How to get conversion points

[Tanhausen]

So, I guess this is a GW stantard, but my local tourneys make the following requirements to get 100% paint points:

 

- 3 colours

- painted base

- conversions across the army

 

So I'm having a bit of problem in this area... because my terminators, dread and vehicles have really cool resin bases (well, the LRC and Vindi don't :P) but have close to no conversions.

 

Since I'm bound to finish painting my army this weekend or next... and don't know what to add!

 

I'd though buying some cheap chains (like the ones you use for the wrist... however that is called in english... bracelet?) but that might look a bit too Black Templar.

 

Any SIMPLE idea?

 

It just needs to be a touch that shows you did SOME conversion. BTW, kitbashing or magnetizing doesn't qualify... I used the cool DA PF and they say it doesn't count... yeah, they are a bit restrictive :(

 

... --- ... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HunterShades]

well ive been doing quite a bit of converting on my new termies and LRC (i can so why not...) and simple things are fun really

 

like i loev the assault cannon... so i went ahead and modelled my fave termie stroking the assault cannon (i know its weird but i love that gun so much...) other things like dynamic poses are pretty kool, you could GS robes (if you have any luck/skill with GS - i tried for my belial model and failed) i think that if you well i guess kitbashing helps, but if it doesnt count it doesnt help really :lol:

 

the chains sounds good and i know kinda templar like and i agree - but on tanks/dreads i think it might look ok to show a venerated look or whatever not really much else you can do really

 

also dependant on your dread arms you could convert them - example if you wanted a plasma cannon arm use the leman russ plasma cannon top turret (i forget which tank) and then throw it together with another arm (i used my missle launcher arm i had spare) and it turned out pretty good - cause im not paying FW prices... just to dam expencive anyways hope this helped and good luck ;)

 

 

summary:

different and random poses can help and look good at the same time

chains on tanks can look good (its it looks kinda like a templar then use less i guess...)

greenstuff can be your friend - if you can use it.....

[Hemal]

Greenstuff a load of feathers, and add to appropriate points - there you go, instant feather fetishes/honours, and true conversion rather than kit-bashing.

 

Otehr laternatives include maybe gluing terminator honour markings on various models, or adding spare weapons at the belt - e.g. sheathed swords from WHFB models if you have them (Silver Helms or Empire Knights have them IIRC)

[Tanhausen]

Thanks for the input.

 

1.- Posing doesn't count for conversion :lol: I love that part

2.- I'm thinking that for tanks the chains might be the easiest... specially if they dangle along the sides.

3.- I'm pretty bad at greenstuff... but its also true that I haven't really tried that much. I bought some millyput equivalent the other day for 4 Euros (like 1 kilo in total)... I guess I could always try. The problem is... what do I do? Robes are nice, but HARD and the perspective of modelling 21 guys with robes seems a bit daunting.

 

I'll post up some picks tonight and maybe we can brainstorm some easy stuff.

[Tanhausen]

Thanks Hemal

 

I'm not all that fond of the native american/feather fluff (though I know its imbodied in the DW novel).

 

I see my guys more of monastic, contemplative kind.

 

+++ Terminator with its prayers to the Emperor, wearing TDA sitting in the LRC as it marches to the enemy +++

 

- Sarge "Ok Brothers, pain time for that xenos scum"

 

- Terminator checks his helmet, turns on the claws, mumbles a prayer, disembarks, assaults without uttering a word, wrecks havoc, walks back into the LRC and waits for the next assault

 

A bit exagerated.. but you get the idea ;)

 

Thinking now... maybe GS books and linking them with chains to their chests? Still sounds too BT to me... :lol:

[Hemal]

Books is good, GS a book is really quite easy, and then replicating it. ANd Scrolls are always good, as are tabards. Again, maybe a bit BT, but the DA were the ORIGINAL winners of the "most monastic order" honour.

 

And relictories, candles on armour (very John Blanchesque) hood on bare-headed models etc will be good enough

 

GS a hood - cut an isosceles triangle out of GS, two corners into the armour around the chin, the third at the back, stretch,squish the sides into teh armour as appropriate, and as it hardens, add teh shape of the folds.

 

Books - open book. Small plasticard sheet, add a layer of GS to it, indent a line in the middle and curve in for the fold, using a sharp edge, indent the sides to give teh illusion of pages. Add another thin strip of plasticard at the back to give teh illusion of a spine on teh outside.

 

Closed book - sandwich GS between two sheets of plasticard and add pages as appropriate. Once dry, add a spine.

[Tanhausen]

Quick question: milliput adherence = GS adherence? Or in simple terms... will my milliput stick by itself to the model?

 

- Books: easy to do, I agree.

- Candles on the armour... I think they blend nicely if the armour is intricate (as with detail: thinking of the typical horus armour)... with the AoBR, might not look so good, dunno.

- What is a relictory? If its something like a relicary, thats easy too: just a chain around the neck and a big sign or box hanging from it

- Hood... I'd need to do the whole thing with robe, dont you think? If I only do the hood won't it look ackward? Thanks for the tip though, sounds easy enough!

[Hemal]

The relictpry can be a little box either attached to the belt or to a chain conatining some artefact or illuinated scroll.

 

The adherence of milliput is good - but it is more brittle/rigid so might loosen. Milliput is also a lot harder when partially set and less stretchy than GS, so would do more scultping early on in the process.

 

Candles could work well even on blank plate, as then they add detail to an otherwise blank area - whoch you could paint differently perhaps? - e.g. the top of a terminator - maybe even a flaming brand works a la LotD (get a piece of one of those small straws like in Capri Suns, attach to the back of the termie, and add some sculpted flame).

 

Hoods could be part of a surplice worn below the armour rather than above it, as long as the hood is folded in correctly. I haven't tried this yet but believe this will work well.

