Made some progress today, no time to take pictures yet.
I've browsed through my bitzbox for parts to use on the base and had an idea looking at one part of the hull of a stompa. So I chopped up the stompa and now I have a nice peace of background that will be telling a story that sprang to my mind at the look of it. The only problem with it is, that I'll have to rethink the positioning of Samarianne and Hope and I was actually quite happy with that so far.
I've also decided not to use the eldar power fist, thank you anyway neil. I'm going to either convert the eylsian power fist or scratchbuild one, not sure yet.
I'm almost sure what weapon it will be for her other hand too, I made some sketches for the design and apart from not being sure whether to make it a pistol or a rifle I'm quite happy with it. The design is a John Blanche/Sam Wood rip-off, so it has to be good.
More revealing news and further pictures tomorrow.
I might release another piece of fluff tonight, not sure yet.
@Dark starabre fair point mate ;-) though i am still in two minds as to the huge staff , i think it draws too much attention from her .
@Jackanory qoute "re. The oxygen tank. This guy's really not been looking after himself these last few years. He's got more important things on his mind! "
mmm. now i am intrigued to as what ?
@Vit , cheers , the bastion kit is good value for money i think . then again , alot of gw stuff is good value if your a kitbasher
@JRN eargerly await your creation matey
@Baiyuan sounds like you have been busy mate. if you change your mind about the fist let me know , although i have struggled to locate it yet . look forward to your update too mate.
I see the point on the staff - the Daemonette alternate standard, isn't it? Doesn't help that the DE bint is so very small and thin to start with.
Trying to rack my brain to see if there's an alternate source of smaller Slaaneshi icons on sticks anywhere - so far all I can think of is Daemonette standards - the new plastic Dark Elf standards (which might have been suitable with tweaking) all have banners sculpted on....
neil101 wrote:@Dark starabre fair point mate ;-) though i am still in two minds as to the huge staff , i think it draws too much attention from her .
@Jackanory qoute "re. The oxygen tank. This guy's really not been looking after himself these last few years. He's got more important things on his mind! "
mmm. now i am intrigued to as what ?
@neil101 - The collar is also straight from the necromancer kit! Wish I could sculpt to the standard of the GW guys though Glad you like the gun! Looking forward to seeing your head swap.
@DarkStarSabre - Hehehe, I'm glad you're intrigued! It's basically a pile of component parts at the moment though - hopefully it will all be a little clearer as she shapes up
@Jackanory - Thank you! Some of the kit may not end up on her in the end, I'm just playing with concepts at the mo. Wish I'd thought of your trinket-stick to be honest!
@Vitruvian - No techniques that you won't already know, I'm afraid! Grey stuff takes a file really well, and can hold an edge better than green. Some of the really sharp lines are actually sliced with a hobby knife once the putty has set a little.
Hey mates, got the flu. Made some progress anyway, little bit of dying is not going to stop me from being creative. Not in the mood for long posts and uploading pictures though, so hang on a little.
If I feel better tomorrow I'll give you a proper update.
So long, Papa is waiting for me...
JRN wrote:@ Jackanory, neil101, and Cadaver: Great starts gentlemen. The skull-face on a female body always works wonders. The staff of the ex-necromancer looks promising already, and the daemonette-conversion using the DE-sorcerer looks great already!
+1 !
Great start!
Automatically Appended Next Post: I've decided that my sorcerer will be the arch nemesis of Ducthess Agnes, from my Divine Light Project. A Darkness Incarnate of some hopefully surprising result...
Migs is in! Looking forward to see what you get up to, and I'm going to echo the question on your choice - another elf sorceress? The necromancer table still has plenty of spaces...
Here's another vague, hinty update. My character isn't named yet, but she's based off the "purge" scenario from the Necromunda Arbitrator Scenarios - anyone played it before?
Hope you like, and I'll get some assembled pics together once my last few parts arrive.
My God you guys have been busy... beautiful work and great fluff! Just got my box today... now... in the evening... study for midterms and homework...? Or start working on my entry...
LOL... this is too hard. Watching this thread boom with round-table responses, dammit, the answer is too easy... though I'm not sure I want to pay for the consequences for following through. *shrug* I might just have to NOT sleep tonight.
The last changes on the shotgun look a tiny bit crude Scarp, the rest of your progress is sweet. I'd suggest replacing the trigger guard (is that a word? ykwim) with one from plastic card and maybe sanding the stock a little. Idk maybe you were planning to do that anyway.
I've started! Thanks to a super glue malfunction. I was building something else, got my superglue out to find it no longer works WTF?!
I've started de-chaosifying the armour and trying to work out the best place to turn the robe into a coat. I also need to decide to use the sorcerers head or change it for another. I'll ponder some more....and pursue my collection of heads.
Scarper - cool bionics.
HF Izanagi - decisions decisions.
migsula - I'm pretty sure the legion will have a use for the left overs.
JRN wrote:@ Jackanory, neil101, and Cadaver: Great starts gentlemen. The skull-face on a female body always works wonders. The staff of the ex-necromancer looks promising already, and the daemonette-conversion using the DE-sorcerer looks great already!
+1 !
Great start!
Automatically Appended Next Post: I've decided that my sorcerer will be the arch nemesis of Ducthess Agnes, from my Divine Light Project. A Darkness Incarnate of some hopefully surprising result...
This is WIP of Agnes:
love this piece! one think: there is something on the front hair looks strange....maybe it's only the photo....
I think she has a clip/comb separating the fringe from the rest of the hair, at least thats how i see it. The division between green and grey also makes it harder to discern as well, but thats nothing to do with the model.
So I picked up mine and dived to work. Should I have read the rules? The model is unrecognizable now. I kinda lost it, it was just so much fun. Off to read the rules
Automatically Appended Next Post: I read the rules and my model is kosher.
I went through this entire triumph of the hobby for a thread and a thought for a follow up occurred. When the models are done, we should each continue to do a warband of four!! One of each models. That would truly show the individual creativity and style and make each project very comparable.
@Migs: Most of us had follow-up plans before this one even started, I certainly did. I'm in for any such thing.
Neil might be right though, not all characters might go well with three more companions of a certain style. But we could just make four characters who are all linked by their history. They could be adversaries, that would be just as cool as one warband and it makes different styles easier to integrate.
About my progress: I'm feeling a bit better, but I haven't fully recovered yet, so my productivity is somewhat hampered, but I managed to spend a couple of hours on the project.
I worked on Hope because I really want to get it done before I delve into the conversion of Samarianne. The problem is, that I'm having a very specific picture in my head of how I want it to look and I haven't found the way to make it real yet. But I think I'm on a good way.
Samarianne is still more or less unchanged, I have played with loadouts and poses, but haven't started converting her. Instead I have started making sketches of all the armor I will sculpt onto her body. I'm happy with the design for her legs and arms, but the torso and face will take some more time.
And just because there isn't much to show you yet, a little teaser:
Migs - I've thoroughly enjoyed the thread so far too. It seems strange to think it got to about page 9 before any actual modelling happened. I glad you're enjoying it too.
As for your suggestion good idea, though I'm not sure about the warband of four part. Both sorcerer models I've bought so far will be characters in my new Inquisitor's Warband. I've already got this warband pictured in my head and don't want to move away from that idea. I'm also drawing a blank on the necromancer and dark elf....(I'm not sure I can be trusted not to steal JRN's ideas for them, the servo skull collector is just perfect).
So I'm game for a continuation and those invited can participate over the next three models as they see fit and have inclination to do so.
Baiyuan - Dude that lady has bingo wings. Also if that wall behind her is her base I think you've convinced me to let you go above 40mm
Yes Peter, that's going to be the base, but I'm not done yet, it will hopefully tell a story once it's completed.
About the arm, it will look perfect once the rest of her body is armored too, no worries. It's also the crude assembly, the angle and the dark shadows that make it pop out.
LOL... I believe Vit was actually talking about mine... as friends, definitely no. As enemies... quite possibly, although I've already started fleshing them out. I might have to delve farther into the story past the current predicament... caravan under seige...
I started conversions yesterday, but was stopped dead in my tracks with several developments...
1) The legs of my art are much shorter than the wizard's.. the proportions are pretty off... not impossible... but it'll take some time to think about it before I set my knife on the most important components of that kit.
2) The sidemost claw-digits of his legs are integral with the base. What. The. . It puts a slight damper on my work, but I'm not sure how much of the original feet will actually be left/visible after my sculpting sessions.
3) Have to entice the younger cousin who has my conversion bits for "trade/theft" over with some spanish tapas and wine... hopefully he actually brings my stuff instead of just going after my bait.
Pictures coming tomorrow, as I'll finally have my home computer back.
It is often restrictions and apparent "drawing a blank" moments that when conquered provide the best minis (or most other innovations our race has to offer) Scarity and given parameters add focus and or force you to be even more creative to stand apart.
I'm nearly done with my conversion. It's proving to be one of my personal favorites. Being part of a group effort always helps and adds an aura too, but also I picked such ill-fitting upper body that I had to really go town converting it to a coherent, well proportioned whole. I think it's now a very different volume for an =I= and sits very well between the other inquisitors I've done and the large scale Legionnaires. I'm certainly doing the spin-off later and would be great to have some of you guys join - but enough of that, now is now.
I'm going on a business trip to states on monday and will be away for a week. But pics when I'm back and going to keep checking this thread.
Lol, you've nearly finished! Ive yet to start Granted its because im about to go on holiday but still...
I really want to start as well, so hard to resist. Santobell on Panic's thread directed me to a good online retailer for LEDs so that bit of the project looks like its going to go ahead.
What do we think though, should i have green, red or just plain white LEDs inside the sorceress's vat? Im leaning towards green atm as it will (imo) contrast better with the planned red armour but im open to suggestions.
Baiyuan wrote:The claws shouldn't be a problem, I saw it on mine and I think it's fairly easy to sculpt new ones.
The length of the legs is a matter of taste, why shouldn't it have longer legs, grasshopper style.
True. I'm assuming that's where the original inspiration came from- might have to do a redraw just to see how it'll work, as the lengths will change the pose dramatically. Try that in the current one, and I have a feeling it's extremely unnatural. (moreso than a 6ft bug walking around in armor and hunting rogue human elements 10k years in the future)
jackanory wrote:It's a cool idea to have the 4 together as one warband but my guy's going to be part of my scavvies...
(another little reveal there!)
LOL... dammit. Let's see some action, buddy! I'm looking forward to this scavvy addition!
Migsula wrote:It is often restrictions and apparent "drawing a blank" moments that when conquered provide the best minis (or most other innovations our race has to offer) Scarity and given parameters add focus and or force you to be even more creative to stand apart.
I'm nearly done with my conversion...
True, when discussing this with my bro during/before my formal invitation, I came to the conclusion that "effort-grade" minis often become some of my best work. It'll be tough, really push everything that I'm capable of right now, but after killing myself over it... IT. WILL. BE. EPIC.
... and what the hell...? Almost finished? My guy's just barely got off his sprue!! I can't wait to see it!
And where, by the way, will you be in the US? If it's your first time, welcome. If you've been here before, welcome back!
VitruvianXII wrote:I really want to start as well, so hard to resist. Santobell on Panic's thread directed me to a good online retailer for LEDs so that bit of the project looks like its going to go ahead.
What do we think though, should i have green, red or just plain white LEDs inside the sorceress's vat? Im leaning towards green atm as it will (imo) contrast better with the planned red armour but im open to suggestions.
Not sure- I actually like the contrast going between the green and red in your concepts. However, if you think that might be too cliche (don't know how to do the accent aigu en francais... you suck, work computer) then you might want to go with blue...? This seems vaguely familiar, bro... I'm supposed to say something at this point... oh yea..
DODGE SKILL... ENGAGE!!!
LOL, but seriously, if you're not going to tint the water, go with green. If you are, clear. How's that?
Aye up conversion compadres Glad to see this thread still boyuant with enthusiasm. Personally havent manged to get anything done since my last conversion blitz life getting busy and i just found La Noire , so i have been ever so slightly distracted today I have done some fluff though , but it needs a good edit before i can post it up.
@Baiyuan glad to hear the your over the worst of papa nurgles afflictions, you should now be imune to pain Samarianne has a nice base matey , i think the arm looks a little big , but depending on what eles she has it could work. the angle is not best for judging though.
@scarper great start mate , Head choice is good , very authoritarian , female prison warden type. the hair looks like its in a bun which is a nice touch ( although i am pretty sure its just the angle ) found the scenario you mentioned http://files.sigil.biz/data/o_arbitrator_scenarios.pdf thats a pretty cool game type , i feel like she would be after my poor lilith some nice pics in that pdf too.
@Vitruvian , i think green lights are very 40k . but if you could pull off white that would impress
@Hf Izanagi , sorry your having converting headaches mate, we all knew this was gonna be a trickky build , but thats the challange right iam sure you will overcome it and triumph with an improved version to boot look forward to the pics so i can grasp better whats exatcly the problem .
@Migsula , I think character thing was always going to tempt me , especially knowing Baiyuan was doing it too , i was actually thinking of making my inquisitor and primaris psyker from these and the tzentch guy would make an easy deamonette for Lilitu's coven of lilin. just dont like the thought of paying another £36 pound on three miniatures tbh. . I could buy a lovely box of escher and a boy of dryads for that so unless i win the lotto Cant believe you have nearly finished the build already at that rate you could have it primed in tha taxi on the way to the airport , basecoated in the departure lounge , washes whilst boarding and highlights in situ, sealing coat as you taxi for arrival in JFK look forward to seeing the arch enemy of Agnes before you fly
@ Jackanory and PDH hope your conversions are going well too guys
My opinion would be clear. Tinting the water too much, or installing colored LEDs (unless you know how to dim them) would both make it impossible to appreciate your paintjob. So I say clear LED and the water if tinted only the slightest bit, any color you want to achieve should come from the paintjob. With an LED in the tank if you paint the inside green, it will all look greenish, hopefully without distorting other colors too much.
Couldn't find pictures with examples which weren't offending because they were made by some perv, but you know what I mean. I always liked the color of the breathable liquid from The Abyss. Alien 4 the clones in the tanks, pretty close to actual prep bodies.
The whole day without any plans and I didn't have more than 30min for the hobby... Peter told me not to complain about it, but moving sisters are annoying, period.
Anyway, I worked on Hope a little and I think I found another piece of the puzzle.
Also I looked at female torsos from the hagashin and warrior boxes and decided, that I'm not going there. The armor on them looks nice, but there waists are so thin to make them work with all the legs and positions, it would simply ruin the amazingly anatomicly correct sculpt of the sorceress. There was a short moment when I considered taking the easy route, but that's beneath me. I'll keep as much details of the original as possible without compromising my design goals.
Sundays are work-days for me, but I hope I'll be able to start sculpting tomorrow.
@Baiyuan - Fantastic. Wouldn't have ever expected you to take an easy route if the results were worse, but doesn't mean it's not tempting! Her base is looking really interesting - is that a real, solid base, or have you photoshopped those parts together? It's hard to tell with your teasing image edits Glad to hear you're feeling better!
You were dead on with the shotgun crudity, though it's still v. WIP. I've smoothed it out now, and ditched that trigger guard. I always figured I would probably have to cannibalise another weapon or make it out of plasticard, but I just wanted to show a vague idea of what I was going for. Photos will follow when I'm ready with it now
@PDH - Thanks! The main parts of it were from a trade - it's a WH spear arm, maybe grave guard? Should be pretty unrecognisable now!
@neil101 - Well found! That's the scenario I meant, but you couldn't actually be further wrong about her role in it Lilith would have no problem dispatching her either, I reckon! My fault for posting such rubbish pictures though - hopefully this will be a little more enlightening!
In case anyone didn't read Neil's link, the Purge is a Necromunda scenario involving multiple gangs paid by a guilder to form two parallel lines and close from both sides on areas of the hive believed to house undesirables, receiving a fee for any kills they make. Enemies in the scenario are randomly determined, but can be local wildlife, ratskins, chaos covens, scavvy mutants and all kinds of other outlaws or critters. My model falls into the 'mutant' category.
Obviously, she's still at a very, very early stage and all the sculpting is at bare bones 'getting the shapes' level, but hopefully you can see what I'll be going for now! The walkway will be fleshed out with a complete railing at both sides, and I'll be going to town on it with rust pigments . It's hard to tell from the photo, but she is leaning very heavily on her bionic, and I'm hoping I can hint at a wound with a subtle blood drop or two on the walkway behind her. The bulge on her forehead below the fringe is a tumourous growth - looks a little clearer from other angles.
I've also reposted the fluff I wrote below, in case anyone missed it. The action itself takes place a little after this little narrative, and hopefully I can write some more later.
Spoiler:
The sound of gunfire and Curen’s scream woke her with a start. Frantic, she scrabbled for her relic blade, finding no sign of it. She grabbed a rifle beside her, swinging left and right before she’d even taken in where she was. Her blood pumped fire, anger and fear a haze on her vision. She had to protect them! Curen was dead. She knew that. But as she struggled into wakefulness, she could not remember how that information related to her. Curen had been dead a long time. Baby was with her, too. She - she could not correlate that with where she was. Animal gave her a quizzical look, head cocked to the side. He chirruped, startled – she had kicked him as she jumped to her feet. He moved between her legs, seeking forgiveness for whatever his wrong had been. Her eye colours told her nothing, arm magics whirred to no threat. The walls of the watchtower came back to her, her mind slowly returning to the world where she resided. A dream. Nothing more. She felt sadness. She had lost them again.
The memories came at night. Confused, detached, garbled. She had been given a task, once. Important, secret. They had spent many evenings hiding. Curen had been with her, as well as another female, one she recognised as close, but for whom she could draw no name. There had been more, in the before, other friends and faces, but they had been whittled down, one by one. In the old time, Curen and the other had been all that was left. They had been fighting, a fight that they could not afford to lose, and Curen spoke often of death for a cause. What they were doing was important, but she could not remember why.
Her smile, though, the smile of the other, unknown female, snagged at the edge of her memory. It bore some special meaning, one exclusively for her. She had understood, but that slid away from her, even as she fought it – As every morning, her comprehension retreated, meaning receding and the strings that held the images together twisting and breaking, one by one. A truth once known was once again out of her reach. It was infuriating, and brought with it an aching and incomprehensible feeling of emptiness. A feeling of loss. All of her dreams ended in fire.
She scratched Animal’s ear, murmured platitudes. She was sorry that she had kicked him. She remembered now. Guard for the others, her new friends; remain awake and watchful for the bad men. She had failed. Slept. Baby cried now, woken by her night screams. She was sorry for this too, but she must fix her first failing before her second. She scanned the borderlands, eye colours searching deep into the forbidden territory, where her own eye could not see. Farl had explained to her how important her task was, and she mustn’t fail her friends. Not again.
I realise it could be viewed as a little shmaltzy, but I liked the idea, and felt like I should at least try to up my game sculpting-wise when I'm among such Dakka giants. Hope you like her too, and please please let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions or ideas.
Hope everyone who's going away has a great time, and looking forward to more progress from everyone else
Scarper, that model looks great! Any chance we could get a shot of what's going on with the face? I think the hair is well done, and will paint up fine. The arm I was about to say was off in proportions, (popeye forearm) but I think it's goin to be cybernetic in nature, correct? In that case, nevermind, and the wires coming in and out are looking great, even unpainted. I'm not sure what the other hand is supposed to be, perhaps an explanation and I'll see it? Or more definition?
Finally, where'd the base come from?? I like it!
Overall, a really good mini conversion. I'm amazed at what people are doing with that Necromancer model!
The navigator walked down a stark metal corridor, situated on the frigates central deck. The regularly spaced, pale yellow, light from the glow globes illuminated the lonely robed figures. He walked with his hood down, revealing a pale thin face with a black band tied round his forehead. His movements were carefully timed to the throb of the ships power generators coming online. He smiled, knowing Captain Kerrn had ordered the tech priests to start the rituals of awakening. The navigator arrived at a bare metal door, with low gothic numbers stencilled onto the surface. He tapped a code into the numeric pad and the door slowly opened. As the door moved on well oiled tracks, his gloved hands drew his hood up over his head; he knew it was time to hide.
Stepping through the door, out of the maintenance corridor, the ship’s navigator looked up at the ornately detailed, high ceilinged, main corridor, bass reliefs of historic navel victories and radiant commanders, long forgotten, stood watch. This area of the frigate was for visiting dignitaries, so Captain Kerrn had lodged the Inquisitor and his retinue there, twenty two months ago. The navigator could have gone to the Inquisitor’s chambers, as he often did, via the service tunnels; but today he did not have the time to deactivate the sentry guns and other security measures, encircling the Inquisitor’s domain.
Moving past various junctions on his journey to the centre of the ship he walked along the vaulted ostentatious corridor. A work crew saw him coming; his dark blue robes embroidered with constellations, was well known and avoided. The crew stood back against the wall, heads bowed. He knew this was not out of respect but fear, all the crew had heard legends and tales of the navigator mutation. Moving towards them he realised they were a cleanup crew and he took three steps past them before stopping. Looking further down the passage he asked “Crewmen, what are you cleaning from these halls?”
B-blood sire, the visitors have been wounded. W-w-we started outside the teleportarium.”
The navigator nodded and continued walking, hitching up his robe. Through a relatively large quantity of spilled blood trailing towards the Inquisitor’s rooms, already smeared with boot and more interestingly drag marks. The blood was obviously free flowing from grievous wounds, maybe Captain Kerrn was wrong about his master’s condition, though the navigator doubted it.
Following the blood trail to the end of the corridor the navigator stopped at a large wooden double door, taken from the forest world Rodne, stained with fresh blood. Three skulls on a recessed mantle above the arched framed stared down at him. He lifted the large brass knocker, in the image of a saint, and knocked three times. He took a step back and looked up at the vid coders mounted above the door, he even smiled under his hood, though this would have gone unseen by those monitoring him. The central skull above the door hummed into life, a red glow filtered from the lenses, where its eyes would have once been. The skull lifted from the recessed mantle, a plasma pistol incorporated into its neck joint began to charge with a hum. When the pistol had finished charging the skull hovered down to eye level and scanned the navigator’s features. The door opened with a hiss of hydraulics and they entered, the gun skull hovering directly behind the lone man waiting a signal to release its molten charge.
Postponed reading Peter's fluff to a quiet moment.
@Scarper: Great! The best part about it is that it doesn't depict a badass kickass something something, but a fragile human being of some sorts. I told you how much I like that more realistic and sensitive mood in a model about one of your scavengers, this one hits the same sweet spot. I'm going to love it. So no worries about upping your game, even if your modelling or painting might not be the peak of performance we will see here (neither is mine), the scarperness your project already has, is enough to reserve it a special place at least in my ranking.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Oh right, I made some more progress today, mainly in my sisters kitchen, but I also had an hour for modelling. I decided against some of my preferred weapon layouts and I'm going for a different thing now.
Apart from a few appointments I'm having the next week off, so I'm going to push the project in the next few days.
And about the base, no photoshop, that's more or less how it looks so far, not final of course, there will be some additions.
I'm hopefully back to the thread. I've been busy this last week with life and building a model for a friends birthday (finished it with 24hrs to spare ).
As for my own contribution I'm planning on making the most of this week before I'm away next weekend. So far I've made a long list of things I need to do to the model, mainly so I don't forget any of my ideas. I think I should have some progress shots for you by the end of the week.
Vitruvian XVII - Hope you're having a good holiday (if you managed to sneak online and check dakka out). Hope you had a good holiday (if you didn't).
I can see the conundrum of resin, LEDs. As long as you can turn the LED off I don't think it matters what colour you use. That way you can show us the true colour and with it lit up. Personally I think a pale pink LED might work colour wise.
Baiyuan - Now I know I usually defend you sister but how big is her house? I can understand maybe helping her out once or twice to move in but its been weeks? As always looking forward to when you can show us something.
HF Izanagi - I wouldn't worry about the proportions....it's an alien so it can look odd and get away with it. I was annoyed when I realised part of the feet were the base....but its only a couple of toes. Besides with the plans you've got surely a couple of toes really should be the least of your worries.
migs - Safe journey and good luck. Oh and good luck with the site seeing too.
Scarper - First thing I noticed.....cool bionic eye. Am I thinking right....the staff will become a walkway railing, If so billiant idea!? She really does look like she is stuggling to walk and she isn't even finished.
