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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: white knight on 26 January 2010, 05:08:55 PM
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After seeing an old (non-empire) dwarf stretcher bearer model on ebay, the idea came to see if I couldn't come up with something similar using 6th edition plastic dwarves and greenstuff (and a few plastic bits). I tried to go for the look of the marauder empire dwarves (which among other things meant big noses. :icon_biggrin: ).
Anyway, after playing around with them for a week and a half, they are about done (needs a little tidying up here and there but nothing major. I can see some issues (lack of necks among those, but that seems to be how those 6th edition plastics were made) but overall I'm pretty happy with them.
What do you think?
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_stretcher1.jpg)
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_stretcher2.jpg)
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Great greenstuff work.
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Wicked!! Oddly, I just saw a load of the original ones in my attic whilst hunting stuff for a mad Belgian ;D
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lol I thought about asking you about them, but then I figured I'd have a lot of greenstuff work to do on the originals too, so might as well use the plastics and make them from scratch.
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Very nice indeed...
I'm sure I've seen the original ones, when I read the thread title I got a flash that I'd seen such a model but I can't actually picture it in my head.
::)
I love the style you've given the dwarves, certainly a nice change from the EE's plastics, knees for starters are somewhat of a rarity and they look a lot better proportioned, at least more like a Dwarf should look to my eyes.
:)
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once you carve off all that armour on the plastic dwarves, they are surprisingly thin and proportioned. ;)
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Here's another one that's practically done except for some tidying.
Yes, he has hands, they are separate for ease of painting. And the reason they are not in the picture... I don't want to give away yet what he's meant to be. ;)
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_cap.jpg)
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Here's another one that's practically done except for some tidying.
Yes, he has hands, they are separate for ease of painting. And the reason they are not in the picture... I don't want to give away yet what he's meant to be. ;)
Nice job!
Rudi
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hell! WK, you astonish me with your talents, bravo! :)
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Here's another one that's practically done except for some tidying.
Yes, he has hands, they are separate for ease of painting. And the reason they are not in the picture... I don't want to give away yet what he's meant to be. ;)
Oh I can't resist having a wee guess at that...
Considering the stretcher bearers I'm going to go with the same medical theme, the uniform might not go with it but from the pose I could easily see the left hand resting on a patient while he gets ready to do some grizzly work with a bonesaw in the right hand.
The more I look at the model the more I can see it, the face, the pose, even the uniform if painted in a suitable style.
If that's not it then I suggest you do go for a full field medical station at some point considering how vividly I can see it already.
:)
(of course I'm also now worrying I have some kind of weird medical/gore obsession to make me think of that first)
:?
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He's not part of the medical team. He'll go in a totally different set.
But now I will have to do something like what you just described. He'll be wearing an apron though, it makes sense. ;)
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Wonderful!
I might just have to do some similar conversions.
I have loads of the old Maruader dwarfs, but no Warriors, only thunderers!
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Yeah very cool. Looks like a nice vignette piece. The only thing that occurs to me is the thickness if the stretcher handles are a little too large for the hands. It makes the top of the hands look too thin. I reckon it would be worth thickening up the tops of the hands... would be pretty quick to do, and would make the hands look like they're grabbing the handles a bit more. This is only a minor point and I'm bringing it up because I think it's a lovely conversion and would be worth doing. :)
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I see what you mean.
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He's not part of the medical team. He'll go in a totally different set.
But now I will have to do something like what you just described. He'll be wearing an apron though, it makes sense. ;)
So it IS Mr Whimpy then?
(http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/misc-games/1201-1.jpg)
Baggage train short order cook! lol
Cool!
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Nope. There's a clue to be found in another thread I posted in in the course of the last week. ;)
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Very nice conversions, WK. Didn't know you're a talented sculptor too ...
:)
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not talented at all, just a handful of tricks. ;)
Some less extensive conversions. 10 halflings from Black Hat Miniatures (plastic hats from the 6th edition statetroops set):
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_halflings1.jpg)
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_halflings2.jpg)
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(http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/misc-games/1201-1.jpg)
Ooh, I think I had that on the ZX Spectrum. What a weird game that was! ;D
Great sculpts going on here. Loving the landsknecht look a lot. :)
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Awesome. Love the halflings too! :)
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Another one almost done, though I see I'll need to redo the shoes, looking a bit sloppy there. Sorry about the bad picture quality, best I could get today.
This one is intended to be a knightly hero type in classic Empire style. He actually looks quite good in real life, but doesn't photograph very well. Using bits from the 6th edition plastic dwarves and the empire knightly order sprue.
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_dwknight1.jpg)
His shield is a foundry metal shield (slightly smaller than the plastic GW ones) with some added detail (griffon head, ribbon):
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_dwknight4.jpg)
And finally, his ride (unconverted marauder miniatures griffon). I've had this for years but didn't know what rider to put on it (the original had a chaos warrior in a kneeling pose). Then recently it occurred to me there was enough room for the stumpy legs of a dwarf. And given the relationship between dwarf and griffon, it's even fluffy.
