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Ivan Kosiakov

@grimdark_archive

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ARCHIVE // ACTIVE
Transmission established.
Recovered files are available for public observation.
Further records pending...
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Whenever you’re starting something, do it with a bang. @grimdark_archive came out of nowhere, and his brutal, disturbing, and mysterious “archives” models are painted as if they were from secret laboratory facilities or ancient and can’t be mistaken with anyone else. This artist focuses on giving his models a believable gore effect, an eerie mystery, and a brilliant narrative. His models are painted with attention to every detail; the rusty, worn armor looks incredible, but the way he paints the skin is exceptional. The multi-layered, cold purple-pink on the models from Archive No. 004 and 006 are downright mesmerizing. The situation is reversed in the case of the Bile Guardian and Archive No. 001, where the gore practically oozes. His Cinematic reels combine everything into one coherent whole, creating mysterious, credible recordings as if from old cameras. Make sure to check his page out and drop him a follow as well! 💀 Ex Tenebris Artium 💀 #minipainter #miniaturepainters #conclavepainter #conclavespotlight #conclaveobscura by @grimdark_archive
39
16 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.012 THE FORM OF THE END DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: Examination began once a partial reconstruction was stable. No single anatomy could be established. Structures recur at different scales. Several limbs terminate within adjacent tissue, while others continue into portions absent from every surviving frame. Cross-reference produced one match: the Traveller. Features previously dismissed as incidental deformities recur in the same proportions across earlier manifestations. The smaller forms may have been constrained expressions of the same entity. More troubling was the reconstruction itself. Measurements taken from one anatomical landmark could not be reconciled with those taken from another. Perspective correction increased the discrepancy. The visible body may represent only the portion that could be [21 WORDS UNRECOVERABLE] within the observed environment. Repeated modelling produced the same inversion: the subject was not entering the recorded space. The recorded space was [8 WORDS UNRECOVERABLE]. Documentation will conti... YOᑌ ᗩᔕK TᕼE ᗯᖇOᑎG ᑫᑌEᔕTIOᑎᔕ. NOTES: This piece started as my HOTF2 submission and became one of my more experimental Archive projects. It was my first time deliberately building a heatmap across a large flesh-heavy miniature: Reikland Fleshshade as the midtone, Carroburg Crimson for warmer areas and Coelia Greenshade for colder ones, reinforced later with Villainy Ink enamels. I covered most of the skin with a Green Stuff World PVA layer, peeling it away around selected wounds and stretching UHU across them for torn membrane and connective tissue. UV resin was used for the mouth fluid and eyes, with dry pigment mixed into the resin. For the base, I wanted the ground to look pulled from the sea beneath the subject, with the surrounding water moving inward. The background extends the same distortion beyond the piece. ——— Entry for "Horrors of the Flesh 2" Contest by @conclave_obscura Miniature by @bestiarum.games Concept art by @darsula Sculpt by @theartofrao Enamels by @villainy_ink & @grimdark_compendium #hotf2026 #grimdark #grimdarkarchive #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
42
7 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.012 THE FORM OF THE END RECOVERED COASTAL FOOTAGE: Reports recovered from settlements along the same stretch of coast were initially filed as unrelated. Fishermen described abnormal movement of the sea despite no corresponding change in weather or tide. Others reported newly exposed ground beyond the shoreline, though no shoal or landmass had previously been recorded at the location. The reports disagreed on almost every other detail. They agreed on the direction of the water. It was moving toward the same point. Subsequent depth measurements taken within the affected area produced incompatible results from repeated positions. No corresponding displacement of the seabed could be established. The surviving recordings are similarly inconsistent. In several, the water appears to move toward the exposed ground from opposing directions. Others contain brief interruptions in the horizon whose apparent distance changes between consecutive frames without corresponding movement of the recording device. A circular structure is visible above the disturbance in multiple recovered sequences. No surviving witness reported seeing it. Attempts to align the recovered sequences produced a partial composite. Several anatomical structures recur across recordings taken from positions that cannot be reconciled. Reconstruction suggests that the central mass was not located upon the exposed ground, but [RECOVERY ERROR: 19 WORDS LOST] the surrounding water. No individual source contains the subject in its entirety. Full documentation pending reconstruction. Music: “Descent” by Scott Buckley #grimdark #grimdarkarchive #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy #cosmichorror #darkfantasy by @grimdark_archive
