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.

Hi guys, kind of a weird question here. It's painting, but it's also sort of background.

I am painting some Sororitas but I don't have the greatest feel for their precise styles:

1.) Sometimes i see purity seals, and sometimes I don't. Is that strictly a Astartes thing, or not?

2.) Do sisters ever have hazard striped chainswords, or is that again a Astartes thing?

Thanks!

Purity seals are definitely part of the Sisters' look. Plenty of new and old models have them and the come also in recent kits such as the Penitent Engines/Mortifiers. Don't know about the hazard stripes on the chainswords though, but I don't recall ever having seen them being used on Sisters.

I recall some old Rogue Trader art where the sister had danger striping on their swords, but that was LONG ago.I think now the plain old black chasis and silver teeth does just fine.

If you ever see any kind of heraldry and details like this, then always assume it's a wider Imperial custom, and far more than something just restricted to one organization. Widen the view from mere power armour and Astartes and see the wider Imperium for the multifaceted galactic behemoth that it is.

Purity seals and hazard stripes are both certain. The latter will not be used by all Sororitas orders, but some will. Hazard stripes and purity seals occur all across the Imperium.

More importantly, what do you think looks good on your Sisters of Battle? The Imperium is vast, and with endless variety within its ranks. 40k as a whole is set up as a smörgåsbord for the hobbyists to realize their own creative vision within the spirit of the setting, not be bound by straitjackets.

Purity seals are absolutely normal on sisters, keep your eyes open and you'll see them occasionally on sisters models

I've never seen hazard stripes and suspect they're not a normal thing, but I don't think it'd be unuseal.


if you're trying to figure out what colours to do your sisters in BTW it's worth looking up colour symbolism in religion.

 Ouze wrote:
Hi guys, kind of a weird question here. It's painting, but it's also sort of background.

I am painting some Sororitas but I don't have the greatest feel for their precise styles:

1.) Sometimes i see purity seals, and sometimes I don't. Is that strictly a Astartes thing, or not?

2.) Do sisters ever have hazard striped chainswords, or is that again a Astartes thing?

Thanks!

There are no rules, but for inspiration look no further than this classic piece of John Blanche artwork. Quintessential battle sister look and both hazard stripes and purity seals present.

Andykp wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
Hi guys, kind of a weird question here. It's painting, but it's also sort of background.

I am painting some Sororitas but I don't have the greatest feel for their precise styles:

1.) Sometimes i see purity seals, and sometimes I don't. Is that strictly a Astartes thing, or not?

2.) Do sisters ever have hazard striped chainswords, or is that again a Astartes thing?

Thanks!

There are no rules, but for inspiration look no further than this classic piece of John Blanche artwork. Quintessential battle sister look and both hazard stripes and purity seals present.

Probably not the best actual example to use...

Purity seals are 100% a sisters thing; put seals everywhere.

Hazard patterns are much less of a thing. But ysmv

The way to understand hazard stripes in the Age of Imperium is that these originally practical warning signs have long since become heraldic devices rooted in the mystique of ancient times. They can be found virtually anywhere. The Adepta Sororitas are no exception to this rule, as illustrated by John Blanche's iconic image of a Battle Sister.

Expect a lot of similar things to have happened with all manner of common and strange signs found and adopted by haggard survivors in the Age of Strife and afterward: They will have turned into potent symbols in a post-apocalyptic world, exactly as in Mad Max and similar works. Sometimes, ancient graffiti will have been adopted, if it was impressive and aesthetically pleasing enough. Whether the original meaning is retained or not is hardly relevant.

Hazard stripes are still used as hazard stripes though, they've not been replaced with a new warning system.
IMO the whole hazard stripes on chainswords is just humour, "the part of the sword with the stripes is the danger end, do not touch" kind of deal. Its funny because its dumb. Of course the Imperium is a dumb place so maybe people actually need to be warned not to pick up chainsaws by the bit that will take your hands off.

Lammia wrote:

Andykp wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
Hi guys, kind of a weird question here. It's painting, but it's also sort of background.

I am painting some Sororitas but I don't have the greatest feel for their precise styles:

1.) Sometimes i see purity seals, and sometimes I don't. Is that strictly a Astartes thing, or not?

2.) Do sisters ever have hazard striped chainswords, or is that again a Astartes thing?

Thanks!

There are no rules, but for inspiration look no further than this classic piece of John Blanche artwork. Quintessential battle sister look and both hazard stripes and purity seals present.

Probably not the best actual example to use...

Purity seals are 100% a sisters thing; put seals everywhere.

Hazard patterns are much less of a thing. But ysmv

Why not a good example. That to me is “the” sisters of battle artwork, they even said so the sleeves when they released the model of the artwork. The hazard stripes are on there because it works artistically, the colour clash with yellow and the clash of imagery with the baroque armour and then industrial markings is a classic 40K trope.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
PS. I’m not saying hazard stripes a “classic” or typical sisters decoration. But they have a basis and and artistic merit. Backed by JB himself.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Gert wrote:
Hazard stripes are still used as hazard stripes though, they've not been replaced with a new warning system.
IMO the whole hazard stripes on chainswords is just humour, "the part of the sword with the stripes is the danger end, do not touch" kind of deal. Its funny because its dumb. Of course the Imperium is a dumb place so maybe people actually need to be warned not to pick up chainsaws by the bit that will take your hands off.

