I’ve finally finished my Blood Angels Praetor from the Betrayal at Calth box and I am very happy to show him off to you here today. I actually feel like I did this guy quite quickly for me too, which is novel. Usually something like this would take weeks but I’ve really been enjoying painting the big lug – it really does make a difference when you’re almost skipping home after work to get your paint brush out.
His colours and iconography are based very much on those of the Warhammer 40,000 2nd Edition box cover art by John Blanche, and while it’s obviously a different model, that overall feel has translated well across the miniature. Well, I think it has anyway. Including the yellow gun. I was very hesitant about actually painting the gun yellow as I didn’t want it to look too cartoony, but it actually works! Chuffed with pulling that one off.
The one thing about this post that I don’t like is the photography – I ended up having to do it with an iPhone and while it looks ok, I’m annoyed with myself that despite playing with my proper camera for ages (two sessions over two days), I just couldn’t get it right this time. But enough about that – more on the model.
I think the stance of the mini works really well on the slanted base. He’s such a beast he’s probably going to be pointing his gun downwards most of the time anyway (except when he’s trying to kill a titan or a small moon), and it definitely gives him a slightly more dynamic feel. It compliments without obscuring – a great thing for a base to do.
Well, I couldn’t not show it off again, could I? The more I look at this cloak, the more I like it and I think it’s one of the best bits of freehand I’ve done. Painting those pturges over the top of it was proper stressful but my paintbrush did not slip and all was well. It’s only annoying that it’s at the back of the model really.
Regarding the pturges (and thank you to WestRider for telling me that that’s what those dangly bits of leather are called), I’m really happy that I went with yellow. They really stand out against the red and I actually really enjoy working with yellow, which I know is weird because it’s quite a tricky colour to get right. I dare say if I were doing an Imperial Fists army, I might not be so chipper about it, but I’m not so I am.
The other fun bits of freehand are the black flames that crop up on the legs and the left fist. They are a lot trickier to paint than you’d think but they do look really nice against the red armour. I also got a bit better at doing the classic iconography from the original which you can see with a little more clarity from this angle:
The hazard stripes on the chainfist were a bit of a pain to get right, but as I discovered previously, weathering and distressing is your friend with these. Rough them up enough and they look fine – hopefully no-one will be counting the millimetres between the stripes.
That little skull on the belt was a real pain to get right. Despite my years of practice with the Mortifactors, I’m a little rusty these days and the smaller they are, the fiddlier they are to get right. But it’s on the 2nd Ed box guy, so it’s on this guy too. It’s not just an excuse for me to paint skulls – if I needed an excuse, I’d just go and finish off the Mortifactors! I’ll add a picture of the box art below for your reference.
The model itself is a little tricky to paint all in one piece and I’m really glad that I did a few bits before assembly. Overlapping plates, wires and cloaks getting in the way… there’s plenty of stuff to keep your brush at a strange angle. There are also mould-lines aplenty so be sure to go over the whole mini before undercoating and painting. Other than that though, it’s a joy. Great pose, lots of places to add freehand work, loads of different textures to work on. Top stuff.
And that’s about that then. Really happy with this guy and looking forward to whatever I’m doing next (as yet undecided but certainly Blood Angels related). Need to crack on with improving the photography skills (AGAIN!) and work out what went wrong this time. But despite that one minor downside, I’m tickled pink (or blood red in this case). Onwards!
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Looking good mate. Not normally a fan of anything other than bare metal for bolters but the yellow works a treat. Dare I ask how you did the leopard print on the cape (or point me in the right direction if you’ve answered this before)?
You can certainly ask! I’ll see if I can explain it properly. 😉
So put down a light base coat (I used Ulthuan Grey). The wet blend from a balor Brown/White Scar mix down to almost pure White Scar. The marks are made with Abaddon Black shot through with a little Rhinox Hide, and then the centres of the marks are just a dab of Reikland Fleshshade. Most importantly though, look at lots of pictures of leopard fur. The spots change size, consistency and shape depending on what part of the pelt they are on. I may try and put out a proper post on that method soon. Cheers!
Cheers. When I get back to painting some Slaaneshi types I may well give that a shot. (or get scared and bottle it – one or the other!)
Ever think of revisiting this spotting tutorial and expanding it?
I would like to do a tutorial on this, but I need to get round to painting another character with a cloak. When I do get round to that though, I will be sure to take some snaps and put some sort of tutorial together. Cheers!
What do you mean “shot through”
Do you mean mixed?
That’s right. It’s not a 1:1 mix though. There’s just a hint of Rhinox Hide in there. Maybe more of a 6:1 AB/RH mix. So that it’s still very dark, but when the light hits it, it takes on a slightly brown look. I hope that helps.
yeah the method is really quick, I was able to cover an entire stormcast in minutes http://imgur.com/gallery/UKKuQ
It’s not balor blended with white scar, just straight ungor flesh, it’s just simple practice, the reikland dot really sells the pattern, great technique
Some absolutely amazing touches on this guy, especially the various retro trappings! The black flames are very cool, as are the hazard stripes. And that leopard print cape? Absolutely amazeballs!
I only really have two points of critique here: One, the pteruges (sorry to be a smartass for a second here, but the actual word is “pteruges” or “pteryges”): I don’t really think yellow was the best choice in this case, mostly because it’s so close to the armour trim. I think black or even brown (or blue, if you wanted to go the whole hog re: retro painting) would have worked better and provided better contrast. The other thing I would like to suggest – in order to bring the model even closer to its inspiration – is to add some greyish-white hair stubble to the head. It’s really easy to do, as long as you mix in a teeny tiny drop of the original skin colour and then carefully stipple it on until you’re happy with the effect. It’s a neat little technique that I’ve discovered recently, and I think it would work to great effect here.
All in all, though, fantastic work! 🙂
That would be my bad on the spelling. I should have looked it up rather than just trusting Forge World’s ability to spell 😉
All fair points, and good that I’m learning even more about pteryges (I like the look of that spelling because it could be more useful for Scrabble). I ummed and ahhed about the colours for those and I am a fan of the yellow. But fair dos though – not everyone’s cup of tea. Black was second choice and I was even considering doing Black/Yellow alternatives. Trying to keep blue off the palette for the BA until I get to the Devestator units. As for the stubbly head, yeah – may give that a go at some point. Cheers!
That just looks fantastic, dude. A great tribute to a classic bit of 40K art.
Looks amazing!
That looks great!
Love it dude! …I wonder though is that 2nd Edition box art a John Blanch? The yellow and flames etc are dead on to that photo.
The Leopard print cloak is from the Epic 40k Armageddon box, Captain Aphael, and that was indeed a John Blanch.
Anyway awesome stuff!
Oh I guess it [2nd ed box art] was a John Blanche after-all… in either case, your mini is awesome haha.
Glad you like it!