Harleqvin's WIP, 7/2/22 Azrael conversion WiP post

[Harleqvin]

Looking cool as ever!

For your Azrael had you considered hanging his combi plasma from his belt like in the artwork? With his right hand open like he was bestowing a benediction on his troops?

Personally I'd shy away from putting flash blast on Cypher, muzzle flash always looks cool in artwork but is very tricky to do well in miniature. As for Castile having a back banner, I'd guess that as the warlords of the 40K universe favor leading at the tip of the spear they aren't going to be shy about the enemy noticing them

I'm really looking forward to seeing how all this works out thanks for sharing.  

 

I did kind of, but not exactly like your thought. It's now going through my head though, as I kinda want to just use a different combi-plasma and spruce it up, and i think i still have some open left hands from a sanguinary guard box. I'll need to look now and see if i do as that feels kinda nifty to me. Thank you, Punk possum!

I know what you mean about the muzzle flash. If I tried making it myself I would totally have at the end of the flash a bolter shell being propelled, though. I could work on it on another bolt pistol and then slip it on afterwards and see how I feel about it. I also kinda want to make it so both guns are being fired, too. So I want to find some blue plastic to have a plasma bolt/beam/orb coming out or look at some artwork of plasma pistol discharge and kinda do the same thing with working it on another plasma pistol like with the bolt pistol muzzle flash. I really want it to be a showy piece but it could be one of those "don't go over board it will look better" deals.

Yeah. Also a reason why I was for doing a banner type thing on Castiel. He would be up in their face anyways. Just trying feel through how I want to make a cohesive look with some of the ideas I'm having for the background. It would probably still work with the banner with how I am starting to possibly go with. I won't lie. I will probably do it as it won't have a bothersome/strangeness like how the predator turret was feeling.

 

I also just got a late Christmas present from my pal. He got me the new DA codex. I'm super excited to own it! Now I have all DA codices from each edition! Thank you, @zerorunner!

Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Pearson73]

Great conversions and kitbashes you've got going on here. Really liking the wide use of parts and sculpting.

[Harleqvin]

Thanks, Pearson73!



So, I decided what I'll use as my DW champion (photos are hidden to ease loading.)

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Just a quick start of it, but it will look neat. I had been trying to figure out what I would do for a champion as I was wanting to make the whole squad look pretty spiffy. Was initially thinking of using him as the sergeant for the command squad but I saw that the DwCS sergeant has no options.... Not even the option to buy wargear from the Terminator Weapons of the DA wargear list.... Seriously, how the hell? At least we can have a sergeant now in it.... Just really gave the new codex a look since I now own it, as before I was skimming through my LGS's copy.

Had fun messing with a RW detachment list today with several bike squads taking two grav guns each. I feel like I had to have missed something as Salvo-ing 3 shots after having moved with the bikes, and then overwatching 3 shots with them is really strong especially "The Eye of the Unseen" on an HQ attached to the squad with grave guns. Normal command squad seems like it could be really silly with them and the Standard that gives relentless.

I really want to paint up my Ravenwing now, but I am not sure what they may do for Horus Heresy DA bikes yet. I know i will most likely have the majority of them with a quartered blue/white right shoulder pad with the winged talon clutching a sword. I need to reread a couple of the DA novels. I know they mention The Raven's Wing, and The Ravenwing. One story said it's a Knightly Order while the other was a group within The Order that rode upon the fastest steeds they had, on Caliban.

Also in the pic is another simple conversion/kitbash on a BaC Mk IV marine. I'm a little sad that all of the basic marines have their gun directly over the chest pretty much. Too much of a static pose for me. So, I thought I would spruce on up. Will probably do some stuff to several more, just not sure what yet. Also working on some 32mm bases basing. Got some aquarium rocks for the bigger rocks for the base.


I have a 2x2 section of Realm of Battle board I am going to eventually use as a "Armies on Parade" style of display. I think I am going to get some of the magnetic paint to put on it, and put some magnets on the bottoms of my bases to help keep the models on the board. I think. We will see. This came to mind because one of the random bases on a Terminator I got off eBay a while back is evidently just a magnet. lol. i didn't realize it till earlier this week when some metal wire clinked onto it when I lifted it up.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Isiah]

That's a nice looking Champion you have there Harleqvin :tu: . Looking forwards to seeing some paint on these fellas.