PDH wrote: Vitruvian XVII - As long as you can turn the LED off I don't think it matters what colour you use. That way you can show us the true colour and with it lit up.
Baiyuan - Now I know I usually defend you sister but how big is her house? I can understand maybe helping her out once or twice to move in but its been weeks? As always looking forward to when you can show us something.
It's just a 68m² flat, but first we had to get all the crap out of it and then a few weeks later get most of it and lots of new stuff back in.
About me showing new stuff, I don't have much to show yet, even when I get to modelling the progress is painfully slow. The problem is I'm changing plans by the minute, because it's not easy to find a harmonious composition between the base and both miniatures. I thought I had it yesterday but today I realized it ruined the most essential idea behind my scene, the intimacy.
Right now it looks like I'm going to ditch any power fist plans and just go for an empty hand, it looks less badass, but helps transporting the message.
I'm going back to my workshop after eating, so maybe there will be a new WIP tonight.
Scarper - Am I thinking right....the staff will become a walkway railing, If so billiant idea!? She really does look like she is stuggling to walk and she isn't even finished.
That's how I understood it and yes it's ingenious,
@PDH - Great fluff! I actually wrote a similar sequence (the hidden path around to a secret meeting place while turning off all sentry weapons) by a member of the mechanicum going to a secret Inq conclave... that was to be part two of our Inquisimunda story... perhaps... perhaps you guys will be able to see it sometime in the future! It was very reminiscient and thorougly enjoyed this segment- now keep mopping blood, peon scumbags!!
And yes, the toes don't bother me all that much. Just the surprise of it, moreso than anything else.
Bad news is that I didn't get anything done on my guy, and no pics. Good news is, I spent what time I had (and NOT at the office or project site) doing my HW, so most of it is done. TONIGHT. TONIGHT will be for hobby... and nothing is going to get in my way.
also found some other cool blogs
the Fantastic http://www.tearsofenvy.com/ the designer of balnches website , so many cool links and such a talented artist .
Neil - The cliff hanger ending....just seemed the right point to end it. Next time round you'll get to meet the Inquisitors retinue....or at least the surviving members.
Damn your links!!!! I've done nothing but draw a line on a plastic robe tonight because of those fantastic links!
Spoiler:
ACE!!!! I should spoiler this but it's too ACE to be hidden.....did I say it was ACE!!!!!!! (edit it was spoiling the thread lol)
HF Izanagi - Cheers. Well I hope to find out how one turns off sentry guns at some point.
Baiyuan - I could have done without Cindy! So is you sister fully installed now?
Oddest thing I've seen all week!...so far (No where near as classy as Neil's links)
Neil and Baiyuan, I could kiss the both of you for those links! I had been looking for the Blanche website about a week ago, but unfortunately, it has been down for some time so I was super excited to see it again. That tumblr page is phenomenal! I cannot say how much I love John Blanche's work. When I first got into the 40k universe it was so weird and unlike anything else I'd seen and I just remember looking over the pictures in the books and codexes for hours, just studying all the little details. Today's 40k artwork, while technically more precise, just doesn't inspire like Blanche's work does. I think looking over those pictures may be inspiration enough to go for Migsula's idea to do a warband of four. Although, I need to get this one finished first before thinking of the next project!
So, no updates for me and I'm just getting caught up on the thread as I was out of town for a wedding all weekend. However, I did get my vestigial arms in, so progress should resume shortly!
Good morning, gentlemen, and thank you for waiting! I came, I saw, I hobbied. FINALLY!!
When I first set out, I thought that I wasn't using enough of the miniature. Originally, it would have been legs, half the torso... and that's it. So, rather than trying to justify it, I'm actually challenging myself to utilize most of the model, including the head and arms. I don't know how well that's going to go.
Other components include parts of my dormant Tyranid army- a ripper and parts of my destroyed trygon kit for wing bones.
Please note that this is EXTREMELY WIP, but I'm still pretty pleased with the results... so without further ado, the pics and observations.
This is really wrong.
Bear with me... I have... an idea!
Basic GS work on the thorax. Originally, I was a little hesitant to cover the spiracles (breathing holes, or holes, period) found near the tails of the Tyranid bodies, but I think I'll be cutting this down a bit to add an "open" section, then GSing the holes myself.
Yea... take a look at the original concept art... unfortunately, I'm an impetuous idiot who doesn't look before he leaps... and cut the wrong leg. It's the RIGHT leg that had to be cut and folded in...
But... I'm not one to stop... or buy another model just for that. I'll be mirroring the pose, hopefully with some success!
And finally, the body with the "test" mantis head. Still not sold... it looks a bit small to me. Might have to beef it up more. And there'll definitely be work on the chest-plate to make it more futuristic and less... demon-face-mad-dogging-on-my-chest.
Your thoughts/critiques? And should I keep the lamellar-style leg armor? Or should I file/GS it over with something more organic?
I actually never was such a huge fan of John Blanche to begin with, but his style is definitely unique and very inspiring and the longer I looked at his work the more I got appreciate it. Todays artworks are mainly that, artworks to depict a product sold by GW and not artworks made to elaborate the artists vision of the dark future.
My favorite warhammer artist of all time is Adrian Smith. That picture of Damien 1427 on Ol'Sparky has been my wallpaper for years.
@PDH - Really atmospheric! It's easy to forget the terror that most people would have for psykers in the 41st millenium. I imagine rumours of what they were capable of would quickly elevate them to monsters in most people's minds.
I think my favourite bit is the servo skull, though I'm not sure why. I think it might be the completely natural way you've described it, as though it were nothing unusual. Reverent, vaguely macarbre and deadly: Seems completely fitting in the gothic horror of the 40k setting. Great stuff
@Neil and Baiyuan - Thanks so much for the links! So much for studying tonight, you bastards
@Remi - The carapace on the ripper is a fantastic match with the sorceror armour - really nice pairing! Though how you came up with the 'positioning' of the ripper model is not an area I would like to delve into He looks really great so far, though, really original and alien. The long legs work really well IMO: I get the vibe he is fast, and would probably have quite the leap on him if threatened - perfect for the 'stalker' of your fluff! I would stick with the leg armour as it is if I were you, as it seems to match his biology quite well. Reminds me of human plate armour that would mirror the musculature (or idealised musculature, at least!) of the user underneath. Ace!
And on the comments on my WiP - first of all, thanks so much to everyone!
@Remi - Thanks so much for the kind words! The right arm is indeed cybernetic - it's made up of the rearranged bones of a grave guard arm, some grey stuff, and a fair bit of copper wire. She's resting weight heavily on the railing. I'll get a better angle for you, and a shot of her face, once I've made enough progress to get another pic up The other arm might be a bit hard to discern, as most of it doesn't exist yet! I'm still waiting for some parts in the mail. The object she's cradling will be revealed in my next update, as I've been working on sculpting it a little better today - my proportions were terrible before. The base is some 'futuristic decking' from Antenociti's workshop. Awesome stuff, but you get the tiniest amount for your money, which was a shame considering how good value most of his plasticard is! Thanks so much for the interest.
@DarkStarSabre - Thanks a lot! I'm really impressed with how varied everyone's visions have been - amazing what throwing a challenge at a community as creative as Dakka produces...
@Migs - Thank you so much, that's a massive compliment! Hope your trip goes well, and looking forward to your anti-=I=
@Baiyuan - Honestly, thank you so much. I never really know what to say to your compliments, and I can't really imagine something I would rather hear someone say about my models. I seem to have developed kind of an affinity for the 'cannon fodder'-type throw away victims in the 40k universe, so it seemed like something that would be really interesting to portray. I hope it keeps up to your expectations, and thanks again!
@PDH - Well spotted, I made it using your instructions from way back when on the scavvy thread! The spear shaft will indeed end up as a walkway railing - thanks for the kind words!
Last bit for today: Sculpting folds in clothes. I have come to the conclusion that is not actually possible, and all the people who have done it in the past have done so through some kind of evil faustian pact. Does anyone have any tips? Or maybe a link to a tutorial or something? I'm coming up blank, and considering punching a window with the amount of free sculpting space I need to fill on her back I know a few of the guys on here have done so in the past with great results, so I'd love any suggestions at all.
Keep the WiPs coming, guys. This has quickly become my favourite Dakka thread of all time!
Fell asleep before posting and now there is some stingy alien freak...
Good work HF. I like that you try to use as much as possible of the original miniature, because I'm trying to do the same. The mixup with the legs shouldn't be a big problem, so he makes a step with his other leg, so what. The armor on the legs is fine, maybe add some hints to his alien origin later, like a strange holster or some symbol or icon dangling from his belt and the armor will blend in nicely.
I'm looking forward to see progress on the head, that might prove to be the hardest part imo.
Scarper wrote:@Remi - The carapace on the ripper is a fantastic match with the sorceror armour - really nice pairing! Though how you came up with the 'positioning' of the ripper model is not an area I would like to delve into He looks really great so far, though, really original and alien. The long legs work really well IMO: I get the vibe he is fast, and would probably have quite the leap on him if threatened - perfect for the 'stalker' of your fluff! I would stick with the leg armour as it is if I were you, as it seems to match his biology quite well. Reminds me of human plate armour that would mirror the musculature (or idealised musculature, at least!) of the user underneath. Ace!
Thanks! I... don't honestly know where the idea to use it came from. It was last night, and I was digging around my Tyranid bits graveyard... and pulled out 2 genestealer heads... and a ripper. I thought having a 'stealer head for an ass was pretty bad... but then the ripper kinda stood out as a perfect thorax minus its tail... I stood around for about 5 minutes wondering if I should have showed that pic or not... but that's where it came from... so I had to do it.
Scarper wrote:
@Remi - Thanks so much for the kind words! The right arm is indeed cybernetic - it's made up of the rearranged bones of a grave guard arm, some grey stuff, and a fair bit of copper wire. She's resting weight heavily on the railing. I'll get a better angle for you, and a shot of her face, once I've made enough progress to get another pic up
The other arm might be a bit hard to discern, as most of it doesn't exist yet! I'm still waiting for some parts in the mail. The object she's cradling will be revealed in my next update, as I've been working on sculpting it a little better today - my proportions were terrible before. The base is some 'futuristic decking' from Antenociti's workshop. Awesome stuff, but you get the tiniest amount for your money, which was a shame considering how good value most of his plasticard is! Thanks so much for the interest.
No prob- that's an amazing sculpt- the head and scope eye is looking great (hence, I wanna see more). And looking forward to the little bundle the model is carrying... I'm seeing it come together, but it's like a house being built- come one day, see the skeleton coming up, come back a few weeks (in Japan) / months (in US) and you see the entire picture and it all comes together. Definitely want more.
And about sculpting folds... ah geez... I don't even know where to start. My 1K sons weakness is definitely the cloth. But you've got an advantage of your model having prebuilt folds to follow and beef up, if desired. First thing, invest in Royal Sovereign colour shapers (small size, not Harry Potter-sized wands like I did the first time). They help shape very easily, and are well worth the 30-35 USD or equivalent if you do a lot of GS work. Second, if you sculpt in a relatively open area, models are a godsend: draping cloth over materials (or even people) if you have them, take a picture, and go off that. It'll be a bit more believable and gives you something to work with instead of just doing it from your head.
Baiyuan wrote: Fell asleep before posting and now there is some stingy alien freak...
Good work HF. I like that you try to use as much as possible of the original miniature, because I'm trying to do the same. The mixup with the legs shouldn't be a big problem, so he makes a step with his other leg, so what. The armor on the legs is fine, maybe add some hints to his alien origin later, like a strange holster or some symbol or icon dangling from his belt and the armor will blend in nicely.
I'm looking forward to see progress on the head, that might prove to be the hardest part imo.
LOL... thanks. Stinger was put on post pictures, but I'm glad you got the whole cockroach-under-the-sink effect from it.
And yea, I figured the same- the pose isn't dramatically changed aside from direction. I'm thinking of what I could add as a holster- something alien as in funnel-like organic? Or hyperfuturistic? Definitely will add and shave off a bit of the armor's spike trim (the inlaid "chaos" nubs) As for guns, I went through the entire thread and saw that wonderful collection of plasticard/GS weapons you put up... I might have to borrow there.
As for the head, yea... I'm not pleased with that portion. I notice that a mantis' head is wider, in proportion to its body. That's why I hate it, it's too small at this point. I'll be beefing it up tonight, and hopefully not go to the size of some sport mascot head...
And I unfortunately realized this morning that I have yet to comment on YOUR work- my apologies. So far, I'm most impressed with the base and face of the miniature. They link together, but not yet the body. I'm almost certain you have a plan though, so I'm not worried, just waiting for the end masterpiece. The base looks wild though, almost a mini-diorama to hold the characters in-story. As to the arm, I was wondering if you'd solved the problem- as she is undarmored, underdressed, and pretty lithe, the chunkyness of the armor really does contrast (length was pretty good). Have you thought about taking a file or sandpaper and painstakingly shaving down areas. (currently using this method to shave down Mawloc antennae thingys down so they fit his thin look)
For tonight (yes, TONIGHT... I refuse to do anymore work until I get more play in... it's been too long and I was losing my mind), I plan to use GS and filing to "angle" the chest forward into a crouch. If I had planned (which I don't) or at least thought about it before pinning and gluing his ripper-ass (which I didn't), then I would have used a longer wire and bent it forward.
... no longer an option, so tonight, chest piece work and detailing of the current body. (thorax)
Thanks again, gentlemen. I have to agree w/ Scarper. I find myself searching this one first before checking my own blog...
All looking great so far guys, really gutted i cant start on mine, im champing at the bit to get going. No time for individual commenting, so a "keep it up everyone!" will have to suffice.
HF Izanagi . Thank you. That has got me started and I'm gonna pull my finger out. Hmmm at least its a finger not a ripper! The first image made me laugh... Great idea and it looks great used in that way (once you got rid of the face). His bug eyes look good too. You've got the pose from your sketch right too. Very good start and looking forward to a clearer head shot.
HF Nicely trimmed finger nails too...you should be a hand model
Scarper - Thank you. I'm glad you got the mundane-nous of servo skull. I'm glad my walkways came in useful for someone else, look forward to seeing the finished product to see if I can steal any ideas for the painting stage. I really cannot be bothered to paint them at the moment.
Vitruvian XVII - Have you turned lobster pink yet? If so take a pic to give HF some inspiration for painting his alien
PDH wrote:HF Izanagi . Thank you. That has got me started and I'm gonna pull my finger out. Hmmm at least its a finger not a ripper! The first image made me laugh... Great idea and it looks great used in that way (once you got rid of the face). His bug eyes look good too. You've got the pose from your sketch right too. Very good start and looking forward to a clearer head shot.
HF Nicely trimmed finger nails too...you should be a hand model
LOL... what?? Well... it's no ripper, but y'know... with long fingernails... might as well be...?
My thoughts tacking it together:
Remi wrote: *looking at both pieces* Oh man... this is so wrong... *looking at both pieces together* Yep. Still pretty in' wrong. Ah hell... we gonna do this or not? *reaches for superglue*
And as to being a hand model... hmm... it was my dream as a child... Notice in most pics, I hide my ring finger...? I decided to go stupid one summer working at our family's restaurant- throwing up cabbage and chopping them in half mid-air with a chinese cleaver. Guess what happens when you pull your throwing hand away too slowly...
No no no... I still have every digit and joint... that's just disgusting, and shame on you for thinking it.
I was fast, but not fast enough, and now I've got an eye-shaped scar on the tip now... ruining my dreams forever.
Thanks though! Appreciate it! (er, model critique and for noticing my... hands...)
And Vit- can't wait to see your work going! Come back soon! And red as a primary color... hmm... perhaps?
Haha, PDH, I actually meant the eye! You did a mini tutorial, way back when, while working on the zombie prodder I think. I've used it on about 4 models since then, so cheers!
Also, Vit, you're on holiday! No internetting! D:<
scarper wrote:In case anyone didn't read Neil's link, the Purge is a Necromunda scenario involving multiple gangs paid by a guilder to form two parallel lines and close from both sides on areas of the hive believed to house undesirables, receiving a fee for any kills they make. Enemies in the scenario are randomly determined, but can be local wildlife, ratskins, chaos covens, scavvy mutants and all kinds of other outlaws or critters. My model falls into the 'mutant' category.
Obviously, she's still at a very, very early stage and all the sculpting is at bare bones 'getting the shapes' level, but hopefully you can see what I'll be going for now! The walkway will be fleshed out with a complete railing at both sides, and I'll be going to town on it with rust pigments . It's hard to tell from the photo, but she is leaning very heavily on her bionic, and I'm hoping I can hint at a wound with a subtle blood drop or two on the walkway behind her. The bulge on her forehead below the fringe is a tumourous growth - looks a little clearer from other angles.
I've also reposted the fluff I wrote below, in case anyone missed it. The action itself takes place a little after this little narrative, and hopefully I can write some more later.
Spoiler:
The sound of gunfire and Curen’s scream woke her with a start. Frantic, she scrabbled for her relic blade, finding no sign of it. She grabbed a rifle beside her, swinging left and right before she’d even taken in where she was. Her blood pumped fire, anger and fear a haze on her vision. She had to protect them! Curen was dead. She knew that. But as she struggled into wakefulness, she could not remember how that information related to her. Curen had been dead a long time. Baby was with her, too. She - she could not correlate that with where she was. Animal gave her a quizzical look, head cocked to the side. He chirruped, startled – she had kicked him as she jumped to her feet. He moved between her legs, seeking forgiveness for whatever his wrong had been. Her eye colours told her nothing, arm magics whirred to no threat. The walls of the watchtower came back to her, her mind slowly returning to the world where she resided. A dream. Nothing more. She felt sadness. She had lost them again.
The memories came at night. Confused, detached, garbled. She had been given a task, once. Important, secret. They had spent many evenings hiding. Curen had been with her, as well as another female, one she recognised as close, but for whom she could draw no name. There had been more, in the before, other friends and faces, but they had been whittled down, one by one. In the old time, Curen and the other had been all that was left. They had been fighting, a fight that they could not afford to lose, and Curen spoke often of death for a cause. What they were doing was important, but she could not remember why.
Her smile, though, the smile of the other, unknown female, snagged at the edge of her memory. It bore some special meaning, one exclusively for her. She had understood, but that slid away from her, even as she fought it – As every morning, her comprehension retreated, meaning receding and the strings that held the images together twisting and breaking, one by one. A truth once known was once again out of her reach. It was infuriating, and brought with it an aching and incomprehensible feeling of emptiness. A feeling of loss. All of her dreams ended in fire.
She scratched Animal’s ear, murmured platitudes. She was sorry that she had kicked him. She remembered now. Guard for the others, her new friends; remain awake and watchful for the bad men. She had failed. Slept. Baby cried now, woken by her night screams. She was sorry for this too, but she must fix her first failing before her second. She scanned the borderlands, eye colours searching deep into the forbidden territory, where her own eye could not see. Farl had explained to her how important her task was, and she mustn’t fail her friends. Not again.
I realise it could be viewed as a little shmaltzy, but I liked the idea, and felt like I should at least try to up my game sculpting-wise when I'm among such Dakka giants. Hope you like her too, and please please let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions or ideas.
Hope everyone who's going away has a great time, and looking forward to more progress from everyone else
It looks great Scarper, love the pose, just screams frailty and insecurity. You really get into the heads of the general citizenry, into the heart of the 40k universe!
migsula wrote:Everything looks and sounds great! @Scarper, very nice start. I love the pose and mood of the model already.
I only have the shoulder pads to finish, but heading to sack and then airport first thing in the morning, so pics to wait a week.
Have fun in the US! (Or not, if you're on work.. )
PDH wrote:Some awesome fluff.......
Spoiler:
The navigator walked down a stark metal corridor, situated on the frigates central deck. The regularly spaced, pale yellow, light from the glow globes illuminated the lonely robed figures. He walked with his hood down, revealing a pale thin face with a black band tied round his forehead. His movements were carefully timed to the throb of the ships power generators coming online. He smiled, knowing Captain Kerrn had ordered the tech priests to start the rituals of awakening. The navigator arrived at a bare metal door, with low gothic numbers stencilled onto the surface. He tapped a code into the numeric pad and the door slowly opened. As the door moved on well oiled tracks, his gloved hands drew his hood up over his head; he knew it was time to hide.
Stepping through the door, out of the maintenance corridor, the ship’s navigator looked up at the ornately detailed, high ceilinged, main corridor, bass reliefs of historic navel victories and radiant commanders, long forgotten, stood watch. This area of the frigate was for visiting dignitaries, so Captain Kerrn had lodged the Inquisitor and his retinue there, twenty two months ago. The navigator could have gone to the Inquisitor’s chambers, as he often did, via the service tunnels; but today he did not have the time to deactivate the sentry guns and other security measures, encircling the Inquisitor’s domain.
Moving past various junctions on his journey to the centre of the ship he walked along the vaulted ostentatious corridor. A work crew saw him coming; his dark blue robes embroidered with constellations, was well known and avoided. The crew stood back against the wall, heads bowed. He knew this was not out of respect but fear, all the crew had heard legends and tales of the navigator mutation. Moving towards them he realised they were a cleanup crew and he took three steps past them before stopping. Looking further down the passage he asked “Crewmen, what are you cleaning from these halls?”
B-blood sire, the visitors have been wounded. W-w-we started outside the teleportarium.”
The navigator nodded and continued walking, hitching up his robe. Through a relatively large quantity of spilled blood trailing towards the Inquisitor’s rooms, already smeared with boot and more interestingly drag marks. The blood was obviously free flowing from grievous wounds, maybe Captain Kerrn was wrong about his master’s condition, though the navigator doubted it.
Following the blood trail to the end of the corridor the navigator stopped at a large wooden double door, taken from the forest world Rodne, stained with fresh blood. Three skulls on a recessed mantle above the arched framed stared down at him. He lifted the large brass knocker, in the image of a saint, and knocked three times. He took a step back and looked up at the vid coders mounted above the door, he even smiled under his hood, though this would have gone unseen by those monitoring him. The central skull above the door hummed into life, a red glow filtered from the lenses, where its eyes would have once been. The skull lifted from the recessed mantle, a plasma pistol incorporated into its neck joint began to charge with a hum. When the pistol had finished charging the skull hovered down to eye level and scanned the navigator’s features. The door opened with a hiss of hydraulics and they entered, the gun skull hovering directly behind the lone man waiting a signal to release its molten charge.
Great fluff Peter, very interested to see what happens next!
PDH wrote:I'm hopefully back to the thread. I've been busy this last week with life and building a model for a friends birthday (finished it with 24hrs to spare ).
As for my own contribution I'm planning on making the most of this week before I'm away next weekend. So far I've made a long list of things I need to do to the model, mainly so I don't forget any of my ideas. I think I should have some progress shots for you by the end of the week.
Vitruvian XVII - Hope you're having a good holiday (if you managed to sneak online and check dakka out). Hope you had a good holiday (if you didn't).
I can see the conundrum of resin, LEDs. As long as you can turn the LED off I don't think it matters what colour you use. That way you can show us the true colour and with it lit up. Personally I think a pale pink LED might work colour wise.
Peter
Yeah, you might be right there. If i can get my electrical skills up to scratch, i may put in a couple of white LEDs, for viewing the wizard, and a green one for atmosphere, that can be alternately switched on/off.
Baiyuan wrote:
PDH wrote: Vitruvian XVII - As long as you can turn the LED off I don't think it matters what colour you use. That way you can show us the true colour and with it lit up.
Is it wrong that that is exactly what popped into my head when Peter said that
HF Izanagi wrote:Good morning, gentlemen, and thank you for waiting! I came, I saw, I hobbied. FINALLY!!
When I first set out, I thought that I wasn't using enough of the miniature. Originally, it would have been legs, half the torso... and that's it. So, rather than trying to justify it, I'm actually challenging myself to utilize most of the model, including the head and arms. I don't know how well that's going to go.
Other components include parts of my dormant Tyranid army- a ripper and parts of my destroyed trygon kit for wing bones.
Please note that this is EXTREMELY WIP, but I'm still pretty pleased with the results... so without further ado, the pics and observations.
This is really wrong.
Spoiler:
Bear with me... I have... an idea!
Spoiler:
Basic GS work on the thorax. Originally, I was a little hesitant to cover the spiracles (breathing holes, or holes, period) found near the tails of the Tyranid bodies, but I think I'll be cutting this down a bit to add an "open" section, then GSing the holes myself.