14
8 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.011 THE PROCESSION OF THE PILGRIM DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: Continued observation confirmed that the figures had not reached the ruins as a single group. They arrived separately, approaching from different directions and at irregular intervals, yet each followed the same route upon entering the site. Over time, the arrivals gathered around a female clerical figure stationed beside the road. She carried a broad ceremonial vessel containing a thick crimson substance. Each pilgrim approached her in turn and received a portion from the vessel. Once the group had assembled, the cleric moved among them, raising a hand above each bowed figure in what appeared to be a formal blessing. No prayer or verbal command was recorded. Several subjects retained bells, books and other objects associated with religious observance. Severe physical deformation was present throughout the group, though none appeared uncertain of the route ahead. Following the final blessing, the gathered pilgrims departed together. The cleric remained at the ruins. The procession continued beyond the limits of the original observation site. Surveillance has been extended along the suspected route. Observation remains ongoing. NOTE: Dreadwatch Frontier by @bestiarum.games was a set I wanted to use almost immediately after printing it. Its broken stonework and weathered forms gave the scene exactly the kind of bleak, forgotten atmosphere I wanted, somewhere between a ruined sanctuary and a place that has been abandoned for far too long. For the figures, I wanted the Grove Parishioners to read as a slow religious procession. The Chalice Matron was painted apart from them, with a paler, colder presence and stronger reds, so she would feel less like another pilgrim and more like a fixed milestone along their path. I also continued experimenting with practical fog and lighting, using the low haze to visually bind the figures into one scene. ——— Miniatures by @bestiarum.games Concept art by @darsula Enamels by @villainy_ink & @grimdark_compendium #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy #grimdarkarchive by @grimdark_archive
14
13 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.011 THE PROCESSION OF THE PILGRIM RECOVERED ROADSIDE FOOTAGE: The ruins had been considered abandoned. Observation began after movement was reported along the old road shortly before nightfall. The first figure emerged through the fog carrying what appeared to be a religious vessel. It showed severe physical deformation, but continued towards the ruins without hesitation. A second figure appeared several minutes later. Then a third. None responded to the presence of the observation team. No settlement, camp or gathering point had been identified nearby. More figures continued to arrive as visibility deteriorated. By the time recording was suspended, none had been observed leaving by the road they entered from. The destination of the procession could not be established. Full documentation coming soon. Music: “Incantation” by @musoscientific #grimdark #grimdarkarchive #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
6
14 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.010 THE RETURN OF THE FORGOTTEN DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: In the hours following activation, the first isolated forms were joined by a continuous stream of Progenitors. They did not emerge in disorder. Smaller creatures spread into the surrounding ground while larger forms remained near the Vertebral Gate. The Cerebrant continued operating the mechanisms at its base as the passage remained open. Sekhaton once gathered around the site as pilgrims now moved alongside the returned Progenitors. Excavations began around nearby ruins and buried structures. Similar activity was soon reported farther north. The Progenitors were not entering an unknown world. They were returning to one they still recognised. Observation was terminated when the number of emerging forms made continued surveillance impossible. By the time the last record was recovered, the site could no longer be considered an isolated manifestation. Something forgotten had returned to southern Akhaemia. And it had already begun to spread. Observation concluded. NOTE: This is the 10th ARCHIVE, and I wanted to make this one a little more special. For the past week I have been working on this diorama as a single complete scene with it's own story. The portal was probably the most experimental part. I wanted it to feel less like an ordinary magical gateway and more like a heavy organic mass, using layered PVA+UHU and UV resin to build the surface and the membranes around the creatures still emerging from it. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who has joined me through these first ten records. Seeing more people follow, comment, share ideas and become part of the ARCHIVE has meant a lot. Ten entries in, and this still feels like the beginning. There are much deeper parts of the collection left to uncover. ——— Miniatures by @bestiarum.games Concept art by @darsula Progenitor Cerebrant sculpted by @theartofrao Progenitor Pursuers sculpted by @akshay.moran Vertebral Gate sculpted by @cbasttianp Enamels by @villainy_ink & @grimdark_compendium #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
