Hi guys, I'm new to this forum.
I have been working on some servitors for an inquisitorial 40k force and for Inq28. Mainly as an experiment in using a tentacle/tube maker and weathering with oils. I've tried to emulate some of the techniques seen in John Blanche's models, as I find he paints in a more realistic way. I wanted to make a really grimy model, something that looks as though its been in the battlefield or a factory working in dirty conditions for years.
Industrial servo skull? It looks awesome and perfectly evocative of the setting; in fact I'd say that with it being something new and different it evokes the gritty nature of 40K better than something instantly recognisable but which also comes with all of associated baggage. This is its own thing and I love it - I like the little red accents in the paint scheme, very Blanche but they just work really well.
And the ground crew, they are fantastic, very natural and realistic.
Thanks for the warm welcome guys, I really appreciate it!
I'm not really sure what it is either if I'm honest I was thinking something to transfer and hold information for the inquisitor, so he can access it on the battlefield.
Haha yes, they were inspired by the rebels, I wanted them to stand out against the drab colours of the rest of the army I'm planning.
I've got a few work in progress photo's of the servitor.
Whatever they are, they are cool. The first one looks like some sort of diving equipment. The second one is shaping up well, I think some human parts make it look more like servitor technology. You should consider posting over at the Ammobunker, there is an inq28 forum there.
@PDH - I've seen his work it is beautiful, thank you
I'll have a look at the ammobunker later
@Bructicus - I agree it and I needed something to fill the space in the middle. I've added some legs behind.
I have finished making my second servitor. Unlike the first this is designed to have an active role on the battlefield. I imagine it flying around repairing vehicles with it's two long arms. One arm tipped with a strong clamp to hold the material and the second with a welding tool to fix the damaged metal. On its back there are fuel canisters for the machine to function, connect by large tubing. The size of which dwarf the small legs of the servitor which are bound behind it to protect them from dangling limply and getting in the way.
Sorry for the delay guys, I was caught up in the start of term frenzy at university. Everything is sorted now and I have finally found some time to set aside to relax and model.
I bought a set of dark eldar wyches, an empire merchant scribe (I think from Mordheim) from ebay.
I have great plans!
I am going to convert him into an advisor for my inquisitor: the "keeper of secrets". His book and scrolls filled with the most revealing knowledge. His face will be hid behind a mask, emotionless, giving nothing away. He will also field as an Officer of the fleet in my imperial guard army.
Sorry for the potato pics I only have my phone camera at uni.
I plan on using the head from the wych on the right of the box.
This is the model I will be using as the base
The Keeper of Secrets
This is my idea. I plan to remove the merchants head and will use it later as is full of character. I am going to replace it with the head of the wych. Add a scarf around the neck in green stuff. Add tubing from either side of the head, and then make a respirator on the model's back out of the venting from a space marine backpack. I am unsure if I should add a holstered gun or auspex at his waist.
I plan to paint his visor gloss black, the neck scarf dark red and his tunic an emerald blue with light dust weathering around the base.
Thank you for the feedback guys, I'm going to start making the keeper tomorrow.
@Malika - haha, slight oversight on my behalf there... actually no, it was definitely intentional he is just as scary!
@PDH - I know as soon as I saw it I knew it was just what I wanted
In the meantime I am about to start reading the Ravenor and Eisenhorn trilogies. Before I start I wanted to imagine the protagonists from what little information I have read. I'm then going to revisit them once I finish reading the novels and see how they compare, and use the sketches to model them. I have done some musings about Inquisitor ravenor as I haven't seen many images of him let alone pictures of conversions. If there are any good conversions would someone mind posting a link please?
IIRC Ravenor is encased in his chair. He's not visible from what I remember. The general principle being somewhat like a dreadnought sarcophagus, in the sense that if he's exposed to the outside he'll die. So basically an encased box chair. You could always have a piece that allows you to see through to the husk inside.
Thank you for the feedback.
I read that after I drew the image I know it doesn't fit particularly well but I didn't think it would make a particularly interesting model. I think I will use this idea for another inquisitor. The idea of a clear chamber might work well, he could be suspended in a vat of fluid that nourished him.
