Horus Heresy Tutorials: Thousand Sons Magistus Amon 16/02/17

[marine7312000]

How about a generic Crozius tutorial? If you're taking suggestions that is.

[Noctem Cultor]

I really like this, any chance of a base coated version against an official version for comparison? I'll be following this thread even if I never attempt it myself.

[Thrillhouse]

Im stoked that you have returned to us!

 

Did you ever paint your huron-conversion??

Edited November 23, 2015 by Thrillhouse

[Zangetsu]

Well this is amazing.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Zangetsu

[ckpmax1108]

I think I came a bit...

 

Excellent stuff brother! Waiting patiently when you do your batwings tutorial!

[Count Douclar]

Great work, going to try and use this for my heresy stuff (finally a use for all the Mk7 armour I have lying around ).

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

That invictarii helm tutorial may be very useful for 40k honour guard...I may pursue that at some point, as it looks within my limited greenstuff-fu skills (as have he others I've attempted (mostly)). Consider me subbed!

[Gawain Veteris]

‘I swear that I will, to the best of my ability, create and publish tutorials as detailed below on a regular basis, with a view to making characterful Space Marine Legion armies more accessible to all.’

I shall add to this list as time goes on, and I am interested to hear what the frater would like to see. Post below to let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

Legiones Astartes

· Centurion Variants (Chaplain, Librarian, Moritat, Primus Medicae, Master of Signals)

· Legion Recon Marines

· Legion Destroyer Marines

· Void Hardened and Artificer armour in 30k

I Dark Angels

· Robes on 30k armour

III Emperor’s Children

· Palatine Blades Helmets

· EC Power Weapons

· Fine Filigree

IV Iron Warriors

· Indented Chevrons

V White Scars

VI Space Wolves

· Runic Armour Markings

VII Imperial Fists

· Lightning Bolts

· Crusade Symbols

· Ablative Plates

VIII Night Lords

· Stitched/Stretched skin trophies

· Skulls

· Bat wing helms

IX Blood Angels

· Blood Angels Artificer Armour

X Iron Hands

· Turreted Armour Trim

XII World Eaters

· Gladiator Helmet

XIII Ultramarines

· Cod-pieces

· Purity Seals

XIV Deathguard

XV Thousand Sons

· 'Rubricae' Helmet Crests and Shoulder Plates

· Thousand Sons Sorcerors

· Scarabs

· Loin Cloths

· Psychic Powers (Flames, Aetheric Energy)

XVI Sons of Horus (Luna Wolves)

· Lodge Medals

· Helmet Plumes

XVII Word Bearers

· Ragged Scroll Work

XVIII Salamanders

· Flame Armour Trim

· Beaten Metal Texture

XIX Ravenguard

· Raven Skulls

XX Alpha Legion

· Scale Mail (Lorica Squamata)

· Power Daggers

I have been away for a long time and I am sorry that I didn't pick this back up sooner. Hopefully my next post will absolve me a little bit. I have relocated to the USA and I have quite a bit of time on my hands so expect these projects to come thick and fast. I'm open to requests and recommendations.

As a way of helping me keep my pledge, please witness my oath for me by quoting me!

Many thanks, GV.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Gawain Veteris

[Gawain Veteris]

This is the first tutorial in a while and I have adopted a different presentation style. There are six images in all, each with four steps. We will go through the instructions 1-24.

The marines which are formed into Recon Squads are outfitted with some special equipment. Most noticeable is their Cameleoline Cloak. Also for stealth, the backpack has vent caps. They also have a choice between shotguns and sniper rifles. This tutorial opts for a sniper rifle. Recon Marines are also equipped with Shroud Bombs but I have not covered that here. They will be covered in a future tutorial which will include Phosphex Bombs, Breacher Charges and Rad Grenades.

The aim here is to hit the shape of the unit so that at a glance oponents could tell their role. Some of these sections could be useful for specific armies, such as Ravenguard and Alpha Legion. So let’s get started!

1. To start with, assemble your MKIV marine as normal, except for the backpack, taking care to set the arms with an unmodified bolter. The changes we are about to make won’t affect how it’s held. Shave the trim off the right-pouldron and leave the left off for now. (Remember that nothing will really be visible under the cloak so don’t bother with a bolt pistol or other accessories under there)

2. These are the pieces needed to make a Legion Sniper Rifle. These are a MKIV Plastic Bolter, a plastic Scout Sniper Squad rifle and a scope from a Tactical Squad (though any scope will do really).

