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I really like your sculpted Nurgling.

MobileSuitRandom wrote:Heh - this bike is so METAL I can't believe most parts are plastic Good job!

haha, thanks man

gobert wrote:That’s some serious conversion commitment! Can’t wait to see where you go with these guys

Things are progressing - dropping the latest photos below.

Don Qui Hotep wrote:I still like those obliterator sculpts, the new ones are lovely but they don't feel like they're in flux like these gribbly guys do. Eddy looking cute and pestilential. Great use of extra GS.

Given your thread on retro/out of prod models (v cool thread btw), I'm not that surprised that you like the old skool models
To be honest - since starting to work on them I've solidified what I do and dont like about them. They are not entirely terrible. My main issue is the fact they now look squat compared to the new oblits, and their gun fingers hands look... lame. fleshy lumps with random barrels jutting out looks rushed and unfinished.

Hence - conversions!

youwashock wrote:Hell bent, hell bent for leather! That bike rides on a wave of win. The arm eyes are fantastic. The excess GS nurgling is adorable and brilliantly done.

Thanks YWS The eyes are the only thing I think I should have spent a little more time one, and only to try and get the eyes looking in a consistent direction (so they look like they are looking at something as opposed to looking around randomly).

ShadowsAndDust wrote:I really like your sculpted Nurgling.

thanks mate

And now the obliterator progress...

First off - adding a little height and a little width


I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller...




Then I looked at my main problem with the models - the terrible right hand. Although it isnt a hand, its a stump with gun bits glued on.

my poor stumpy bois


So I decided to give my large sons the finger.

Ah, fingers.

This took twice as long as it should, as I originally glued the fingers together but they were too fragile, so I had to pin them with paperclips. Sigh.

Obliterators, now with twice the high-fiving capacity! Does this count as twin-linked?


Since then I've added the first bit of greenstuff to the legs and the shoulders, and started adding in some fleshmetal guns




Fleshmetal gun sounds like a euphemism tbh. GW might as well have called them 'meat pistols'.


Fleshmetal...


...hehe... he thaid fleshmetal guns... hehe



Just the lads, hanging out, being lads


I also started scratch building a plasma cannon looking gun. It's very, very early stage right now...


Wife: hey - have you seen the red pen I was using?


Me: Ah.... No. No I have not.

I'm not sure how this will work tbh - the rippled grip struck me as suitable for approximating the plasma coils, but I'm really not sure how its going to work overall. Still, gotta do something while greenstuff hardens

Catch you all in the next update!

KT

That is a great idea for how to replicate a plasma weapon, at least on a large scale.

 darkkt wrote:
Given your thread on retro/out of prod models (v cool thread btw), I'm not that surprised that you like the old skool models
To be honest - since starting to work on them I've solidified what I do and dont like about them. They are not entirely terrible. My main issue is the fact they now look squat compared to the new oblits, and their gun fingers hands look... lame. fleshy lumps with random barrels jutting out looks rushed and unfinished.

Hence - conversions!

All good points! Last year I picked up some finecast obliterators (ugh) and it wasn't clear what was finecast flash and what was gribbly detail. A really fun thing about your blog is how you elevate these old models, highlight what works and converting the bits that work, um, less well. Adding height and girth helps them fit in with the new upscaled marines.

Great use of bits 'n sprues 'n pens, looks like a plasma coil to me!

I like your point about the "flesh metal guns". lol

But seriously though, the fingers you added to the models look really good.

Got any scale comparisons with those resized oblits, they looks like they'd fit right in with the new models...nice.

I'd say you deserve a hand for the great work, but that would be silly. They are looking much better, and the plasma coil is a perfect starting point.

Fifty wrote:That is a great idea for how to replicate a plasma weapon, at least on a large scale.

Fingers crossed it works! I'm going to try for an organicky kind of look on the gun, otherwise I would have been a little more fussy with the sprue I cut down for the barrel

Don Qui Hotep wrote:
All good points! Last year I picked up some finecast obliterators (ugh) and it wasn't clear what was finecast flash and what was gribbly detail. A really fun thing about your blog is how you elevate these old models, highlight what works and converting the bits that work, um, less well. Adding height and girth helps them fit in with the new upscaled marines.

Great use of bits 'n sprues 'n pens, looks like a plasma coil to me!

Thanks mate - I try to make an effort to find what I like about certain models and try and retain those bits. Many conversions are light as a consequence - whilst others (looks askance at my mostly greenstuff poxwalkers based on wfb zombies) have less I want to keep.

ShadowsAndDust wrote:I like your point about the "flesh metal guns". lol But seriously though, the fingers you added to the models look really good.

Thanks, I'm happy with how they turned out.

Roknar wrote:Got any scale comparisons with those resized oblits, they looks like they'd fit right in with the new models...nice.

Hadnt thought to check good idea!
quick photos later


I dont think its up to the new size even now - although the shoulder mounted guns add a chunk more height. My problem is that I havent actually seen one of the current oblits

Just a few more models if this helps

youwashock wrote:I'd say you deserve a hand for the great work, but that would be silly. They are looking much better, and the plasma coil is a perfect starting point.

