Nesewdjet-Nedjety [2.18.2013 Epic Reaver Update]

[Techlology]

I'm loving your battle barge! Hope to see more pictures soon.

[Susurrus]

You cut the front off the at Emperor and added one from a different ship, correct? Coz if you did the seam is pretty flawless..

The whole fleet looks very nice..

[Sir Plasma]

So how about some Epic after this?

[Vaaish]

Thanks y'all. I might come back after this next tac squad and do some conversion work on the extra battleship I got, or put together a bunch of dauntless light cruisers.

@Sus: not really, just got the model of the apocalypse class battleship, snipped off the nova cannon on the front, filed it down a bit and added some greenstuff to the lower part of the prow to make the piece curve more smoothly and extend the tip so it was slightly longer than the top.

@plasma: I do have some old style epic IG that I'll eventually put together and I have an armor heavy list for epic I'd like to do to represent the PDF component of my Marine chapter which would give me the marines themselves as the 40k models, their system fleet using BFG, and the planetary infantry regiments using Epic.

[Vaaish]

Well it seems that many things are preventing me from getting anywhere on the second tac squad. B&C is having the DIY swap so I've taken to building up a pretty heavily converted chaplain. Here's the progress so far.

[SocietySoldier]

ooo
thats lookin pretty cool
what all did you use for the head?

[[MaGiC]]

looks like he has taken a normal SM helmet and cut out the front and replaced it with a skull..

I made a Zerker Skull champ that's helmet less, but gave him a sort of deathmask

[Sir Clausel]

nice chaplain there! but why is he looking at his hand?

[[MaGiC]]

maybe he is going to put a book in his hand?

[Vaaish]

Thanks, actually I need to turn his head a bit more so he's look past his hand like he's beckoning another enemy to come at him. The helmet is prettymuch just a normal helmet with a skull fit onto it.

[Vaaish]

Haven't totally forgotten this thread. Got sidetracked with some epic stuff I'll post in a bit, but now I'm back to finish up the chaplain. Here's what I've gotten so far, the pics are a little dark and kill the highlighting. I'll try to do better once he's finished.

[monkian]

Great idea but the helmet is not quite right, it looks a little like the Newborn alien from Alien Resurrection.

Great job otherwise !

[Hazchem]

Creative, and a great conversion.

Though he has a huge head for his small face...

[Vaaish]

Hmm... don't remember that one, but ok. When I chopped up the skull I checked with the front of the faceplate on the helmet it was replacing and the eyes and everything matched up so the helmet isn't any larger than a standard one. I think that the front is a little more flat in terms of the structure around the eyes instead of being a little wider, but I think it's fine for the deathmask look.

[[MaGiC]]

my only concern is the softarmor between his left arm and torso.. it looks unfinished

[Vaaish]

it is unfinished, but once the shoulder pad is in place that section won't be visible

[Vaaish]

And here is the finished chaplain... back to epic to finish my IG command stand and then I'll seal all of them.

[Sir Clausel]

Theres only one thing I dont like. and thats the position of him. It seems like he's... out of place?

[Vaaish]

You mean on the stand? I was trying to convey movement and I think I might have forgotten to compensate for his lean into the step. I tried to scoot him earlier, but he was stuck good; I guess thats what I get for super gluing him to a base at 2AM. I could probably compensate by putting him on a 40mm base.

[Skullcap]

He looks fine to me, but the only thing which sticks out of place is the grasped hand. It looks like he had a auspex in his hand or is trying to consult one with the way you have positioned his head. I think removing the hand and putting a plasma pistol or bolt pistol would get that in action pose you were aiming for, since it would kinda be him pointing the pistol at the enemy, hence the rotation of his helmet, looking at a enemy and the mace is in position to be waved to order forward.

