++ AUGUSTUS b'RAASS ++ pre-heresy BRASS SCORPION p.247

[Race Bannon]

Maybe it's been covered becore, but of the JP options available, what is the motivation for the style you are using?

[Atia]

 

 

OH MAN I HELD THE NEW DEATH GUARD PLAGUE MARINES TODAY and they are awesome - less frolicky than I expected, so much more usable as conversion material. 

 

You are so gonna love the multi part kits for the new DG ;)

[Knight of the Raven]

Also, I think I've found the perfect head for the jump pack captain:

What do you guys think?

I find either of the two, non-cyborg bald heads you used earlier look better, but that might just be seeing this bearded sternguard head so often that I've become blasé.

[Noctus Cornix]

 

 

OH MAN I HELD THE NEW DEATH GUARD PLAGUE MARINES TODAY and they are awesome - less frolicky than I expected, so much more usable as conversion material.

You are so gonna love the multi part kits for the new DG ;)

Any chance for a new multi part kit of regular Chaos marines or chosen in our future? :P

[hushrong]

Bloodthirster is working out! Getting some meat on those bones!

[Vairocanum]

The Bloodthirster is looking great! Looking forward to seeing everything bulked out!

[Augustus b'Raass]

Did some work on the new 'thirster today. I cut off his metal hooves and replaced them with those of the Forgefiend kit. Also, I build up the muscles of his arms, back, and his calves, and wrapped jewelry chain around his lower arms and body to mask the fact that I am a terrible sculptor. :D

 

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpskvvan2jl.jpg

 

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpsq4icndbr.jpg

 

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpsfxkt9nyi.jpg

 

What do you think so far?

Replies!
 

@ Checkmate: Cheers, that's good to hear. :)

 

@ Barrabas Sogalon: Haha yeah that is kind of a drag. I drill 2mm holes in his back and the wings and stick 2mm brass rod in there, then fill in the weird gaps with a 1:1 mix of GreenStuff and Milliput. How did you do it?

 

@ Race Bannon: What? JP options? Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean! Care to elaborate? Also, style for what?

 

@ Atia: AAAAAAAAAAAAAARP* (*sound one makes relearning how to breath after having been suckerpunched in the plexus). I do not keep up iwth rumours, so you brought this to me first. I can remember asking Chris Fitzpatrick at a Dutch Gaming convention about a multipart Plague Marine kit in 1999, right after the now ancient Khorne Berzerkers came out. Glad that finally paid off. ;)

 

@ Knight of the Raven: It might be! I have never had that head, though, so unless his younger haired fellow Sternguard provide better heads, he's going to be it!

 

@ Noctus Cornix: That would be great, indeed. 

 

@ hushrong: Whaddayafink so far?

 

@ Vairocanum: Cheers! How do you like him so far?

[BadgersinHills]

The Bloodthirster is a very interesting conversion. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this one, can't wait to see what you do with this. The jump pack captain looks amazing, very nice conversion. 

Edited June 11, 2017 by Ashenwyte

[Augustus b'Raass]

Cheers, Ashenwyte! The Bloodthirster conversion is finished as far as I can tell - but I'd love your feedback on it. Of course, he needs a base, and I have just now ordered an 80mm base from the GW website - which will hopefully arrive together with my pre-ordered copies of Dark Imperium, Index Chaos, and Index Imperium 1

 

Here's what I have now. This day has been mostly Leg Day for Captain Chicken Legs, so he's beefed up and ready for some decapitations and Blood for the Blood God... 

 

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/WP_20170611_007%202_zpsjbgsvztk.jpg

 

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/WP_20170611_009%202_zpsty83putc.jpg

 

And here are his glutes and gastors! The reason for all the different colours is because I mix Milliput with GreenStuff and the ratios differ each time. 

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/WP_20170611_010%202_zpsoasugezz.jpg

 

Let me know what you think, if I've missed anything, whether he needs some stuff, anything! :)

[BassWave]

He looks great! Nice job on the muscle sculpting. Can we get a comparison shot with the current Blood Thirster?

[hushrong]

The resculpt work nailed the it. My only little gripe are the hooves. They are kind of big bordering on clown shoe big.

