Dark Mechanicus project - Something binary this way comes...

[GuitaRasmus]

 

Alternative idea:

 

 

 

 

This. While it's got ties with Khorne, red and gold/brass have always been traditional 'chaos' colours, even more so in a mechanicus context. I'd be really interested in hearing how you achieved that red, it looks stunning.

 

 

It's pretty easy actually (all my paint-recipes are - I'm a VERY lazy painter :D )

 

Start out with GW Dark flesh basecoat.

Stipple with same paint, with a little cadian flesh mixed in.

Stipple with 50/50 Dark Flesh/Cadian

Wash with Devlan.

Badab black in the recesses.

 

 

 

[GuitaRasmus]

Btw, I apologize the multiple replies - B&C is acting strange with my browser.

 

I'm guessing the red is the current red wash over the metal dry brushing you did. Please do tell. The more I see it the more I like it and am thinking of possibilities for my own forgefiend. The way you've done it gives it a more aged and worn look with what I think are basic drybrush and wash techniques but with excellent execution.

EDIT: I take it back. You've also added hand painted damage and shaded round the edge. The amount of work you've put into one part as a tester is frankly amazing. I'm very much in awe of your creations and now your painting. Hats off and a standing ovation.

 

Thanks a lot - it's not really that involved, I think each plate is about 30 mins of work, max. Most of the time is washes drying.

 

See above on how to do the red. And thank you very much for the kind compliments - I have put A LOT of time, work and care into this army, which is why I want the paintjob to be just right. :)
 

[Aqui]

I do love the red and gold scheme

[Doghouse]

That daemon prince is absolutely stunning.

[GuitaRasmus]

this right here is the craziest and most creative kitbashing i have ever seen. your monstrosities look like they're coming straight from the eye of terror. totally insane!

i like both color schemes, but as others have said, a different trim colour in combination with the dark red scheme might be better. in my eyes the orange-ish trim colour does not harmonize very well with the purple-ish red. something neutral like a dark iron colour, as DuskRaider already mentioned, would definitely work.

but i'd really like to know how you achieved the iron colour, especially the "worn/damaged/weathered/

/battered" effect in your IW scheme? i'm looking for a technique for something like that (true metallic colours) since a long frackin time, so maybe you could enlighten me please?

bye

In most other cases I think iron trims would be great, but there has to be some sort of "barrier" between the steel of the armour plates, and the steel of the mechanisms, legs, pistons etc. of the machines - this is why it needs to be gold, bronze, brass or similar.

Sure thing, the steel colour is pretty easy too:

Basecoat: Vallejo Gun Metal Metalizer

Stipple: Vallejo Gun Grey

Stipple Vallejo Steel.

Wash once with badab black (or Army Painter Dark Tone - NOT Nuln Oil).

Wash and stipple surface with badab black.

Sponge Chaos Black onto surface (less is more) for pitting/damage.

Highlight bottom of pitting/damage with skull white.

[Forté]

Simple (as you call it) but bloody affective. What sort of brush are you using for the stippling?

[GuitaRasmus]

Yep, I always look for the easiest, most effective way to get good results - same with my DG, being done with almost only washes.

 

Just a standard brush - it's not really stippling as such (very hard to control), but more dabbling paint on the surface.

[The_Chaplain]

Wow, I'm quite embarrassed to admit that I'm just discovering this thread here; but I just devoured all 9 pages of it!  What an absolutely fabulous and utterly nightmarish army!  I think you've achieved something that eludes a lot of modellers (and especially GW sculptors) in that none of the details on your mechanicus seem superfluous-- every knicknack, doodad and whatchacallit seems to have an actual mechanical purpose- bravo sir, simply brilliant.

 

I hate to ask, but what bit did you use for the mace head on the Silas Alberic conversion?  

[YoungWolf7]

While I agree with you that there needs to be a visual break between the trim and mechanical pieces, this can also be achieved by using different "metals". If your trim is dark, make your mechanical pieces bright, almost chrome-like or even tint the metals towards a blue-steel for contrast. I just keep looking at your current avatar and thinking that needs to be your paint scheme right there.

[GuitaRasmus]

Wow, I'm quite embarrassed to admit that I'm just discovering this thread here; but I just devoured all 9 pages of it!  What an absolutely fabulous and utterly nightmarish army!  I think you've achieved something that eludes a lot of modellers (and especially GW sculptors) in that none of the details on your mechanicus seem superfluous-- every knicknack, doodad and whatchacallit seems to have an actual mechanical purpose- bravo sir, simply brilliant.

 

I hate to ask, but what bit did you use for the mace head on the Silas Alberic conversion?  

 

 

Thanks a lot, such comments mean a lot to me - I really appreciate your kind comments. :)

 

The mace head is a Necron thingie (from the Canoptek Stalker, I think?) with some ork spikes glued on.