3. Cut the barrel of both the sniper and the bolter carefully just beyond the grip with a scalpel.

4. Glue the scope onto the top of the bolter, and the barrel of the sniper rifle into place at the front of the bolter. I have also shaved off the bolter magazine texture but this is a minor detail and isn’t necessary.

5. Next is the Recon Squad Backpack. In the FW kit the packs are all the same but you can mix this up however you like. The pieces required for the ‘essentials’ are a MKIV backpack and 2 Melta bombs.

6. Cut the Melta bombs above the bottom strip and trim the lips of the backpack vents to make a smooth plane.

7. Glue the two Melta bomb ends carefully in place on the flat of the backpack vents and let them set.

8. Now we start with the greenstuff, this time to make the pouches on the backpack. You could also glue plastic ones in place but I prefer the more distinctive flap shape for this purpose. Simply put two large-ish blobs on the backpack (the higher one slightly larger than the lower one).

9. With the flat of your sculpting tool/craft knife, carefully shape the blobs into two flat pieces and divide the lower one in half.

10. Press a line into the middle of each segment of pouch, kicking the line up a little to the right of each pouch flap.

11. Tidy up the pouches while they set. In the meantime, place a small blob in the middle centre of the upper vent and flatten into a circle. Then use an adjustable pencil end to press a smaller circle into the middle.

12. For the head there is no special prep needed, just a plain MKIV helmet will do. A bare head is also acceptable.

13. Place a small blob on the right eye lens (where the Recon Marine will sight his rifle).

14. Smooth the blob over to form the macro lens and ease a lip on the bottom of the blob and let set.

15. Add a small flat piece of GS on the top of the blob and flatten over to form the rest of the lens shelter.

16. Finally add another blob at the back of the new macro lens mount and square off like we did with the pouches.

17. Now we’re on to the hard part, but ironically enough it was also the part which made me realise how subtle the differences between FW marines and plastics were. The cloak is honestly just a flat piece of GS naturally spread across the right arm and pouldron. For this, mix your GS especially well and flatten with thumb and forefinger, or on a flat surface between two wet pieces of plastic sheet. (I have used a tiny baggy)

18. Cut the GS into a very rough square. Lift the smooth thin sheet of GS up off the flattening area and spread across the right pouldron, wrapping it round the back of the model underneath the backpack mount.

19. Make sure the edges hang right on the shoulder (not further forward than the wrist and straight down) and clean the edges of the cloak with clippers.

20. With a wet finder, spread the GS at the top of the cloak over the pouldron.

21. With your sculpting tool and plenty of water/Vaseline to prevent sticking to the cloak, gently flatten the folds of the fabric into the model. If you start with the impression of the edge of the shoulder pad and work your way down the natural curves of the arm will help guide the cloak. Also keep images of the FW Recon Marines handy.

22. Finally for the cloak, add some rumples at the top of the pouldron which links the flat part to the GS hidden behind the backpack mount.

23. All that’s left is to leave the GS to set and finish cleaning the edges of the cloak.

24. You can now assemble your Recon Marine as normal.

I hope this first new tutorial has been helpful. As stated above I have a few tutorials I’d like to do and I have sworn myself to it! The next tutorial, and very soon, will be Legion Destroyer Marines.

All the best, and happy Heresy!

GV

Edited January 11, 2017 by Gawain Veteris

[Vairocanum]

Oh man, I'm really excited for all the incoming tutorials. Thanks for taking the time to make these detailed guides!

[lionofjudah]

Good lord your GSfu is outta this world!!! Thanks and I'm especially excited for the ablative armor tut

[Capt. Jack]

Great tutorial for the recon marine! Really enables people to use units they otherwise wouldn't be able tovafford AND practicing their sculpting. A double whammy of awesome!

[Hrolf the Cunning]

Fantastic tute my friend. I already feel like I've been waiting for the destroyer one for too long

[Thrillhouse]

Gah! Im so glad youre back! Im really looking forward to the beaten copper and scale mail tutorials, my own tries have been less than satisfactory.