Spoiler:
Yea... take a look at the original concept art... unfortunately, I'm an impetuous idiot who doesn't look before he leaps... and cut the wrong leg. It's the RIGHT leg that had to be cut and folded in...
Spoiler:
But... I'm not one to stop... or buy another model just for that. I'll be mirroring the pose, hopefully with some success!
Spoiler:
And finally, the body with the "test" mantis head. Still not sold... it looks a bit small to me. Might have to beef it up more. And there'll definitely be work on the chest-plate to make it more futuristic and less... demon-face-mad-dogging-on-my-chest.
Spoiler:
Your thoughts/critiques? And should I keep the lamellar-style leg armor? Or should I file/GS it over with something more organic?
Thanks for stopping by!
-Remi
Remi, you dirty bugger...
Lol, its a great idea, and meshes perfectly with both the insect theme of the alien and the segmented armour. The leg armour should look fine, especially with the chaos "spikes" removed. Could be cool to experiment with some wacky insect colours on the armour.
I think the head looks alright, obviously a bit on the small side atm. I'd really like to see you embrace the alien aspect on the head, branch away from the Terran insect copy you've got going on now. Though, the current one does look cool.
PDH wrote:HF Izanagi . Thank you. That has got me started and I'm gonna pull my finger out. Hmmm at least its a finger not a ripper! The first image made me laugh... Great idea and it looks great used in that way (once you got rid of the face). His bug eyes look good too. You've got the pose from your sketch right too. Very good start and looking forward to a clearer head shot.
HF Nicely trimmed finger nails too...you should be a hand model
Scarper - Thank you. I'm glad you got the mundane-nous of servo skull. I'm glad my walkways came in useful for someone else, look forward to seeing the finished product to see if I can steal any ideas for the painting stage. I really cannot be bothered to paint them at the moment.
Vitruvian XVII - Have you turned lobster pink yet? If so take a pic to give HF some inspiration for painting his alien
Uggh! Yeah i did kind of burn on the first day in the sun (ie. yesterday), i'd forgotten how long it had been since i lost my brown tan.Bit sore now
HF Izanagi wrote:
PDH wrote:HF Izanagi . Thank you. That has got me started and I'm gonna pull my finger out. Hmmm at least its a finger not a ripper! The first image made me laugh... Great idea and it looks great used in that way (once you got rid of the face). His bug eyes look good too. You've got the pose from your sketch right too. Very good start and looking forward to a clearer head shot.
HF Nicely trimmed finger nails too...you should be a hand model
LOL... what?? Well... it's no ripper, but y'know... with long fingernails... might as well be...?
My thoughts tacking it together:
Remi wrote: *looking at both pieces* Oh man... this is so wrong... *looking at both pieces together* Yep. Still pretty in' wrong. Ah hell... we gonna do this or not? *reaches for superglue*
And as to being a hand model... hmm... it was my dream as a child... Notice in most pics, I hide my ring finger...? I decided to go stupid one summer working at our family's restaurant- throwing up cabbage and chopping them in half mid-air with a chinese cleaver. Guess what happens when you pull your throwing hand away too slowly...
No no no... I still have every digit and joint... that's just disgusting, and shame on you for thinking it.
I was fast, but not fast enough, and now I've got an eye-shaped scar on the tip now... ruining my dreams forever.
Thanks though! Appreciate it! (er, model critique and for noticing my... hands...)
And Vit- can't wait to see your work going! Come back soon! And red as a primary color... hmm... perhaps?
-Remi
Chopping accidents are never fun...
Im eager too! Red may work, although lobster pink would mean your dude had been boiled to death already..
Scarper wrote:Haha, PDH, I actually meant the eye! You did a mini tutorial, way back when, while working on the zombie prodder I think. I've used it on about 4 models since then, so cheers!
Also, Vit, you're on holiday! No internetting! D:<
Sowwy, i had a bit of time to kill, this thread is too exciting to miss for too long!
And with that, i shall melt back into the shadows....
HF - Meat Cleavers + Children = Hospital or a shallow grave
Peter
LOL... no kidding. I know it's probably long past being believable, but I'm actually quite responsible (now... after that). That was me being extremely stupid, and the devil that looks after me let me get knicked to show me who was boss.
For being the kid dashing about on the street, being able to keep/save money to buy swords or handle firearms as a young teen (with proper supervision- thank you 80s America and Philippines/Military Grandpa!, respectively) at a young age... I consider myself blessed and extremely lucky. Never broken any bones despite taking up those kinds of hobbies- breakdancing or thai boxing... I've got me the devil's luck. But in my old age, I know it's running out. I cut like an old woman using my X-acto now, or even cooking for the wife... always away, always towards the table, never when anyone is around... Lol, if the going is slow, I'll pass on another horror story at Fuddruckers (American hamburger place), and how they changed their square shaped tables to round ones with rubber edges for nearly a decade because of me...
I've learned my lesson! Truth!
-Remi
@ Vit- lol, ah sunburn... always fun. We need pics of now and post-peeling, please!
@Vitruvian - Thanks so much! And sticking to the shadows may be a good plan with all that sunburn...
@Remi - You can't tell half a story! I'm really intrigued now... though based on your previous stories there are quite a few images floating around my mind that could account for it. None of them end well
Bit of progress - So the little bundle in my model's left arm turned out to be... a bundle of JOY!
*tumbleweed*
Needs some clean up, but I think I'm pretty happy with her now. Smallest scale sculpting I've ever done - could barely get amounts of GS small enough to make the eyes without mashing them. The guard head is for scale. As you can see, it is smaller than a guard head. There is a hand cradling the baby from the back, which is as large as it's head. Did I mention that it's small? I don't think I'm getting that across quite stongly enough. The smallness, that is. (It's pretty small).
From the back, with cradling hand. This was previous holding a ratskin blunderbuss, and took a fair bit of filing to shape. It's hard to find a GW hand that isn't catachan clown-hand style, though, so it had to be done
Hope you like, and as always, please let me know what you think!
Oooh, and if anyone ever asks you, at gunpoint, to tell them the most difficult thing in the world, it's photographing the face of a 28mm scale baby without a macro lens. Could save your life one day!
@ Izanagi , That is brilliant mate , that body is perfect for the insectoid form. The thorax work is inspeired too mate. its looking very dynamic , i like the direction with the mantis head too .
@Scarper All is clear now matey , i do quite often make mistakes on peoples work, i tend to see what i wanna see i guess . Well now its plainly obvious she is an ogryn kidding
she is great mate , but the bay green stuff work is mighty immpressive , that is very very small you must have great eye sight and great sculpting tools too.
Lots of character as expected from you mate , she tells a story quite clearly
Another holiday for me, another busy day for me...
Not much progress today, but there were some highlights anyway. I found another one of those great compartment organizers from stanley, so I can finally bring even more order into my bitz. I also had a shopping spree on ebay and bitzbarn last night, after finally deciding what armament it's going to be for Samarianne.
She will get a long rifle kind of weapon, which will be like a grim dark reincarnation of an arquebuse:
Spoiler:
The weapon problem being more or less solved and with some neccessary bitz hopefully on their way to me soon I can address the more fundamental areas of the conversion soon.
I'm getting a feeling I'll be the last to finish the conversion, but so what, as we say in German "Gut Ding will Weile haben!" (literally "good thing wants to have/needs a while").
Good afternoon, gentlemen. I've spent the entire day away from the office, so here's my update on my insectile assassin- a bit late.
As I said earlier, I was going to arch his torso forward, and started by shaving the body. The front chest-piece will be almost totally gone... why did I glue it on again?
Lol... he got his back shaved.
I might have to show you guys how much metal is in this miniature, actually... the legs are pinned with L-shaped pieces of wire, the back, as you can see... the ankle... it's ALIVE!!
And... the greenstuff between the wings, meant to mimic the flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called for their legs and wings.
That's it for me for now. Thursday and Friday night will be for school work. Balls.
Anyways, enjoy, and critiques are ALWAYS welcome. Oh yea... NOT pictured- redoing the head. Pics soon. Also ripped off the ankle, as it is only some sort extension, when I wanted to do the tip-toe bounding look.
HF Izanagi- The beginning of the wings look good Just noticed you've added a stinger....nice one.
Looking at the above picture: the abdomen (ripper) and the green stuff needs a little more work (or its just the picture/angle/still WIP). I think you should green stuff another armour/carapace plate on at the top, linking the GS and plastic together better. Also on the right of the abdomen (the cut out section) the GS looks a little rough, I cannot work out what it is meant to represent? Is it filler so you can extend the armour plate?
Baiyuan wrote:Wasn't it completely obvious that it's a baby? It was somehow mentioned in the fluff and pose and shape of the bundle were obvious too...
Doh. Don't get much chance to read the fluff at work whenever a call comes in so guess I missed that. The bundle did have me wondering as people (straaange people) sometimes smuggle things like that.
HF Izanagi- The beginning of the wings look good Just noticed you've added a stinger....nice one.
Looking at the above picture: the abdomen (ripper) and the green stuff needs a little more work (or its just the picture/angle/still WIP). I think you should green stuff another armour/carapace plate on at the top, linking the GS and plastic together better. Also on the right of the abdomen (the cut out section) the GS looks a little rough, I cannot work out what it is meant to represent? Is it filler so you can extend the armour plate?
Peter
edit - just saw the stinger
Afternoon, Peter. I'm sorry for the late reply- been at work out of the office since 7:00AM this morning.
Yea, you point out something very valid. Actually, I have no current plans for that section yet, but another plate to link it as soon as I figure out how much he's arching forward... that sounds pretty good. The right of the abdomen... do you mean the ripper plates? That's just part of the ripper top-helmet plate- it has that wierd 'C' shape on both sides.
We'll see how far I'll go with the sculpting on the backside. I'm actually putting on a Strider-ninja cape/scarf on him to add to the dynamic movement/mystery of the figure...
... who am I kidding... you know i'm gonna do it for the sake of completeness.
Some awesome stuff coming out.
@ Remi: That idea with the ripper is inspired! It's things like that that really make this hobby. As for the head, I think I agree that it's maybe a little too earthly at the moment. I think it needs something to make it say more "alien" and less "insect-man".
@ Scarper: Same to you with the handrail re. being inspired! Such a simple change to change the whole atmosphere of the model! I don't know if you remember me posting a sketch on my skavvy blog of a woman with a pistol and something hidden? But that hidden item was going to be a mutant baby! Great minds, clearly I've nothing to show for the comp yet as I'm still deep in my Malifaux stuff. I chose my crew based on which one looked the coolest and it turns out I happened to choose a guy who can summon a s**t-ton of rats to the table, which I now have to paint. So annoying!
jackanory wrote:Some awesome stuff coming out.
@ Remi: That idea with the ripper is inspired! It's things like that that really make this hobby. As for the head, I think I agree that it's maybe a little too earthly at the moment. I think it needs something to make it say more "alien" and less "insect-man".
@ Scarper: Same to you with the handrail re. being inspired! Such a simple change to change the whole atmosphere of the model! I don't know if you remember me posting a sketch on my skavvy blog of a woman with a pistol and something hidden? But that hidden item was going to be a mutant baby! Great minds, clearly I've nothing to show for the comp yet as I'm still deep in my Malifaux stuff. I chose my crew based on which one looked the coolest and it turns out I happened to choose a guy who can summon a s**t-ton of rats to the table, which I now have to paint. So annoying!
Thanks! Appreciate it! I'll be thinking about it after classes tomorrow (no rest for the wicked... ) on how to do that. It does look crazy bug-man right now, and that'll be on the list next to fix. I want it to look "cool" though, so I'll actually be planning this out to still maintain the insectile feel (which is probably impossible to erase at this point) but bring it out of the earthly realm- head will probably be a major focal point, as will the arms/chest.
@ Scarper- I love the baby! TBH, I totally did not see that coming, but with the fluff... yea... I'm a bit slow. Must have been playing with all those sharp objects and banging my head into walls as a kid. I can't wait to see it painted... that must have been hell to sculpt... probably a bit of head-banging (in frustration) from me if I had to do that... blows my mind, man!
@DarkStarSabre - It's her baby, honest! And easy enough to skim over fluff - nicely guessed, anyway, and thanks for the kind words.
@Baiyuan - Well, I thought so. Nothing wrong with some theatricality though, right? Also, it's really small. Like, smaller than this. Seriously The arquebuse sounds like a good choice of weapon - it'll fit that heady mix of future and medieval well, I reckon. Though I'm expecting some really nice freehand on the stock now after those beautiful examples you posted!
@Remi - Shaping up nicely! It's part of the process, I know, but I always cringe a little when I'm shaving off beautifully sculpted detail to add my own - must have been painful! And I have to say, your flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called is definitely the best flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called I have ever seen sculpted in green stuff. Or the best flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called I've seen sculpted in any medium, for that matter! Really glad you like the baby - the face went through about 3 incarnations, and once I was happy with one of them I realised I'd have to shave it off to reshape the head, as I'd had the proportions wrong. That was a real 'throw the whole lot out of the window' moment! It's just dumb perseverance though - if you do something enough times, eventually you won't balls it up! Thanks so much for the kind words though!
@Jackanory - Thanks a ton, man! There's an image in the back ground section of the necromunda rulebook of a mutant lady with her baby - maybe we were both inspired by the same thing?! I'd love to see your progress with the malifaux stuff - the rats you've already posted look ace
No real progress today - have been pretty busy at work. Can hopefully get something done over the weekend though! I've set aside some time tomorrow for attempting to sculpts folds and cursing the cold and indifferent gods of green stuff. Will let yuou know how it goes!
Scarper wrote:@Jackanory - Thanks a ton, man! There's an image in the back ground section of the necromunda rulebook of a mutant lady with her baby - maybe we were both inspired by the same thing?! I'd love to see your progress with the malifaux stuff - the rats you've already posted look ace
Scarper wrote:@Remi - Shaping up nicely! It's part of the process, I know, but I always cringe a little when I'm shaving off beautifully sculpted detail to add my own - must have been painful! And I have to say, your flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called is definitely the best flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called I have ever seen sculpted in green stuff. Or the best flexible connector-chitin-I-have-no-idea-what-that's-called I've seen sculpted in any medium, for that matter!
Really glad you like the baby - the face went through about 3 incarnations, and once I was happy with one of them I realised I'd have to shave it off to reshape the head, as I'd had the proportions wrong. That was a real 'throw the whole lot out of the window' moment! It's just dumb perseverance though - if you do something enough times, eventually you won't balls it up! Thanks so much for the kind words though!
LOL...Thanks! I'm glad my eloquence is well-appreciated.
I just imagine how tiny that baby is for 28mm scale... You are sadistic, my friend. I'd probably try crawling through shards of glass before that one... Er.. maybe not... but you get the idea.
migsula wrote:Great work Remi!!
Guys we want more pics.
It'll be great to get back and finally show you pics thursday.
Thanks, Migs! Ask, and you shall recieve! We'll be waiting for yours this Thursday, y'know... superstar n' all. Hope you're enjoying your time in the US!
More Progress- Aliening-Up a 6ft Tall Bug Man
It's sad, I was in class (one final live session for Econ and yet another staring-contest in HR Mgmt ) and whatever happened, I was thinking only about how to alien-ify (is that a word?) my figure, per everyone's recommendation. It took several hours (4 hour class) and several sketches to try and get it right. In the end, although, I'm honestly not sure if all of you will agree, the model will be channelling "TMNT's Shredder/Samurai, Guyver (Guyver-Zoanoid, to be precise), and 'false-eye' bugs". Enoy the update!
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Head
Unfortunately, I lost my sorcerer head, and spent around an hour looking for it. I had to call the cousin for an "emergency session" and had him bring the aforementioned kroot parts for a night of drinking and good food.. I shaved the face down to get rid of the blunt-nose beak of the kroot, and GS'd lense-like eyes onto the deeper sockets.
Added some plates
Top-Plate and Jaw-thingies
Glued and put copper wire (extremely WIP, needs sanding and detailing, and "false eyes" towards the back of the helmet), as well as the sharpening up the front and neck plates, and adding an eye/control medal in the middle of the forehead.
The Body
Organic body plates- I'll sand it down for neatness and possibly add trim-detail... not sure if I want him to have an organic chest, or actual armor yet.
Anywho, that's about it for me. I'll try to do more, but finals and projects are coming soon. Critiques and comments are always welcome!
I got a little more work done today. The buzzsaw is a little simpler than I had initially planned but with the limbs being so small, I couldn't fit much on their without it looking too bulky. I'm pretty happy with it, though. Still trying to figure out how I want the other arm to look. Once I do, I should just have a little greenstuff work to do and then on to painting!
the buzzsaw looks great, it must have tricky finding such a small piece @ izanagi the shredder guiver combo is original and alien , looks really cool mate
Cadaver, that looks awesome. Very simple yet effective and the proportions are just right. Remember to do a suitably impressive base for her. If she is imperial, a good dose of purity seals would look great on her
Remi, your progress is looking great. You've really managed to create a new, fitting and totally alien model!
@ Cadaver- That model is SICK! Where'd you get the buzzsaw arm?? Is that even GW range? (like I care, but it just looks awesome!) Great work!
@Neil + Migs - Thanks guys! Wasn't sure how the reception was going to be for the semi-new direction. I'll be doing repair/sanding/clean-up work tonight, as well as re-doing the mandibles. (Zoa-Guyver is the inspiration for that) They don't look like they're used for anything at all at the moment aside from opening up and looking menacing. I'll be adding a bit more body and moving the actual grasping-sharp portions a bit forward. I need to be a bit more "agressive" with the mandibles, as I used as little GS as possible out of fear/anxiety. They should protrude much more, and be actual detail pieces- giving him a heavy lower-jaw look, as well as giving me room to model the teeth on that big, detail-less area he calls a mouth.
EDIT- I second Migs- Need more pics. I'm enjoying the time working on my model and showing progress, but I'd like to see where everyone else is! It's a great benchmark for where I am technically, and where I'd like to be!
Hey folks, long time no post at least for my standards. Had a rainy weekend at the ocean, went to ikea a couple of times, installed the crap and tidied up the attic to make room for the gaming table.
No progress on my wizard yet, but I'm waiting for some bits to arrive anyway, it's taking way too long.
I would enjoy more pictures like everybody else, but I can't provide any at the time.
Let's see what tomorrow brings...
I guess I should probably rear my ugly head too and give my excuses for not coming by recently.
I've been away in London for the weekend . Abi and I had a great time going round various art galleries and I highly recommend The Royal Academy of Art's Summer Exhibition. It was worth every penny of the £10 it cost to get in.
Anyway I was planning on modelling all evening but my little sister* gave me the final four hours of 24 series 7. Well I got suckered in and watched them all.....but as penitence I'm now waiting for some green stuff to cure and will have a little go on the storm coat. I even promise to have some pics later...or tomorrow morning (though I cannot promise that they will actually be particularly interesting).
Molotov - Hey Mol. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. I also hope you had a good holiday.
HF Izanagi - Nice progress on his chest....it looks great. I would make the plates armour rather than organic, I would also try and make them in the same style as the leg armour. Don't you just hate it when you lose a bit of a model. I would not have recognised the new head a as a kroot base! It looks very samurai. I look forward to more work on his rear too.
Cadaver - That is really . I like the delicate nature of the buzz saw, totally at odds with my initial thoughts of a buzz saw yet it works perfectly. What have you used? The skull and mohawk are creepy. Brilliant.
Peter
* Yeah Baiyuan its my turn to roll with a little sister excuse
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Very WIP. The strips of plasticard are there to create a gap and turn the cloak into a storm coat. I'll be adding buttons or buckles when the GS is dry. Not tonight though because I'm off to bed.
@Baiyuan- no rush. I'm trying to do it as much/fast (although, that sounds like I'm trying to sacrifice quality to get it done, and that's not entirely correct) in between work/school. LOL... just reading aloud and randomly spouting words, "IKEA" being one of them... and the wife's ears perked up... dammit. Heading to IKEA. Now.
@Peter- Sweet start and great GS control. By storm coat, do you mean... like Vash the Stampede's coat?
Spoiler:
Damn... that's an awesome toy.
Either way, you caught the flow of the coat spot-on with the upper-thigh GS. Looking forward to the rest of the work!
As for me... perhaps updates tonight, if my group-project conference call starts and ends in a timely fashion...
I'm still in the states for business - enjoying the best business trip of my life - so that's my excuse, but back on thursday and I promise a full pictorial of where my model is by the weekend. IF! people stop with the super star stuff. I'm just another guy having fun with plastic and there are much better painters and sculptors around
The model is close to finished, with major work to be done only on the shoulder guards.
Then it's on to painting, but I'm so rusty I may need to do some other model first. And I also want to start converting the rest of the new Nelson stuff that will make the retinue.
migsula wrote:I'm still in the states for business - enjoying the best business trip of my life - so that's my excuse, but back on thursday and I promise a full pictorial of where my model is by the weekend. IF! people stop with the super star stuff. I'm just another guy having fun with plastic and there are much better painters and sculptors around
The model is close to finished, with major work to be done only on the shoulder guards.
Then it's on to painting, but I'm so rusty I may need to do some other model first. And I also want to start converting the rest of the new Nelson stuff that will make the retinue.
Apologies, Migs. I just say what most/all of us are thinking. NOT saying that we look up to your work for inspiration doesn't mean that we still won't react the same way. (watercolor-style, that vampire count conversion into the dark =I=nq, the crazy bases that overflow the actual base itself, the true-scale... to name a few on my end).
I'll stop the whole saying it... can't say the same for the rest of Dakka. Like it or not, you're celebrity-status and an innovator. LOL, what I'd give to be in your shoes. (er, perhaps not, if your feet are stinky)
Either way, we look forward to your full pictorial! Superstar!
Peter - I did, thanks. I've got to catch up with you soon regarding the INQvitational. I've not read through the thread - is this model to serve in the retinue of your new Inquisitor? What's it intended to be?
Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. I wasn't expecting so much feedback on the buzzsaw arm. I thought it looked a little plain! Honestly, I am happy it blends so well with the model. It was worth paying the bitz barons on eBay the obscene asking price to get the bits I needed to make this how I wanted. At least I didn't have to fork over for a full Talos kit!
For those who inquired, the buzzsaw is one of the tinier saws from a Killa Kanz/Deff Dread close combat weapon. Alot of cutting, trimming and filing on the saw brace got it thin enough to work well on those thin arms.
Molotov - The model is going to be a member of my new Inquisitor's retinue. As to what he is going to be.....well that is still a surprise on Dakka. I've got one or two more background story instalments before I let on. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the INQvitational. I had a game a few weeks ago which went quite well, though I was a little rusty and my mutants really cannot take on a Witch Finder. Hopefully get a couple more games in soon to finish the story. The sad news is as all my gaming buddies have or are moving away by the end of the summer .
HF Izanagi - Yeah that is what I meant, it will look something like that but not blowing open in the wind. It will have buckles/buttons all the way down the front to keep it closed.
@ Cadaver- Yea man… hoping it wasn’t too expensive, but it’s a pretty seamless blend right there. Even the arm-size, assuming it is a whole piece, is just about right. (It IS right, as far as I can tell- both arms aren’t lopsided by any means) And if it is the original arm w/ buzzsaw attachment, then the buzzsaw doesn’t look like it should be mounted on something heavier. Again- seamless.
@ Migs- LOL… right. No more of that “superstar” business from here on in. (note, I’m just saying, not directing it at you.)
@ Molotov- hey, welcome to the madness! Not sure if your question is directed only towards Peter, but yea… sorry in advance if it is and I’m tooting my horn for no good goddamn reason… . My model is meant to be either 1) a present to my brother to keep at his office while he works on sound effects for his company’s videogame software or 2) perhaps a merc/npc in our soon-to-be-resurrected Promethean Hammer =I=Munda campaign and subsequent campaign Darkest Night.
The Head (continued)
Alright, second phase of GS work, I used it to increase the “beak” so I had leeway to shave and shape down in to my desired look. I realized something this morning before heading to work- the head is a bit too narrow. To offset this, I’m going to add to the back-flaps, as well as the peripheral rims to give it some width.
Here it is, shaved down, closing in on what I want. Added the start of what will be the bug-eyes in the back, and indentation for circular medal detail.
Body Work (continued)
The chest armor sanded for flat/uniform surface. I added small strings of GS to flatten and turn into armor detail. I stopped short of all plates, as my grubby meathooks and my efforts to detail some areas resulted in deforming areas I just finished.
