‘I once was Calistarius. He has been dead for many years. I stand in his place, with death in my right hand, darkness in my left, and I would know who this is who bears the name Mephiston. ‘
Mephiston.
Dream, come true. This miniature is a fantasy come to life. I still have an Angels of Death of codex, well-thumbed, which naturally opens on this artwork. The Mephiston art is so evocative. I stared at this for hours on end and is one of the greatest influences on how I paint miniatures. The black and white images of the early Games Workshop era are nightmarish! Just beautiful.
Alright, enough gushing. I wish I could put my critical hat on, but this character is shot through with nostalgia for me. I have an emotional attachment to this sculpt that I’m sure many of you share. The first time I saw this online, well, it was like seeing Abaddon (the original metal sculpt) in white dwarf and being spell bound.
The paint job mimics the tone of the Mark Gibbons work as closely as possible. The paint scheme is a study in tonal variations, texture and atmosphere. The red silk robes, for example, receive a different highlighting pattern to the body plate which is talked about extensively in the Mephiston Masterclass.
A challenge for any painter. A treat for my man child yearnings. Mephsiton, lord of Death.
