Monday 1 September 2014

Flappy

More for the armies of Mighty Kas!

Our recent High Elf romp clearly inspired Kas to get a Frostheart for his collection. I'm not surprised, it was a great big flappy thorn in my side. Anything that makes your opponent Always Strike Last is a worthy investment, frankly.

Despite still being bitter at having lost, I welcomed the chance to paint the bugger. Bluntly, I reckon the box job is (despite being crisply executed) poor. Why blend all the lovely snowflakes into the background of the feathers? Why paint the nice elven ruin on the base in boring grey? Why use pastel purple at all?

The dark mirror of offical schemes

High Elf Phoenix Painted
I vaguely remember an old White Dwarf about the excellent Bretonnian Green Knight model, where they talked about warm vs cold greens. Perhaps some of it went in. 

Okay, they have a good chilly glow thing going on their one. Hubristically, I much prefer the greens I went with, even if I'm nowhere as sharp in my execution. Good model, too, lovely pose. A touch flat, maybe? I wondered about trying to convert the legs so it was swooping down on something, ready to grab, but then decided against. Too much repositioning, not enough skill.


Painting Notes:

  • Greens - Incubi Darkness base, washed with green ink and layered up with Kabalite Green, then drybrushed with Hellion Green plus Skull White. The band of lighter green feathers started out as Nurgling Green and went up from there. 
  • Blues - Stegadon Scale, blue wash layered up from Temple Guard Blue to Space Wolf Grey and then Skull White wingtips. 'Ardcoat gloss over the blue feathers and snowflakes to look extra sparkly and fluffy, like the Rainbo Brite elfin creature it is. 
  • Beaks and Feet - XV88 layered with Golden Yellow
  • Armour - Abaddon Black with 'Ardcoat

I was also going to paint all the options, seeing as Kas hadn't really decided. He gave me carte blanche, but I'm giving it back - I didn't fully assemble the beast, so he's got the full selection of heads, riders and saddles to pick from. Maybe one of the Masters of Magnetism our gang includes can help him out so he never has to.

Trophy Heads for the wall

Caradryan, seen here, is a cheery chap. The armour looked a bit Samurai to me, so I went with brighter colours than the steed but from the same sort of range.



Phoenix Rider

He can ride the phoenix (a named one if he feels expensive) or potter about on foot. These feet, specifically.

Elrond Half-Elven

The Anointed of Asuryan - can he even ride a Frostheart? Oh, who cares. He's a right misery guts, either way. And I've seen his face somewhere before.

Cheer up. Might never happen. 

What's that you say? 9th ed next year?

Fair enough then.

Painting Notes:

  • Greens - Glistening Green drybrushed with Hellion Green, green ink wash
  • Whites - Eshin Grey with Skull White layers
  • Blues - Deadly Nightshade with a light drybrush of mixed Shadow Grey and Alaitoc Blue, then 'Ardcoat for armoured surfaces. 
  • Silvers - Mithril with a blue wash, layered up to Runefang Silver
  • Gems - Either Scab Red or Amethyst, white highlighting and gloss varnish
  • Yellows - Golden Yellow with red ink, then layered back up to Bad Moon Yellow highlights. 
  • Flesh - Kislev Flesh, Flesh Wash, Pallid Wychflesh layers

After balancing the lot together for photos (I edited my hands out in a few shots, it's not really designed to work without glue), it's off to the UK. I shall doubtless regret painting it when I meet it again, but I'm pleased in the meantime!

IKEA's Fönix Flatpack


Frostfire Phoenix
Photobomb, MoFos!

1 comment:

  1. I hadn't realised how much I disliked the GW paint scheme until I saw this - excellent choice of colours, that looks proper frosty.

    It is a strangely flat model - still, that makes it easier for postage (be grateful Kas hasn't commissioned a Mortis Engine!)

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