[Tanhausen]

Ok, here's the deal:

 

A terminator (base masked to finish off the rim by AB

 

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/T3mp4n0/IMG00032-20101019-1931.jpg

 

A book:

 

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/T3mp4n0/IMG00039-20101019-1932.jpg?t=1287509997

 

Thinking of a those torches... a bit like the ][:

 

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/T3mp4n0/IMG00038-20101019-1932.jpg?t=1287509998

 

When it dires up, I'll add some flames.

 

I tried a hood... man do I suck with GS xD

 

Ideas/Comments?

[HunterShades]

nice - i think i might have to steal them ideas myself :P

 

looking pretty good what did you use for the torches? other than a cocktail stick of course - i think a loin cloth might be easier to do maybe - ive seen a few tutorials knocking around (dakkadakka or youtube really) depends on what you want to get out of it at the end - also those arms look a bit too big for that termie, but hey thats just me nit-picking so dont worry :devil:

 

so far looks good, i might try out some of the stuff i was on about.. maybe some chains and stuff too i guess - ill see if i can get some work done (currently working on my SW army for a tourney this weekend - doh!) but after that ill get right on the dark angels and see if i can help out :D

[Tanhausen]

Big termi arms? They are standard, no work done besides the magnitizing... which obviously is not shown xD

 

I think I'll go for 1 torch on each termy, more or less where the CML would sit and maybe drop a few books around... still have to see where they would sit best in the model.

 

Thing is, the book has details only on one side, so I can make mould. The torch... that will have to be a 2 sided mould.

 

I tried replicating the open book you get from DA spues... but its too flat a concept for the mini... unless I make a "stand" on the shoulders and that would make it way too "inquisition" for my taste

[Grand Master Raziel Secundus]

Hiya Folks

 

One thing I did for my Deathwing was make bannerpoles out of GS and paperclips. I rolled out a small length of GS and at the intersection of the paperclip (I formed a " T " shape from them) and wrapped the GS around so it looked like a snake with the head at the top and the body wrapped down the pole. from it I glued plasticard banners painted with the Squad symbols and numbers.

 

Or you could try battle damage, give a few termies false limbs like bionics and such :)

 

 

Cheers and Good Luck!

[Hemal]

Wow - great stuff!

 

I love those books - that is exactly what I had in my minds eye!

[Tanhausen]

Thanks ;)

 

About the torch... the original idea was 2 but I think that would be too crammed... so it might end up with 1 in the middle.

 

I'll do a couple more, do some casting and try it out.

 

The book... I really like how it looks but I don't have a clue where to place it on the miniature xD

[Hemal]

One in te middle is fine I think - I only have one coming out of the backpack of a Power Armour marine myself. Maybe get some brass etch parts as well - I bought some brass etch miniature hatches online (manhold covers, etc) and they work perfectly as panels or grilles on 40K models - even used a couple as doors to an Epic scaled bunker

[Tanhausen]

About the hoods... they turned out with the "fabric" too thick.

 

As said, I use millyput... is it possible/easy to get thin? Would you suggest going for GS?

 

Also thought about using a bit of GS and doing some "snakey" details on the legs... in a "mastercrafted" armour fashion.

 

If I get early home today and have time, I'll do some more stuff and post some pics.

 

Thanks for the input guys!

[Hemal]

Yeah - greenstuff for heoods is better - roll em out on some oiled card or other flat surface before you cut them and put them on the model... if they are partially set they will be stretchy and spirngy which is the consistency you want to model folds on robes

[Tanhausen]

Some progress.

 

I like how the hood turned out... but the details on the leg are too thick ;)

 

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/T3mp4n0/IMG00040-20101020-2226.jpg?t=1287606684

 

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv140/T3mp4n0/IMG00042-20101020-2227.jpg?t=1287606684

 

The problem I have is that it wont stick to the model and when I push to get it thinner, it moves!

[Isiah]

The hood is looking great - nice and low over the face - I really like it. Love the bone armour too :tu:.

 

Cheers

I

[Tanhausen]

Thanks Isiah, but I isn't painted yet.

 

It has white primer, a light tan, then bleached bone and a home made Sepia ink.

 

Now the idea is giving it another light bleached bone airbrush, another ink (softer) and then go for golden details (clear brown, yellow, gold and final highlight with VAC Gold.

 

Just for the records, the details in the armor I'm trying to get are in this style:

 

http://sciborminiatures.com/i/2010/big/celtic_warrior_1_03.jpg

 

The ones on the shin guards or the chest, to get the idea :tu:

[Isiah]

Thanks Isiah, but I isn't painted yet.

 

Maybe I should of said "Love the bone armour so far" :tu:.

[Evil Homer]

Scibor has a tutorial on his site Link!. I've played with the method a little and I think with some work it can really be made to work well.

[Hemal]

Scibor's armour plates are really easy to do in a way - its greenstuff press moulds - put some design into a greenstuff or milliput blank, allow to cure, and then press a thing sheet of greenstuff into it after putting some spary-on-oil or similar onto the blank - allow to cure and remove. Note I HAVEN'T tried it myself, but will be doing so to update the appearance of my High Elf Dragon Princes and to add details to Crimson Fists metal Terminators.

[Tanhausen]

Isiah, sorry if I sounded harsh. You know, internet, boards, language... I appreciate the comment :)

 

Thanks to Evil Homer and Hemal.

 

That seems A LOT easier, though I might end with "heavier" legs for my terminators. But definetly worth a try... I spend like 1 hour for that lame detail in the shin and I hate it!

 

I'll keep you posted :cuss

[Hemal]

Ad dteh GS to teh leg, let it set and work it with wet tools once partially set - its too tacky when fresh to get a good detail level in there straight away. I love the hood though!