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2012/10/31 17:55:58
Subject: Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (10/30 - heavy weapon builds complete!)
@SL: Those are Mk 2 back packs. I get things bit by bit so I'm not sure what normally comes with what.
@Yggs: A little teaser for you. This isn't the pose we discussed but I just couldn't get that to work. As I mentioned before, time and experience have taught me not to force it. I think once I get this puppy finished and based... you'll like him (and he'll be more playable than the other version). Still a lot more work to do so don't panic about sprue marks or the crudeness of the swords.
@wyfox: Meh, easy enough to fix. It's the plasma coils that are tricky but with the right tools (a fine pick and a stiff bristled brush) they're doable too. Also nice if you have some feathering files to get at issues on flat surfaces.
@Reiko: That is very good news! Yeah Lego!!
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2012/10/31 19:27:17
Anvildude: "Honestly, it's kinda refreshing to see an Ork vehicle that doesn't look like a rainbow threw up on it."
Gitsplitta wrote: @Yggs: A little teaser for you. This isn't the pose we discussed but I just couldn't get that to work. As I mentioned before, time and experience have taught me not to force it. I think once I get this puppy finished and based... you'll like him (and he'll be more playable than the other version). Still a lot more work to do so don't panic about sprue marks or the crudeness of the swords.
Hey, looks pretty threatening from here !! Can't wait to see moar progress on him !!!
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2012/11/01 13:00:13
"Squat Hulk- in space no one knows you no longer exist." - Gitzbitah
"Now you're just being silly, everyone knows red paint tastes fasta." - monkeytroll
"Both servers are on different continents so space meteors or thermonuclear war will not be enough take out dakka hopefully." - legoburner
Please remember to tick the "Disable Voting" box, if the pics you are uploading do not deserve votes (ie. early WIP, blurry pics, batreps, ...) Thanks in advance.
I should finish cleaning up the torso in the next day or two. Need to sort out how I"m going to handle the swords which has always been an issue (and the main problem with this whole concept). I need some parts company out there to make a couple of poses of hinged chainsword blades that look decent... like that's going to happen. I've got the legs cleaned up and ready to go, so once I get the swords sorted it's down to the chaos specific sculpting... *gulp!*
Anvildude: "Honestly, it's kinda refreshing to see an Ork vehicle that doesn't look like a rainbow threw up on it."
Wait! It's really happening!? Gits is posting new stuff again.
Liking the overview for things to come and look forward to seeing the construction, painting and basing of the Vanguard (as your techniques always provide ample inspiration, sensei).
P.S. I also like how your hiatus from this blog managed to coincide with my absence from Dakka, meaning that I haven't had 30+ pages to catch up on.
Hey GS, good to have you back again. I think the days of record setting are long behind me. That kind of pace took years of daily effort to build up. Drop off the face of the earth for 4 months takes you out of the net gestalt. You know how the internet goes.
In any case... for those of you who're still watching, I finished the build for Yggs' tranquility vanguard & even snuck in the dynamic priming. Yggs wanted a non-MK6 MW that had been corrupted by chaos. Problem is my "new" MWs just got back and I can't really see a guy going through everything, finally getting back into the good graces of the Imperium (officially anyway) and then jumping ship. So the compromise is a Mk-7 marine with non-integrated mantis swords (which in my view are strictly produced and controlled by the new forge worlds assigned to re-supply the chapter). The only outwardly chaotic thing (at this stage) is the helmet... and that's pretty subtle. I did go with a general skull motif and everything that can has skull decorations.
The experiment here is the blade guard as a way of handling the transition from one sword section to the next. I kind of borrowed this from my tablesaw's design, but I think you get the idea. I think it's the best I've come up with so far. The biggest issue was how to do it without adding huge hunks of very complex plastic to the model. The solution... paper! Yes, that's just paper that's been saturated with dilute 50/50 PVA to give it strength. So, Yggs will have to be a bit careful with it, but it should hold up just fine with a little attention. I've become very fond of using paper as a way of adding detail to figures. My mantis warrior badges for vehicles are just printed on regular paper and they look just fine, are easy to make and so much easier to work with than decals that it's not even funny. I also really like the thickness of paper in relation to the blobby plastic we're all used to. In relation to the marine's size... that chainsword is probably 8" across... that's stupidly ridiculous (though I fully grasp the practical, toy-making reasons why). I didn't want to make it worse by adding a couple more inches of shielding in plastic. So, while I still consider the mantis sword a conceptual work... I think I'm getting closer to the final design.
There will also be some GS work added when I get to painting the camo pattern, but I'm not good enough at planning to do it now, I'll work on it & add it after the base painting is done (which is ass-backwards, but humor me).
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and I just noticed the blog is over a half-million views. Bet only 250k of those are mine!
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Got the airbrushing done. Not bad. One advantage to the dynamic priming is that it accentuates the differences in the base colors more. The photo here shows two base colors, I eventually did two very light sprays of lighter shades. I think a brown primer would be a better base for yellow than black. Next time I'm at my FLGS I'll see if I can hunt some down.
Next up, sepia wash.
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2012/11/03 16:58:59
Anvildude: "Honestly, it's kinda refreshing to see an Ork vehicle that doesn't look like a rainbow threw up on it."
The sword design is coming along nicely, and I have heard that doping paper with super glue gives it a decent amount of rigidity as well and obviously cures faster than PVA.
