Lion El’Johnson, a legendary figure in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, has inspired artists to bring his awe-inspiring presence to life. Each portrayal captures his noble aura, adorned in ornate, baroque Dark Age armour, wielding a mighty sword, and standing with an indomitable demeanor. The art style surrounding this iconic character can be boiled down to a sentence that run through my head while painting him:
“An apex predator, emerging from the ruins.”
I have a thing with Dark Angels – I envision them employing Dark Age weapons to lay waste to any world they happen upon. Whatever is living after this savage bombardment is then swept up by ground troops.
Whenever I paint a Dark Angel, I always sweep the fields of the base with phosphex. It’s a nice counterpoint to the dark, sombre tones of the Dark Angels. The destroyed Angel of Death is such a nice detail.
The head – do you like his bare head? I really do. I like how old he looks. His striding pose is magisterial, yet laboured. He’s an old Knight, taking up his blade against a universe that rails against him.
As one of the Primarchs, he is a central figure in the ongoing struggle for the Imperium’s survival in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. Born on the world of Caliban, his story unfolds the glory of the Great Crusade, through the Age of Darkness, ending abruptly before the Scouring. A loyal son of Calbian and the Emperor, The Lion walks again with Earthly feet upon the battlefields of the 41st millennium.
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Lion El’Johnson, the enigmatic Primarch of the Dark Angels, is a figure of dread and hope. Of Death and abundant life.