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_dwknight2.jpg)
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/g_dwknight3.jpg)
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That is absolutely wonderful - by far the best yet for me. :-* :-* :-*
If you need some more mounts you know where to come ;)
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lol I'd be tempted if it were not that they'd all end up looking as clones in the same pose. ;)
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I was not necessarily refering to the same Griffon, I have a few beasties that twenty years ago were destined for similar use
I have a spare pony without rider that would work really well too :)
You're spent up for now anyway and not becasue you bought my Bugmans :'(
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I was not necessarily refering to the same Griffon, I have a few beasties that twenty years ago were destined for similar use
Keep talking. ;)
I have a spare pony without rider that would work really well too :)
I think I could find a use for that. :)
You're spent up for now anyway and not becasue you bought my Bugmans :'(
Well, they were the current ones and an impulse buy. I figured they were passed your time. :(
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Those look great!
Keep it up.
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It was suggested elsewhere the single feather wasn't impressive enough and I should make it at least three.
Any thoughts?
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I can see it with more but am not against the single one either. Can you add more without having to redo the twisted base thingy (haven't a clue what they are called)
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No. The twisted ribbon thingie will have to get larger. But it's quite easy to make.
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Glad to see I am not the only one "Heraldic Ignoramus" ;D
How about one of those preposterously oversized beast head carvings instead of feathers?
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Hmmm. I suppose I could check the bits for an appropriate size plastic griffon head or something. I don't feel like sculpting one though. ;)
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A WIP of a field hospital set to go with the stretcherbearers. Much remains to be done.
(http://wk.frothersunite.com/misc/empire/dwdrwip.jpg)
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Real nice... once again ;)
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Brilliant...a slightly less grim part of the process than I had in mind, but I think that makes it so much better.
Looking at it you know what's coming next and if you choose to let it your imagination can paint a far worse picture of that than any model.
:D
Now if only I could harness a little of your creativity and turn some of my random thoughts into reality myself.
:)
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I originally planned to have the surgeon actually sawing the leg off, but I realised the short dwarf legs and arms the width and bulk of the models would make that look really awkward. And as you say, you know what's coming next. ;)
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It just occurs to me (maybe I haven’t had enough coffee before)… Do you have any general tips for working with green stuff? Any basics "do" and "don’ts" considering I’m a novice with the stuff (so far I can do sand bags… or pillows, it depends) ::)
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Well, I'm far from an expert, but I've been dabbling for a few years, so I'll try to get into a little bit of detail on how I do it (probably the real sculptors will laugh at that). The most important part for me is work in layers and don't try to do too much at once as you'll only end up damaging one bit while working on another. Instead, let every part you did cure before moving on to another one. you can work on a few figures like that every evening or whenever you have the time.
The tools I use are:
- toothpicks (for some detail and for smoothing out the putty by gently rolling it over)
- needle pin for finer detail
- scalpel tool for cutting (like the sleeves)
- clay shaper (with a soft rounded tip, also for smoothing)
Keep a cup of water handy to wet your tools or the putty will stick to them! Pro's use thinks like vaseline or saliva for a smoother finish.
Mixing the putty: more yellow makes it more sticky and gives you a longer working time. more blue makes it less sticky, cures faster and holds detail a little better.
To give an example of sculpting, the puffy sleeves are achieved by first putting a blob of putty on the arm, then smoothing it out around it (using the clay shaper or the toothpick) until the arm is covered on all sides by a sleeve of putty. This is then cut vertically using the scalpel (don't draw it across the putty, but press it into it). If you want it to look like on the last figure I posted, repeat with horizontal cuts. I then use the tip of the toothpick to push in the sides of the different putty squares (the vertical ones) and give that extra touch if you can see what I mean in the picture. If you only made vertical slashes, you can do the same with the scalpel blade. Pants are similar (though only vertical slashes).
When you've done one sleeve: stop. let it cure and work on a different model. If you try to do too much at once, you'll end up putting a finger in your freshly sculpted detail.
When you've done the pants and they have cured, start with the jacket (or the shirt first if it's an open jacket). Don't try to do front and back at one, just one side will do.
Patience is key. And switch between tools to find out what works best for what purposes.
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Mr. Knight, that is some fantastic stuff you have got going on over there. Can't wait to see it finished!
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A bit more done to them since. Still load to do. Will include table for the wounded one to lay on and probably a barrel with severed limbs. I'm contemplating making an already amputated dwarf too maybe.
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Stonking stuff. WK, do you use nothing but green stuff or do you use brown stuff or its equivalents at all?
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I've used a roll of brownstuff once many years ago. You can carve and sand it better when dry. I'm just more used to the greenstuff and it's organic feel.
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hnhnhn ... dwarves again! Sorry for digging THAT out, but it looks really good!
When seeing that stretcher I was reminded on my own "project" (one of already too many) ... You sure all know the dwarven kings on shields or thrones. I am not much into killing dwarves, but I imagine a dwarven king lying dead on a special ceremonial "stretcher". With weapons in hand (preferebly a big war-axe), a few jewel-boxes around. It might be even a theme for a regiment. Haven't seen such a thing. I thought of using this one king from GW*, but I am not good with GS. Maybe one days - or maybe - 'given You an idea ;)
best wishes
Drachenklinge
* standing with with one hand on its weapon, the other arm "nestling" its helmet
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I'm considering redoing the stretcher bearers using some of my metal figures, as I can see plenty of things now that I don't like with the original set. Might even be able to cast them up then.