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Fantastic .

I like how the rider and raptor complement each other,
you really get the feeling their moving as one .

Love it all, great work as always.

Your work no matter what the subject is relevant and inspirational to us all. So you should definitely keep posting your progress here.

Besides we miss you.

Hrm. There's something about the rider's face that seems separated from the rest of the model. I think it feels maybe a little too angular or stylized compared to the smother and more realistic curves on the rest of it.

Thank you guys!
Here's one more:


Cheers
klaus

YYAAYY!!!!!

Good to see you Klaus!

As always impressive work! That Rider sculpt is awesome! The scales on the raptor are very nicely done!

But my fav is the watercar! That really looks cool! The open cockpit is a cool idea! I think I may have to attempt something like this in the future!

Hey guys,
still checking in, eh?
Glad you're still interested

With the rider scene complete I have already started a new project

This time it is a sculpt for a dragon-girl hybrid. So half-and-half.
The basic idea was easy, a girl with wings, some dragon skin, and maybe a special head.

The scale was also smaller this time - she's "only" 16cm fully standing


But just a standing dragon-girl would be rather boring.
So I thought a bit more about the scene.
Thinking of Smaug, it was clear she needs a lair with lots of gold...

...and while browsing in the library of the University of Google I ran across an image of Joan d'Arc by Boris - kneeling, like praying with a sword.
Yes, this is the pose I wanted.


Then I built out the base with lots of gold coins (oh would I have known what I know now, I would've thought of something different - I SWEAR!)


For the skin of the wings I rolled out some ProCreate very thinly and then pressed it onto a sheet of crumpled aluminium foil


Once these were cured I cut them to shape and glued them to the wing skeleton - then used liquid GreenStuff to work the seams.
This is how she looked before priming


To prepare for painting I took a series of light reference photos

This way I know where to position shadows, where light effects ect.

And then I started painting the base - as a contrast to the warm fire light and gold I chose a rather cold grey for the stones


and then I painted the gold base color...


Just this bit of gold took me a total of 6 hours :(

So now I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew
Cheers
Klaus

Hey Klaus! Good to see you back with an update! I hope all is well,

Lovely start... I like the pose and the position of the wings.....

Cant wait to see more!

Le sigh. Nobody ever does dragon wings right. Yours are better than most, but the place where they connect to the back, the membrane is way too thin (un-wide? I mean the area, not the thickness), making them look like cartoon wings- the membrane should probably stretch down at least to the hips.

At least you didn't make the extra fingers protrude from the shoulder, like I've seen some people do, or come straight off the bones. I don't see any joints, though, which gives the wings a very Pterosaur look.

Also, if you do put on a thumb, be sure that it points towards the tip of the wing, instead of inwards. Wings are just big hands, remember.

I think your diorama and miniature are coming along swimmingly.

Another beautiful sculpt, plus i love all the detail on the base .

Amazing work! can't wait to see more!!!

Thank you guys!

@Anvildude - yeah, reality arguments...
While I can agree on the wing size for the actual wings nad "thumb direction" I kind of followed the classic fantasy masters like Boris
http://img.phombo.com/img1/photocombo/39940/Fantasy_Art_by_Boris_Vallejo_-THRG-_Mascot-287.jpg_151.jpg
http://defwalls.com/wallpapers-n/women-artwork-Boris-Vallejo-_11529-60.jpg
http://www.middian.net/Galerie3/Boris%20Vallejo%20-%20Wings%20of%20the%20Night.jpg
or Chis Achilleos
http://gistlabs.net/Dragon_Forest/pictures/Chris_ACHILLEOS/AchilleosDragonspell.jpg
http://www.drachenserver.de/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/chris-achilleos/chris_achilleos_elric.jpg


Well, since the last update I pretty much completed the background and added the OSL effects


with that done I started to paint "Bian the Red"


and this is as far as I got


Still a lot to paint and do, but I'm quite please with the result so far.
what do you think?
Cheers
Klaus

You know, on a second look, I think what's bothering me most about the wings is that they're projecting straight up from the shoulders, as opposed to being mounted more on the back, then having a joint letting the wing bend up behind. As it is, the wing's kinda columnar, with drapery hanging off it.



And just to make sure I'm not rustling too many jimmies, I think the sculpt, overall, is magnificent. Just trying to point out what my own artistic sensibilities notice.

Looks really good!

Anvildude wrote:
....

And just to make sure I'm not rustling too many jimmies, I think the sculpt, overall, is magnificent. Just trying to point out what my own artistic sensibilities notice.

Not at all!
I'm asking for feedback, and your's is always constructive

well... the wing issue refers to lifeforms that is as unrealistic as can be... dragons or dragon kin are purely factious, thus the depiction is only limited to the vision of the respective artist...never was the term "your mileage may vary" been more appropriate...

also... i just realized how long it has been since i last have been here... man have i missed out on so much...

your last pieces are truly unique...Cleopatra is an awesome model, making an homage is always something that shows respect and the ability to add a new twist to an existing theme...
with cleopatra you did that for sure...

the hunt is also a remarkable model, it is clearly to be seen for us that your recent studies in sculpting not only inspired you but showed you a new world to express yourself!

if i may add only one minor criticism...i think both cleopatra and the huntress show a face that makes them both almost as twins... i think you could have added some more distinctive facial expressions...
(tho...don´t ask me on how to do that... chucking out ideas and criticism is easier that having actually helpful hints to solve these issues...)

also... good deal we already made you a riveteer... making all these gold coins ... did you sculpt them or did you make them via holepunch?
the base is quasi the pinnacle of details...can´t imagine how exhausted you had to be after all that...

well... looking forward to more

cheers, vik

I think as far as faces go, it might be a good idea to do a bunch of 'practice busts' of different cartoonishly exaggerated expressions. One howling in rage, one sobbing their eyes out, beaming with pride, etc. etc.


