Hipster Abaddon

Because I can't stop. Base image from Mr. Chaos. Used without permission. See his comic here.

Actually, I found the original image here: http://www.ninjabread.co.uk/2010_01_01_archive.html













I'm actually painting again. Some Rackham stuff to come soon.

So I'm moving later this week. May is not going to be a month when I can get much modelling done, but I have hopes, because the rest of the summer is going to be totally dry with all my models in storage.

Anyway, 1st up, my entry in Heresy Online's painting contest:



Hell Knight Updates:



Getting the curved "neck piece" took a lot of thought, but eventually I used this pile of foamcore board circles, glued together. I sandwiched grey stuff between the plasticard front and a piece of aluminum mesh. Finally I put paper over that to prevent the grey-stuff from sticking to my hands or the foamcore while it dried. I think I did it the hard way, but it seems to have worked fairly well. The toothbrush will probably end up being the top part of the leg.


The secondary weapon, twin-linked heavy bolters, and the housing. I used magnets so I can switch the weapons out for other options if I make them later.




Finally, a I'm working on another contest piece for a bit tournament coming up locally. My plan is to make chicken walker legs for the dread from scratch, as well as a custom made CCW. I just think dreadnoughts look silly with their tiny legs and arms.

Plasmagunners, and Tanks!

Plasma is awesome. Let's throw that out there:

As you can see I also finished some more parts (with magnets), making my army all the more versatile.

Also, tanks! These have been painted for a while, but need some freehand.





The predator and rhino are fully magnetised so they can turn from rhino to predator, with any weapon loadout.

As for the Hell Knight. I've never worked on anything like this before, so I've been very tenuous. I think I have a solution to making the curved front piece that will be structurally sound. Unfortunately, I have nothing to show since it's basically going to have to come together at once. It's not going to be a few distinct pieces that can then be connected. It's really one big piece. I'm eager to get this thing done though.

The plan, is to use layers of foamcore as a sub-structure which will be the foundation for plasticard and milliput. Aluminum wire mesh will wrap the foamcore where necessary. Wood and wire will be beneath that to bear the weight of the model.

My main difficulty right now is how to attach a twin linked heavy bolter. It may involve cutting a piece of the hull out to mount the bolters. Anyway, it complicates things.

Slight Progress

It's been a busy time, despite being reading week. Nonetheless, I've finally figured out how to make the basic structure of the Hell Knight. The Knight will have a "spine" made of dowel with another dowel acting as an axel between the legs. The spine will be the main structure of the model with the body below it made from an undetermined material. The head and tail will attach to either side of the dowel.

The main progress has been on the design of the neck. Here's the neck guard:



I'm planning on making it a tapering curve up to where the head will sit. However, I may also decide to fold it like the cardboard template. The neck will have a dowel running behind it and I will use wire mesh on the back to support details and probably some bitz, and the remaining surface will be covered with a smooth layer of milliput or maybe even more plasticard depending on the final shape.

I'm still working on my plasmagun marines (I am a slow painter, and need to step it up).

In any case, here's some more minis. First, my sorcerer:

Terminators. All their arms are magentised (which is why there appears to be a gap on the champ. It's fine on the table. The champion can change his banner pole for whatever I want.


Some rank and file marines.


I need a dremel tool. It would just make things easier. It's something to think about.

Concept Sketches, Recent Work

I've been toying with the idea of a Hell Knight for almost a year now, making sketches and gathering materials. I'm not very good at drawing, but having these sketches has been a huge help in preparing the project.




Right now I'm working with cardboard to get a the scale and proportions of the model. I'm going slow, and trying to work stage by stage from rough to the final work. While I may use some cardboard for the final product, the bulk of it will be found parts, plasticard, and green stuff. I'm aiming for 7" tall, but I expect it will end up being a bit taller.

Besides the Hell Knight, I'm starting work on my EC again. I have about 1850 points done, but want to start expanding including adding a defiler, vindicator, more marines, and even more. With a new camera, I've set up a photography station.

This champion (and occasional sorcerer or lord) is a mix of possessed and CSM parts and a filed down terminator sorcerer helmet. His arms and backpack are magnetised so I can switch them for a power fist, a Doom Siren, and a Plasma Pistol or even a Combi-weapon should I ever get around to making one.



A second champion. This one has no magnets but features some of my first serious sculpting work with greenstuff. The top of his head is from a warhammer zombie, and the speaker mouth is greenstuff. The Slaanesh symbol on his chest and his shoulderpad are also made of greenstuff. He's based on the illustration in the 4th edition CSM codex.


Another Noise Marine/regular champion with a magnetised backpack. His power fist is from the old metal Noise Marine champion. Note the left handed bolter.


I love this guy. He's just a mash of parts and a sweet pose. He's just a rank and file guy but he'll serve as a sacrificial champion when I get a greater daemon. Note again the left handed bolter.



Icon bearer. Some GS work on his helmet and shoulderpad. The studs on his armour are micro beads extracted from facial scrub.


This guy is just bad-ass. I tried a little simple OSL on his eyes.


The original Noise Marine, and one sweet model. The only problem is his backpack doesn't fit easily to his back, requiring some green stuff work. Not hard, but annoying.


Flamer Marine with a magnetised backpack so he can become a raptor. Note again the studs on his shoulderpad also made from micro beads.




So what do you think of the pics? Any advice about post-processing or methods of getting better pictures of miniatures.

Currently I've got a 1000 point tournament on the 28th, and want to get two plasmagun armed marines finished (they've been half painted for a long time). After then, it's modelling time again as I start full time work on the Hell Knight, a forgeworld dread, and maybe some Daemonettes.

Upcoming Projects

This is the place to see the chronicles of my gaming adventures, but particularly my modelling. Pretty soon you'll see my Chaos Marines and who knows what else. The most exciting upcoming project though, is my scratch built Hell Knight.

A Hell Knight is a funky Slaaneshi walker from way back in the old days of Epic, and I'm bringing it to 40K scale.



Why? Slaanesh is where it's at (and we're always hiring). Besides, it was a smaller project that I can work on and practice for larger projects. Bell of Lost Souls published rules for it in their Lords of Battle PDF (but the picture is of a 40K scale Hell Strider).

In the meantime, I'll be throwing some old pictures of my marines up, some new pictures, and maybe some other random models as I go.