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NicolasRGiacondino — On the turning away
Published: 2014-07-10 14:04:42 +0000 UTC; Views: 24969; Favourites: 491; Downloads: 0
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This is a LONG overdue illustration I'm glad I finally completed.Done for one of Black Library's writers, the talented Joe Parrino ( www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer… ), this image may be one of my favourite from the ones I've done depicting the Dark Millenium.
First off, the atmosphere ended up looking suitably grim and oppresive. The look of utter comtempt that the traitor Interrogator in his Navy outfit is giving his former Inquisitor master is just crushing; and, in turn, the shocked Inquisitor's gaze on his former trainee speaks of despair and disbelief. But perhaps the most enthralling part of this all are the slowly approaching Alpha Legionnaires. As the world burns around them, most likely thanks to their doing, their ominous presence is devastating.
I'm proud of how suitably shadowy the Space Marines look and Joe's choice of making them look Pre-Heresy as opposed to outright chaotic. To me, the Alpha Legion's greatest mystery is who they're ultimately loyal to, besides themselves and their Primarch/s. Thus, them wearing purity seals and looking Imperial, but acting against the Imperium's interest is the most scary part of their philoshophy; even if they ARE working for the good of mankind in some twisted way, they'll be willing to do anything to achieve their goals.
Another aspect I love about them is the fact that it's always mentioned that they all look exactly the same. A detail that might not seem of importance at first, but when you illustrate them, you realise how mind-blowing it would be to never know who's who. To feel like their ranks are just multiplied personalities that could all think the same at the same time.
Finally, the colour of their armour is an achievement for me, because I honestly didn't believe I could pull off the blue/violet shade that the Pre-Heresy Alpha Legion used; I did some ink tests and finally settled upon what I think is the best representation of it, of which I'm quite proud.
I hope you like this one as much as I did rendering it and be sure to check Joe's writing; you won't regret it!
Nic.-
© Games Workshop Ltd. 2014
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Comments: 75
I'm a huge Alpha Legion fan and this picture is awesome.
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Thank you!
Nic.-
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Interesting indeed!
Nic.-
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The Alpha Legion: Creed is a coward, the Inquisition are a bunch of whiny sissies and the Sisters of Battle are useless lumps of flesh
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Sounds like a motto indeed!
Nic.-
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What do you mean Alpha Legion? There was never any Alpha Legion!!
Good work!! Also I find it rather amusing to see a piece related to the story I was planning to read this weekned.
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Oh, my mistake of course. Did I say Alpha Legion? I meant 'A True Mission', yeah...
Thanks for the compliments and I hope this image went down well with the tale you read
Nic.-
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Thank you very much!
Nic.-
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It's been a long spell since we last spoke to each other (xa0s of bolterandchainsword forum). This drawing of ours is quite excellent. I had to point out the colouring of Alpha Legion reminds me of the Omegon's Effrit Stealth Squad. Good work, as always.
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It's been long indeed, my friend! It's always a pleasure to hear from you and even more so if I've managed to do justice to this great Legion. Thank you!
Nic.-
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Nice one, How did you do the birght haze dominating the middle of the pic that back lights the marines? I dont remember seeing this affect from you before. It adds impressive depth to the pic.
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He Alex! Glad you liked this one.
The light effect was done using oil pastels; I do most of the glowing in my illustrations that way, as it gives them a really smooth finish.
Nic.-
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Thanks for the response, not everyone does. Appreciate it and I would never have figured that out.
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Awesome picture. I really like the dark blue/violet/metallic colour of the Alpha Legion.
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Thank you very much, my friend!
Nic.-
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How are you. I really like the picture of the Guardians of the Galaxy. You done really well.
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I'm quite overworked as usual, Dome! Thank you for your compliments and I hope to have news of your commission soon.
Nic.-
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At least it's business as usual.
Well I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
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The Alpha Legion are my absolute favorite Astartes (Traitor or Loyalist)(or Other), hands down. This is so great, and I almost feel like the Alpha Legion is an entire legion of Radical Inquisitors XD
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The best about them is the fact that you don't really know if they're loyalist or not. That gnaws at my brain every time I think about it
Nic.-
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Amazing job on the blue/violet. It was the first thing I noticed. Beautiful colors and marker work, as usual.