[Harleqvin]

That's a nice looking Champion you have there Harleqvin . Looking forwards to seeing some paint on these fellas.

I know I have a lot of conversion work going on and not a whole lot of painting my DA. Just waiting on the more final word on TDA and bikes from FW with HH. But I will start painting up my BaC power armor guys once I get them put together.

[Punk possum]

Yep that is a fine looking champion indeed. Its nice to see that the indomitus pattern arms work well with the B@C catphractii. Thanks for shareing, I squirreling away a ton of ideas to use when I get round to doing mine.  

[Harleqvin]

Thank you ={D> and You're quite welcome! I love getting inspired by others, and that others can get some inspiration from my stuff.

I was a little afraid the arms wouldn't look right but they ended up looking ok enough to me. Had to do a bit of cutting though to the insides of Steloc Aethon's shoulder joint area under the pauldrons, and some cutting to the top part of the the champions arms to make it fit. I think that it could have been easier with the Cataphractii squad from the BaC set or even the FW ones. However, I wanted it to stand out more, and the Steloc Aethon mini fit that mark quite well. I will end up sculpting on the straps for the right side and filling in the missing parts of the straps to the left side.

I really want to get a few Tartarus pattern packs, though! I really like those.
at least 10 for max squad/two 5 man's, and 1 or 2 so I can have one for DwCS and one for a DwK (DwK so they don't all look the same.)
Will eventually get another set of the Cataphractii for a full 10 man squad. I have more than enough Indomitus patterns.I should really take a full count of all the Indomitus patterns I have that aren't going to be used for DwCS.

 

 

I also don't like at all that pretty much all the Mk IV's are holding their guns with both hands. I'm going to need to figure something out with making some more straight arms and such. I want to do a couple with holding both Boltgun and Boltpistol in various ways just to break up the cookie cutter stance they have.
I will honestly say that's my only "real" gripe with the BaC box. 9 out of 10 Mk IV's are all in very similar stances. The holding of the weapons I mean.

My other is that they didn't come with grav weapons. lol But it is an awesome box set.

Now to finish up painting some Cygnar warjacks for a friend so I can go back and forth painting a model or two for myself, and painting some Cygnar Calvary for the same friend that the warjacks are going to.

[cretacianborn]

That Cypher conversion is going to look amazing, can't wait to see it painted! 

[Harleqvin]

I feel the same way about it. lol.

What was a little funny to me is that after I had put together my Cypher I saw that on the $13 DA upgrade sprue there is a dagger with a set of keys on it. I was like "well :cuss... That would have been perfect but I don't have the cash to get it from GW right now. Oh well, I'll stick with what I did even though the keys are a little big." Saturday night my pal gave me the rest of his DA upgrade sprue. Which still had the dagger/keys combo bit on it. I had already primed Cypher before he gave it to me...... lol

Right now trying to decide whether or not to paint him:

1, dark green

2, Black to straight up to match my Pre/Heresy style

3, Black but with doing something with waywatcher green glaze to the edges top give it a green tinge on the edges.

I am wanting to do the third option, because it will feel better to me for a mixture of 30k/40k vibe to it, but I have never tried this out before.

[Punk possum]

Black with a green glaze sounds interesting, I guess a test model would be in order? Other than that for me Cypher should be in pre scouring black...

[HsojVvad]

Oh man wow. Love all those conversions. I think I will just crawl into the corner into the fetal position and cry for a bit now only dreaming that I can do this. 

[Harleqvin]

Black with a green glaze sounds interesting, I guess a test model would be in order? Other than that for me Cypher should be in pre scouring black...

I really want to him with black armor in the majority. I am fairly certain I am not going to do dark green, but after I do a test model with the multiple layers of green glaze on the edges & all, and it ends up looking right, I'll do that for Cypher. That way it will work with the 40k fluff as sometimes for his armor it just says dark power armor instead of dark green power armor. I just am going with a 40k look for him and a lot of the fluff in 40k says Dark green power armor.... Silly issues with design team and people doing the models. Like for instance the old model for Asmodai. It was sculpted as per the wargear for the Head Int-Chap Sapphon. It's why it had a Power Sword, Bolt Pistol, and Crozius Arcanum.

