Darkkt's 2022 P&M Blog

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**Don Qui Hotep**

Excellent progress on the banner. What big f-up? I'm inclined you just made that story up so you can keep slumming it with the rest of us.

**Don Qui Hotep**

EDIT: Congrats on 10 pages!

darkkt wrote:
Ok - pics as promised.

Greenstuff Work
Ive been interspersing tiny amounts of greenstuff work while doing the banner (and the planning thereof), which is working out well from a 'Giving Greenstuff time to harden' perspective it does mean progress is slow though.

Aim is to 'fancy up' my aspiring champion as the base biker models dont have a lot of variation.

Back Pack and Bike 'rack'

The backpack is working ok, but my bike rack (which was initially supposed to be kinda 'boney' like ribs hasnt exactly worked as expected. I think I'm going to scrape them off and try something else.

Lower leg & elbow

Just some Slightly fancier trim

Skull-face on bike front

this one seems to have turned out looking ok - but some of it may be covered up when I glue the guns back on.

The Banner - process:

Step one:
redraw your planned pic on the banner in pencil and then in the finest permanent marker you can find (im using a 0.1 nib).Make sure to stuff up in one spot threatening all your hard work so far. Wipe away tears and Slap on a rough cover layer of averland sunset and redraw.

Cross fingers that this area will be covered up by other colours.

Step two:
apply multiple thin Base coats of Astronomicon Grey (or whatever its called now) over the metal bits. Keep going until it is well covered.

Step three:
Apply thinned coats of Black paint to the black areas. Multiple coats until covered.

Note that the big assed f-up is now entirely covered. Deny it ever happened in the first place.

Step four:
Apply dark and light reflections. I used two colours for this:
- dark: Charadon Granite (old Foundation paint)
- light: Ceramite White

waitaminute, where the hell do I put these relfections?
I... dont have a good answer for you. I did hours of research. I took screenshots of metal chains and then applied instagram filters and picture edits (contrast, brightness, shadows etc) to isolate colours and shadows. I Googled and Pinterested for examples of art and metal helmets and skulls etc... I got lots of ideas but found out that there are few strict rules.

This is probably because a reflective surface like metal looks different depending on what it is reflecting.

So Ultimately I absorbed what I could and practiced on the paper. Note that there has been no attempt at blending on this. I'm still working on wetblending and cannot pull it off on this sort of tiny freehand surface yet. Still, I think it delivers a good result.

Step 6:
Apply 'washes'
- super thinned aethermatic contrast paint on the top parts and
- thinned gryphonne sepia wash on the bottom.
aim is to a) add colour and b) give the illusion it is reflecting the sky on the top and the ground on the bottom.

Once it is try, hit the top highlights with white again:

And this is where I am at the moment!

Probably will not get much done tonight, so will update again in a few day. Cheers all
KT

**gobert**

Seriously, what happened to the surface of the plastic on this biker!?! It looks as though it’s been corroded by something.

Seriously good work on the banner. If you hadn’t mentioned the screw up we’d have never noticed. So good recovery! As for not wet blending it’s so small most wouldn’t notice and in any case the washes have helped with the transitions anyway.

**darkkt**

Don Qui Hotep wrote:Excellent progress on the banner. What big f-up? I'm inclined you just made that story up so you can keep slumming it with the rest of us.

Me, sharing pics of the banner progress:

And thanks

10 pages! Yikes, this blog isn’t even 1 year old yet. Looking back to before I drifted away, I managed... 4 pages between 2009 & 2012!

gobert wrote:Seriously, what happened to the surface of the plastic on this biker!?! It looks as though it’s been corroded by something.

Seriously good work on the banner. If you hadn’t mentioned the screw up we’d have never noticed. So good recovery! As for not wet blending it’s so small most wouldn’t notice and in any case the washes have helped with the transitions anyway.

I know! I’ve no idea; pretty sure I didn’t do anything wrong with the stripping... anyway, imma try to work with it I guess.

& thanks to you too

Only one pic today. Only a little neatening to do & this side of the banner is done!

**Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll**

It's beautiful!

**gobert**

that’s awesome! Great work darkkt, you’ve achieved a great effect with the nmm. Good luck with the other side!

**Don Qui Hotep**

All hail darkkt, first of the Neo-Blanchians!

