With a new edition of Horus Heresy on the horizon, Games Workshop kindly invited me to the Horus Heresy Open Day in May 2022 BUT asked me to paint a Primarch – alongside some of the best painters and content creators in the world. Painting such a complex and detailed resin model to a deadline can be a daunting task. But in the end, I met the challenge and can now proudly present Magnus the Red to you.
Even though the other Primarchs and Legions would be painted by some of the best painters in the world, I knew I had to stay true to my own painting style, hoping not to do anything wrong. That meant: bold colours, true metallic metals, and classic painting techniques. Still, I try to learn something new whenever I start a new army or faction to keep the hobby fresh. Even if it’s just a few colours or paints I don’t use very often. For Magnus, I decided to introduce a few more advanced techniques like zenithal highlights and oil paint based washes (you can find a beginner-friendly guide to oil & enamel washes here).
Painting Magnus the Red
About 40 to 50 hours of work went into this model, and even though I was far from the best painter of all the people invited to the Horus Heresy Open Day, I am proud of my own Magnus. It was fantastic to see him in the same display cabinet as the Primarchs of other legendary painters, including Martin Waller, Richard Grey, OmegonEdge, Andy Wardle, Sylvapaints, Darcy Bono, and Angel Giraldez, just to name a few.
The Horus Heresy Open Day was a few weeks ago. But this was not the last time you will see the Crimson King on Tale of Painters. I made a video for my YouTube channel that follows the painting process from start to finish and shares many impressions from the Horus Heresy Open Day. It will be released very soon, so stay tuned!
How do you like my version of Primarch Magnus the Red? Leave a reaction or comment, and if you have a question, ask it here or in the Tale of Painters Discord.
… and yes: I will also paint the display base, I promise!
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