latin & Italian Names - still frequently seen in BA armies, but things these days are usually trending towards the greek, and even then more common in ultramarine armies.

9) Be mindful of painting Powerfists & Gun casings in yellow - like the second edition box cover. 

10) Detailed personal heraldry & squad markings

11) All blood angels hair BONE WHITE, not blonde, and Black.”

Although it is fair to say that the latest incarnation of the Blood Angels really indulges the romanesque aspects of their character, I would argue that their initial, and strongest, influence comes from renaissance art.

I've been rooting around for a apt summarisation of the Renaissance movement, this is the best I could find:

"The Italian Renaissance had placed human beings once more in the centre of life's stage and infused thought and art with humanistic values. In time the stimulating ideas current in Italy spread to other areas and combined with indigenous developments to produce a French Renaissance, an English Renaissance, and so on.

The term Renaissance, literally means "rebirth" and is the period in European civilisation immediately following the Middle Ages, conventionally held to have been characterised by a surge of interest in classical learning and values. The Renaissance also witnessed the discovery and exploration of new continents, the substitution of the Copernican for the Ptolemaic system of astronomy, the decline of the feudal system and the growth of commerce, and the invention or application of such potentially powerful innovations as paper, printing, the mariner's compass, and gunpowder. To the scholars and thinkers of the day, however, it was primarily a time of the revival of classical learning and wisdom after a long period of cultural decline and stagnation."

Dante, the Chapter master and writer of the Inferno, Erasmus (possibly inspired by Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, a Dutch Renaissance humanist) Tycho (possibly Tycho Brahe, astronomer), and supporting fluff that claims the Blood Angels armour is amongst the most finely crafted pieces in the universe; all these details reflect enlightenment ideals. In fluff terms, the Blood Angels still embody some of the humanistic principles, and optimism of the Great Crusade. To boil it right down, you have to be a bit of a romantic to play Blood Angels and enjoy painting red. 

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Project update. The test model has gone well and I have my red. Painting en masse has begun. The next article will focus in on how I painted this red with step by step pictures. 

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