Black Like My Soul

[Lepaca]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/warpsmith01.jpg

 

malisteen, normally I really enjoy what you're building and painting.

But this head is so SO ugly. ;)

[Sception]

My sculpting skills are sadly rather limited, and I could find no figures of the character that weren't much, much too large, so... there you go. If at some point I feel my greenstuff skills have improved enough to do a better version, I will.

[Brother Evar]

Nice work, I had problems with my warpsmith also, but if you get oblits they are pretty good quality wise.

[Sception]

~ December, Update I ~

 

December's been a busy month for me, and I haven't had much time for painting. Things should clear up in January - but I've still got to get a couple more updates in before the year ends to stay on track. So here's December Update I. Since the last update, I've drilled out the gun barrels, trimmed some mold lines I had missed during cleaning that were revealed by the overbrush, and painted the undercoat on the bases (P3 Bastion Grey).

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/csm12.jpg

 

I'll try and get some more minor progress done by the end of the week, when I leave town for the holidays. After I get back, it'll be back to regular updates until these guys are done.

[Sception]

~ December, Update II ~

 

Cheating again with a way late update, but the site was down, so yeah. Here's the painting I got done before the holiday break, mostly some progress on the bases:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/CSM13.jpg

 

I'm doing some more painting today and tomorrow, will update again then. With the holidays over, things are starting to go more smoothly again.

 

 

-------------------------------------------

 

 

Not that I haven't distracted myself with more conversion projects:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake01.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake02.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake03.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake04.jpg

[Rayray]

Personally, your work is solid, and the mojo jojo head is hilarious! and the helldrake is, of coarse, beastly looking.

[Lepaca]

Amazing!

Are you using the leftover parts for a 2nd drake?

[Sception]

Sure am. The other one will look much more like one of Aidoneus's conversions, which were my primary inspiration. That one will be waiting until I can afford a fiend kit for some extra pieces (and I guess a fiend, I suppose). But while i loved the more dragonish of his conversions, the one with the big arms didn't do as much for me, hence the conversion above, where I'm trying something different, if perhaps closer to the original model in its aesthetic.

 

It's not done, though. Lots more putty work to do, and I'll still probably copy Aidoneus's heldrake-neck-to-tail idea. And if I can get my hands on some nid bits, I might give it scything talons for back limbs. And I'm trying to find someone with spare chaos warrior shields that I might be able to use on the model's shoulders.

 

Anyway, lots of work, all of it distracting from my painting obligations. And that's not even the only conversion project distraction I've been working on, I'll post an in-progress pick of the other later this afternoon. Hopefully alongside some painting progress.

[Sception]

~ January, Update I ~

Well, fudge, what happened to January?  I'm going to have to do more painting and update again today to not spend three months in a row behind, and worse the final deadlines coming up next month.  Blargh.  And I really hate the way quoting works in this new forum.  Whatever.

 

Anyway, I did finish of the basing for the CSM batch.  I'm doing basing first this time because my method for basing involves a bunch of sloppy drybrushes and washes, and it always leaves me having to touch up the models afterword, so this way I hope to save some touch up work later.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/CSM14.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/CSM15.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/CSM16.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/CSM17.jpg

 

 

---------------------------------

 

Next up, the forumwide pledge thing, where I said I'd finish up my warpsmith.  There was some further conversion work - I changed my mind on the burning brand, and switched back to a bolt pistol, giving him a slightly longer arm and a beefy ape hand in the process.  I also added a power cable to the axe, and cleaned up some rough molding as well as I could with liquid greenstuff. It isn't perfect, and again I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS MODEL.  Still, it's turning out vaguely ok.  The models primed now, but the post-priming, all black picks didn't turn out so well, so pre-priming progress is shown below:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Warpsmith05.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Warpsmith06.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Warpsmith07.jpg

 

 

---------------------------------

 

Of course, even with school starting up again, painting would be going faster if I could just resist further modeling projects.  Sadly, my will is weak, and I've spent a lot of time working on Heldrake and Bike Lord conversions, both still in their early stages, shown below:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake21.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake22.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake23.jpg

 

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/BikeLord01.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/BikeLord02.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/BikeLord03.jpg

[Vesper]

Looking good so far. And your bases are really great ! Would you mind making a shot tuto or something to explain your basing technique ?

[Sception]

Whoo... okay.

First, I model them up some. And since I'm going cityfight with assorted city rubble, I feel free to mix that process up from base to base. I use bits of city terrain, sand & slate of various sizes (glued on with white tacky model glue, then drizzled with superglue for added hold), modeled resin bases or basing bits, GW's barbed wire stuff, greenstuff press mold copies of interesting bits using instant mold, and textured paint to cover any empty areas. I do all this before priming the model black.

First coat of paint on the base is an all over layer of P3 Bastion grey, which is a neutrallish greenish tanish grey color. It's the color on the rim of the bases above. I like it because it's a nice city ubble grey, while still working in with the other tones I like. Areas of sand may take multiple watered down layers to properly cover.