It could also be a "Not Ravenor". Just another inquisitor that you based on him. Because I like your original design and it seems a waste to dispose of it for a enclosed chair.
My uni term has at last finished! It was a lot harder than I expected and so there wasn't really any time for modelling. I did manage to read Eisenhorn's trilogy and I am currently 2/3 of the way through Ravenor's, my imagining of him was well off! So I think I will use that concept for another inquisitor.
Now term has finished I've began work on the newest member on my warband. A kroot guide.
He has suffered many injuries on from his work with the inquisitor, most notable are from an explosion suffered when chasing a heretic who was poisoning an amasec factory.
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The inquisitorial team advanced with the kroot on point. Only too late did they realise they had entered a trap. Explosives at the base of the boiling vats detonated and boiling liquid sprayed onto the kroot. The damage was extensive, but thankfully due to medicae technology and the fact he was considered too valuable an asset to lose: extensive skin grafts and transplants were able to repair most of his body. His left eye, forearm and hand however could not be saved. These have been replaced with implants and augments.
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The Kroot Guide
I'm really enjoying making this one, I carved his left hand to look like a robotic hand and then used a necron forearm which was also carved to make it less cylindrical to replace the forearm. I added some scar tissue to the neck and drilled out the left eye, which I replaced with plastic tubing.
The silencer on the end of his rifle has not yet been glued as I ran out of super glue, it is resting only on a pin, which is the reason is at an odd angle in a couple of the photos.
He's not finished yet, I think I will add a few more impants along his back and lower legs as well as some further scar tissue on his left shoulder. Cloth either in between his legs or over his left shoulder and also some other trinkets.
The Kroot tracker is pretty much finished now, I've made a few further additions: a small camo cloak that is billowing over his shoulder to create a dynamic pose; ammunition, a pistol and a knife. The knife is made of two different knives from the kroot kit, one with a bone handle and another with a longer blade that I had to cut a pelt away from. I also added some further augments to his knee joints. The only further modifications I plan on making now are an attachment for the camo cloak and a base.
~M
Thanks guys Update to the keeper of secret at last!
I've done some work on the head. This is the part that will be most heavily converted, so after this is done there won't be much work left to do on the model.
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The helmet is a marvel of design. It was created to hold and compute tremendous amounts of data; a miniature super cogitator. The helmet enables the Keeper to boost his already terrifying knowledge, making him a masterful tactician and saboteur.
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That kroot looks great! The necron hand fits perfect and all the equipment make him look very charcaterisic . I really love it, when minis tell a story
@Boba Fett - Thanks I am leaning towards creating an exploratory warband. One that consists of servitors, data hubs and recording devices, all under the control of either an inquisitor or magos. I have drawn up the ideas for a mobile pict recorder, inspired by the pict recorder footage from the very beginning of the Eisenhorn trilogy. It will be based off the LOTR models of gollum.
This term seems to be a bit more chilled so I should have more time to finish off the warband
I've made a small amount of progress on the Keeper. Struggling with how to position the head, I don't really want him looking at the book as it's a bit cliched, but that only really leaves to the right or straight ahead, any ideas? I also had an issue with pinning the head and I pinned it in the wrong position initially, does any one have any tips on pinning things to prevent them from being at the wrong angle?
Also picked up these two old eldar models
Planning to turn them into rogue traders, hopefully with some glossy purples and golds. Was hoping to use the empire feathered heads but unfortunately the heads are too big!
~M
Another small update - the keeper is nearly much finished.
Unfortunately I didn't have that much flexibility with the head as I had to pin it in order to build it as so I really only had three choices looking to the right, left or straight ahead. In the end I did glue his head in the cliched position because unfortunately it did look the best. I've also added his respirator, connecting pipes and a holstered pistol. I changed it from the initial design which would have had the pipes coming from the two outlets at his chin. I did this because despite my initial feelings that the outlets were too big they have grown on me. I've relocated the pipes to just behind these. Also debating which side to put the gun.
