Grand Warseer Sculpting Challenge

[Solun Decius]

Thanks guys!

@Verm1s: Thanks for the tip. All I have is green stuff, but I might go out searching for something to mix it with. The Joaquin Palacios example is amazing and he actually does it in two steps, first big bulky strands and then better defined ones over that. I'll see if what I've got is salvageable with some careful re-stranding

@Duke Donald: Thanks! On the previous photos I hadn't sculpted all the way up over the shoulders, so the arms will be added later on. Now that I've bulked it up a bit the size of the torso makes more sense, although the shoulders and top of the back are a bit too bulky. Armor will probably make that OK tough.
Your model's face is really well defined and elegant. Great work there!

Here's where I'm at now:



I want the base figure as smooth as I can manage, since I want the armor to be more like armor plates on a body sock than actual full body armor.

[Duke Donald]

@Solun Decius
Looking good, and now that you've sculpted the shoulders , the extra wire on top makes sense. However, now I wonder how you're planning to attach the arms! Thanks for the nice feedback on the head I sculpted; it's definitely the best I've ever achieved so far.

As I mentioned before, I wasn't happy with the body. II felt it was far too massive and I was struggling to add any armour to it without turning it into a Space Marine. Thus, I decided to start anew. I'm much happier with the new one as I feel it looks far more Eldar like.

[Solun Decius]

Yup, the proportions are more Eldar now!

I've seen tutorials where the arms are attached by sticking wires into the shoulders. I'm not sure how it's usually done but my plan was to drill into the shoulders and super glue wires into the holes. I think I shouldn't have done the shoulders so broad so soon, but rather sculpt the shoulders along with the arms after I fit the wires. I think I might actually just cut off the top part of the back and some of the shoulders now, stick the wires in and then redo the shoulder area. Hope I have some time for that tonight.

[f2k]

Oh, ta.

I've got a few ideas running through my head, but I don't know how easy or popular they'd be. Ogre mercs based on different cultures, countries or smaller regions. Non-goat beastmen. Alternate Cold Ones. But I've been reading the recent nooby questions thread in the Warhammer Background board, with all it's discussion about how magic works (or doesn't work) in the Warhammer World.
So right now, I'd like to see takes on old world wizards at some point on the gradual path to corruption. That is, not a full-blown Chaos sorceror with two-foot horns and a big icon of Tzeentch on his back, or a necromancer with a serious bat motif!
Although mutation could certainly play a part. I can see a lot of possible variety, including that. College wizard or hedge wizard? Mixed the winds of magic wrongly; exposed to warpstone; read the wrong book; ensared by a cult? Horrified or pleased by the realisation? Trying to hold it back in some way, maybe while still taking part in whatever caused it? Little mutations like a patch of scaly skin, or big 'uns like limbs replaced with tentacles? Or no mutation - just slowly and steadily going off their nut?

I thought we had agreed to go with some slightly more generic themes?

Oh well, it’s actually an interesting challenge. A chaos sorcerer, but without too much chaos-stuff? Hmmm... I might give this one a shot...

[Verm1s]

Good progress Solun. If you want things really smooth, particularly armour plates, then I'll redouble the suggestion to use or mix in a different putty. Any different putty! Even a little bit of polymer clay. (No more than 20-25%, to avoid curing problems with the greenstuff.)

And be careful when sticking the arm wires later. See my hubris with the state trooper.

Duke Donald: nice redo! Definitely more slender and space-elfy.

I thought we had agreed to go with some slightly more generic themes?

Patience, now. It's only the third month. Or will be.

A chaos sorcerer, but without too much chaos-stuff?

Well, no. An Old World wizard, but with a bit more Chaos-stuff.

This is why I didn't suggest something non-WH for the third month. I know I was one of the people to bring that up near the start of the topic, but I still like a lot of the background of the Warhammer World. And there is a lot of it. The wargame arguably shows only a thin slice of life and events in the setting, and there are many beings and situations that dont make it anywhere near a tabletop in miniature form. Maybe not even as far as the army books.
It's too discrete! In an Empire army you've got stern, upright, unflappable wizards - so much variety in the plastic kits but in a way all the same, too. If you let your mind wander towards possible WH minis of a slightly different character, bam - you're immediately among wizened, cackling (hypermutated?) necromancers and Chaos sorcerors. Where's the in-between? Where's the slow doom that the background always talks about?
It's arguably less applicable to the background of the game's tabletop battles, where there are likely checks and balances of armies and government to avoid relying on corrupted wizards during battle (or those that aren't corrupted enough!), but that corruption still features large in the wider fluff. I like the idea of trying to explore and present those deeper and interesting parts of the background, that aren't already or officially presented. I.e. to make a model of it! Maybe even use it in some fluffy gaming, someday. Traitor Empire troops, led by a crazy, gibbering old hedge wizard...

[Goblinho]

Hey folks, due to time constraints I'm gonna skip the Banshee. Still really enjoying working on the Militiaman, slow going but I'm making progress that I am happy with so can't really complain.

The photos don't really do it justice I feel so I thought I'd try something a bit different (god bless youtube) a quick video of the progress so far.