32
21 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.010 THE RETURN OF THE FORGOTTEN DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: The site had long been regarded as a sacred ancestral structure by the local Sekhaton. Recent observation suggests this assumption was incorrect. The central figure, identified as a Progenitor Cerebrant, approached the formation without hesitation and activated two control systems positioned at its feet. Moments later, the vertebral structure responded in full. What had been mistaken for a relic or place of worship revealed itself to be a functioning mechanism. Following activation, a dark passage formed within the structure. Its surface appeared as a dense, black biomass, thick enough to hold its own shape while shifting slowly across the opening. Light moved across it without revealing any visible depth beyond the surface. From it, the first Progenitor forms began to emerge. This event is not considered an isolated manifestation. Current evidence suggests the return of something far older, not merely a creature, but the first movement of a forgotten age. Observation ongoing. Music: “The Summoning” by @musoscientific #grimdark #grimdarkarchive #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
12
22 days ago
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ARCHIVE No.009 THE LAW OF IRON DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: The subject has been identified during several engagements beyond recognised coastal routes. Across recorded engagements, the same pattern appears. Initial artillery strikes disable steering and exposed rigging, followed by concentrated fire against weapon positions. No ranging shots were documented. Surviving accounts describe a female Cannoneer remaining beside the vessel's heaviest weapon, personally directing its loading, ammunition supply and firing sequence. Several human attendants were recorded moving between the lower deck and gun position. Examination of one recovered body revealed extensive old wounds and a restraint chain anchored directly into the spinal column. It remains unclear whether this arrangement is limited to the artillery crews. NOTES: For this piece I wanted to continue the visual language of Archive 008, keeping the same dark, salt-worn metal palette but pushing the corrosion further. I again started with Vallejo Metal Color 77.703 Dark Aluminium and Pro Acryl S24 Matt Cexwish Dark Bronze, but this time used much more Vallejo Pigment FX to roughen the surfaces and build heavier corrosion. I applied several layers of AK Interactive AK046 Light Rust Wash instead of a single pass, then finished with a restrained drybrush of Citadel Iron Warriors to recover only the sharpest edges. The Cannoneer felt too isolated as a standalone sculpt, so I added Faded by @bestiarum.games and connected the figures with a chain. I wanted the scene to feel less like a single character study and more like functioning grimdark artillery, where efficiency, control and human suffering belong to the same system. For the base, I built the structure from cork, covered it with AK Muddy Ground, added shallow water with UV Resin, and finished it with GSW Grass Flock 2-3 mm to break up the mud. ——— Miniatures by @bestiarum.games Concept art by @darsula Sculpt by @theartofrao Painted with @citadel_paints, @akinteractive.official & @proacryl Enamels by @villainy_ink & @grimdark_compendium #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
12
a month ago
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ARCHIVE No.009 THE LAW OF IRON RECOVERED GUN-DECK FOOTAGE: The subject remained at the heavy artillery position throughout the engagement. While the surrounding crew moved repeatedly between stations, she did not leave the weapon once. A secondary figure was observed retrieving loose roundshot and returning it directly to the gun. Later examination identified the figure as human, with surviving features and facial structure suggesting origin from the Eastern Continent. Extensive wounds were visible across the body. The chain entered directly through the upper back, with its anchor point believed to be secured against the spine. Each delivery allowed the subject to reload without abandoning her position. When the carrier collapsed, the chain was pulled until movement resumed. No verbal order was recorded. The cannon continued firing. Full documentation coming soon. #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
8
a month ago
