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truely fantastic work! I can't wait to see more.

wow, you got some amazing stuff there mate!!

I thank all of you for your praise. I am as ever keen to work on this project but being a commission painter, it does leave me very tired of models. I am moving into other fields of modelmaking soon so perhaps I will get the chance to work more on these models.

ender502, consider my butt kicked.

Have a Dark angels army to assembled and undercoat in the next few days then I will do a video tutorial on my weathering tips and experiments. I am also working on a little display base for the warband so will get some pics of that.

Very soon I will be moulding and casting the praetorian track units for sale. I am looking into other custom parts to help people achieve that gothic-tech look in their armies. Any ideas on what you would like?

What do you use for the hoods?

Bionic limbs mainly although heads would be good, A challenge would be to scale them so they are suitable for a Marine/SoB arm or a Guard Power Fist. I'd also like tech lights and cogitator unit bits probably based around turning the Empire Wizard or other similiar models into a techpriest. Mechachendrites would be a must for this. Another useful area would be sights and techy bits....

From what you guys have mentioned as well as other peoples difficulties when doing mechanicus themed models I'm looking at these parts as my first releases:

Bionic arms to fit cadians etc
Bionic legs

Tech accessories - tools, lights, cogitator.

Hooded heads to fit cadians etc
Robed legs to fit cadians

Praetorian Track units
Servo arms.

I am looking at selling bits separately, in packs and in sets to make something like a techpriest. I would like to do some custom servitors and Techpriest as a box set.

Bits would either be resin or white metal, depending on what is needed for strength. These should be ready in a few months.

If anyone has more suggestions, let me know. If you know of someone who does Mechanicus let them know as this will only be a sucessful venture if there are enough customers to sustain production.

I can't wait to see that Flesh Lab painted. Have you picked a source for the light yet?

Sounds like a good set to me. I'd consider them all it might be worthwhile giving Trollforge a shout and discussing it with them as they'd provide a useful vetting and experienced impartial advice service

fantastic painting on the tank, would love to see how you did it.

The suggested bitz kits sound fine, just let us know when they're ready!
(Maybe turn this thread over to a production blog?)

I have had a desire to do a dark mechanicus for my whole pre-heresy/heresy genre.

custom weapons to go along with your awesome bionics... bullpup lasguns, conversion beamers, and straight up out there guns I cant even name right now... oh, and possibly a new take on mechdendrites.

Youve covered everything else that would be valuable for this particular army, as well as a great deal of other armies as well. I hope you get back in the mood for minis soon!

Awesome stuff!

Hope to see a Tech-Priest infested with the oblitirator virus when you start working on your Dark Mech force. Kinda wanna see it so I can get some inspiration for the one I plan on making for my Iron Warriors (count as oblitirator of course) ;P

Been a few months since I've done anything with my Mechanicus project.

I recently started taking a class at my old primary school teaching Year 8's (11/12/13 years old) to paint and make 40K terrain. They are really into it and are more knowledgable of the rules than me! I took some of my models along to show them and they have encouraged me to get going again. They reckon it's very cool that I am trying to make models of things that haven't been done by GW.

So whilst working on MajorTom's genestealer cultists the other day, I worked a bit on a prototype for a Skitarii Hypastist. I really like what the Hoff did over on Warseer with his Skitarii but I also like the Forgeworld Titan crew minis with their one piece shoulder armour. This is what I ended up with:





I'm looking at moulding and casting what I need for a squad but i'm not sure If they really capture the atmosphere of what Skitarii would be. Oh well, plenty of greenstuff to play with so I'll do some more concepts. I want to do a few hooded heads with filter masks and bionic eyes. A couple other leg styles are needed too.

I still plan to make a range of minis and parts but can't manufacture them until I get hold of a pressure pot for casting and unfortunately in NZ they are expensive.

Any opinions? I feel the Mechanicus is something that has great potential and a visually compelling aesthetic and atmosphere. It's just a matter of capturing it.

I have had great success casting without a pressure pot. Granted I would love to use one if I could but like you said, getting a setup can run into the 1,000s of dollars range.

