How I Paint: Dark Eldar

"We learnt long ago that the inscrutable universe turns upon an axis of suffering, because pain is inevitable."

- Urien Rakarth

Hekatrix Bloodbride of the Cult of the Dancing Blade

Apologies for the delays in updating. Work has been really tough this week, Managers Meeting on Monday and Tuesday, stock check til gone midnight on Thursday... and so my evenings have been mainly me sleeping. I've not even been on twitter, and missed my first #miniaturemonday in months. I'm going to be writing up a whole load of stuff properly soon, and the FAQ is just undergoing final edit.

Back when I first started collecting, seventeen years ago now, I was not alone in the endeavour. Whilst my friends and I franticly grabbed at whatever models we could, painted them with all the over-zealous enthusiasm of pre-teens, and sort of played games with them, my father cooly and calmly began his own collection of models with which to destroy my poor Tyranids utterly. To give him his due also, my father did teach me the foundations of painting - he was pretty good at it, and painted several of my own models for me, hoping I'd follow suit and learn. I did, eventually, sadly a good many years later...

The Archon, Gorgoroth of Udûn, was his champion, and Slave Raids for my beloved Genestealers were the match up of the day. Every time a loss for me. His army was fast, ruthless, and ultimately, led by someone who actually had a vague grasp on what they were doing.

It only seems natural then that, fast forwarding fifteen and a half years, I too would take up the mantle of the Dark Eldar and launch my own raids into Realspace. However, mine would have some unique twists to differentiate from my fathers old force, beyond the new editions of Codex and Rulebook, of course.

Firstly, whereas my father led a Kabalite House, the Archon and his underlings, I would instead amass my own Wych Cult, primarily female. Secondly, the spark that ignited the project was a Killteam League we had going in Games Workshop Kingston at the time, so my force could only be 200 points.

Hekatrix Bloodbride

I settled quickly on six Hekatrix Bloodbrides and three Reaver Jetbikes for the job, and set about coming up with a colour scheme. Moments later and Mr. Mechrite (their nickname for me) had inevitably decided upon red... sort of. 

Wych Cults are based on gladiatorial arenas where the spectators sit so close to the action as to be sprayed in the claret and viscera as it is sliced free from the unfortunate failure who couldn't keep up. I took a step away from this with my Cult. As a big fan of Industrial music, and a regular visitor to Industrial Clubs where latex and tight fitting leather is the uniform, I decided this was what I wanted to replicate on my models.

Thus was born the Cult of the Dancing Blade, a Wych Cult who weaved their gory art-form to symphonies of torment, rising strings like splayed tendons, base beat pounding like a dying heart plucked from the victims chest.

The colour scheme naturally had to reflect this too, and with several pots of 'Ardcoat in hand, here's how I did it.

Hekatrix Bloodbride

Dark Eldar Flesh:
Basecoat: Rakarth Flesh - Basecoat Brush

Wash: Reikland Fleshshade - Wash Brush

Layer: Pallid Wych Flesh - Detail Brush

Dark Red Wychsuits:
Basecoat: Abaddon Black - Basecoat Brush
Layer: Khorne Red, thinned with Lahmean Medium - Detail Brush
Layer: Evil Suns Scarlet - Fine Detail Brush
Glaze: 'Ardcoat - Wash Brush

Hekatrix Bloodbride with Shardnet and Impaler

Metal:
Basecoat: Leadbelcher - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Nuln Oil - Wash Brush
Layer: Ironbreaker - Standard Brush
Layer: Runefang Steel - Fine Detail Brush

White Hair:
Basecoat: Celestra Grey - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Drakenhof Nightshade - Wash Brush
Layer: Pallid Wych Flesh - Fine Detail Brush
Layer: Mephiston Red - Fine Detail Brush

Syren

Pink Hair:
Basecoat: Screamer Pink - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Reikland Fleshshade - Wash Brush
Layer: Emperor's Children - Fine Detail Brush
Layer: Yriel Yellow - Fine Detail Brush

Heart and Viscera:
As for the Dark Red Wychsuits.

Agonizer:

Basecoat: Averland Sunset - Basecoat Brush
Layer: Troll Slayer Orange - Basecoat Brush
Wash: Fuegan Orange - Wash Brush
Layer: Troll Slayer Orange - Detail Brush
Layer: Fire Dragon Bright - Detail Brush
Layer: Yriel Yellow - Detail Brush
Glaze: Lamenters Yellow - Wash Brush

Hekatrix Bloodbride