[Vaaish]

I there is misunderstanding of the pose and that is my failing, adding a bolt pistol or plasma gun is completely out of character for it. The pose is one of a confident stride across the field beckoning the next opponent to get the smack laid down on them. It's not meant to be shooting or looking at his hand. If look at the front view his head isn't turned properly to look at his hand; he would be looking to the right of the hand which doesn't make sense for the auspex. The concept sketch I did for the chaplain shows this a bit better and matches up fairly well with the first image of the finished piece:



Had I gotten it right an explanation like this wouldn't have been necessary but looking back I don't think the hand is the problem, more so the brow ridge of the skull is more forward and the angle of his body as he prepares to bring his leg forward pushes it down more giving him the appearance of looking down at his hand from some angles.

[warforger]

The sides of the head are not right, there needs to be a area where the neck muscles are, although it is rarely modelled.

[[MaGiC]]

@Warforger I don't get what you're talking about? he's in a powerarmor

[Vaaish]

Ok moving on to a different object, I finished up the epic IG co that's been waiting for me to do the commander stand. Next up more BFG, then probably a second IG co, and maybe a few more land speeders or the second tac squad I need to work up Enjoy.

[Ceasar409]

cool epic IG

[Tinweasel]

I hadn't commented on the Chaplain before as I wasn't sure if I care for the overall appearance of the skull helm. Having revisited things again, I think the coloration of the bone is perfect and it insets nicely into the rest of the SM helmet without looking awkwards. (It just took me a couple of views and a repeat visit to come to that. Heh.)

One thing I'd suggest, if you're trying to make the face of the figure seem like it's looking head-on, is to add something to the hand like in your original sketch. The curve of the upward-bent figures isn't really extended upwards enough to seem like a "c'mere" gesture, nor is the arm angled upwards enough to move the hand to eye level - which I think it would be if he was gesturing to someone standing a ways away. No, I think a simple and expedient thing to do would be to paint one side and a lengthwise "strip" on the other of a small rectangular length of paper (maybe with some distressing, maybe not) in an appropriate shaded parchment color, curl it up tightly like a scroll in a diameter to fit his hand, add some thin CA glue across the surface to fix it in the curled shape, paint the exterior visible areas with regular parchment color and highlights, and then glue it into his hand with the butt end nearly flush with the base of his raised hand and the rest of the scroll extending outwards to draw attention away from the face. I think something like that would not only look cool, but it would obviously free up the immediate area in front of his gaze with empty space, and it would then look like he's simultaneously beckoning with an appropriate devotional scroll or something.

(I've been spending the past several weeks making plants made out of glued & painted paper, so the idea immediately hit. Assuming you think it's a good idea, it's probably a nice thing that I didn't comment earlier as I wouldn't have hit my painted scenic miniature-sized paper stride yet...)


I also like the Epic IG - very tidily done and very effective en masse!

[Vaaish]

Hey, thanks tin, that is an awesome suggestion with the scroll and something that can be done without a lot of reworking of the model itself and I think it really hits the theme I was going for. Should also help balance the model more as well. Probably an easier way of thing it would be to just get a small piece of parchment and roll it up and then paint the outside from there.

I'll put that on the list for things to try tonight after I finish the vengeance cruiser I'm working on.

[Tinweasel]

Only reason I suggested painting the "inside" portions of it prior to setting it in its curled shape w/ glue is so that you've got the hard-to-reach interior painted and shaded prior to rolling the paper, so that all you really have to do is paint the exterior when curled. Yeah, you've got the idea!

[LordAba]

What did you base your IG with, if you don't mind saying.
Looks great! That banner must have taken a really steady hand to draw that freehand on.

[Vaaish]

Tin, I see what you mean, I was just thinking that those shadows could take care of themselves.

Aba: I sculpted the bases with greenstuff and put a few rocks here and there for effect. Some areas like near the feet were coated with glue and dusted with sand.

[Jopax]

The chaplain looks very nice but i don't know, why, maybe its my mood he looks kind of sad, like he was showing something to someone and the think dissappeared from his hand, he definitly needs a jaw, it would make him look more serius, a grinning jaw to make him look scary, also i agree on Tins idea it would look very good on him

[Vaaish]

on a different note before I finish that bit on the chappy, I got the fist Vengeance compete. I got some light bleed from outside that broke my WB calibration so the pics got a little bluish tinge.

