'nids part 318 - Genestealer cult - Aberrants - the Turqs

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been back #paintingwarhammer on my Genestealer Cult Aberrants. One of the reasons I had flitted over to other projects, rather than push on with the Aberrants was these guys. Among my diverse genestealer hybrids there are those that are Turqs. On Ferron Proxima there are vat-grown gene-spliced humans, that are turquoise in a nod to Rogue Trooper.

These Turqs are often used in menial tasks due to their enhanced endurance and toughness. What the people of Ferron Proxima don't know is that gene-splicing is xenos DNA based and is part of the Free Radical Collective's insidious attempt to overthrow the planet. Of course they had to hide their efforts well - many of the Turqs are not cultists or even hybridised. Their gene-splicing is so successful not even a Gamma level Magos-Biologis could detect even the tiniest hint of Xenos DNA.

But along the way the Genestealer Biophagus will have had numerous mistakes - hence the Aberrants until they were able to combine the correct hybridised DNA of both alien and human. This way they would have all the benefits of the xenos, their compliance before the Four Armed Emperor and with Turqs already as part of the population they could then hide in plain sight until the time of the uprising.

Anyway, these four looked so good without highlights [the one on the far right]. I wanted to 'finish' them off before I decided on how to handle the turquoise skintone and whether to highlight or not. I wanted a record of them at this stage at least so I knew what I was losing or gaining.

This is definitely an option to explore in the future but now that I see everything fully highlighted I think to leave the skin without any further tones would be a mistake. They may not be quite as extreme as the original. I still think there are some beautiful tones that I don't want to lose, but luckily there are areas in shadow where I can retain them. It was funny actually because all the others are finished and I though all I had left to do was varnishing and then remembered these 4, not to mention the Abominant too!

So, one more session, varnishes and then TO DONE! pics.

'nids part 317 - Genestealer cult - Aberrants

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer on my Genestealer Cult Aberrants. This has been a very slow process, hence the lack of posts. I had obviously applied some highlights and it was time to make all that raw interface between alien growth and human skin. The amazing effect of VGC Heavy Red [or Citadel Khorne Red] has helped me get to a stage that I'm happier with.

As you can see it's taken that rather flat and pedestrian highlighted skin and added far more dimension to it. I've used much more red than the original fair skinned Aberrants but I don't think it'll be too noticeable as a group.

Still a lot to do on the bases as well. There is a significant amount of details on these but I'm getting there slowly.

I have some claws to highlight and maybe some vermillion on all the fleshy bits for a subtle extra highlight. Teeth, eyes and tongues too.

Weapons and that bloody rock [as well as a couple of skulls!].

The dark skinned group were also brought up to the same point. I keep trying to convince myself the bulk of it is done, it's just detail work now, a lot of which should be fun.

But I also know all those tiny details fail to give the feeling of progress. It's hours to get a pipe or some debris done and it only takes up 2% of the model!

All the weapons need griming up and some additional drybrushed highlights and then I need to resolve the 'power' bit as I did not like my psuedo-lightning effect on the original 5.

The banner has to be done as well.

All the red clothes are highlighted, I've been surprisingly busy while I've not been motivated, but that's the point - little bits of work go a long way to help move a project past those sticking points.

Just spotted that sneaky bit of grill/mesh on the base of the right one that hasn't been painted! Lots still to do but getting close now.

Importantly, my son went back to university on Monday, which means I will have a bit more hobby time to get these over the line. This is a massive project, although it may not immediately appear so. I'll explain next time, but believe me, this will be a major achievement when it is complete. Looking forward to getting them complete!

'nids part 316 - Genestealer cult - Aberrants

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer. Playing around with skintones again I've applied some highlights to these three.

It's really weird as I went all in with raw Khorne Red on the interface points on the turquoise ones but then couldn't get my head round the highlighting still to do [hence why I switched to these]. Now I need to do the Khorne Red on these but their cleanliness is annoying me.

I have to be patient and hold fast, stick to the plan - get another few highlights on and then I can add more detail. Fingers crossed.

Here's my previous Bronze Flesh example, hoping I can match them up.

Highlights and then the red should keep them similar, but skin variations aren't a problem really on organic things. So long as I can identify them in groups of five it's fine.

