The other day I wanted to do some drawing, so I got out my sketchbook out and started planning what I wanted to draw. After my test drawing of Perturabo using a reference photo impressed me, I wanted to do something similar for this drawing.
I wanted to draw Lorgar, inspired by ADB Horus Heresy book, Betrayer, which I finished reading a few days ago. Hating Lorgar more than ever, I wanted to create a very powerful, wise, prideful and twisted imagery of the Primarch.
To start off, I went and searched for a reference image of who I wanted to base the XVIIth Primarch on. When I read Lorgar’s words, I imagine Richard E Grant playing as the character for his soft high gothic voice, with a twist of sharpness when the monster within is unleashed.
What better reference picture than one of Richards roles that I first saw him in when I was a kid, The little Vampire. I can’t show the image on here, but it’s a good reference picture of him smiling sinisterly with his Vampire costume and makeup. I’ve also got some reference photos of Lorgar, one from his Primarch book and another one in full chaos mode (I think it’s the same artist who did Chapter Master Valrak’s YouTube profile picture?).
Rather than using a pencil, I used a red pencil when outlining and shading the portrait, something I haven’t tried out before until now. As they say in Art College, try something new and out of your comfort zone.
Now for the digital art stage! With the photo ready, importing it into Procreate art app to be put through layers of colour and editing. I tend to add separate layers for different areas like for example Skin, eyes, armour, background, added effects and tonal change.
He’s even got a nice scar left by Corax after their clash on Istvaan V, a mark of prowess or shame, who could say?
After the painting stages are done, it’s back to the photo editing with light balance and another filter. We need to make Lorgar look his best, so a really dark and morbid tone should suit his ‘killing smile’.
Finally, I wanted to add one final effect before it goes into its final piece stage. Adding some nebula glow to represent the almost otherworldly aspect to Lorgar’s deep descent into Chaos.
With that done, what’s the message in my art work and what inspired me.
Artwork’s message and meaning
Art is subject and everyone has their take on the subject in question, so don’t let my words be the final judgment on your views.
I wanted the picture to represent Lorgar as the serpent, the smiling demigod who’s pulling the threads of many plans and religious founding during his zealous crusade in the Horus Heresy. I’ve noticed in many official and fan artworks how Lorgar doesn’t smile, despite the fact that he smiles a little bit too much.
Once, he was the runt of the herd whom no one respected or even acknowledged, even to his own brothers of demigods. But after all the events that transpired leading up towards the Heresy, we get to see Lorgar at the height of his power, and his greatest weaknesses open to be exploited by the Chaos Pantheon.
My artwork was set with one goal in mind for my target audience, and that is for them to hate it. Why? Because what your seeing is no mere victim or a misguided demigod seeking the truth, what your seeing is the truth. Chaos corrupts all it touches, even best intentions for good can be set for a pathway to damnation. Lorgar is an example of someone who plays the victim and expects people to see his point of view because he saw the “truth”, how the Emperor is nothing but a false god along with the Imperium that he created.
But that’s his excuse. He knew the cost of his actions when he sent Argal Tal and his chapter into hells gate, he knew what the Heresy would result in, he knew Guilliman would seek his head for the burning of Calth as he was about to play victim to the XIIIth Primarch. He means good intentions, but only to himself, if he ever cared for his sons and the rest of humanity, he would’ve searched deep within himself and be more self assertive. But because he needs to worship something greater than himself, he can never question himself.
Even a demigod like Lorgar can be manipulated by mortals like Erebus and Kor Pharon, who use Lorgar to their own agendas because he cannot see his own faults to know he’s being used. Or are we the reader being fooled? Lorgar for all we know is playing victim to his own sons, letting them think he’s too dependable on others to be guided. But in truth, he’s using them in such a way where he can see what their motives are, who’s really the ally and enemy within.
My artwork in my opinion is about the truth of who we are, not the universal truth. The truth that Lorgar seeks is not the masters we must follow, but it is the actions we make that define our lives and those we affect. Lorgar is so hellbent of finding the truth of real gods to pray and grovel over to because he wants no responsibility for himself. Why be the master of your own destiny when gods can be both a source of power, religious guidance and an excusable diversion for your own sins (blame the gods for my actions).
One day the gods will tire of Lorgar and find a new plaything. On that day he will truly know the meaning of guilt and despair far more crushingly than the burning of Monarchia
Inspiration
My inspirations for this piece as mentioned above are Richard E Grant as an actor/ voice actor I’d imagine would play as Lorgar. imagery of GW IP artwork of Lorgar and fan artwork of Lorgar.
For reading inspiration from Black Library includes Gav Thorpe for Lorgar’s Primarch book, Anthony Reynolds for The Purge and Scion of the Storm and ADB for The First Heretic, Betrayer and short stories relating to Lorgar.
Finally, artist inspirations are Francis Bacon, Neil Roberts and Paul Dainton.
That is all for today. I hope you have enjoyed this post, and if your have any suggestions on which Primarch I should do next, post a comment in this post on who you’d like to nominate for me to ruin.
Until next time,
-Bjorn
The Tidal Leviathan 