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ARCHIVE No.008 THE BURDEN OF THE DEEP DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: The subject has been documented repeatedly aboard the same ironclad vessel. Though initial reports focused on his extensive mechanical augmentation, continued observation suggests his importance lies equally in the authority he holds aboard it. He oversees labour, repairs and discipline with the same severity, and has repeatedly been observed descending beneath the waterline to perform maintenance directly against the hull. Each return was made without visible distress. No clear boundary could be established between flesh, armour and apparatus, and several components appear integrated deeply enough that removal would likely prove fatal. His presence has since been confirmed along routes extending far beyond ordinary navigational limits. Observation remains ongoing. NOTES: For the metalwork, I wanted something dark, heavy and visibly worn by salt, moisture and constant use rather than clean steel. The main tones were built with Vallejo Metal Color 77.703 Dark Aluminium and Pro Acryl S24 Matt Cexwish Dark Bronze, with Vallejo Pigment FX added selectively to break up the smooth metallic surface. I then worked AK Interactive AK046 Light Rust Wash into recesses, joints and damaged areas, finishing with a restrained drybrush of Citadel Iron Warriors to bring the edges back without making the armour look polished. For the skin, I deliberately kept the recipe simpler. I started with Citadel Rakarth Flesh, followed by Citadel Carroburg Crimson Shade to push redness into the recesses. Villainy Ink Goons Grime was then applied over the area and reductively removed from raised surfaces with a Q-tip, leaving grime concentrated in the deeper texture. Finally, Villainy Ink Caput Mortuum VI-0011 was used as a unifying pass, pushing the flesh toward a bruised, weather-beaten red-purple tone. ——— Miniature by @bestiarum.games Concept art by @darsula Sculpt by @akshay.moran Painted with @citadel_paints & @akinteractive.official Enamels by @villainy_ink & @grimdark_compendium #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
24
a month ago
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ARCHIVE No.008 THE BURDEN OF THE DEEP RECOVERED DECKSIDE FOOTAGE: The subject was first documented during maintenance below the vessel’s waterline. Despite prolonged exposure to depths considered fatal to an unmodified human, he returned without visible distress. Extensive mechanical augmentation was observed across the torso, limbs and spine. Several components appear consistent with the work of the Technomagi of Allstein, though many have been altered through considerably more practical means. The subject resumed his duties immediately after resurfacing. Further observation suggests he holds authority over both crew and machinery, overseeing repairs, discipline and daily operation with equal attention. His presence has now been confirmed aboard the same vessel across several restricted routes beyond Imperial waters. Direct interception is not advised. Continued observation has been approved. Particular attention is to be given to the origin of his augmentations, the vessel he serves, and the routes by which it repeatedly enters waters believed inaccessible to conventional navigation. Full documentation coming soon. #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
6
a month ago
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ARCHIVE No.007 THE PRISONER OF THE STARS DOCUMENTATION RECOVERED: The subject remains confined within the deepest chamber beneath the Astrologer’s Observatory. Its body is severely degraded and marked by numerous unattributable wounds, yet its influence remains undiminished. Despite negligible movement, it continues directing nearby mirrors and scrying pools toward unreachable regions of the void. The chamber’s instruments produced no meaningful results until aligned with the subject’s line of sight. Once positioned, the surfaces began displaying star-fields absent from all recorded celestial charts. Further study suggests the entity is using the chamber to continue its search. The purpose of that search remains unknown. NOTES: Like most of my recent projects, this one turned into another experiment, mostly because I was initially very unhappy with the first finished result and ended up reworking the miniature directly on top of itself. The biggest change was adding the chain to the arm. I used Green Stuff for the first time and worked it around the chain so it looked as if the restraint had been embedded deep into the flesh rather than simply attached to it. After repainting that section, the uneven Green Stuff texture created some interesting surfaces, so I pushed it further and turned the whole area into an open wound, using inspiration from @pictornox’s peeling necrotic flesh technique. I had planned a similar treatment on the back, but the area under the cloak was too awkward to work evenly. After removing most of it, a few rough fragments remained, and those ended up working perfectly as small pustular details inside the wound. To finish the piece, I reworked the cloak using tissue paper, PVA glue and AK Muddy Ground, then lightly drybrushed it with Zandri Dust to give it that brittle, dust-caked look. ——— Miniature by @bestiarum.games Concept art by @darsula Sculpt by @edgar.santanna Painted with @citadel_paints & @akinteractive.official Enamels by @villainy_ink & @grimdark_compendium #grimdark #grimdarkpainting #miniaturepainting #bestiarum #horrorfantasy by @grimdark_archive
24
a month ago
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