And finally, this morning, shaving down yesterday’s details to match the leg plates. They might having to be a bit thinner, but I’m not confident I can have a sure-hand while taking an scalpel to it.
That's it for me for now. I should apologize if it seems I’m taking over the group thread with my posts… each a string o’ pictures long. It’s partially a documentation for my own good, to see later where I could/should have improved the steps. So, apologies, all, and as always, thanks for the comments/critiques to make my work even better.
Not at all Remi, that looks awesome, and showing your progress is what the thread's all about! The chest armour is really shaping up nicely, and I'm guessing you haven't started on detailing the carapace underneath it. The head itself looks fantastic from the front, but I feel like the jaw might be a little messy from the side view, though I'm sure it's just the angle Love the look of the helmet though - like a cross between a samurai helmet and a praying mantis. Perfect!
@PDH - Promising start! Looking forward to seeing the storm coat take shape, and glad to see some pics from you
Remi, do you use "shapers" for sculpting? If not, get some now - they are super great for getting curved surfaces like yours to be really sharp and smooth. I also cut GS after sculpting all the time to get sharp ridges and what not.
@ Migs- Lol... I do... you should have seen the crap I was churning out before I got some... Vitruvian actually recommended them way back when, and I made a pitstop at an artstore during a business trip. I agree, it makes it much easier to sculpt, especially because the tools give. Right now, I focus on two of the five tools (chisel head/screwdriver head, pointed pencil, and sometimes the "hobby" knife type one... rarely), but I with more practice, the results should be much better. Unfortunately, practice could get dangerously expensive for GS material to work with.
I'll be using my scalpels and stuff to get the nice clean, sharp edges... provided I can get my hands to stop shaking.. without using alcohol... which causes my hands to stop shaking, but an overall loss in thought process and coordination. Anyways, stay tuned... I put the GS work on this guy at about... 60%. There's a LOT of work left to do. Hopefully, he'll have that sharper "pro" look I think you all are waiting for.
Llamahead wrote:HF Izanagi really got A Bug's Life vibes from him. Looks like a 6 foot version of one of the hoppers. Really Impressive!
LOL... thanks, man! How about yourself? When do we get to see some paint on your Davinite (sp?) Warrior Priest?? How close is he to getting done/what else does he need done on him?
-Remi
-EDIT- @ Peter- Re: Coat- Cool! I'm looking forward to it. Perhaps if they come out well, a quick tut on the buckles/snaps you're gonna put on them? I, on the other hand, will probably use the reference from the rips and dirt at the bottom of the Vash-toy's coat for reference for my model's scarf/cloak...
Hey HF no worries about taking over the thread, so far you're the only one who delivers a proper documentation of his work, so it's not a bad thing at all. I assume some of us are not intending to document every step of their conversion and that's ok, but I will more or less do and I appreciate the amount of your WIP pics. Once everybody has had enough time for his project there will be plenty more pic heavy posts.
Update:
I've made some progress today, but I only worked on Hope, so I'm not showing yet. I'll try to get as far as possible with Hope before the bitz arrive and I can focus on the wizard itself again.
I managed to get a surveillance shot of Samarianne and Hope, but I'm afraid Hope's energy signature interfered with the servo skulls sensory array somehow.
Note: The kroot rifle is just a proxy until I've build the actual arquebuse.
Baiyuan wrote:Hey HF no worries about taking over the thread, so far you're the only one who delivers a proper documentation of his work, so it's not a bad thing at all. I assume some of us are not intending to document every step of their conversion and that's ok, but I will more or less do and I appreciate the amount of your WIP pics. Once everybody has had enough time for his project there will be plenty more pic heavy posts.
Update:
I've made some progress today, but I only worked on Hope, so I'm not showing yet. I'll try to get as far as possible with Hope before the bitz arrive and I can focus on the wizard itself again.
I managed to get a surveillance shot of Samarianne and Hope, but I'm afraid Hope's energy signature interfered with the servo skulls sensory array somehow.
Note: The kroot rifle is just a proxy until I've build the actual arquebuse.
\
Thanks. I was getting worried for a bit, as yea... it seems like I was the only one. I actually went back and read the directions to be sure.
Anywho, hoping to do more work late tonight, but it might die down later on as school is winding down in the next two weeks w/ papers and group projects... If my grades suffer, I'll know exactly why. (lol, I'll take pics and post my Macro Econ "notes" for you guys later- they have my concept sketches for my guy during this past phase)
Bah... you and your teaser images. I'm literally kissing my monitor trying to figure the details on your sorcereress figure... Great pic though. I'm excited to see the whole set in all their glory. I assume her pet is almost, if not already, complete?
Stop kissing your monitor, there isn't much to be seen on the sorceress. So far I've only removed various details of the original model and added the DE arms, so no progress there. As soon as I start actually converting her I'll show any progress in detail, no teasing
Hope, on the other hand won't be shown any time soon. You're more or less right though, Hope is basicly complete, but all the components have just been blutacked together, as I'm still working on fitting them all together seemlessly. Assuming I'm sticking to my plans there won't be any essential changes on Hope, right now there are just all the details missing, vials, syringes, tubes, cables, armor...
lulmp lulmp lulmp hmmmmm not so tasty my monitor is dusty I think I need to clean it.
Baiyuan - I'm looking at the size of her doggy and never imagined it was going to be that big. The base looks good. As for her and the doggy...I'm waiting for less teaser shots to comment.
Scarper - Cheers. Yeah the time for modelling is alluding me at the moment...I should have done this project in the winter. I'll hopefully be getting the storm coat done and dusted by the end of the weekend.
Remi - Hmmm tutorial....I had better take a number of progress shots then. I hope it works out ok....the buckles if I can get them to work will be mirco sized.
PDH wrote:lulmp lulmp lulmp hmmmmm not so tasty my monitor is dusty I think I need to clean it. As for her and the doggy...I'm waiting for less teaser shots to comment.
Sure, like I said there isn't much to be seen yet.
I've prayed for the blessing of the Omnissiah, but with no effect yet...
I'm off to the sanctuary of the machine now to work on the problem more directly.
Hey guys sorry i have been a bit slow receantly , leading up to the school holidays is always a busy time for me. safe to say that now i will have plenty of time for moddeling so , i promise to be back in the saddle asap. sorting out my moddeling area today .
@pdh Nice to see your mini Peter ,interested to see how you pull off a storm coat .
@Izanagi , that is so good its creeping me out a little , i have a mini phobia of insects i think . i think you capture the perfect use of that model mate. and i am sure were all enjoying your posts mate , no need to apologise .
@Baiyuan , Aha , hope has finally reared its head in the form of a pretty big pooch! teasing again matey , you should really start up a baiyuan burlesque night.
@ Baiyuan- yea... I gave up after my wife started giving me strange looks... accusing me of watching something... adult-like, in nature...
Truly though, I'm interested in what you'll do to the face of the miniature, the most. Are you by any chance planning to sculpt a face? Or transplant an existing mini's...? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
@ Peter- Exactly. I have use of such a tutorial for later projects (aka reviving our =I= Munda thread... and making my second Inq. band), so if you've got a surefire way I can copy, I'd be really grateful!
@Neil- Thanks for the kind words! (er, everyone enjoys the posts, not that you get creeped out near my mini). I actually do have more progress to post, but work has just gone insane today. This is my 5 minutes of my total self-allotted 15 minute break so I can actually get out at a decent hour.
After this progress post, the updates might get sparse this week and next, for finals/projects.
About the face: I'm not sure yet, I have considered both. So far I'm using a trimmed down version of the original face as a proxy. I've considered using it for the actual conversion too, but it has very child-like features, round forehead, big eyes and it's screaming, all things that won't go well with my plans. So there are two possibilities, sculpting on another miniatures face or sculpting the whole thing from scratch. In both cases most of the face will be covered with a face mask up to her nose and some form of goggles are possible too, I don't know yet.
Either way, I'm excited to see your work. I've seen how neat you can be with weaponry and heavy angles- I'm wondering/hoping to see that same sort of precision with organic curves, etc.
Checking back in after the Summer vacation with my Family.
Lots of really exciting projects both in this and in the parallel thread. Very inspiring stuff.
All of this plus the fact that I have been reading through the Eisenhorn books and halfway through the Ravenor trilogy leaves me filled with inspiration and ready to begin my own work.
@Jakob: Great novels! I'm currently considering to read them another time, but before I do that it's the five Joe Abercrombie novels first. Best fantasy writer of the last decade imo.
Anyway, my bitz order arrived and I swayed away from working on Hope today and instead made some (very slow) progress on Samarianne. Here's a little preview of her in all her mutilated glory:
As you can see, she is still in the chopshop stage of conversion. The changes I made today were both very important: I finally built her right arm consisting of parts of three different dark eldar arms (which came in today) and I decided that the only proper way to make her tilt her head was to cut it of and rearrange it as a whole.
The decapitation did wonders for the limited pose of the miniature and I'm really glad I did it, it changes the feel of the model so much and gives me more room for details.
Her right arm on the other hand will be holding her rifle which I'll still have to come up with (so far nothing met the requirements).
The rifle and the face are the last question marks, I've made up my mind about everything else. The extensive sculpting I'll be doing on top of the base model is pinned down in sketches. Her equipment is just waiting to be tacked onto her female curves and that's basicly it.
To make up for the slow progress I'm revealing the next chapter of the story of how Samarianne and Hope got together.
And just in case anyone missed the earlier chapters:
Spoiler:
I
The death of a child:
A life without her baby, that was what had made her run away.
The rest of her squad had been obliterated and she had survived unharmed. She had never thought about running away, but in the aftermath of the battle, sitting between the piles of ashes and asking herself which piles were her sisters and which were their children, she had lost it all.
She had been reborn in the most horrible way, meaning she was still alive, but the rest of her world had died, so she left a clue to her own demise and walked away.
When she had left, at first she had felt more isolated and lonely than ever. She would have turned back to find consolidation, if it hadn't been for the death of her baby.
She wouldn't go back to receive a new child. It was an impossible thought, she couldn't just replace it.
She had really felt like a mother feels for her child. Perhaps the years of care and attention had brought the two of them closer together than even mother and child can get.
They had shared their moods, desires and even their senses, everything torn from her, her only true connection to another being lost.
II
The meaning of life:
She was praying for deliverance from her very existence, seeking death for what seemed like an eternity.
She had avoided being seen as what she actually was, because people would have asked questions and brought others on her track. So she had hidden any significant clue to her origin. She even had to break her oath to avoid being remarkable, but it didn't mean that much to her anymore.
Her new life was so different from the life of duty she had lived before. Being her own master for the first time in her life, she realized how hard it is to find meaning in life, when you're not being told what your eternal mission is.
So she drifted from settlement to settlement and even managed to travel between worlds a couple of times. Living only to find an opponent worthy to fight and maybe even worthy enough to put an end to her misery.
In the course of years she had developed her own code and she had even felt the rush of the hunt again, but it was only in the short moments of taking a life and even that felt meaningless when she looked back at it only moments later.
What is the meaning of life, when you're surrounded by all kinds of entities, but you cannot connect with even one of them?
She knew about her effect on other humans, so she tried everything else. Wild creatures from dozens of places and any kind of Xenos she met, nothing could replace the feeling she had lost, when her baby had been taken away from her.
III
A new master:
He took her in and she hated him.
When Tiberius found her, he had known she wasn't what she claimed to be and it didn't take him long to make sense of her. That was what he seemed to be born for, looking into people and seeing what they really were.
He used his power and her secret to force her into his services and she had hated him for that. Mainly for his selfishness, because she knew he just used her to persue his designs.
He made her do again, what she had been bred for, what she had wanted to leave behind and she knew he would never let her go, because only in death does duty end, as some say.
When she was finally ready to discard her code and just kill him or at least die trying, he had changed it all. He gave her life a new meaning, he gave her hope...
IV
Hope:
"Hope" was the name and hope was what it was.
She called it "Hope", because it was the only positive thing that had happened to her since her first conception. She couldn't understand why it worked and how it was different from the times she had attempted to create a bonding to another creature herself, but it was.
Tiberius would later explain to her, that it was in the genes. Far less than one in a billion would be born with that special gene, that had always defined her life. For other species the chance was even smaller or non-existant, that was why she had never felt a connection.
It was too rare a gift, Tiberius had said, and that she was too unique to swim with the other fishes. And so was Hope.
She had always been interested in other creatures that were like the orders familiars, but she had never seen or even heard of anything like this specimen. It was truly superior in almost every way. It was bigger, stronger, faster, tougher and even more importantly, smarter and meaner, than any other.
V
The value of a Life:
She had no idea to what great lengths he had gone.
Tiberius wouldn't say or even brag about the value of the gift or about how he had acquired it, but she thought she had a vague idea of it anyway. How wrong she was...
It took her years of working with Tiberius and his men to eventually find out how valuable it had actually been.
Tiberius must have seen through her, like he always did and guessed her secret needs. She didn't understand why he would bother, she could only guess that he must have considered her either too valuable an asset or to great a threat to lose control over her, while the latter was less likely considering who he was.
So he had charged one of his old contacts, a rogue trader by the name of Slabo von Dietrich, to gather information about possible subjects for the bonding.
Von Dietrich, who had got quite a reputation, and not necessarily a good one, for his dealings near the eastern fringe knew where to look for such information.
He soon returned with rumours about a cabal of dark eldar raiders, who had been fielding warbeasts of a mostly unknown species. And that, assuming there was a way to find a specimen with the right genetic code, he knew where to look for it.
After the creature had been captured the real effort began. Months of meticulous research to develop drugs that could control the creatures temper.
Weeks of intricate operations to install the augmentation that guaranteed it's functionality under any circumstances.
And again months of training and bonding procedures to gradually establish the link between her and Hope. Hope was its name...
And the new one:
VI It's a gift: A thing only a mother could love.
Later investigations, utilizing sources better not being named, it became evident that the creature was an alpha male of a species the Dark Eldar call Ell'Oy, but at the time none of the scholars in the Inquisitor's service could say what exactly it was.
They knew that it originated from a planet coded Ʃ-vk-317, an almost uncolonized deathworld somewhere in the uncharted Eastern Fringe.
They also knew that it had taken the lifes of almost half of the hunting party, thirty seasoned hunters of the most dangerous game immaginable, just to separate it from its kin and finally capture it.
But they hardly knew anything else about it.
None but Magos Biologis Sand dan Glokta, one of the Inquisitor's most trusted servants, was able to decypher some of its secrets.
He would say that the more obvious properties, like the physical strength to go through a plasteel wall of considerable thickness and the resilience to withstand conventional weapons fire practically unharmed, were less remarkable.
He would say that it was more remarkable that, even though it was impossible to research the creature's means of communication without studying the social interaction between several subjects of its kind, its intelligence evidently surpassed that of an average human.
And most importantly he would say that it was marvellous how common the Pariah-gene among its species seemed to be and that there were hints that it was actually a dormant strain in the whole species' genome.
Second the Eisenhorn series, haven't read the Ravenor series yet. But if it's anything like the first set, I'll be hooked.
@JRN- hope you enjoyed the vacation, and looking forward to what you're cooking up.
@ Baiyuan- Ah... Samarianne appears. I'm intrigued and impressed by the pinning. Your methods remind me of Dexter's brother Binny... So clean and neat... in contrast to my more instinct-driven "that might look good" thought, doing said-action, then thinking "I wonder how it'll turn out" being the last thought in the process... (usually followed by swearing and possible re-do/re-glue/etc.)
Any possibilities of seeing your sketches for face features? Or is this a wait-and-see type bid?
-Remi
P.S. Thought I had updates on the wider head today, and newer features... but turns out my camera had nothing new in it (I blame the drink and Rome TV Series). Balls. I might have something new over the weekend though- arm pinned and new GS detailing to match his current armor form.
-EDIT- By the way, what is it with this "EXALT +1" and "Exalt this post!" business on our browsers? I didn't know the tech priests were doing upgrades to our systems...
-EDIT#2- Also, I currently use superfine sandpaper for my GS work... can anyone explain to me the difference/advantages of dry-sanding vs. wet sanding? Currently only dry-sanding for me and came upon the term today surfing the inter...er... doing market research at my job.
Wet sanding does the sanding in a small stream of running water, and is usually used (in my experience) on hard plastics that scratch easily. Go 8th grade shop class!
As for one's application for hobbying over another, I ain't got a clue, lol
Depends on the sanding paper you use, by rule of thumb wet sanding is used for very fine ones and makes the surface even smoother. In extreme cases it's more like polishing than sanding. Btw I normally never sand my GS, the only exception would be large pieces of armor/weapons, but even that isn't necessary with clay shapers in most cases.
Oh before I forget, so I'm the Icetruck-Killer of pinning now ... I felt a little bit like the Dr. Danko of pinning too. (That's the guy from the second book who used to be a specialist for torture techniques for the CIA in south america and whose speciality it was to gradually cut down his "patients" leaving behind a perfectly healthy torso without any limbs, tongue, lips or eyelids. Hence the name Danko after the kitchen tool, because he turns them into screaming vegetables. For the TV series they decided that Dr. Danko was to disturbing for the HBO watching population and replaced him with that evil evil evil illegal immigrant who took a tiny piece of skin as a trophy from his victims. )
@ DeathGod/Baiyuan- Thanks! I'll probably experiment with it tonight (er, whenever I have time, actually, after studies). I use shapers as well, but I always add "more" than necessary, so I can cut and file/sand it away later.
Baiyuan wrote:Oh before I forget, so I'm the Icetruck-Killer of pinning now ...
LOL, c'mon now... you don't see the semblance at all?
Your work:
Ice Truck Killer:
Note, that I meant that in the most polite way possible- your work is meticulous. That's all.
And yikes for Dr. Danko. No, thank you. I could barely stomach Nip-Tuck's operation scenes, much less when Dexter goes to work. I'm a squeamish girly-man, and I rightfully admit it.
Ravenor trilogy has some of the best villains ever. I love both trilogies. I've read Eisenhorn three times and am midway for a rerun of Ravenor just now.
But here be pics. (I need to start a blog for the =I= triogy soon)
I've since added serious Blanchesque detail on him (spikes and purity seals) concentrating on the shoulder guards, fixed a few details + primed the model.
Shortly: I wanted the model to turn from wizard to psyker, to maintain that magic wibe and to be as different as I could do while following the letter of the rules. Waist down original model, elbows down original model, original sword = rest from the box of bitz
I'm entertaining a scheme of black and bone with red detail or super red with bone. He will later get a very very disturbing retinue made from the rest of wizards and the two new undead single mini frames (and the box)
@HF: There is semblance, but don't tell anyone, I wouldn't want them to draw (the right) conclusions.
@Neil:Judging by the drops on the gorget the torso is from the sanguinary guard. The inquisitorial heraldy is of course from the GK boxes.
@Migs: And I agree with Neil, the hammer looks like there is something missing.
Overall a very nice conversion and the mentioned colorscheme sounds =I= classic and will work great.
The only point that bothers me is...well... that you're already done with the conversion. Makes me feel slow.
Update:
The progress is, like I said, sloooooow, but existent. You know Rome wasn't build in a day...
The good news is that I came up with a first prototype for the rifle today. First of all I canceled the plan to build an arquebuse, because I decided it would make her look like an ordo hereticus inquisitor, which is not the goal (she just serves one).
It still had to be grimdark, exquisite and oldfashioned, but a little more practical. These thoughts brought me back to my original idea of giving her a shotgun and that's what it will be. A huge ornate artificer shotgun/hunting rifle.
There is still a lot to do, but the core is almost there. I'll work on the barrel, muzzle, scope, stock etc. tomorrow.
The more important part is that her right arm's position is final and I can start the sculpting soon. I'm looking forward to it, as it might be my most ambitious sculpting attempt yet and because it's the beginning of the more visible part of the conversion.
I like that the conversion uses power armour (GK?), but it doesn't really have that feel of the bulk at all. And yes, the hammer seems unfinished at the moment- what're the plans for that portion?
Either way, great stuff... and dammit. You're already done, if not completely done. I'd like to step mine up as well so I can get to painting!
-Remi
-EDIT- (because Baiyuan is too quick a gun for me and my posts!)
@ Baiyuan, lookin' good!! You said arquebus (having seen some of the copies made by the samurai when their Portuguese guests left some behind while living abroad), and damn it all... you're delivering. It definitely is a great start to the weapon... will you be incorporating the intricate details of said-arquebues weapons too? (aka gold-inlay, or in your pic with the blue-grey engraving/laquering/design-detailed-into-the-rifle-butt) For my own mini, I'm almost tempted to buy the AB Bounty weapon pack, but I have some old first-ed Dark Eldar splinter rifles waiting to make alien CQC sidearms out of... gotta try it, at least once.
Is it too late to enter this fun competition? As I have done a wizard conversion...then I saw this...though now i see entry's I dunno how much of a chance I have. :/
@ Imperial Monkey- Welcome. Apologies, mate, but this is a closed-group project between a few friends. There's an open one you want to check out by Panic- http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/378516.page Basically the same, but open to all.
@Moartiki- That tyranid-looking thingy would be mine, I assume. Uh... don't really know what it is. At first, my entry was supposed to be a grimdark version of Garrus Vakarian from the Mass Effect Series. A present to my older brother, who works in the videogame audio design business.
However, after a lot of thought and discussion with members, I decided to stray... and now, it's some sort of tru-scale vespid, with Hive Fleet Izanagi Flavor. Basically, stingwing with a lot of my art-anime influences and preference for dynamic figures.(yea... didn't ever know what that HF meant, did you all?? Restarted the hobby with 'nids. And no thanks, auto-term function... definitely NOT Heavy Flamer )
...ending result is some sort of cyber-ninja/grasshopper from hell representing a Vespid Merc/Assassin.
Migs -That is really impressive, thank you. The pose is spot on. The choice of armament is particularly menacing. One thing you have down to a tee, with all your models, is the choice of belt accessories. Have you used a chain sword engine for the respirator?
Baiyuan - I like the rifle, good start and reasoning behind changing it. A rifle is not the armament I would have thought of (along with patting the dog). Her arms look good on her body too.
As for progress of my own life is really getting in the way at the moment (Almost in laws visiting for four days and after that my sister breaking up with her bf, of two years, and coming to stay). I'm looking forward to getting some modelling done this week, I hope!
Samarianne is still faceless, but I've practically finished the rifle itself (it almost turned as bad as Cortaro's buzzsaw, too many ideas, too many parts, but I kept it below 50 parts this time).
When the GS has cured I'll only have to sand the butt of it into shape and install the sockets for the power cables, then it's time for sculpting Samarianne's armor.
I thought about a preview of the finished weapon, but I think it would hurt the final "aaaaw"-effect if I show you finished pieces before everything else is in place.
@ Baiyuan- looking forward to it! Under 50 pieces... I consider anything over 10 to be a lot...
As for myself, I actually have pics for an update, but no time to load as I'm leaving very soon.
The head and arms have been attached and GS'd to cover up any gaps. I'm amazed at how many pins are in such a small body. Head, both wings-things, arms, legs, tail... How I managed NOT to hit other pins while drilling into it... I have no clue...
I'm out of the office in the morning til late afternoon, but I should have pictures when I return.
Looking great guys! Baiyuan's looks good so far, but I still feel is a little early to comment on. I'm sure it'll be fantastic in the end, as always
And migs: Fantastic. Almost didn't recognise the base wizard in there, amazing job!
My progress is rather painfully slow at the moment - general surgery exams tend to cut down on my modelling time :( Hopefully some progress this weekend though!
Didn't I say tainted navigator right from the beginning? I guess I was right.
Btw it looks like you're as far away from finishing your conversion as I am, I like that.
I also like the work on the robes/coat, looks strenuous.
Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone! Now that you put it like, "5 weeks"... it seems I haven't done enough yet.
Sad to say, he's still got quite a ways away to go before getting finished. He's looking alright, and I think I'll be fine for time... but what I DON'T want is to skimp on the base because I'm short of time.
Anyways, here's the progress so far:
As I said, he got his head on, his arms, and GS to cover any gaps. The head was a bit too big (still looks to be so by my count) the torso was a bit too small...and the standard wizard arms too short and thin. Taking this into account, I pinned the head and arms, and the arms a bit wider out to add more GS for slightly bigger, sinewy-strong shoulders.
