Tzen's All-New Word Bearers "Finished" thread

[Tzen]

I recently finished a Greater Possessed for my Word Bearers. I am quite keen to make an army with a lot of Possessed marines in my army, but there are rumours flying about of a new box set for them, so holding off with the current models just in case!

 

 

 

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on the model. Can't help but think he'll become a victim of "friendly fire" in any battle against the Tyranids, though.

[Tzen]

Thanks Bjorn!

 

Yeah, he does have a bit of a niddy vibe! :D

[Wulf Vengis]

Dat red though...mmm I'm in love...

 

These are great on their own but that red you've devised is some serious icing on these cakes. That is a seriously gorgeous shade and brings the models together beautifully.

[Tzen]

Thanks man, my red for my Word Bearers has been decades in the fine tuning! :D It's the reason I finally started my army again, as I think I have hit the right tone. 

 

Here is my latest CSM, just trying to find the balance between speed and quality. 

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

He looks great, but he really should be photographed against a light-colored background, so the model can be clearly seen- unless you want to make the photo more atmospheric, e.g., intentionally allow him to fade into the background, to symbolize how Imperial authorities allow the threat the Word Bearers pose to fade from their memories.

[strongbow]

Absolutely super collection, thank you for sharing it with us :).

[Tzen]

He looks great, but he really should be photographed against a light-colored background, so the model can be clearly seen- unless you want to make the photo more atmospheric, e.g., intentionally allow him to fade into the background, to symbolize how Imperial authorities allow the threat the Word Bearers pose to fade from their memories.

 

There is 3 reasons I take photos on a black background. 

 

1) It just looks good, matches on my blog thing. 

2)I'm too lazy to swap the background.

3) I'm too lazy to swap the background.

 

I know I mentioned that last point twice, but I feel it was worth saying!

 

I do wish it was for the reason you said though, that's much cooler. :( 

[MaliGn]

In theory well lit models on a black background should have a more intense colour than against a white background. The challenge is not washing out the black background with the lights.

 

Tzen, your Word Bearers continue to be nothing but inspiration. Your original army, along with those of Razakael and totgeboren (not sure if he ever posted here, but he certainly did on Warseer where I first encountered your work) were major influences on my own Word Bearers. To me they have always been your finest work and true calling even if you will insist on painting things blue from time to time.

[Tzen]

Thanks Malign, much appreciated! 

I'd love to add some robes and such to my current Word Bearers, much like I did with my old army. But I am just waiting for the right models. I would love it if they did upgrade sprues for the traitor marines. 

[space wolf]

Dude, Stunning, absolutely stunning!

[Rockybaerboa]

fantastic paintjob! like the model.  

[Interrogator Stobz]

Yep, same as the others, truly excellent work Brother :tu:

 

I'm so gonna steal a bunch of your effects for my WB CSM Kill Team, and that Greater Possessed is the absolute business.

 

Thanks again for sharing.

[Tzen]

Thanks chaps, as always, greatly appreciated! 

 

This is the second, of three, small Chaos Space Marine squad for my Word Bearers. I have tried to keep up with the balance of quality and quantity with these guys. So have built them before painting them, and tried not to worry that they aren't "as good as I can get them".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick "boy band" pic with them on a white background!

Edited January 27, 2022 by Tzen

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good job on the newer models.

[MaliGn]

Can I ask, did you lend GW your Word Bearers Red for their new Avatar? ;-)

[Closet Skeleton]

I recently finished a Greater Possessed for my Word Bearers. I am quite keen to make an army with a lot of Possessed marines in my army, but there are rumours flying about of a new box set for them, so holding off with the current models just in case!

The possessed kit has a lot of sculpt/cast issues with quality but I doubt a replacement kit is going to be enough variety for a 20 possessed army.

 

Those regular marines just don't look red, more like very dark brown. If you can't spend the time on them you did to get a proper red gradient on your character models I would suggest trying to er on the side of red rather than set up high contrasts. They almost look more like torch-lit black armour than anything. The Greater possessed has similar problems with being too brown but works better due to having so much other colour on him.

 

Could probably be fixing with a few red glaze coats on the higher areas.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Closet Skeleton

[Tzen]

Can I ask, did you lend GW your Word Bearers Red for their new Avatar? ;-)

 

Haha, I doubt it! :D That model is verryyy sweet though. 

 

 

I recently finished a Greater Possessed for my Word Bearers. I am quite keen to make an army with a lot of Possessed marines in my army, but there are rumours flying about of a new box set for them, so holding off with the current models just in case!

The possessed kit has a lot of sculpt/cast issues with quality but I doubt a replacement kit is going to be enough variety for a 20 possessed army.

 

Those regular marines just don't look red, more like very dark brown. If you can't spend the time on them you did to get a proper red gradient on your character models I would suggest trying to er on the side of red rather than set up high contrasts. They almost look more like torch-lit black armour than anything. The Greater possessed has similar problems with being too brown but works better due to having so much other colour on him.

 

Could probably be fixing with a few red glaze coats on the higher areas.

 

 

I just prefer using the newest models when it comes to this army. Hopefully there will be some variety in the new kit if it is on it's way! 

 

And I actually quite like the burnt red/brown colour on these minis. I'd probably replace the red on the characters with this new red. But the silver trims and the small details on the tubing and such is where I have cut corners. Honestly not sure how I would go about changing them to make it quicker to do, so they get rushed a bit. 

[MithrilForge]

Awesome work...as usual   

 

Mithril

[Tzen]

Thanks Mithril

 

No Word Bearers force is complete without it's spiritual compass that is a Dark Apostle. And the new set kicks ass, so it was high time I got round to paint one! 

I actually enjoyed painting the cultists he drags along with him more than I did the Apostle, still an amazing mini though. 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Tzen

[Shovellovin]

Excellent work on the models. Like you, I really think GW did a good job on the cultists; especially the one with the book strapped to his back. The box grill implanted on his face is brutal. 
 

Would you mind sharing some pointers on you you paint flames? I like how yours have a lot of black and grey smoke on the end. Mine always end up having too much flame and not enough smoke. 

[Tzen]

Thanks man :D

 

I paint the flames in a gradient. So just imagine there is no detail on there, and just start by painting the whole flame red. Then, make it brighter with orange towards the fire, and darken it with black towards the smoke. Wet blending works really well with this. Makes it super smooth. Once it has dried, I then use grey to pick out the smoke at the end, and then all the raised areas going towards the fire I tend to pick out with grey too. 

 

A few spots of bright yellow here and there shows off some embers. 

 

I then glaze the smoke with a dark red tinted grey, and the fire with some orange. 

 

Hope it helps :D 

[Interrogator Stobz]

Word.

[MithrilForge]

Bearers.

[Tzen]

Third and final five man squad of Word Bearers Legionaries for my army. I don't think I will ever fully assemble a marine ever again before painting it, been a nightmare!

 

Edited August 16, 2022 by Tzen