#MonsterMarch7 - To DONE!

 

Greetings and welcome back.  Today I share my completed #MonsterMarch7 project - Lion E;'Jonson of the Dark Angels Legion as seen in the age of the Horus Heresy, bringing the Emperor's justice to the Night Lords during the Thramas Crusade.I've been interested in and collecting Dark Angels models since 3rd edition Warhammer 40,000...I guess that's form the late 90's?  I dunno...a long time.  So this project, for me, is like 25 years in the making.  Yes, I took the coward's path and painted mostly according to the Forge World studio art. But man, I'm super stoked to have this model completed in my collection. It makes my 20-something self proud, even as my 50-something self feels a little foolish at the whole thing. 😂

The project was not without it's hiccups.  I guess no large project ever is in this hobby.  In the final hours, I applied the matte varnish to seal all of my hard work. And the rocks of the diorama inexplicably reacted with the varnish and turned purple. Nothing else on The Lion, his base, nor the rest of the diorama base changed...just the grey rock. I didn't think to photograph the diorama base, but ALL of the grey rock looked exactly like this piece I'm showing.  All of it.

I don't recall what I did over the project with shades/washes/etc.  But something reacted oddly with the varnish before it dried. This was using Model Masters Lusterless Flat varnish (I still covet a few cans for special projects like this) over Proacryl paint and GW shades.  I've used this varnish for years, and have used it with these same Proacryl colors with never an ill effect like this.  So weird.  Even more odd is the fact that the Lion's gaming base (as shown above) is fine and it's the SAME PAINT varnished at the SAME TIME under the SAME  CONDITIONS!? eh, whatevah.

No sense crying over it.  After a few choice words - there is always sense in that, right? - I settled down and carefully repainted the purple rocks.  As you can see in these final pics, everything worked out in the end.  However, I haven't applied a final coat of varnish, and I may not ever.  I took these final project photos to share just in case the whole horror scene repeats should I choose to varnish the completed diorama base once again. It's not a game piece, so I'm thinking enough is enough.  No need to varnish again, as it'll rarely be touched to a point that the paint might rub off to reveal the sealed purple/grey rocks below.

So that's a wrap on #MonsterMarch7, and I guess I completed this fella just in time now that his 40K self walks the galaxy once more. OF COURSE I will have to have that model for the collection; and maybe I won't wait a year or more to paint it!  hah. For now, I'm just sitting back and enjoying this one completion for the Hobby year.  It's a fantastic model and was pure joy for me to paint. Another one goes in the DONE pile.

If don't already follow Swordmaster's blog, take some time out to have a look.  There were so many fun projects in MonsterMarch7, well worth the look. If you want to see a bit more of the Lion, I dropped a few extra photos below, after the break. Otherwise, it's good bye for now. I'm at a loss for what to pick up next.  It was going to be more mini titans...but now I'm on a Horus Heresy roll...so maybe Deathwing Companions? So much great stuff going on right now.  Spacehulk/Gallowdark terrain?!  I dunno...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

#MonsterMarch7 - Week 3

 It's the little things...Greetings and welcome back!  This post completes week three of #MonsterMarch7 for me.  I say the little things, because it may not seem like I did much work of the past week compared to what I shared for week two progress. In truth, much work has been done to the display base.

The base is almost entirely done...if such a piece is ever truly done.  I could go on enhancing things for an age it seems.  There's is quite a bit going on.  During the week I highlighted all of the blue armor as well as the red icons. The last marine standing had his pistol finally painted and a host of other bits were addressed all over the base. Oh, and of course the bare head of the fallen marine at The Lion's feet.

There is A LOT of flayed flesh which was also painted through the final layers from highlights to shading, to additional highlights, to pin washes on the sewn bits. I chose a darker, "fresher" look, I guess.  Not sure if I'll lighten it up more before I'm done.  Some days I like it as is, others I don't.  Isn't that the way sometimes?

I'll spend the final week completing The Lion.  I sorta got too involved in the base, but I am really enjoying the results so it seems worth it. The Lion needs highlights and some other bits and bobs, but thankfully he's pretty far along.  I shouldn't have too much stress trying to finish at this point.  Oh - I am not so sure I'll get to the bare head...we'll see if I can leave a session or two towards the end of the week for that.

For now, here's a quick post (I almost forgot to post entirely this week!), and I'll get back to the brushes.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

#MonsterMarch7 - Week 2

 

Greetings and welcome back. Today I'm sharing progress from week two of my #MonsterMarch7 project.  I completed enough details on The Lion to assemble the remaining parts that I had left detached for painting.

That's the pistol hidden on his left side. It appears to be a fancy plasma pistol, so I painted it up as one. With the model assembled, I decided there was enough happening with the base that I better get started on it and not leave it for the final week as I would typically do with a base.  The base here is really a standalone model/diorama in its own right with TONS going on.

I made up a Night Lords paint scheme using Proacryl colors from Monument Hobbies, following the Forge World studio paint job. I think it works!  I have yet to paint on some lightning, so look for that in week three.

