The All Father's Technicolored Rod of Nefarious Doom

So remember this guy........

To be honest if you don't it's clearly time for that retirement home cause dementia has set in as I posted it yesterday......

:D

Anyway during the night I ground my teeth in my sleep in a stress ridden slumber over the name.....

Had a brief discussion with a couple of mates this morning over the name and they agreed the riposte just didn't pair up with something so norse.

So gone is Gungnir's Riposte, in steps Gungnir's Wrath, which makes far more sense as this lancer will be equipped with the Helm of the Nameless Warrior granting rampage.

And the stress is now gone.  I have even worked out the name for the next Knight Lancer, yes there is another after this one, which will be named Iapetus after the greek titan, which literally translates to "The Piercer"

Happy Joy Joy, all I need now is a name for the final Crusader.

The Mutilation of the Masses

The Knight Atrapos, "Kolobos" is done ready to base.

But no rest for the wicked.............

Knight Lancer designation "Gungnir's Riposte" (although not 100% settled on the name) is built and ready for painting

The Mutilation of the Masses

Starting to come together now!

I even made the transformer noise as I was building it......................

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Don't judge me :P

I put it next to the other knights and it dawned on me just how fecking massive it is

The Mutilation of the Masses

BITSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

That are covered in oil and stuff!

Although this is taking longer than the previous two knights there is progress, it is however a lot more detailed and requires far more work than the previous two knights.  

Simple Freehand Tutorial

The thing with freehand is it is actually very easy when if you think ahead, make a plan, and break something down into simple shapes.

For example a skull can be broken down into 5 circles, a square and triangle, 1 circle to make the dome of the skull, 2 smaller circles to make the sides of the skull where the eyes would be, 2 even smaller circles to make the eye sockets, the square to make the lower section with the teeth and then the triangle for the nose area.  

Now that would not give an atomically correct skull but it would give you the basic shape from which you could then use as a foundation to paint a more impressive looking skull, but that is the point, when you build a house you start with a foundation from which you build your house not the roof.

Another basic; but possibly most important, point is thin paint and this is true for painting in general, not only will thick paint will show brush strokes but there is the point I like to make of "you can always add more paint, you cannot take it away", so having patience is a must; or a hairdryer, as there will be many instances where you will be waiting for paint to dry.  

Finally unless you have an eidetic memory or you have painted so many of the symbol that you are pro at it (if the latter is the case why the fuck are you even reading this, go do something constructive with your time) having a reference image can be a god send.  This works for not just pictures but freehand script, printing out what you intend to "write" with your brush to the correct size and placing it above where you are painting it helps with correct placement of characters.

It is also worth noting that freehand is merely a culmination of a succession of lines, if you can paint a simple line to a specific size and length then there is absolutely no reason you can't knock out basic freehand, no excuses!  

Now all that said I am not going to paint a skull, I like to be wishy washy and not make any sense, deal with it! I will do a skull when I eventually get back to my Exorcist Space Marines :P  

Instead I am going to paint the Legio Invigilata symbol, but it shows the principle of thin paints and a plan.

So the base image, I break this down into a cross, 4 circles, an oval, and 12 triangles.  The lightning strike I tend to just do as someone with a Steel Legion it is pretty much done without thought.

So to start with thin white paint I sketch out a cross.  As the main shape is a compass a cross seems the most logical starting point.

The sketch out a circle, don't worry about being too precise there will be much in the way of correcting throughout the process,

Then start to fill in the circle with thin coats of white paint, make sure you allow each coat to dry before applying the next or you will end up with an abortion when you more semi dried paint and leave a crater, don't argue just do!  Hair dryer time, unless like me you are painting a flimsy resin banner that goes bananas near a heat source. I also start to make a few corrections as I see fit 

Now just more and more and more layers! REMEMBER LET THEM DRY!  

So now we have the cross and the circle time to add in the triangles, Starting with those at North, East, South, and West.  I do these with 2 pull strokes to draw the sides; pulling the brush away from the point towards the circle, and then filling the in the body of the triangle. The reason for the stroke being a pull stroke towards the circle is not just some random shite, the paint will pool at the end of the brush stroke usually so if you do your pull stroke towards the tip you will be left with a little white dot rather than a sharp point......now I know that sounds like an euphemism but entirely innocent clean your mind out!

