Look Who's Coming to Dinner At the NOVA Open Narrative Event

The NOVA Open Narrative event allows FW and Lords of War. Since I am playing in the Warlord track, it seemed reasonable for me to bring the one true Warmaster himself. Why dicker around with a titan when when I can bring 500 points of doom on a 50mm base. I know it will be trivially easy for opponents to avoid the uber death star that is Horus with terminators, but I think it will be really fun to give people the ability kill the man himself.

Horus fights for humanity.

Repainting A Dave Taylor Masterpiece

Several years ago I visited the GW Battle Bunker in Glen Burnie Maryland, where  I discovered that Dave Taylor had an incredible Ultramarines force on display. Until then I had not liked Ultramarines, and had gone so far as to be proud of the fact that I had never painted a 'blue' marine.  A little context, if you were painting back in those days, you might remember how much nerd-rage the Ultramarines took.  Dave's force changed my opinion. His was one of the first beautifully painted forces I had seen. His army was awe inspiring, and my Ultramarines force was started specifically because of his

Rather than duplicate Dave's force, I decided to focus on weathering the models. Almost by accident I picked up a military modeling magazine and saw what the historical guys were doing with air brushes.

So fast forward a few years (and two Blood Angles, One Dark Angels, and one Tau army) later, and my Ultramarines force began hitting its stride. I had been working on the Ultras start and stop fashion in between other army projects, and by 2013 they were ready for the Nova Open Narrative event. The army went on to win two painting competitions, and inspired the Nova Open Charitable Foundation to pick an Ultramarines force for one of the next charity army projects.

I've had the privilege of working with Dave Taylor on a variety of charity projects, all the way back to the Storm Wardens. This time he did the unthinkable. He asked me to provide my painting recipes to the UM group. We have come full circle. Like all painters I remember earlier work with rose colored goggles. Context is everything. Dave had the idea to update the quintessential piece from his ultramarines force, blending both of our current styles.

In our division of labor my task is color modulation, grime streaking, and dust. The goal is to update the model to the blue recipe used in the NOVACF force, and then hand the model off to Dave to work his detail magic.

I can't wait to see how this tank turns out! So get out there and donate some money for charity. You might win this army or one of the other expertly painted ones!

Emperor's Children Loyalist Rhino

The havoc launcher is not complete, but enough of the tank is weathered and rain streaked that it was time for a progress shot. Well into painting I was surprised by some GW purity seal frosting the model. The entire top section turned white! A quick coat of gloss varnish restored the color, and then matte removed the gloss. I think this model has more varnish on it than paint!

I hope I managed to bring some realism to what is a purple tank for giant post-human warriors firm in the belief that visibility play no role on the battlefield.

Emperors Children Test Rhino

Sometimes you just have to jump feet first. I do not like how this rhino is turning out, and I have struggled with nearly every step. On the other hand, I am committed to completing the model, and seeing if success if layers of weathering, streaks, and powders is enough to bring it back in line with my other pre-heresy work.

One of the many surprises while painting this model was the behavior of vallejo paint with their airbrush thinner. Until now I have used liquitex airbrush medium instead, and I developed good control with how the paint game out using it. However a quick jaunt to Amazon left me with Vallajo's airbrush thinner. The bottle says that it improves flow. They are not kidding. The velocity of the paint leaving the airbrush is much higher, and the paint dries much slower. This rhino has fingerprints all over it where I was surprised to find out that the paint hat not dried. I think the Vallejo product will help in the long term, but right now it makes my airbrush behave in surprising ways.

So, keep calm and carry on. There is always a vat of simple green over the next hill.

Nova Open Charitable Foundation Crushed Glass Snow

The Imperial Knight is bound to be dropped off in an hour, but because I couldn't resist a little tinkering with the base, I had one last thing to add, weathering powders. The base recipe does not call for powders, but does involve Secret Weapon Miniatures purple wash. Seeing as how I covered up most of the base with crushed glass, I needed something to mix into the snow to make it look churned up. Luckily I had a dark earth color with a tinge of purple to it on hand. A few moments later and the base is 100% better than what it was. I am really happy how this turned out, and I am definitely going to experiment with crushed glass again. I wish all those who are donating to the charity luck in winning the Ultramarines army. It will be one of the nicest armies I have seen, and will turn heads everywhere it goes. I just how the winner posts some photos of the army in action. I love seeing little updates like that.

Nova Open Charitable Foundation Imperial Knight

The Imperial Knight I have been painting for the Nova Open Charitable Foundation is nearing completion. Donate some money to charity, and you can win this knight along with an entire Ultramarines army painted by some incredible folks. How often does one get to support charity via painting? It is a pretty incredible experience.  So go donate some money to charity, and while you are at it, maybe support some of the great sponsors.

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.