Flame's scratchbuilt Vermin Lord and other rats.

[Flame of Udun]

Been ages since I really worked on my rats but thought I'd start with this big fella. I've never been much of a fan of the Vermin Lord Model and while I love Forgeworld's one I've often thought about trying my hand a scratch sculpting something more ona Warhammer scale. Usually i'm building puppets for animation and they are generally a good deal larger than Warhammer scale so this is my first attempt at something a bit "smaller".

Currently I've spent about 9-10 hours working on this guy but he's still very WIP but I'm very happy with him so far. He's made from super sculpey and I've been baking him lightly in stages to avoid details getting fudged as I go along.

I'll also post some pics of my Skaven and other assorted projects along the way. Hopefully this will motivate me to finish the heavily converted warp lightning cannon I have sitting amongst my bitz.

Any comments and contructive crits are welcome enjoy.

[Flame of Udun]

Ok just a quick update on the sculpt. Its progressing well I think although I really should get my good camera charged up so apologies for the less that top notch pics, alo had some poor weather so indoor lighting has had to suffice. I'll not hog too much page space though next time I WILL get some pictures of my other ratties, probably my Bonebreaker as well as some of the other Rat Ogres.







Oh yeah if anyone if wondering what the pale green stuff is its a mix of green stuff and milliput superfine white. about a 50/50 mix. I find it gives the plasticity ofthe green stuff but with the crisper finish of the milliput.

[Student]

That Vermin Lord is looking great so far. I'm looking forward to seeing him finished.

[ModernKiwi]

Looks crusty and grotesque. In other words, perfect for the role. Looking forward to seeing more progress.

[Flame of Udun]

Thanks guys, I'm currently sculpting his hands. I'll post some better photo's later today. BTW any suggestions for blinging him out? I don't want to clutter him with skull but I'd appreciate any suggestions

[Flame of Udun]

Ok while the Vermin Lord is baking I figured I'd let you see some of the other rats. First off we have my converted warlord riding his Bonebrekear rat ogre. The bumps on the back of the seat back are where his banner pole got knocked off and is waiting to be repaired :S



Next up are the Rat Ogres. Most are converted from the IOB rat ogres as I simply cannot stand the old ones.

Group 1: The blades on the rat on the left are skaven spear tips and the back spikes on the middle one are from Orc Boars.



and the second lot.

Group 2: The middle Rat had a minor alteration once I got my HPA kit and found that sweet mechanical arm.




I will post updates of all these guys as they get some more paint on them.

Finally a quick pic of my VERY WIP Warp Lightning Cannon. Only one photo as my camera battery decided to die (stupid faulty charger).
I just never liked the new kit, fine as a plague catapult but it didn't look any where near technological enough for my tastes. So here is my gyroscopic/tesla/steampunk inspired WLC. The idea behind it is that the chunk of warpstone in the middle is spun inside the wheels and the charge that build up is stripped off and unleashed in a blast of warp lightning, or something like that.



Anyway I'll get more posted later as its getting late here. Still looking for ideas for embellishing the Vermin Lord oh and I'll post some concept pics of the doomglaive as well.

[unwanted]

Really liked the first bunch of Rat Ogres, but the other pics turn up red x's for me. The Vermin Lord looks absolutely amazing!

[Flame of Udun]

Thanks your Clan Rictus guys are looking great too! Not sure whats happening with the other pics as they come up fine for me and I've checked from 2 separate computers :S Anyone else having this problem?

[Tuttivillus]

Vermin Lord looking good so far. And that Warp Cannon conversion is an Ace!!! Keep it up!!!

[Flame of Udun]

Thanks, glad you like them I'm quite happy with the WLC, it started out as a sketch with the possibility that A LOT of scratch-building might be necessary however with a spare doom wheel and the WLC kit and much kit-bashing I got something quite close to my original idea.

vermin lord wise, I'll have some new pics up tomorrow including his Doomglaive. currently I'm pilfering my plague monk sprues for a selection of bits to add some extra detail, bells, skulls etc.

[Lew_b81]

I never realised I didn't like the standard Warp Lightning Cannon until now...

[Flame of Udun]

I never realised I didn't like the standard Warp Lightning Cannon until now...

Thanks (I'm assuming that was complementary). The problem with the current WLC is that really all it is is a rock on a stick with a pointy bit at the end. Sure there's a lever somewhere on it and stuff on the frame to look like wiring but it certainly doesn't look mechanical enough even the old cannon looked more technical that the warpstone on a stick idea. compared with the joy that is the doomwheel, the WLC looks out of place.

Anyway I promised new pics and here they are, huzzah! Lots of little tweaks here and there and some progress with the Doomglaive. The reason the blade has a smudgy bit of putty is that I decided to make the shape more in keeping with other skaven weapons so there's be a good deal of shapong and smoothing to blend it in better. I've also pilfered a selection of skulls and bells to attach to the chains, which will be a bit shorter that currently.





Anyway thats all for now folks! I'll try and keep the updates coming and I will at some point get back to painting the ratties

[Lew_b81]

Thanks (I'm assuming that was complementary).

It was!

[Lt Dougheim]

Truly a cool model. Maybe you could bling him out with a horde, swarm of rats covering the base and crawling up his legs. Also what about a loin cloth or cloak of scalps (dwarf beards with faces).

[constant_ones]

Sculpting looks great, but I really love the gyro-tesla-cannon, great kit bash there, please keep it up

[Flame of Udun]

@ Lew_b81. Thanks again then, especially since you have such a fantastic collection of conversions yourself. Love those Ogres.

@ Lt Dougheim. There will indeed be rats on the base and a loincloth is in the works. Nice idea about the cloak but there's enough detail on his back thet I'd rather not obscure but i like the suggestion. .

@ constant_ones. Fear not I will be kept up I still need more bitz for it though.

If any one can recommend a model GW or other wise with a selection of interesting mechanical/generator/electro components please let me know.

Here's hoping I can get the Vermin lord finished by the end of the weekend and then get painting

[Eldorad]

Here's hoping I can get the Vermin lord finished by the end of the weekend and then get painting

I hope so too, he is very cool (and nasty...)

[Imp of High Noon]

Dude! I'm loving your everything! You rogres are quite awesome, the Boneripper homage is wicked cool, so is the warp lightning cannon, much cooler that the out of the box cannonpult which I dislike intensly. And as one sculptor to another I congratulate you on your vermin lord, though I wish to recomend that you try using "Sculpey Firm", it's as the name suggests firmer than normal sculpey and I find it much easier to achieve detail with because of this.

[Flame of Udun]

@ Eldorad. Cheers

@ Imp of High Noon. Thanks very much, always nice to meet a fellow sculptor.

I wish to recomend that you try using "Sculpey Firm".

Ooo, I hadn't heard of that. I'll have to go hunting for some after I've used up my current supplies, Thanks for the tip!

[Flame of Udun]

Finally finished the sculpting work on the Vermin Lord! I've given him a quick spray of white and then a slosh over with badab black just to highlight the details as well as to help find and cracks that might have needed filling. Tomorrow he'll get a coat of chaos black and the painting will commence!