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

[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:

[Olis]

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

 

To put it one way: Once it's painted up, you could possibly pass it off as an OOP model to someone who's not any the wiser. It's not overly flamboyant like some Bloodthirster conversions I've seen, nor is it weighed down by half a ton of Khornate symbols. ^_^

[KrautScientist]

I think the cloven hooves already work quite a bit better! And seeing him without the plastic DP shoulder pads now, I think you should actually leave them off or replace them with something smaller, as they too seem to be a factor adding to the clunkiness.

[Viridia]

Now that is a beauty. You've managed to make the old metal BT and the new plastic parts work amazingly well together.

[hushrong]

Sweet! Definitely looks so much more rad!

 

Don't get me wrong, your skills are light years ahead of kind. The work you put into him was great. Now with the cloven feet he looks so much more like a daemon ready to trample the unworthy and defeated beneath him.

[Pearson73]

I'd agree with Kraut, I think he looks better without the pads. Impressive work on this project.

[rednekkboss]

Nice upgrade on the old model!

[Mechanist]

The hooves look tons better and I feel do help with the proportions, I have to disagree with Kraut about the Shoulder pads and feel they work very well with the new head and arms. Though it would be worth seeing him with them removed but head and arms in place to be sure.
A final tidy and will be great to see the ankle armour in place but I get the feeling this is only a post or two away from some paint. 

[Bob Hunk]

Love the Bloodthirster conversion, it has a real 'old school' feel! B)

[Augustus b'Raass]

No shoulder pads, eh? Let's take a look then...

 

I also tried the chin armour made of the Maulerfiend magma cutter covers, and sadly it didn't work at all - they were far too big and didn't have the right shape. :(

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d185/mkruijff/World%20Eaters/temporary_zpsl5nkpsgr.jpg

 

I'm not sure I like this. Not least because I sculpted the arms with the shoulder pads in mind, meaning they are far less detailed than the leg armour...

 

What do you think?

Replies:

 

@ Atia: Cheers, good to hear :)

 

@ Race Bannon: Haha they sure do - perhaps this is why he is so angry? After I glued them in place, I realized I should have braided the ass-chains  loool

 

@ Olis: Ah! Now I see... Well, thanks! I'm pretty sure that would be cheating though ;)

 

@ KrautScientist: What do you think of him sans pauldrons? I'm not sure, budy. The arm muscles are far less detailed and anatomically correct than the legs...

 

@ Viridia: Thanks, mate! I'm glad you like him! :)

 

@ hushrong: Eh, thanks! The cloven feet look pretty baller, I agree. :) I'm glad you guys made me do it 

 

@ Pearson73: Alright - you still think so?

 

@ rednekkboss: Cheers, buddy! High praise from a hobbyist such as yourself :)

 

@ Mechanist: Glad I have an ally in the no-pauldrons camp... you still with me? ;) No ankle armour, sadly it wasn't possible.

 

@ Bob Hunk: You have a cool name! lol and thanks! ALthough it is an old school model.

[Mechanist]

Yes still with you. Don't get me wrong without looks great but I feel the balance of the model is slightly off without, it emphasizes the bigger hooves more and draws the eye downwards, whereas the shoulders help to frame the head and I find myself looking more and first at the face with them in place and more at the axe and chest without them.

[Sagentus]

I recon it would look better with shoulder pads, but maybe dome finer/less bulky ones. It is amazing to see how that cut in the hooves makes so much difference. Great sculpt/model all round, cant wait to see it finished!

[KrautScientist]

Yes still with you. Don't get me wrong without looks great but I feel the balance of the model is slightly off without, it emphasizes the bigger hooves more and draws the eye downwards, whereas the shoulders help to frame the head and I find myself looking more and first at the face with them in place and more at the axe and chest without them.

 

Yeah, but then the shoulder pads are once again such a big and clunky element that draws too much attention. Long story short, you probably need some shoulder pads, but I would suggest something smaller and/or more sophisticated, for lack of a better word. Off the top of my head, those from the Dragon Ogres would probably work. Or what about the skull shaped shoulder pad that comes with the plastic Bloodthirster kit? And if you're not in too much of a hurry, I'd love to have a look at my bitzbox tomorrow in order to see whether there's something there that stands out as a possible option.

[ElDuderino]

Very cool bloodthirster, you really made that old model look more modern.

 

I'm with Kraut in the shoulderpads, mostly because they're a bit too marine-like for a daemon imho. Makes sense for an ascended astartes, a bit less for a full blooded warp being