Drunk with power? Angel Sanguine Icons and Greenstuff Plans.

It's funny how just a little success makes you go "Ok cool, I can walk, now let's run a marathon."  I've been busy.  I finished Tac Squad Saleos early last week, and begin working on getting my third and Final Tac ready for paint.  I have also been able to scrounge together enough bits for a 10 Man Vanguard Vet Squad and a 5 Man Stearnguard squad. I've began focusing on "Blinging" out my boys.  I am using some of the new BA DC shoulderpads, and realized Greenstuff is going to be handy...




Like I said, I have finished my second tac squad, so here are some obligitory pics:

Sgt. Saleos is missing his arm as it's magnetized - not  because of some horrible injury...

I'm finally happy with my reds! Woo!

It's neat to see how having a couple of squads together fully painted strikes you and kicks you into inspiration:  "Hey, we look prety good...get to work!  We got cooler buddies wating for you!"

Now with my red painting formula "down" I feel I can take on the heart of my army, the Assault Squads and Characters once I do my First String Tac squad, Eremiel of course!

Green stuff 
I always dabbled with greenstuff for gap filling, and a few tweaks here and there, but I think now I will try to dive in and work on some 3D Angels Sanguine Iconography.  I began first with some press molds to make more skulls.  Baby steps right?

Some press molds made with skull Icons from various GW kits

I used these skulls to replace the big blood drop and angel wings icons on the default BA DC shoulderpads to make them fit more as AS shoulders.  Something so simple, and it came out pretty successfully.  Of course with greenstuff, I have always done research and found myself jaw dropping and drooling over others' GS skills, and seen plenty of great sculptors and collected all the tips tricks and tools along the way.  Happy with the quick and simple press mould results, ideas began swirling in my head...

Three Tac Squad Eremiel Marines with replaced Blood Drop Icons.

Its about time I should try to dig in and scupt some actual greenstuff icons and changes for my AS army.  I just finished reading the CS Goto books that talk about Ashok the Librarian and I plan to work him up as my first real "conversion".  Not a kitbash, but an honest-to-god, ground up, sculped, blinged-out big boy conversion

Seeing the following artwork of Adrian Smith  recollered by a Deviant artist, Majestic Chicken:

Feel the burn Heretics!

I am inspired on how to begin to to create the powerfull and barely contained malestrom of power that is Ashok the Librarian.  As one of the three marines to ever overcome the Black Rage, I find it fitting to add him to my army.

Still debating on in-game use, he might be a counts as Mephiston.  I find wanting to keep his Deathwatch look, and at least the shoulderpad, in honor of his Deathwatch service, so I may need to sculpt some Deathwatch love.

From the Fantasy Flight Deathwatch Paper RPG

Angels Sanguine Iconography
I am still on the fence about C.S. Goto and his writing style, as I am a rabid fan of Dan Abnett, and feel Goto's mood and description a bit lacking, but I can't shake the undertones and imagery he puts forth in one little line (I quoted it in my previous fluff post here):

'Would you really want to meet an angel?  With the tip of one wing in Heaven, and the other dripping with blood, could there be any soul more tortured?'

-Angels Sanguine Chaplin, addressing aspirant Baalite warriors.

The role of Chaplins and Librarians for me being a bigger part in my head now, I see this idea of one dipped Angel wing as a center theme to add to my Angels as I see the duality of the Black and Red signifying the turmoil of fighting the Black Rage.

Here are some examples I found while using my google Fu.  Pardon the links to some of the "stylized" themes, but search for fallen angel, or dark angels and you'll find some..ahem...interesting stuff:

The call of "Come Get Some" was answered by a Greater Deamon of Korne Ka'Bandha.  It didn't end well for Mr. Bandha...  

This striking vision above of Sanguinius by *i1mpact on DeviantArt

And of course, the staff for the librarian in the Adrian Smith artwork seems perfect, here is the detail:

One wing up, one down...fitting eh?

And another:  Dark Angel by Lord Hannu

Almost like an Eldar wanting to be an Angle Sanguine?  Hmm.

So...either I'm simply drunk with power and about to bit more then I can chew, or I am about to embark into a part of the hobby containing sculpting frustrations, and kitbashing pain.  Time will tell!

Thanks!

-Mike