Damn... a bad pun I missed. I'll never be able to show my face at the Dad conventions again :(

Time for a few more progress shots:









Here's the plasma gun progress - going to try for a very 'organic' look to it (whilst the others will be more inorganic) - partly because I'm having fun with greenstuff at the moment, and partly becauyse I'm not sure how to scratch build one lol

Oh yeah, these are so much better than the unconverted originals! Funnily they have a bit of a Tzeentch Horrors vibe now, with the spindly legs and the face somehow in the middle of the torso ^^ ... BTW I just checked as I have a new oblit assembled, they're ~55mm without bases

I don't know about the new ones, don'tcare for them. Those look way better and they fit perfectly in scale imo. They are bigger but you can still see what they were and they're still at a reasonable upscale. Really liking the bolter guy.

Oblits are coming along nicely, the plasma gun is looking sweet. Then again I’m a sucker for guns with faces!

Cheers guys

It was a busy weekend so I had limited opportunity to get much done on the models - I'm pretty much just in greenstuff territory now - but I did get an hour to work on their new 50mm bases:









I'll base coat these tonight and then I can paint something while I wait for any greenstuff work I have done to cure.

Cheers
KT

How are you cracking those bases like that? That looks nice.

 Roknar wrote:
How are you cracking those bases like that? That looks nice.

Thanks - they’re not actually cracked, I just gouge (mostly) straight lines using a small hook like sculpting tool. I google cracked tile images to try and keep things looking vaguely realistic.

The plastic I’ve been gouging is an old CD case (which are polystyrene), plastic cemented on with regular model glue.

Well, it looks really good, like good old fashioned natural cracks.

Hey all! Been a few days between updates - my weeks have been very busy and the greenstuff work is slow going as I do little bits and then need to wait for them to cure before going further. There have been too many instances where I have done work I like and then stuck my fat thumb on it as I move the model to do a different area

Here is the current work - its coming along, but my greenstuffing still needs lots of practice.







Gribbly plasma!


Grumpy the obliterator

Great progress KT, I’m not sure why the middle one is grumpy... he has a great big gun to shoot! With teeth!

You're doing those old Oblits an absolute service with the additional sculpting you're doing on them. Great basing too by the way, the cracks are very realistic.

They are starting to look quite mutated and monstrous. Greatly improved over their start.

As a loyalist marine player I can't say this too loud, but that's amazing stuff you did with these oblits. Very daunting for me to just think about converting metal minis, but you did a great job. The greenstuff looks very eerie and absolutely dials the body horror aspect of them up to 100!

gobert wrote:Great progress KT, I’m not sure why the middle one is grumpy... he has a great big gun to shoot! With teeth!

Toothy guns are the best guns...

Tyranid Horde wrote:You're doing those old Oblits an absolute service with the additional sculpting you're doing on them. Great basing too by the way, the cracks are very realistic.

Thanks mate - Now I've added some paint (see below) and tried something with some varnish... they didnt quite work as well as I'd hoped. Oh well.

youwashock wrote:They are starting to look quite mutated and monstrous. Greatly improved over their start.

Cheers mate - integrating these guns with greenstuff was a challenge!

Viterbi wrote:As a loyalist marine player I can't say this too loud, but that's amazing stuff you did with these oblits. Very daunting for me to just think about converting metal minis, but you did a great job. The greenstuff looks very eerie and absolutely dials the body horror aspect of them up to 100!

Thanks mate - too kind . Converting Metal Mini's is a bit more difficult than plastic - to be honest, I wouldnt bother most of the time (but the oblits def needed something )

Paint update - finally decided I was done and threw on a leadbelcher primer. then a nuln oil wash followed up by my beginnings of yellow. Conclusion - when painting yellow over primers, leadbelcher is no easier than chaos black.







I also tried a dark blue marble effect on my flat base bits, sprayed on a varnish, then tried to highlight the cracks with white paint.
(kind of this effect?)

My success was... a little limited.







Now I'm not super disappointed in this - they look fine (if a little dark) from arms length, and it is just a base... Still, next time I attempt marble do it I'll make sure I have more time to get it right.

For now, its full steam ahead on oblit painting.

Cheers all
KT

I like the marble, it looks cool. The white in the cracks works well, the sample pic seemed to have a creamier colour though, and the lighter blue was more extreme. Kudos for giving it a go!

As for the oblits themselves, they look like they could be bought models, really great integration of all of the pieces. I can’t wait to see them with a full lick of paint!

Both bases and oblits are looking great! Fantastic conversion job modernizing some really antiquated models.

gobert wrote:I like the marble, it looks cool. The white in the cracks works well, the sample pic seemed to have a creamier colour though, and the lighter blue was more extreme. Kudos for giving it a go!

As for the oblits themselves, they look like they could be bought models, really great integration of all of the pieces. I can’t wait to see them with a full lick of paint!

