200775:36
am
Body painting
I started painting the body up a bit today. It's getting a bit easier now that I've figured out a method of mellowing the original rust primer down to something more bearable. Gave the thing a decent drybrushing with boltgun, washed it down with scorched brown, and applied rust liberally. It's hard to get a decent photograph of the metal tones in this light (I have one very bright light that washes a lot out), but you get an idea from the pictures.
Couple questions for you guys:
The feet. I blacked the spikey bits out in anticipation of painting them. My initial feeling was to make them all red, but the thought of making them various colors popped into my head and I'm not sure what to go with. Part of me wants to do random blues and yellows and reds on the toe spikes, but I don't know if that would look too colorful. 
What do you guys think I should do?
Also, I'm trying to pick a few plates out on the body for coloring - like a solid blue or green armor plate with a space marine decal on it to suggest it's freshly looted - but I can't figure out which plates are a good choice for the treatment. I don't want to do it on the head at all so it doesn't get distracting, but two or three good spots on the torso should do it. Any thoughts?
2007610:27
pm
Back to Painting 2: The Paintening
This painting feels kind've sloppy, I'll be the first to admit, but at least it's coming along, right?
... right?
I toned the colors on the browns down a lot, did a bit of a black ink wash, and started picking out some of the cabling on the top of the head, which the photos probably neglect. I also did that really messy vertical checkered stripe thing.
I'm up for any advice you guys offer as I blunder forward, here!
2007610:30
am
Back to painting
Don't know what came over me with this, but I finally got in the mood to paint something. I wouldn't count on this continuing for too long, given my previous track record, but I think I'd like this project done.
Only just started, really. Going to do the eyes up in the same red as the teeth and then I have a lot of details to pick out. When all is said and done there'll probably be a lot of red on the face, but I'm hoping it draws attention to it, rather than overwhelms it. I'll probably put some checker lines on it like my battlewagon has too.
2007284:39
am
The Grim Reaper
After a bit more work, I'm liking the way this model is shaping up. In the next batch of pictures, I've managed to sculpt one of the knee joints up, and I'm going to slowly be adding gems to the weapon's blade, I think. I added two back streamers onto the model, too, as it made the model look much more dynamic.
I also added the shoulder weapon mounts. I don't really know what the future owner of the model's going to want as far as weapons go, and I'm too lazy to learn the ins and outs of Eldar weapons properly. I figured I would simply set it up so that the remaining weapons I had on the wraithlord sprue could be pinned onto the shoulders. It looks silly, but I didn't really have them in mind for the model anyway, as I pictured a melee oriented walker.
As far as what's left, I need to sculpt the other knee properly. I'm trying to figure out what other Altansar-flavor touches might be a welcome addition, but nothing much is coming to mind. All in all, I think it's shaping up to be a very fun model, and I'm very happy with the aesthetics so far.
20072712:07
pm
Maugan Ra has a fan club
As part of a secret santa event I'm involved in, I have to give a gift to a fella who I have discovered is an Eldar player. I'm not big on eldar things - the race has never really interested me all that much, and I can't admit to having much knowledge about their army list. I wanted to give him some sort of Eldar mini, but I couldn't figure out what would be good for the job until I saw the new Wraithlord kits and everything clicked.
I really liked the idea of posing it in motion, and it seemed to make a lot more sense to take a close-combat equipment route with those sort of dynamics in mind. After adding the twin flamers, I started wondering what I could do to make the model more visually interesting. While I don't know much about the Eldar, one of the coolest miniatures they had (prior to the new harlequins, that is) was Maugan Ra. I really liked his aesthetics, and after a bit of reading I thought it might be fun to make an Altansar-themed wraithlord. Just like that, his sword was replaced with a 'Wraithscythe'.™
After a while with a dremel and a frustratingly thick piece of plastic, I was able to cut out a decently eldar-themed crescent blade. I created a proper handle for it shortly after by using the remaining parts of the Brightlance that comes with the lord.