I think in 40k games I'll use him as an advisor or sanctioned psyker.
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Ordo Chronos
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I was having a look at some of the smaller ordos and came across the Ordo Chronos. An Ordo fascinated by the bizarre properties of the warp concerning time and time travel. I sketched an inquisitor for this Ordo. They are also involved in hunting down those who appear in the past, for extermination or study. The whole ordo has vanished into the warp in an attempt to study it. I like the flexibility this could bring: new weird weapons, strange armour, new plots and storylines etc.
Inquisitor Lady Pervoxia of the Ordo Chronos
I went with a couple of themes one that because they are potentially jumping in and out of the warp at different times their clothing would be from different times and therefore may not resemble current fashions and trends.
I don't know how I feel about the sketch itself but I quite like the concepts and ideas I've come up with.
Thoughts?
~M
I recently watched the fifth element. I love orange and haven't made any females yet so Leeloo as inspiration was a clear choice.
Some dry mock ups, mainly built from the amazing harlequins set. I wanted to capture her movement, and for her to have a strong presence. The head is a place holder and I hope to change it soon. I want to use a head like the sisters of battle but with the hair billowing forward. Does anyone know where I could get something similar?
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2.
In the second model I changed the back piece for the coat, I think it makes her look more like an inquisitor. I can't decide which I prefer. I also need to de-eldar her.
Jeff Vader from the ammobunker pointed out that the pose looked a bit stiff. I was imagining a pose similar to trinity from the matrix, but sort of flying backwards.
She looks better with the arms swept back, and I reckon she would look better with a different set of legs. I've kind of gone off the idea for her now, as I just want her to be a warband member and with the coat and legs I think she would look too much like an inquisitor. So in the meantime I might try a different pose and save that model idea for something else
Something like this N.B. May be NSFW
Spoiler:
Or something simple like this (SFW)
Spoiler:
I'll probably opt for the simple one so I can actually get it built and painted.
I think change the thing on her arm to a blade, alter the gun slightly, a skull to her chest and add some purity seals and she make quite a nice Callidus assassin.
~M
I've done another mock up based on the top pose.
It needs a larger base and i'll replace the gun with an open hand or on the ground supporting her.
Undecided whether I should copy the clothing from that photo in greenstuff and make her into a death cult assassin?
~M
I've been particularly busy with university work recently but found time this weekend to make something I've been thinking about for a while.
My newest creation is an Ordo Hereticus Inquisitorial Henchman armed with a bolter-stake crossbow. The gun is a little large but I'm not particularly fussed. I think for game terms, it would be used as an autogun or something along those lines rather than a bolter.
Due to the angle of the crossbow it's been particularly hard to photograph
~M
I've changed the gun so that the crossbow string can be drawn back, added Bolts to his thigh, and holy nails in his head. I don't know how I feel about them but it is done now.
I think he will be a heretic that is being saved through repentance. I plan on adding a hood to cover his back.
I think you should change the ammo belt for a wide magazine, maybe two together in width. The belt now detracts from the crossbow idea, its too obviously bullets. A Mag would cover that up.
Love the Holy nails!
@weirdlingway - thanks, I'm looking forward to some gruesome painting
@MauS - the belt is for his bolter. It's a bolter-crossbow combi weapon of sorts.
I've done a bit more work on the heretic henchman
I've partially sculpted a hood, added shoulder guards and also a cable from his respirator on the back to his chest however when I was sculpting the hood I accidentally touched it so I had to remove it. I'm going to replace it with a slightly larger tube. I've also added the silver bolts to his leg.
I still haven't decided how I want to base him. I think it will be a simple dirt/sand ground.
He's almost done. I need to finish the right side of the hood, add the tube and also sculpt straps to the bolts on his thigh.
I have finished the Ordo Hereticus henchman with a crossbow-bolter combi weapon! After the amount of effort I put into this character and suggestion from a forum member I am going to upgrade him from a henchman to a named character. He will be a heretic/witch/psychic hunter.
Purity seals and purity scrolls are held in place via nails into his legs. Sculpted gloves.