**darkkt**

Thanks guys, feeling good about that side of the banner

Of course this has meant I've got 'banner paralysis' as I've not been happy with any of my ideas for the other side! I'm deep in planning at the moment and then trialing pics at larger scale

Simple But Interesting is the plan.

In the interim I have been progressing my greenstuffing - last night was a quick but still substantial change to the dudes head. Let me know what you think:

"All right Mr DeMille I'm ready for my close up."

I'm mostly happy with it, although From a strict scale perspective I dont think Its *quite* right (that eye socket is oversized). I'mma blame that on the 'distorting effects of the warp' rather than 'over-estimating my greenstuff abilities'. I'm going to add some tiny scraps of 'scalp flesh' to the top so that the line isnt so neat (like the flesh was torn off, not neatly excised).

I didnt take a pic, but I did rip the GS and plasticard work off the rear of the bike - made a mess too lol. As nothing is quite set in stone yet, I'll get it to the state I want and then share it here

Of course I needed another distraction and last weekend I took both my kids to the Warhammer Store and picked up our model of the month. My son and I got a Reiver each and my daughter got a slaanesh daemonette. At some stage this month I will be painting mine up (and then giving it to my son who has a small space marine army). I'm planning to paint it a scheme my sons chose after playing 'Infamous Second Son" - its half Blue and half Red (bisected down the middle) and its icon is the red and blue 'Karma' symbol of two birds.

How detailed or simple this model ends up will depend on how much time I give myself to get it done

Catch you all next time and have a great weekend (its Friday arvo here in Australia)
Cheers
KT

**darkkt**

Got very little done today, but I still reckon I’ve finished the greenstuff work. Tomorrow it gets an undercoat!

I also had an idea for the other side of the banner - a pic of our aspiring champion himself. I figured these guys would have a pretty huge ego, so a personal pic on a huge flag sounds like something they’d be all for

I knocked out a quick digital sketch on my Surface & followed up with a larger painted attempt.

I’m not super happy with the paint job at this stage, but I’m going to try it again at a smaller scale before hitting the flag.

Cheers
KT

**RobertsMinis**

Bike and flag is looking impressive. Enjoying watching this project evolve.

**gobert**

Cool progress, the chaos star on the rear especially so! A vanity banner sounds right for a Chaos minion, good luck translating down to size. Fingers crossed the weird surface takes primer well

**darkkt**

Thanks Robert & Gobert

Quick update cos it’s very late here: freehand on the banner is done - this was the process:

- draw the test piece at scale:

- redraw on banner:

- block in base colours:

- add contrast & highlighting-

And we are done!

Bedtime for me, will check back in tomorrow!
Cheers
KT

**Viterbi**

So cool scrolling through all the progress in one go, that banner is so metal, amazing work! Greentuff looks equally good, can‘t wait for primer to unify everything.

**Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll**

That banner is simply awe-inspiring! I can't wait to see it in place on the mini!

**youwashock**

Man...I don't even...

That looks really good. Absolutely love the comic book style. It hearkens back to old Realm of Chaos banners.

**Don Qui Hotep**

Great job, dude! Fun concept, excellent execution.

**gobert**

Really great work on the banner. Viterbi is right, it’s like he’s from a Metal album cover!

**darkkt**

Viterbi wrote:So cool scrolling through all the progress in one go, that banner is so metal, amazing work! Greentuff looks equally good, can‘t wait for primer to unify everything.

cheers V - primed and washed photos below! I hope they live up to the hype

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll wrote:That banner is simply awe-inspiring! I can't wait to see it in place on the mini!

Thanks GcG - too kind

. the banner is nearly as long as the Bike itself, so it might be a trifle ott... but really - what in 40k isnt ott?

youwashock wrote:Man...I don't even...

That looks really good. Absolutely love the comic book style. It hearkens back to old Realm of Chaos banners.

Cheers mate

Ah realm of chaos - I shouldve googled those for ideas, mightve saved me some time!

Don Qui Hotep wrote:Great job, dude! Fun concept, excellent execution.

