[Artwork] "Follow the Leader"

[Aerion the Faithful]

Salutations again, brothers...!

 

I'm quite active these days and I hope I'm not boring you with the art. This one is fitting of the anticipation the new Codex is raising or raised (I don't know when it's going to be released!) and the client's request was precisely related to that anticipation.

 

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d61/aerion_the_faithful/FollowtheLeader.jpg

 

This illustration was to be iconic: a Space Marine of the Chapter, bowing before battle with the figure of his mighty Primarch guiding his righteous fury. I hope I've achieved the effect! I've tried to do this piece as iconic as I could, adding the figure of Sanguinius within a splatter of blood and trying to achieve as many hues and shades of red as I could to keep the volumes and contrasts working to make an understandable image.

 

As usual, you'll be the judges of this piece, which I hope you enjoy!

 

Aerion.-

[CosmicCreations]

Very nice indeed once again, although it feels a little like it isn't finished?...no....wait....just read your description at the bottom! haha, in that case all my thoughts have been quelled :D

 

Quick question, you use a drawing tablet I take it?

[Aurelius Rex]

Excellent as always. :P

 

Although I can't now look at a Blood Angel - especially one by you - without thinking that they should be all pustulent and Nurgleyfied. ;)

 

 

Great stuff. :)

[Ferrus Manus]

Another great piece of work :P This one's the opposite to the last BA piece I saw by you. The symmetry is perfect, and good work with the hues of colour. It would of driven me mad. Surely you must of been seeing red by the time you finished? /badjoke. :)

[AngryJohnny]

I really like it. It looks great. I especially like how you did Sanguinius in the blood. It has a certain feel that the Primarch is watching over his Astartes son & guiding him on the field. Very nicely done.

 

BTW - of course we're not getting bored with your artwork! I know that personally I wait very eagerly for your newest piece and have found that I enjoy them all for different reasons. I've looked at your non-power armor art too from your deviant art page and like those all as well.

[BrotherAtrox]

****ing stellar. :)

[Knightwolf]

Love it

You do excellent work.

 

Have to ask, are you the artist who does the Iron Souls pieces???

If so where can I find them and have you done more than the first 4????

They inspired my own paint scheme and I loved the story.

[xa0s]

Bloody hell, YES! I noticed a very slight variation from the Sanginus primarch art work, tho I wouldn't have noticed if I didn't hestitated.

 

EDIT: Brother Atrox, I noticed you're into Meshuggah as much as I am. Inside between what's within is my particular favorite, if I got the word order right.

[Chaplain Desmodus]

Great as always! Love the red armour and the 'dream-red'. :)

 

Next up should be your version of Astorath the Grim, methinks! :)

 

(Meshuggah is a great band! I celebrated New Years Eve with them in Stockholm back in 1994 after seeing them live, they're great guys B) )

[Lucifer Fellblade]

Awesome to see you've almost completely moved away from the WHITE BALLS OF LIGHT EVERYWHERE thing and toned it down, it's looking good. One minor thing about your work is that I don't think I've ever seen any feet, I'd love to see something that wasn't a torso+head+arms piece, the added compositional options would really take your work to the next level.

[noodlenerd]

I absolutely love what you've done with the red hues. Extremely good use of colours. Brilliant. Also, the shading on the golden shoulder rim is perfect.

 

 

I do, however, wish to come with some constructive critcism if I may. :P

 

To me there are two problems with this pic, that keeps it from being perfect. the first one is that I feel the picture should be reflected, to symbolize how he follows the leader into the future (as people facing this way --> in the west indicates going forward and into future etc, while this way <-- is more "going back". While going back fits the image of sanguinius, I do still feel it's important to show how sangy kinda leads the marine into the future. That alone makes reflecting the pic something that would enchance the viewing experience, to me at least. Also, either add more of the marines body, or open his eyes? I can't really tell that he is praying, looks a bit like he is squinting.

 

Both of these things would make it a better pic IMHO, but in no way is it bad. I'm just saying that it could be even better ;)

[Aerion the Faithful]

Thank you very much for the comments, brothers! It's always a pleasure to read you and there's some very interesting thoughts poured in here.

 

About some of the questions: I do not use a tablet. This is all done traditionally, with markers and some other tools for certain effects (like acrylics and oil pastels for the glows and lights). The only moment a computer's involved is when I scan it and try to get PS not to **ck up all the contrasts and colours :( My markers ended up a little dry though, after a whole rendering session.

 

@Knightwolf I was indeed the illustrator behind the Iron Souls comics and there's no more coming out after the last we posted. FreakForge, the writer, creator and owner of the Chapter and I had some differences and split up our collaboration. You can always look at his profile here for updates on his Chapter, as I think he's still toiling away at it.

 

@Lucifer I agree with you that my artwork would benefit from some more legs and feet and I do have those in my non-40K artwork over at my dA. Hopefully my clients will ask me for more than busts too, which would help :P I also will try and tone the diods up a bit as you're right and it does confuse the image less.

 

@noodlenerd I didn't know that fact about western association with the way the lead character is facing. I'll certainly note it for next time. The eye of the Marine actually gave me a bit of trouble, because I first sketched them as if looking fierce and determined (thus the squint) but later it ended up looking as if he was in prayer... I guess it's up to the audience now.

 

Thank you very much again and I'll be here to read you!

 

Nic.-

[xa0s]

Lucifer, I have seen his art work with feet -- I reckon its called Flesh Eater, tho I can't find it in his deviantart.com gallery.

 

noodlenerd, i'm guessing he's sticking with his right/left sighting to indicate who is the true ones and the traitors, as in his primarch works.

 

EDIT: Never mind, Aerion beat me to it since he's the source.

[Cpt_Tiberius]

Hey mate!,

It's been awhile. I love the drawing, especially the red. Overall a beautiful piece. :D

 

-T.

[noodlenerd]

About some of the questions: I do not use a tablet. This is all done traditionally, with markers and some other tools for certain effects (like acrylics and oil pastels for the glows and lights). The only moment a computer's involved is when I scan it and try to get PS not to **ck up all the contrasts and colours :) My markers ended up a little dry though, after a whole rendering session.

 

Holy crap, you have one helluva great technique. I was certain that you used a tablet. :)