Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I was able to get a hold of 2 copies of the Forgeworld 120mm Space Marine. I know there is a lot of debate out there about purchasing "re-cast" models, but that is not the debate I want to have here.

The casting quality was decent, not the best, but good enough to work with. I am not planning on keeping any of the original pose, so bad mold lines and bubbles will all be fixed anyways. There are some pretty bad areas to it, the head is was miscast pretty bad, though I was able to correct most of it, when viewed just right though it is obvious it is not symmetrical, but that is cool, that happens with resin....

My plan is to base the model loosely off of the Sternguard Sergeant, the one with the power fist, yes this guy will have a power fist.

The pose will be a walking pose, some what reminiscent of this image. So bottom line is I have a lot of work to do. This guy will most likely be an Imperial Fist 1st company Sgt. Centered in the middle of his chest will be the IF emblem, and I am planning a couple of heresy style legs, studded, and his shoulders will be patterned after the Company Champion shoulders out of the box set. I am also planning on reworking the bolter to look like a stern guard bolter, and to sculpt a holstered bolt pistol, and as mentioned a power fist too.

Much of my inspiration for this project comes from a guy by the name of "giganticdark" over on "Cool mini or not" his WIP threads can be found over there by searching his user name.

Any way I will post updates as I have them! More pictures can be found on my blog, just click the link in my signature!

Ashton

ohh big marines.... want one!

This is not something that is going to be made available as a kit, this is going to be for my purposes only.

Ashton

Oooh, nice one! I love those big guys. Finished one myself this year. I'm going to be watching this one.

Meph wrote:Oooh, nice one! I love those big guys. Finished one myself this year. I'm going to be watching this one.

Yeah I actually read your thread a few times on the work you did. I believe you did a chaplin too right? That is probably what I will do with the second one is make a chaplin, maybe even give him a jumppack!

Ashton

Chaplain, that sounds like a cool project. Go for it man. I actually did a Blood Angels Veteran. Not a lot of converting, just some extra detaling. (It's the one in my avatar and signature)

More updates...

The head is pretty much done, though I feel like it is sitting a little high, and lacking a little detail. I think I am going to trim a little off of the bottom of the head, and see how it sits...The other thing is I may add some larger studs along the top of the helmet to give some detail. The three "studs" on the brow are hex-shaped plasticard, I chose that shape instead of round to give the marine a more "industrial" type look. In addition I think the collar my be a little too thin, and needs to be bulked out a little...

The torso is almost done sculpting wise, he does have a sleight forward lean, so I think I will switch to sculpting the legs at this point so I can get the over all posture down. The rather large gap in the middle of the abdomen will be filled with some coiled wire to simulate piping. The 2 holes you see just below the chapter insignia will have metal rings placed in them from which an additional armor plate will be hung. The round rivets on the neck piece are metal bb's, and again I went with hex-shaped bolts to get that industrial feel.

The chest tubing is reminiscent of the mk4 armor, I wanted to create an older looking armor, after all this guy is a Veteran and needs to have some nice "ornate" armor. I am still trying to work out how the power fist will be built, the fingers are going to be the hardest, my sculpting skills aren't up to that level of detail, and I think I could go made scratch building all the joints for each finger out of plasticard. I did have a thought of building a power claw type power fist, I know it is border line heresy, but something along the line of what an ork might have?

All in all this has been a nice break from the painting and building, definitely a challenge too my skills so far.


Enjoy the pics!

Ashton

Looks great man, that's some nice sculpting.
Mmyeah, I think you're right about the collar and helmet position. It's definitely not looking bad as-is but the thicker collar and lower helmet will probably give him a more agressive and solid look. Keep it up mate!

looking awesome so far!

This is gonna look sick when its done. DEFINITELY keeping my eye on this. I was also about to suggest you look up Meph's forgeworld marine. Then i realised he had already found you!

Very nice indeed. Been hoping one of those guys would find its way into my possession one day - really love the conversion possibilities they have

Look forward with interest to what you do (looks great already ).

Brother Azul wrote:This is gonna look sick when its done. DEFINITELY keeping my eye on this. I was also about to suggest you look up Meph's forgeworld marine. Then i realised he had already found you!

Aye! No large scale Marine goes by unnoticed, muhahaha!

sorry for the Necromancy, just did think it would be right to create a new thread. It has been a long time since I have updated this thread. I have managed to nail down the post I like and I am in the process of sculpting/re-sculpting all the joints, and cleaning things up a bit. I am not sure if I have the proportions right or not on his waist/hips, but at this point I really want to push through and not get bogged down and loose site of the final product. There is a lot to be said for taking the time to do things right, but there is also a lot to be said for pushing through a project and the reflecting on the experience gained. I do have a 2nd one of these models, that will definetly get a better treatment than this one when the time is right.

So please take a look and let me know what you think!



Thanks,

Ashton

Looking good

Have to say I love how that kit works as a model - so much option to add on extras.

