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

[Dragonlover]

Just saw this over on FB and was like 'hang on, sure I saw this already?'. Fantastic conversion mate, in fact everything for the last little while has been top-notch.

 

Dragonlover

[Metzombie]

The throne I really like, but the guy on top is at the moment too much Mechanikum.

[Augustus b'Raass]

@ Dragonlover: thanks buddy! Good to see you active again! 

 

@ Metzombie: Alright fair enough  - do you have any suggestions on how to undo that and make him more Prometheum Guild-like (who, to be fair, do have a strong Mechanicum feel to them...)  :)

[Dragonlover]

Does that middle guy have flamethrowers instead of hands? I have so many questions if so.

 

I wonder if sculpting on the pyro-lords coat lapel type bits might help move the silhouette away from Mechanicus a bit? Either that or an organic head?

 

It's good to be back on the horse, last year was a write off between going through four different jobs and also moving house. The fact I've sussed what direction to take my Chaos Marine collection in certainly hasn't hurt! I did get some Titanicus stuff painted though, so it wasn't a total dead loss.

 

Dragonlover

[jaxom]

 

@ Metzombie: Alright fair enough  - do you have any suggestions on how to undo that and make him more Prometheum Guild-like (who, to be fair, do have a strong Mechanicum feel to them...) 

 

I think it's that the skitarii head and torso are so recognizable and associated with the mechanicus. A mantle over the shoulders and draped over the upper torso could help alter the head's silhouette and cover the cog-n-skull.

 

The Coin Guild reminded me of some stuff from a webcomic called Kill Six Billion Demons. In particular, two lines: "Venerate The Count!" (of coins) and "My lord is frail, but the Bank is immortal, and its ledgers are a golden wall that shall encase my god. He shall live forever."

[BadgersinHills]

The crossed legs look really good. I agree with Dragonlover, maybe an organic head would move it away from the mechanicus. Perhaps a Dark Angel hooded head, you could lengthen the hood to make the fellow seem more mysterious.

[noigrim]

If you change to another hooded head like a dark angel you'll tone down the admech

[KrautScientist]

Does that middle guy have flamethrowers instead of hands? I have so many questions if so.

Looking closer at the artwork seems to reveal that he (?!) does seem to have hands that are gripping the flamethrowers/flame pistols. That being said, there is an actual GW Inquisition miniature that is very close to this sketch and that does have actual flamethrower hands, so there

 

Anyway, as for the main course:

 

Buddy, this is turning into an extraordinary conversion indeed! The throne assembly works really well -- way to upstage my own floating chair...

 

As for the AdMech bitz, they work really well as an armature, but I would agree with some of the other folks that they need just a bit more work. The first thing I'd suggest would be to carefully shave off that AdMech cog symbol on the chestpiece and replace it with a different emblem (maybe even a little sculpted flame emblem? ). As for the head, the artwork does seem to suggest a human lower face (for a given worth of human). I could actually see two ways for this:

• replace the head wholesale with a DA head, as suggested, or the hooded head from the Deathwatch Veterans (for slightly narrower features) or a flagellant head with a sculpted hood?
• then again, I do actually like the "face" of the AdMech head with its bug eye lenses and the rebreather apparatus (which also seems like a good safety precaution, on account of all those promethium fumes), so maybe you could change the shape of the hood, elongate it into something creepy and less obviously AdMech, with those cables feeding into it? There's also a crazy, mitre-like head in the battle wizards kit that might be an interesting option.
• I'd also say you need to replace the arms, as those are very standard Skitarii -- maybe something robend and/or more organic would work?!

Also, dang, if I had known you needed a huge book bit, I could have included one in the stuff I sent you -- come to think of it, maybe there's a smaller one in there somewhere, though.

 

Lastly, I do have one minor gripe: The names on the steps, while a lovely sculptural detail, seem like they would interfere with the model's background and narrative -- I mean, who are "Katherine, Dominica & Arabella" -- his favourite promethium merchants? So, any plans on removing (or tweaking) that part?