The ad mech have taken industrial markings to a heraldic level, it’s not just chain swords anymore. Whole knights are covered in hazard markings. I agree with the humour side of it though, typical 40K humour.

Yes, this is typical 40k, in all the good ways: It is both recognizable retainment of practical warning signs, mystic heraldry and good humour.

Andykp wrote:

Lammia wrote:

Andykp wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
Hi guys, kind of a weird question here. It's painting, but it's also sort of background.

I am painting some Sororitas but I don't have the greatest feel for their precise styles:

1.) Sometimes i see purity seals, and sometimes I don't. Is that strictly a Astartes thing, or not?

2.) Do sisters ever have hazard striped chainswords, or is that again a Astartes thing?

Thanks!

There are no rules, but for inspiration look no further than this classic piece of John Blanche artwork. Quintessential battle sister look and both hazard stripes and purity seals present.

Probably not the best actual example to use...

Purity seals are 100% a sisters thing; put seals everywhere.

Hazard patterns are much less of a thing. But ysmv

Why not a good example. That to me is “the” sisters of battle artwork, they even said so the sleeves when they released the model of the artwork. The hazard stripes are on there because it works artistically, the colour clash with yellow and the clash of imagery with the baroque armour and then industrial markings is a classic 40K trope.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
PS. I’m not saying hazard stripes a “classic” or typical sisters decoration. But they have a basis and and artistic merit. Backed by JB himself.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Gert wrote:
Hazard stripes are still used as hazard stripes though, they've not been replaced with a new warning system.
IMO the whole hazard stripes on chainswords is just humour, "the part of the sword with the stripes is the danger end, do not touch" kind of deal. Its funny because its dumb. Of course the Imperium is a dumb place so maybe people actually need to be warned not to pick up chainsaws by the bit that will take your hands off.

The ad mech have taken industrial markings to a heraldic level, it’s not just chain swords anymore. Whole knights are covered in hazard markings. I agree with the humour side of it though, typical 40K humour.

i fairness black and yellow stripes being used in hereldry is hardly something new, the state flag of Maryland for example, the flag of the cityy of baltimore etc.

Andykp wrote:

Lammia wrote:

Andykp wrote:

 Ouze wrote:
Hi guys, kind of a weird question here. It's painting, but it's also sort of background.

I am painting some Sororitas but I don't have the greatest feel for their precise styles:

1.) Sometimes i see purity seals, and sometimes I don't. Is that strictly a Astartes thing, or not?

2.) Do sisters ever have hazard striped chainswords, or is that again a Astartes thing?

Thanks!

There are no rules, but for inspiration look no further than this classic piece of John Blanche artwork. Quintessential battle sister look and both hazard stripes and purity seals present.

Probably not the best actual example to use...

Purity seals are 100% a sisters thing; put seals everywhere.

Hazard patterns are much less of a thing. But ysmv

Why not a good example. That to me is “the” sisters of battle artwork, they even said so the sleeves when they released the model of the artwork. The hazard stripes are on there because it works artistically, the colour clash with yellow and the clash of imagery with the baroque armour and then industrial markings is a classic 40K trope.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
PS. I’m not saying hazard stripes a “classic” or typical sisters decoration. But they have a basis and and artistic merit. Backed by JB himself.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Gert wrote:
Hazard stripes are still used as hazard stripes though, they've not been replaced with a new warning system.
IMO the whole hazard stripes on chainswords is just humour, "the part of the sword with the stripes is the danger end, do not touch" kind of deal. Its funny because its dumb. Of course the Imperium is a dumb place so maybe people actually need to be warned not to pick up chainsaws by the bit that will take your hands off.

The ad mech have taken industrial markings to a heraldic level, it’s not just chain swords anymore. Whole knights are covered in hazard markings. I agree with the humour side of it though, typical 40K humour.

Blanche's art... pushes the limit of even 40k and Canoness Veridyan goes a bit too far...

Heh

I love the concept that hazard stripes have moved from a practical warning to a semi mystical “this thing is dangerous” So maybe that chainsword doesn’t have them to warn people about finger loss, but in fact to make the sword MORE dangerous. Like how Orcs will paint things red to make them go fasta.

And now, despite not playing necromunda, I have an urge to paint a Goliath gang with tattooed hazard stripes, not just to let the other gangers know how rough and tough they are, but to BE that dangerous.

Old school 40k dark humor and irony.

That’s just, like, your opinion man.

Blanch shows there is no limit to 40K, the only limit is what they can make in models. All the grim dark twisted-ness we love about the setting comes from him. It is over the top but that’s the point. The man and his work have defined the setting since day one, everything he does so as canon as it can get. (It also shows that the hobby is entirely open to do it however you like). But that’s just my opinion.

Embrace the limitless bonkers and ironic nature of 40k. It's the soul of the setting. John Blanche plays excellently to it.

Excellent idea with totemic hazard stripe tattoos on gangers!

Hazard stripe sisters? Purity within, purity without!

Thank you all for weighing in, I appreciate it.

I'm gonna go with the hazard stripes.

 Ouze wrote:
Thank you all for weighing in, I appreciate it.

I'm gonna go with the hazard stripes.

Brilliant. Look forward to seeing them.