[Gawain Veteris]

Legion Destroyer Squads have access to some pretty rough weapons and equipment. Most notably they make use of Phosphex Bombs and Rad Grenades. In this tutorial we will learn how to make Rad Grenades but I will be doing Phosphex Bombs later on.

For me the most distinctive parts of the Destroyer Marines are their armament (two pistols) and their additional armour plating (presumably for the likely exposure to radioactive material). This manifests in the tutorial as an ablative plate on the torso and additional coverings on the helmet pipes. That's all really. These subtle changes will make the marines pop out as Destroyers.

Like most of these tutorials the techniques are very much transferable. Most notably here is clearing the front piping from the MKIV Plastic torso to make room for extra details or to model Ablative plating. So let’s get started.

1. First off, these are the pieces which will be receiving specific attention early on. Here we have two MKIV bolt pistols. There is also a left SM Pistol arm (we need this only for the hand). Finally we have a standard plastic MKIV torso.

2. Clip the pipes and middle fixture of the torso away and smooth out the armour plate beneath. Also carefully cut the second bolt pistol from the right hand, and cut the left-hand off the left pistol arm.

3. Glue the left bolt pistol hand to the now free bolt pistol and put these to one side to set.

4. Here we have a standard MKIV helmet. Clip off the side pipes (this doesn’t have to be neat) and also shave off the upper layer of the face grill.

5. Glue the cleaned up plastic torso to your choice of legs. I have tacked the heads and arms on here just to be mindful of the pose.

6. Roll a sausage of GS and place it across the top of the torso.

7. With a wet finger spread the sausage out across the torso and clean up the edges with your sculpting tool. The aim here is to match the curve of the MKIV but leave about a half mm from the edge of the bottom plate.

8. Now add four little blobs to the armour. One at each of the shoulders and one where each of the pipes meet the bottom plate at the abdomen.

9. Square off the blobs to make covers for the ends of the pipes and score lines along the blobs at the shoulders to mimic the Jetpack mounts on the FW models.

10. Here I have added some micro beads from the innards of a water-filter. I believe it was a Brita. Place whatever you’re using for rivets at the pointed corners of the added plate and one on each of the pipe-ends at the abdomen.

11. Now onto the Rad Grenade. Take a Frag & Krak grenade bit from any kit and shave off the detail of the Frag Grenade.

12. Spread a small blob of GS over the now clean grenade and make a smooth spheroid, taking care to keep it below the pin at the top.

13. To finish the Rad Grenade, press some lines into the sides running up and down and neaten them up as much as you can.

14. Now for the helmet. Place three blobs on the helmet (One on the clean snout and one on each of the clean pipes).

15. Square off the pipes to make the blocky covers and spread the middle blob over the clean snout, taking care to leave a pointy line down the middle for definition.

16. Once all the GS has set you can finish assembling the model as you like. Instead of the MKIV backpack you could use a Jet-Pack to make it a Destroyer Assault Squad.

Thanks so much for the comments. It means a lot. Let me know how you do if you use these tutorials!

This one was a lot of fun for me because it’s a way of hitting the mark for basic Destroyer Squads without shelling out too much time or money. Most of the vanilla legion squads only require swaps of equipment and one or two little changes to make a big difference.

Next I’m going to do a joint tutorial for Void-Hardened Armour and Specialist Grenades. Keep an eye out for that, but hopefully I’ll get it out in about a week.

All the best, and happy Heresy!

GV

Edited January 12, 2017 by Gawain Veteris

[JeffTibbetts]

Stellar work, bud! You make it look easy. I want to see a response thread similar to 'Pinterest fails' that show our meagre efforts to replicate your GS work. lol

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

@JeffTibbetts: Yes, someone must do that. Heck, I may do it myself, if no one else has in a day or two. But a thread like that must happen; only question is where....

[Gawain Veteris]

@JeffTibbetts: Yes, someone must do that. Heck, I may do it myself, if no one else has in a day or two. But a thread like that must happen; only question is where....

 

I'd support a thread showcasing people putting my tutorials to use. Something like the BaC Conversion Showcase. It'd be great to see what other hobbyists do with them and how they improve them. 

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

Step 1: roll out some greenstuff

Steps 2-xx: Be awesome at sculpting greenstuff

 

;)

 

Awesome tutorials. Can't wait to try them!

