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Adept Apologist's true-scale tutorial
(With gratitude to Elusive71, Synapse, Doghouse et al.)
Whether you call them true-scale, art-true, heroic, actual-scale or just plain 'embiggened', larger Astartes are a great project and modelling opportunity.

This tutorial covers the intimidating chest and legs. The model can be finished with any terminator arms and shoulderpads, a standard marine head and backpack.

You will need:
Modelling putty
Sculpting tool
One or more sets of terminator legs
One or more standard marine torsoes and backs
Some lubricant (You can get little pot of vaseline lip balm, which is ideal)
Patience (If you don't have much, have a cup of camomile tea and relax – or apply to your local techpriest for the Rite of Pure Thought)

Legs:
1. Clean and prep a pair of terminator legs. I trim the 'bolts' from the side of the knee to slim the legs down subtly, but you can ignore this step if you prefer. I like to work on four or five sets at once (it gives uniformity, and stops you wasting greenstuff).

2. Next, mix your putty and let it cure for ten minutes or so, so it's still fairly sticky. Using the greased blade (vaseline is good) of your sculpting tool, cut a small block (approx 2 x 2mm) and press it into the recess of the inner thigh.

+++Tip+++
For modelling putty, I recommend ProCreate, available from Heresy miniatures. If you're using the GW greenstuff, cut away the join between the yellow and blue parts before mixing. This part will have partially cured, and give you lumps in your work – not nice!

3. Press the putty into place with the rounded end of your sculpting tool, then grease the flat side and smooth it into place until the putty is flush with the support struts of the inner thigh.

4. Fill in the other areas on the legs in the same way. Work the inner thighs, then the outer thighs, and leave the backs of the calves (these will need a larger piece of putty – 3 x 4mm or so) until last. This approach means you can handle the piece as much as you need without smearing your work.

+++Tip+++
I use a GW modelling tool; but you can get by with a sharp knife and a tool with a smooth and a flat end. I'd also recommend clay shapers, which look a little like a paintbrush with a silicon end. These make smoothing and shaping putty a breeze, and won't stick.

5. This should have filled in the recesses without overflowing. If there are gaps, gently press in tiny pieces of putty until they are full. As an aside, I prefer the lower legs to look like there is a heavier plate at the front, and so I do not smooth the calf area round to the front, but simply fill in the recesses (see the picture below).

6. Grease the flat end of your sculpting tool, and with a gentle pressure, draw it down over the first area of putty, from top to bottom, to smooth it. Start at one of the hidden support struts, and work gradually round the area until you reach the other side.
This part is not difficult, but can be frustrating – so work patiently! If you've put a little too much greenstuff in the recess, this may cause the excess greenstuff to spill over the edge of the area. Carefully trim it away with the blade of your sculpting tool.

+++Tip+++
If the greenstuff starts to lift away, you're using a little too much pressure. Press the greenstuff back into place, and work on another area while it hardens a little.

7. Being careful not to smudge or smear your work, smooth out the other areas in the same way. If you find the support struts start to show through the greenstuff, or the curve is not perfect, try adding a little more greenstuff and smoothing it in.

8. You may find that the upper legs are quite frustrating to smooth. You can cheat a little by using the flat of the tool to 'lift' a little of the greenstuff at the edges of the plates (i.e. at the groin and above the kneejoint). This creates the illusion of a hard edge.

9. At this point, you should have a set of legs that look like giant power armour. Nice one! Wait for ten minutes or so, and add any details that you like now – I use the blade to make a little recessed box on the front of the thigh and use the point of the tool to make two little dots. Little techy details like this really help give the impression of scale.

10. Bask in the glory of making your own pair of legs for true-scale marines. They should look a little like this:

...and the back:

(Only hopefully not so blurry!).

11. Leave for a day, and you can file down, smooth off and generally tidy up the greenstuff.

Torso
Following these instructions will result in a simple but effective torso, like this one:


+++Abdomen+++
1. Clean and prep a normal marine torso and back. Carefully trim away any of the circular vents or other details you find interesting and put them to one side. Trim the belt buckle away carefully – you'll need it later. Like the legs, I like to work on four or five sets at once.

