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Very nice gs work. One question is what are you using as the base? for your green stuff works. (the thing with the arms torso and lasguns stuck in it.

looks like blu-tac to me

It is. As a matter of fact my steel legion trooper is held together by the stuff

Here are some comparison photos showing a Cadian built using almost identical components to the one which I am making into a steel legion trooper, then there is my Steel legion trooper, and finally a metal Steel legion trooper.

The pictures are deliberately stripped of colour to make the comparison easier, although there is a final shot with colour for those interested.






Here is the colour photo.



I was surprised to see the differences, the first difference between the Cadian and my trooper is the bulkiness that the shoulderpads and helmet give the Cadian, followed closely by an illusion of height difference (Cadian looks slightly taller), however even when measured they are virtually the same height. The second more obvious difference is 2mm difference when compared to the Metal Legionnaire, if I am going to use them together I will need to make sure the scenery on the bases boosts the Metal Legionnaires by a couple of millimetres to fool the eye.

Although the boots remain to be done, as does the final gloved hand, I am pleased with the result, and have begun work on my own sculpted helmet, soon to be followed by a complete head. While the first layer of greenstuff dries on the helmet, I have also put the basecoat of greenstuff down on the right foot. Hopefully more pictures tomorrow showing progress.

Oh lastly I found a wonderful rolled up blanket, which comes attached to the Cadian backpacks from Forgeworld, which I will be using instead of the metal one.

Sir, I am sickened by your patience and skills. Kudos!

I really liked the folding stock. If you do use it on all the models, I think it would be cool to have a couple of them folded up. Kinda like how they always show the skorpion in any game ever with the stock folded up, so people tend to thing that is actually part of the gun (i mean like not something attached to the back. I know its "part of the gun")

The only thing i like better about the metal model is the boots look cooler to me. A little skinnier and taller. I bet if you extended the boots up a little taller, and maybe even trimmed them down a bit it would look pretty cool. It could even give it more of a "pants tucked into tight boots" look.

Love the work, just posting to say I actually prefer your scratch build to the stock metal model. The extra height from the Cadian base makes it look much sturdier and a bit more imposing. Looking at your list its good you don't have too many actual infantry, I can't imagine the time it would take to make a full army from these guys. Godspeed though, looks great!

@ xcom85 : The folding stock is one of my favorite bits, but won't be used till one of the later models. I need to make a die so I can reproduce it quickly and accurately.

As I had commented earlier, I worked on the boots last night and made a small addition, just on the knee a small skull, the idea came from the illustration of the steel legion in the 4e Imperial Guard Codex. Now one boot is almost finished I am pleased with the look.

Here is a picture from the 4e IG codex: -


@ Captain Fabulous : Thank you, If this all goes well, I hope to have a fair number of them eventually.

very nice work here, when are you planning on finishing the army? 2022? no just kidding.

do you have any other conversions planned yet, for example heavy weapons, tanks?

-Develain

I do indeed have other conversions planned, Heavy weapons, tank and ordanance crew, command squad, medic, standard bearer, etc.

After an unproductive morning I finally managed to catch up on some more sculpting ...

1. Heads

A] Interesting head from the Baneblade sprue, with some minor sculpting it would serve well as a trooper without helmet and as such becomes head number 3 on my list.
B] An old head I was working on for a potential deathkorp project, which can back to my attention, currently head number 2 on the "heads to do list".
C & D] Freshly sculpted helmet shape on its second layer of greenstuff, the lip around the base of the helmet needs extending and minor modification for the front, then an eagle needs to be placed on the front also, this will then be cut off, moulded and cast to serve as my master helmet for future cadian sized heads. On a minor note, in image C the gap from helmet to head on the side seems wide merely due to the lack of an ear, when I checked its the same size as the other side.

2. Boots

a] Right hand boot completed, with new skull as mentioned in previous post.
b] Side shot demonstrating heel now cut into sole of boot, where there was none previously, and the extension of the sole to surround the back of the heel, which is faithful to the original metal steel legionnaires.
c] Rear of the boot showing seam/zip line leading down to the aforementioned sole extension surrounding the heel.
d] Wasted Greenstuff (and who doesn't mix to much) is being used to pad legs for the next Leg sets in the Leg list. Rather than waste GreenStuff its often worth using it to prepare for future work as padding and hole filling is often required (especially for clothes).