I love the look from the front. Very Iron Man/superhero-esque pose.
And from the sides. The GS on the shoulders isn't the best out there, but they're to be covered with more GS to create shoulder-armor and widen him out a bit.
And this is about the point when I wish I had Baiyuan's gift for weaponry. I'm going to give it a shot, but I'm a bit apprehensive about the results. Also, have a bunch of bits to put on him, to put him more in the position of a Merc-Assassin that travels the universe instead of a wayward greenhorn from his planet.
To be finished: Shoulder pads, forearm guards, twin pistol/compact machine gun-type weaponry, detailing, and base. Yup... I'd say he's at... 60% or so?
Thanks for stopping by! Comments and critiques always welcome.
Its good to be back on Dakka! Seriously pumped now, but cant get at my stuff till Thursday, i think im going to pull out my hair!!
Have read through till im up to date, but i'll only comment on the most recent pics, as i'm lazy and dont really want to quote 30 odd posts....
@Migs: Just beautiful, the parts are seamless and it seems as if they couldnt possibly go together any other way. Im always impressed with your speed and execution and this is no exception. Also intrigued to see the finishing touches go on him.
@Peter: Nice work on the cloak, a good start. I must confess i still dont know who he is, whether its cos i didnt read your fluff properly or cos im slow i dont know!
@Baiyuan: Im always in awe of the weapons you make, and that teasing shot of the rifle is no different. Looking great and i cant wait to see more.
@Remi: You've made major inroads bud! Glad to see you moved away from Terran insect head, the shredder-esque alien head/helmet thing looks very cool and strange and just enforces its oddities compared to common insects. The body armour is similarly awesome, love the organic look and it complements the GW sculpt perfectly. Looking forward to seeing how the wings take shape.
Remi I agree with Vit, the evolution of your alien looks good. The chest armor is especially convincing and I hope you'll do a similarly good job on the rest of its armor.
There is only one part that looks strange to me and that's the bumps on his helmet next to his antenna. Those are not eyes, are they? The head looks good, but I don't get that part yet.
Also I agree, that it's very important to give him a look like he's come around. I suggest giving him some utilities from different races of the 40k universe. You could give him an imperial waterbottle he scavenged from one of his victims too survive. Some eldar equipment, like a targeter, scope or some grenades. Maybe even a gaunt's scythe attached to a grip as melee weapon, but that might be more in line with my initial conversion idea when I saw the model for the first time, alien bounty hunter.
About the weapons: If you want any advice or have any ideas you'd like to discuss, just send me a pm, I'll gladly try to help. Had an idea for alien technology just yesterday.
@Vit
The teasing shot of the weapon is nothing, that was merely a mockup! It hasn't got any of the cogwork detailing, the six parted giant scope, the three parted muzzle,...
Update:
I started sculpting on the body, but it's painfully slow since I'm not sure about my designplans anymore. It's about the degree of how heavily armored I want her to be. I want a light combat armor that keeps her agile and doesn't cover too much of her hot body, but I also don't want her to look naked.
The face is another problem, I couldn't find a good female face yet. The DE heads I have left all look like trannies and are to big anyway. Any ideas on female heads, that don't look that ugly, are rather small and won't force me to spend too much money? Help! In the meantime I'll be trying to sculpt a face that loos halfway decent.
Vitruvian XVII wrote:
@Migs: Just beautiful, the parts are seamless and it seems as if they couldnt possibly go together any other way. Im always impressed with your speed and execution and this is no exception. Also intrigued to see the finishing touches go on him.
.
Thank you kind sir!
I started painting today. "look ma no hands". It's been a while. I have some great reference material for my reds and the feel of the model/imagery. A combination of Blanche, Allan Carcasso, Goodbrush and Fichtenfoo. All artists from different genres that I admire deeply.
I'm so happy to do bright, deep reds after the whole moon light saga with the legion!
@Baiyuan: Female heads continue to be a bane to me im afraid, i cant help you there.
@Migs: No problem!
Did a bit of fluff writing while ive been sunning myself, going to be quite long in the making this story.. Will probably shoehorn in the other characters as well should i choose to make a warband. For now here's the first few chapters spoilered for those who havent read it yet, and the next chapter after them....
Spoiler:
Prologue
A bubble, ascending, breaks the surface with an audible gurgle.....
The young girl looked around in awe, she could feel the power coursing round the gargantuan room that was packed to the rafters with the most cutting edge technology. Never before had her father allowed her into the Mainframe Hub of the factory. She passed numerous 5D Virtua Capacitators, Oliphorniscopes and Co-Definitive Vectoral Intervals drawn ever inwards, unexplainably. Through coves in wire bundles and around vast girders she weaved, some sub-concious influence urging her forwards. She came to a small plinth, upon which rested a small, unassuming chrome orb. She reached out, but drew back as her father's voice echoed back to her, "Seraphine..Seraphine.....
A limb shifts slightly, making fluid lap against the Adimaspex.....
She had been chosen. Dread and fear, yet a strange sense of joy, consumed her body. She had been chosen. The thought played around in her head. Despite having told numerous times that she was gifted, it had never really occured to her that she might be selected for this. She commanded the drone to remove the tools she had been working with. She was disrobed by a Class D-IV-J Robot as many hooded figures circled round her chanting ominously, "In nomine Omnissiah. Tribuo vas vecti vox. Animadverto vestri perfectus. In nomine Omnissiah. Tribuo vas vecti vox. Animadverto vestri perfectus. In nomine Omnissiah. Tribuo vas vec..." An ear-piercing shriek washed over the congregation as the drill whirred into her nubile flesh.....
A strand of ash-white hair drifts to and fro, wrapping around a wire.....
She stood unmoving, a silent sentinel, with her Brotherhood. The figure strode towards them majestically, flanked by mighty beings bedecked in resplendent golden armour, yet dwarfed by his size and brilliant luminosity. Had she the capacity for emotion still within her, he would have taken her breath with his beauty and inspired a religious fire within her heart... They watched him sign the accord, before committing their own signatures. As the pact was completed, a new age of prosperity dawned.....
A wire hangs suspended, covering a feminine countenance.....
Gun-shots rang out, drowned by the boom of heavy ordinance and the static-enducing roar of Intrinsic Neutron weaponry. Anguish overrode all of her other emotions, far outweighing even her link to the Omnissiah as she cut down those brethren with whom she had fought beside mere months previously. As fire and confusion reigned, and Mars was consumed in destruction, a single tear rolled down her cheek.....
A heart beats, sounding dulled to those on the outside.....
Chapter I - Skulls
The feed jerked back and forth, panning across the urban metropolis, now in disarray. It stopped suddenly, before zooming in on a patch of ferrocrete above an adamantine bulkhead. Daubed in blood and faecal matter was a grotesque mockery of the Opus Machina, overlaying an 8-pointed star of Chaos. A brilliant purple flash over-exposed the sophisticated pict capture unit, before the signal abruptly terminated.....
In the gloomy depths of a rusted Manufactorum complex the beam of light picked up motes of dust, disturbed from their centuries-long rest by the grav repulsion engine as the small skull whirred along. The scene would have been almost serene, calming even, were it not for the ugly arrangement of bronze augmetic limbs that came into shot every five clicks. They appeared to be large heaps of war-damaged augmetic arms and legs, as though removed from corpses and thrown in a pile. As the feed zoomed in closer the arrangement became obvious. The bronze autolimbs were plasma-welded together such that the mass joined into one large device, capable of articulation and movement: a stump to a wrist, legs side by side, an arm projecting from a thigh, and so on. Data conduits and power lines weaved throughout the whole, linking small potentia coils and scavenged flexor-devices. Heretic sigils and nonsensical machine cant scripts could be made out inscribed upon the most crucial linkages. As the Servo-skull continued down the vast causeway, it left a trail of horrific mechanical shuffling, the clinking of many disorganised limbs moving as one.....
Chapter II - Witches
Inside the ruined and rusted cathedral, dimly lit by failing phospho-lamps, a vile screeching echoed down the deserted aisles. The small, tracked automaton crawled slowly, silently, towards the source raising a slight pall of dust as it moved. Its sensor auguries weaved this way and that discerning by sophisticated processes that the objective was in the vaults below. The small, yet powerful, Mind Impulse Unit beamed a signal back to its host allowing her to see as its pict-recording software saw......
Hanging suspended, she let out a sharp breath as her thoughts were replaced by a direct feed link of a dim cathedral......
The feed swung left and right picking up the moss-slicked walls as it slowly navigated a spiral staircase. As it traversed a pool of what appeared to be long-spilt blood the sound that was processed earlier returned, albeit at a much louder volume. It was clear now that it was a chorus of voices, raising a keening wail as a more commanding voice uttered what sounded like High Gothic, spoken primitively, with a strange staccato intonation on every other syllable. The feed moved inexorably closer, navigating a catacomb of rusted pipes leaking fluid, seeming to converge in the centre of the cathedral’s lower vaults.
Suddenly the picture became overly bright, and subsumed by a sickly purple pallor that seemed to pervert everything it rested on. As if from out of the very bowels of the planet a group of figures came into the viewfinder. They could be seen to be human females, or at the least they were at one point in their miserable lives. Bathed in blood and keening vile utterances to horrific Gods they painted a gruesome spectacle. Each was wearing an armoured corset that was riveted to their pallid flesh. Their faces were gaunt, with lifeless stares and all manner of strange and warp-tainted machinery in place of eyes, mouths and noses. From out of their scalps came many mechadendrites, which swayed with their chanting, seemingly an attempt to replicate myths of an ancient Terran named Medusae. Their limbs were sliced open to the tendons, and re-sewn with crude cord, and the foul Chaos star had been scored into tender places. As the pict-feed continued to record, the females began to circle a broken and scavenged Mind Impulse Unit. Faster and faster they moved, all the while increasing the level of chanting and moving more erraticly. The chanting reached a crescendo, at which point their was a brilliant purple flash, which over exposed the camera for a few seconds. When the sensors recovered the witches were gone, all that remained were steaming hunks of flesh and spatters of viscera. Suddenly something large and gore-dripping entered the view, it was a mockery of human form with wires and machinery weaving between horrific musculature. Its many eyed and tentacled head rotated fully turning to stare at the tracked unit. Their was another purple flash, this time the camera didn’t recover......
Chapter III - A Death Most Foul
Trooper Zandros was fed up. He'd been a green recruit, eager to get away from the Hive at Kryglaak Prime, yet he never thought it would be worse in the Gurad. He was stationed on Nova Lustia, in a reserve battalion of 79th Company. So far the fighting had taken a heavy toll on the Kryglaakan Kataphrakts, and still Trooper Zandros didn't know what they were up against. He sat back against a broken hab-block and tried to sleep amidst the deafening cacophony of war.
Las fire whined down the street, a volley of fire cutting into the enemy grunts and scything them down in a mist of blood. Trooper Feglan tried to stop shaking as he fired, but it was no use. Once again he rued the day he joined the Kryglaakan Guard, but at least he wasn't dead like those poor sods in 54th Company. He heard the Platoon Officer give the cease fire order and slumped back against a shattered ferrocrete pillar in relief. He still hadn't got a good look at what he was shooting, all he could make out through the smoke was a lot of dark red robes, the colour of long dried blood. With a heavy heart and heavier feet he pulled himself up and moved forward with the rest of D Platoon. "Cautious advance. Set up fire lanes. 4th Squad sweep right." came the voice of the Offficer through the Vox. Sergeant Dreys motioned for caution then led Feglan and his comrades on a wide sweep right, through a long abandoned Ministratum Complex, where discarded and destroyed data-machines lay under layers of dust. A grim fellow in a long black trench-coat and peaked cap followed closely behind.
Dreys rose his hand, signalling the stop. "Auspex is picking up a contact, be wary..." He moved slowly round the corner, then disappeared. "Clear.." crackled through the Vox. Feglan sighed in relief and followed round the corner. What he saw would scar him for the scant few seconds that remained of his life. Crouched over the prostrate form of the Sergeant was a creature fresh out of the realms of nightmare and horror. Feglan felt urine soak his fatigues, and he ran way shrieking in abject terror. Commissar Lamine raise his bolt pistol as Feglan rounded the corner and shot him point blank between the eyes. He shouted the charge, and the rest of 4th squad ran with him, even as Feglan's blood trickled down the wall.
The creature that lay crouched over Dreys, like one of the hunchbacked cripples that lined the Traversa Cardinal back on Kryglaak Prime, was over ten feet tall. It had no lower body, so to speak, instead a strange amalgamation of mechanical limbs were fused with vile sorceries to it's torso. It was hard to say whether it possessed seven or nine limbs, for the exact angles between limbs and even the number seemed to change of their own accord, making watching them a sickening feat. Closer inspection would reveal that what was taken at first glance to be a torso was in actuality hundreds of decapitated heads sewn together, the cracks filled with molten metal, each decomposing face wearing a visage of pure and utter terror. Tubes and limbs and pistons sprouted from many of the heads. Here a tube carrying a sickening green liquid wormed into an eye socket, there a monstrous mechanical limb splintered a jaw at the point where it escaped, the end capped with a wickedly barbed flail. Atop the 'torso' a misshapen lump of flesh turned to regard the newcomers with curiosity, the sole features a pair of slitted deep nostrils. With a speed belying it's bulk it leapt upon them.
@ Baiyuan- Thanks. I appreciate it, and definitely- "trophies" are in order. As to your dilemma, do you have a certain style you gear towards. I can't help you there, but as you probably know- references are king. I go after anime when I'm modelling my guy. If that's your style of girl, then go for it (Soda POP minis come to mind). If you're going for something else, I suggest going after that artwork and modelling DIRECTLY after one if you're without ideas.
@ Migs- awww... . Lookin' forward to magic from the su... you, Migs. Seriously. I definitely want to see your next gang.
@ Scarper- Are you going to be a doctor?? You've got my respect (grandma was a doctor as well)! Looking forward to your work! *ahem* you mention surgery,so your GS "practice" will be top-notch, no doubt!
@ Vit - Thanks, man. I'm looking forward to your monstrosity!
@ 40k Ninja- Glad someone thinks so. I'm in awe of all the work here, and this is definitely a great study for me.
@ PDH - Those buckle starts are sick. Was the plasticard bending forced with superglue? Or some other method?
HF Izanagi wrote:@ Baiyuan- Thanks. I appreciate it, and definitely- "trophies" are in order. As to your dilemma, do you have a certain style you gear towards. I can't help you there, but as you probably know- references are king. I go after anime when I'm modelling my guy. If that's your style of girl, then go for it (Soda POP minis come to mind). If you're going for something else, I suggest going after that artwork and modelling DIRECTLY after one if you're without ideas.
Like I wrote references are not the problem. I made my own design for the armor, I have all the sketches, but I'm not sure what I want anymore.
The GS needs a bit of a sand but I'm pretty happy with the results. I doubt I'm going to add buckles mainly because I actually like it as it is. I'm on track for finishing the modelling by the 10th August so I can start painting . Not so thumbs up was when Abi mistook my paper thin plasticard for paper and actually folded it before my eyes before realising it didn't feel like paper and that I had not my annoyed face.
Baiyuan - Yeah you did. I wanted to get one more story instalment in before the reveal but I couldn't wait.
Migsula - You're putting us all to shame now that you have started painting. You're really sounding motivated and happy with your modelling at the moment. As they say a change is as good as a rest... hopefully the break from Legion (on another project) will help get you back into it.
Vitruvian XVII - Thanks. Cool story update
HF Izanagi - The plasticard was just glued down with super glue. It is paper thin so bent ok, but still a little brittle, a couple of areas cracked but GS sorted that out.
@PDH: I'm curious what else you have in store, he doesn't look even remotely finished, but I'm sure there are scores of bitz waiting to be glued in place.
Update:
In the afternoon I made some more sketches combining elements of my two earlier designs into one. Nevertheless it was hard to decide which way to go and I got a little frustrated.
Then after three hours of training and basicly being too tired for anything hobby related, I've forced myself to spend at least an hour on sculpting today. Good thing I did!
I usually don't like when the hobby becomes too much of a lesson in discipline, but then again I need one every now and then and they mostly prove to be fruitful.
What I did was actually just covering the curly places where her armor left her bare skin to show. Mainly on her breasts, under her arms and on her back.
Even though I wasn't able to decide how I wanted her armor to look, I was sure I didn't want her tits to hang out. While sculpting I finally decided to go for the more minimalistic, yet more challenging of my ideas.
Here is the plan:
I will preserve as much of her bare skin as possible and the main armor will be on her chest, shoulders and arms and maybe around her waist a little.
The "naked" portions will in fact be covered by an armored type of synskin which I'll paint onto the unchanged skin. This way I can keep the wonderful details of the original sculpt (her tummy and lower back are so convincingly sculpted, it would be a shame to smother them in GS) and still alter her looks the way I want, whithout making her look naked, but instead reasonably armored yet agile.
I'll take pictures of this step tomorrow before I continue. After using discipline I'm highly motivated again.
Another thing: The head problem
I'm still not sure which head to use. I have plenty ideas, but own none of the necessary bitz. So I went through what I have again and again and found some possible solutions but nothing convincing.
My best shot was ripping one of the most beautiful 28mm heads I know (the head of a female Gael staffsling warrior from Celtos) of off a slaaneshi conversion I started some years ago and tried it on Samarianne.
It
fits perfectly, but only as a complete head. Mounting just the face on the original wizard head wouldn't look right. Also the face is too pretty and too young and nice. So I'll save it for a different day.
I'm not sure yet if I want Samarianne to look like a real bad bitch, or to keep her a little on the nice side. That's why I'll either use a woodelf glade guard/rider head, or a specific one from the daemonettes (which I don't have). Could make her look too evil though. So far I'm picturing her badass and stonecold, but not evil. On the other hand, with all those crazy augmentations around, why shouldn't she have scary crazy staring eyes.
@ Baiyuan- Hmm... I think you're where I'm at when I veered away and started making the bug-man. And about those "eye" things... I haven't figured yet... Perhaps they will be, perhaps they won't. ( lol, seriously, I have no clue- something told me to put them there. Honest!)
As for myself, work and school are steamrolling any modelling time I've got at the moment. Expect updates Sunday night, as I'm allotting time to do more work. My contemptor work is on hold until I've got my 60mm Scibor Egyptian base to set his feet into. Although... I might work on both simultaneously as not to waste time... GS taking time to cure and all...
@ PDH - YEEK! I feel you on the plasticard incident...
I remember my wife looking at one of my previous models- Inq. Veran to be exact, and she thought the greenstuff was blue-tac... ripped off an arm and busted my first (and honestly better attempt) at his spikey hair as the GS was still soft.
Anywho, hope to see new progress from everyone soon! (and have some of my own as well!)
I traveled in the rotten carcass of a long dead elevatorum engine. All 244 floors of the derelict hab block flashing through where the doors of it once were. Glorious wave of sparks shot down after the engine like an afterburner. I like to make an entrance, that is why. Slight psy frost begun to cover the engine, a side effect of my telekinesis.
I knew what awaited me at the top. Because I was there as I am here. I willed the murdermake, or rather directed the absolute onslaught. I tasted the blood and watched every single one of them die.
A beautiful mechanical chime announced my arrival and I walked in to the main hall. The smell of blood was quite intoxicating through two separate noses. The cohort of witches surrounded my price, tightly packed behind a wall of vortex brought alive through their dark sorcery. My Alter-Daemon paced around the warp barrier. Such brilliant tool, such a cost to acquire it.
He cost me, it cost me. It cost me in resources and in the trust of much of the Ordos, narrow minded as they were, are, in the face of new, groundbreaking weaponry. Ignorantly labeled as a Daemon Host. They do not understand the forging of an Alter, of the genetic link and chain of control I project on the beast. It cost me much of my war-band, great warriors all of them. Oh yes, it also cost some dozens of collateral lives before I full mastered it. It cost me most of all.
But such a daemon. A bargain.
I burned through the feeble wall. They were powerful psykers, but not close to what power I posses, not close to the training they gave me, and I made their hearts explode. Not taking any chances, too eager to start.
I entered his mind, he and I blinked.
And I saw through his eyes. Through his eye to be exact. Into my eyes. I felt his terror, but it was overpowered by intellectual thirst. It was sublime. Such a clear and purposeful mind. The Mirrormaster, Lord Seer, Hereticus Diabolicus, sector threat three. There was I, cowled in ethereal alien robe. Cream in color, projecting the symbols of my trade on its surface. Encased in crimson carapace, wrought by master artificers to protect from harm and to provoke dread in equal measure; and to integrate the incredible psychic hood from Titan. A compact seismic hammer in hand and the vampire blade sleeping its endless nightmares in its protective alloy scarab. Another special piece made in the forgeries of Titan when such places would still cater for me.
I felt them before hearing them, before seeing them through his one eye.
Nevvie & Chaide set down besides me. Their huge, impossibly complex, synthetic wings a whirl that ultimately suspended them a few feet from ground. I was to make a job offer. Chaide carried the reward I would promise. Nevvie the tools for signing.
Baiyuan - He really isn't remotely finished...but the next phase will involve glueing a lot of things to the model and sorting out the gs on his chest.
HF Izanagi - Cheers....I feel for your incident too. Did you shout at her?
migsula - I like that story a lot. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the rest of his warband.
JRN - I hope they arrive on Saturday. I get the feeling that just like Migs you'll set down for seven and a half minutes and come up with a truly stunning model. Look forward to seeing it.
Still waiting for my model(s) to arrive, but I believe it should be at my doorstep on Saturday!
Cheers mate!
BTW we have a small Darth Vader running around the house today I'll email you pics.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
PDH wrote:B
JRN - I hope they arrive on Saturday. I get the feeling that just like Migs you'll set down for seven and a half minutes and come up with a truly stunning model. Look forward to seeing it.
@ Migs- Great fluff. I like the idea of him seeing/doing everything with his avatar while he rides up the elevator. The Inqs that skirt the edge between breaking the law and upholding it are my favorite kind of Inqs. The zealous pure-heart ones give me the willies.
@ PDH- LOL... no... it takes A LOT to piss me off. I think I sighed , got up and poured a cup of booze , then took it outside to go kick/punch/rail at one of the big oak trees outside our apartment complex . I let the mini go that night, and just fixed it early morning.
@ JRN- looking forward to it! Which one were you going with? DE Sorcerer?
@ Baiyuan- Pics, mate! I'm excited to see your sculpting! After you finish her, you're pretty much finished with her pet and ready to paint, right?
HF Izanagi wrote:@ PDH- LOL... no... it takes A LOT to piss me off. I think I sighed , got up and poured a cup of booze , then took it outside to go kick/punch/rail at one of the big oak trees outside our apartment complex . I let the mini go that night, and just fixed it early morning.
That reminds me when I had just finished a present for a close friend, a complicated conversion on a high elf dragon, put it on it's base, which was made from real slate and had the names of all the people contributing to it engraved in chinese characters and walked into another friends office to show him and he threw a ball of aluminium foil at me without looking and the reflex to catch it made me drop it. There was complete silence for ten seconds, nobody moved a muscle, then I started picking up the parts of the completely shattered miniature and left without saying a word. The guy was seriously worried I would come back and hurt him.
I will put up some pics tomorrow.
When I'm done with her there is still the final assembly and GS work to do on Hope. I silently came to the decision, that I'll make sure Samarianne is finished (including paint) by the 10th of septembre, even if I fail to finish the whole scene in time.
Hhm, where is everybody? Got a bit quiet around here... To lead by example I'm going to put up pictures of my progress, as insignificant as it might be.
Like I said before I'm currently doing the GS work on the body armor and I'm trying to preserve as much of the original as possible. I don't want to just slap on a lot of armor plates and call it a day.
For comparison, this is what the original looked like before I changed the armor:
This is before I started the sculpting, you can see I'm only using the armor plates of the DE arms now, they looked to big:
This was the first step where I sculpted the general shape, remove the curvy dark elf elements and gave the chest piece a nice arc at the rips. The chastity belt isn't done yet btw, it's not symmetrical grrrrrr. It's hard to see where the plastic begins and where the putty ends, but if you look close enough you can see the different shade of grey:
And this is what I just did. I added another layer to the chest and shoulders and sculpted the gorge. You can also see last nights work, the left arm and arm pit. Both arms will need some more work though, I didn't add elbows yet and they overall sculpt is quite crude there:
Sorry gentlemen, for the absence- school is finishing up... one more week, then I can devote all the time I like (after work) to the model.