2. Glue the torso to the prepared legs.

3. Next, mix your putty and let it cure for five minutes or so, so it's still sticky. Place the putty on a tile or other non-absorbent surface (blister pack plastic is good), then spread it out to make a thin sheet. Check you can lift it off the surface without it distorting. If you can't, rub a tiny touch of vaseline on the tile and start again.

4. Cut a thin block of putty (8 x 2mm) and use the rounded end of the sculpting tool to press it gently into place round the waist. It should wrap the whole way round the marine, and thicken the whole waist to the width of the plastic upper chest.

5. Grease the round side of the sculpting tool and smooth the putty into place until the greenstuff is flush with the belt. This should cover the awkward join of the terminator legs and the marine torso, creating a smooth vertical column from the top of the terminator belt to the base of the marine chest.

6. Allow to dry overnight.

+++Chest+++
7. Prepare the putty as above, letting it cure for 10 minutes this time. Place the putty on a tile, then place baking parchment over the top and use a pen or dowel as a rolling pin to ensure the putty is nice and thin. A depth of 1mm is great.

8. Remove the baking parchment and use the greased blade of your sculpting tool to cut a small block of putty (approx. 2 x 3mm). Place this over the cabled stomach area, and gently press it into place with the rounded end of the sculpting tool. If it distorts, gently nudge the edges back in from the side to sharpen them up.

9. Cut a rectangle of putty approx. 8 x 3mm, and place it over the chest of the marine. Press it into place slowly and gently, making sure that the edges of the rectangle reach from armpit to armpit.

+++Tip+++
Stage 8 allows for many different options – the rectangle described will create a traditional marine chestplate, but you can make a Mk IV plate by making a T-shaped piece and covering the abdomen; or make a n-shaped piece to cover the laterals and flanks of the marine. Experiment and have fun, and use the artwork as reference.

10. Use the rounded end of the sculpting tool to smooth the top of the rectangle of putty down onto the top of the chest piece. Do not allow it to touch the neck of the plastic torso, or you'll lose all the lovely detail. Smooth the top corners into place, so that they blend with the curve of the plastic piece. This stage can be frustrating, but be patient and you'll get it.

+++Tip+++
Like the legs, you can cheat a little by using the flat of the tool to 'lift' a little of the putty at the edges of the plates (i.e. at the bottom of the chestplate and at the sides of the stomachplate). This creates the illusion of a hard edge.

11. Allow to cure overnight.

12. Glue the belt buckle in place, and add small squares of 0.5mm plasticard as spacers to the shoulder joints to finish.

Success!

If you'd like a more complex one, feel free to experiment!

I used the rounded end of the sculpting tool to press into the centre of the chest piece, creating a small depression. The detail I carved from the original torso was then glued in place once the putty had cured. The stomach plate was replaced with piping made by scraping lines into the plate while it was uncured. A plasticard belt was also added, and the belt buckle glued onto this.


This example is slightly more complex, but much more effective. As well as piping in place of the stomach plate, small vents were pressed into the corners of the torso plate while uncured; and a textured central reinforcement was added by rolling the grip of a drill over the putty on the tile, then cutting a block of the textured putty and gluing it in place once cured.


This torso involved adding a plasticard belt, securing various additional plates made separately, mounting carved details and also cutting into an over-extended chest piece to make a recessed protective collar. A mark III/IV hybrid appearance was added by extending the chest piece over the stomach area.
Although considerably more complex, the methods used are the same.

Experiment, give it a go, and don't be put off by failure. Success will come with practice, patience and a steady hand.

I hope that the tutorial's helpful, and good luck! With a little paint, you'll soon be well on your way to making a whole army of these fellas.

You are truly a legend to post such great advice!

When looking at the tutorial it looks so easy...I know I'm going to have a hard time with it! Oh well...practise makes perfect!

