The Horus Hersey – The Primarchs

The last time I updated this was the 6th September, and since then I have done precisely nothing with this project.

However, I just ordered two 3rd Daemon Primarchs off ETSY.

Lorgar and Perturabo – why do I do this too myself!?!

CURSE YOU GOD (Emperor) FOR MAKING ME THIS WAY!!!*

* Paraphrasing Konrad Curze here.

Right, with the news of Fulgrim getting another model, I happened to be near Warhammer World at the weekend, so I bought some things….

Jaghatai Khan – which now means I have a representation of all 18 Primarchs.

However, I do own Angron twice (30k and 40k) and I will be buying Fulgrim again, so with that in mind I also bought HH Mortarion.

Which means I need to buy HH Magnus and HH Gulliman and Horus Ascended and 40k The Lion just to be a total mad completist!

Current state of play on these:

The Lion – need to finish his scenic Base.

Alpharius – also need to finish his scenic base.

Corax – need to do a few corrections on him and also need to finish his scenic base.

Angron (40k) – need to finish his base.

The Khan and HH Mortarian – need to start them!

UPDATE

I have began work on painting a Konrad Curze bust, so no real progress on this, apart from looking at colour schemes for 30K Mortarian.

Two popular ones at the moment.

Undercoat him in Wraithbone, sephiam sepia him up then paint screaming skull over his armour….or undercoat him in Grey Seer, then wash all of his armour panels with Mortarian Grime, and a touch of SS in places.

Hmmmm, decisions decisions.

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2023/08/31/nova-open-previews-the-phoenecian-transformed/

Right then….as mentioned on the news article on here, this fella is going to be expensive.

But, as we are already so far deep in this, let’s be honest I will be buying him!

UPDATE

Saw this lad at Warhammer World – he isn’t actually that big (apart from the wings) and at £175 is actually cheaper than I expected. I think this is a new year purchase!

So, I bought Corvus Corax last June when I picked up Ka Bhanda.

Since then, I have been working on KB, Angron, and various Blood Bowl star players and a secret set of miniatures I might add on he as a project (although there are so many of them it will take me an age just uploading the pictures!).

Anyway, Corvus, the Forgeworld painting of this I think its let down by the fact they paint him with a normal skin tone, must of the stuff I have read Corvus (Like his Raven Guard) is described as being alabaster white.

So, I did that.

Skin

Corax White, Apothecary White 50/50 mix with water, dry brushed with Corax White and White Scar. I then thinned down some Volpus Pink contrast and ran this over his eyes, lips and cheeks – may give this another pass.

Armour

Corvus Black, Nuln Oil, Corvus Black. Again I may need to do something with this to pick out the edges – I tried using Dawnstone but it looked to much.

Silver

Iron Hands Steel, Nuln Oil, Runefang steel, stormhost silver.

I then ran some Gyph Charger grey over the wing blades, and the icon on his left shoulder.

I think a brighter base will make him stand out a bit more.

Horus 2.0

*Sigh*

Just when you thought you were out they drag you back in….

Angron

this guy is clearly going to come in around the £150 mark.

My word.

It’s glorious however. The only thing I think GW do badly when it comes to this sort of model is the face. Felt the same about Bel’akor and the huge Bloodthirster that is coming from Forgeworld for the HH.

I will be getting Angron when he drops – it might encourage me to finish this project and actually buy the Khan and Corax as well!

Not a lot to say on this fella from a tutoring point of view.

I largely followed the Warhipster’s painting tutorial on YouTube and the Warhammer TV one.

I based him with Mephiston Red spray (as I had bought one to paint some Blood Angel Marines from the Indomitus box set).

The only other main differences to my approach were the armour and the sword.

The armour is rune lord brass, agrax earthshade, then berserker blood shade with a 50/50 mix with water. Dry brushed with Iron Breaker.

The sword however I kinda went rogue and did my own thing.

Painted it with Iron Warriors, and then I kinda washed it with Black Templar (50/50 mix with water). I did this about 4 times, I really wanted the sword to look like a flat black old metal. I then gave it a light dry brush with Iron warriors.

The handle I only gave a light going over with Black Templar.

The flame effect in the middle – is kind of a hodge podge of the Warhammer TV approach, and then again a little bit more.

Painted the skull bit in the middle of the blade with Corax White. Painted this over with a very wet Dorn Yellow, then Fire Dragon Bright around the edge, then finally Evil Sunz Scarlet.

This has worked on the side facing out but I think the Evil Sunz Scarlet was a bit to watery on the inside edge as its settled in the recesses rather than just the edge. May give this another go.

Jaghatai Khan

Up for pre-order on Friday.