Once the Bastion Grey is on, I patchily slop on some watered down olive greenish color in some areas. I think I use gretchin green, but the exact color doesn't matter and I vary it up. Chunks of slate or building rubble in particular get the green, though not exclusively and not always.

Before that dries, I'll patchily slop on some watered down brownish color, overlapping the green in some areas and leaving the bastion grey on its own in others. fine sand and textured paint in particular get the brown, though not exclusively and not always.

Next, I'll more neatly paint any metal bits in a drab brownish orange. I think there was a foundation orange I was using for that... but on these guys I just browned up some khador highlight until it looked how I wanted it. I try and be neater doing this.

Next, the metal bits are overbrushed with like a boltgun or chainmail type silver color, being sure to leave some of the orange showing where I think the metal would be most rusty.

If there are some particular basing elements, like helmets or skulls or whatnot, I'll start painting them at this stage too, using the same methods as I would if they were on models, though I might skip some finer steps, and I try and keep bright colors a bit more drab and neutral than I otherwise might.

Next up, I drybrush the whole thing with a pale grey color, I think I use Celestia... no, that can't be right... Celesta grey? It's in the new line. The brush is heavier over rock, stone, & rubble, but even the metal bits and other details get a light dusting to represent.. well... dust.  Be uneven, hitting some things with more and some with less.  Patchy.  Should be looking pretty decent.

Not done yet, though! Now I bust out my old devlan mudd. It's old, and started to separate a bit, but honestly that only makes i more ideal for this (I have no idea how I'm going to function when it's gone), and I wash pretty much everything with it. Rubble, stone, sand, metal bits, skulls and such especially  Generally other stuff to, but it depends.

When that's not quite dry, I'll water down some nuln oil to splatter into recesses, metal bits, vents, bullet holes, anything that looks like it might want to be darker or burnt. Almost done!

When that's completely dry, I'll go back to the metal bits to highlight a touch with a lighter silver - I still use my remaining mithril because the new line of GW silver highlights are somehow as watery and terrible as you'd expect from a gold. I'll also add any remaining highlights or touch ups to helmets, skulls, any other details.

Then it's one more drybrush of the Celesta grey, just like before heavier on sand and rubble, much lighter on other basing areas.

Last up (not done in the above models yet) is to clean up the rim with a coat of the original Bastion Grey.


End result is a nice neutral greyish base that looks pretty good for cityfight and doesn't distract too much from the model while still having a nice, multicolored sort of layered look which honestly looks better than the pictures above imply, they were washed out a bit by the flash on my camera. I'll try and get better pictures of the bases later on. Anyway, I also like that the lighter grey contrasts well with the darker black of the armor on my Black Legion.

As with everything I paint, and to the eternal frustration of my attempts to get a coherent army together, my method on the bases is constantly changing. Earlier, darker bases didn't contrast as well with the models, while earlier lighter bases (including the chaos lord from the previous page), didn't have quite as much visual depth to them.

 

---------------------------

 

In writing that out, it's occurred to me that I put more steps into just the bases of my models than I used to put into whole models (at least, when it comes to the common grunts) a few years ago.  This also might be why getting my pledges done on time is looking harder and harder.

[Vesper]

Thanks. The end result is amazing.

[Brother Ambroz]

Ooooh Mali that second hellchicken is going to look good (not that the first was bad).

[Sception]

The second hellchicken was the entire reason for the whole hellchicken conversion project.  I mean, not that I dislike the first one, and not that I'll dislike the forgefiend I'll make with the kit I purchased for no other reason than to get some legs for the second hellchicken, but in all honesty the other two daemon engines are after the fact excuses to justify what boils down to some hundred and fifty us dollars I really didn't have to spend completely blown away on copying the more draconic of Aidoneus's two heldrake conversions.  It just looked the way I wanted the helldrake to look, and now I'm going to have one of my own.  And though I'm not quite sure how I'm going to base or pose it, I've already named it - Melanchthon, of the line of Moloch, of the line of Melchizedek.

 

And if you get the reference, then you may have one of my freshly baked internet cookies.

 

As for the other heldrake, no further progress, apart from ripping out the heavy flamer nozzle in its mouth.  I'm going to try and rig up some sort of magnetic switchable weapon nozzle thing, because I honestly don't play in tournaments all the time, and after the last errata two baledrakes just feels like a bit much for casual games.

[Biaz]

Blood of the gods, that Heldrake looks insane! And I love those bases. That Warpsmith can return to whatever corner of Hell he spawned from though

[Sception]

That Warpsmith can return to whatever corner of Hell he spawned from though

 

[Sception]

Ugh.  really haven't been in the mood to work on Chaos Marines lately.  But for some reason the bug struck me for about an hour a couple days ago, and I affixed some limbs to one of my Heldrake conversions.  I kind of wish I had some something a bit more dynamic/dramatic with the posing, but I think it's still looking alright, so I don't feel too bad about it.  Sadly, I'm still not feeling the 40k right now, so don't expect any further progress for a while.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake24_zpsc32f9caa.jpg

 

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake25_zps38dc24f3.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake26_zps9a2ff720.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake27_zpsac416aa4.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake28_zps0bcfe1d6.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake29_zpse5030bca.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake30_zps5887db40.jpg

 

[Gratan]

Wow, I really like that Drake.