Now the same is done with the 8 lesser points, again 2 pull strokes to form the triangle and then fill in the body.

So we have the basic shape of the compass.  Now for the rest, the red circle containing the eye actually sits inside a black circle, so first we need to paint a black circle, carefully sketch out in thin black paint the black circle, if you are not confident with this start the circle small and increase it's size gradually, it is easier to draw a smaller circle and increase rather than go balls deep in the massive hole......innuendo central!  Again start thin and build up the layers 

Now inside of the black circle paint the red circle, I start with a dark red thinned to get the shape.

Build up the red in progressive layers.  Oh and I added in the lightning strikes 

Now for the eye.  Within the red circle carefully paint the white oval, using thin paint and building up the colour in layers to you have a solid white.

Nearly there.......all that needs to be done is the pupil in the eye, so using the dark red first, important as you are painting on white if you go with the final red then it will end up lighter than the rest of the red and look odd. 

And done......

Easy no?

It took me about 2 hours to paint that and 4 others on the various bits of knight carapace.  

Practice is key here, more you paint the more dexterous your fingers will become, the more dexterous your fingers become the easier it is to paint, the easier it is to paint the more you will want to paint 

The Mutilation of the Masses

So base building has begun, I have manged to get the footprint of the Atrapos sorted so I can also start the build of that.  The base will be left now as it is just the matter of detailing it but the foundation it laid, it will be a ruined building on the raised part down to a road/plaza on the lower part.

I have a question to ask anyone daft enough to read this, which of the two body positions should I go with as I am undecided currently

A

or

B

The Mutilation of the Masses

The Gallant is finished other than the base however I have made a decision to batch paint the bases to save time and gain some uniformity.  Therefore I will do them in threes as the next knight will need to be attached to the base in order to stand up as I intend a pose with a degree of movement.

So that's the preamble of the post over.

Now..........

next knight has been commenced......

I give you BITZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

it is the new Atrapos knight and one hell of a nice cast, I have had a couple of minor mold slips to rectify otherwise it is perfect.....I love me some perfect castings for sure.

I have decided to name it "Kolobos", which I was always led to believe was ancient greek for the verb "To mutilate" not having ever studied greek let alone ancient greek I can't confirm or disprove this but that is irrelevant, it is a super cool name to me in any event and who is to say that Kolobos doesn't mean to mutilate in some far off long lost Knight World......rule of cool applies

This was the kit that drew me back into the hobby after my hiatus.....and it is fooken lovely!

Heads Will Roll

Time waits for no man they say, so as I have so much to do these days lets crack on......

Somewhat a productive day, still a fair amount to do on the Gallant but it is well on the right side of the half way mark :)

Not the best pictures in the world so have another with the groin flag painted

and here he is with his not so little mate 

Look Garmr there is a pot of PIS!!

and in keeping in the spirit of my first comment something has arrived, what oh what could it be......

Heads Will Roll

When one is motivated models just seem to build and paint themselves......

As the base for Garmr's Vigil dries the idle hand of Dee required a distraction......

Thus was born the Questoris Knight Gallant (yes yes no such thing but made from a Questoris Knight Magaera so it made sense to me) Designation "The Headsman"

I hate this pipe it must die for the Emperor....and stuff

Good Weathering In Bad Weather

Well it did nothing but blood rain all weekend and my walk into work this morning had me ankle deep in mud and water as the River Lemon had broken it's banks over the weekend.  The bad weather meant I had no option other than to work and paint, So I did a little of both but I won't bore you with the finer points of law and instead woo you with a picture

Base is also built and drying.  Once I attach the knight I will add some weathering powders and general dirt and grime to the lower half of the model but other than that I am calling that done, I have even started on a Knight Gallant (seen in the background of the above photo, being made from the Magaera kit of which I have 2 but have since realised that the rules are a little average and I would rather spend the points on other knights, no big loss, I still get to use the sexy kit :D

Freehand and Transfers

Realised yesterday that I had forgotten to paint the red lightning bolts on the Legio Invigilata symbols....doh!  