I started work on the shoulder pads, but not enough to warrant an update. So possibly tonight?
@ Baiyuan- great start, the work is nice and even on the sanding and GS work, and I can only wonder how long that took to do. I usually go crazy and fix it with GS after... which also usually doesn't end so well. Either way, great start, and I'm looking forward to more. It's looking like a step away from your weapons won't stop you from turning a detailed masterpiece.
And in regards to your tale... tell me, did you feel like going back in there? If that were me, hmm... yea... probably. THAT, is one of those things that would set me off, seeing as how it would be something I've vested myself in and spent several hours on.
Update:
My order of heads arrived today and I've chosen, hollowed out and transplanted the right face for my Samarianne.
The GS that holds together the face, the head and the other two parts of her hair is curing tonight and I'm looking forward to make some real progress tomorrow.
Fotos will follow.
Baiyuan wrote:@JRN: Did you mention what she'll be in the end?
Never did on a fluff-description or title for the lady. I am the kind of guy who usually do the imagery first and then decide what it is.
However - I suppose she would be some kind of cultist henchmen character. Or maybe she serves as the right hand of rogue Inquisitor who is quite far down the tainted path.
Cultist/rogue inquisitor henchman... same thing... or is it?
Migs - I'm sticking by my first assumption it will take JRN 7.5 mins to create a fabulous model. You're letting the side down at 9 mins......
JRN - Glad she arrived. Look forward to seeing more.
Baiyuan - Glad her head arrived. I think everything should be coming together over the next week or so.
As for my own update... I shouldn't have gone up to the lake district walking. But I have got, I feel, a lot done:
The head and shoulder armour is done, very happy how it turned out. The arms will be going on tonight along with pouches etc. I can honestly say that while he has taken me a while he is really coming together quickly now. As soon as he is finished I'll take a decent photograph (these crappy photos are just part of the teasing process ).
Baiyuan: Impressive sculpting work. You sculpted the collor/neckpiece or grapped it from somewhere else?
PDH: Model looks impressive. I like the bold use of the plastic stips for the coat. Gives a really nice pattern.
Never thought that out myself. I'd be painstakingly sculpting it instead spending way more than 7.5 minuttes...
That sorcerer is really small. I couldn'timagine her being this tiny but I believe it now.
Anyone know of a smaller sized chainsword. My box of Eschers seems to be missing and the current best bit is a Cadian Sergent's chainsword.
@JRN- I remember the sketches. And before I read anything, I was wondering how that small model would fit on those huge legs in the back.. Either way, excited to see the progress.
@Baiyuan- Just noticed the gorget now... You and your grey putty... The Tzeentch sorcerer had a neck + head style, so I didn't give it much thought. So nice and neat...
@PDH- awesome man! Did you use the original head? And what's going on in the face area? Not that it looks bad, I'm just uncertain... aka, take a clear close-up!
This week is reserved for final papers/exams, etc. I'll be on here, but no new updates for a while.
JRN - Cheers. I'll be honest I was being lazy. I could have rolled out some gs, pushed it flat etc. but the plasticard strips just seemed like the easiest option for duplicating the straps.
Baiyuan - Thanks. I didn't even notice the gorget on yours, until HF pointed it out, thought it was part of the model.
HF Izanagi - I have used the original head. I've tried to make it look different well that wasn't hard I did that by removing the horns lol. Well I used this guy as inspiration...minus the gimp mask.....
You'll get the close up later in the week. Now I'm off I've got loads to do get him ready for a Saturday paintfest
PDH wrote:HF Izanagi - I have used the original head. I've tried to make it look different well that wasn't hard I did that by removing the horns lol. Well I used this guy as inspiration...minus the gimp mask.....
You'll get the close up later in the week. Now I'm off I've got loads to do get him ready for a Saturday paintfest
Lol... you know... I wasn't even thinking "gimp mask" looking at the picture until you said something... then I remembered a run through Fallout 2, arm-wrestling a Super Mutant, losing... then spending the night at his house with a sore arse and a gimp mask after... LOL... I had to restart my game after that, as no way my guy was gonna be some other guy's woman...
And @ Baiyuan, yes, I wouldn't have noticed it either until JRN pointed it out...
HF Izanagi wrote:Sweet Lord... it looks just like your sketch... Question- how do you get those fine strips done? Is it teased into shape? Cut? Dried and shaped?
-Remi
Just rolled into shape, stuck on, and worked into place. The trick is that the GS needs to have passed some of the drying time before you roll it and work on it.
Mix GS. Do something else for about ½ hour. Then add the GS. Leave to dry again for 20 mins or so. Finally - add the detail with your sculpting tool.
Very good work with the GS. And you did what I couldn't, I simply could not cover that tummy... The face mask as is looks too big for her. Might look better with details on, but by my feeling it'll still be big.
Very nice indeed. That sculpting is amazing - will be curious to see how the mask comes out...as Baiyuan says, it looks a bit 'big' but I suppose the details will be what determines the result.
I've finished painting with the red armor, and face. Red is a total daemon to photograph though I'm very happy how it came out though. Used Jakob's yellow base color method for a very strong, noble red, but will take it more to my style with careful chipping and gore stains, and exaggerated shadows when all the other colors are in place and I can sense the overall tone of light and shadow.
I gave him piercing red eyes, with red base coat, dark "eyeliner and a glowing tiny droplet of white in the middle - courtesy of a 20 0 brush I got from Northen who is studying in Kyoto.
Now on to metals and the robes. I can't wait to get everything up to when weathering starts. That's when the plastic man comes to life for me!!
Lets see if I can finish him on time. The painting is becoming a testing ground and I feel I can push him somewhere un expected.
Baiyuan wrote:The face mask as is looks too big for her. Might look better with details on, but by my feeling it'll still be big.
Yeah. adding the detail does something to the big shape though. I guess it depends on whether it is a facemask or a bionic face covering up some horrible scar.
I'll see what it looks like when the first details are in place, and then post pics here to get a "no" or "go".
EDIT: I am deciding already. I'll redo the faceplate.
@Migsula: Looking foreward to seeing the paintjob.
@ JRN - Awesome. I have an awful need to do something/anything for an intensive period of time, so doing something else - videogames/reading/studying, doesn't help me. I stare... and stare... and stare... I'll be giving it a shot though. You might see it on my 1K Sons before starting their "new" paint-jobs a la Eggroll.
@Baiyuan- Noticed that just now after an "executive" lunch... the final result will determine, but I'm almost certain he'll cut it down... and lo and behold, a redo. Either way, JRN, the current work is exquisite (oooh... how often do you hear that??- tis true, very fine work on the GS gets me going)
@Migs- Apologies... I'll be waiting to get some ideas for this. What exactly are you looking for? More contrast? I know the SMs I'm painting up come off in different colors due to the neon light I use when painting... but they tend to look more "natural" when I have them in the photo booth... contrast colors, perhaps?? Engh... I'll stop now.
Great work, gentlemen. Looking foward to more. Vitruvian? Are you still among the living?? 5 weeks, brother. Let's see some work!
Good work, I'm not to fond of the right eyeslit though, it looks a little too putty-like. A cleaner edge or slightly different shape would improve the look imo.
JRN wrote:As promised. New facemask sculpted. Detail added.
Next up is probably the arms.
Right arm first. Might change the chainsword to another weapon. Either a regular sword or some kind of buzzing maul.
Oh, I need to remember to do those parchments and scrolls in her belt.
I really like what are you doing here! the top remind me a little to an apron (just a bit!).....anyway, i wanna see how do you realized the two arm and all the detail!
Inspiring work, JRN! The bolted-on look of the mask is really grim, which suits your theme, I reckon Are you going to paint the flesh around it with a reddened, irritated kind of look? Your detail work is amazing - the =I= seal and skulls are works of art.
Apologies for my abscence lately - been working really long shifts this week, which has been kicking my ass. I've technically got some work to do for tomorrow, but I will make some progress and get it posted up tonight, or I'll punch someone. Haven't decided yet
Jakob that's perfect! The softness in the eye slit works and is very realistic on how such a mask would likely to be manufactured. Can't wait to see her get some paint.
Here's a PIP of mine - don't know why, but it was impossible to get pics of the red that I am so pleased about. Hence I'll ignore everyone's disliking about it. Treat this as proof of me painting and better pics later when I have more to show.
Nice PIP, Migs. Tell me, how "faithful" is that red to what you see? So in comparison, it's darker, lighter, more orange, more... (fill in blanK) here. I'm looking forward to seeing it. How close will it be to the painting style you use on your Alphas? And is the cloth going to be white?
Two more days til I can start up again. One case analysis down, 2 tests and 7 essays timed for one hour left to go.
Well I'm just about to get my proper camera out. I've had enough modelling and so he is getting undercoated tomorrow night. There are probably a few areas I could add more to or tiny up but I don't want to any more. I need to do some painting (I really want to paint a scavvy but they will have to wait lol). While I might sound a little negative I am happy with what I've done.
JRN - That face mask imo is bob on, nice bionic eye. I like the the scroll pinny too, so 40k - so impractical. I'm looking forward to seeing her arm cannon next.
Migs - Oh paint - you're putting the rest of us to shame. That face is sinister. I wont comment on the red yet. Oh nice to see some paint on that mutant too, after reading your background he looks like the sort of guy to hang out with your inquisitor.
@Migs: I really like his face already. Great work on the eyes.
Progress:
Well, I've made some! My mood is similar to Peter's, but I won't basecoat before I'm sure I've done everything to do my vision justice.
There is mainly a lot of detailing left, but I pushed hard this evening and managed to get all major elements into place.
So her head is finally in position (but removable for painting and some more detailing), her pauldrons are done, her backpack is in position, her hair is connected to her new face, her scabbard and sword are hanging from her belt etc.
To do:
assemble visor
sculpt casing around backpack
apply details to stockings
fix chastity belt and add belts and equipment
No huge progress, but I'm working on her base, and I've done my best at some folds on her coat (though they still need a fair bit of smoothing work).
You can also see her bionic eye, and some of the tumourous growth on her head, as well as the lank hair!
Seems more than a bit tame compared to the other sculpting work on this page, but what can you do? Next up is her left arm, cradling her child close to her chest. Hope you like, anyway.
Hey guys lots of fantastic work going on, sorry about my abscence this last few weeks , lots of family stuff going on ;-)
still beavering away when i get the chance though , not much progress , certainly not as much as you guys all this stuff is simply wonderful.
@scarper the satchel is pure genius , great work mate.
@Migsula that red is a lovely bold mate. nice henchman too.
@JRN WOW just wow , so simple and yet so effective , the apron really makes her look 40kimo grubby and simple almost eclisistical . great scultpint with the head.
@Baiyuan Great progress , and i dont feel too bad as you havent shown too much yet either the arm pinning must have being tricky though .
@Peter well that 3rd eye really rings his face to life mate , still wondering how your going to paint you dudes robes , and i see you couldnt resist adding a sci fi gubbinz to his base
This was my vision from the onset, pose etc. Well and truly inspired by FFG's Rouge Trader rule book. Thank you Neil . I am happy how he is but I'll be happier once he is painted and he isn't so green and grey
I wanted a sinister face and his third eye open and on show seemed right (he is in a combat situation after all). His rigid arms suited how I imagined him to be have been trained (arrogant/navel). I'm really happy with his pistol, with red dot laser sight. The staff was a pain in the , the brass rod is slightly too thick but not too bad (finger crossed because is aint coming off).
Yet again another pic from me you'll need to zoom in on a bit in the gallery (sorry my photo skills are a lot to be desired)
Scarper - I like her a lot. The bionic arm looks even better from the other angles. Nice GS work on the rear stitching and those folds. The base is great but I'd be tempted to put another rail supporting strut at the very front of the base on the right. At the moment it looks like she is holding a pipe/maul rather than holding onto a rail.
Get outta here, Peter! Using a sensory array from a Battlefleet Gothic ship as a scope/sight is pure genius, even more so considering the fact that I did the same thing a couple of days ago! It's getting creepy dude. That being said, I love him! There are some minor details I'm not sure about, but the overall look is stunning. Great pose, cool weapon design (the pistol is right up my alley), just the right amount of detail.
Also he is the perfect prey for Samarianne, might even be a little challenge and Hope will be delighted to feast upon his tainted flesh.
P.S. One little flaw: The staff should have a proper end, how about sculpting a ring or case around it?
@ Peter- that Inq is looking fantastic, man!! I like the *snicker* "gimp mask". But seriously, you managed to turn that horrible, horrible image into my head into something feasible and as realistic as the art gets. I'm enjoying the overall look of the mini, as well as the lowered-stave. And I agree with Baiyuan- cap that sucker.
@ JRN- NICE. Just... NICE.
@ Scarper- great to finally see the near-finished product. I like that your model almost seems like a part of a diorama that you'd fit into place. I'd love to see a 2-3 tier diorama of the hive under attack, and that character fleeing the carnage. Er, not that you have to make that for this, but still- jus sayin'. That's what I'm imagining looking at your model. Excellent work, bro.
Alright... I just couldn't study anymore... 3rd glass of half-n-half screwdrivers in, and I went on a modelling frenzy. Apologies if the newest additions to my bi-polar merc look like crap. I'm a bit tipsy, and not in the mood to care until I look at it tomorrow and cry. And apologies if the post lapse into incoherent babble. Again, not like I care, but still...
Anyways, here's the newest on my end. I promised work on Sunday, but Captain Eager in me said to start trying to work today.
Here is a list of possible bits I was thinking of using, and still may up using before this model is ready to paint.... staring at my model case, I started painting my Eldar Rangers before attaching their backpacks... perhaps I had some idea in the past about doing it that way... but now I feel I've made a grave mistake. Dammit...
Shoulderpads, baby. I realized that after I had done both, one was smaller. Revisions done before I got too hammered to do work accurately, below. Or not.
Smaller pad redone.
Armed him with an Eldar-Kroot-Imperial uzi/glock. I'll be GSing the bits to fit tightly later.
Some of his "trophies"- kroot shell dispensers for his gun and an imperial canteen (almost said thermos, that's not right) Will GS straps and wires after everything dries.
And the other hand... the wife was talking about wanting the collection of Star Trek series with the female captain aka Flemeth from Dragon Age I and II. Immediately thought klingon and made a funky stabbing katar-type handweapon out of a kroot rifle handle, the leather-wrapped upper barrel of the same rifle, and a tyranid claw.
View from the top of the bladed kilingon weapon- Yes, my thumbs are double-jointed.
And finally, a rushing pose picture.
Anyways, that's it for me until the GS dries and I can continue with the detail work. Some to come is the inner-thigh armor and leather wrap for the canteen, a strap-belt for his bandolier, and mending the details for his gun and knife. Oh yea, and gauntlet armor.
I forgot about the staff base . Thanks for pointing it out I meant to do that last night. Damn that undercoat is looking a bit further away!
Neil - Cheers (your post wasn't there last night when I updated).
Baiyuan - Ha Ha great minds and all that. I was given a load of bits by a friend and a BFG sprue was in the bag. As soon as I saw the sprue I though gun sights. I am not going to change much but since I'm not undercoating him until tomorrow now..which minor details are you not sure about? (I don't want more than three )
HF - I should have introduced you all to Navigator Thirlwell last night. His face I hope will be made to look "right" at the painting stage. IMO it kinda looks a bit strange (but he is at least 150 years old).
Your Alien is looking really good, pose when attached to the barrel is . I love the gun and once it has gs on it I'm sure it will look even better. Oh and I thought thumbs were meant to do that...at least mine do and fingers.
@PDH, what an awesome model!! I like him perhaps the most out of all the models so far, because yours is a fresher typology, taking the imagery to more unexpected directions, yet it fits very well. (Though Scarper is really giving you a run for your greenstuff stash) I was worried the coat front would look too heavy, but with the model finished it has a nice feel to it - like that part is also armor, not just for show!
It would be great if the other end of the stuff would have a minor detail! Maybe a spike poking out, or just some decorative finish. Would add a world of finish
ps. nice to see someone else go town with the BFgothich parts too Great for just that kind of thing.
Where is the head from??
Lovely work! ALL ROUND GUYS!!!!! Awesome to just be part of this.
....I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of Nelsons and go town with my Mirrormaster and Alter Daemon and the Wingkin...
@HF Izanagi - totally unfaithful. The range is missing. Imagine my legion blue how much range there is between light blue and almost black blue. This is similar, but starting from bolder, stronger red. few of the most shadowy areas go to 80%black + red. Cloth will be "bone" with a slight green tint to really make the red crisp. It will also have large dark grey markings, that I hope to look a little like fading, or projections of "e-ink"..
Remi, your model is coming together really well now! Can't wait to see some paint.
@Scarper - dude man!!! THAT IS SO COOL! Fantastic use of the basing to create the moment and the pose. I would try to brake the metal mesh more and to have the base's round nature more visible overall, but man! VERY VERY nice!
... and so the original thread is rising to the challenge that the large spin-off has amply created!! WOW!
Automatically Appended Next Post: ...bloody OS X Lion autocorrect!!!
Thank you gentlemen and watchers for the kind comments. With a mild hangover, I swung by my modelling desk and took a look this morning, and... (O_O) it's not bad. (o_O) Definitely not all that good for the cuts and the fitting... but not something I totally have to do over...
@Rabid Ferret- Send us a link here on the blog so we can check out your creations as well! If you'd like to participate, there's a public-style one made by Panic you can join up on. We're on there regularly to see the creations across the pond too!
@Dakka_Dok- Whom do you address? *steps down from the heavenly daias* Speak, mortal..
LOL, jus kiddin'. Seriously, though. Which one of us are you referring to? We've got a couple of GD winners here (*sigh* someday... someday, it'll be me...) , and all just here to have some fun and benchmark/see some innovations from our favorite artists/friends on Dakka.
@PDH- It's a staff cap, man. Done in 30 minutes or less... er, 5 minutes, the rest is waiting for it to harden. Have you thought of a scheme yet? I'm stuck on mine... and wife/sister/cousins say "no", our thumbs are special. For the barrel, I'm going to use water effects and make him skimming the water's surface. He's going on a 60mm base, as I'm out of 40s. Theme for the base will be: "samurai in 40K", so I'll be putting up some reeds (pipes) and other small resin bits in the sludge. And try to paint a reflection on the surface...
@Neil- I have complete faith. You're pretty damn prodigious, so I'm sure you can make it to your satisfaction in... what, 29 days? Pah, 4 weeks= doable.
@Baiyuan/PDH- That scope is from BFG...? Tricksy, tricksy...
@Migs- LOL, I misread your post the first part. "Totally unfaithful." I beg your pardon?! Oooh... you're talking about the color range, not me or my miniature... gotcha... gotcha. I'll just... go away now.
I'm looking forward to seeing how you "tint" the cloth green. I've done green for shadows on red to make a very stark red with natural shade, but I've never done it on another part of a mini to complement the red portion.
Welcome back everyone. Like Baiyuan said, it was a bit dead, and real life got in the way. But glad to see everyone back at work. I've gotta step it up so I can get to painting, too.
I had a nice two hour painting session today! All the tedious stuff done and on to the part that I love the most about the hobby. So detail, freehand markings, scratches, weathering, metal aging.... the stuff that brings them to life!
BTW - the twist in the pic is not going to be part of the retinue, I was just practicing the red on him. If the inspiration and time presents, I'll repaint the guards and finish the rest of him and add him into the 1st part of the Trilogy where he belongs. Will try to finish the challenge =I= next week and solve the red pic issues.
Remi - I'm just using pallid green shade to build the white, and add khaki for successive shadows. So it's not "green per se", but clearly makes a huge difference to a bone shade for example.
Ugghh, i never would have thought moving would cut into my modelling a week and a half later. Yet, i still dont have all my stuff, and have no internet atm, so ive snatched a couple of minutes.
Wish i had the time to comment individually but i have looked and everyone is progressing so well and brilliantly, we're really getting somewhere now!
Unfortunately, i havent started yet, this weekend i should finally start messing with the sorceresses pose, providing i can fish her from where she is hiding in a brown box
So for now, here's some more fluff, should have internet monday and be somewhat back to normal.
Chapter IV – Overrun
All along the front Kryglaakan Kataphrakt units were being driven back, at a horrific cost to man and machine. The nightmarish denizens of the Soul-forge emerged from warp portals all across Nova Lustia, a cackling, whooping, shrieking circus delighting in the hideous toll they reaped in the blood of the Emperor’s faithful.
In the Western Manufactorum Sector, amongst the burned out remnants of Sentinel Heavy-Lifters and heavy duty Servitors, the Kryglaakan Reserve Companies gave furious battle to beetle-like Blood Slaughterers. The creatures were forged of brazen brass, and daemonic flesh bound by crazed daemonic entities. They hunched over, scuttling with a tremendous speed, their carapaces shielding them from all the fire directed at them, from las-rounds to krak missiles. When they reached the Kryglaakan lines, it was a horrific bloodbath. Trooper Zandros was plucked form the hole he was crouched in by scythe like talons, and ripped asunder, the great beast almost displaying reverence as it performed a vicious sacrifice to the dark gods that granted it power. More of the daemon-forged machines ascended the piles of rubble, leaping with over useless barricades. The Reserve Companies didn’t stand a chance.
The scene was repeated all across the Hive World. In the glittering spires of the Up-Hive, between luxurious holo-tapestries and gilded Donorthial Light Symphonies, frantic Guild Bodyguards fought in vain to protect their noble charges. They were all carrion for the Blight Drones that buzzed in through the windows, spreading rot and corruption from disgusting, distended and pestilent maws, their very presence turning metals nearby as rusted as their pitted and scarred shells. Amidst the vast pipelines of the Xylovin Ore-fields, entire Mechanised Companies and Leman Russ Phalanxes were torn asunder by the many varied and exotic weapons used by the towering Pleasure-Givers. Each was the size of a Reaver Titan, a hideously alluring mix of a many breasted Daemoness and glittering, lacquered armour plates over equine mechanical legs. With their highest pair of arms they ripped apart Baneblade Super-heavy Tanks, the huge crustacean-like claws shearing adamanta-plas like it was mere paper. Below these, huge guns bristled, each emitting skull-splitting blasts of sonic power, concussive forces that shook Leman Russes to pieces and exploded Chimeras with such effect that the entire Ore-field lit the sky with miniature blossoms of fire. Strangest of all were the floating Changelings, great mechanical orbs made of daemonic eyes and whirring cogs, whose gaze fell upon the civilians in the Hab-blocks, turning their flesh blue and mutating them into horrific spawn of the Chaos Gods. All across the world, the scene was the same, blood, death and destruction.
Yet in the depths of the deepest Mechanicus Complex, in the secure bunker of a long-dead and forgotten ArchMagos, one machine did not make battle. It sat, as if decommissioned, squatting over the black and white marble flagstones like a monolithic protector. In its centre, a green light flickered on and off. When illuminated, a lithe figure could be seen, suspended in vitro, surrounded by wires and tubes. There Seraphine dreamed dreams of a bygone age, processing information from servo-skulls secreted around the city, and waited......
edit - JRN - Her cannon arm is just fantastic. Where is that pipe going (rear shot please) As is the =I= symbol. Her base is good too, that sentinel lascannon/multilaser(?) power pack is so useful.
Baiyuan - Sorry too late. I don't want to know any more. The modelling on him is now done.
Neil - Yeah I used tech stuff on the base, definitely adds to the 40k feel. This one I'm happy with, the other two (in my thread) I'm not so sure about. Tonight I've under coated the Navigator's base. I'll prob paint that tomorrow.
Rabid Ferret & Dakka_Dok - I'll assume you guys mean all of us. So thank you.
Migs - Thanks dude. I've capped the end of the staff. The head is from the Chaos Sorcerer, I just removed the horns.
HF Izanagi - Was done in 2 mins. But I want to file is down when it is totally dry. As for colour scheme....the coat is going to be dark blue. Armour....needs to incorporate white and black. The gem on his chest will be light blue. Skin will be pale (same as Alice's). Staff will be gold.
I like the idea of the water base, sounds like you're pushing yourself.
Vitruvian XVII - You're really surprised that moving has had a knock on effect? Moving even has an effect on other people. I mean look at B. he has been moving his sister's for the last 6 months. I'm really looking forward to seeing some progress shots.
@Migs: I love the screaming face on your inquisitor and am a big fan of using red as it will definately make it stand out a bit. By chance is that a bottle of liquid mask you have blocked out behind the model?