[Gawain Veteris]

This tutorial is just a small one aimed at representing Void Hardened Armour. Gotta love Space Marine Boarding actions! The philosophy of VHA is basically extra armour because they are in conspicuous danger of getting shot to hell in a corridor. According to the fluff this can simply be represented with MKIII but for competitions it may be necessary to specifically distinguish squads with VHA. You can also use the previous Destroyer Tutorial to make MKIV VHA.

This one is a simple head-swap and we'll go through it step by step.

1. To start you will need a standard MKIII helmet. I have used the plastic kit because it’s nice and clean. I’ve done this with a modified MKVII helm before to save valuable PH armour.

2. Smooth a blob of GS over the face mask and the front of the bowl of the helmet.

3. This is what we’re hoping to end up with. I added it here because it’s only a small tutorial.

4. These are what I’m basing the tutorial on. It ticks the WYSIWYG box for (Void) Hardened Armour but you can make a MKIV version by using the Destroyer Tutorial above. That gives the MKIV a more boxy look and the ablative plates fit the description of Void Hardened Armour.

5. Smooth and flatten the GS into shape so that there is about a half mm between the ablative face plate and the original one (look at section 4 to see the shape you’ll need to hit).

6. Use the edge of your tool to score a line on either side of the brow ridge and smooth it off so it’s nice and round.

7. Use a fine tool (I used a scalpel) to carefully shape the reinforced eye lenses under the ridge of the helm brow.

8. I use rivets which I make from water jug filter beads to finish the accents of the helm. It is fiddly work but it really completes the shape and people looking at the model will be hard pressed to tell the difference once the helm is painted.

This was a little tutorial which I personally have used several times to make my IF boarding shield squad. It’ll tick the box for the WYSIWYG void hardened armour on the gaming table and it will save a tonne of money if you want to outfit all your MKIII marines with it.

Sorry for the delay. It suffices to say that real life has been hammering away at my productivity but I made sure to get at least something out. I hope it helps.

Tomorrow I will post the Shroud Bombs and Phosphex bombs mini-tutorial. Next I will be showing my method for giving plastic MKIV armour Thousand Sons Accents with GS. I hope to get this out by the end of the week.

All the best, and happy Heresy!

GV

[Noctem Cultor]

Love the VH armour and how doable and effective it is. Great job would love to see your Night Lords extras and knowing how many other VIII players are on here I imagine others would too.

 

-Noctem

Edited January 31, 2017 by Noctem Cultor

[Spiritual Liege]

Unreal, you are back. Awesome tutorials but can you explain me what are these "Indented chevrons" for Iron warriors?

[Gawain Veteris]

This is another mini tutorial just to tick the WYSIWYG boxes for Destroyers and Recon Marines (above). We have already done Rad Grenades on the Destroyer Tutorial. I hope this is useful. In the picture showing the finished products, P is Phosphex and S is Shroud.

1. For the Phosphex Bomb we will be using a Frag Grenade from any standard marine sprue (but curiously not the MKIII plastics which is very frustrating…). For the Shroud Bomb we will use a Krak Grenade.

2. Prepare the Frag Grenade by shaving off all the nobbles around the sides but leave the pin at the top intact. Prepare the Krak Grenade by carefully shaving the upper section away including the pin. After this you should have the ridge across the middle and the rounded bottom section intact but only a thin sliver above.

3. Apply small amounts of GS to the cleared areas to smooth them over. In the case of the Shroud Bomb/Krak Grenade, square off the blob so that it forms a little cuboid on top.

4. Finally, score lines vertically on the Phosphex Bomb/Frag Grenade to make the distinctive texture. Also add a little blob onto the bottom and press it into the grenade to form a little rim along the bottom. For the Shroud Bomb, press a sharp tool (I used a scalpel) along the edges of the cuboid shape to make four distinct squares. Poke a dot in the middle of each square and you’re done.

I’m feeling prolific so keep an eye out. I may have the Thousand Sons MKIV out by the end of the day. After that I may put out a mini tutorial for a Night Lords Helmet as requested. If you guys have any other ideas/ requests let me know and I’ll see what I can do.

All the best, and happy Heresy!

GV

[Jolemai]

Yet more amazing work. Any tips for a GS n00b?

[marine7312000]

I'd like to request MK3 Blood Angels torso. I know we don't have much in the way of something to go off of but I think you can come up with something. Everything in here is amazing BTW.

Edited February 1, 2017 by marine7312000