Definitely I will be doing a test model with glaze and see how it turns out. Hoping it works like I want it to so I can do black armor but have some green to it so it vibes well all around.

 

Oh man wow. Love all those conversions. I think I will just crawl into the corner into the fetal position and cry for a bit now only dreaming that I can do this. 

Thank you ={D>

Practice, mate. Practice. Start off with simple things. Like maybe altering how an arm is by repositioning it. Cut it above the elbow, pin it, and adjust. Sometimes just cutting a hand off at the wrist, and pinning it slightly turned can change the look of a mini for the better. With most of the new miniatures you can pose the body pretty well for a dynamic flow.

Attempt something you think will look neat. If it does not look right to you, view it a bit to see if there is a reason it feels off. If it seems like there should not be a reason why it looks off, keep working on it. If it does not work, see if you can salvage it somehow. For instance, the Predator turret I was messing with. I figured out why it looked off and the easy fix was that because I only used GS to alter it, I could remove it easily. Leaving me with the original Predator turret I had started with. Get an idea in your mind and just try to bring it out. even draw/sketch it out to get a better idea on how you can attempt to make the mini look how you imagine.

It does not hurt if you have a knack for doing something, but it always helps by practicing and doing.

Same applies for painting. Practice. If it does not work, try to fix it. If it still does not work out right, you can usually remove the paint with Simple Green or another remover/thinner. Just be careful what you use to strip plastic as it could melt.

 

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Edit

 

So i did a little more work on my DwCS Company Champion. I decided to make the bottom tassels into cloth. So they look like the bottom portion of a surplice now. Fixed the tassels on the left pauldron. And I started making the tassels for the right pauldron. Will do more work on them after it dries. Will cut off the extra gs and then work on smoothing the tassels and then add, can't think of the proper word but gonna use this, the aglets onto the bottom of the tassels.

photos hidden to ease loading.

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Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Dark Rage]

Really cool, for the tassels I probably would have made a thin strip of GS on a flat surface and cut it into strips after it had cured, also seen people using plasticard strips for them.

 

I actually removed them from one shoulder and gave him a cloth sleeve with armour plates that covered the arm I sliced up just something you may consider if you are doing robes/tabards

 

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj150/o0_Darkeh_0o/20160120_114157.jpg

 

I look forward to seeing some paint on it as well as your Cypher.

 

DR

[Harleqvin]

Plasticard probably would have been nicer. I just don't have any at the moment.
The other thing I was considering was doing chain mail coming down. I just didn't cut off all the tassels. So, I figured I'd make a go and see how it looks with tassels around the bottom of the pauldrons. If it's not pleasing enough to my eyes, I will do chain mail test on the right pauldron. GS will be easy enough to remove without damaging it, so if the chain mail test looks worse, I can go back to the tassels. lqtm

Both leather tassels and chain mail hanging from the pauldrons feel knightly enough to me. So hopefully one or the other will end up looking good for this model.

 

Here are some pics after cutting extra gs off.

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So I just removed the extra gs. Cut a little bit to adjust for the length of each for it's placement. Will probably cut a little more on a few tassels. Will do that later. Then soon after will put the clasps onto them.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Radoslav]

What about cutting "strips" of GS apart ? That would add some more dynamism to the pose (which is already absolutely stunning).

[Bryan Blaire]

What about highlighting the black edge with grey, and then doing the green glaze over it? Or a Caliban Green edge highlight with a Waywatcher Green glaze? Either would give you that dark greenish highlight, which glazing green over pure black isn't likely to do.

[Harleqvin]

What about cutting "strips" of GS apart ? That would add some more dynamism to the pose (which is already absolutely stunning).

I was thinking that individual gs tassels would take too long, and the clasps shouldn't be a hard thing to add with how I did them (at least i don't think they will be.) This way I was able to make them all flow the same across.

And Thank you! ={D>

 

What about highlighting the black edge with grey, and then doing the green glaze over it? Or a Caliban Green edge highlight with a Waywatcher Green glaze? Either would give you that dark greenish highlight, which glazing green over pure black isn't likely to do.

Was thinking about that but I was wanting to try out the straight waywatcher green glaze layered several times on black to see how it comes through as a dark green glow feel. Here are some photos just messing with it on under side of rhino chassis and one side of a hatch. Different angles and different amounts of light in each photo. Kinda hard to get a good look through a photo. I can't get a good amount of light to show how it looks in person correctly......