3. Shoulder

The shoulder has been extended with a minor lip, this will serve to hide the point at which the arm joins the body (normally hidden by the huge shoulderpads on a cadian), and it also accentuates the "Coat" aspect somewhat by extending the lapel. The other side remains to be done, but I was pleased with this side so will definitely do it.

4. Blanket & Gloves


Nothing special about these two, just showing the nice detail of the Forgeworld blanket and the fact the other glove has now been done too. Of the original list of things to do only one boot, a shoulder extension and the head remain.

I am hoping to finish off the other boot by the end of tomorrow, as well as the 2nd stage on the helmet and the shoulder, with some preliminary work on either a new arm set or one of the legs.

Just finished the second stage of the helmet, got one last stage to go and adding the aquila on the front.

Flagging a bit now, got the boot and shoulder to do, the boot will take longer and is only the 1st stage of a 3 stage process. I might just go for the shoulder lip as its a one hit wonder and I will be finished with the torso completely then.

Ok, its a monday ... that means work!

I am working for the British Museum today (they are a client of mine) so not much will be happening till last thing tonight.

The shoulder was done last night, and tonight I face the boot, last stage of the helmet and starting work on some new legs. I am considering creating a tutorial when I make the next one, showing the stages and effort involved.

Brilliant! I love homegrown ingenuity. Your work is inspiring, very interesting to watch develop. Are you planning to cast the men in seperate parts? Some alternative poses?

Oh, and how on earth did you do the stock?

Peace.

sA

Your green-fu is strong, and you are investing it in a very cool project!

Wow they look really good, I wish I was as handy with Greenstuff as you.

DAMN. Those are going to be super kick ass.

This is a fantastic project. I can't wait to see more.

Very cool.

Glad to see this log over here too, it's shaping up really nicely!

Cheers,

Dante

Current update : Took some pictures to show current progress as an assembled trooper. Realised it won't be long now before I am ready to work on the second one.









To answer an earlier question, the stock was done with a pair of needle nose pliers and huge amounts of patience over the course of an hour.

First layer of second boot done now, two more layers to go, Lapel on second shoulder extended not happy though and might cut it off and redo, Aquila added to front of helmet with GS.

Still need to get skull embedded on boot, need to tidy the lip on the helmet.

Pics tomorrow morning after all the GS hardens, if I get time before work.

On an interesting note, as I was working at the British Museum today, I had time to go to Warren Street and visit Tiranti's a casting, moulding and sculpture shop, where I picked up a couple more Wax Carver #5, my sculpting tool of choice (and favored by many sculptors) I also collected some Silicon rubber so I have sufficient for the casting.

Amazing work!

Just be careful not to add a second S to your models, or they'll be illegal to take to Germany ^_-

Just be careful not to add a second S to your models, or they'll be illegal to take to Germany ^_-

Haha yeah miught cause some trouble , i think they look great, better than the originals by all means !

From a guy with a steel legion army: love the conversion.

This mornings pics: -
The picture of the head needs to be clarified, it is not destined to be an open faced head, it is merely the framework for me to make the helmet on. Once the helmet is made and cast, it will be cut off the head and become the "master helmet" for the next generation of work where i work on different gas masks and different goggles.

Going to be working on the last boot, and fix the shoulder tonight. Now I have looked at the helmet with Aquila ... I am satisfied and will attempt to cast the helmet later this week.

SWEEEEET!!!!

Just finished tonights sculpting...

Got the remaining boot second stage completed including the skull just below the knee, I need to thicken up a few places on the boot top, add a seam, and add the heel protector.


Extended the shoulder on the torso to the level I wanted it, so the torso is now complete I think.


Started a second pair of legs and got the rough shape of the coat onto them, this will be cut and trimmed back next time, but I wanted to get most of the "padding" on.



But for now I am going to bed

Schweet! I like this more and more. I should log-off and go sculpt!

Indeed you should .. go sculpt something and show me !

Ok a bit of a change this morning, first of our regular update mainly regarding the tidied, but still at least two more stages to go second leg set.







Just because I wanted to see one of the heads I am thinking about framed on a body ...



And in the next post a change from our regular Steel Legion stuff ...