20072611:12
am
We’z too tuff ta die!
It's been a while since I've had any free time to work on the myriad things I have in bins around here. In the little free time I've found, I've been attracted to playing around with the Black Orcs I have. I've been pulling bits and pieces off of these sprues for a bunch of other ideas so far, but I've seen a number of people over at The-Waaagh make them into decent 'Ard boyz in the past, so I figured I'd give it a go.
The hardest part of working on these guys is how radically different they are from your standard 40k ork. While orks are all about hard angles and pointy bits, these models stand apart as very rounded and streamlined. The chainmail doesn't help, either - it's got a very medieval look to it that's hard to account for. I've seen a bunch of different takes on these models before, but the ones that look the best fit for the 40k universe have been so heavily converted and scratch built that there was hardly a need to even start from a black orc.I figured I'd go for something of a medium - I'd make some changes to the heads, which are the most visually distinct feature on the models, and try to update their weapons to fit the environment. A few stikkbomz or grenades indiscriminately mixed around in there doesn't hurt, either.
So, with all that said, off I went. I think I want a big, big collection of these guys, though I don't know what the unit caps on 'ard boyz is going to be in the new dex. I don't think I can go wrong with about 15 of 'em. I'm literally just working on these guys in my passing free moments, so I wouldn't expect to have a large number of them done with any sort of haste.
A couple individual pictures might help sort out the individual models, so let's start with the one on the left. He actually needs a bit more sculpting on his right shoulder to make it blend in properly. The head is one I made a while back just to pass the time while I was waiting for something - I cut a normal ork head in half and started building a bionic bonce. I thought it fit the body pretty well as far as scale goes, and there's really no way to make an ork's head look more in tune with the flavor of 40k than layering it in mechanics. I also put a little respirator on his torso that was wired up into the head. I'm not sure why. The slugga arm is off a normal boy, and I think it looks awfully out of place, but he was my first attempt, so I'm willing to let it stand for now.
Then there's this guy, who is okay, I guess. I didn't know how to make his helmet look a bit more 40k'ish. I tried cutting the tusks off the front of the helmet and replacing it with some sort of rivet. I ideally wanted to put maybe a rebreather there, but I couldn't figure out how to do it properly. I honestly put the slugga on the waist because I was still trying to figure out how to get a black orc's armored glove to properly hold one.
I like this next guy the most, primarily because I think I did well with the helmet on him. That particular helmet design is perfect for rebreathers - I cut two little exhausts off a marine backpack, which I have in copious amounts, and glued them on where the tusks used to be. The wire is really just an afterthought, I just thought it looked too plain. I managed to get the 'holding a slugga' thing properly on this guy by cutting up one of the banner holding arms that comes with the black orcs and pinning the gun onto the flat surface.
More to come as I get time.
2007249:20
am
Light on his feet
Time to dredge this up from the depths! Actually, that's probably appropriate, considering we're talking about Necrons and all.
Anyway, I was asked if I'd ever consider doing a commission for something like this guy. Though I have made it my rule as of recent to decline doing any commission work, the dude offered me a decent amount of money, and I started to consider it. I figured I might as well take him up on it and finish this model off, as it's already partly done, as part of the commission, rather than make him one from scratch simply because I don't honestly see myself picking up Necrons in the near future. Aside from the lord and a monolith, that is. I really just do this all for the satisfaction of lighting things anyway.
So! Off I went to continue work on this model. I figured I'd jump back in with both feet and get one of the hardest things out of the way - the wiring from the torso down into the legs to where the power source for the SMT LEDs will be located. As I don't possess a drill bit small enough to actually hollow the legs themselves out, I went an alternative route and made the wiring exposed in a few places around the joints. If the guy I'm making this for paints it up right, they should blend right in as part of the technological detail on the lord.
This was literally the hardest part of the model, I think, save maybe the soldering in the chest, so it's almost all downhill from here.