 

I think better than the first. Good job!

[Urdokadin]

Now you just need an obliterator that looks like Samus to go with robo ridley. :)

[Sception]

How about I let an opponents figure out Samus, while I work on a Forgefiend Kraid?

[Sception]

Had some time on my hands & the internet was down the other night, so I threw together the leftover fiend kit I bought to get bits for one of the drakes.

 

I'm working on magnetizing it to represent any of the fiend builds, right now I've got the pieces together for the forgefiend options, though I'm probably going to use bigger magnets than I'm currently using for the shoulder cannons, the hold isn't quite as strong as I'd like with what I'm currently using.

 

Obviously there would have to be some additional putty work, particularly on the bare spot on top left by the armor plate I stole for the drake. You can already see magnets in place on the model's sides for where the mauler options will go. I may try to rig up some sort of small wings or something to go on the shoulders when I'm running it as a mauler, so that the cannon mounts aren't as obvious, and to visually represent the mauler's speed.

 

I used the spare VC 'gheist head for the non-plasma head option, as I'm not a big fan of the default forge/mauler head.

 

 

Anyway, here's progress so far:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Fiend01_zps2ce1d672.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Fiend02_zpsed35d145.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Fiend03_zps9663441f.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Fiend04_zpscb740ceb.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Fiend05_zpsbb95311d.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Fiend06_zps9eb58d42.jpg

[The Colossus]

Dude, those fiends look awesome.

[Brother Ambroz]

Mali, what'd you use to mount the guns?

[Sception]

I clipped & cut away at the usual forgefiend gun-mount nub-arms until they sort of fit on the mauler arm shoulder plate armor bits, and glued all that together.  Then I drilled into the nub with a small drill bit - maybe 1/4 inch?  .5cm?  I forget, sam diameter as the disk magnets I had spare from a warmachine project.  Mounted magnet in nub, similarly drilled & mounted magnets in the gun sockets, being very very careful about positioning.  As it is, the magnets I used aren't as strong as I'd like, so I'm going to be going back, sawing vertically through the nub in the middle to get a flat circle, and gluing a larger disk magnet of that size onto the flat surface, then mount larger disk magnets filling the whole socket of the guns.  That should hold better.  Don't have the magnets yet (and not sure when I'm going to buy them, not really gung ho about 40k atm), so I'm not sure when I'll bother doing that, though.

[Sception]

Still not really feeling 40k right now, but I have continued to peck away at a few conversions on and off. First up, magnetized the arms of three of my old terminators, shown here with some of the weapons that were already painted in my old scheme. I've got bunches of other weapon options magnetized (axes, maces, fists, combi plasma, combi meltas, a chain fist, a heavy flamer, etc), but they're mostly primed black, so they didn't show up in pictures well. Still, working out so far:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Terminators08_zpse428aaf7.jpg

 

Obviously they'll have to be updated to the new paint scheme at some point, but... eh.

 

 

I also magnetized some Chaos Spawn arms, to run them as 'possessed terminators' (counts as Mutilators), since I'm not about to buy the finecast models. I might still pick up a plastic mut/oblit dual kit if they ever release one, but for now I'm happy enough with these, especially given that I probably won't run them as mutilators all that often. I still need to putty around the shoulders a bit, to conceal the magnets and bulk them out some so I can fit some chaos knight shoulder pads on them. Don't know when I'll get around to that.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Mutilators01_zpsa40b49ea.jpg

 

Here they are with my still-needing-to-be-repainted Abaddon conversion and my never-painted-to-begin-with terminator sorcerer. All I need is a land raider and I can shove all my eggs in one overpriced basket and lose the entire game to a single lucky railgun shot on the first turn! I kid, though, it may not be the most competitive choice, but I'd kind of like to try running it some time, particularly in an Apocalypse game, if the new book is any good.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Mutilators02_zpse3594da2.jpg

 

 

 

Next up, some slight updates on my Heldrake conversions. Melanchthon hasn't progressed much, just drilled out a hole to mount him on a wooden dowel:

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake31_zpsac060649.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake32_zps903bfc9a.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake33_zps6fe114b3.jpg

 

 

Moloch's seen more changes, with the wings reposed for a wider wingspan, some nid talons upfront, a tail added to the back, some chaos warrior shields on the shoulders, and magnetized mouth to switch between baleflamer and hades cannon.

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake05_zps2a8544a0.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake06_zps89b3c45e.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake07_zps78a89eb2.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake08_zps142c7ec8.jpg

 

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z142/Malisteen/Black%20Legion/Heldrake09_zps6aca66a4.jpg

 

Obviously they both have a lot of work to go, particularly in terms of greenstuff connective tissue to blend the bits together. And I have no idea what to do with the back end of Moloch's tail. Just spike up the ball for a mace tail? More tyranid talons for a pinsir? Trailing cords like a flail? Not sure.

 

Anyway, at this rate I might even get them painted in time for our next codex to nerf them out of existence.