@JRN: I see your blanchistu style comming out on that. Lovely job always and I hope if you come too Adepticon agian this year you bring it with you.
@PDH: Alright...that's just cool. At first I was a little reserved with the plasticard down the coat but after it all comes together that is just awsome!!!!
I'm certainly excited to see the range of different figures currently being produced. The figures by JRN, PDH and Migsula are all ones I'm exceptionally jealous of!
Hey everyone! Stellar work all round! Making me feel guilty about my lack of progress but I've finished what I needed to get done of my starter Malifaux gang so I'll hopefully be back up and running next week! Got some cool ideas I'm going to try out on my necromancer. Most of the modelling's done anyway.
Looking at the nice range of things - I feel we need "photography rules" for the finished models! ie. same picture size for everyone, white background, no graphics, one image full front, one back, and perhaps a third with free choose of close ups = the list just a suggestion, but the overall "rules set" a big wish as it would really let us marvel and compare without trickery.
Additionally maybe someone could do a "Pimp my wizard 40K" png stamp, we could all put in the photo's "right corner"?
Good ideas Migs. We have the white backdrop rule for the final pic and I think the bigger the better, but your other suggestions make sense. If Peter agrees we'll add it to the rules. One front, one back, one with detail shots, no bs. Anything people do in addition to the core pics is up to them.
A stamp would be nice to show it's all from one creative pool, good thinking Migs. I'd say that's a task for one of our graphic nerds.
@PDH: Never mind, I didn't intend to be nitpicky on such a level anyway. Even I have boundaries for nitpicking, but now that it's too late I can say it anyway, just for the record. I'm not exactly sure about the wings on his chest piece and the three little pouches on his left side, they make him look a little too soldiery and bulky considering his skinny waist. The wing part might change when you get painting, it could be a matter of integration.
Update:
Made a lot of progress yesterday and will put up pictures of it this afternoon.
Afternoon. Last night I undercoated two scavvies and the navigators base.
My day of painting has been a total wash out, I've undercoated navigator though. I've been doing a bit of gardening though because it has finally stopped raining
Empchild - Thank you. Now he is undercoated I'm not so sure about the straps. lol
Mol - Well next year I hope you're not only jealous but crying as his third eye downs one of your characters
jackanory - cool. Look forward to seeing what you've come up with.
Migs - Good idea. I'll let the experts suggest size etc. Do you know what the best size for dakka is?
Baiyuan - Migs' idea sounds good to me. So do we know any graphic nerds who can put a stamp together and tell me how to add it to my photographs?
As for your nitpicking fair points. I have some comes back too The wings are not well integrated because they are "part" of the shoulder armour. If he was standing to attention I imagine they sink down in line with the central gem. Looking a bit like a winged eye. The pouches are important to make him look some what soldiery. He will be part of my Inquisitor's Warband, thus armed for combat. If he was just on board a ship he would only be wearing robes.
I'm really looking forward to seeing your progress. Thus far you've just been teasing us with bits.
ghosty - cheers. How is your model coming along for the Pimp My Sorcerer 40k thread?
JRN - I'm very much looking forward to seeing your painting progress too. I need to work out how to get a good gold thread colour like this:
?
ghosty - That sucks man. It happened to me on a scavvy mutant. I got to a certain point and totally lost where to go next. Which model had you planned on using?
Did I say afternoon? I meant after midnight... at least Samarianne is 90% finished now. What's left to do is only some more detail work. Most importantly the lock on her chastity belt and some leather straps and parchment stripes.
This is what she looked like yesterday, when I gave her her second pauldron, purity seal, thicker soles, steel caps and reinforced leather boots.
This evening I went up to the attic for some conversion work that didn't involve sculpting which I do in my study. I managed to make the essential steps on her visor, which is finished apart from a cable here and there.
Tonight I finally got to work on her iron panties and belts, which led to being able to give her the equipment. So like I said roughly 90% finished, some cleanup and some detailling, that's it.
I'm looking forward to start painting now, but I'll take my time before I decide she's ready for priming.
I'm planning to start painting in a couple of days and will try to work on Hope in the mean time. I'm a bit concerned my project is a bit too ambitious and I won't be able to finish Samarianne, Hope AND the scenic base till 10th of Sept, but I'll make sure to have at least the wizard itself painted by then.
What. The. ... that is awesome... is this one of those moments you can start "the slow clap"?
The gun and body/head gear is looking fantastic. I don't know you balanced the arms with the thinner body, but you did it. Fantastic.
The only thing I feel (and may be the angle, not sure) but the face and hairline are... off. The eyebrow of the DE (guessing, am I right?) seems to run right into the hairline. Other than that, the added extras on the eyes... and that freakin' gun...
Good stuff. I'm looking forward to the paint. (and also dreading the deadline, wondering if I'll be able to finish it up as well..)
No painting for me tonight. I just finished tests, and I'm heading out with the wife to celebrate my (temporary) freedom from the MBA.
It might very well be me, or the picture angle, but her head just doesn't look right. She looks like her chin is just smashign into the gorge when she looks the direction she's looking now... maybe raise it a sixteenth of an inch and move it forward just a hair, just to give it some clearance?
Baiyuan - ooo I like her. She clearly looks awkward at the moment but that will be sorted out by her kitty.
I really like the straps, especially under the arms.
Nice chastity belt, the front is kinda advertising her modesty.
The gun looks good, the scope looks great. Go on give me a run through of the parts.
Edit - Third picture - Just under the skull grenade/krak grenade and the Inquisitor symbol the cloth needs smoothing out. Also is that a mould line on the sword hilt?
HF Izanagi - look again. That isn't hairline...it's a power cable to the gunsight?
HF Izanagi wrote:The gun and body/head gear is looking fantastic. I don't know you balanced the arms with the thinner body, but you did it. Fantastic.
I resculpted the arms apart from the armor and with the additional bulk of the chest piece and pauldrons I was supposing it would look allright.
The only thing I feel (and may be the angle, not sure) but the face and hairline are... off. The eyebrow of the DE (guessing, am I right?) seems to run right into the hairline.
Like Peter suggested, is there any chance you mistook the wire link from her targetting visor to her backpack for part of her hair? If not, it's a fair point. I attached the new face (wood elf glade guard btw) in an angle different from the ridiculous original and therefore had to trim back the hairline a lot, otherwise she would have looked like Wolverine, with her hair grow straight from her jaw. I'm pretty pleased with the result though, must be the angle or the cable.
DeathGod wrote:It might very well be me, or the picture angle, but her head just doesn't look right. She looks like her chin is just smashign into the gorge when she looks the direction she's looking now... maybe raise it a sixteenth of an inch and move it forward just a hair, just to give it some clearance?
Fair point, it looks slightly off, but I think that's because she's missing her doggy. Her original pose was a bit strange already, with her belly and tits arcing forwards and her shoulders and ass sticking out towards the back. Giving her a tilted forward head not only made sense because she's looking down at her dog, it also compensated for the original pose and rounded off her catwalk-like pose. I tried it couple of times myself before sculpting, the position isn't the most natural, but it is possible and logical in her final situation.
PDH wrote:Baiyuan - ooo I like her. She clearly looks awkward at the moment but that will be sorted out by her kitty.
Thanks, let's hope so.
I really like the straps, especially under the arms.
Thanks, they turned out decently.
Nice chastity belt, the front is kinda advertising her modesty.
Tiberius has the key...
The gun looks good, the scope looks great. Go on give me a run through of the parts.
54mm duelling pistol, WFB empire handgunner musket, SM scout sniper ammo feed, SM landspeeder storm sensory lense, plastic card, GS, brass etch, various watch parts.
Third picture - Just under the skull grenade/krak grenade and the Inquisitor symbol the cloth needs smoothing out. Also is that a mould line on the sword hilt?
Nope and nope. The leather ribbon is supposed to look ragged from all the flapping under hostile conditions. It definitely looks like a moldline, but I made sure there is none ten times over, the plastic just has a brighter color there.
That isn't hairline...it's a power cable to the gunsight?
@neil - Thanks a ton, man I really liked all the straps and weight she's carrying - it seemed a shame to lose all that because the giant spellbook didn't suit her theme. It was a pretty easy change in the end!
@PDH - Thank you! I was actually planning on another strut on the part of the railing that she's holding, but I didn't really want to fix her to the base quite yet. Seems like painting might be a bit of a job as it is, so any access I can give myself will be very much appreciated...
@Remi - Hahaha, yeah, maybe one day... At the rate I work it would probably take me a decade. A desperate flight from violent pursuers is kind of the vibe I wanted though, so I'm glad that comes across! Thank you
@Migs - Wow, man, thank you! That means a ton. I'll do my best to bash up the base a little more - I was thinking of corroding away a few of the connecting parts of the meshwork, but no big holes or anything like that. I'll post some pics once it's done. Thanks so much for the kind words!
@Ghosty - Thank you so much! I'm really honoured that you like mine among the amazing work on here I had massive modeller's block for quite a while too - in the end I decided that since I knew what theme I wanted to have, if I couldn't find the bits I needed, I would just have to do a lot of sculpting! My idea has changed a lot since the original though - do you have anything in particular in mind?
Right, onto other people's (AWESOME!) stuff -
@PDH - That's one hell of a reveal from the previous coat I saw! He looks absolutely fantastic. I love the rigid pose - screams 'nobleman' or 'arrogant officer' to me, and seems to have a lot of anger in it when combined with his face. Hope that's what you wanted to give off! The coat is brilliant, and I actually really love the shoulder pads - quite simple, but really cohesive with the rest of his armour. And the face - amazing. I've had a bash at sculpting faces myself, and have got NOTHING on that, seriously good work! I'll echo the comments on the staff base, but I get the feeling you've picked them up already Kudos!
@Remi - If that is your 'tipsy' modelling, I am seriously impressed! The shoulderpads look good now, I think, nice catch on the uneven start. Great to see him really coming together! I think the weapons work really well: nice job getting uniquely 'alien' looking weapons together from parts we all recognise! Can't wait to see him based and ready
@baiyuan - Pretty mindblowing, love your theatrical reveal after all the teasing pics. You've got that down now! Things I absolutely love:
The rifle. Just, wow. What are all those metal parts making up the sight?
The arms. I did feel that in the WIPs, they looked a little awkward, but I was sure you'd sort it. You really did - they look fantastic! Really like how you combined the different components - looks pretty seamless.
The crossed straps and gear around her hips - a really natural way to carry things, but difficult to pull off I feel. The way you have distributed her gear around them looks natural and equally weighted, kudos!
About the head thing that a couple of people have mentioned - I think a photo at another angle of the R hand side of her face would really clear it up! At first glance, I was confused by the power cable - from this angle it looks a little like a beaded hairband, which obviously, it isn't. Is her ear hidden behind it from these angles?
Amazing work as always - can't wait for Hope now
Right, that took longer than I thought. Off to the library now, but hopefully some work this eve. Love being a part of this - probably the best group project I've seen!
PIP 1. I always like to do my bases first, so I don't rush them when the model is complete. I think I need a little more contrast between the cobbles. I'm very happy with the rust, thanks Baiyuan.
Baiyuan - Nice weapon bits compilation. As for the ribbon I'll wait until it is painted.
Scarper - Glad you're planning on adding another strut.
Cheers mate The navigator just came together real quick at the end. He should be angry with what he knows. The face was hard but fun, its not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I'm happy with it as it is currently the best I can do.
Baiyuan - great work! Nice to finally get a proper view at her. I can't believe the level of differentiation we are all getting from the models.
The rifle scope and elf's detail hiding body work are magnificent. I do have a few suggestions:
Seeing how much work you've put in the weapon, I'd still go the extra half an hour and add a dozen rivets and other details to detail the blank areas.The end/butt could almost have some leather detailing to fit the model. I kinda agree with the hairline / eye-brow comment - maybe a tiny bit of sculpt could fix the eyebrow to curve more "human", less elf" and along the hairline at the same time? Maybe you could add a sharp cut plasticard or metal foil beltlock to her waist area some where to get that sharpness to match the weapon.
@ Baiyuan : Fantastic work. Straps/belts really adds to the model.
And I also really like the little line of beads where the hair meets the face. Very nice and striking details there!
@Baiyuan- LOL for the Wolverine comment. I'm not entirely sure, but I'm thinking you see something we don't in the placement of the head. Looking forward to the final project put all together. And playing Army of Two: 40th Day with my older brother online... that rifle of hers reminds me of a .50 cal aka Robocop Cobra Gun. "State of the art, bang-bang!" - Clarence Boddicker.
@JRN- Nice gun... I'll be studying the pieces later- the wire, guitar string, I assume? It looks great, and not too bulky at all. Impressive what you've all done with that DE Sorceress.
@Migs, but addressing everyone- How do you guys do rivets and such? I know it can be done with GS, but I've got a problem with consistency, and looking for other suggestions.
As for myself, the model is FINISHED. By that, I mean, finished, as far as I want to go, anyway. I've decided his shoulder pads are going to be "natural", not armor-armor, persay. I've got pictures, but I'm a bit burned out today. I'll be putting them on here tomorrow. I can't wait to start painting... TOMORROW NIGHT.
Wow, thank you all for the nice words, just what I needed before a days work, might even torture my students a little less now.
I'm not going to reply to every single comment now, but be assured they are not going unnoticed. Some of them hit spots I was planning to attend to anyway, like a beltlock and detail for the rifle butt (which was there originally but got torn off, because I decided sculpting it would look better).
@Major Tom: My avatar refers to my chinese name "white gorilla" and I've been using it for ten years now. My location is pure coincidence obviously, but I've met most of the MV guys a couple of times on workshops and such, great guys (most of them live in Berlin btw, so it's not that close by). I've considered becoming a member before, but I'm going to wait and see whether my painting skills and productivity will be up to par. I wouldn't want to be a "silent" member. P.S. thanks for calling my level skill MV worthy, that's a big compliment, they are (some of) Germany's Finest if you ask me.
Baiyuan she is quite the "looker." I love the level of detail that you have sculpted onto her. The gun is simply amazing, especially the tiny cogs. Are you planning on adding any purity seals to the chastity belt? It might seem a little cliché, but I would like to see one on there anyway.
Big props to all of you. I had seen this thread several times and not jumped in to it to see what it was all about. Regret. Conversions are my favorite part of the hobby besides playing the game, and these are awsome. I cant wait to see it all painted.
HF Izanagi wrote:How do you guys do rivets and such? I know it can be done with GS, but I've got a problem with consistency, and looking for other suggestions.
I use rolls of GS. I always roll leftover Green stuff into long sausages. When hardened they can be slices into rivets, coins, nuts, etcetera.
That said I also sculpt them myself. The trick is to create a tiny hole for the rivit in the first place, so it has a place to adhere to.
On the lady above I first marked where the rivets were to be with a thin waterproof black marker. Then I made a tine hole at each mark with my scalpel by just pointing and a few back and forth drill motions with the blade. Then mix GS. let it cure for about ½ hour. Then start sculpting. And getting them the right size takes practice...
Glueing on little pieces of GS or plastic rods is the easiest way, but it only looks really good on machines if you ask me. Sculpting proper round rivets is the hard, but good looking way. All about the practice...
Thanks for the tips- never thought to use my extra GS to make rods.. I ought to try that out. Such a waste of material, now that I think about it. I'll definitely buy some plasticard parts soon as well, to use if I feel lazy.
As promised, the Stingwing is finished. After the last update, this will seem somewhat minor and “weak” overall, as there were a few details remaining. Good news is, I’ll be free to paint, being on holiday from school for the next 3 weeks… but not work. Without further ado, TS Stingwing completed pics-
Off the top of my head, there was minor GS work done to the pistol weapon, to smooth out the area where the body met the suppressor/nozzle. Next, there was the GS and roping of the tyranid claw to make the punch-dagger cc weapon… I added two carapace plates to finish his back and skipped the cape/scarf, as it’d cover up a lot of the details (and much nicer tyranid wing-stem thingies). I also added a gauntlet and straps to this cc-hand. And GS’d a strap for his water-bottle.
You’ll notice the base is pretty plain- a sunk-in barrel and a few resin bits. I plan to add sand and make differing depths to the sludge pool he’s skimming over (bits and barrel “sticking out” of the surface). I’m still trying to decide if I should model waves (kinda like a jetboat cutting through waves) or if he’ll be “skimming” over the water surface…
There are the starts to the claws on his feet, the previous pic show the underlying “pins”. I decided to stick with the regular feet, as having big-ol’ hooves or ‘nid plating for his ankles would look a bit too bulky. Cleaning those up tonight. Also there's his gauntlet. I might add armor trim like his thigh/legs, or paint the arm guard up like tyranid remains. Not sure yet.
And finally, the back-plates. My original idea was to cover that entire area with a cape, but I don’t see how he’d fly/leap with that crap in the way. Either way, the direction and nigh-horizontal jump movement he’s in would mean the cape would be strained back… nah… don’t wanna attempt that.
Anyways, comments/critiques? I’ll probably be spending one more night working on his details, and then staring at the primered mini trying to figure out what colors to make him… I thought of a grayish-green for the skin, and DA green or an aqua-blue for the armor for one scheme, purplish-pink eyes… Any other scheme ideas would be much appreciated!
Great work Remi. The best I've seen from you so far. The best part for me is the pose, it's very dynamic and absolutely believable. I only have one question/suggestion: You will give him actual wings based on the extensions protruding from his back, right? That would really make him come alive for me. If you haven't considered that yet, think about how cool proper insect wings would look on him. I even have some ideas how to make them if you want any assistance.
Baiyuan wrote:Great work Remi. The best I've seen from you so far. The best part for me is the pose, it's very dynamic and absolutely believable. If you haven't considered that yet, think about how cool proper insect wings would look on him. I even have some ideas how to make them if you want any assistance.
Thanks. Appreciate that.
*thinks about how cool proper insect wings would look on him* Yes... That would look pretty sweet. And I will definitely take up your offer. Right now we have swarms of cicadas (PLAGUE UPON THEE!! KEEEING lil buggers!!) and they scare the crap outta me when they're upside down on the ground, for all intents and purposes, looking "dead", then the nasty flutter of their wings and insane screeching... LOL.. that scares the ever-living outta me.
So I guess to start- research before work is over... and thanks m(_ _)m for your help in advance.
One, what to make them out of? - I might have blister left over (probably not), otherwise, I need to go look for some to cut and shave down. Do they sell clear plasticard?? I haven't seen any...
Two, wing shape- one pair? Two pairs equal like a dragonfly? Two differing sizes, big and smaller behind? Sizing in comparison to the body? Veining? Pattern? How to paint "iridescent"?
Three, positioning? At his position right now, I wouldn't assume they'd be open fully. In the air, yes, but a mad dash, he'd probably keep them in a "V" position, slighly opened, or closed, laid flat against his thorax over one another.
Right now, in my minds eye, I imagine 4 wings, ideally, large and small, wrinkled a bit and not quite symmetrical (kinda like those big flying bugs in Nausica, or a newborn flyer insect before it fully hardens. Probably in a staggered V-position, coming out from the opening in his carapace and expanding under his twin back-stick things...?
I'm really NOT looking forward to this, but I have to agree... it's in the fluff and imagery I had for him. The machine gun flapping-buzz like a playing card in the spokes of your bike... and those damn cicadas... damned... evil cicadas...
HF - Dude that is sweet. The pose looks cool, he looks like he is moving really quickly.
I would suggest not having the waves on the base, except round the floating detritus. At the moment he looks to be jumping/flying from debris to debris.
Really looking forward to seeing some paint, what colours are you going for?
PDH wrote:HF - Dude that is sweet. The pose looks cool, he looks like he is moving really quickly.
I would suggest not having the waves on the base, except round the floating detritus. At the moment he looks to be jumping/flying from debris to debris.
Really looking forward to seeing some paint, what colours are you going for?
Peter
Thanks, Peter! The concept totally changed from the majestic Batman pose on ruin to insane ninja-jumping, but I'm very pleased with the semi-final product. (needs wings)
As for colors... I want to try a limited palette, but I'm unsure as to what colors to consider. Some off the top of my head
-previously mentioned green-grey (old skool GW Rotten Flesh mix-type), with a similar green-aqua armor
-like a tyranid- orange/red plates with cream-bone body
-some sort of brown palette, possibly dark greyish armor
-purple and hues thereof, some sort of "night" scene, completing the ninja-samurai theme
Nothing really strikes me, though, at the moment. I'll run more schemes by as the day goes on... need something before I start painting tomorrow. Any suggestions?
With the Inquisitor, Lord Alben Silas, I had a good paint session again today. Only the cape and metal trickery left to finish. The pattern is there, Now I want to make it look like it's fading as planned. (after bloody long time getting it sharp and smooth first :lol: ) I've also decided I will do a new style and shade on bases for these guys. They are not part of the Legion Rhisienne narrative.
Guys, you're gone be in a hurry soon! Some on the list haven't even started yet
@Remi: Evergreen plastics sells clear styrene sheet, I've bought some in a model shop in China last year, but you can use the plastic from any kind of packaging, go buy some donuts or something. Using clear plastic sheet was one of my approaches. Melting the edges with some incense so it becomes thicker and irregular and scratching fine lines into the surface for that insect wing pattern.
My other idea is building a frame with very fine wire and then filling the room in between with Microscale Kristal Klear or Revell Contacta Clear. That would make for a more organic, slightly slimy look and avoid flat plastic-sheet-like surfaces.
Hey again everyone! Mini update today - slowly working on bulking out her remaining arm:
I was actually hoping someone might be able to give me a little advice on painting though, as I've been hunting around for this and I've drawn a blank. When it comes to painting her up, I want the lower layer to be a patterned dress, but very faded and aged. I think the patterning should give me a good chance to work on my freehand (which I'm pretty new to!), but does anyone happen to have any advice on a 'faded colour' effect to the cloth? I want it to look like it's been worn for a really long time. I'd really appreciate any tips at all that anyone might have time to give
It's not often there's a collection of so many amazing painters to leech off *cough* sorry, learn from in one place!
Automatically Appended Next Post: Oooh, and speaking of uses for excess green stuff - has anyone used instant mould before? Amazing stuff!
Baiyuan wrote:@Remi: Evergreen plastics sells clear styrene sheet, I've bought some in a model shop in China last year, but you can use the plastic from any kind of packaging, go buy some donuts or something. Using clear plastic sheet was one of my approaches. Melting the edges with some incense so it becomes thicker and irregular and scratching fine lines into the surface for that insect wing pattern.
My other idea is building a frame with very fine wire and then filling the room in between with Microscale Kristal Klear or Revell Contacta Clear. That would make for a more organic, slightly slimy look and avoid flat plastic-sheet-like surfaces.
Hmm... I might have to check that out. LOL, I hate donuts, man. Or sweets of any kind for that matter. However, my office mates just brought cupcakes in the clear plastic shell containers for someone's bday... might have to go dumpster diving and take one home... or just buy some sweets for the wife on the premise that I really want to give her some stuff... and not just because I need the casing.
@ Scarper- great update, man! I like the ripped GS look on the shoulders. That skinny arm (lacking musculature, but not uncommon for females), almost looks "natural"- like one of those old victorian age/ wild American west-type ladies dresses, except the shoulder poofy is shot to , in a very 40K grungy hive dump way. How'd you do those? I could take a lesson.
As to your free-hand dilemma, I've had limited experience, but nothing worthwhile like building up the colors (whatever that means), but I'm also very interested to hear the answer to this. But I suspect you're going to need fade, as well as faded stains and dirt.
So yes, super...er, more accomplished painters, any ideas for faded colors and really "worn" looking clothing?
I would paint it as usual and when you're done with the pattern and all I would use a color at 80% of the maximum brightness, dilute it at least 1:20 and start applying very thin layers without excess paint over the pattern, thus creating a fine filter that should make it look like the pattern faded and the base cloth is shining through.
Just my approach of courses...
Scarper - Looking good. I wouldn't bother bulking her arm out. It looks right in the photo.
As for painting a faded dress pattern I'm not sure. Oh a gut feeling I would probably use a paint almost the colour of the base coat, where I'd want the pattern faded. I'd also use a mig pigments and dust over the pattern.
migsula -
Guys, you're gone be in a hurry soon! Some on the list haven't even started yet
Indeed it looks like it will be quite a rush for them.
@Remi: Looks great, i agree that i believe its your best work to date, you've really improved with gs on this mini. Insect wings would be sweet.
