Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, so first out, I'm not doing that passive agressive Facebook thing of saying I'm not happy about something to fish for a load of compliments.

I generally tackle a big model with a very clear mental image of how I want the finished model to look. Because its an organic process, I sometimes revise that picture as I go along.

Thing is, with this guy, he's bob on how I pictured, and normally at this point, where I'm only a few bits and pieces away from finished, and things have gone well, I start to get excited with my results. But this guy? Nothing.

So, if anyone has any constructive criticism, or suggestions for revisions, bring it on. Obviously he's still very much WIP, so the axe and belt and wrist pieces will all be finished, and will be based in a rocky scrub/desert theme to match the rest of my army.

Of course, if you wish to lavish praise, in spite of what I said, don't let me stop you!

I had planned to do a very similar conversion with that model. I had seen somebody use Balrog wings with it and they seemed to scale better. Perhaps it's that the wings seem at tad too small?

Love the painting, and conversion in general. Think it's been done fantastically. I don't have a problem with the wings you've used either, but it's the only thing that might be making you think something's off.

It may be that, becuase it's WIP, there's just one thing that you've not done so far, and that's whats detracting from the whole model. Personally, I think it looks great - and I don't generally say that about Chaos models.

Thanks guys!

The wings are removable, they have long pins that go into holes in the back, and my dissatisfaction still remains without them. I did think about doing an alternate colour for the membranes though, likely a charcoal/black instead?

I think Warpig has it, perhaps I'll feel differently when all the details are filled in.

Still happy to listen to c+c though.

I often feel the same way, until a model is finished. It never seems to be going well until I'm done, then it all comes together.

Contrasting color in the webbing would look good, as you e mentioned and a bit more contrast on the red via highlights would make a difference. I love how it looks. I think the wings are fine, they just look curled up. After all, as imposing as it looks, I don't think they'd walk around with their wigs spread widely.

i think it might be the excessive red. It has a very common look about it. There's not other way to describe what I see. The model is not that exceptional, and the paint-job looks common, and makes it look like an inquisitor scale blood-letter than it looks like a daemon prince.

IT's the leathery bits on the wings too. shouldn't be so much red as it should be leathery.

it's pretty nice.

if youre looking to invest more time into it I would probably give the wings some washes, they look pretty flat. you could also push the contrast on the red up to a red/orange for highlights. and he's missing eyes. it needs some really bright eyes.

For me, it is the wings.

They just look too clean for a Khornate Daemon. If you can nab some of the Zombie Dragon wings they would look amazing on him.

I have seen this particular model in person before and I know that it can feel a bit boring. But hang in there, once you get him finished and give him some basing details (saw a local one that used part of a Carnifex as a "trophy" on the base) he will look amazing.

Another thing you could do that would add some pretty amazing detail to this guy is making the eyes of the various skull trophies appear to be "blazing" from within with fire. I did something like that with my Cairn Wraiths and Wight Kings, albeit with heavily watered down Hawk Turquoise and Ice Blue, but it adds a bit of color to an otherwise dark model and an otherworldliness to something that is otherwise mundane.

 Kanluwen wrote:
For me, it is the wings.

They just look too clean for a Khornate Daemon. If you can nab some of the Zombie Dragon wings they would look amazing on him.

I have seen this particular model in person before and I know that it can feel a bit boring. But hang in there, once you get him finished and give him some basing details (saw a local one that used part of a Carnifex as a "trophy" on the base) he will look amazing.

Another thing you could do that would add some pretty amazing detail to this guy is making the eyes of the various skull trophies appear to be "blazing" from within with fire. I did something like that with my Cairn Wraiths and Wight Kings, albeit with heavily watered down Hawk Turquoise and Ice Blue, but it adds a bit of color to an otherwise dark model and an otherworldliness to something that is otherwise mundane.

We have philosophical differences on the wings (I believe any Khornate daemon worth his salt will maintain those things which help him be a better warrior, so wings, weapons, armour to the highest degree, and as none of it is really "real" can just be reset with the spending of a little energy) Besides, Zombie Dragon wings are bastards to source, I'm looking for three sets of suitable wings for Nurgle Prince conversions I'm planning down the road, and anything with that tatty, lived in vibe, of the right scale, are thin on the ground.

But I do like the idea of the blazing skull eyes. I probably wouldn't do all the actual skulls, but there are three significant skulls on the armour, both shoulders and a wrist, which could help with some vivid dots of colour.

He does have bright green eyes, which is a feature of all my Khorne daemons, and normally helps provide some contrast and break up all the red, but as the brows are so heavy, as you can tell from the pics, they are nearly invisible from a lot of angles. So some fiery, bright eyes elsewhere would help do the job they would normally do.

See, the way I look at it is that he would keep the wings tattered and torn as "scars". Look at the main body of the DP and he has quite a few scars running across his body.

I'm glad the skull eyes bit helped though!

