This week I went after the second winged beast in the army, the Seraph. I also rounded out the week with Bayal, the hound of Everblight.
After having painted both models, it's easy to see that the Seraph preceeded the Angelius in terms of production date. There are a number of common elements between theme, shape, and texture of the wings, the musculature of the supporting arms, even the double curve of the tail. But everything the Serpah does, the Angelius does better.
This is not to say that this is a bad sculpt, far from it. It's more of an interest to see how the model has evolved over time. You can literally see the thought process, from the less dynamic Seraph to the confidence of the Angelius. This is why it's important for companies like privateer press and games workshop to continually update their ranges. It gives their artists a chance to reflect on the efforts of the past and incorporate them into the work of the future.
On the other side of the spectrum, Bayal is clearly among the newer sculpts. The lean, stalking pose of the model is a perfect fit for the story of one of Everblight's most potent and deadly operatives. From a painters perspective, all of these new sculpts are more difficult to work with. They are constantly bombarding you with odd angles and extraordinary amounts of detail. But unlike other models where I have to create my own challenges, these ones provide the it for me. This is not frustrating but inspiring, which ultimately makes the process more rewarding.
This model serves as a perfect summary of what makes Privateer Press models stand above the competitors; the confidence that we see in these newer works. Privater Press isn't just sticking with the tried and true poses that have been used for the past 20 years. They're exploring new territory, and seeing models like Bayal is a constant reminder not only of what Privateer is doing right, but what many in the industry should be doing to keep up.
Next week we're wrapping things up with the Blackfrost shard. The end is in sight!
