A guide to painting an Emperor's Champion.

Some people have asked how I've been painting my Champ so I thought I'd write up a quick rundown on how it was done.

Prepping the miniature:
As this Emperor's Champion is metal, I first removed all mold lines with a fine file while making sure not to damage any of the detail on the shoulder pads and helmet. After this was finished, I then sanded the entire miniature till it was slightly reflective with a high grit wet/dry sandpaper which is intended for use on jewelry. It is possible to use other sandpapers, just make sure that the grit is incredibly fine. An emery stick would also work for this.

The miniature was then primed black as its, well, a Black Templar. Under most circumstances, the miniature would have been primed grey, followed by a black spray from beneath the model and a white spray from the top. I wouldn't recommend exceeding forty-five degrees for either the black or white sprays. If you are having trouble picturing what I am talking about, I recommend reading this guide made by the crazy apes over at Massive Voodoo.

More after the break as normal:

Emperor's Champion

Started painting this chap up so I thought I'd share it with you all.

CC is appreciated and sorry for the somewhat washed out image, it was taken with my phone.

Word Bearers Dark Apostle

He can be separated from the plinth for gaming purposes. I'm not too happy with the red so I'll probably blend it up a bit sometime in the near future.
Also, I'll post a better picture when I have access to a camera.

Teasers

Yea, blurry camera phone picture is blurry. You get the idea though!

-Nara

Tank Update the second

Updated the tanks some more. Enjoy.

Hoo ha. Hours more weatherin to go.
-Nara

2011 Army and Goals

With the new year coming up, I have decided to attempt to make an army that can represent (through WYSIWYG terms at least) every power armoured codex (primarily intended for use as Blood Angels), I have decided to create the pre-Heresy version of my long time favorite chaos army, the Word Bearers. As the pre-Heresy art I've seen depicts marines with bolters, chain swords and pistols, I'm using the Khorne Berzerker kit as a basis which will then be heavily modified to have some resemblance to heresy era armour.

Word Bearers initially had mk. III armor but slightly before the heresy, they destroyed all of their grey armour and received brand new armor directly from the forges of Mars. I do not, however, know what mark of armour this was so any help in that regard would be helpful.

The XVII Legion was comprised of 100 chapters which followed organization similar to 'present day' Astartes and, as only a handful of these chapters are named or even described, I will be making my own chapter named the 'Lords of Ash'. The colour scheme of this chapter will be a dark red power armour with grey helmets, either solid grey or with grey smears/hand print similar to that of the Uruk-Hai from the Lord of the Rings. Chaplains will have the normal colour scheme as per present Astartes regulations (the Word Bearers did bring about the idea of chaplains in chapters).

Chapter symbol will be a modified version of that of the Urizen (I haven't determined how I will modify it to have it look unique)

Urizen picture for you all:

Models will be based on lava bases of my own design.

Jan - Bootaz Choice: HQ (1st Chaplain Erebus...counts as Reclusiarch)
Feb – Troop: Assault Squad
March – HQ: Chaplain
April – Troop: Assault Squad
May – Elite: Sanquinary Priests (5) or another Chaplain
June – Heavy Support: Storm Raven (if I like new kit) or an Assault Squad
July – Fast Attack: None for army. Librarian Dreadnought instead
August – Elite: Librarian Dreadnought or Sanguinary Guard
September – Heavy Support: No idea yet.
October – Bootaz Choice including Toys for Tots: No idea yet. Depends on T.f.T.
Nov – Fast Attack: Vanguard Veterans
Dec – Objective Markers / Terrain /Display Board: Display Board.

During the year I will also be making a full 6x4 board for my living room and scratch building appropriately themed terrain (lava board with chapels and factories I think)

-Nara

Painting Night Lords

Step 1.
Prime your model black with whatever primer you prefer.

Step 2.
Apply a basecoat of Regal blue to the armor.

Here's the colour Breakdown for basecoating the various parts:
Metal = Bolt Gun Metal
Gold Trims = Dwarf Bronze
Skulls/Bone = Dark Flesh
Reds (eye lenses mainly) = Dark Flesh
Piping/cables = Dark Angel Green
Ribbing = Fortress Grey mixed with Chaos Black (1:1)

You can start on the lightning bolts at this stage if you want. I do as I think it speeds up overall painting and I don't have to re-mix colours.


Step 3.
Start highlighting by focusing on the parts that are most easily caught by the eyes such as the shoulder pads, helmet, boots, hands and weapons.

Here's the colour Breakdown for the initial highlights. Remember, keep your paints thinned:
Armour = Enchanted Blue mixed with Regal Blue (3:1)
Metal = Chainmail
Gold Trims = Shining Gold mixed with Dwarf Bronze (1:1)
Skulls/Bone = Bestial Brown
Reds (eye lenses mainly) = Scab Red
Piping = Striking Scorpion green mixed with Dark Angel Green (3:1)
Ribbing = thinned Codex Grey


Step 4.
The secondary highlights are as follows:
Armour = Enchanted Blue
Metal = Chainmail mixed with Mithril Silver
Gold Trims = Shining Gold (you might want to apply a brown or green wash before this stage)
Skulls/Bone = Bleached Bone mixed with Bestial Brown (3:1), followed by a layer of Bleached Bone.
Reds (eye lenses mainly) = Scab Red mixed with Skull White (3:1)
Piping = Striking Scorpion green
Ribbing = a little Codex Grey if needed, otherwise leave it be.


Step 5.
Final highlights.
Armour = If you're going for extreme highlights, a touch of Enchanted Blue mixed with Icy Blue (1:1) should do the trick, otherwise leave it as it is.
Gold Trims = some people like to add a slight touch of Shining Gold mixed with Mithril Silver to the very edges of the trims.

Skulls/Bone = thinned Skull White
Reds (eye lenses mainly) = in the case of eye lenses, add a small dot of Skull White to imitate the lens catching light from above.

viand: N. An article of food, now usually a of a choice or delicate kind.
farraginous: adj. consisting of a confused mixture
formed of various materials in no fixed order or arrangement

Baal Predetor PIP

Thought I'd try out painting a model entirely with oil paints. It came out ok, the blending could have a better transition and be a bit cleaner.