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Hey all!

Every year I do a large scale project for Adepticon, a convention in early April in Chicago IL. This year I did two! This is the 40k display. If you are interested in any of the WIP images, I have them all on Facebook my Blog , and a blog here on Dakka.

The title "Memento In Utero" is latin for "remember, in the womb." It is a snapshot of the horrific memories the Emperor's Scythes retain of the initial attack of Hive Fleet Kraken, which almost wiped them out. At the birth of the Tyranids, was the death of the Scythes. But it is also a literal image of the few existing "Salvation Teams" - small groups of hardened veterans that have no home, but wander the galaxy fighting the Tyranids in some of the most terrible places imaginable. Kraken and the Scythes' destinies are completely entangled in every sense - time, mortality, beginning to end.

There are also other subtle themes. The birth and regret of something created which ultimately takes life. The Tyranids may have been a created weapon, something designed to kill in a controlled manner, which ultimately had a much bigger impact than the creators could imagine. They may have been an experimental weapon gone awry. An experiment aborted in every sense that takes a life of it's own and changes the destiny of man.


The display itself is based on an egg chair. I havent measured it, but I am about 5'11'' (almost two meters for the metric folks? Average male height) and I stand eye to eye with the skull. The chair is not only an original but a pre-production prototype model from the original design. This made it not great as a chair - no cushion and a large mold line, but for me it was perfect and that gave it an extra bit of story. The inside is all scratch built out of various parts. and you can find tons of images in building it on links above. I have many WIP images of it bare and being built. There are so many parts and types of materials used it is impossible to list them all, but in the images they are fairly easy to identify. I tried to avoid actual 40k parts as much as possible, unless they were from more obscure FW kits such as the Thunderhawk and the Titans. I did not want any parts to be instantly recognizable. I could go on and on about the how it was built, but really all the images in the WIP tell it so much better.

But let's get on to the pictures!







Here is the gif that plays on the tablet. It will probably play very slow or very fast. For some reason it does not play the same speed on anything and I had to tweak it for hours to get it to play right on the tablet. I am sorry if it makes it annoying or hard to read!




























































































































































































































Thanks as always for checking it out!

I've seen some stunning stuff on here and other forums - notably the 2012 GW Germany Tyranid display where they over-run a BA force.

But this. This is unreal. Unreal.

How tall is the "egg"?
Where did you get it from?
How many points are in the display?
What parts/kits did you use?

The questions could go on and on.

#salute dude (or dudette).

 Ratius wrote:
I've seen some stunning stuff on here and other forums - notably the 2012 GW Germany Tyranid display where they over-run a BA force.

But this. This is unreal. Unreal.

How tall is the "egg"?
Where did you get it from?
How many points are in the display?
What parts/kits did you use?

The questions could go on and on.

#salute dude (or dudette).

Doh! I meant to talk about "what" it is in the post. I will edit in a moment.

And thanks for the kind words!

Wow dude, you just threw down one hell of a gauntlet and raised the bar to very lofty new heights, bravo.

GMM, have to ask!: Total cost?

 Ratius wrote:
GMM, have to ask!: Total cost?

Haha. I have $800 just in putty this year. Both armies together are probably a few thousand in supply cost. I never add it up. I can tell you I paid $500 for the egg (which was a steal, the cushioned ones go for around $1000) and the skeleton and throne together were about $500. That doesnt include the army, terrain, everything else.

Worth every penny, I love this time of year!

The egg just blows my mind. But man, I really wish it had some aliens in it

I will have a converted aliens type army with me at AdeptiCon, maybe I'll be able to snag a pic of it with the chair (like in the background) somehow

Really enjoyed following along with your progress on this! What will you do with the chair afterwards? Is that the kind of thing you have in your garage from "AdeptiCons past"??

Are there any sneaky Tyranids, hidden in anywhere amongst them?

 RiTides wrote:
The egg just blows my mind. But man, I really wish it had some aliens in it

I will have a converted aliens type army with me at AdeptiCon, maybe I'll be able to snag a pic of it with the chair (like in the background) somehow

Really enjoyed following along with your progress on this! What will you do with the chair afterwards? Is that the kind of thing you have in your garage from "AdeptiCons past"??

 Ratius wrote:
Are there any sneaky Tyranids, hidden in anywhere amongst them?

I definitely considered adding some Nid models but after a lot of thought, the atmosphere is better and more ominous without being able to see any sort of threat. It also would have distracted from the derelict ship itself, which I feel is also part of the "threat." Adding Nids would have taken from that as well.

You're right, looking at it that way the implied threat is scarier (much like the Aliens movies, really).