For anyone that doesn't understand my braw Scots accent basically I've done some work on the upper arm that's holding the shield, the hand on that arm too. I'm struggling with the foot but I'll try and work on that a bit today. I'm gonna put a thick leather belt to merge the chain vest and the trousers too, also ill make the start for the sword today.

[Student]

@Gobilho: The video works quite well getting everything in focus and the miniature is looking good.

I've updated the first post to have a list of the themes so far and added Old World Tainted Wizard to it.

I've been pretty slow starting on my Howling Banshee but I have made some progress





I'm going for a leaning forwards screaming pose which should hopefully become clearer once I've put the head on. Though looking at it in the photos I think I'll make it lean forwards a bit more.

[SamWISEyyz]

This is a fantastic idea! Love the work so far guys, gonna keep an keen eye on this one.

For some inspiration you should all check this thread out:
RITUALS OF CHAOS

Really jaw dropping sculpts, its a shame half the images are now missing. I've had that bookmarked for years now. Hope it helps people! I may give this a go if I get the time and suitable subject

*EDIT* Images are a few pages in on that thread, but the whole thing is worth a look!

[Duke Donald]

@Solun Decius
I agree the new attempt looks far more Eldar (or Space Elfy). Most people drill holes in the body for the wire on which I sculpt the arms. I also drill another hole to pin the head. That's the reason why I don't extend the frame of the body to the upper torso.

@Vemrs1
Thanks for the nice comment, I'm definitely much more happy with my second attempt.

@Goblinho
Nice to see that you're planning to finish your state trooper.

@Student
Good to see that you've started working on your Banshee. The pose you've chosen is quite dramatic.

I made some progress on my own sculpt. I struggled with the armour and it took me several attempts before I found a design I was satisfied with.

[Duke Donald]

Some progress on the body and weapons WIP.

[Goblinho]

Hopefully have finished pic of my Empire chappy by tomorrow. Been thinking a lot about next months project too, the idea I have for this one is based around this type of image:

The chap will be robed as all good wizards should be and there will be books lying open around him each with an eye looking at him. In terms of the corruption element the idea is that some things can't be un-read. Wanting to try and show the moment he realizes it's too late to go back
The robe is something I have never even thought about trying before and I'm gonna start the armature standing to get the proportions right before I bend it in to shape. Will probably need a lot of help with this one so any pointers please share

[Solun Decius]

I really like the details you've done Duke Donald. Very impressive stuff.
The part of the frame that extends to the upper torso in my mini is actually solder, so it'll be soft enough to drill in the end

Not much left of this month now, so I'd better get back to sculpting if I'm going to have a crack at participating in this.

Nice ideas there Goblinho! Lots of emotion going on in that type of setup, which is what falling to chaos is all about, really.

[Goblinho]

OK finished pic of Empire chappy is here :


Gonna throw a bit of paint on him

[Duke Donald]

@Goblinho
I like your concept for the tainted wizard, and I'm impressed by your State trooper; he looks great now.

@Solun Decius
Thanks for the nice feedback. Using solder for the frame could be a really clever idea. I think I may try it out.

Some more progress on the Howling Banshee.

[Duke Donald]

I've essentially finished my entry for July. I still need to clean up a few details and base her but this is it. She's 34mm tall (28.5mm to the eyes). I tried to include some of the defining features of the Howling Banshee but deviated from the GW concept for other aspects. C&C welcome.

[Student]

Your Banshee is looking cool Duke Donald. It is an interesting departure from the GW style and I think the quality of the sculpting is good. My only criticism is that the limbs seem a bit long, though that could just be its eldar physique.

I'm going to have to get a move on to get mine finished before Friday. Here's what I've got at the moment:





It is probably also time to start organising the theme for October. As you picked the theme for September Verm1s would you like to nominate someone who hasn't picked before to choose.

[Verm1s]

Remind me: who chose the first month's subject?

[Duke Donald]

@Student
Thanks, I intentionally sculpted her very slim as it fits my mental image of Eldar. That said, I really like your sculpt which would blend in much better with the more bulky style of GW minis.

@Verms1
Student started the theme of the first challenge.

After posting the pictures the last time, I realised the hair was quite bad, so I redid it.

[Verm1s]

@Verms1
Student started the theme of the first challenge.

Ah, ta. Then I nominate Goblinho.

(Comments on sculpts tomorrow, when I shake this headache...)

[Goblinho]

Thanks Verm1s

got a few ideas for October. To keep things fresh in (terms of not doing sci-fi after sci-fi) I was thinking about doing a Stealer/Tyranid theme. We have gone fantasy /sci-fi / fantasy so far so I figured a Nid theme would keep to that pattern, also there is so much available for it too. If you have more time you can do one of the larger figures but it has to be sculpted as if it is stalking something. What do you think?

@DD like the improvement to the hair, wasn't sure if the pic wasn't doing it justice first time but looks much better in the latest one.

@student the sculpt looks a bit chunky for an eldar but still looks kick ass. Kind of reminds me of the Guyver -->