Oh and don't worry, EVERYONE IN THE INTERNET IS STILL WATCHING THIS THREAD!
BobtheInquisitor wrote: I tend to glue metal models with a combination of BSI cyanoacrylate and my tears of frustration.
2012/11/03 19:27:30
Subject: Re:Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (11/3 - tranquility vanguard WIP2!)
PC #1: "I got him! I got him!" PC #2: "I got him! I got him!" Chaos Mantis: "Cant catch meeeee~!" *flies away*
Then the PCs shoot each other in the crossfire
Heh, in any case, the marines are looking great, and its awesome to see you back painting! Im really liking the new version of the mantis swords too. I think this is close to the perfect look! Id add some rivets to the plates, but thats just me.
And is it just me, or did the old beakies have really thin feet?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/03 20:02:50
It's not just you. I very frequently have to completely re-build the feet if I'm going to do anything interesting with the basing (which in this case, I'm not). I make a sole out of plasticard and build a foot over it with GS, then can position it however I like.
Love your narrative.... very appropriate! The only error is that the plasma cannons never actually fire, they just overheat and kill their operators on-the-spot.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2012/11/03 21:04:12
Anvildude: "Honestly, it's kinda refreshing to see an Ork vehicle that doesn't look like a rainbow threw up on it."
My Project Blog: Necrons, Orks, Sisters, Blood Angels, and X-Wing "
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2012/11/04 12:50:31
Subject: Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (11/3 - tranquility vanguard WIP3!)
"Squat Hulk- in space no one knows you no longer exist." - Gitzbitah
"Now you're just being silly, everyone knows red paint tastes fasta." - monkeytroll
"Both servers are on different continents so space meteors or thermonuclear war will not be enough take out dakka hopefully." - legoburner
Please remember to tick the "Disable Voting" box, if the pics you are uploading do not deserve votes (ie. early WIP, blurry pics, batreps, ...) Thanks in advance.
2012/11/04 13:19:02
Subject: Re:Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (11/3 - tranquility vanguard WIP3!)
I use Krylon Rusty Mental Primer, it produces a lovely shade of brown, between medium and dark.
MENTAL?
Metal.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/04 13:19:18
Falling down is the same as being hit by a planet — "I paint to the 20 foot rule, it saves a lot of time." -- Me
ddogwood wrote:People who feel the need to cheat at Warhammer deserve pity, not anger. I mean, how pathetic does your life have to be to make you feel like you need to cheat at your toy army soldiers game?
2012/11/04 20:35:55
Subject: Re:Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (11/3 - tranquility vanguard WIP3!)
Hi Gits'. Had a rummage through the bits box - I've got an old shoulder mounted heavy bolter, multi melta and a (kind of) shoulder mounted conversion beamer if you want them. Just pm me an address to send them to.
"Squat Hulk- in space no one knows you no longer exist." - Gitzbitah
"Now you're just being silly, everyone knows red paint tastes fasta." - monkeytroll
"Both servers are on different continents so space meteors or thermonuclear war will not be enough take out dakka hopefully." - legoburner
Please remember to tick the "Disable Voting" box, if the pics you are uploading do not deserve votes (ie. early WIP, blurry pics, batreps, ...) Thanks in advance.
2012/11/05 02:23:19
Subject: Re:Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (11/3 - tranquility vanguard WIP3!)
Gits, seriously dude I would love a real boring step by painful step by step on that yellow armor please? i'm following this progress but all in one post would be sweeeeeet!
needless to say, it's looking inspiring and marvelous as I would expect from you by now! :-)
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" I will constantly have those in my head telling me how lazy and ugly and whorish I am. You sir, are a true friend " - KingCracker
"Nah, I'm just way too lazy to stand up so I keep sitting and paint" - Sigur
"I think the NMM technique with metals is just MNMM. Same sound I make while eating a good pizza" - Whalemusic360
2012/11/05 11:38:11
Subject: Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors (11/4 - tranquility vanguard WIP5!)
Nerdfest, i knew there was a link somewhere....Its from the front page, may not be the way Gits does it now, but heres the(/a) 'How to do Mantis Yellow Tutorial':
No problem, i knew Gits had done one, but i thought the link was in his sig...hope it helps
Galorn wrote:Very nice yellow. Why the Chaos Khorneate helmet on the assault marine?
Its a GMS Marine for Yggdrasil (sp?) and is meant to be a Mantis Warrior that has turned to Chaos. However, that plan changed due to the new fluff that Gits has written for his Mantis Warriors (meaning that there would be less of a chance of a current Mantis Warrior turning Renegade) to being just Chaos-ified a bit, Gits explained it when he put up the first WIP, go have a look....
inmygravenimage wrote:Have courage, faith and beer, my friend - it will be done!
Yes, the intent is that he's not blatantly chaotic... but there will be more obvious clues that he's being affected in both modeling and painting as I go along. Right now he's pretty straight-forward though.
That tutorial is for the wet-blending technique. It's the absolute best method... but now I'm lazy and constantly in a hurry, so I use an airbrush. I'll see if I have enough pics to piece together a little tutorial. If not, I'm sure I'll have another chance to do the tranquility pattern & will crank one out then.
Anvildude: "Honestly, it's kinda refreshing to see an Ork vehicle that doesn't look like a rainbow threw up on it."
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