Ferrus Manus,
Primarch of the Iron Hands

Showcase Level

This Warhammer Horus Heresy Ferrus Manus, Primarch of the Iron Hands, was painted to showcase level, with a focus on dark armour, rich metallics, warm skin tones, and the distinctive chrome arms that make the model instantly recognisable. As one of our earliest showcase-level commissions, this project pushed us to refine a lot of techniques, from masking and metallic effects to skin, colour balance, and scenic basing.

Client instructions

The client wanted Ferrus Manus painted as the lore and artwork describe him: powerful, brutal, controlled, and unmistakably the Primarch of the Iron Hands. The metal arms were especially important, so we spent time testing how to make them stand apart from the rest of the armour. The client was very happy with the chrome effect we achieved, but this project had an unusual journey. This client commissioned a lot of work from us, and there was almost a year between start and finish because they wanted us to work on other things halfway through.