+ inload: Blood Angels Chaplain +

+ Chaplain Savonarola (Amaliel 7:13)+

Blessed is the mind too small to doubt.

+ Imperial aphorism +

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+ Theoretical +

+ Unlike most of this project, the inspiration for this Chaplain came not from the Games Workshop Studio army of WD139, but from the Dave Gallagher artwork that graced the cover of the Warhammer 40,000 Compendium (and which inspired my Captain Tycho conversion [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]). One of the supporting elements in this painting is a curious silver-coloured Chaplain. +

+ It's a very distinctive look that I don't think has turned up elsewhere, but works really nicely. It's particularly suitable for the Blood Angels, I think, as it complements the golden armour of their heroes and champions and contrasts with the black armour of their Death Company. +

+ Appearing as it did at the back end of Rogue Trader, the image differs from the black-armoured Chaplain of the studio army and elsewhere; but it's such a striking look that I wanted to include it. +

+ Of course, this raised the question of whether to tackle it with non-metallic  metal (NMM) techniques – as in the original artwork – or with metallic paints. The former would have worked well alongside my Captain Tycho, where I used a NMM approach; while the latter would sit better alongside the rest of the army. +

+ Unable to decide, I split the difference and decided to experiment, using metallic paints alongside non-metallic paints to create a halfway house. +

+ Practical +

+ I was not at all confident that this would work, but gave it a go anyway – that's the only way I know to improve! When approaching a model like this, I find it helps to start with some safe elements – those bits you can do easily. Here, I painted the robe. Having something like this finished or blocked out is reassuring when the experimental areas go through the (almost inevitable) stage where they're a bit crap looking. +

+ I started the silver itself with a base of Fenris Grey (one of the old Foundation paints) mixed with Payne's grey acrylic ink. This gave a nice, deep, cool underpainting. +

+ I then overlaid this with a mix of Iron Warriors acrylic paint, and both Payne's Grey and White Pearl acrylic ink. The latter is material I bust out when I need to dilute metallics. It's effectively a clear carrier of metallic flakes, which means that it doesn't alter the hue of what you're working on. This allows you to thin metallic paints without losing the metallic effect; and also lets you give non-metallic paints a sheen. +

+ The effect is pretty clear here in this shot of a later stage. I've worked up through various metallic paints including Chainmail and Stormhost silver. All had White Pearl acrylic ink added, to ensure smooth transitions. However, even the lightest tint of GW's metallics are slightly grey, so for the final touches I took a photograph of the figure under a spotlight, then used a mix of Instar paint's Arctic White and White Pearl acrylic ink to copy the reflections. This let me create the forced highlights that you can see. +

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+ And so to the finished figure. He was turned around in an evening; and I'm pretty pleased with the result. I'll certainly call it a successful experiment. Omricon suggested the technique might suit Stormcast, too; which is a good idea. +

+ Figures painted completely with metallics can look a bit unfinished, so I made sure to include some other textures, such as the cloak lining, purity seals and weapons. +

+ The half-seen three-skull motif on the shoulder pad and torso is visible nicely here. It was applied with dilute Payne's grey ink. +

+ This close-up demonstrates how the metal and non-metal areas interest. +

+ Polishing this figure off (ho ho) means it's just the Librarian and Land Speeder left. +

+ inload: Blood Angels Chaplain +

+ Blood Angels Chaplain +

Though workers of iniquity may consume my eyes and waste my flesh,

Though sinful agency weary my body and spoil my works,

I remain faithful to the ideals of my Lord,

Still I shall rely on my Lord to direct and guide me,

And though I die, I shall die knowing neither defeat, despair nor dereliction of duty

Great Angels! In his name! Sanguinius!

The Dirige Conspectu of the Blood Angels; known as the Lament of the Lost.

+ Well, here's the last one: every figure in the Blood Angels army is built, so it's just down to painting now. +
 

+ Inspiration +

+ David Gallagher's artwork of Blood Angels fighting genestealers inspired my Captain Tycho [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], and it includes this interesting character, too – a silver-armoured Chaplain. In terms of miniatures and paint schemes, Chaplains have always been black, so he's a very distinctive figure that stands out beautifully against both the red of the line troops and the black of the Death Company. +

+ Part of the joy of exploring the Nova Terra Interregnum is that it's largely uncharted. Who's to say that – for whatever reason – Blood Angels Chaplains weren't routinely silver at this time? It's a perfect excuse to try something new out, and so I built the following miniature. +

+ The cape is from the Dark Angels Master Lazarus figure. Regular inloaders will remember that I used the front on the Apothecary [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]; I never like cool pieces to go to waste. It's attached to an easy-build marine, which demonstrates it's not about throwing money at a problem, but about finding the right pieces. +

+ The rest of the build is relatively straightforward. A period backpack fits nicely in the project. +

+ The weapons were picked to evoke the artwork – the boltgun is an Umbra pattern one (the modern take on the 2nd ed. boltgun). The only modification I've made here was to slightly shorten the barrel to better match the artwork. The crozius is a thunder hammer haft from the Mark III marine set, with a banner top from the Command squad on top. I've added a tiny ruby blood drop below the skull. The scale's slightly off the artwork, but the principle elements are thus still there. +

+ The head's the obvious big difference. I started with a head from the Sanguinary Guard kit and trimmed down the top of the head and 'brow' of the helmet, before sculpting the skull on top. The eye lenses and grille of the original helm was left in place to give fine detail. The latter part works as a hint of teeth; and – I hope – helps it to read as a sculpted helmet rather than a literal skull. +

+ I added a couple of purity seals and details to the belt. This area's not visible in the artwork so, as with the cape, I decided to improvise and riff off what was there. I think the cape's a good addition – he would have looked too plain without it. +

+ Theoretical +

+ Painting next, then. Left to complete from the basic army are:

• Techmarine
• Apothecary
• Chaplain
• Land Speeder.

+ I'm a bit undecided on whether to try non-metallic metal silver or metallic paints for the Chaplain. What are your thoughts? +