Just him and Corvus Corax to go now.

Been trying to get all of these fellas into one picture for awhile now just so I can see for myself more than anything how much real estate these take up, and bask in the amount of wasted hours painting these!

It’s got to be literally months!

To be fair Lorgar we painted in a day – and he has still been one of my favourites to do – even though the whole thing is his fault…

I digress, here they are all struggling to fit into the frame.

(Vulkan still not done yet, I know i said I would get him painted this week, but I got distracted by Blood Bowl star players…)

Deep breath.

As this project has just passed 600 recommendations, I just wanted to thank everyone who has shown an interest in My Primarch work.

Side note, I am going to knuckle down and try and get Vulcan finished next week – been sat on him for awhile.

But yes, once again, thank you all.

Well, as I have mentioned before, with this officially winding down I am mulling over picking up some random primarch miniatures.

I already bought a Konrad Curze, and I would ideally like to get a 3rd Party Corax as his forgeworld mini I don’t like (although that maybe the paint job).

Here are some sample images of the ones I have found.

So, as we approach the final straight for Forgeworld Primarchs, I have finally started work on the Lion.

I watched a few videos on The Youtube and one guy who paints largely in Contrast (the Warhipster) came up with a nice technique for the armour.

So here it is:

Armour

Undercoated with Corax White – Then basilicanum grey contrast – the black templar contrast. That gives us actually a nice finish.

The trim

Iron Hands steel mixed with Runelord Brass on the thin metal banding. I have then washed it with Reikland Fleshshade.

The larger trim is Leadbelcher with nuln oil then leadbelcaher again with a highlight of storm host silver

Gold

Standard on most of it, Retributor Armour, Reikland Fleshshade, then liberator Gold.

The design on his tabard with added an extra layer of Auric Armour Gold

The tarbard

Corax White – Apothecary White – Corax White – White Scar

Leather Belt

Mournfang Brown – Nuln Oil

Eagle and Sword

Blood Angels Red Contrast

Design on the Tabard

So far just warpstone green

Head

Gulliman Flesh – Cadian Flesh Tone – Kislev Flesh

Mouth Volpus Pink Contrast

Hair

Screaming Skull – Seraphim Sepia – Screaming Skull Dry Brush

Base

Zandri Dust – Agrax Earthshade

A bit more work on the Lion.

Now with cape.

The insider was rakarth flesh with skeleton horde.

The outside was Warpstone Glow, Bei Tel Green, warpstone glow, and moot green.

I then ran a very watered down Caliban green over the top of it.

Well, this project is kinda winding down.

We have Alpharius’ scenic base to complete, Vulkan to finish, and Lion El Jonson to start.

Then we just await The Khan.

So, what do we do next? Well…..I have been looking around and there is a whole host of unofficial busts billed as “fan art” (stealing IP for financial gain while claiming its because you love the genre so much) – that aside; I may buy one to see how these busts look.

Would be interesting to paint one, all depends on the quality of the print.

Busts aside, there are also a whole host unofficial Primarchs out there (I bought a Konrad Curze) so depending upon how that turns out, I might be tempted to buy more.

Imagine having a display case of just Primarch models?

That would be mad, and I shouldn’t do it right? RIGHT?….

**EDIT** I totally forgot I haven’t bought Corvus Corax either (Curze would be proud – but only for a moment then he would probably peel my face off for remembering Corvus Corax!)

Right we are officially in the home stretch with this project now.

Which also means we are up against a series of Primarchs I really have little interest in….well at least I did before I started painting them.

Really enjoying painting this one it’s different from the others in terms of its colour scheme.

So what have we done so far?

Undercoated the whole model in Leadbelcher. We then painted over that with Stormhost silver.

Then gave him an all over wash of Gyph Charger Grey (Contrast) – thinned down with water.

Then we took Akehillian Green (Contrast) and painted in all of the scales.

From there we have highlighted back up the silver edging. A bit of a dry brush with storm host silver here and there and this is Alpharius so far!

Gluing his right arm on was an issue, as I placed it too low for the spear, which meant I had to cut it back off – losing the peg that holds it in place in the process.

I then dropped him, breaking that arm off – but surprisingly everything else was undamaged.

The arm is on and kind of in the right place!

I still have Vulkan to finish – not moved on him at all – and Lion El Jonson is still in the box. After that I have Corvus Corax to buy, and just waiting on the Khan, then we can finally rest!

So, we finally returned to painting Primarchs (its been awhile).

Work so far.