And now that I've seen you explain that, it makes a lot more sense- a derelict hulk in space, with the bone chair "framing" the scene... but not actual enemy visible............. yet

I do think the same chair could be used for a sweet aliens force, in the opposite sense (this IS the threat, rather than, where is the threat). Although, I bet re-using a display is against your professional code or something

Yeah, I kinda tie the army to the display. I have never touched any of theese 7 armies after I finish them. Even though, including on these, I can think of things if I had another few days and the energy I would go in and change or fix. But it is mine and it is part of its charm.

Here is a link to the blog for those that havent been:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/579746.page

This is badass! Pat yourself on the back for this one, I really hope you win at Adepticon, it's well-deserved. Over the top!

I'm not a big fan of the blue edge highlighting on the black tanks, the brownish ones look way better IMO. But the overall theme is incredible.

I especially like the HR Giger influences, as I just bought two of his artbooks and I love that stuff.

Excellent work!

This is just incredible!

How many hours did you invest?

That is un-f#$% believable! Amazing work and a truly unique vision. Looks like you took so many pics the sun went down. That said, each one's a gem. Awesome work!

Breathtaking.

Dude your skills are hands down some of the best around.

I just saw your fantasy display and thought "holy crap". Then this???? Its so surreal and over the top.. I love it.

Cant even imagine doing two armies of this caliber at the same time. You're a machine!!!

My hats off to you..

Jesus-titty-flipping Christ this is just... incredible.

good lord, i thought you fantasy army display was badass. wow.

Woah. Bloody incredible.
The models and ideology behind this are awesome, but the very idea of using an egg chair to put it in like that...
Great Job. Utterly brilliant.

A lot of over used words and phrases come to mind when looking at this and for once I think even they can't do what you've done justice.

Epic. Freakish. Best I've ever seen.

It is well done, no doubt. But did you really need so many pictures? Many of them are practically the same.

I can't even.

 Barksdale wrote:
It is well done, no doubt. But did you really need so many pictures? Many of them are practically the same.

Oh no! You had to spend an extra precious few seconds scrolling through amazing artwork you weren't being forced to view! You poor thing...

I noticed that they tablet had text on it in one of the pictures, not just the title, any chance of seeing what it said? And the army list if you are willing to post it?

I’ll also echo the others in this thread: Mind blowing work. And the fact that you banged out two armies of this caliber is crazy.

Please excuse me a moment, I'm on the top floor of my house and I have to go and collect my jaw from the basement.

Well, i am blown away!

Nevelon wrote:I noticed that they tablet had text on it in one of the pictures, not just the title, any chance of seeing what it said? And the army list if you are willing to post it?

I’ll also echo the others in this thread: Mind blowing work. And the fact that you banged out two armies of this caliber is crazy.

Sure. I uploaded the image of the GIF that plays to the first post.

The army list is roughly:

Khan
Chapter Master

Wolf Lord
Rune Priest

2x10 tacticals in rhinos

5 grey hunters in rhino

5 command squad bikes

2 stalkers

Thunderfire

I think that covers it..

Zande4 wrote:

 Barksdale wrote:
It is well done, no doubt. But did you really need so many pictures? Many of them are practically the same.

Oh no! You had to spend an extra precious few seconds scrolling through amazing artwork you weren't being forced to view! You poor thing...

Honestly I dont feel there are enough. I did not get sunlight long enough to take any detail shots of the bone exterior whatsoever. Oh well.

Maxörhead666 wrote:Jesus-titty-flipping Christ this is just... incredible.

This made me laugh and gave quite a visual, and thank you

Steel-lynx20 wrote:This is just incredible!

How many hours did you invest?

About a month and a half between the two displays. Not sure how many hours though.

Thanks to everyone else. I would quote you all but that would be a huge post, and for that I am incredibly flattered and grateful!

Well, I have followed your career as miniature painter since you first began accepting commissions on the old PP forums and seeing this display is testimony to how your abilities have blossomed over the last eight years.

Brilliant work, you have achieved a level of artistry that many try for but few actually achieve.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:
Well, I have followed your career as miniature painter since you first began accepting commissions on the old PP forums and seeing this display is testimony to how your abilities have blossomed over the last eight years.

Brilliant work, you have achieved a level of artistry that many try for but few actually achieve.

I always recognize your name. The words are extra special coming from you. Thank you.

You and MagikalMemories are my earliest "followers" ( I use that term with all humility), back to the Barter town days.

Shame on you! The time and effort on display here, you could have achieved world peace!

But really, I have never seen anything like this, truly beyond words.