Loads to do on these but I need to get them done, I'm hoping they'll be finished by the end of the month as I think I'll have more hobby time soon. With them done I may do a full army photograph [in May], definitely all my nids, with these done maybe nids and Genestealer Cult... It depends how they fill out my board.

'nids part 315 - Genestealer cult - Aberrants

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer on my Genestealer Cult Aberrants. This may even qualify for #Squaduary... Anyway, I haven't posted about these in a year but with so much out of the way I thought I'd crack on with them. They'd all been basecoated, so it was time to wash them. I also was thinking about how to identify units, so the one on the far left has had his skintone changed to a 'turq'. It seemed the easiest one to do, until I realised he has a clone pose on the far right!

I applied a number of washes to the skintone - strong tone, red and purple washes. I then added thinned Khorne Red to anywhere I though might be 'angry'. I'm thinking that step was done too early as I know have to add all the highlights without disturbing that effect. In some respects I even like the way they currently are, but the original test model on the right is where they all need to be.

Next step is to paint all the bone and orange highlights. Getting all these elements finished and leaving the skintone means I can get some interesting pictures from that almost complete stage for if I ever want to explore this stage of the skintone. I'm already committed to the lighter turquoise but future projects, who knows?

The GSC use their clothing as a camouflage for their ambushes, hence why they match up with the bases so much.

I added some weathering to the debris under the Abominant's 'hero' base. You may not be able to see it when the top piece is on but I know it is there.

Although I'm focussing on those five models it made sense to do the bone and orange on the other Aberrants. This way when I come to do all the skintones o these models it's only small step for them being complete.

And there are some with red clothes on too, which I will do all at the same time when I get round to it. Chunking it like this will help move things along and hopefully prevent burn out.

Considering that approach it might be surprising to learn that I also did all the orange highlights on my last 4 Nurgle Blood Bowl players at the same time, they'll be in an update soon

'nids part 297 - Genestealer cult - Acolyte Iconward - TO DONE!

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer Genestealer Acolyte Iconward. Currently does this count as #NidVember #NomVember? I'm only now beginning to question whether my GSC stuff should be under my 'nids tally...? I've completed some more 'nids but obviously #ArmiesOnParade has somewhat overshadowed those efforts. I'll still be sharing them soon though.

Anyhoo, it's a welcome addition to my Genestealer Cult. He does add significant buffs to the army, or so I understand so may well be included in it, if I ever play with them. That said there are plenty of choices for HQ so who knows.

I was really chuffed how much it matches my similarly attired existing Acolytes. He makes a great addition to what I've done so far.

I didn't take too many 'red' pics so here's all my white pics too. 

Once again I was struggling with white balance and decent lighting.

 

I added a little slime coming from the pipe on the base, it wasn't great, the UHU glue is a nightmare to use and the lime paint was a bit too opaque, but semi-transparent looked awful. 

 

I did enjoy the freehand Free Radical Collective symbols, subtly different than I usually do them. The one on the back of the banner is a bit hidden though.

 

I tried some different settings on the camera below, not much more to say, just enjoy the pics.

 

 

 

And so I gets me my Great Big Granite Stamp of Approval - TO DONE!'

'nids part 285 - Genestealer cult - Acolyte Iconward

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer Genestealer Acolyte Iconward. Another hobby 'chaser' - something I tack onto other painting as and when I do it - paint some orange - do this banner, paint some red - do the robes.

He's slowly getting there, I'm not convinced about the red wrappings on the banner pole but it'll be easily fixed with some wash.

It's been a slow burn project over many many weeks, but I'm OK with that because I'm not really focusing on it all. I'm expecting at some point to just wake up and find I've completed him! But I did all the highlights on the grey and white and picked out some more details.

You can see it alongside one of my other acolytes and once again I've managed to retain some consistency despite many months, even years between two. In fact they make a pretty nifty pair, even though the Iconward isn't even complete yet.

Still plenty of little bits and details to pick up but no rush. I do find all that ribbing on the body armour surprisingly difficult to do. You can see that despite all the ridges I cannot seem to make my highlights stay solely on the peaks. Not matter what they always seem to bleed into the creases. I can live with it but it's a constant annoyance

Looking forward to doing the Free Radical Collective freehand too, it's been a while since I'd done it but it should be fun. Hopefully next update is TO DONE! whenever that may be 😉