• It's time once again to ferret out those murderous vampires in a new VAU - Vampires Amongst Us. A cross between Cluedo and a roleplay, sometimes gory and often hilarious! Find out more and sign-up! here.
Aug 31, 2014
189
Hello fellow immortals,

So I dug out the old case and unpacked the workshop the other day. I found a lot of unfinished work, and have decided some of it needs finishing. Also some of the new VC models are amazing! For example, I never liked the black knight models before, but the new ones! I bought some and was going to convert them heavily with empire bits, but they're just so nice I'm just changing shields, adding swords/maces, and changing the banner! I had thought of a weapon swap on the champ, but I do like the sword.

So here's what I was working on for the banner. It involved the tightest pin-drill I've ever done! I can't believe it fit actually!

Original banner and to be converted/swapped banner:
IMG_0009.jpg


The drilled and pinned bottom half (with concept idea in the background):
IMG_0039.jpg


Comparing my drill's diameter with the diameter of the BK lance's handle diameter, they look almost identical! I drilled the hole depth until it went through the handle completely, and in to the counterbalancing part of the lance's back halft.
IMG_0042.jpg


The finished product:
IMG_0047.jpg


Actually I think it's unfinished. I think I'm going to greenstuff the handle so it's the same diameter as the banner pole on the top half. I also want to add some skulls and stuff.

Here's the style I'm trying to match it to from my skeleton unit:
IMG_0049.jpg
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
Some other projects on the desk:

Made a new mount for this guy by cutting off all the living horse parts I could find (including ears), then putting a skeletal snout and legs on.
IMG_0011.jpg

Bought a new necro the other day (like $6 from Reaper) that I can't wait to convert (especially since he fits my other converted one so well!)
IMG_0031.JPG

I want to use these models and kit-bash another unit of BKs, some empire, and some skeletons to make a proper unit of either light or heavy armoured skeletons
IMG_0033.JPG
Never finished my other cannon for the Empire (or DoW, hahaha). And actually I'm missing the rider; Does anyone have a spare one? Maybe I'll just convert something so they don't look exactly the same anyway.
IMG_0022.JPG


I guess I was making my own BKs or wight kings at one point. It would be fun to finish a unit of these guys.
IMG_0016.jpg


Finally, there's my Kaladrax! I really want to put a saddle on him with an unglued pin so that I can change models on the top, or just leave it empty.
IMG_0019.jpg
Well I've also got a bunch of ideas floating around for other stuff that I may or may not take up.

This may or may not turn in to a plog, but since all my paints dried up (and I think my painting skill too!) I've been thinking just to find someone to paint them for me..
 

Mad 'At

Dumb enough to work
Staff member
True Blood
Apr 2, 2011
2,378
Grödinge
Wow, you've had some great models stored away it seams. I really love a great many of the old GW sculpts. I do hope that you'll turn this into a plog, cause I sure want to see some paint on those.

Nicely done conversions too. I know how tricky it can be to pin banner poles, both my skeleton banners where so delicate I was just sure I was going to break them.

Looking forward to seeing more ;)
 

Shadespyre

Vampire Count
Aug 11, 2012
1,023
Oooh, the original metal Kaladrax, classy model!

Nice job on the banner pole - personally, I'd have replaced the whole pole with one continuous brass rod, but you have managed to do it the hard way! :bowdown:
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
Hey guys,
Things got busy with a new job, but I finished my BKs and assembled some HexWs. I am a little scared to pick up a brush again after 8 years, but bought a couple pots and started on the HexWs a couple days ago. I'll post some pics later..

Also been thinking with this extra money and lack of time I might try to find someone to paint them for me, and just stick to modelling, which I quite enjoy, unlike painting..
 

Seneschal

Liche
True Blood
May 15, 2008
5,520
Great work on that banner! You have "the touch" when it comes to drilling through fragile bits, wish I had that skill. I really like the weathered look you have it. Good job!
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
Hey thanks guys! I'll put up a photo of the finished product soon. I had to greenstuff the bottom of the pole, but can't quite get it as smooth as I'd like.

@Mad'At: Yeah there are some lovely old models, and I'm unsure how exactly I want to use them now. I was thinking to make a mix of models for a GG unit, but now it seems they are more useful in horde/large numbers, so it might be hard to find 40 models that would fit my tastes as heavy armoured ex-heroes. Instead they might end up in a mish-mashed light armoured troop.

@Shadespyre: Yeah the Kaladrax is nice, but the one's that I've seen painted sometimes look a little boring as it's almost completely bone! Anyway, I'm still no further along with any actual work for the saddle, though I'm trying to get my hands on one from the new set with Arkhan, Mannfred, and the other guy riding those new mounts.

Oh, and you're right! I've probably spent 2-3x as much time now as if I'd just replaced the whole pole, though I wonder about some of the details in using a brass rod. Would you drill a hole through the grip of the model and have one continuous pole above and below the hand? Then you'd pin in to the forearm I guess? Or would they be separate? Do you then also pin the actual flag part to the brass rod? Also: do brass rods come in a lot of different diameters?