 Kanluwen wrote:
See, the way I look at it is that he would keep the wings tattered and torn as "scars". Look at the main body of the DP and he has quite a few scars running across his body.

I'm glad the skull eyes bit helped though!

Weirdly, I have no issue with a Nurgle model having skeletal, tattered wings, but do something similar on a Khorne themed model, and all I can think is "those wings will never work"

People be crazy!




Automatically Appended Next Post:


Just to prove I'm consistent in the non tatty wing dept, here's the next one on the production line.

If anything, it seems like the armor is too neat. Shiny glossed black with good trim looks nice, but maybe it feels out of place to you? That's the part that strikes me as a tiny bit off: the neatness on a Khorne model's armor, no blood, dings, or anything else. It's a great paint job, but that's the only thing I can see slightly out of place.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
If anything, it seems like the armor is too neat. Shiny glossed black with good trim looks nice, but maybe it feels out of place to you? That's the part that strikes me as a tiny bit off: the neatness on a Khorne model's armor, no blood, dings, or anything else. It's a great paint job, but that's the only thing I can see slightly out of place.

You know what?

That is actually something that was nagging me as well.

It is a gorgeous paint job but it looks very Black Legionesque.
Maybe try adding some scratches or a slight red tint to the armor?

I usually find that I'm never happy with the model until it's fully completed. I think it looks great now and will look even better when it's finished.

The gloss is something to do with the paint (its some very old Vallejo black) and not intentional.

A coat of Dullcote will be applied once he's done, so that isn't a permanent feature.

It could be contributing to my overall meh-ness though....

While we're talking about roughing things up, I intend to apply some weathering pigment to the larger gribblies, as the whole army is based on a desert theme, so would be dusty.

I've only used pigment on tanks before now, anyone know if I need to alter my approach on a more organic shape?

IMHO its the black on the armour, it looks flat, and kinda kills all his armour for me, some dark grey highlights would go a long way imho

I would use more shades of red on the skin. The model looks a tad too dark. Vibrant, colorful reds would bring out the fleshy, lively bits of it.

I think such a great model deserves a really cool base, so without one, it looks kind of lame.. ^^
Darker wings maybe, too?

Vendablefall wrote:IMHO its the black on the armour, it looks flat, and kinda kills all his armour for me, some dark grey highlights would go a long way imho

As it is currently gloss finish, so is naturally highlighted, I'm surprised you think it looks flat. I'm not enitrely done with it though, but it is my intention to keep it looking almost artificially black (my other army is Raven Guard, I know black lol!) I might, once I've put a coat of matt over it and can see how it really looks, add a few highlights.

DKrumpp wrote:I would use more shades of red on the skin. The model looks a tad too dark. Vibrant, colorful reds would bring out the fleshy, lively bits of it.

Not gonna happen, sorry, my intent was to go for a dark, burning ember shade with him, my intent for the other guy I posted is to do more what you describe, and I want different looks for them both. The flesh tone is something I'm content with, so won't be changing it, other than a little fine tuning if I see somewhere I feel it needs it.

Atropamin wrote:I think such a great model deserves a really cool base, so without one, it looks kind of lame.. ^^
Darker wings maybe, too?

Darker wings have been done, and I think its an improvement. I'm very modest about my painting skills, but I would take issue with "lame!"

Black is a hard color to do well. Even when you have experience of doing Raven Guard, just painting black (not saying that's what you have done here) tends to look flat and boring.

It's why I used to utilize "Charadon Granite" as part of my process for painting black. By adding that darker grey to the basecoat and highlighting it adds a bit of additional color to the mix while still making it look like you would expect black armor to look.

A buddy of mine did one up with hive tyrant wings, It was so convincing I had no idea they were tyrant wings until I was told. Mind = Blown

 Kanluwen wrote:
Black is a hard color to do well. Even when you have experience of doing Raven Guard, just painting black (not saying that's what you have done here) tends to look flat and boring.

It's why I used to utilize "Charadon Granite" as part of my process for painting black. By adding that darker grey to the basecoat and highlighting it adds a bit of additional color to the mix while still making it look like you would expect black armor to look.

I didn't use this for reference, but this image best explains the look I was trying to incorporate.



I'm still undecided whether I will let the gloss look stay (didn't plan it, but don't hate it either.) I guess we'll see.

As for Hive Tyrant wings, they were definitely an option, and I have multiple wing conversions planned out for the army, so will hopefully use them on something, but the arse has fallen out of the bits market in the UK, and the bits that were already in high demand (all wings, ever) are now near impossible. Couple that with the high shipping cost of buying bits from the US, and actually sourcing some is a major headache or almost as expensive as buying a whole Tyrant!

I am sorry. I did not mean to defame your painting skills, since they are really great. I just meant basing is the finishing touch and somehow really should be done
As said: Such a cool model deserves a cool base.