Nice work.

It's good to see a marine proportioned correctly.

The pose looks very good but I'm wondering what 'story' you have behind the pose. it might help to figure out little tweaks or suggestions on how to increase the dynamic of the model.

Meph wrote:The pose looks very good but I'm wondering what 'story' you have behind the pose. it might help to figure out little tweaks or suggestions on how to increase the dynamic of the model.

Well, perhaps it is not the best idea, but I was never really intending to make the pose overly dynamic...here is the picture that gave me the idea for this project;



Other than this guy looking like a total badass there is really nothing else to the picture. I am still up in the air about how I am going to base this guy. I was toying with building a section of a Rhino or Landraider behind him, as if he is emerging from the hull, and I have also played with the idea of no base, just him standing on black or white marble pillar display stand, reminiscent of the picture, no scenery, just the soldier

Time will tell.....

Ashton

can I Have it??!!!

Little update. I think the powerfist arm is a little short but it would be a simple enough fix at this point. The arms are a little funky at this point as they are just being held in with blue tac, once I get them pinned and the joints filled, it should look more natural.The next steps to do is to just start cleaing up and adding details. I am still not sure on what to do for the base, but I am sure inspiration will strike at some point

Ashton

COOL

It's looking good! Glad you decided not to go with the tiny little head in the source picture.

here is some more progress on the marine, I pinned the arms and tacked them in place with a small drop of glue to hold them in the position I like, the pouldrons are still blue tacked, but closer to where I will have them. You will also notice the beginnings of an armor plate on the left thigh and shin...there will be matching ones on the other leg as well, these plates will be detailed with metal studs, I want the marine to have a heavy, reinforced look, and I think that will help. The belt will also be bulked out more to minimize that lovely hourglass figure. All in all this has been a really fun project to work on. I will post more as progress is made!

Ashton

Looking good! Can't wait to see the finished version

nice, not all that dynamic though IMHO

Capitansolstice wrote:nice, not all that dynamic though IMHO

The project started out with the intention never to be overally dynamic. I will probably use the display base to tell the story and add some interest to the model. I was thinking of building a base that has him coming out of a Rhino or Land Raider, I obviously would not build the whole vehicles, just a part of it to simulate and give the impression of the vehicle.

Ashton

that would be beautiful.

So I have started on the pouldrons now. The idea I am going for is to give the armor a heavy reinforced look, so I am basing these loosely off of the company champion shoulders that come in the command squad box. Here is a conversion I did using them to give you an idea;



Kind of a plate on top of the pouldron thing...Then I have ordered some 2.5mm steel ball's that I will be placing as studs on the reinforced plate. Basically I had to sand all the trim down, then build it back up with some plasticard, then I gave it a layer of aves. I have a lot of cleaning/filling to still do, but you get the basic idea. I am going to have to do something with the back pack though, the new pouldron trim, plus the new position of the interferes with the fit of the back pack. It will probably be sticking out the back a little further than normal, I dont think that is a big deal though.

I have also started on converting the bolter to a Sternguard bolter, however after closer inspection of the bolter included in the kit, I determined it was a little undersized, and the quality of the casting was rather poor, so I am in the process of building a new one. The next step is to add another layer of outer skin, build the scope and the ammo clip. Take a look;





I have decided for the base that I am going to build the back end of a rhino, and position him is such a way as to make him look like he is coming out of the rhino, that should be loads of fun!

Ashton

that is beauty, pure and simple

Redfinger wrote:So I was able to get a hold of 2 copies of the Forgeworld 120mm Space Marine. I know there is a lot of debate out there about purchasing "re-cast" models, but that is not the debate I want to have here.

The casting quality was decent, not the best, but good enough to work with. I am not planning on keeping any of the original pose, so bad mold lines and bubbles will all be fixed anyways.

I have the genuine one and that had quite a few airbubbles, didn't spot them all until I primered it though...

Thanks for the continued interest and feedback! So I have spent most of this week nursing a tooth ache, had a root canal done early yesterday morning, and I am back on top of things today. So I thought I would update some progress on the marine and bolter.

Other than a little clean up work on the powerfist and pouldron I think this arm is pretty much done! I used the photo-etch chapter symbol with the name "Sigismund" on it, I know who he was and what he did, but that is not whom I am trying to represent in this model, I am simply leaving it to "fluff" and saying that maybe this sergeant received an honor and was allowed to wear the powerfist that Sigismund had once wielded.....I dont know, but take a loot at the photo none the less....





Also, I made more progress on the bolter, now I am just adding a few detail bits here and there, and I am still stewing on how to mount the scope, I may shorten it, but I rather like the extended look. I dont know if I am sold on the aquilla's on the sides. In the Imperial Fist photo-etch set there are 2 smaller placards that read "Hammer of Dorn" I thought those might look nice on the sides, I will play around with it and decide later.





Thanks for looking!

Ashton