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This one is with a flash.

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other shots

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This one I think shows it best, but it does look a lot better when looking at it in person here.

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Will end up trying it out on a marine before final verdict on this method.

 

Pretty much as you can see, thin layers multiple times slowly doing only closer and closer to the edge, and the green keeps getting brighter with each layer almost to a glow.

In the end, it will only be done to Cypher if I do decide to use it.

Might do two marines. One straight glaze, one with a grey on the edge then doing the glaze.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Isiah]

I think it's quite effective. It's 'suggesting' green armour whilst being black. Novel.

 

Cheers

I

[Harleqvin]

I think it's quite effective. It's 'suggesting' green armour whilst being black. Novel.

 

Cheers

I

Right?

Edited January 21, 2016 by Harleqvin

[Harleqvin]

Well, I believe I am done with the conversion work on the DwCS Company Champion. May do some small cutting to the clasps later, and some small sanding/filing on the sculpted tassels. However, I do believe it's finished. Just got to work on a suitable base for it ={D>
 

I have the head on a piece of wire because i plan on painting it separately. (photos hidden to ease loading.)
 

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Without the head in

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Still waiting to see some final color schemes/Markings on Pre/Heresy Deathwing. I thought I read somewhere that the broken sword and wing Iconography was Pre/Heresy. Just not sure enough on that and I don't recall where I thought I read that. I could just say screw it and just fix all the broken swords. Which I will probably do. I want to paint my Deathwing. For my DA I know I am doing a mix of Rogue Trader & current HH info (based off of BL and FW,) for markings and such. So, it probably wont matter too much. So, if it turns out the sword is broken even in Pre/Heresy, it won't be an issue to fix them.

I want to paint up my Ravenwing, but I also want to see what they will have different. Most of the info for RW is 2nd Ed up. I am sure it will still have a lot of what we already have, but I want to play it safe and i hope that the next book shows for other markings on normal bikes. I'm willing to bet we will have some sort of special jebikes unit and TDA unit just to keep in flow of current DA, as honestly I don't believe there have been many special units shown for DA in HH yet. However, I have not read/heard all the stories done for HH yet.

I need to double check on Techmarine's coloring for DA in HH. I believe they talk about it in Fallen Angels. So, I will need to go through that again. I lost most of the stored info I had for Pre/Heresy DA somehow.
I know that Librarians have been shown to stay normal DA colored armor but their surplice is blue. So I'll do blue surplice/robes for them.

I got another left open hand. I may do the "arm extended, open hand out towards the people" pose for my counts as Azrael, and put a combi-plasma on a strap hanging on his side.


Lots of conversion work still ahead. i want to convert my own jetbikes from a bunch of normal space marine bikes I have. Will be removing the head from my Sammael model. I don't like open faces on marines. Not because I don't like painting faces, but because I feel they are out in battle and it's dumb as hell to me for them to be without a helmet. So the only models that will bare faced will be if i am trying to emulate a piece of art or it will be one of the FW models that come out for DA (and one or two of those may be done with their helmet if they provide one and the helmet's sculpt looks beautiful/great to me. possibly magnetize the heads in those cases depending.......)

I should start doing more work on my Int/Chap Contemptor Dread. As I could get that painted up without much worry about markings per say. I plan on keeping his right arm as a dreadnought CCW, too. I want to keep the giant Crozius Arcanum on him that i worked up. lol.

Weeeeeeeeel, enough rambling for me. I need to get some sleep, and I also want to say THANK YOU, mates and loveys!, for the support and liking of the conversions I have done & the few mostly painted and single finished painted Pre/Heresy DA mini. I greatly appreciate it and the C&C&Q that I have gotten.

Edit - In the updated title info I plan on doing DD/MM/YY from now on. I know a lot of the rest of the world does it that way. I'm just used to doing MM/DD/YY in the US.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Bryan Blaire]

I really can't tell there's any green there at all, Harleqvin, but I have some color shade problems so it probably is and I just can't tell well. If it does exactly what you want, then there is no reason to do anything further. :)

[Radoslav]

Can't wait for your next conversions- those are very inspiring. Keep it up brother

[Harleqvin]

I really can't tell there's any green there at all, Harleqvin, but I have some color shade problems so it probably is and I just can't tell well. If it does exactly what you want, then there is no reason to do anything further.

