"Rage in the Darkness" - Obsidius Mallex - Part 1

The power of the fortress

is mine to command!

- Obsidius Mallex

Welcome one and all to The Art of Caesura!

Thank you, as always, for checking out my blog. I don't say it enough, but it is your engagement that inspires me to take and post these photos of my minies - rather than just keep them squirrled away in their boxes. So thank you again!

Today, is a very special day, both for me and the blog. I am currently flying to New York (for the first time) to attend my uncle's wedding! For someone who used to travel quite a bit, it's my first flight in years - since before kids or COVID! 

In terms of the blog, today is the first post of the last mini in Blackstone Fortress! After this guy, I will have shown you every single painted miniature in the game! All 44! It only took me a few years! I knew from the beginning that I wanted to save showing you this guy for last - because he's kind of the big baddie in the game! So, while last week's Espern Locarno was the very last model that I painted for the game (completed in Feb 2022), this is the last model I had yet to post (even though I painted him back in October 2020!!). Onwards to Obsidius Mallex!

Today we'll look at the work-in-progress shots of this guy - including my first attempts at painting a plasma weapon and "molten weapon". Next week we will look at the shadowy atmospheric shots of Mr. Mallex.

I started by blocking in all the main colours: 

Armour: Abaddon Black, Retributor Aromour

"Tubes": Ushabti Bone

Fur: Doombull Brown

I painted his wrappings Screamer Pink, and skin Wraithbone.

Then on to shades: 

Armour: Druchii Violet, Agrax Earthshade

"Tubes": Agrax Earthshade

Fur: Agrax Earthshade, Nuln Oil in the recesses to add depth.

Face: Athonian Camoshade

Then it was time to crack in on the special effects. I started with his molten thunder hammer. When I started painting this guy, this technique had only just come to the fore the month or so before. At that point not everyone and their granny were doing it yet, so I actually struggled to find guidance at the time. I used this image as inspiration. 

From a grey seer base coat, I then painted over with several thin coats of Yriel Yellow + White Scar.

I then moved on to Troll Slayer and then 1:1 Troll Slayer, Evil Sunz Scarlet

To complete the look I stippled on areas of Leadbelcher + Nuln Oil then applied some of the AK Weather pencil Silver to the edges.

And with that, the hammer was complete. 

Then to move onto the plasma gun. 

I used Vincey V's great vid for reference. 

I contemplated starting from a Wraithbone base (above), but restarted from white to bump the brightness. 

From white I glazed over with Troll Slayer.

The trick to plasma weapons is to do the opposite of normal highlighting; rather than making the raised areas lighter, you make them darker, because they're further from the heat source. 

After Troll Slayer, I darkened the edges with a mix of Troll Slayer and Evil Sunz Scarlet.

I made a bit of a booboo by ending with a wash of Carroburg Crimson to increase contrast. This was a mistake, because it did what it is supposed to do and sunk into the recesses (which should have been the brightest parts). 

Then it was just a matter of highlighting the rest of the model (fur, wrappings, bones).

I don't think his skin actually looks this green in real life, but it does have a nice unhealthy pallor. And Darth Maul eyes. 

The final detail is the crashed servo skull on his base. A fun little addition. 

I remember feeling really really proud with how Mallex turned out (all those years ago). I'm still very happy with him, but I think my painting has come on a little bit in the intervening years. 

See you next Friday on The Art of Caesura!

Reading: Warhammer 40k Core Book (9th Ed.)

Next Week:

Aboard the Impaler.