 

Could you split them? Sort of how lots of Nurgle marines have that split hoof look with their boots.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Thanks, guys! I genuinely don't think I've ever been as excited about a conversion as this one - I feel like I have sculpted something - which I have, just not a whole miniature. But the back of the legs are anatomically correct and I'm super proud of that. I'm sorry if I sound self-aggrandizing here, but I really feel pride about actually pulling it off - which I had serious doubts about. My conversion method is mostly 'just do it, if it fails, there's always another miniature', and I have seriously destroyed some things in the past, but blatantly cutting off his ornamental skulls and his hooves with the bluntest (but largest) pair of pliers I have felt great!

 

I will give him several trophies - on chains and such, but he's generally done. Any other tips out there about what to add? I thought about giving him some Oaths of Moment/Purity Seals with Khornate symbols freehanded on them on his pauldrons, but that would make him a bit too much of a Daemon Prince, wouldn't it? Or would it? See? I need some feedback.

 

Hushrong's idea of cloven hooves is excellent - I just wish I had thought of it (or he had given it) earlier! You see, the hooves are on there now... Perhaps I can wiggle them loose and do some work on them...
 

@ BassWave: I'll make a comparison shot with my other two Bloodthirsters when he's finished, ok? Stay tuned!

Edited June 11, 2017 by Augustus b'Raass

[KrautScientist]

There are many great touches about this latest Bloodthirster conversion, buddy, and you are right to be proud of the sculpted areas!

 

I have to agree with Hushrong about the hooves, though: They are almost comically big now, with the added problem that giving a creature a big head, big hands and big feet will make them look either like a dwarf or like an especially young member of their respective species -- a Bloodthirster whelp, if you will. Now your Bloodthirster does have a big head and relatively big hands, but those two parts check out alright, but the hooves really skew the proportions. Maybe adding a split down the middle, as Hushrong suggested, would alleviate the problem a bit, though, making the hooves seem less clunky?

 

Sorry, buddy: I don't want to sound like a naysayer here, as it's a really lovely conversion. But I do think the hooves need another look.

[Olis]

Bloody marvellous work, brother. Somewhat understated, perhaps, but quite unique. :D

[Vairocanum]

Wow the muscles you've sculpted looks amazing! I think giving him some lower leg armor might help with the hooves looking too big. Looking forward to seeing more!

[Kordhal]

Man that Bloodthirster conversion is ace, and the sculpting of all the musculature is absolutely fantastic. Really looking forward to seeing it with a lick of paint!

[malcharion]

That's an amazing thirster  ! Your sculpting skills are really impressive.. and all thoses chaines.. and this axe !

Seriously great job here !

The sol little thing I could say have already been said by hushrong and kraut about the monster "shoes". But compares to the sculpting works that's nothing.

That's Great Demons is gonna be awesome when finished

 

Good choise for the captain's head ! It suit the chapter well. :)

[hushrong]

The hooves are plastic right? Could you just cut a wedge into them?

 

There is a lot of great green stuff work around them though so do not risk it either.

[Mechanist]

The bloodthirster looks ace and the muscle work is really good. I have to back up the overs about the clown feet and is the only area that's a bit off. One potion could be to take a press mould of the current bigger feet and work with greenstuff casts as that would be an easier to cut and work with.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Argh, you guys make so much sense, it's almost annoying. You all seem unanimous in your feedback of the over-sized proportions of the hooves, and also provide a viable solution - namely to make the hooves cloven. This is a reply to your collective points, and I'll give individual replies later on.

 

In essence, I agree with the critique. It's weird how you can get used to a miniature's (dis)proportions quickly, especially when you're largely responsible for them. I guess it's an example of cognitive dissonance. Except that I am open to critique, and largely agree with it. Krauty's remark about the BT looking like a baby version because of the enlarged head, hands and feet makes total sense - but on the other hand, many comic book style daemons have these proportions (so I agree with his calling them 'comically big'). I also wanted this BT to look markedly different from my earlier metal version, the original with the tiny feet. But there's a limit to how much I can get away with it. I also like the idea of the cloven hooves, I'm just very hesitant to start cutting up this miniature. IN that sense, Mechanist's suggestion of making a press mold of the hooves is a good one, indeed!!