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll wrote:Both bases and oblits are looking great! Fantastic conversion job modernizing some really antiquated models.

Cheers guys

Well, the painting isnt complete yet, but they are progressing. While I was doing the flesh, I got a result that I quite liked in a small place so I thought I would make notes of my process (because I keep forgetting exactly what my steps are from one model to the next lol). So, bear with me while I drop my notes here for future reference!

I've actually finished (perhaps) the flesh on all three, but dont have these photos yet. It's possible I took stage 4 too far and need to do a rewash - but I'll look at those with fresh eyes tonight. I'll take some photos of these too

The Result I Want to replicate:


So this is the effect I want on my demon-infected flesh - kinda messy, kinda pale and kinda raw looking:



I'm still using my old pots of Citadel Wash from 2013 and (as I think I've mentioned before) a few of them had dried to a gluggy glue consistency. I resurrected them with some water, but they stayed a bit gungy/stringy and caused me problems (back when I was doing the daemonettes hair). On these guys though I thought it wouldnt matter, and I even lucked out getting some cool long 'threads' of wash that stuck in an area and kinda look 'veiney'.



There's no way these can be seen without looking super close... but I still think its a win

The process:

1) Base coat of Tallarn Flesh (now Cadian Fleshtone I believe). I didnt take a pic of this stage.
2) Layer of Elf Flesh - not sure if this is 'Flayed one Flesh"? Pics:





3) watered down washes - red and purple. I used my old Baal Red and Leviathan Purple - which are Carroburg Crimson and Drucci Violet I think... I was experimenting here. Some are well watered down, others less so. Some I used more red than purple, others the reverse. I think the ones that turned out super purple are going to be the toughest to get back to where I want them, so lesson learned - go lighter on on the purple!

This is probably the level I want to go


Too light


Probably a good example of the goal for the washes on the back and the shoulder. The hand has already had the next stage done (stage 4)


One of the pinker ones that I quite like:




And some of this is a bit too purple (and also sideways...)



Stage 4
...

Stage 5:
Profit!

...No wait...

d
Stage 4 is highlighting the now washed flesh with a nearly translucent mix of elf flesh and medium fluid.

This is a slow process that knocks back a lot of the wash (I dont have photos of these but I might have over done it and need to add wash back to some areas - it's not an exact science) and brings the pale flesh back to the surface. If I do it properly, it looks a bit like thin skin over muscle flesh because the darker colour of the wash still shows through. Doesnt work every time, and its easy to keep going until you lose the benefits of stage 3!

Ah well, I'll keep trying.

Here's some shots I took as I was progressing.

a little blurry, but I've highlighted the muscle directly under the gun , the lower right back and the bulbous growths on his legs.


Again, mostly around the lower back:


and here's a shot of the three bois from the back - i'm not entirely sure what stage they are at here lol



Anyway - more shots tonight, and I'll determine if Ive over done and need to go back to the washes!

Cheers
KT

That is some fantastic daemon-fused flesh, really bringing your conversion to reality!

Really nice work on the flesh, it's suitably warped and a fantastic contrast with the inorganic components!

A great step by step of your flesh technique, it really has a necrotic/daemonic look. Thanks for sharing

Great post. Love seeing the process. Skin looks nice and awful, in a good Chaos-y way.

Thanks all - glad you liked my demon skin process (which was very nearly titled 'does this look infected?)

The results... mostly good, some were a little over corrected. plan is to go back and hit them with a really dilute purple and red wash mix in very specific areas. I doubt the changes will even show up in the pics, but l can see it, so I'mma make the change

three meaty chonky bois


This flesh worked really nicely imo - kinda pallid with that unhealthy darkness just underneath.








This one worked ok too - probably the flesh on the connection from the shoulder to the gun is my favourite bit:




The left hand on this guy im very pleased with - the greenstuff and painted flesh looks kinda wrinkled and moist like the dude drowned.


The right hand though looked at bit overcorrected imo - so I'll touch it up with some more wash:


plasma cannon guy's face looks good close up, but is a bit too subtle to see from any distance. So I've already dropped some more wash on him last night.


The plasma cannon itself... not sure it its as integrated as I would like. I dont hate it at all - but its super gribbly state means its almost an entirely different style from every other gun my obliterator bois have. Not changing it now, but I consider the lesson learned - pick a style and stay consistent (at least within a single model).

Apart from this I've pretty much finished the bases:






And I got a head start on February's challenge - the ebay rescue!
Strictly speaking this guy was bought on facebook marketplace, but I think he's worthy of a rescue. It was part of a cheap bundle of ultra marines being sold by a guy who had painted them when he was young (8 or 9). He'd obviously made the same mistakes everyone does when they are 9 years old and painting like the Anti-Duncan (moar thick coats!!!) so any unfortunate mistakes are 100% understandable

This biker is currently taking a long bath in dettol, but I remembered to take the before shots







Cheers
KT

That flesh looks sick and disgusting... so great job
Excited to see, how the biker will work out, once he's stripped.