True scaling / Primarisizing 2nd ed. characters

[jlmb_123]

I love the DA characters but even since the 3rd ed. plastics came out they've been little doots and in the age of the Primaris they're pretty weeny. I want to add Ezekiel to my army as I start greenwing but I'd like to size him up a little. Has anyone tried making the actual figures for the 2nd ed. characters larger? Does anyone have any tips or ideas on doing so?

[Kinstryfe]

I think that trying to Primaris-size the actual metal or resin miniatures would probably require extensive remodeling and sculpting after hacking it to bits. You're probably better off using a combination of Primaris/True Scale parts for the main body, while trying to use anything iconic to the character (helmets, weapons, backpacks, etc) to make it obvious who it is.

 

I don't think there are currently GW made robed bodies yet? That may make Ezekiel a bit tough. You could sculpt robes over a larger body, and if you keep the iconic pose with the sword pointed upward it should be pretty obvious who he is. Other more plain characters would be easier. I believe the SW forum has a beautiful Ragnar that's been upsized in it.

[Claws and Effect]

Kromlech just came out with robed Primaris sized bodies.

[Major_Gilbear]

I think that Balthasar and Turmiel from Dark Vengeance were intended to be "soft replacements" for Azrael and Ezekiel respectively.  The poses, weapons, and equipment loadouts are identical to allow the DV models to be used as stand-ins.

 

Swapping out Seraphicus' pistol for a powersword would give you a good Azmodai stand-in too.

 

In terms of enlarging the actual 2E characters... I think that's a very labour-intensive task. Can it be done? Sure. But to do it well and get a good looking result, you'd have to pretty much cut every part of each model.

[Cryptix]

I think that trying to Primaris-size the actual metal or resin miniatures would probably require extensive remodeling and sculpting after hacking it to bits. You're probably better off using a combination of Primaris/True Scale parts for the main body, while trying to use anything iconic to the character (helmets, weapons, backpacks, etc) to make it obvious who it is.

 

I don't think there are currently GW made robed bodies yet? That may make Ezekiel a bit tough. You could sculpt robes over a larger body, and if you keep the iconic pose with the sword pointed upward it should be pretty obvious who he is. Other more plain characters would be easier. I believe the SW forum has a beautiful Ragnar that's been upsized in it.

http://pro.bols.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/dark-angel-LT.jpg

[apologist]

I love the DA characters but even since the 3rd ed. plastics came out they've been little doots and in the age of the Primaris they're pretty weeny. I want to add Ezekiel to my army as I start greenwing but I'd like to size him up a little. Has anyone tried making the actual figures for the 2nd ed. characters larger? Does anyone have any tips or ideas on doing so?

 

As a number of posters have said, this would be possible, but very labour-intensive if you want to create a direct, upscaled version of the original sculpts (e.g. same pose). In the case of the Dark Angels, the robes are both a blessing and a curse. They're difficult because the obscure important detail, but also offer a way to more easily hide sculpting work. Depending on how comfortable you are with greenstuff (or other modelling putty), you could get stuck into dismembering the figure then reassembling it once you've bulked sections out.

 

An easier alternative would be to look at the iconic parts of the model in question – generally speaking, their head, weaponry and any parts that leap out visually – and harvest those parts from the original where possible. You can then transfer them to a larger body; which is relatively easy to do these days, with a wide variety of suitable bodies to act as frames. As Claws and Effect mentioned, Kromlech are releasing some Primaris-sized robed bodies; and if you prefer GW/FW material, there are a surprising amount of robed legs. Remember that you don't need robed space marine legs specifically – the robes hide everything, so all you need is a pair of legs with the right bulk.

 

Finally, you might look at 'reimagining' the figure, essentially creating an homage to the original from other materials, using the iconic parts mentioned earlier. The advantage of this is that you can go to town with a new pose; which in many ways makes your job easier. Recreating the original pose will inevitably lead to people drawing a comparison between your model and the original; and differences can jump out. Creating a new pose is essentially you using the same source material to produce something obviously related, but original.

 

In the case of the Dark Angels characters, my first port of call would be the Primaris Librarian, who seems a great base.

Edited January 12, 2018 by Apologist

[Major_Gilbear]

There's a good tutorial here by Ron Saikowski in which he shows how he made a 2E style Azrael in plastic. If you are up to the challenge, I dare say that you could do something similar using the new Primaris models! :)

[Kinstryfe]

About poses, I think it may depend on whether you're looking to /recreate/ the character, or pay homage to the character. In my mind, it also depends on how "iconic" the pose of the original was. Most special characters (to my mind) have pretty generic superhero poses. Ezekiel is one of the few whose pose is so unique to that particular model that were I upscaling him, I'd try to replicate it to make it instantly recognizable as Ezekiel and not just Angelus the Dark, Dark Angels Librarian.