Wednesday 25 May 2016

The Blind Leading the Blind

Did I mention before that I'm quite fond of Astropaths? I think I may have! It's been some months since I made Mother Cantor Mechthild, and I facing adding to my choir. Fully enthused, I painted up a pair of new Astropaths - Precentor Peyter and Astropath Fraites.

Precentor Peytor accompanied by Astropath Fraites.
 
Precentor Peytor holds one of the highest ranks available to an Astropath - first amongst the choir. He has engineered and manipulated his elevation and is considered dry and inflexible by many who encounter him. Rules, order and discipline are his tools. He has a long-standing rivalry with Mother Cantor Mechthild, whose less structured and more nurturing approach he considers ill-disciplined and dangerous. Scheming and struggled for power still exist, even amongst the blind.
 

Precentor Peyter needed to exude signs of richness and power, as befitting his station. He therefore received a luxurious padded collar / psychic hood, and significantly more gold than any of the other astropaths I've painted to date.
 
The embroidered runes on his lower robe have been shamelessly stolen from designs on an astropath painted by Apologist over at Death of a Rubricist.


I spent quite a bit of time adding washes to the gold collar rear and life-support backpack to really enhance the age and depth of the colour.


Like all my astropaths, Peyer got a simple white cane along with the traditional green clothing.


The final element was to paint up his odd little familiar (from Reaper I think). I was originally planning to paint it neutral browns, but then I realised it's some kind of griffon creature composed from a pigeon and a rat. It only seemed natural to paint it up accordingly!

What should this creature be called? Rageon or Prat are the current suggestions.

Peyter has been put together from the lovely blind beggar from Midlam Miniatures' townsfolk range. The figure puts me in mind of Duncan from Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves. I very nearly painted up the model 'as is' for an astropath, but once I started messing, I couldn't stop!

'Blind beggar' from Midlam Miniatures.
Peyter received his exotic new collar, built out of a Chaos Marauder shoulder pad and lined with greenstuff.


The hanging token from his waist is made from the topknot of an Eldar Black Guardian of Ulthwe and some of that stuff that represents barbed wire.


The backpack is a chest piece from a Maelstrom's Edge figure which was a freebie he picked up at Salute.


Finally I blended the whole thing together with greenstuff, added a few minor cable port details, and the little familiar to the base.

 
 
As I was waiting for Peyter to dry, I picked up another astropath - this time the excellent early 2000s Inquisitorial retinue figure. He got a quick and easy paint up, with the same green I've used on all my astropaths for his cloak. I had a play around with his under-robe, giving his a pale blue-green I'd not tried before.
 



I'm particularly happy with his flesh tone - I started by adding a touch of blue to an off-white, and I think it worked out very nicely.

 
Finally, I had a little play around to create a nice scene - I must make an astropathic temple I think!
 

26 comments:

  1. Absolutely stunning, both are wonderful additions and the very fact we don't tire of astropaths says a lot about how well you're doing with them.

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    1. I think my enjoyment of astropaths is exploring where I can take the concept. Blind monks with canes are great, but I'm enjoying doing more whacky stuff too, whilst trying to remain true to the theme :)

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  2. They are becoming quite the scary group. Like the entrance of the navigators in Dune. They are coming to read your mind!

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    1. That's only half of them - I've got 8 in total, plus another pair ready to paint. They are definitely coming to read your mind ;)

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  3. I do love me some astropath - beautiful work. That collar in particular is evocative, like something from David Lynch's Dune.

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    1. The funny thing is, I never intended to do the collar. I had the figure in front of me and played around with some bits (at one point I was thinking of a hat). Then I discovered the shoulder pad with some plastic orc bits...and the rest is history!

      I'm very pleased with the result though!

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  4. Brilliant - I love the range of models at play here, all bound by a really strong paint scheme, and the subtle touches throughout are magnificent. Love these guys & gals so much!

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    1. Thanks! You can't go wrong with green and gold, with a bit of bone and red. I'm starting to consider making up a fun astropath game just so I can play with them all!

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    2. Ha - good shout!

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  5. It's always fantastic to see your process in turning a relatively plain miniature into something much more grandiose! ^^

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    1. It was a bit of a dilemma actually - the base model has a very strong look, in spite of being very simple. In the end, grandiose beat simplicity :)

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    2. I've never been overly fond of the other astropath figure though, it had too much of a Johnny Mnemonic thing going on. I had to be rid of the head for mine and replaced it with a more bulbous head. I miss the bulbous heads for psykers in 40k! ^^

      https://drscdn.500px.org/photo/155429961/m%3D900/3a6497fc0dd713769136d356b659cc4e

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    3. Wow, that's one oversized head! His psyker capacity must be huge :)

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  6. Excellent conversion and painting - quite a group, and looking forward to seeing the temple ;)

    W

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    1. I've already made various sketches for the temple - I just need to work out exactly how to make it.

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  7. These guys look great. You inspired me to buy a boatload of space lords stuff to use for inq28. cant wait to get them painted and used as Npc's for a few games.

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    1. Those space lords are a lot of fun. You won't regret buying them! I must get round to painting up some more ;)

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  8. Oh, sir, that's an inspired work!

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  9. Another great set of astropaths! That circa 2000 figure is painted stupendously, and I quite like the precentor's collar. Does it do anything? Magnify his message range? Or is it some misunderstood bit or archeotech that has long since ceased to function, and is retained now only for ceremonial purposes, never mind the weight of the thing?

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    1. Erm, I've not really worked out the collar's function. But it is padded ;)

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  10. A choir requires an audience though? ;)

    Wonderful work. Dune, Dune, Dune....

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  11. At first when I saw him I thought "why's he got a couch on his head?" But now I know why :D He looks great Jon! The parts you used for the conversion really fit well. And as you mentioned, the washes have made a big difference. A very cool hombre indeed.

    Oh, and the last guys' pretty nice too :)

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    1. Who needs logic?! I like the ridiculous nature of the mobile couch :D

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  12. I know very well it's easier to say this after-the-fact but the colours you used are just right for your subjects and the scheme fits the overall mood of the minis perfectly.

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