Cloak has been painted, the outside is:

Rakarth Flesh – Seraphim Se pia- Rakarth Flesh – Palid Wych Flesh

Inside:

Celestra Grey – Agrax Earthshade – Celestra Grey – Ulthan Grey

Design

Warpstone Glow – Moot Green

Spear

Waaaagh Flesh – Gryph Charger Grey

Blades

Retributor Armour – Reikland Fleshshade – Auric Armour Gold – Liberator Gold – Stormhost Silver

On his forehead he has a little gemstone which at the moment I have just painted with Blood Angel Red, I may add a little bit of orange to the point of it.

The Base is just:

Zandri Dust – Agrax Earthshade – Karak Stone – Termintaus Stone

Still got a few bits to finish, his tabard, and I will probably glue on his rather large pistol.

Then its just the display base complete with marine (probably paint the marine as an Imperial Fist as Dorn killed his brother (or did he?)

Right, current state of play – bought Alpharious and Lion El’Jonson.

I am however working on Vulkan.

Didn’t have a copper paint for his armour however, so I have mixed one up using 2 parts Retributor Armour 1 part Mournfang Brown.

Probably going to wash that with Reikland Fleshshade to make it bit warmer.

Spent ages working on the armour as well.

Waaagh flesh, nuln oil, many thin layers of warpstone green, and some moot green highlights.

His flesh is basically just Black Templar Contrast and dry brushed with eshin grey and dawnstone.

*helps if I remember to attach a picture!*

So after my recent update on Alpharius, I can almost hear you Salamander fans asking “What about Vulcan!?!”

Never fear Vulcan Lives!

To be fair the issue with Vulcan is there is a huge amount of tiny detail on his and I am currently not feeling 100% confident in doing it and him justice.

As an example on his right shoulder pad there are tiny little flame designs. If you look at the Forgeworld art they have actually painted it like flame (red, orange, yellow etc.)

What I have turned my attention to and this is something @seldon9 encouraged is the base.

Vulcan’s base is huge.

It comes in 5 pieces.

You have the gaming base (which seems tiny).

This slots into the bigger base pieces, and there is a large wrap around piece that literally locks into the back.

Then from there there are two additional pieces that slot in next to the gaming base to give a sense of a broken wall and rubble.

I have painted the base with Zandri dust – agrax earthshade so far, and some leadbelcher with agrax earthshade for what looks like a metal area.

Right, current state of play – bought Alpharious and Lion El’Jonson.

I am however working on Vulkan.

Didn’t have a copper paint for his armour however, so I have mixed one up using 2 parts Retributor Armour 1 part Mournfang Brown.

Probably going to wash that with Reikland Fleshshade to make it bit warmer.

Spent ages working on the armour as well.

Waaagh flesh, nuln oil, many thin layers of warpstone green, and some moot green highlights.

His flesh is basically just Black Templar Contrast and dry brushed with ehsin grey and dawnstone.

Just as much as Dorn loves Gold, this big fella, sure does love silver!

Armour

Ironbelcher (Shade) Nuln Oil Gloss *Highligh* Ironbreaker

Details

Baltasar Gold (Shade) Agrax Earthshade

Retributor Armour (Shade) Agrax Earthshade

Well it’s been awhile on this guy, I think I was a bit intimidated by the base. This fella comes with a whole chunk of real estate he is on top of!

Finished most of this, there are a few cables and stuff still to do.

Colour scheme of Perturabo as detailed above.

I added the hazard stripes and these were basically just averland sunset with reikland flesh shade and contrast black templar armour.

The skin (what you can see of it), is just Bugman’s glow, reikland flesh shade, then cadian skin tone with kislev flesh. I washed around his eyes with Druchii Violet.

Now the base…

Leadbelcher (agrax earthshade) nuln oil, then Typhus Corrosion.

I have did the trim baltashar gold, agrax earthshade, and here and there some of the Nihilakh Oxide.

The armour panels are corax white, agrax earthsade, corax white again, and then white scar.

This took ages. But in the end I like it, I am glad I dulled down all of the bases’ colours so it doesn’t over power Perturabo when he is stood on it.

Not a lot of work on this project recently, however yesterday did see me start to paint Rogal Dorn “The Vigilant”,” the “Praetorian of Terra” and the “Unyielding One” and the nickname that is constantly overlooked, “Konrad Curze’s scratching post”.

Boy does this fella like gold!

So with that in mind here is what we have done so far…

Armour

Retributor Gold (shade) Druchii Violet > *highlight* Retributor Gold ^Dry^ Liberator Gold

Considering another watered down shade of Druchii in some spots where I think the dry brushing has gone too far.

The gems

Rogal has a few very prominent gem stones on his belt and leg guards. For these I dotted them with ceramite white, and then used a very old GW ink to give them that shiny feel. Red & Sky Blue.