It does do what i am wanting it to. With just the glaze. I believe I will just do it again on a bottom of a black painted rhino (as I shouldn't have to even bother now with a full test model because it did give the desired effect when testing on the rhino. lqtm,) with the grey high light and then doing the glaze to see the difference between how the effect works. I am probably going to do just the glaze with no high light.

 

Can't wait for your next conversions- those are very inspiring. Keep it up brother

Thanks!

There are some things I have started but haven't finished. The one i look forward to working on the most is the Int/Chap Contemptor Dread.

I should probably do a small list of conversions I have on the docket for myself that are started.

 

Counts as Azrael: In posts above I have stated a bit what I am doing. Pretty much making him look a bit more like the art they have for him, but I put a helmet on him, and I plan on doing an arm raised up with an open hand (palm out,) like he is saying something to the Chapter. Combi-Plasma at his side. I should think of names for the "Relic" wargear along with the names I will give my guys.

Counts as Asmodai: I showed work on him a long while back. I put the old Asmodai model onto the legs from a DV TDA sergeant. Making him taller than normal marines. I magnetized the gun and gun arm. I think I am just going to have him be a straight up only that character like with my Counts as Azrael. So that means I will be gluing the arm on and I will make my own "Blades of Reason" to put in place of the plasma pistol I put on it as I was going to use it for a normal IntChap. So WOOOOOOOOOOOO Blades of Reason designing!!!! ={D> and I'll need to work on a suitably neat base for him too. lqtm

My Master of the Librarius (Counts as Ezekiel, can also be whatever Librarian in PA I want as I magnetized so much for him.): Model & base done. Wargear according to Ezekiel unit. Primed.

Contemptor Int/Chap: I posted a photo a while back showing what I did for a Dreadnought CCW. I will post photos of other stuff I have done to it later after I do some more work on it.

Int/Chap on bike: THere is a photo of what I have done so far to him. Still deciding if i will alter the wings on the front. Probably will change them. Just not sure yet.

Libby in TDA: Mostly finished I think. I feel it needs some more stuff. Still tinkering with ideas. Photos of him are back a ways with the Int/Chap Contemptor CCW.

Counts as MotRW on Jetbike: Currently only thing I know I will do is change outt he head for a helmet. Not sure on mark or what decor I will put on it. I am thinking of putting a sword where the eagle head is as I don't have the eagle head (bought it used of eBay.)

Apothecary for DwCS: Not much stating on it but more that I am going to do a conversion for it. It will look neat I believe. Just trying to decide on what pattern TDA I will use.

Cypher: Model done. Primed. Only thing left to do conversion wise is the Lion Sword and his base.

Scout Squad: I have an idea I want to do, but not stating it. I know, I know. It's a tease. Waiting to show it off after I do a couple. I think it will be neat. We'll see what people think when I get to them. I hope it will be enjoyed.

 

Several others, but the ones mentioned above are the ones I can definitely state about as they are being worked on/decided how I will start them.

 

 

 

[Harleqvin]

So the new Angels of Caliban book cover art has been seen.

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Look at the middle left.

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I am super stoked about this. My DwCS's Company Champion now has some official art that I can use as extra framework. It looks really similar. I know, I know, it's a basic idea, but who would have thought they would have gone through and done a Cataphractii DA TDA with a Halbred like I decided to do for my Company Champion?


Maybe I will put the head facing the left like it's about to thrust out at something, instead of the right like it's swinging at something...

Maybe I will do the scenic base with fire coming up around him.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Harleqvin

[Punk possum]

It seems that great minds think alike and all that. First time I saw this artwork I thought of your champion.

I not sure about changing the head, the position of the feet and torso suggest if he is thrusting that he is at the end of his lunge. therefore if he was thrusting at an enemy they would have to be at least as tall as him and he is going for the head.

If on the other hand he is about to deliver a cut his feet are well placed to allow him to step with the cut adding force and maintaining balance. George Silver in his treatise on swordsmanship published in the 16thC takes great pains to discuss at length the importance of foot and hand working together in the right time to deliver the most effective blows and retain the best balance in order to be able to "fly in and fly out again with ease". 

a fiery base would be cool though...