How to make your own to-scale PRIMARCH

[Terimus]

Hello everybody! I’m really excited to share this with all of you! Building your own Primarch is a satisfying and worth-while project, and though it can be a challenge, it is totally worth the effort!

For this Tutorial, I’ll be building Alpharius/Omegon of the Alpha Legion, based on the descriptions in Extermination.

 

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

-a Terminator (torso, arms, legs, shoulder pads)

-a LOT of Greenstuff

-any extra bits and bobs you might want to use as decorations or iconography

-an Exacto Knife

-possibly a Dremel

 

For this, I’m using the Forgeworld Cataphractii Praetor model, but I would not suggest using it for your first attempt, as it is much harder to work with than plastic, and you can easily lose details even if you are careful. I’d suggest  Grey Knight Terminators, as they are already somewhat ornate and all you have to do is cut off the psychic hood instead of Dremeling off the whole hunchback part.

 

To start, you’ll need to separate the Torso from the legs (if attached) and then cut each of the legs off at the thigh.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00002_zps0aec0ee1.jpg

 

For the main body of the Primarch, you’ll need to add a blob of greenstuff between the torso and the hips, serving as the abdomen. This part will vary a bit depending on what type of Terminator you use. You may want to add a greenstuff belt on it as well, especially on the plastic models.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00006_zps100160fc.jpg

 

On to the arms! Terminator arms are just a little too short to be used by themselves. You’ll need to add some greenstuff between the torso and the shoulder, you will then use the blade of the Exacto to get the “flex subsuit” look. Then add some greenstuff to the wrist and then place your desired hand on the greenstuff like so

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00008_zps5f7adc6d.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00007_zpsac586787.jpg

 

The legs! You may need/want to cut the legs again at the shins. Plastic Terminator shins are roughly the same size as a Primarch’s, only slightly shorter, but Cataphractii legs are more noticeably so, so you may want to cut it here and then add greenstuff between. Don’t worry about it being perfect right now, let it set up and then shave it down later. Now for the thighs, you’ll do the same thing, just add greenstuff and then let is set up. This is the big money-maker on the height of the Primarch. I always keep a Marine nearby when doing this part, and you’ll want to use the marine or other human sized model to make sure you’re Primarch is tall enough.  The human sized model should come up to your Primarch’s waist area to have the right size. Another quick note, Plastic Termy thighs are much too thin to be Primarch legs, so you’ll want to add something to it to bulk it up, such as a some bits, greenstuff, chains, or whatever looks best.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00005_zpsa869ee7d.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00009_zps2dee6d2e.jpg

 

Every Primarch deserves a freaking amazing weapon! Don’t stick your Primarch with a boring sword or power fist just cause its laying around, I promise if you put a little effort into converting one, it will be so much more worth it and you’ll enjoy the outcome of your model all the more for it. For Alpharius, I’ve decided to make his xenos weapon, the Pale Spear, a kitbashed Necron-type weapon.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00017_zpsa4ffeedf.jpg

 

 

Not every Primarch needs a cape, but some look really nice with one, not to mention that it can help hide some of the greenstuff that may not look very good on the back of the model. A simple cape solution is using thin carboard, obtained from cereal boxes, GW boxes, etc. It is thin, fairly flexible (for getting the shape you want), and can be hardened up easily by simply applying liquid superglue. It can be a good base to build off of if you want a greenstuff cape. For Alpharius here, I’ve added the cardboard as a type of waistcloth and then another one as his cape/Cameleoline, which I’ve added Greenstuff folds and Alpha Legion Symbol to.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00020_zps9c91db72.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00016_zpsb063aa53.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00026_zpsf7e20da0.jpg

 

The base is a much more important part to the model than you may realize. Though Primarchs are quite large by themselves, giving them a nice, tall base will give them the height they need to give them an intimidating presence on the battlefield, letting your opponent know he is in for the Primarch pounding of a lifetime! I've done some work to the Ferrus Manus base to give Alpharius the height I wanted him to have.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00021_zps4d16857b.jpg

 

The head is simple, nearly any space marine head works for this (both Termy and power armored helms), so it gives you plenty of choices, whether it be helmeted or not. You will need to add some greenstuff to the neck to make him proportionate. For Alpharius I’ve done some work to a standard marine helm to give it a sort of Roman look similar to what he has in the Extermination artwork. Here's the complete model! As shown, he is just as tall as a Forgeworld Primarch.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00027_zpscdc326a3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00025_zpse94a4a35.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00028_zps58cb181d.jpg

 

That’s just about everything! You may want or need to add and make adjustments to your Primarch as you see fit, but that is all you need to know to make a Primarch Terimus style!

 

Questions, comments, Primarchs of your own to share?

[TearsOfTheRaven]

i might just have to give this a go...

[Terimus]

i might just have to give this a go...

It's totally worth it! I've loved building all the Primarchs I have

[TearsOfTheRaven]

How would you recommend making a primarch scale jetpack, and how to ount one on carathractii pattern armour.

[Terimus]

How would you recommend making a primarch scale jetpack, and how to ount one on carathractii pattern armour.

For my version of Corax, I used the back end of the giant missile that comes on the tau broadside for the base (mounted on the back, I used the big bulkypart on the bottom of it)

http://www.games-workshop.com/resources/catalog/product/920x950/99120113031_TauBroadside04.jpg

I then used two of the black round 3x1 lego pieces (shown below for reference) to use as the main thrusters on either side of the big part. I filled in the gap with a little greenstuff so its not a whole through the center of it.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Lego_Round_Brick_Blue.jpg

That's basically the main part, then you can add wings, cables, fuel lines, or whatever else you want to make it look good!

As for attaching it to a Cataphractii body, You'll have to cut /dremel down the vents and whatnot on the back. Don't make it a totally vertical surface, if you give it a slight angle it will look a lot better and seem more feasible to the eyes.

Sadly I don't have any pictures of the jump pack in detail, and my brother is currently of possession of Corax at his apartment, but I'll see if I may be able to nab a few pics of it next time I visit him.

Any other questions?

[TearsOfTheRaven]

One more, do you have any close up pictures of the top of the torso, after the removal of the "cover"?

[Terimus]

One more, do you have any close up pictures of the top of the torso, after the removal of the "cover"?

This is probably the best one I've got of the top, a little blurry, but you get the idea. Basically I just dremeled off the hunchback part and then gave the neck a bit more space. I tried to get a somewhat flat surface, and then a few angles just to make it look more natural for armor rather than an obvious conversion.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e210/Terimus/DSC00003_zps278780a8.jpg

[TearsOfTheRaven]

something is being made: 

http://i.imgur.com/zBtOYXV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0w4sEkY.jpg

[Terimus]

Ah! Wonderful! I'm so glad I could inspire! Please please do go on! I'd love to see what you do with the Master of Ravens!

[Ace Debonair]

Wow, you've managed to make that look really easy.

I think I might have a go at this at some point.

That's a Primarch Statue (DIY Player to the end ) added to my to-do list!

[psnmario]

this is very helpful, I have been searching for a cool tutorial like this to make my Konrad curse for my night lords

[blood_angels_ftw]

I was thinking of doing Sanguinius but I'm not sure what to do for the wings. I was thinking of maybe buying the Sanguinor model and stripping the wings off. That is the expensive option and I already know that I am getting some Sanguinary Guard and sacrificing one of them to make Sanguinius so I was wondering if anything was achievable with their wings? Send some ideas my way please.

[Darman Vallerius]

Any ideas on how to do Ferrus Manus? love the idea and any ideas on how to make his forge breaker hammer look amazing?