I'll start work on it.

 

Replies:
@ KrautScientist: Constructive, convincing and eloquent as ever. Not a naysayer at all - it's what I asked for and your feedback is valued as always! I'll start work on the hooves. 

 

@ Olis: Thank you so much, Olis! Just out of curiosity: Understated in what way?

 

@ Vairocanum: Thanks! I'm quite pleased with how they turned out myself. :) I don't think I'll end up going for lower leg armour, but the suggestion is appreciated. I'll at least give it a try to check out my options. Perhaps the Magma Cutter covers from the maulerfiend kit could work in that regard. :)

http://www.bitsandkits.co.uk/bmz_cache/6/65746ea58a653bf4c2649d4e1e4abde3.image.150x132.JPG

 

@ Kordhal: Than you! I'm pleased with how the muscles turned out myself! :) Paint will have to wait until I have the base ready - which will be next Saturday at the earliest...

 

@ Malcharion: Cheers! There's going to be more chains and trophies, for sure!  Also thanks for liking the captain. :)

 

@ hushrong: I could indeed, and I will, just not in those but in a press molded version, like mechanist suggested. THanks for the suggestion - it is much appreciated and gave me a lot to think about. 

 

@ Mechanist: Great suggestion, I will try it :D

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, mate! I'm glad the criticism didn't come across as spitballing what is an otherwise very cool and ambitious conversion! I also have to point out the fact that the "baby syndrome" I described in my comment actually wasn't my own clever perception, but came from a an article in WD where Jes Goodwin talked about it as a huge challenge to sculptors, so it's really wisdom from the horse's mouth, so to speak ;)

 

That being said, I exhaled a low "YESSS!" when I saw you mentioning those magma cutter coverings, as they were exactly the kind of armour I thought of as a possible solution for the hoof problem -- if you cut off the ball-shaped part at the bottom, you basically have the perfect shin guard that should add a bit of bulk to the lower legs without compromising any of your sculpting. I've used the same part in a similar way (albeit as a vambrace) on my Kastelan-based Contemptor.

 

All in all, I really get what you're saying about the whole "cognitive dissonance" angle: The same has happened to me every once in a while, and you feel so in love with a conversion that critical feedback stings all the more -- been there a couple of times myself, and I can recall more than one instance where I was super-reluctant to take something I already considered perfect apart again, but it usually ends up looking even better thanks to the thoughtful feedback provided by this community in particular ;)

 

Anyway, I don't doubt for a second that the finished model will be outstanding? Do you think this guy will already be finished when I come over to Amsterdam? ;)

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

that new thirster looks kickass!

[Augustus b'Raass]

I did it. I tried to get the plastic hooves out, but couldn't do it without severely damaging the scultping or the hooves themselves. So I took my dremel tool with a buzzsaw implement and just cut right into the plastic hooves.

 

I think it looks better, but didn't do much for the scaling. I'll try and extend the brass horseshoes around the curve of the cloves of the hoove, but that'll be it, methinks.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpstbxrhtjg.jpg

 

Here he is with all removable plastic removed:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpsdkyhzpau.jpg

 

And here's the back. As you see, I painted all greenstuffed and adjacent metal with thinned Liquid Greenstuff. This creates a more interesting texture. At my suggestion, KrautScientist used this technique on the plastic broken aquila that serves as the base for his excellent Angron conversion (go check it out!), and I'm glad h tested its effectiveness!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpsyokrfqmi.jpg

 

Quite happy with him, now!

 

Replies: 

@ KrautScientist: What do you think now? I'll try and chop up those magma cutter chin guards tonight and post it. Also, never worry about your critique and feedback - it's always welcome and you've more than proven yourself in terms of the friendly intent behind and constructive nature of your comments! I'm super glad that you're a member here and value your feedback always! That being said, I'm sure I can finish it before you arrive - but if you want, I'll wait for you

 

@ Eldrick Shadowblade: Thanks, buddy! Super glad you like him. Thanks for commenting

Edited September 9, 2018 by Augustus b'Raass

[Atia]

Awesome - the hooves look far better now buddy :)

[Race Bannon]

Nice!  This guy is coming along great :tu:

 

His wedgies must really hurt ... give or take :lol: