Raz's Word Bearers - Hell Follows With Them

[RazakelXIII]

Vindicators finished, glory to Chaos!

Command Vindicator, Quor Bifrons

Quor Andras - I do realize it's kind of weird that the helmets are just... there, but I really couldn't think of a way to stick them to the tank without it looking weird - tried sculpting little GS "nails" but that didn't really look good. I'm gonna say they've been bolted to the shield through their backs. Might be kind of hard to spot in the pic but I sculpted an intestine running down from where the Guardsman's guts would be, resting between the Ultramarine shoulderpad and the White Scar helmet. Oh, and the green Chaos skull-helmet on the bottom right is a Dark Angel - local joke. :devil:

Quor Oriax - a.k.a. The Scripticator. Had lots of fun with this one, think it may be my favorite of the bunch. Considering doing this with all my tanks but I'm kind of worried about it being overpowering. If I ever do this, I won't retouch Vanessa, she's fine as she is.

And here's a shot of all my tanks together, lighting's not great and the preds are kinda blurry but I don't really have the space to set up a better shot at the moment.

Will be working on the Discords and the Cultist Overseer tomorrow. Don't see them taking very long, then I'll start working on a Defiler. I have a Land Raider but I don't want to touch it until the new 'dex, it's a longshot but I've kind of got my fingers crossed for a Reaper autocannon variant... not that the lack of one would prevent me from making one anyway...

[space wolf]

BEAUTIFUL!

[Captain Cirrius]

Those vindicators are inspirational! Beautiful work! SO MUCH SCRIPT :devil:

Really looking forward to seeing this guy done! I'm a sucker for beards haha

[Wing Wong]

Raz, you have won 40k. Period. This is now officially my favourite army...

 

Mind doing a really quick guide on the script? Brush size/layers etc?I am fine with a black micro pen but really struggle on dark colours as I am forced to actually use a brush!

 

Awesome work bro

[RazakelXIII]

Thanks, guys! :devil: @Wing Wong - For script I do two layers, first is Mechanicus Standard Grey and the second is Administratum Grey. With the first layer I just kind of lay out where I want the script, and I make sure the lines are relatively thick. I have really shaky hands so I'm usually able to just literally shake my brush across the model, which gets the squiggly look. With the second layer sometimes I do the same thing with thinner lines, and other times I'll pick out each individual chicken-scratch (depends on how bored I am :( ). If you also mean the actual writing/Chaos stars/Latros Sacru...ms? Sacra?, all I can tell you is be very, very careful with the Mechanicus layer, working within that space with the Administratum layer should then be fairly easy. As for brushes, I'm using a Blick Studio Sable size 0, which looks like it's around the same size as a GW detail brush.

 

Hope that helps. I'll probably do a full tutorial sometime soonish while working on the Defiler, also got two standard bearers sitting around half-painted that I could use for infantry-scale stuff.

[Wing Wong]

Appreciated as always

[RazakelXIII]

Cult Overseer and Discords done.

I will confess I have a love of hunched, robed and hooded things. In Dark Apostle the slave overseers were described as having needles and such for fingers (plus some weirdness with a vox-daemon-thing over their mouths) - I will model one like that at some point, I just love the creepy hands on the Corpse Cart necromancer. There will definitely be more of these, I've got a Cairn Wraith, VC Necromancer and a FW Nurgle Preacher that I intend to use for this purpose.

I MIGHT come back to these at some point in the future, I feel like they still need something. They already have plenty of flesh on 'em so impurity seals are out.

Probably going to give myself a few days before I start on the Defiler, going to try to get Word Beard and the Techmarine paint-ready.

[Wing Wong]

Love the cultist master Raz though I agree the little dudes need something to make them pop. Like you, not sure what it is though.

 

EDIT: Maybe you could really highlight upwards to yellow on them? It would still keep the base red for the rest of your army but make them standout. The grill also needs a layer or to more. Just my 2c

 

I will be using Emp wizards, Converted flagellants, Redemptionists Ashe Waste Nomads and These guys for my cultists.

 

Keep it up man, loving it

[RazakelXIII]

Got the Coryphaeus/Cap'n Word Beard and the Techmarine ready for paint.

I've also started working on painting the Defiler. I said I'd do a tutorial on it, but having started on it, I'm not even sure exactly what I'm going to do with all the metallics. It's a very different model from what I've done so far and I don't really feel comfortable doing a tut on the thing. I'll still do one, but I'll likely use a standard bearer instead, probably the one from the CC squad. I'll get started on that tomorrow but it won't be done this weekend - expect it late next week.

I DID do a candle sculpting step-by-step while working on the Techmarine, as I've gotten some PM's about it recently. I would recommend looking at Kikkala's candle tutorial here first - it's a bit more involved than my own technique and gives much nicer results, but I'm a fan of the quick-and-dirty approach to hobbying (i.e. I'm lazy). Also look at Kik's Word Bearer painting method - my own technique for reds is mostly just a simplified version of his, and seeing his army was one of the main things that got me into Word Bearers in the first place.

I start by getting an oblong lump of GS - about half a centimeter long (I vary it when I sculpt clusters of them so they don't all look samey) - and place it on the model NEAR where I want it. The location doesn't really have to be exact as the next step takes care of that.

Next, take a sculpting tool (I still use the GW one - been using it for years and it's never let me down, want to invest in clayshapers at some point) and using the thick edge of the scalpel end (dipped in water, of course, so the GS doesn't stick) work the candle into place, at the same time shaping it and drawing down some GS so it looks like it's "dripped" onto the surface.

Cut a tiny hole at the top of the candle so the flame has a place to "sit" - making it sit on a flat surface is going to be a pain even if your tools are wet.

Grab a REALLY tiny ball of GS and using a wet sculpting tool, nudge it into place atop the candle. Don't try to make it stick just yet, just get it into place.

Let the water dry for a few minutes and then "smoosh" the flame into the top of the candle with a wet sculpting tool - not TOO wet, you don't want to drown the hole or the flame because then it won't stick. Once it's stuck, press in on it at an angle so that the flame looks like it's blowing in the wind (I make sure everything in my army's blowing in the same direction, might look odd on a squad otherwise).

And you have a candle. :confused:

Will try to get the standard bearer tutorial up next week, may or may not get the Defiler done before then.

[Circus Nurgling]

I'm really liking the way this is headed. Makes me wish I'd put a hood on my latest sorcerer... I may have to do this.

[Biohazard]

Really liking the Scripticator, I think anymore would be over powering at this scale though. It totally fits the fluff that everything is covered in scripture, I'm reading Dark Apostle for possibly the 8th time and even Jaruleks eyes are covered in passages from the book of Lorgar. Cannot wait to see paint on the Coryphaeus and love the hood and the possessed bits on the Techi.

[Armond]

Your stuff looks ridiculously great! Keep it up! Love the vehicles BTW, so much character in them!

[malika666]

CAn't wait to see what you would do with the new 6th edition era CSM models!

[RazakelXIII]

Thanks for the comments guys. Ordered a 6e starter, looking forward to painting the Hellbrute. Think I'll be turning the Lord into a Sorcerer, going to Chaosify the Dark Angel Librarian and the Interrogator Chaplain. Selling the Cultists to a buddy who wants to use them as a Necromunda gang - I like them but I'm sticking with the Flagellant conversions.

I've finished the step-by-step. This is something I've wanted to do for a while, as I get PMs about it semi-frequently. Now that I've had time to play with the new Citadel paints I figured I'd go ahead and do it. You'll notice from the pics how blotchy my paints are - this is because I do very little to water them down. This is a Bad Habit that I readily admit to having and I only get around it because of washes. You really should thin your paints and do multiple thin coats. tl;dr Do Not Paint Like Me, this is a guide to the colors I use, not my shoddy technique. Anyway, let's get on with it:

Colors used:

New GW: Abaddon Black, Rhinox Hide, Khorne Red, Mephiston Red, Leadbelcher, Balthasar Gold, Bugman's Glow, Mournfang Brown, Mechanicus Standard Grey

GW Layer: Hashut Copper, Cadian Fleshtone, Screaming Skull, Troll Slayer Orange, Yriel Yellow, White Scar, Administratum Grey

GW Shade: Carroburg Crimson, Druchii Violet

Army Painter: Dark Tone, Strong Tone, Soft Tone (Warpaints, not the dips or whatever - I've actually emptied out my old pots of Devlan Mud and Badab Black and refilled them with Strong Tone and Dark Tone, respectively, as they are very close substitutes. I'm TOLD Soft Tone is a good substitute for Gryphonne Sepia but I've yet to try it)

Step 1: Undercoat Abaddon Black over your choice of black primer, then basecoat Rhinox Hide.

Step 2: Paint red areas Khorne Red, then basecoat the metallics Leadbelcher.

Step 3: Highlight red areas Mephiston Red. You can probably skip this on tanks, but not on Defilers or Dreadnoughts.

Step 4: Wash heavily with Army Painter Dark Tone Warpaint or Badab Black if you still have some.

Step 5: Wash heavily with Army Painter Strong Tone Warpaint or Devlan Mud if you still have some.

Step 6: On infantry, Dreads and Defilers, repeat Step 5. On tanks, drybrush Khorne Red here, THEN repeat Step 5

Step 7: Highlight metallics with Leadbelcher. Basecoat bronze areas (bolt shells, certain details) with Balthazar Gold. Basecoat horns Mechanicus Standard Grey.

Step 8: Highlight bronze areas with Hashut Copper. Wash horns Army Painter Dark Tone. Also sculpt on impurity seals, or as I call 'em, fleshybits. These are simple. Make a tiny strip of GS and clip at the bottom edge with wet sprue clippers. Put the strip wherever you want it on the model, and take a REALLY tiny ball of GS and stick it on as a "nail."

Step 9: Paint flesh areas Bugman's Glow.

Step 10: Layer flesh areas Cadian Fleshtone.

Step 11: Wash flesh areas with successive wet layers of Carroburg Crimson or Baal Red, Druchii Violet or Leviathan Purple, and either Army Painter Strong Tone or Devlan Mud. By wet layers I mean do NOT let them dry before applying the next wash. The purpose of this is to make sure the final result looks uneven with a varied purple/red/brown fleshy tone. With the new washes, however, I find that this does not work as well with larger surfaces, so you may want to skip the Carroburg and Druchii on things like banners. Also dot fleshybit nails with Leadbelcher.

Step 12: Paint the Latros Sacrum on banners and/or shoulderpads. Refer to pic for step-by-step (substep 5 is optional, I just like to add some extra chaosy details on standards here and there to mix it up a little).

Step 13: Apply candles (refer to sculpting step-by-step here) and basecoat with Mournfang Brown. Paint black script on fleshybits with Abaddon Black. Paint the first layer of script over armor plates with Mechanicus Standard Grey. I have really shaky hands, and I find that if I very lightly touch the brush to the model I can sort of shake my way across the model and get a sort of dotted, spidery look very easily.

Step 14: Layer candles with Screaming Skull. Paint the second layer of armor script with Administratum Grey, staying within the first layer.

Step 15: Wash candles with either Army Painter Soft Tone or Gryphonne Sepia (I am led to believe from my learnings on the Interwebs that Soft Tone is a good substitute, but I haven't tried it yet). Block out where you want battle damage on red armor plates with Abaddon Black (hard to see on pic).

Step 16: Paint battle damage/chipping Leadbelcher, staying within the Abaddon Black layer. Layer candles with more Screaming Skull.

Step 17: Wash candles with watered-down Strong Tone. Paint candle flames successive layers of Troll Slayer Orange, Yriel Yellow, Screaming Skull and White Scar, covering lower and lower with each layer.