Bolts to hold his breast plate in place. Bandaging around his legs.
The bolts on his leg are strapped to his thigh. A respiratory on his back aids breathing in harsh conditions. The only "extravagance" he allows. His hood flops down onto his respirator. Pouches contain holy ointments and supplies.
I've included a couple more photos, some 40k rule ideas (not familiar with Inq28 rules yet but should give an idea of the sort of character I want to build and the bits I used on my Blog
Thanks guys
My next project is going to be something larger hopefully. I want something big I can come back too and chip away at whilst making smaller characters.
I really like the Metal Gear Solid games, especially the cyborg and organic elements. I am planning to make a 40k-ified version of the Gekko. Its like a scout AI walker.
My 40k version will have a heretic bound to the underside, and will be about 90mm high.
Here's a preliminary sketch, with a size comparison
I'm going to sculpt the legs out of milliput with a bit of greenstuff. Then add bits to 40k-ify it. I'm also going to do the feet as claws.
I also picked the mordheim elf from ebay. I plan on adding a helmet similar to the keeper model I made, with a hood.
Thanks guys
@Rawson - yes I have seen that. I thought about it but I don't really want to spend the money just to cover it all up with greenstuff!
I've started on something new, hooray for holidays!
I was inspired by this picture by Bloommer on deviantart
It is a very rough mock up of "The Sherpa", because some one needs to carry all the stuff!
It's also the first time I've used milliput, I mixed it with a little greenstuff but I can't say I am initially overly enamoured...
I have done some more work on this creature. After fixing the legs to the torso, the model looked weird, the limbs looked gangly, the stomach long and the bottom flat! In the inspiration picture the buttocks are quite high up and this was not the case with my initial mock up. The only way I felt I could rectify this was by re-sculpting the thighs. This was the first work properly sculpting limbs. It really helped having the plastic underneath. The muscles won't be anatomically correct because I just made it up, I figured it could all be synthetic muscle stitched into place to help him lift the great thing on his back!
Slow progress on this one
I've decided I'm going to sculpt a lot of it and unfortunately that means a lot of drying time. I can't work on the arms until I've done the legs and I don't really want to work on the top until the arms and head are done...
But thankfully the legs are pretty much done!
I'm waiting on some bits, I've ordered from france before and even they have arrived sooner! But the plan is to have piping from the white tube on his right hand side up to a gas mask on one of the ghoul heads. I'm also going to add further detail to the loin cloth at the top.
Looking good so far but looking at your blog one cant expect anything else but great things.
You said you ordered from France, could you recommend some bits sellers from Europe-landmass because shipping from all those great UK or USA bits sellers is killing any idea of ordering them.
I've finished the legs now, unfortunately the left leg broke at the ankle to I had to pin it back. Once I'm back at uni where most of my supplies are I think I'll add a strip of plasticard to the front to hopefully provide a bit more support.
I've added the arms and started to sculpt them, although at the moment they look like arm bands!
I've added some detail to the loin cloth and also started word on the head and back
I think I might take a little break from this guy and work on something else for a while because although I do enjoy sculpting little bits. I'm finding it a bit taxing sculpting so much. I'm going to go back to kit bashing for a while!
~M
That is a really creepy looking model - I get a bit of a psycho mantis vibe from him!
I don't know why, but I think he'd make a really good culexus assassin - something about the hunch, I think.
@Dark Apostle 666 - yeah I think its the gas mask and skin combo
Thank you guys
Rogue Trader - Inspired by some of Blanche's work. He's going to hold a cane in his right hand.
Advisor - head is blue tacked will be trimmed so the model is not so tall. Thinking of using a different head.
Crusader - a simple idea for a crusader. Waiting for the ad mech troops kit to arrive and I am planning to use the helmet from there. The body is a cast converted imperial guard torso.
The first dude's topknot makes his silhouette more interesting, but I don't think that it suits the head very well, with its short, neatly-trimmed beard. You might have to choose one over the other, but I personally prefer the head. You could give him a hat of some kind to build up some more visual interest or just keep it as is.