Cloak

Mephiston Red (shade) Druchii Violet

Sword

Mephiston Red (Shade) Nuln Oil Gloss (Shade) GW Red Ink

Metal work on the sword

Retributor Armour (Shade) Reikland Fleshshade

Hair

Ceramite White (Shade) watered down Drakehnhof Nightshade *Highlight* Ceramite White *Highlight* White Scar

Face

Bugman’s Glow (shade) Reikland Flesh shade *Highlight* Cadian Fleshtone *Highlight* Kislev Flesh (Shade) watered down Reikland Flesh Shade

More too do here…..

Right, Dorn is almost complete, still a few bits and bobs to do around his sword handle and some of tiding up.

Cloak

Mephiston Red (shade) Druchii Violet *Highlight* Mephiston Red

Emblem on Cloak

Retributor Armour (shade) Reikland Flesh Shade

Still debating whether or not to give him a wash with something, as the dry brushing and highlighting on his armour have made it look a bit flat in the light of day.

I have already moved onto another Primarch, so I will sit on this for a bit until I decide.

Who am I painting next you wonder? That’s a secret for now.

It’s Perturabo.

So, work finally begins on Ferrus Manus.

So far we have :

Armour

Chaos Black Spray > heavy ^dry^ Dark Reaper > Abaddon Black

Metal Details

Baltasar Gold & Iron Hands steel (Shade) Nuln Oil Gloss

In between the armour joints (Not sure what to call that!)

Dark Reaper (Shade) Nuln Oil

Then going to highlight all the Gold with Sycorax Bronze. May take some Storm Host Silver over the Iron Hands Steel.

UPDATE

One of the most noticeable things about Ferrus are his metal arms. Not metal in the sense that he is a cyborg and has robot arms, but his arms are described as being like a metal flesh.

I haven’t read a lot of Iron Hands stuff, but the Forgeworld pic of the model shows his arms as being flesh going into metal. Not sure that’s what the guy who created the character intended but it looks cool.

It also reminds me of one of the main Villians from the Monolith Conan boardgame who was flesh and metal – I forgot his name.

Anyway I have attempted to do that!

So, I have started off by giving him a few thin coats of Ratskin Flesh – I wanted Ferrus to have a darker complexion.

From there I have shaded it with Reikland Flesh Shade.

The metal parts I have done using Iron Hand Steel, taken it up onto the biceps but leaving some of the Ratskin Flesh visible at the top.

I have then taken Game Colour Blue Ink – a very very vivid blue – watered it down a lot, and ran a few thin coats over the metal – almost like a glaze.

From there I will highlight the Ratskin with Cadian Flesh Tone. And the steel with Storm Host Silver.

**UPDATE 2**

So, had a bit of time today to work on Ferrus, as we can see we have got his head partially done.

Hair 

Abaddon Black ^Dry^ Skavenblight Dinge (shade) Nuln oil

Might give this a further light dry brush on the templates with Stormvermin Fur

Face

Ratskin Flesh (shade) Reikland Flesh shade *Highlight* Cadian Fleshtone.

Then we have painted his eyes in with Iron Hands Steel (shade) Nuln Oil

The Arms have been glued on and highlighted. I will need to take Reikland Flesh Shade back over those are the highlights are quite strong.

Painted a few of the skulls in white and just need to shade them to fill in the recesses.

Then work begins on the Hammer and backpack – need to find a guide for the back pack as it has lots of bits to glue on.

More work on Ferrus as well.

Constructed his bizarre backpack – which was a huge pain in the arse trying to fit that together properly.

Also added his weird like cog head piece, still a few cables and what not to glue on.

I have also did a lot of work on his scenic base – painting in the some dead Iron Hands.

A lot of these bases feature dead marines, and I really need to have a look on Ebay to see if I can pick up some transfers for their shoulder pads.

Need to finish the other half of the base now which has a dead Emperor’s Children (Child?) on it.

It’s currently held in place with blu tack and that seems the way to go for me for a lot of these pieces – I toyed with the idea of magnets like a lot of people have, but it looks fiddly and prone to easy mistakes!

So, quite a bit going on between my Night Lords project, my ongoing Chaos All Star Blood Bowl Team (still hoping for a Duke Luthor Von Hawkfire model to come out for the new edition), but that doesn’t mean we have forgotten about this.

Leman Russ still needs finishing – got his display base to paint – and some finishing touches.

Then who next?

Ferrus Manus or Vulkan?

Not really painted a lot of green marines before – so I think I will go for Vulkan.

Then once these two are painted the question of Who’s Next? will mean who do I buy next?

That’s looking like its either going to be Rogal Dorn or Perturabo.

**UPDATE**

Ordered both Rogal and Pert….