On the subject of Dragons and their wings, I've always found it amusing that creatures which are supposedly reptilian have mammal wings. I mean, I know it's because they were originally depictions of 'the Devil' and bats were evil birds and all that hoo-haw, but I find it interesting that nobody ever seems to give them pterosaur-style wings, with the single membrane span over a single fingerbone- and proper Dinosaur wings are incredibly rare as well.

Hey Klaus!

I hope all is well!

Slightly off subject... but I was wondering what happened to the "Scarabeus" model that you put a link to in Vik's Leviathan thread....

Just wondered as I had never seen it before and it looks like it would have been a really cool model!

The new sculpt is looking awesome.... the base is really well detailed and the spilled gold goins and gems adds a really nice feel to it!

Cheers,

 MagosBiff90 wrote:
Hey Klaus!

I hope all is well!

Slightly off subject... but I was wondering what happened to the "Scarabeus" model that you put a link to in Vik's Leviathan thread....

Just wondered as I had never seen it before and it looks like it would have been a really cool model!

The new sculpt is looking awesome.... the base is really well detailed and the spilled gold goins and gems adds a really nice feel to it!

Cheers,

ha! The Scarabeus
THat was actually the first major project of mine and was never completed - it is now resting on one of my cabinets


While it already had some cool features, like the retractable rocket launcher



the sides that can be opened,



or the very cool Emergency Room

that can be extended out




and a rather detailed "bridge"


But in the end it was too clumps and crude

and it had some severe design flaws
Some of the floor alignements, ladders, doord ect. would be hell to operate, and tremendous safety hazards (in real live)

I learned soooooo much during the build and I strated to build finer and smaller, that I abandoned it. I kept it as an option to maybe revamp it for Ork use
But actually never got around to it *blush*

Thanks for asking

Here's a vote for Orkifying it! Convert the emergency room into a Mad Doc's shop, filling the bridge with grots being bossed around by a Big Mek, a Boss and some Meganobs hanging out ready to deploy, maybe drinking Squig Beer and laughing at someone pinned under a fallen beam.

gotta ask... are these repeating details folding wallmounted chairs???... what a cool idea... and i love the ER...i think i have to nick here and there from that cornucopia of ideas... the bridge is very cool...
the ideas i have for my leviathan start to mix with your work in a kind of melange of homage and industrial espionage...

Yes, they were (very simple) folding seats
Glad you like the idea

that idea is very inventive and cool... and will find it´s way into my build for sure!

I love the weapon system that s sitting on top of the bridge, Looks really cool!!

DEFINETLY want to try something like that in the future... I remember the really cool gun units that sat on the "Athena" also...

AAAHHH darn it I am sitting at work now with thoughts of modelling and building...

 MagosBiff90 wrote:
...

AAAHHH darn it I am sitting at work now with thoughts of modelling and building...

And NEVER enough time!
Tell me

That thing is absolutely begging to be Orkified.

Thank you guys!

Well, let's see if I get my 40K vibe back and then Orkifying the Scarabeus will definately be a project to persue...

For the time being I'm desperately trying to complete the dragon-girl "Bian the Red" by July 10th - despite temperatures of 30°-40°C / 86° - 104°F here in Germany.
Sometimes I have the feeling the paint dries before it reaches the mini

Nevertheless I was able to paint most of the gold, gems, and scales.






But now I will have to re-paint all of the skin and work up the shadows and highlights.


I hope you like this rather short update.
Cheers
Klaus

Her face is looking distinctly Chinese to me. I think it's the roundness, with lack of protrusion in the face. Are you going to follow that with the skin tone?

Anvildude wrote:
Her face is looking distinctly Chinese to me.

Absolutely. That was the intention
Her name "Bian" is based on a novel by Mark Henwick - even though the Bian in the book is an Asian Vampire...

Anvildude wrote:
I think it's the roundness, with lack of protrusion in the face. Are you going to follow that with the skin tone?

Well, I have several Sasian friends and colleagues and to be honest the skin color of most doesn't differ that much from a standard tan European
But yes, I address this, togehter with the warm light tones from the flames and gold around, it will be a rather warm, golden skin tone.
Thanks Mate

Done!
I managed to complete her in time.
I'm not quite satisfied with the flames in the braziers - they're not bright enough - but other than that I'm happy with her.
So here is Bian the Red, daughter of Hydana the dragon and the mortal Lucianus of Camore.
She is seen in her lair, between her precious gold, pearls and gems - a treasure worthy of any real dragon - in a prayer to the God of Fire.









I hope you like the result

Cheers
Klaus