The arcoflagellants are very dynamically posed. Just make sure that their heads follow the flow of the miniature too. Is that a ghoul torso/arm + DE leg combo? I might just have to 'borrow' that idea.
Thanks guys. It's such a pain the top know changes the look of the model so much! He's either sleek and sophisticated or rough and aged. It actually came with the head! Yes DE legs with ghoul feet and ghoul bodies
I've started on an interrogator, it's an evolution of the Leeloo conversion I failed to make.
I was thinking of having her lean over, as if she was turning whilst running.
'Multipass?' The interrogator looks pretty cool so far, although I'm not sure if an inquisitor would be too pleased about the fact that she's wielding a xeno firearm. Maybe a bolt pistol would be more appropriate?
He is going to be the tortured soul of a very radical twisted inquisitor. I like the idea that while the inquisitor takes great pleasure experimenting upon it, is terrified of what it will do if it breaks free.
Hi guys, sorry for not posting for so long, but I haven't had the time unfortunately. I have had plenty of ideas though...
First is a squad of servitors. But I'm waiting on an FW order for hostile environment packs, because I think they will look better than the current cadian bodies.
The second is a pair of "flight computers" to assist the navigator in steering the ship through the void. The first is almost done, the second is still WIP.
And finally the flight crew for said ship. But they're still very much a WIP so I won't post photos.
Man, I love this warband! Great green stuff work, great posing and bit-sourcing... you've got a really cool vision for choosing just the right bit or making it from scratch. It's a good John Blanche homage, though I see hints of others (Geiger? Mignola?) as well. Can't wait to see some paint!
Inquisitor Sardinius Maul has been reported to be a daemon hunter with a sadistic streak who is fond of turning his victims into arco-flagellants and taking their hands to add to his belt. He has many internal cybernetic augmentations to his body to help him beat on daemons with his enormous war hammer.
Loving the brutality of this crew Really dig the direction on the arcos and the host, but iMaul is a proper beast, which IMO is pretty rare with inquisitor builds these years. Too much subtlety going around for my tastes
Instead, I've tried to use the brown ink as a glaze to introduce more of the brown colour from the concept images.
Left figure - no washes
Middle figure - one glaze GW brown ink (old) 1:1 with Vallejo glaze medium, one wash GW nuln oil
RIght figure - two glazes GW brown ink (old) 1:1 with Vallejo glaze medium, one wash GW nuln oil
I have to say I'm very impressed with the nuln oil wash
I prefer the colour on the middle figure the most, but the highlights and low lights still aren't 'popping' like they do in this image. The double glaze just looks a bit messy and too dark.
So I think i need to put an extra highlight and shade in there before I do the wash. I think it's because I did zenithal highlights with an airbrush which flattens the top when viewed from above.
I was thinking edge highlight = 3:2 Vallejo camo green:GW Screaming skull
And I might just use diluted black for the darkest shadows on the shade as it's already pretty dark.
THEN doing the washes, but this might dampen the highlights too much and I don't know if I'll be able to re do them because of the colour shift caused by the glaze...
But, I'd LOVE a simpler option if any one has any ideas.
Looking from the photos of your models, I think you need to start with a darker brown as the base- a burnt umber type of paint- and build the color from there, rather than starting with a lighter brown.
Otherwise, I think the base color you have right now would be really good for the highlights.
I think a darker base would be a good idea, I think I went too heavy on the highlight and low light and the basecoat doesn't really come through. I was hoping I wouldn't have to highlight them with a brush but I think it would be worthwhile doing that and shading them too.
I've bought some vallejo US olive drab, and dark yellow in the hope that I won't have to mix my colours.
If that doesn't work I think I'll just mix a fair bit and put it in dropper bottles so that I have the same colour across the army and don't have to mix it everytime.
But I will leave them for the time being as I've begun painting SARDINIUS
I was thinking something to transfer and hold information for the inquisitor, so he can access it on the battlefield.
Really dig the direction on the arcos and the host, but iMaul is a proper beast, which 