Lots of skin and some gory bits to paint, including a head with the top half sliced off.  I looked up real brain images on google (?!) and used that as a sort of reference here. Also a severed leg stump in the first base photo above. ick.  But a fun challenge none-the-less.

I haven't attached this fellow yet, but he also got paint as I worked on the base.  I wanted to be sure I was being consistent with both colors and techniques.  These poor Night Lords are pocked all over from various types of projectiles and energy beams.  I only put blood/flesh at the bottom of the craters that appeared to be penetrating wounds.  This fellow has a lot of close calls, but that arm doesn't look good.

I've only started on the flesh draped about the armor of these traitors. Some highlighting and such will hopefully leave things looking a little less plastic and tarp-like.

This little bit connects the I Legion Primarch to the display base, hiding the rim of the gaming base and tying the whole diorama together.  It fits tightly enough that I have painted it and can use it to assemble the model when displayed int he cabinet.  Some crafty magnet work would have made it all more stable, but it fits snugly enough that the whole assembly can be moved around with a little care.

And here are all the pieces disassembled in one place. That's a fair amount of progress in a week so I'm quite pleased with how things went. Off screen is The Lion's bare head still primed and otherwise untouched.  I'll probably leave that for the final week as a fun exercise.  It seems to me I'll have this project otherwise completed by the end of week three. Both The Lion and the display base pieces have more work to be done, despite their current totally table ready appearance - but its very close!

Here's a shout out to the whole field of MonsterMarchers out there...best of luck with your projects!! Click the link to see how all of the great projects are going.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

#MonsterMarch7 - Week 1

 

As I come out of the first week of #MonsterMarch7, The Lion is starting to take shape. Many of the base colors have been applied and even some shading in spots.  I'm taking my time with the project and despite that things are moving along well.  I have a very detail base full of dead and dying Night Lords to paint so I can't dawdle too much here.

I'm painting several of the parts off the model so I can get to everything and do a good job.  The cape is mostly complete.  I'll look at more highlights once it's attached and I can get a look at the whole model assembled.

The backpack needs highlighting, but that also may wait for assembly.  not need to highlight the hidden bits that aren't catching the light anyway!

The Iron Halo is roughed in and has had some shading, though that is washed out in the pic.

This bit of critter paw needed to be painted off the model.  The whole cape/backpack/paw business is a bit fussy.  I hope to be able to get everything fit right in the end. It's not trivial to get all the pieces to fit right as they largely interlock in a specific way. If once piece doesn't sit right, the whole assembly looks off.

Ah the proud helm.  This pic was taken before the eye lenses were painted in. I still have the non-helmeted head to pain yet. Below, we have all the pieces together in one photo.  Solid progress so far!

I'm keeping largely to the Forge World studio art using the paint recipe for the rest of my First Legion force.  Well...That's not entirely true as I've switched to Proacryl exclusively here. I need to update the recipe page with the (mostly) compatible colors. But the intent is to clearly match the rest of the painted models I have in the collection.

More progress next week and I'll hopefully have everything assembled and highlights well under way.  I have more metal trim and a few other bits and bobs to get through before reaching that point however.

Check out Path of an Outcast to see more terrific MonsterMarch projects.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

#MonsterMarch7 - the pledge

 

Welcome to March....which means #MonsterMarch7! This year I will paint a monster from the Horus Heresy which took place 10,000 before the events of Warhammer 40,000.

Lion El'Jonson was the primarch of the First Legion, the Emperor's Dark Angels. After the events on Terra that cast the primarchs into the warp and scattered them across the galaxy, the Lion was found on the planet Caliban and given the First legion to command.

The Forge World model is simply loaded with details and will make a truly ambition project for MonsterMarch. The Lion can be removed from the display base for gaming purposes. So this is going to be like two painting projects in one.  It is difficult to make out all the details in the picture above, but the Lion stands over many fallen Night Lord space marines, with one about to shoot him with a volkite charger.

So if you are interested in following the fun, check back periodically throughout the month of March to see the progress. For more on MonsterMarch, do check out Path of an Outcast where there will be posts showcasing the work of all participants.  It should be a great month of hobby!

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

Squaduary 2023 - TO DONE

 

Greetings and welcome back.  Squaduary 2023 has come to and end for me.  I ran it right up to the final hour posting completed pics to Instagram at around 23:45, EST. I'm pretty happy with the results and I think I'm primed and ready for #MonsterMarch7, where I'll tackle The Lion at long last. For now I'll take a breath and celebrate another completion for this hobby season and the Squaduary tradition.

After the break I have a few close ups of the knights.  It was late when I took the photos and a few were blurry where I rushed, so I'll have to take new ones at some point. These were very fun to paint and look great on the table.  It's a fun themed unit for the Dark Angels and I look forward to fielding them one day.

As always, thanks for following the journey and I hope my Lion work for #MonsterMarch7 doesn't disappoint. The primarchs of the Horus Heresy were indeed monsters of their age...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!