Sons of Horus Cerebus

At this point I really need to paint up a medic, as well as 6 jet bikes to complete the force. Painting all this green has been fun, but I've got to get back to that Imperial Knight I am painting for charity. Expect to see some progress there soon!

Sons of Horus Cerberus Color Modulation And Bast Coat Complete

After an eternity of super glued fingers, and fingerprints on the model, the Cerberus has tracks. I now understand the community's complaint about spartan tracks. They just fit terribly. That said, I am really excited to start paint chipping, decals, oil streaking, and powders. However after seeing these photos close up, I've noticed quite a few areas that I have to go back and clean up pin wash from first.

Color modulation has become a goto technique of mine for a while now. Thanks go out to the military modeling community for enlightening me. In some ways I've down this for years, but I started out as many do with soft blends. It is the hard lines that make color modulation really pop. There are three colors at play here, jungle green, highlands moss, and pale lichen in that order from darkest to lightest. The gun shield on the photo above shows the technique in full. All four sections of the shield have alternating gradients. It looks a little garish now, but once the hard edges are interrupted with paint chipping, and the large gradients have dirt streaks, it will come together.

I have been thinking about adding a draped red/orange banner with the Eye of Horus and legion honors across the front of the gun in homage to a beautiful EC Cerberus painted by Chris Bowers (you can see photos of his amazing painting here). Alternately, I was thinking about using the black Sons of Horus eye transfers and paint the whites with a gradient of red to orange. I'll have to wait for another sheet to arrive from forgeworld, but I think that could add a lot of interest to the doors on the vehicle.

On The Painting Table

I had hoped to post up the photos I took at the Old Line Massacre, but unfortunately I lost my camera. In lieu of that, here are some shots of my painting table. I wanted a more 30k appropriate model for apoc, so a Cerberus is underway. Originally this was slated for my EC army, but after seeing Chris's amazing EC Cerberus with fallen battle standard, I had paint it up with a different vision. I need to introduce some black, and white to the design, but for now it is just base coated in jungle green from reaper.

The cerberus surprisingly challenging when it came time to get the doors fitted on. After chopping the doors down to the right size, they still required a dip in boiling water to make them flexible enough to place on the model. Unfortunately, only one of the doors will open to allow viewing of the interior.

One of the things I did last week was paint up a rhino test for my Emperor's Children army. Somehow I'd forgotten the purple recipe and have had to try to replicate it. What you see here is the latest incarnation of that test. The rain streaks are a bit blotchy, but the intent was to see if they would add or subtract from the model in general. I think they work to a degree. What does not work are the dark brown or the dark grey paint chips. I am not sure what color to use for paint chipping the model. The purple is so vibrant it just overpowers everything. The ECS might just get a liberal helping of rain marks and weathering powders. What colors should I use to paint chip purple? Light grey, or pink might work.

The predator has just reached the paint chipping and oil streaking phase which is why it i semi-gloss in the photos. After that it will receive dusting of graveyard earth colored paint, and then weathering powders. The tanks is a bit bland, but it will fit in with the force nicely. As usual the interior is painted, though it does look a bit weird to not have any mechanical bits beneath the turret.

One of the cool things about this predator is that it is almost the same color as the original first generation plastic predator that I built 20ish years ago. That predator has since been repainted in Ultramarines livery, but seeing this one take shape brings my painting full circle. Back then it wasn't pre-heresy or Sons of Horus, but it was a tank attached to my Imperial Guard army, which sallied forth with rhinos as well. How things change and how they stay the same!

Next week my office/painting area will be fully dismantled and stored while hardwood floors are added. I might even take the opportunity to sort through all of my supplies and organize them. Just maybe.

*EDIT #1
added photos of the first phase of paint chipping on the predator tank. The next phase is to add a highlight to tighten up the chip and add a 3D effect. Amazing what a difference a dull coat makes!

*EDIT #2
arbitrarily decided to add streaks before 3d effect. Just want to finish the model at this point.

*Edit #3
added some dust using Marc Raley's technique of just pushing the dust on and staining the model. I had been using pigment fixer, but so far this method is much better. Less work, and better results. I plan to use my airbrush to blow the loose powder out. The tracks did not do well post matte varnish, so they will get new dirt, and new metallic weathering powders shortly.

Space Wolf Test Piece

You know how I like test pieces. You may have seen this chunk of rhino before in either Sons of Horus or Emperor's Children guise. I did not bother to strip the paint this time, so mig european soil is still stuck to the lower parts of the hull. I am not a fan of that product, but that is for another day.

 I used traditional Space Wolf colors here, though I think German panzer grey would make a SW army pop more. Since I didn't paint a door, I plugged in one of the doors I painted as a test for the Imperial Knight. I think this scheme would look good with muddy pigment stained snow.

Software Sold! Saga of The Fire Concludes

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the fire that destroyed Atlascraft's offices on capitol hill. This past year has been an endurance race of epic proportions, one absurd event after another hitting.  The fire unearthed a massive embezzlement by our COO,  leaving the company with less than a weeks operating capital. Oddly enough, that isn't the meaningful part of the story. What it took to get through it to the end is.

Endurance.

Every time I thought I had reached my limit, I realized I had no choice. When you have no options create them.  In the end Atlascraft was too stubborn to fail. Our few remaining employees, and close friends kept the spirit alive. It helps to have spectacular software, but alone that is nothing.

