However, because of the difficulty in capturing the progress let alone the completed miniature in all it's glory WiP pictures are difficult to record so the blog suffers. Sadly I'm not sure how to get around this at the moment so for the moment I'll be blogging as and when I have something of value to share. I suppose I could always throw in some 'nids to keep things ticking over.
Anyway, I was desperate for Asmodai to be completely black. I can't imagine the most infamous Chaplain to be anything other than ultra hardline legacy Dark Angel, Chaplains wear black anyway but this guy has got the first founding legions colours on show.
I was actually quite pleased with the incense smoke. It's just drybrushing really but from a distance is really effective. I think I started with my Turquoise highlight then added a Devlan Mud equivalent wash, mixed with some dark blue then Turquoise drybrush, then another highlight 50:50 mixed with white and a final white highlight.
The effect came out quite well and I did Seraphicus's smoke at the same time so there's consistency. I didn't add any litanies to this guys clothing, I wasn't so sure he would get things stitched on the cloak and this guy does not need to inscribe his armour with his beliefs because he's a living embodiment of them already! I've actually added a little tuft of yellow flock in the back of the base since this picture.
The bone effects came out really well, but then I've had the practice. It was just something to break up the blackness. As was the green Purity Seals and the Verdigris.
You should also be able to pick out that I gloss varnished the power armour. It's not a 100% what I was after as I think gloss varnish distorts the scale of the model but I was of the opinion this guy has a mirror gloss finish and it would also set the Power Armour apart from the cloth material. I probably should have considered a similar approach to the cloth as I did with Seraphicus's fabric but the cross-hatching/stippling didn't quite present itself as an option as I was painting, I don't know why.
The Power Armour was also highlighted differently, whereas the cloth was highlighted with Turquoise and softer blends then Power Armour used Bahama Blue acrylics and the highlights were sharper, up to white to help enhance the reflective nature that would be then glossed.
It's a small touch but it needed something to differentiate from the matt cloth. It may not be perfect but it's better because of it.
The only other concession colour wise was a green bolt-pistol holster, just to break up the blackness, the standard orange grenades.
There is a small amount of green on his left shoulder pad but I didn't even bother highlighting that in the end it was hardly visible amongst the patinated bronze.
As you can see that thin strip of green just above the two Purity Seals is so small it just didn't warrant highlighting.
I Tried a little bit of lighting on the eyes, it certainly looks like he's staring into your soul. I added a little dab of gloss varnish so it'll catch highlights naturally, that's if light can reach under his cowl!
I contemplated some Tamiya Clear Red X-27 to further enhance the lenses but didn't think it was necessary. I actually think these just look like demonic eyes as opposed to helmet lenses which suits me fine, almost like when the Scarecrow dons his mask in Batman, sure it's a mask but when you've got the fear from him it becomes the stuff of nightmares.
So whatever reservations I have of this model as a whole there are some elements that I'm really pleased with and it's a Dark Angel to boot!
And, here's the Red Stamp of Approval! This model is technically on my To Do List, although it only states 'Dark Angel Chaplain'. Of course I still have Seraphicus to do but he's almost complete too.