Thank you!

gobert wrote:Really great work on the banner. Viterbi is right, it’s like he’s from a Metal album cover!

and thanks G - maybe that Iron Maiden album I was listening to as I was painting (yes, I really am that old lol) was more of an influence than I figured

Thanks to everyone for the motivation - time for a quick update:

Combined a couple of steps here:
1) leadbelcher primer
2) Nuln oil wash (heavy) - wait to dry
3) Agrax Earthshade wash (heavy)

I wanted a dark aged metal - very unlike the shiny metal of the banner, but chaos has never been worried about truth in advertising

Then I did the blacks and the yellows. I attempted to add some depth to the yellows by blending in a little orange towards the edges. It's supposed to be subtle but noticeable... noticeably subtle? is that a tautology?

I also hit his head with some flesh and bone and then agraxed (agrax is a verb now) them both

Thinking I might drop a bit more orange into the yellow bits that are in the shade (like the back of his leg) - if I can do that without causing myself too many problems, I move onto the hardest part - the stripes.

**Fifty**

Still loving the banners and the gribbly bike gets better and better too.

**Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll**

The contrast of the weathered model and the bright (lying) banner is going to be amazing!

**darkkt**

Thanks guys, back with another quick update - Hazard Stripes are down.

Also did a little highlighting on the flesh and the skull.

**Vejut**

Excellent stripes as always, and the face looks nice as well.

**darkkt**

Vejut wrote:
Excellent stripes as always, and the face looks nice as well.

Thanks Vejut

My EBay* Rescue Challenge is complete! Pleased to show the final product- A Chaos Space Marine Biker Champion!

This was done as my entry into the Iron Warriors Discord Painting Challenge. Check the pinned post on the IW reddit page: https://www.reddit.com/r/IronWarriors/

Had lots of fun with this guy, even with the weird rough surface I found after stripping the paint off. Really happy with the banner which was a major stretch for my freehand abilities!

*actually FB Marketplace

The Pics:

And some close ups of some interesting bits:

The 1/2 skull:

The combi-bolter:

The backpack greenstuff work and the back of the bike:

Changes to the skull on the front:

A little more freehand work on the shoulder pad:

Its late here in South Australia (For an old man like me), but let me know what you think!

Cheers
KT

**Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll**

Amazing. Just jaw-dropping. (I almost just wrote "draw-jopping" I think I need more coffee this morning).

**Don Qui Hotep**

Smashing. Looks great from any angle. Plenty of detail to get lost in, thanks for sharing the close-up pictures. Really love how star on the back of the bike turned out.

**RobertsMinis**

Absolutely amazing and inspirational. Deserves all the plaudits it receives!

**gobert**

Amazing work darkkt, the whole package. The banner looks even better mounted on the bike and the GS work raises him above your average biker. The Half skull theme running throughout is fantastic!

**darkkt**

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll wrote:Amazing. Just jaw-dropping. (I almost just wrote "draw-jopping" I think I need more coffee this morning).

Don Qui Hotep wrote:Smashing. Looks great from any angle. Plenty of detail to get lost in, thanks for sharing the close-up pictures. Really love how star on the back of the bike turned out.

RobertsMinis wrote:Absolutely amazing and inspirational. Deserves all the plaudits it receives!

gobert wrote:Amazing work darkkt, the whole package. The banner looks even better mounted on the bike and the GS work raises him above your average biker. The Half skull theme running throughout is fantastic!

Cheers folks - can't say how much I appreciate all the kind words

This one was so much fun to do and I'm really pleased that its been received so well!

Thought I would drop a biker squad shot now that I have a few in place (FYI - I dont envy the dude forced to ride behind our champion with that huge flag blocking his sight lol)

and for the next few days (while I wait for the March competition to be announced) I'm working on my Model of the Month - the Primaris Reiver - painted up in my son's homebrew chapter scheme. The Sons of Infamy - half blue and half red (or as I call it - Ultramarine in the Streets, Blood Angels in the Sheets).

WiP of course:

I'm not entirely sure what I will attempt with this one - bolder highlighting perhaps? Not sure. Anyway - I Will be giving this one to the lad when finished - might as well swell his army

.

Cheers all and thanks again.
KT

**Boss Salvage**

Really enjoyed the reclamation process on the bike, props on the end result from the gnarly beginning. And that banner! Which I appreciate the tip for forming plastic, I've never been a paper banner person but cast plastic ones rarely fit the physics of a conversion (weird wind patterns and whatnot).

**Roknar**

One hell of a rescue.