It is not like I have never freehanded red lightning bolts before *cough* steel legion *cough* 

So I figured "bugger it I will just duuuu eeeet" whilst I was at it I decided to add another legio symbol to the black section of the left shoulder pad.  

I also dealt with the transfers on the greave and the shoulders, had a mini nightmare with them 2 nights ago the microset reacted funnily with the Klear and I ended up with milky crap all over the right hand shoulder pad.  So i stripped it and repainted it. Yes lost an evening and a transfer but it is as good as new so all's good.  

all parts armounr sections detached, kleared, 

and ready for some rub and buff weathering lovin' 

Also started on some of the minor details on the endoskeleton

Can't help but think of Johnny 5 when I look at this

Marching on to freehandsville

SO having not painted a lot in the last 6 months I was actually dreading the Legio Invigilata symbols as I have to freehand them, judgement day came last night.......

result......

not too shabby I think

When A Legio Marches.....

For almost all Imperial Knights, the call to fight as part of a Titan Legion is met with a burning enthusiasm. Knights from different household detachments vie with one another in acts of valour and heroism on the battlefield as well as through the spectacle of the banners and individual heraldry emblazoned on their suits. The chance to earn glory while at the same time escaping courtly life not just for days, but for years or even decades, is considered the greatest reward they are ever likely to receive.  Occasionally, the Adeptus Mechanicus will decree that a household detachment must remain with the Titan Legion permanently. When this is the case, the Nobles will change their vows of allegiance and heraldry from their house to the Titan Legion they now serve, and will be given an honorific title by the master of the legion to better reflect their new status.

Right well that is the reasoning behind my choice of not painting my knights in a "knight house" colour scheme and instead matching them with my Reaver Danol's Retribution from the Legio Invigilta (The Emperors Guard).  So with all that gumph out of the way, started on the first of 6 knights at the weekend, a plastic Crusader.  Name wise I am undecided at the moment but am leaning towards Garmr's Vigil.  Garmr being the dog that stands watch over Hel's gate (from norse mythology) and is Hel's hound, adds a link to Helsreach in a roundabout way.  As the Crusader is fire support the name fits the role of watchman, at least that is what I will keep telling myself......

Started on Saturday and already motoring through it!

Very enjoyable model to build and paint thus far, my hat is off to GW on this one for sure 

Back Like A Vertebrae

Over the last few months I have been on the brink of quitting the hobby totally, even got to the point of speaking to a guy about a massive job lot.  

All of this because of some raging manchild....for anyone interested I was in the local GW about 5 months ago playing my friend Ben in a game of 40k when an argument broke out on the table next to us between a pair of guys about some 40k rules, argument went on and resulted in a socially inept manchild raging and smashing up about £200-£300 worth of his own Skitartii and Marines and storming out.  

Now I game purely for relaxation after work and enjoying time with my friends......now that shit is NOT relaxing at all infact stressful as I have to be mindful of that c**t so I stopped everything hobby related other than a painting obligation I had.  Literally something in my head just switched off! 

Then Forgeworld released the Knight Atrapos...................

between the Atrapos release and some of my friends talking "off the ledge" as it were, I find myself refreshed/invigorated/motivated and ready to get my hobby on!

Since I have returned I have painted Manus Ferrus for a mate, although due to a problem with my camera not being compatible with Windows 10 I was unable to get photos of it before I gave ti to him, but to be fair I am not that concerned as it was tabletop standard for someone else so doesn't really fit in with my own projects.  I have also started work on the first of 6 knights, 5 of which I have had for absolutely ages, these I have been looking forward to for a while and I find it odd I have not tackled these previously........

Oh and the Superheavies I finished something like 5 months ago have finally received photographs :D  I was photographing all the superheavies for someone on a white background so I got a few of the Highwayman and Steel Nymph so I have posted those also

So what most people are actually bothered about, pictures.......

Group shot!!

Hellhammer - "Morningstar"

Next up, the repainted Shadowsword - "Iron Saint"

Next the repainted and renamed Stormblade - "Ironbound" (such a better name than that pigswill Light of the Emperor)

Then we have some retakes of the Baneblade - "Steel Nymph"

and finally the Stormsword - "Highwayman"

and done........

Be good 

Damien