I just do an injection mould using medical syringes without any needle. It really reduces any air in the mould. Then just tap the mould or put it on a dryer to shake out bubbles. After a few tries I learned better vent and layout techniques that keep the bubbles to a minimum.

the body is absolutely amazing, but i feel over 50% of the heads should be hooded. Also, while the helmet looks cool and techy, i see Mechanicus as more integrated with technology. Perhaps you could do bionic implants?

I'd have to agree that while cool and futuristic, it doen't really scream Hypaspist to me. (still awesome though)

Maybe a Mechanicus paintjob would tie everything together?

good job though!!

Looks awesome so far man, as expected. I agree with the hooded comments, but at the same time, some bare headed ones with tons and tons of wires coming out the back would look awesome too. To me, Skitaari should site somewhere between a kasrkin and a servitor, I think you have the uniform and organics down pat, now its time to dirty them up and get some cybernetics popping out and breaking the symmetry!

Oh, and Evan, I honestly think you should make the investment in casting equipment, I honestly believe that you could make some money with it, certainly enough to make pay for the equipment at bare minimum. Send over an e-mail and let me know what would be involved getting you set-up.

Cheers!

I'll add not much but say that these are truly inspiring!!! Will watch closely!!

This is a really cool thread, looking forward to more stuff

If you are looking at doing castings try talking with Foda_Bett...he did some insane work with his warhounds.

ender502

He would make a good big gun crewman with that helmet. I like the overall look, including the head, but I have to agree with the hood. The eye-wear and small amount of flesh showing is great, though. The eagle has to go, imo.
Welcome back!

Thanks for coming back to us!
I somehow managed to miss this thread first time around. Lucky I caught it now.... Your stuff is definately worth seeing!

I would love to have a chance to purchase some of your work. If it helps to get the ball rolling, I think there are a lot of people in this community that would want some bits, which would help with the over head coast of your casting equipment. However this isn't completely legal, you would want to make sure that you didn't have any logos on your bits. I'm not sure if GW can claim the Aquila (the two headed eagle), because I think the Free Masons or Albania might have something to say about that, although they may own that exact depiction. But I'm pretty sure that they made the skull and cog Mechanicus symbol so it's their Intellectual property. You, however have every right to make your own pieces of course. I find there to be a serious lack of space or void capable models. It drives me insane that this multi-verse is rife with space travel, but you can't buy
a human miniature that could last more then one hour in a void (not counting SM). The closest that I have found are the elysian drop troops, but those are respirators. That means that they are safe from space debris but have no Oxygen supply. Anyway that's just what I'm looking for. This game needs more human armor, bionics and, re-breathers or respirators. Also there is no doubt in my mind that some female Imperial guard bits would sell a lot!

very very very cool. ive always wanted to make a ad mech army but never got around to it. this makes me want to do it even more so.

love the truescale marine, and Your Skitarii looks pretty badass to me!

awesome army, but it needs gravaton guns

WIP scratchbuilt master for a praetorian. I am going to mould and cast these.




what is that stuff on its head for a hood?

These are some really impressive conversions, nice work!

That is a south Asia / Australia area putty, I forget what it is called, but he mentioned it on page 4 or 5 of my thread. From the way he described it it seemed to be very similar to brownstuff

Whats the creamy molding stuff you used?

Inquisitor Earl wrote:




I'm looking at moulding and casting what I need for a squad but i'm not sure If they really capture the atmosphere of what Skitarii would be. Oh well, plenty of greenstuff to play with so I'll do some more concepts. I want to do a few hooded heads with filter masks and bionic eyes. A couple other leg styles are needed too.

I still plan to make a range of minis and parts but can't manufacture them until I get hold of a pressure pot for casting and unfortunately in NZ they are expensive.

Any opinions? I feel the Mechanicus is something that has great potential and a visually compelling aesthetic and atmosphere. It's just a matter of capturing it.

That guy is lovely but does not scream "mechanicus" to me...too clean somehow.

Sign me up if you are making mechanicus themed parts....especially the tracked monstrosity. Lovely work.

A small bit of advice about the mechanicus skiritii... I think you should go the "conversion pack route" rather than with whole models. Keep heads (hooded), robot arms w/ weapons, and other bionic bits seperate. First, this would allow more specific customization by customers. Second, you wouldn't have resources committed to a single large thing that may or may not sell.

Glad to see you back on this..though my wallet is not.

ender502