N1SB Labs: Ghostly Painting Technique for a 40k Ferrus Manus

[N1SB]

I experiment with my miniatures. Every model is just a new test subject to me now. Some are successful. Many are not. All provide useful data (even if it's just never do THIS again). Having incurred the costs in money & time, sweat & gears, I share my findings with you freely now.

Disclaimer: I actually play Iron Hands, so this project isn't meant to disparage the Shattered Xth, as I share in their suffering.


+++ Overview +++


Today's experiment: bringing Ferrus Manus, the dead Iron Hands Primarch, into the 41st millennium as a ghost

Edit (April 9, 2020) - wow, just over 2 years after the initial post, I've implemented the suggested change of adding a neck stump to the mini.

My only hope for my Primarch's return is if necromancy becomes a thing in 40k

Whereas everyone is excitedly waiting for their Primarch's return in 40k (in the wake of Magnus and, most recently, Roboute Guilliman in Gathering Storm III), I don't reckon I can share in that enthusiasm. My Primarch, Ferrus Manus, died on Istvaan V. beheaded by his best friend.

So I painted him up as a ghost, "glowing" like a spectre, and with no head.


+++ Methodology +++


The technique is one I learned from the Warhammer Fantasy range for speed-painting undead, specifically for Skeletons. Basecoat with a good matt white. Wash thoroughly with GW's Nihiakh Oxide ink. Then drybrush white.

The effect is two-fold. 1st, it gives a miniature this eerie "glow"; it's not true fluorescence, just the same effect as like the Dead Men of Dunharrow from Lord of the Rings III. 2nd, it gives it this ancient bronze age look with that teal patina; if you've seen Bronze Age tools or weapons in a museum, the colour has this sense of antiquity. As a ghost of 30k, I thought it was appropriate.

A nice surprise was the chains from his belt. Gives him a Christmas Carol ghost vibe.

I did not attach all the servo-arms and his other chains due to transport purposes. I do plan on using this in my 40k game and had to leave the bits off, because even though the resin was quite sturdy, I don't think they'll survive multiple trips to my gaming club. I am thinking of using Ferrus's head as an Objective Marker.


+++ Conclusions +++


I totally do NOT advise wasting a premium Forgeworld Character Series model for a visual gag.

However, I think this can be applied to Legion of the Damned models, making them appear as the spectres on the battlefield that they are. Consider if you will taking some spare Mark II to VII models, drilling some bullet holes into their armour, perhaps kitbashing them with skulls for heads, painted with this Nihiakh Oxide-based method.

I'm just importing a method from the Warhammer Fantasy side into 40k, where I think there are some uses.

Edited April 8, 2020 by N1SB

[Olis]

I'm not entirely sure that you aren't being serious, brother. Still, I thought this was worth a chuckle. ^_^

[N1SB]

Thank you, brother, but considering I spent a GBP 60 miniature for a visual gag, I'm pretty sure the joke was on me.

[Gabriel Santar]

I'm feeling all kinds of feels I wasn't expecting to feel.

Good job, though.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good imagination. The colors work for a specter.

[Zeller]

Although headless makes sense I think he probably should have had the pulped base of his head at the least. Either way, the paint job effect is really nice.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I think the head will look better if the modeler used wire or a transparent piece to suspend it above the neck, the noticeable gap emphasizing how Ferrus was murdered, and what his ghost wants revenge for.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Bjorn Firewalker

[N1SB]

I agree and a neck stump would considerably enhance the horror of this.  I am going to my Warhammer Store to pick up some zombies, perhaps I may find some sort of solution while toying with those models.  Otherwise, I'll sculpt something myself, a friend was going to give me a better alternative to green stuff.

 

This project...like the gaping hole of Ferrus's head...remains open.

[General Strike]

I actually made an offer for a Ferrus Manus on eBay just so I can do this. I have no shame.

 

Maybe have his own head hanging from his belt.

Edited May 11, 2018 by HCMistborn

[Kierdale]

Nice work. The colour looks great!

 

If we ever meet we’ll have to photography your headless Ferrus next to my headless Doomrider :D

[Knightsword]

God if only I hadn't maxed out my hobby funding for next month already I'd buy Ferrus just because of your post and try out this technique. The ghostly aesthetic is brilliant. A phantasmal flaming skull for a head like Ghost Rider could work. 

[Brother Lunkhead]

A noble sacrifice (GBP 60) for a worthy post I got a lot out of it info-wise. Did you ever update your model with a neck stump? Thanks so much for the post.

[N1SB]

I had a failed attempt, but that does not mean I stopped trying, it's just not a priority at the moment.

 

To share, to make the neck visible above the collar, I made it too long.  It made Ferrus look like he was gene-spliced with a giraffe.  Got to make it stumpier but with more details like veins and stuff to make it stand apart.  It's the challenge of painting a thing basically 1 colour, I need to differentiate that bit.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Perhaps a contrasting glow along the interior of the neck area..... red/orange, or a more direct contrast of blue. Either one might do well, even without the neck stump.... just a thought. Thanks again for the post

[apologist]

Perhaps replace the head with a skull with flames, a la the Legion of the Damned?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Perhaps replace the head with a skull with flames, a la the Legion of the Damned?

You mean like the Marvel Comics character Ghost Rider? Could work, but sculpting flames out of green stuff will be a lot of work.

[N1SB]

I've actually added the neck stump, this is my best attempt thus far (image updated in OP)! Added a little throat hole or spine in it because before, it looked like it lacked something.

 

In the photo, the neck looks a little bit longer than it actually is. I deliberately made it so the edge of the neck is just a little above the gorget, it seems like the angle I took the photo exaggerates that a bit.