Knights of House Cydonia, Taghmata Omnissiah and Skitarii

[Battybattybats]

Here's the Agrellan Earth results. I spray undercoated the whole model black then did a layer by brush with Rhinox Hide as i'd read that the paint helps the Agrellan Earth adhere and the texture underneath helps the cracks form. Though the ripples of the blood from the original cauldron part should help i wanted to maximise the result on my first try. I brushed in a circular direction, and when putting the Agrellan paint on did the same, nice and thick in a circular direction

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_00072.jpg

I think it's looking exactly how i envisaged it so far.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_00062.jpg

Now it's the painting step to figure out.

[JeffTibbetts]

That really does look good. It's actually a pretty dang realistic look. I like these technical paints, when all is said and done. 

 

As for color, I can't really offer much advice. I don't really ever work in the brown range, except my forays into rust. That said, oranges and brows are certainly in order. It does seem like a really forgiving palette, though, so I wouldn't sweat it too much. Stipple colors together, don't be afraid to layer up and be messy. Never will it be more justified. Do you use powder pigments at all, because it seems like they'd be a good choice here. 

[Battybattybats]

I haven't tried powder pigments but my local game store gave me a rust orange sample to try.

[Battybattybats]

I've base coloured most of the Lady and used some greenstuff to deal with the gap between her dress and the dried soil. I'm not too worried if the greenstuff sticks her to it as that will help me painting in the subtle fall of shadow when i highlight the dirt. I've also put slate on the base but no mesh or rusted machinery or girders, just an extra piece of rock, as i'd expect she'd set up in a fairly clear space.

I'll get some pics of this stage and put them up soon.

I'll try experimenting with the weathering powder sample in the next few days if i can, it may be just the thing to carry some of the soil onto her dress and arm at least. I don't have spray matt varnish though so may have to see if lahmian medium gently brushed on to a an experiment-bit of some sort will seal it adequately.

[JeffTibbetts]

Oh nice! I actually use white spirit to set mine. I'd suggest picking up some artists' odorless spirit to help you out when you start using oils and pigments more. Notice how I act like it's just a matter of time before you start using those? ;) 

[Battybattybats]

So here's some quick shots of the base colours, only the metal on the cauldron, it's limbs cable and the void shield generator and the back of her skull and headdress have been washed at this point and the grav assembly of the floating foot platform is off while it's drying.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_00162.jpg

I'm using rotting flesh as the base for her skin, and it will get my usual purple and brown washes that i use on my Mechanicum flesh for that unhealthy look.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_00192.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0027.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_00093.jpg

So a lot of work to go, but that should give an indication of where it will end up :)

[Battybattybats]

The recipe i've tried with the Martian soil is as follows, first a very thinned layer of Rhinox Hide, followed by a drybrush of Khorne red before the Rhinox was fully dry mixing the colours on the piece in a blotchy manner for variation. Then a second layer of drybrushed Khorne Red when that had dried. Then repeated coats of very light Ryza Rust taking care to direct the diffused shadows of the Lady, then a controlled black wash to strengthen shadows and make the cracks more visible again, then some more careful drybrush just to contrast up the cracks a little more. The final result is far far more subtle than the raw Agrellan Earth and it's hard for me to evaluate but hopefully works. I'll try and get some pictures tomorrow and take a fresh look at it.

[Battybattybats]

After sleeping on it and looking at it in daylight i think i can be happy with the Martian Soil. I'm having a bad day symptom-wise (CFS) so apologies for the blurry shots. You'll also note i have done more shading and some highlighting.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0076.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0081.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0083.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0072.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_00054.jpg

[JeffTibbetts]

Looking good! I look forward to seeing pictures with a bit better focus because we're missing a lot of the texture of that soil, I think. The color's very rich, though. It looks a lot like that real life pic you posted to me. 

 

Have I ever mentioned that I think it's really funny you take so many pics on a washing machine or whatever that is? I don't know why but I get a kick out of it. 