@Baiyuan: Great, love the rifle barrel, and the armouur/clothing, but the stock does look a tad plain...
I've finally started, the feet are in progress, and the base is almost built, but i cant find the camera lead so ill have to wait till tomorrow to upload the pics.
@ Baiyuan- I've got a method I'm going to try out tonight.
No cupcake/donuts as planned, but I've got soft plastic folder-sleeves from my school supplies (might have a slightly stiffer version somewhere in the house, not sure).
1) cut the shape out
2) use very VERY thin strips of GS to simulate the veins
3) then fill the small spaces in between the GS with shallow pools of Water Effects for sheen and a "stiffening" effect to the flimsy plastic without making it too think and heavy. Let it dry, flip, and repeat until I finish.
4) Add to model and pray for success.
Let's see how this works out.
@ Vit- Thanks, brother. It's got me teetering on the point of having fun and mental breakdown over here. Pushing the bar though, for which I think I'll need a small break from after this contest and let me recharge my creative batteries.
I'm looking forward to the progress on your end- bases, in particular, intrigue me, especially since most modellers here spend just as much time on it as the models themselves. Example- Peter's cobblestone steampunk base for his... Peter, were those cobblestones all single pieces painstakingly arranged on that base? You sick bastard.
Perkustin wrote:Baiyuan that has got to be among the finest conversions i have ever seen. Sublime. Great Job!
Thank you very much, I'm flattered.
I've spent another six hours on sculpting the final details I had in mind.
I also changed the hairline significantly, since I wasn't happy with it to begin with. I think Scarper was the only one to spot one of the weirdest points, there was no ear! All the others correctly pointed out that something was amiss and it was. I removed the cable and the complete hairline and resculpted the whole thing and I'm completely satisfied with the result now. Another lesson in "Never make compromises regarding a design!"
Long story short: She's done! Will basecoat her tomorrow morning and then it's paintjob ahoi!
Samarianne, former Sister of Silence, Prosecutor Squad "Purple Talon", Acolyte of Inquisitor Tiberius "Iudex" Probitas, Ordo Hereticus:
Hope you still like her/like her better now. And keep in mind she will eventually be part of a bigger scenic base and will be arranged with her canine nightmare of a pet, Hope.
The mask completes the miniature for me- and the 2nd pic I think is what we were all missing. From that angle, it fits much more nicely, and the other pics seem to fall into line.
Excellent work. Let the painting begin!! (I think? )
Baiyuan - Very nice. Her hair line looks much better now. the beads rather than piping looks right. The detail on the gun stock really adds to it. I know she is going onto a round base, but the square looks really odd at the moment. The lock and the purity seal on the chastity belt bring the whole area together. What I didn't notice from the first lot of pics was the detail down the front of her stockings, very nice.
Vitruvian XVII - Looking forward to seeing some WIPage
HF Izanagi
I'm looking forward to the progress on your end- bases, in particular, intrigue me, especially since most modellers here spend just as much time on it as the models themselves. Example- Peter's cobblestone steampunk base for his... Peter, were those cobblestones all single pieces painstakingly arranged on that base? You sick bastard.
I'm afraid the cobbles are not single pieces. They are Wills Finecast plasticard sheet...But I am sick enough to cut the sheet up into! Ok I think I'm happy with the base now. Time to get the Necron Abyss out and start painting the navigator.
Brilliant Baiyuan - the small changes do make all the difference. The evolution from the original model is fantastic. Will be great to see her painted.
What's the plan for "revealing" the models? I suppose we'd wait until the deadline? (maybe at this stage the DL date could be in the title of the blog
Allright I just ruined the whole mini with the basecoat. Could have used the good old Rough Coat instead of my Vallejo primer, the whole surface is like sandpaper. I had a bad basecoat every now and then, but this is ridiculous. feth! I think I'm going postal. Can anyone recommend a half decent recovery technique?
I can't recommend US Pinesol (anyone have a comparison between that and Dettol?) Tried it on my busted 1K sons in resin, so it's a bit more stable, but it totally WRECKS greenstuff work, not sure about your grey-stuff nor its effect on plastic. No idea how it works on plastic- Anyone have a plastic figure to sacrifice to the Dettol gods to see if itmelts? Preferably painted crappily from a few years ago?
I had a flesh-change on my 1K sons, using a faulty bottle of colored primer, sanding didn't work...
Small trips into a pinesol/dettol bath of one to two hours and several scrubs with a soft-bristle toothbrush? It'll take a few rounds, but you might be able to minimize damage to the glue and putty that way...?
I hope you sort it out. Go to your cabinet and pull out a bottle of something hard to drink. Check back here in a few hours. I'm sure the others will have some other suggestions...
I once stripped a femme militia model with break fluid and it didn't touch the GS. I took the model out regularly because I didn't want it to melt the resin.
I applied a chaos black basecoat first, which was fine. And then applied a zenithal coat of Vallejo grey primer, which turned all grainy. So grainy you can feel it with your fingers and it sucks in any other paint.
Welli know if you Use mean green and leave it set in it for more than three weeks it will eventually eat the plastic not sure about the grey stuff though. hope this helps some good luck any way.
My experiences with Simple Green over a day or 5 work well with ridding plastic of paint with no damage to the plastic (beat a 'so thick you can't see any details' model, even), though I wouldn't say I yet have any experience regarding green stuff and simple green.
No, I'm not part of this contest, now have I started on any of the stuff in the other one anyway, but good luck all. Kaesar II
Baiyuan: Horribly. So sorry to hear. The latest pics looked really promising.
I primed a GD entry with sandpaper texture a few years back - a Teclis model sculpted almost from scratch.
I managed to remove a lot of the rough paint with dish soap and a brush (or old toothbrush, cannot remember)...
Glad to hear it. I'm wondering if I should get an ultrasonic cleaner for the future, when my 1K Sons will inevitably face the Flesh Change (aka dust/sandpaper primer jobs)...
There should be some form of insurance for that. My =I= got a tiny dose of the bad primer effect but only from back left of the model. I think due to too hot weather rather than bad primer. It absolutely sucks when that happens. And you effort has been herculean. Fingers crossed you will be able to save most of the damage at least!!!
I still remember Jakob's nightmare. Bloody primer!!!
Only thing worse is bad varnish that wrecks everything when you are completely finished...
It worked somehow.
The plastic parts still have the black primer on and it's not coming off, but that's ok.
On the metal and putty parts all color peeled right off.
The grainy surface structure seems to be completely gone even though some grey color remains, which is way better then before.
The only bad thing is that many parts fell off, because the ultrasonic waves negated the adhesive properties of the GS, so I'll have to glue them on now.
I'll start painting as soon as I cleaned and dried and primed her (by brush ), because I have a feeling my frustration about the whole mess will otherwise keep me from continuing her. Arschbacken zusammenkneifen!
First thing I had to do was run that through google translate when I read it,
Second thing I had to do was clean the coffee off of my monitor/desk/keyboard where I had started laughing
Third thing I had to do was to buy more coffee
Phew - its been bloody awkward with my fingers and toes crossed since last night. Glad to hear she is back on track...if you had quit I would have bullied you into submission
(that is until you got on a plane and ninjaed my ass).
Hey guys sorry for the abscence , finally maneged to tidy up my work area , and got a bit of work done
also put together a logo , that Migs was talking about , unless someone eles has one
loving all the fantastic work done so far and again i apologise for my belated start
glad to hear that you maged to rescue your wonder mini Baiyuan thumbs pressed for you mate.
so my girl took a slight direction change after my sabatical , gone for a bene gesuit bride look for her , still needs some love , this was just todays work , so no detailing yet.
I've got that warm feeling inside and I just felt the need to share it.
Abi is watching Twilight (sometime having my painting table in the living room is an advantage...other times it is somewhat torturous). Anyway the warm feeling isn't about Kirsten Stuart.
I've got the base coat down on my navigator's storm coat. A mix of Necron Abyss and Mordian Blue.... It just looks right I've also had to do a little touch up with GS, which is drying. So I'm now going in the other room now to avoid Twilight.
@Neil - Great scott, man! That was a big change!! (in a good way) I was actually partial to your first conversion- looked very much like something from a videogame. But the GS skirt looks really great and so does the complete turn-around in overall appearance!
Also, neat on the design- I don't think anyone else has taken up the call (yet?). Erm... how do we use it? Like a photoshop cut and paste, then save image as new JPEG or whatever?
@Peter - LOL... I almost had to claim sorcery on you... Twilight?? What is this nonsense?!
... oh... colors! Cool! I was thinking of doing mine in a purple-blue-green type mid-night over the sludge pond... still haven't decided.
Wife is currently off on a business trip for the next two days... after watching over our dog's needs, the flat is ALL MINE... I'll be cutting up some wings and starting construction. Depending on what it looks like, it may be a separate part that I glue on for final construction, or may be repainted depending. (I'm partial to the imperfect glass look that may or may not be created by the Water Effects "screen" I add to the wings to harden them)
Thank you guys for all the empathy. And Peter good thing it went rather well, so you won't experience my ninja skills!
I've been bold and dared to give her another layer of spray primer, hoping it would result in a smoother surface. I only used good old chaos black primer to be on the safe side and the result is almost satifying. Some areas still look very slightly rough, but it's not really significant. I'm happy enough with it, so I don't have to kick the bucket.
Now that it's over I have the mental strength to show you what a nightmare it has been, maybe one day I can even laugh about it (only if she turns into a masterpiece). OK, brace yourself for the Primergeddon! (Please feel free to zoom in.)
Spoiler:
Every spot of grey paint was an actual grain, I wasn't kidding or exaggerating when I said it's like sandpaper.
After cleaning it looked like this:
Spoiler:
Still looks kinda horrible, but the parts that still have primer on them are almost smooth now. As you can see, all the GS (apart from the arms) was 100% clean in no time, without any scrubbing.
@Neil: Crazy good, crazy fast! All the GS work in one session? I wouldn't dare, because I go HULK when I've sculpted a detail to perfection, do the next one and then come back to see a perfectly sculpted fingerprint where the detail was. So I normally only do things on the same side of a model in one session, just to keep my expense of purple shorts low.
@peter Glad to hear the coat is comming along nicely mate.
@HF Izangi Cheers mate , I dont think my heart was in the other design after seeing it sit on my shelf for 4 weeks , i needed something new to get me off the bench i think .not sold on the claw arm yet though , i i think the cervo skull arm and hand needs repositionsing , but i am looking forward to painting it up though so it did its job ;-) .
loving your own work too matey , looks like you have opted for a action pose rather than a static gargoly type stance , that i thought you might do. the sunken barrel is a nice touch mate.
@Baiyuan Hey mate lovely to see her sprucing up . what are your thoughts on colour for her ?
and , yep i think i rushed her too much really , i felt some pressure to catch up , silly i know , should have really taken a bit more care , i wanted this experience to push my sculpting in a new direction and so far that hasnt been the case , i might try and tidy her up somewhat more . just havent got your patience mate . just have to hope i take more time with the painting lol.
First thing I had to do was run that through google translate when I read it,
Second thing I had to do was clean the coffee off of my monitor/desk/keyboard where I had started laughing
Third thing I had to do was to buy more coffee
totally worth it
Hahahhaha totally worth it, too!
Glad you were able to save it, Baiyuan. I also think it's smart that you only cleaned it just enough to get the surface smooth again, without trying to get all the primer off. I've had a model turn all... I don't know, sticky for lack of a better word... after being in simple green for too long.
However, my last attempt I only put the model in for a short time, and got the paint off but not the primer- and the surface was smooth.
Looking forward to seeing more on the other entries, too!
Started up the wings based on a hornet's dual-set. Thanks for the tip about the incense, Baiyuan. I lit one up and used the embers to melt the edges and give it a more "natural" look". I'm torn as to the direction I should go though.
I used the harder "plastic folder", while not thick, it's rigid enough. My original plan was to use thin lines of GS to simulate veins. Or, as Baiyuan suggested, I can scratch veins in there. Question, what should I use to scratch it, and how deep? It's already a thin material, so...
The GS version is a bit more, erm, realistic, I think. More work too. However, it requires that I primer and paint the wings, and I lose the beautiful brown/black "smoke burn" from the incense. Hmm... will contemplate this, possibly over dinner w/ my cousin.
I actually use a scratching tool for scratching. If you don't have on just use the dull side of the tip of your exacto/hobby knife.
GS for veins will look odd unless you work super-clean and paint it properly.
I'd suggest a third way now, use your water effect/kristal klear to "draw" thin translucent veins onto the plastic sheet. Best of both worlds, isn't it?
Baiyuan wrote:I actually use a scratching tool for scratching. If you don't have on just use the dull side of the tip of your exacto/hobby knife.
GS for veins will look odd unless you work super-clean and paint it properly.
I'd suggest a third way now, use your water effect/kristal klear to "draw" thin translucent veins onto the plastic sheet. Best of both worlds, isn't it?
LOL... oh. I see. Seeing as how that absolutely NO help to me ... I'm actually intrigued by drawing the veins using Water Effects... I might actually try that! Thanks!
-EDIT-
Right, so I'll primer the model (fingers and toes crossed) then add the extra pieces GS-d and wing-to-body connectors primed and painted separately after. I'll mould it to the small space under his back-carapace tonight too.
@Neil
Logo - have you got that as PNG, I think it works well! Maybe 150x150 pixels png so everyone can just stan it on in their "photoshop" of choice?
Model - wow - impressive change! The head/scarf/ is not working for me at all, but the rest I find very impressive and promising. I also love your reference / mood map. Bodes well for paint.
IN GENERAL
If we use Neil's stamp, and go for 800 x 800 pixels, with white background, everyone submits four images (front, back, any angle of choose or close up collage 1 and any angle of choose or close up collage 2) This way we can go with a square layout, or later if there is a website, proper gallery, each one gets one big square of four thumbnails, and the entire effort showcases the different modeling approaches purely.
@Bai - ouch - that's one of the worst primer accidents I've ever seen. You do everything in grand style
MY OWN
Painted a bit more on the cape. Only small detail and effects to add. Only enjoyable parts left + base. Will have to be smart and stop at the right time, as normally I would call him done in an hour or two.
yeah,
Baiyuan, once the trauma has faded I wonder If it's possible to replicate that spray effect. It looks rougher than rough coat and would be great on some vehicles??
Which should look a little like this 0693011.M3 (assuming I've done my maths right)
0, 693, 011, M3
Check, Year Fraction, Year, Millennium
As for your model...I like it apart from the head dress part, I think linking her hair with the daemonette face would work better. Is that a crystal decanter in her left hand? Her skirt is great...I really need to work out how you do your material.
Baiyuan - Glad you rescued her from that. Unlucky and then lucky. Now lets get a painting because 0693011.M3 is just round the corner.
HF Izanagi - Looking forward to the wings and paint. I think you should go with the burn clear platsic.
Migs - Since I don't know any better I'll got with it
This post has been powered by gourmet food and
this stuff (unlike number 8) is delicious!
@ Peter- Not a beer fan, but enjoy! I think I like the burned look too- not entirely brown throughout, but on the edges towards the actual "bones/base" of the wings... looks pretty damn sweet. I'm primering tonight and constructing the wing portion when I get bored. I'm torn between a limited palette (first time for this too... balls ) browns or blue/purples...
@ Vit- NICE. I like your base. The small open grate adds a nice touch to it. As for the start, it's very interesting. (no, seriously ) I was wondering exactly what parts you're going to use to make the figure outline on your character sketch. So envious of all of you with these extensive bit boxes- Sentinel foot (or is it an Epic Titan foot?) and... Tau weapon/component?
Looking forward to seeing the painted creations. I assume we're allowed to put up PIP pics too?
@Vit lovely work mate , the grate is a nice touch , is that a sewarge chanell down the centre left? the feet are looking like proper piston powerd, looks like it could use another piston beghind the first slightly smaller though
Spoiler:
@Migs great idea about the four pics i second that 800/800 for final pic size each.
@ Peter cheers mate how does it look now she has paint i think it still needs work personaly
Aye up guys thanks for the comments and crits , i apreacited the feedback guys , i took on board what was siad regarding her head scarf , but though i would test out with paint before i removed it , in my prototype the headscarf was much smaller , and the hair linked to her haed a bit better , but i thought this one gave her a more matriarchal appearance , as befits the head of a cult of women. i think it still needs work for it to remain , but i like the overall effect.
and here is the logo right click save as png , with fire fox at least
Spoiler:
I manged to get some paint time today , i wanted to see what Lillith would look like with her head band painted up , so i dropped some base coats on , Liking the Crimson so far , I think it helps the headband come together, still needs lots of love , i removed the servo skull from her hand as i didnt think itr was working , i may buy one instead of making one , unfortunately it took with it, the tip of her index finger , probaly will add a metal or bone finger nail to it . Lilith will be a pale blue/purple white , with pinkish,purple red eye shadow. I think i will add some black and white checke floor for her to stand on too.
Vitruvian XVII - Man she got big feet...does she have a deep voice too The base looks good, I like the steam. The open grate is a H&S nightmare.....some one is going to get punished for that, not you of course because it looks cool.
The feet look good, I hope she will get an armoured front to her shin. Coming along nicely.
HF Izanagi - Looking forward to seeing it painted. I remeber from a few pages back these were my favourite colour schemes:
Hmmmm I cannot find the Baiyuan the entomologist's bug post - Well the pale purplely looking bug was very cool.
This next one was posted by Neil and I'm rather fond of the scheme and looks very alien.
Spoiler:
neil101 - Very nice red colour . Her head dress basecoated black looks much better. It now looks suitably different from her head. I say keep it. What colour skin are you going for?
Neil - I tested out the 800x800 format with your PNG, and I feel the logo could then be 150x150 pixels max, which leaves the date and inquisitor very very small. Maybe you'd like to test working on the logo in the actual size of 150x150 or so and make some little tweaks to font sizes and what not? Other than that it works great and I think we'd be quite set for the eventual "release" of fine work from this blog.
Automatically Appended Next Post: And a thought - maybe when the logo size, placement and look is set, we allow creative license with the coloring to make it fit each model and style?
@Remi - Thanks so much! That's kind of what I was going for, so I'm really pleased that's how you see it The ripped effect is really simple. When I first started using GS, all I had was a metal tool, and I hadn't worked out how much lubrication I needed to use yet. As a result, everything stretched, deformed and ruined itself! Once I got a little better, I thought I could maybe use that effect to my advantage. It's great for ripping fabric and making spiky, messed up, short hairstyles. All you do is take a pin, the smallest you can find, with no lubrication. While the GS you've used to mould your material is still wet, stick the pin in and use it to create a hole where you want the tear to be. Then you can use the adherence to the unlubricated tool to stretch the edges away in the way gravity would take the hanging material. It takes a little getting used to, but I like the results
I like the sound of the smokey wings! About your colour scheme, just a few pics I thought might be inspirational First up - seeing as he is a stealthy guerilla kind of fighter, have you though about some natural camo effects? Not sure how it would translate to your character (maybe a chameleonic kind of effect where his foot hits the barrel?), but here's a few:
Spoiler:
Or, if you want to go in completely the other direction, you could try some really bright colours or a few metallics
Spoiler:
Feel free to completely ignore, obviously. I was just looking up some fun pictures!
@neil - Your fabric is incredible! It looks like a massive, billowing, 1850's wild west style ballgown. The deep red was a pretty inspired choice too. Really decadent! Thanks a lot for all the work on the PNG, too - I wouldn't even know where to start on that kind of thing
(also - it always makes me laugh to see the copious amounts of blu-tack you use in your drafts. I tend to tack parts together, and maybe use it to fill gaps that will be GSed - you've taken it to some kind of art form! )
@PDH - Your base is looking incredible! Is there any chance you could please give us a little rundown on how you got that rust effect? I could show you in exchange how I... uhhh... hmm. Thanks so much for the tips on the fading - great advice.
@Vitruvian - Exciting start! I'm always really impressed by how people look at mechanical parts in a bits box and see something entirely different. Can't wait to see where you take it. Thanks for the kind words on my one, too
@Baiyuan - Wow. Just, wow. I don't know if I'd have been able to come back from that, knowing how many hours you put into your modelling phase. On the plus side, it looks brilliant again. I'm so so glad you managed to sort it out - wouldn't wish the alternative on anyone. And it's even kind of got the zenithal greyness you were going for! Love the changes you made - I think it's fantastic that putting a model on Dakka always seems to result in making you spot things you'd otherwise miss from staring at your own stuff for too long
Thanks a ton for the tips on the faded cloth - sounds like a good plan!
@Migs - Good idea! That would be an ace way to add a little character to the final photos whilst keeping the standardised style
Hopefully going to finish up my base today, then prime tomorrow. Night shifts and revision next week though, so I hope I can still be productive...
@Neil- If she were mine, I'd double her up as a Vampire Countess... that cape and look on her face looks effin' mean and ready to lead the undead to war!
@Scarper- Seriously? O_o I assume you understand I mean you were going for the "dirty, torn" look, rather than the old-west look, because my description of that was almost beyond comprehension, and your comprehension of said-nearly-incomprehensible response would be... uncanny. Jus kiddin'. I'm happy to know this will be staying on Dakka until the end of 2012, or some hacker genius actually finds Dakka a worthy-enough target to attack an destroy. I'll be looking those pics over for study/research at a later date for sure.
As to my color scheme... hmm.... I think I've settled on something...
@ Peter/Scarper- I think that one Infinity mini could work, actually. I really like the pics of the insects with natural-camo. However, considering their particular battlegrounds, they're clinging to lots of greens, bright colors, etc. And now I'm really overthinking it, but ... something like that, while awesome (pink mantid caught my eye as well, as well as that white or pinkish white flower mantid Scarper put) would stick out like a sore thumb around concrete. The whole "gargoyle come to life" is stuck in my head..
I've narrowed it a bit further, and am now disgarding the previous two ideas.
Current schemes are as follows:-EDIT- Apologies, can't get CMON pics to properly show up...? Spoilered links will have to do... sorry.
This one is from CMoN... the scheme looks perfectly urban-suited, but could also be used in a jungle... however, I have a feeling that it's a bit too close to reality, and will not translate well onto my merc. Also, I have no idea how to mix olive-colored paint. Greens and browns...?
Another CMoN I'm considering, seeing as how it's close to what I saw in my head during the night. The black seems to be a mix of blue and black... which is not what I'm going for, but overall black "stealth" look.
My current idea involves a more grey-black for armor with a slight SLIGHT green-black tint at the darkest portions, grey with slight blue-tint for shadows and mottling for the fleshy parts, and a lavender-purple/red for eyes... and then he'll have eye-catching portions -grey/bone armguard, olive canteen, with lots of freehand on the armor to give it an interesting texture... particularly cracks on his true insect armor, as well as scratches and grooves for his pseudo-armor.
I'm sure my description has done it less-than-adequate justice (which seems to be my signature around here... ), but I think the bottom one, and not one inspired by CMoN will have do, as I'm a stickler for it being "my own work".
Dammit I've caught a summer cold, I feel dreadful.
Scarper -
@PDH - Your base is looking incredible! Is there any chance you could please give us a little rundown on how you got that rust effect? I could show you in exchange how I... uhhh... hmm. Thanks so much for the tips on the fading - great advice.
Thanks buddy. You've given me inspiration in exchange.....the leg brace (from fisherman's jumper chick) will be ending up on one of my Inquisitor's henchmen. As for the rust effect....stolen from Baiyuan and tweaked. Painted the metal 50%Valljo Dark Sea Blue/50%Knarloc Green, dry brushed with base mix but with more Knarloc. Washed the whole thing with a thin layer of each Mig pigment Old Rust, Standard Rust and Light Rust. Then sealed it. With a sponge i dabbed boltgun metal onto the edges. Went over certain areas with the blue/green base coat and highlight. Added more controlled pigments to the rust patches.
HF Izanagi - You raise a valid point about the camo colour. I like the Infinity Janissary (first link)...I think the grey green (shaded with red/brown) plus the tiny amount of pink really makes to the model and would suit your bug too.
. look forward to your update too mate.
Glad you like the gun! Looking forward to seeing your head swap.
is waiting for me...
. It puts a slight damper on my work, but I'm not sure how much of the original feet will actually be left/visible after my sculpting sessions.
Ive yet to start 
Cant believe you have nearly finished the build already 
)
. I let the mini go that night, and just fixed it early morning.
?