@Seneschal: Yeah, so it seems! I'm always deathly afraid I'll come out the side, which happened only once when I thought I drilled further than I actually had, and forced a pin through, but I'd drilled so deep it didn't matter anyway.

@Onikaigo: Here, I'll take a quick snap of the whole model!
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
IMG_0216.jpg
Here it is, complete with sidearm. Actually the sword is a little too 'gladiusy' for me, and I might swap it out. It's also very clear from this shot how much thicker the shaft is below the hand than above.

As for the swords, I didn't have enough in the bits box, so I ended up buying a box of empire militia to get 5 sheathed swords to attach to 5 of the BKs. Just like this:
IMG_0219.jpg If you look closely through the grainy iPhone 4 resolution, you can also see a greenstuff'd belt the sword is hanging from.

Here's a different model that got my only appropriate mace, and also got an empire knight head, which looks a little too out of place.
IMG_0217.jpg


While I'm posting photos, here's the model I ended up making from the militia sprue for my other galloper gun. Does anyone else feel like he needs a weapon? Maybe I could give him one of those swords from the militia kit, though I don't think a lowly gunner would be in possession of a longsword! Now that I see this shot I'm also thinking I should have put his hands on the reins...
IMG_0226.jpg


Finally, the only paint I have applied in 8 years. Also done after clipping off all those ridiculous chained and flying braziers! Honestly, I just can't imagine how they are supposed to stay upright! While I was at it I clipped all the chains off the blades of the scythes.
IMG_0220.jpg
Looks pretty good through the low res camera lens! haha!
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
While I'm taking and uploading photos...

Here's the necro I got from Reaper a while back. I didn't like the head. Anyone have any suggestions? Maybe a bearded flagellant head? There's no going back now, as I've misplaced his original head!
IMG_0214.jpg


Here's the conversion work I did on my musician. I hate how there are always three guys without the normal kit in the front rank of 5, so I swapped the horn to his other hand so he could still have a lance. I also wanted a head swap. Can you place this head?
IMG_0215.jpg

Finally, a present to myself for the hard work I put in getting the new job! Thank you SavageDpainting, though it's not quite the quality I was expecting, as much of the interesting detail is hidden behind airbrushed paint instead of flushed out with a proper haired brush. I also realized how much of the scupt detail in this model is hidden when you look at it from above, i.e. while in use on the table.
IMG_0228.jpg

edit: cleared up how it's the sculpt detail that's not obvious from above.
 
Last edited:
Aug 31, 2014
189
So I took my purple Hexie to GW and proxied some old BKs on bases around him to make a unit, and the purple did NOT look good in teh army at all... :/

Having a go at black/grey now for the cloth barding, but I'm not pleased with it, maybe the highlights are done over too great of distance, need to shorten them up a bit by using black longer. Also tried the blue flame, which I like, though blue in my army is meant to be reserved for characters and banners. I'll have to have a go at red as well, after I buy some yellow.

There is no green in my army (the common flame/ethereal colour), and my old spirit hosts are actual white highlighted up from near white.. Anyone have any suggestions?

IMG_0238.JPG



The purple and blue look alright together though!
IMG_0239.jpg
 

Duke Danse Macabre

The Duke
True Blood
Sep 16, 2010
3,696
Sunderland, United Kingdom
Its a Corpse Cart Zombie head mate. ;)
Its got a certain amount of Irony to it as well as now he is more fleshy he may be able to blow the horn but alas he lacks the bottom half of his jaw which is required to do so. lol :clown:

Also great work on the fire effect there, its one of those things I have never really been able to paint. :P
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
Hey thanks Duke! Actually it probably looks good just because of the grainy photo. I did do about 5 levels between the blue and white though. It just seems easier to paint because it's so linear and such an obvious transition.

As to the black knight, either way, he still doesn't have lungs! lol

Sorry things have been crawling along here. I don't have the time to paint that I like, and I paint very very slowly. I've probably spent 5 hours already just on one hexwraith!

Here's a look at how the unit is ssslllloooooooooly progressing. Actually it doesn't look very ethereal at all, but I am pretty happy with it's look as a non-ethereal unit... lol

IMG_0283.jpg People seem to be hinting that the cloth is too dark. I wanted the robes and things black, and the red is supposed to be a way to highlight black. It's a failure?

I liked the bone so much that I decided to paint up a skeleton to match the hexwraiths and my new Krell.
IMG_0284.jpg


I don't seem to have any trouble buying new models though; I bought some scibor miniatures that look great, if a little large. Has anyone else seen their Undead Tribunal?
 
Aug 31, 2014
189
Hey it's been ages, and I've been busy, so time for an update!

Thanks for the support on the blue flames, I just wish I could make the whole unit that good!
Here;s where they are now:
IMG_0331.jpg

IMG_0438.jpg

And over the holiday, I decided to start converting an undead unit of great swords for GG. I'm nearly done the plastic work. Here's one of the 25-strong unit (to be 30), and some of my favourite models:

IMG_0436.JPG


IMG_0435.JPG


Hope you guys enjoy!
 

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

Quick Navigation

User Menu