[Battybattybats]

Yes it's a washing machine and most of the day it gets the best light in the house :)
It also feels very apt though i didn't think about that till much later.

I need to get a better camera for taking photos of miniatures, one with a good automatic focus like my brothers one.

While the mottled and shadowed painting i did on the soil makes the cracks stand out less they are nonetheless, other than the hairline ones you can't see in the unpainted pics either that disappeared under the first thin coat of paint, still there and visible to the eye. The multiple layers of light drybrushing and deliberate streaking also has given it that dusty look that was vital to getting the colour and impression i needed, so that it's more drought-parched cracked soil than the cracked dry river mud look Agrellan Earth makes so well unpainted. Where i was unsure the night i painted it was whether i had overdone the black wash to make the cracking more visible, but i'm pretty sure that it's as realistic and accurate to what i was trying to get as i could possibly manage.

I've based my force to represent it fighting away from home. If i do a display-only miniature at some point i'll use the same paints and techniques for the terrain of New Ares. I'm also planning to use the same colours for the basing of a non-GW force for another game.

I'm extremely pleased with how she has come out.
Especially the serendipity, as i had originally planned to give her the same halo that is on the Cydonian Sister assassin but with a dark elf executioner skull-mask instead of a sister of slaughter one but spying the finecast tomb king Prince Apophas on sale at a solid discount in a store and using his head instead has made it a much better miniature.

[Battybattybats]

One thing i'd long planned variant iconography on my Knight Errant 'The Betrayed' to show how the original pilot was deeply effected personally by the tragedy of the heresy in the Mechanicum, upon the death of his Sons training as a Knight and a Sacristan respectively on Mars.

The Knight amongst other things altered his icons to display his allegiance to the loyal side of the Mechanicum whoch kept to the treaty of Olympus Mons with the Emperor. Something which because of his actions against the Hereteks both with the House, during a sojourn as freeblade and then returned to the house was approved by the House and by the replacement for the Anti-Hoagland of Forgeworld St Hoagland.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0005.jpg

Also as I am making shield markers to help everyone remember what facing is protected, and my Styrix will have a stronger shield and lacks the tilting plate i decided to make something a little more impressive

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0017-1.jpg

While i like using the decals on the Knights i was quite happy to find a bit i could make into the House Cydonia cog-haloed skull, and while it's a bit rough it should make for a marker that quite impresses the toughness of the arcane technology within that particularly tough Knight.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/IMG_0038.jpg

[deathspectersgt7]

A Big like.  

[Battybattybats]

Thanks deathspectersgt7!

In other news i have some Stormfiend brain-rats and cables en-route to me now. So when they arrive i'll be able to work out what i'll do with the Styrix interior. I don't want to show too much of the engine and inner workings other than life-support though to preserve the mystery of the dark technology said to exist inside the Styrix and Mageara Knights so I'm thinking of filling most of the back of the torso with cabling. Depending on the size of the brain-rats will depend on whether i put them in tubes or square containers or keep them in frames like on the backs of the stormfiends. I've got 3 coming so i think that will be one inside the Stryix revealed by leaving the top-plate unglued, one reserved for when i eventually get a Mageara if the Styrix works properly and the 3rd i think will be done out of the knight in some sort of dune-style conveyance just because that'd be cool.

To deal with the rat-faces i'm pondering using my remaining wraith skulls though i'll have to check if i have enough.

[JeffTibbetts]

YES! I. Can. Not. Wait! 

[Battybattybats]

Still waiting on parts to arrive and not had a chance to do more work, but i have also ordered a tentacle maker to help get the Styrix interior right while being able to adapt to whatever size the parts turn out to be.

I also got two tomb kings banner tops, not sure what to do with them yet but they very much fit the Cydonia emblem theme.