 

Keep up the stellar work, buddy!

Edited April 10, 2020 by KrautScientist

[Metzombie]

What jaxom said. At the moment the modell just screams Skitarii. Maybe removing the antenna from the head and making the hood a bit biger so the face bionics are not so prominent.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

@ BCK: Thanks for the offer buddy! But I think you have taught me enough over the years (and especially through your videos) that I can manage this - what do you think? (and I am serious - I think I've learned 90% of my sculpting skills from you).

 

Overall really good, but I have a few points of constructive criticism. 

 

 

1) The hem of that upper part of the robe could be a little neater to show the separation line between it and the lower part of the robe. The only metal tool I still use that I showed in my first video where I filed down the edge to get a thin edge is the very thing I use to press in the separation lines in something like this because the clay shaper tips are generally too large and blunt. 

 

2) The folds in the lower robe look really good on his left leg with well sculpted hill-and-valley shapes. Similar to painting, contrast is an important part of sculpting and the same folds on his right leg are much softer and don't give the same amount of that contrast that deeper folds would.

 

Also, great job on giving the illusion of the two legs beneath the fabric.  Properly "showing" the flesh beneath the fabric is one of the common mistakes people make when doing clothing but you nailed it. 

[DuskRaider]

Oh wow man, great green stuff sculpting! What a cool idea... he'd make a great Helwright on an Abeyant as well.

[Noctus Cornix]

Is it wrong that every time I look into your thread I still expect to see new Chaos models? 

 

Awesome work with the floating palanquin, man. It's gorgeous. 

[DuskRaider]

Is it wrong that every time I look into your thread I still expect to see new Chaos models?

 

Awesome work with the floating palanquin, man. It's gorgeous.

He has abandoned his roots. Shameful.

[Noctus Cornix]

 

Is it wrong that every time I look into your thread I still expect to see new Chaos models?

 

Awesome work with the floating palanquin, man. It's gorgeous.

He has abandoned his roots. Shameful.

 

 

True, brother. He has disgraced the Gods. 

[DuskRaider]

 

 

 

Is it wrong that every time I look into your thread I still expect to see new Chaos models?

 

Awesome work with the floating palanquin, man. It's gorgeous.

He has abandoned his roots. Shameful.

True, brother. He has disgraced the Gods.

They aren't mad, they're just... disappointed.

 

:P

[Majkhel]

Nice. The basis of a Skitarii works well as does the hood. Works well enough for the fairer sex as well. I would definirely drop the pistol in it's current form.

 

Good work so far!

[Augustus b'Raass]

Oh hello!? The forum's alive! ALIVE!! It's been a loooong time since I got so many comments - which I take as a vested interest in this conversion. Thanks everyone!

Let's first address the elephant  in the room. 'Some' Frater think that I've abandoned my Chaotic roots - I can assure you I haven't. In fact, I'm going to redo all three of my 10-man Khorne Berzerker Squads. I converted those from Blood Warriors but neglected to replace their boots with power armour and it's been bugging me ever since. They also have less than ideal bolt pistols instead of the ideal chain swords, and regular axes instead of proper CHAIN AXES. They will therefore be sold, and I will be converting thirty renewed and properly armed and booted Khorne Berzerkers. (And as I hate painting red, I'm going to redo all my Khorne stuff into the original white-blue livery of the World Eaters). I've already bought a new Boxed Set of Blood Warriors and the Chaos half of that boxed set with the spider thingy. In addition, I have invested heavily in CHAIN AXES and some cool CHAIN SWORDS from Pop Goes the Monkey. 

 

So don't worry. You'll get your fix.

 

Now, onto the enormous feedback on the Pyrocaen Lord. I heard you. And I agree.

 

So I'm starting over.