The gaps in the thigh are going to be filled and the legs will be bulked up a bit to match the Destroyer torso I'm using - otherwise, they look way too weedy. The lengthening of the thighs was actually my plan from the start, though I also intended on doing the calves... but there's really not enough room in there for anything but the wire, and if I can't pin it, I am not going to try it.
2007147:55
pm
Gizmo’s got the update
Well, I've had exams all night, but I came home to find this little post waiting for me at The Waaagh, so I thought I'd put it up here to chart the progress.
There are two reasons im updating the progress on the boss tonight.
1: Ein is in some sort of exam as i type so he cant do it
2: I aint letting him go a day without seeing some pictures of what ive done.I have Sculpted the lip on the boot that makes the buckle look like it is doing something and also the overhang part of the pants (its an american model so ive gotta call trousers, pants )
When all this dries im going to maybe add a wee clip holding the buckle to the bit of rope (im really hoping that made sense) on the boot and drill out some wee holes to enforce that the clip is actually doing something (it didnt did it, oh well you will see in the next update). Im not sure if the lip on the pants stick out enough for eins liking, if not i can extend it quite easily. The tread on the plasticard will be getting blended in a bit better and i will also add tread to the underside of the foot (the visible part that is). After all that is done i dont see anything but an armour plate on the knee (just like the stock GW warboss) that needs done before i can start on somewhere else.
Giz
I think it's coming along great, honestly. The bunching around the bottom of the pants isn't as large as I thought it would be, but that doesn't mean it doesn't look good! Question for you guys, though: Do you guys think the back edge of the boot by the buckle is good? The idea was to make it look like the clasp is holding two halves together, but I'm sort've on the fence - it didn't look all that bad in this one and I want to know what you guys think. Leave a comment if you have any feedback, eh?
2007137:27
pm
Look at ‘dem legs!
Gizmo and I have been chatting for a good while about the Boss while he sculpts things, and it's looking good. There's a bit more to be done with the pants and boots, but it is coming along really nicely, and Gizmo's really good about me being a huge pain in the behind with particular details. Here's the latest batch of pictures!
He's already doing a vastly better job than I could have done, I'll tell you guys that much. There's a bit more to do on the pants (around where the boot and the bottom of the leg joins) and he's cleaned the tread up a bit since those photographs.
It's looking really good, though, and I'm glad he's coming along. Stuff like riveting on the boots and all will be delayed until the boss's trip back to the States, where I have the bits and plastic to do such detailing properly.
20071310:46
am
Primarch Photos
This mini has an interesting history to it that I'd like to start off with.
There's a company in Italy called Ronin Miniatures that apparently has made a couple models of characters. Usually, these characters are the Primarchs or individuals central to the 40k universe - for example, there are miniatures to represent Sanguinus of the Blood Angels, Mortarion of the Death Guard, and my two favorites, Horus and the Emperor. A couple buddies and I managed to find a source for these, so we ordered a bunch, and I got Mortarion for myself. I acually got to see the other models, and I'm wishing I had grabbed a Horus instead, because it's such an awesome model. Oh well!
Anyhow, I have been toying with this mini for a bit since I've gotten it. Just barely pinned it together, really, so I could get a sense as to how it all went together. The model's a decent attempt, but whoever sculpts for Ronin Miniatures has a spotty sense of proportion at best. Mortarion looks a bit static from some angles, and the cast is a bit iffy. All the same, it still looks pretty cool in pictures!
All in all, it's a cool miniature, and it's great to own - there's only 200 of them made, and I have one! I do plan on simply assembling him and painting him at some point, though since seeing the mini I've started to seriously consider maybe making my own from scratch around another mini so that it would have the proper proportions necessary - he just looks very static, and there's so much more that could have been done with that scythe! I think I might use this model as a reference for making my own, in any event.
Here's a shot of the Primarch next to a termie body:
He's a nice big size, for sure. I'll have to see what I can do with him - he looks great from some angles, like the one above, but from the side his profile is somewhat lacking.
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