Step 18: Blood. Blood! BLOOD! AHAHAHAHAHA!!! BLOOOOOD!!!! AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA *ahem* Sorry about that. Apply blood liberally to fleshybits. My mix is about 25/75 Tamiya Clear Red and Tamiya Smoke. I used to do the reverse of that ratio with the old-old GW Black Ink instead of Smoke. Smoke seems to have a much weaker effect on the shade of red than Black Ink did, so you need to use more of it. Refer to L0new0lf's tut here for further shenanigans.

Step 19: I paint base sand with a drybrush of Mechanicus Standard Grey, followed by a lighter drybrush of Administratum Grey. I'm very interested in trying the new texture paints for this but I've got enough of the old GW basing sand (the kind with little rocks in it - they discontinued it out of nowhere, no idea when) that I don't think I need to worry about that.

And you have a Word Bearer.

In other news, the Defiler's coming along. Just starting on highlighting the metallics - I've done the torso and one arm. This is going to be agonizing, assembling it before painting was a mistake, on the next one I'll be painting each arm separately.

And I have acquired a new Baneblade after selling my old, shoddily-built one. I've used Machinator's Blood and Skulls Industry parts to convert it into a Fellblade - I enjoy the Oppressor-pattern treads, this model will cut you. Hard to see in the pic amongst the sea of grey plastic, but I've placed a Zombie Dragon head around the cannon's barrel, needs some GS work to blend it in. I'll be covering what's left of the aquilas with impurity seals, and I need to add candles. Also not sure I'm keeping the Havoc Launcher, and I might replace the TL Heavy Bolters with Reaper Autocannons.

Defiler should be done some time next week. After that I'll start on Word Beard and the Techmarine, the two of whom recently survived having a giant box full of tools set on them. Word Beard's survival was nothing short of miraculous - the box missed him by literally millimeters, if it hadn't his sword and horns would be unsalvageable. Techmarine got completely smooshed but aside from some slightly bent metal and snapped GS he's fine now. He lost a spike off of his Possessed arm, but he'll live without it.

[ThisisJimmy]

Lovely stuff here mate, really liking the brutality of that Baneblade (Fellblade?). I've been looking at Machinator's stuff with thoughts towards some of my own tanks, and you've definitely shown the right way to use them. Also very nice Defiler, it's coming along great, can't wait to see it finished off.

[irwit]

lol, this army is seriously epic! Have you thought about making a gaming board for them?

[Bungicats]

I have been following this post for some time now and you never cease to amaze with your conversions, painting and well..general army scheme. Now go and don't keep the dark gods waiting...we want more ;)

[ChromeZephyr]

Love the corpse and helmets nailed to the Vindicator siege shield, I'll have to remember that for my vehicles. And when you say the Oppressor tracks will cut you, are we talking "oooh, that stung" or "jeezus, get me some gauze and a stapler"? Because I want a set for my Dark Apostle's personal Land Raider, but not at the expense of my (or my opponent's) fingers.

[ezekiel09]

I was having trouble trying to decide between Black Legion and Word Bearers for my Chaos army, but this thread has made my decision easy!

 

I really like the fleshybits added to everything. I hope you don't mind if I steal that idea.

[Iacton Qruze]

I love how you built the discords. I'm going to have to snag that idea for my own WB army. I didn't catch what you were going to use them for. Allied PBS maybe?

[Killax]

Perfectly chaotic!

[Chapter Master Onyxius]

how do you do the fur? Cause I would like to use that for my pre heresy Sons of Horus army, would be nice seen alot of tutorials but none look as good in the end as your fur cape. Can you make a tut or is there one that you found yourself, to complete your awesomness

[subtlebrush]

Ridiculously amazing!

Always loved your work Raz.

Keep it up mate.

[HJL]

yaaay, finally a guide! :lol:

[The Yak]

Speechless..... Errrm wow. What an army.