 

I removed everything from the dias, and the skull-and-cog symbol from the torso. Then I set to work resculpting his legs. 

 

 

 

Much better, don't you think?

Anyway, onwards to the cloak. I also will replace the guiter string tubes that came out of his back with some really cool new stuff from Zinge industries. They've really upped their game and redid their website, and they're a much user-friendlier and better stocked company now. They are now reinstated as a hobby resource in my browser folder. :tu:

Let me know what you think.

 

Cheers. 

Replies:

 

@ Dragonlover: Yes he does. I plan on giving him only one though. Good to see you back. Post something on your thread and I'll be there! :tu:

 

@ jaxom: Yeah you're right. you've given me an idea: use a goliath head with a rebreather, and sculpt the hood. THANKS!

 

@ BadgersinHills: Totally agreed. 
 

@ noigrim: Totally agreed! :) I'll be sculpting a hood myself.

 

@ KrautScientist: I will definitely replace the head, and don;'t worry about the arms: they'll be unrecognizable when I'm done with them :) And of course -of course- I'll remove the names. It's just that that will be done after I have created the robotic book-holding arm in the front....

 

@ Metzonmbie: Agreed! :tu:

 

@ BCK: Done and done. What do you think?

 

@ DuskRaider: You're right! And considering I'm still going to do a DarkMech army one day...

 

@ Noctis Cornix: No, and you shouldn't worry. :p

 

@ DuskRaider: Oh, now it's on. It's so on.

 

@ Noctis Cornix: IT'S ON!

 

@ DuskRaider: LIKE ALDERAAN

 

@ Majkhel: The pistol is gone. It's going to be a gun skull. Frees up his hand to point at a page in the book that'll be held in front of him by a robotic arm.. 

[Dragonlover]

To post again in my thread with basically nothing new to show would be a bit rubbish, especially since it'd be a triple post as well, so here's a link: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/363025-the-stygian-lords-a-new-direction-for-my-chaos-marines/

 

Dragonlover

[Noctus Cornix]

You see, brother DuskRaider? All it takes is a little peer pressure.

 

But now, since the gauntlet seems to have been thrown down, I believe it would only be fair if I did my own part and contributed  and put some work on my Word Bearers.... 

 

Looking forward to seeing your new beautiful Berzerkers, Augustus!

Edited April 11, 2020 by Noctus Cornix

[DuskRaider]

IF you were to keep the pistol, may I suggest perhaps laying it across his lap? Like a samurai would their sword, I could see this guy treating his piece the same. Perhaps lay one hand on it.

 

I really think you could have salvaged it without starting completely over. However, the new legs look great as well so not a huge loss.

 

It's on, eh? Is... is that a challenge?

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Oh wow, you pulled a full-on BCK tear down. The cloth on the new legs is a nice improvement! Something I would suggest doing with future conversions involving a good amount of sculpting work is to step away from it for the night and look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. It's a trick I learned while aspiring to be a comic book artist years ago and you will often see things that you didn't notice the first day.

[k0nahrik]

Updated legs look great. I’d echo previous comments about the arms - skitarii strike me as sort of on the skinny size, but some nice voluminous robes would counter that, and lend this model’s sillouhette size to match his status. WRT the hood - irrespective of the bare head or skitarii rebreather, I think the key would be to have a hood that hangs low on the face, obscuring the features more.

 

It’s looking really good so far, excited to see where you take it next

[Hungry Nostraman Lizard]

Ausgustus, you're mental! That's an amazing piece. I loved it even before you started over. 

[BadgersinHills]

Looking good. New legs are great. I'm excited to see what you do with the Blood Warriors. I've been eying those chain weapons for years now but never got around to it, so will be nice to see some on models.

[Viridia]

Just wanted to chime in, I am absolutely loving all the guilders you've been working on, and the thought you put into the slaves and the current palanquin build you're doing is amazing. Great work on the greenstuffed robes/legs as well!