[Vaaish]

Ok and I've finished the update with Tin's suggestion for the chaplain. I think it works pretty good.

[warforger]

What chapter is that? The skull, still needs some work, but the rest looks great/

[Vaaish]

It's a chapter of my own creation, the Nesewdjet-Nedjety, the previous pad had the chapter insignia of the Sublimators, another DIY chapter by a guy on Bolter and Chainsword.

Could you be more specific beyond X needs more work? If you mean more highlighting, it's there as is shading. I lost some of the contrast when I took the shot so more detail could be seen in the blacks.

[Tinweasel]

I think the pictures of him this time are a lot more washed-out in terms of being oversaturated compared to the last set you posted. I believe that's the problem, because in the prior set of pics the highlighting and shading covered a good gradient and everything was cool.

Any chance of getting a view of him from exactly head-on, to see what effect the scroll has had on the apparent point-of-view of his helmet? I'm thinking the scroll looks good and did the trick, but one of the pics out of the last bunch was a bit more "centered."

[Vaaish]

They are quite a bit more washed out. I shot and color corrected them very quickly last night. When I get in this afternoon, I'll try to get some better ones

[Vaaish]

Ok Tin,
I think this is the shot you were wanting? Tried out doing an HDR image to balance out the shadow and highlight exposure so this is about as close to true color and exposure I can get for him.

[warforger]

Ok I think that the face needs to be bigger, it doesen't match the rest of the helmet.

[Vaaish]

Ok next up on the line is the finished retribution battleship. A bit rushed in terms of the paint job, but it is acceptable on the tabletop next the rest of the fleet. Nothing fancy like the last BB I did. A bit of GS to armor the prow and add in the torps, and I had to use lance batteries to replace the rear mid decks since this BB came as a replacement from GW for the badly chewed up piece on the last one.

[Vaaish]

and finished a squadron of cobras. Waiting of a piece for some light cruisers to be cast and then on to the last three in this set. In the mean time, back to marines. My second tac squad has been languishing far too long in this break for BFG and epic. I have half the pads, and all of the arms to clean before base coating. Here's to hoping I can get them read by tomorrow sunset

[Ceasar409]

They Look Cool seriously they look awsome, Congrats on all your armies they look great.

[Vaaish]

Thanks. Hopefully in the next week or so I can post some progress with the marines

[Vaaish]

Well I'm finally back to painting marines. I managed to get enough progress on them that I feel comfortable posting. Please no comments on the bronze, especially on the aquillas and belts. I tried the new GW primer and it left the surface very gritty which nearly ruined the torsos. At least the should pads, arms, backpacks, and bolters will nearly cover all of it and hide the problems.

[[MaGiC]]

well you can't really tell Vaaish

they look beautiful as allways

[Vaaish]

Thanks. I'm really trying hard to hide it. Found that going over the pieces with a toothbrush helps so the arms and weapons and the rest of them should be fine.

Small update: finished arms and weapons and glued them on. Also got the rest of the bases base coated. Tomorrow I have to finish the base coat of the should guards, and bases. Hopefully I can finish the guards up by tuesday after which I'll have to take a break to finish up the 3 dauntless cruisers for BFG if the pieces come in.

[[MaGiC]]

remember to prime them in dry weather cause the humidity will make them gritty

[Vaaish]

hehe... all I have around here is dry weather I seriously think I might just have gotten a bad can of primer.

[misterjustin]

@Vaaish: I've had a couple cans like that. I've tried them in different weather to no avail and finally scrapped them. The same brand, the same weather but a different can has worked just fine.

Regardless of the primer woes I think the marines look great. I really like the varied scheme. Good, solid work.

[Vaaish]

Well more progress, the bases are finished and one shoulder pad is done. The others pads are about 1/2 way there too. That will just leave the backpacks. I'm also adding in an update on my BFG stuff. The dauntless here are the priority for painting but it looks like I'll be able to get the 9 marines and the 3 dauntless done this weekend.