 

 

@ Youngwolf: I know what you mean - about the Dark Mechanicus avatar. Trouble is, I've tried. I've really really tried. I'm not the biggest fan of red in the first place, which led to me giving up on and selling my equally converted Khorne army. Everything I try ends up either looking like Khorne - gold and red (and I don't want them to look like a Khorne army) or a Word Bearers (red and iron/steel), which I don't really want to either.

[Artemid]

 

Wow, I'm quite embarrassed to admit that I'm just discovering this thread here; but I just devoured all 9 pages of it!  What an absolutely fabulous and utterly nightmarish army!  I think you've achieved something that eludes a lot of modellers (and especially GW sculptors) in that none of the details on your mechanicus seem superfluous-- every knicknack, doodad and whatchacallit seems to have an actual mechanical purpose- bravo sir, simply brilliant.

 

I hate to ask, but what bit did you use for the mace head on the Silas Alberic conversion?  

 

@ Youngwolf: I know what you mean - about the Dark Mechanicus avatar. Trouble is, I've tried. I've really really tried. I'm not the biggest fan of red in the first place, which led to me giving up on and selling my equally converted Khorne army. Everything I try ends up either looking like Khorne - gold and red (and I don't want them to look like a Khorne army) or a Word Bearers (red and iron/steel), which I don't really want to either.

 

Maybe try inverting them then. Do up a really nicely burnished red-rust color, and use that as your trim on varieties of iron, silver, and maybe gold?

[The_Chaplain]

Thanks a lot, such comments mean a lot to me - I really appreciate your kind comments.

Always nice to receive comments on one's work- especially from a community as this one; no need to thank me- just keep up the good work!

The mace head is a Necron thingie (from the Canoptek Stalker, I think?) with some ork spikes glued on.

Ah, I never would've guessed in a million years that it was a necron bit. Thanks for the heads up!

[iswt]

thanks for the tutorial, buddy! really really appreciate it!

 

yeah, i get what you mean with that "barrier". maybe a bronze with a more greenish tint and/or some careful weathering (turqouise patina) here and there would work. should help making the red pop a little more, too. but it's hard to tell how all of that would look like in practice.

[GuitaRasmus]

I made a testpiece last night, and while it's great that theres only about 2 hours work to get from primer to this, I'm afraid it's a bit too dark:

 

 

 

I think I need to do a couple more fullsize testers with red and another colour scheme.

[Artemid]

Yeah, agree it's too dark.

 

But it's still lovely :wub:

[Kythnos]

I actually like the dark design :)

[Brother Heinrich]

2 hours???? Dammit man, what incantations/pacts are required to paint so well and with such speed!?

[Forté]

And you call that a test piece...

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbwup3iK5k1rt9nhao1_500.gif

[Excessus]

I don't think it's neccesarily too dark. After all, it has to contrast a bit with all the eerie greenish glowing optical sensors dark mechanicus usually have... :D

...also, golly gee? 2 HOURS? TEST MODEL? I'd cut off an important body part as a sacrifice to the dark gods for my crappy looking models to look this good!

[sockwithaticket]

Titan among mere mortals you are, mate. Excellent. I don't think it's too dark, they are DARK Mechanicus after all.

[GuitaRasmus]

Thanks guys. :) I've painted over the metal plates with red, to get an idea if that will work - also I'm experimenting with glowing green runes, which I'm in love with. Pics tomorrow. :)

 

Yep, it's very fast - I don't like labouring over paint, so I use the time necessary to experiment with getting great results with minimum effort. I believe it's time well spent, since it will allow me to paint this army quite quickly. :)

[Brother Ambroz]

It is dark but isn't that what dark mechanicus are all about? I think it's awesome and you should go with that scheme!

[Darth Mustard]

I guess it' s hard to tell if it too dark without any colour on your base.

It could change the whole piece and make it brighter.

 

Amazing stuff still !!!

[GuitaRasmus]

Here's the red version - with added glowing green runes (which I love, but need some more practice on) - and a lighter base:

 

 

 

 

The rune-look I'm going for is this:

 

 

This isn't easy - after having slept on it, I'm wondering if the IW wouldnt be better, if made with a slighter lighter shade of steel, glowing green runes and a lighter base? I can't help but think of word bearers or world eaters, when I see red chaos, and I don't really want to be associated with that.

 

Comments and critique is welcome as always. :)

[Artemid]

Lovely runes!

 

What about going more rust red-brown for a main color, and then working in more silver/iron on the armor itself, highlighted by gold?

 

I just have a very strong urge to try to get all four of those colors working together because I think they're all very appropriate.

 

Maybe you could look at some Necron schemes and then suitably rune/age them?