Awesome ;D How about a comparative photo? Pleeeeze :*

I've put an updated tutorial (complete with pics) on my Pre-Heresy Ultramarines blog.

Planning to make a "Last stand" Diorama and was wondering how you made the muzzleflash on that marine?

Looks like one of the cinematic effects you can buy online from armourcast.com

I really do prefer this style of Marine upsizing. Seemingly keeps everything in proportion, if not more so. Whilst personal I'm for more understated shoulder rims, the overall effect of this build is impressive. Thanks for your time in posting your WiP, it's been a great read and good guide for developing my own idea based on this format. I intend to experiment on the chest piece too myself.

Question though, you used the Terminatior arms alot, is this a preference or a necessity? Do standard marine arms not work well in this technique?

~ Tael.

Normal arms seem to work too, take a look at Migsula's first Alpharius, the one with the bolter and close combat weapon. He has a normal arm. If the normal tactical arms are too small you might want to use the ones from the Khorne Berzerker sprue.

Amazing work!

I don't suppose you can post a picture of those marines next to a Guardsmen for scale ?

Voila – a pic with a true-scale marine, guard-height skitarius, and dreadnought-sized assault walker and Archmagos Veneratus


An unpainted one next to some cadians:


A painted one, killing some renegade cadians:


+++

Shas'El Tael wrote:Question though, you used the Terminatior arms alot, is this a preference or a necessity? Do standard marine arms not work well in this technique?

I think normal marine arms look a little skinny and short, personally – but that's probably because I really like the great domed shoulderpads. The terminator arms are good for two reasons: they're thick enough that you could reasonably have a big muscly arm inside them, and they also come with the rest of the terminator model!

You still need to show us how you do the arms, especially the ones that hold a bolter with two hands!

Chuckle.. fair points Apologist. I see where you are coming from. I'll try both styles and post results soon. Thanks for the pointers too Malika.

As for your recent images, the modified Dreadnaught.. impressive.

I do like the commentary though, "Here is one posing, one with some friends...and one, killing Heretics"..cracked me up.

On that note the Mechanicus styled marine is nicely done.

~ Tael.

You guys should turn this into an Article. I've wanted to do something like this for some time now, I'm just really lazy.

Isn't it kind of an article already?

this is just plain awsome! why can't GW make them this size standard?

They are discussing that very question here:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/60/233990.page

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing I will be copypastin this link to many a query

My own process is slightly different and I also add length to the legs. People know where to find pics

those ultramarine's in the last pic of your first post look so cool

migsula wrote:Brilliant! Thanks for sharing I will be copypastin this link to many a query

My own process is slightly different and I also add length to the legs. People know where to find pics

It's a shame we can't put a picture of your Alpharius and Apologist's Ultramarines next to each other, I'm very curious to see the differences in size and such. I'm planning on building some true scale marines based on the old terminator models in the same style as Apologist but adding a little bit of length to the legs to make them look a bit taller and more graceful like the marines you guys built!

Their covered in too much awesome sauce! Aw, my Bloodravens feel so small.

Migsula's would be fractionally taller, due to the styrene inserts within the shin armor. Apologist's are straight bulk. There some serious marine meat on these Ultramarines. Also, the artistic direction varies the results. I've personally taken various cool inspirations from both styles

~ Tael.

This is how they should look. The current GW models look like guardsmen in power armour. Why for the love of whatever god-like figure you believe in did they have to be Ultrasmurfs?

The current GW models are very skinny guardsmen with very big heads who wear power armour.

Ultramarines rule by the way!

My small SM models now make me feel inadequate.

absolutely brilliant!!! How in the name of The (albeit FALSE) Emperor did you come up with that!?! Now time for the true scale Orks....

Sorry for the necromancy, but these are some great ideas Apologist! Between you and Tael, I've really got the urge to revisit my Marines!

You are a true master to change so much yet still keep them in perfect proportion!

This is a great guide, but could use some morestep-by-step pics to really illustrate the process

I love the muzzle flash on the bolter
Gives the model a great mid action pose
Was it greenstuffed?