[Battybattybats]

During a game this week i managed to get some better shots of my House Cydonia Lady that shows the final soil texture better.
The first is still out of focus, but better than the earlier shots.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/DSCF0002%202.jpg

But this one should do the trick.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/DSCF0019_1.jpg

[Battybattybats]

I've begun work on my Styrix pilot!
A pilot grown fit for purpose by the ancient arcane techniques of the occult secrets of the fragments of the Dark Age of Technology held by House Cydonia and Forgeworld St Hoagland to best integrate with the Styrix mand Mageara type machines. Spending almost the entirety of life from within the Knight.
Though working out how to make the knight interior will be a challenge as it has to handle more than what would be visible through a small hatch.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/DSCF0007_1.jpg

I'm not sure if i'll go with the pilot suspended in a container of fluid or not, it depends on if i find an appropriate clear container and how much i decide i'll be ok with the distortion of shape that fluid will give. It'll take some pondering and as always feedback is welcome.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/DSCF0001_1.jpg

I'm also contemplating a small amount of greenstuff from the top of the 'mask' to the brain, to alter the silhouette or whether to keep it as is.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/DSCF0004_1.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/supreme_martian_overlord/DSCF0006_1.jpg

Much work to come on this one and still lots of projects to return to.

[JeffTibbetts]

I'm liking the direction this is heading. :D 

[KBA]

Cool to see that idea got off the ground! When you guys were spit balling it, it sounded awesome, and it looks like awesome is the direction its headed transcending from idea to reality!

[GhostMalone]

Well the agrellan earth worked well first try. Now i just have to figure out a good colour scheme for Martian soil. Any suggestions?

 

I'm thinking something like the colour of the soil of the little town where I spent 6 years of my childhood, though for 3 of those years it was the latter half of a five year drought so picture this with much less grass and with much of the dirt cracked like dried mud and cracked so deep in parts you could lose a pencil into the earth and the dust devils were big and vicious!

 

http://cdn1.rwaws.com/s3/rw-media/propertyphotos/2014/10/28/S0934-18630-OkehSilocropped.jpg

 

So heavy layering of drybrush of Ryza rust for the highlights but what for the basecoat and wash?

Looks like rural australia

[Battybattybats]

 

Well the agrellan earth worked well first try. Now i just have to figure out a good colour scheme for Martian soil. Any suggestions?

 

I'm thinking something like the colour of the soil of the little town where I spent 6 years of my childhood, though for 3 of those years it was the latter half of a five year drought so picture this with much less grass and with much of the dirt cracked like dried mud and cracked so deep in parts you could lose a pencil into the earth and the dust devils were big and vicious!

 

http://cdn1.rwaws.com/s3/rw-media/propertyphotos/2014/10/28/S0934-18630-OkehSilocropped.jpg

 

So heavy layering of drybrush of Ryza rust for the highlights but what for the basecoat and wash?

Looks like rural australia

 

That's cause it is! I'm Australian and i lived for 6 years in Nyngan, the area that pic is from. When i lived there was mainly through a nasty 5-year drought (followed by mouse plague!) hence getting the dry cracked ground being especially appropriate symbolically.

[GhostMalone]

Well now all this time I didn't realise, small world and all that jazz.

 

Now I want to verse your taghmata

[Battybattybats]

Well now all this time I didn't realise, small world and all that jazz.

 

Now I want to verse your taghmata

I'm in New England in NSW. If you find yourself around there let me know. I don't travel much but if i do end up wherever you are a game would be cool, though i'm not very good at the game lol.

[GhostMalone]

Well I'm in adelaide but I travel to Melbourne and Brisbane a fair bit to see family.

 

We will have to have a game one day.

 

Great to know there's other diehard hobbyists here in Oz :D

 

Edit: next time I visit my parents in toowoomba I'll pass through your way

[Battybattybats]

I have family in Toowoomba too! I go there every Christmas! Small world indeed. You may well get that game, just be aware i take AGES to play with my CFS and memory troubles, but if you can handle a long slow casual game then a game we can have!