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Thank you very much, Emily! I'm glad I made it good on that color experiment
Nic.-
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Very cool! The Horus Heresy has really revitalized the Alpha Legion in many incredible ways. This piece looks great.
And with one more commission down, that's one step closer to mine...
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Thank you so very much, my friend!
I'm indeed getting closer to your piece; I'll send news soon.
Nic.-
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Good to hear!
I'm looking forward to discussing it.
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Cool traitor Interrogators don't look at explosions.
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Of course they don't!
Nic.-
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It's stunning.
It has so much ambiance and it really tells a story, even without you telling it. It fits so well in the universe.
You know, I really like your art, and for a long time now. Do you know why? Because you succeed in expressing the ambiance and feeling of the Wh40k universe without being limited to dark and sad colours. Your art is vivid and striking and yet always faithful to the Dark millenium. And this one is surely one of the best you've done.
Keep going Aerion. You're geting better and better every time, and if I can, i will follow your art to the end.
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Thank you so very much for such a kind comment, my friend!
It's truly humbling to hear fans of the Dark Millenium tell me that my style fits the universe so well. I believe it might be because it harkens back to the first days of Warhammer 40,000, when everything was worked out in very epic and grandiose colors and action. If you look back to Rogue Trader, things weere grim and gothic but still kept a certain cartoonish style and bright colors and still worked perfectly well.
I'll continue to do my thing and hope I can always captivate you with it, my friend!
Nic.-
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Another excellent work Master Aerion! (I must say that I do admire the sinister uniformity with which you've imbued these scions of Alpharius, despite my burning desire to see these Morally Ambivalent wretches blasted sky-high by some obliging Loyalist Astartes - perhaps the Ultramarines or the Grey Knights could oblige?).
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Thank you very much, my friend!
I'm glad I was able to make them as ambiguous as possible; I do have some stuff involving Grey Knights in progress so you might get your wish fulfilled in spades!
Nic.-
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I await further images with eager anticipation of further excellence on your part Master Aerion.
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it takes a skill not many have to make the protagonists look more sinister without actively sporting details to show they are sinister. The Alpha Legion are still one of the few Legions who remain a mystery, and that is brilliantly portrayed here. I love the way amidst the devastation they are still making thier way to thier target and the Inquisitors expression tops it all off. Brilliant work Nic...fantastic
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Thank you so very much, m'lady!
One of the things I learnt early on in my career is that if you want to creep someone out of their minds, you will show them a masked villain. The fact that we can't really see any expression or hint of humanity in a mask taps into humanity's fear of the unknown, which in turn makes any artwork derived from this idea terrifying.
Nic.-
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and thats what the Alpha Legion is all about
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I love what you did with the Alpha Legion here. The fact that they still look sinister without the usual Chaos fare on the armour - indeed, the lack of any livery whatsoever - is a testament to your skill as an artist.
Ever since 'Legion', I have been enamoured with the background and motivations of the Alpha Legion. I get the feeling from the different ways in which they are portrayed in the games and novels that whatever their main goal is now, it seems to be born of "let not the left hand know what the right hand is doing". Perhaps they're not even sure of it themselves.
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A truly amazing comment, my friend! Thank you so much!
As I said in another one of my replies, the unkown has always been one of mankind's worst nightmares. And having an enemy embody that sentiment makes everything all the more compelling. ALIEN was a perfect example of how much a faceless enemy could freeze your blood and I imagine the Alpha Legion being just as scary in their slow, insidious, cold plotting behind the scenes.
Nic.-
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I have no idea what brought events to this closing, but it must have been a tale of betrayal and deception indeed. Excellent work Nic
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Thank you so very much, Joseph!
Nic.-
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You do the setting proud with this piece, Aerion. A very accurate depiction of what the Alpha Legion is like.
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Thank you very much, my friend!
Nic.-
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No creo que haya sido publicada todavia, Gon. Pero si averigüo más, te lo haré saber por aqui.
Nic.-
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Outstanding and very menacing! True Alpha Legion all along!
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