I'll end this post with some photos I took. I wish I had taken photos of my artist portfolio. I suppose there is something symtetrical about having charcoal drawings go up in flame. My best work is always ahead, but sometimes it is good to look back. What a strange 12 months it has been.

Old Line Massacre Army List

I rarely share army lists, as I don't play that much, but after finding out that my original force did not have two troops choices due to one of them not filling the compulsory slot, I painted up a 15 man strong tactical squad. I was hoping to use my drop pod, and at least one of my contemptor dreadnoughts, but the points made it difficult. What you see here is a a mish mash of what I have painted that happen to fit into the points allotment.

So I wouldn't mind if one of you kind internet gamer folks, reviewed my list and offered suggestions. I have a lighting, a drop pot and two contemptors armed with close combat weapons and either lascannons or auto cannons. I could also add a single duel lightning claw terminator. A basilisk could be added if I start painting it when I get home from work tomorrow, but that may be a stretch since I am still pinning the tac squad to their bases.

I added the obligatory unfinished unit shot that accompanies every tournament I attend. I had less to paint this year than for NOVA last year, but it was still a sprint to get 16 marines painted in time.

1850 Pts - ~ Age of Darkness (Horus Heresy) Roster

Total Roster Cost: 1849

Legendary: Primary Detachment (53#, 1849 pts)
   1 Primary Detachment, 0 pts
      1 Master of Signals (Legion Centurion), 85 pts = (base cost 50 + Master of Signals 35)
      1 Legion Praetor, 125 pts = (base cost 100 + Paragon Blade 25)
      10 Legion Breacher Siege Squad, 100 pts = 10 * 10
         1 Legion Sergeant, 175 pts = (base cost 135 + Thunder Hammer 20) + Artificer Armour 10 + Breacher Charge 10
      15 Legion Tactical Squad, 150 pts = 15 * 10
         1 Legion Tactical Sergeant, 85 pts = (base cost 60 + Power Fist 15) + Artificer Armour 10
      5 Legion Tactical Support Squad, 100 pts = 5 * 20 (base cost 15 + Rotor Cannon 5)
         1 Legion Sergeant, 65 pts = (base cost 40 + Lightning Claw 15) + Artificer Armour 10
         1 Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier, 40 pts = (base cost 35 + Dozer Blade 5)
      5 Legion Tactical Support Squad, 100 pts = 5 * 20 (base cost 15 + Volkite Caliver 5)
         1 Legion Sergeant, 65 pts = (base cost 40 + Power Fist 15) + Artificer Armour 10
      1 Legion Rapier Weapons Battery, 55 pts = (base cost 40) + Laser Destroyer x1 15
      4 Legion Terminator Squad, 154 pts = 4 * 30 (base cost 30) + Power Fist x1 5 + Combi-Meltagun x1 7 + Combi-Plasmagun x1 7 + Reaper Autocannon x1 15
         1 Legion Terminator Sergeant, 55 pts
      1 Legion Storm Eagle Assault Gunship, 275 pts = (base cost 210 + Missile Launcher 5 + Twin-Linked Lascannon x2 40) + Armoured Ceramite 20
      1 Legion Land Raider Battle Squadron, 0 pts
         1 Legion Land Raider Proteus, 220 pts = (base cost 200 + Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter 20)

Validation Report:
c-1. File Version: 1.43 For Bug Reports/www.ab40k.org; 1. Force Organization Chart: Age of Darkness; 2. Primary Faction: Space Marine Legion; 3. Rite of War: None; 4. Allied Faction: No Allied Faction
Roster satisfies all enforced validation rules

NOVA Open Charitable Foundation Imperial Knight WIP

I managed to make quite a bit of progress on the Imperial Knight since the last post. The paint chipping is mid-way through at this point. I am stalled at the moment deciding what iconography to put on the right white shoulder pad and on the knees. I tried to make my own transfers, after creating some great images, the transfers would not meld into the model with micro-sol. Rather than have transfer ridges I decided to pause and re-group. The next time you see this knight the chipping and streaking should be complete. I have one more fiber optic strand to put in, and then I'll do a video. *EDIT Video Added

A reminder for those who like this model. You can win it, along with a whole host of great models painted up by some of my favorite artists. Donations go to Doctors Without Borders, a great charity that I am proud to support.

NOVA Open Charitable Foundation Imperial Knight WIP

This may be one of my best paint jobs. It is still in progress, but to my eyes it looks far better than some of my work immediately preceding it. That is good news for you(unless you hate yellow), because you can win this Imperial Knight! This model will be raffled off as part of the NOVA Open Charity Foundation's Ultramarines army. Proceeds go towards Doctors Without Borders, an organization my wife and I strongly support. If I am remembering properly, the Heroes of Armageddon project earned around 30,000 dollars for charity. Can we surpass that? Think of all the good it will do.

This has been an unusual build since it involved electronics and fiber optics, but I am really pleased with how it is coming together. The rhino doors are just tests that show the streaking that will be applied to the model after the chipping has been completed. One of the effects which does not show up so well in photos, but looks great in person is the airbrush shading of the metal trim. In photos it just reflects, but in person the color modulation from bright steel to dark metal can be seen. I may use a little dull coat to cut down on the reflection and make it stand out more, but that is tbd.