My main GD Entry WIP

My main entry for UKGD will be based on drama. Too little drama in the golden demons IMHO!

What I have in mind is a very melodramatic scene where the sorceress holds her slain prince in her arms. I imagine the prince getting wounded at the center of the battlefield and when she gets to him she gets into the saddle determined to fly him to medical attention. But it's too late in he dies in her arms. I might even write a short story on the subject so that I will get all details right in my head.

Okay I did a mock-up right now with some, if I say it myself, excellent drawing to show what I mean. *sigh*

Well as you've understand I want to have her holding him in her arms. The problem I have is that I don't know how to fit them together, sculpt and fix everything in the right angles and then be able to remove them from each other to be able to reach all the places to paint. Then I need to be able to fit them back together easily. I'm not so experienced with these kinds of conversions.







I forgot to add the arm that will hang down the length of the hippogriff with a dropped sword at the base. I will also resculpt some parts of him making him look more of a noble and less like a commoner. But not to fancy he's the kind of hero from the tales who likes to dress functionally. I think I need to sculpt a breast-plate though even if I'd like to avoid too much sculpting. Any ideas on what to do?

This is clearly not the easiest task you've appointed yourself. I see the problem with creating a life-like looking scene without mashing everything together into something big and complex that's too difficult to paint. I'd look into the possibility of attaching the dead guy to the sorceress in such a way that it looks good once you put them both onto the hippogriff. Thus you'd have two separate pieces at least. The problem here is the reins of the hippogriff that I assume the sorceress is holding in her right hand. But maybe that could be fixed somehow.

If you don't want to sculpt too much armour, you could have him wear a hauberk with his crest upon. Then he could have shoulder plates or such...

BTW, excellent drawing!

No it's not an easy task, especially considering my inexperience.. but I like challenges as well. Hm.. I have done some more thinking and right now I think I will sculpt the minis individually and pay very much attention to how the angles will be and when I am finished I will try to fit them together like a puzzle. However I'm worried that some paint will be chipped

BTW. what do you think of the idea?

Well, if you're going to paint the dead guy and the sorceress separately you would need to take any eventual joints (no, not the ones you smoke... ) into considerations so that they will be 'camouflaged' when you assemble the whole thing.

The idea, as I've told you before (or have I??? I should have at least... sorry... I'm a bit drunk at the moment... had a few beers ), I think it's great! Very melodramatic, bordering on cheesy, but then there's a certain cheesiness to the bretonnians so no problem there. As long as you manage to get some of the background story portrayed in the scene.

Yep. But I will be so careful that they can work without each other. I however have come up with a problem. I will probably need to split her arm into two parts as I need the hair from his head to flow naturally down on her arm. Oh. this will not be easy as I must try to get the exact angle and proportions of the arm before starting to sculpt.

Glad you like it, and I don't mind if it's cheesy. I will try to paint it very realistical and that should I hope add to the emotion in the right way.

If you need to split her arm you could have her wear an arm bracelet where the joint (still not the ones you smoke... ) is. That would only help you get the joint (... you know what I mean... ) camouflaged, not helping you with the angle.

Is it not possible to attach them ahead of time.

What this does it gives less surface area to paint, but it does make you needing to be more careful. It can be done in most cases.

I normally attach models (other than shields and weapons in some cases)...

Do you think you could maybe dryfit them with bluetac and see if you can hold it correctly to paint?

Sanjay

Excellent idea!

I would either glue everything together or have her and the prince together and the hippogriphon seperate. In this case, have the reigns and her arm attached to the hippogriphon.

Thanks for all the help!

The problem with fitting them together is that there will be places on her where I can't paint.. as in paint it to the standard of the rest of the mini. I can put paint on those places using an old brush.. but for a GD entry.. I don't know. It will be a notable difference in quality I'm afraid. What I probably can do however with less trouble painting is attach him + her arm with the reins and holding his head, to the hippogriff. So I will then have two pieces to paint separately and then attach.

I've started sculpting now. So far everythings fine... I can also somewhat adjust his position by altering the angle of the hippogriffs wings.

What type of putty are you using? I'd suggest something you can sand when it's cured, like milliput or magic sculpt. That stuff is easier to use when you're not very experienced with sculpting.

I use both Green-stuff and milliput.. and probably will mix them as well. I agree it's easier if you're able to sand afterwards but I'm not totally oblivius to sculpting, just never tried anything complicated like this. And I have the old X-acto to help me out too!

Try to wear gloves to avoid finger prints .

Here's some wips of my attemts at sculpting:



Should I redo the chainmail with smaller rings?

And is it noticable that her arm is anatomically too long? I need to do some serious thinking what to do about it. Maybe I have to move the sleave on her dress closer to her body or come up with a way to position him closer so that he can lie naturally in her arms. The thing is that if I cover the arm with hair it might not be so evident <-- cheater

I think that chain mail looks very well done, although smaller rings might look nicer, as for the arm, I don't think it will be noticable when the mini is draped across it, although you never know when a judge will get in under the piece and inspect it closely so there is some danger there keeping it long, I think.

Chainmail looks good, and the tend is to big rings nowadays .

Sorry but the arm seems too long for my taste.

Yeah, the arm looks too long, but I guess it depends on how well covered it will be if you need to redo it or not.

Thanks for the comments!

I will redo the arm, afterall it's for GD, and I think it's really fun to sculpt now when I have started. I have lost the dread i felt before actually doing some work. Going to figure out how I'm going to do that now.

But the chainmail-size is OK then? I'm glad I've got you to keep track of the trends of minisculpting!

Sven wrote:

I think it's really fun to sculpt now when I have started.

I just love the creation and liberty in the activity .

Sven wrote:

But the chainmail-size is OK then?

Degra sculpts big links. I tend to think it's not pratical but I do admire the work that goes into it .

Yeah, I'd vote for re-doing the arm as well. I think the chainmail is a tad big, but I know I would hate having to resculpt it and also it could be a simple matter of taste.

Tell me, how did you get rid of the dread? I seriously need getting rid of mine...

Then I'll redo the chainmail as well! No worries i have allready, before I started, planned for redoing things 2-3 times before nailing them.

@anders Well first of all by starting to sculpt! But I also tried to think, what does it matter if i fail? I can allways redo it several times until it looks right! And finally, how am i ever going to learn if I never dare to sculpt? Rome wasn't built in a day!

Some WIPS. Finished 99% the converting so I just need to paint the separate parts and then assemble and paint some more..

GS is hard to photograph well.. the white parts are milliput that I used to sand and smooth out the surfaces, so those places aren't as rough as they seem. The thing on the back of his head is her hand. I had to reposition his head to be able to make her arm shorter.. it also sealed his destiny - the way he died. He had his throat slit...

Comments?

Are you planning to add details on her staff?

Looks good! Nice GS work!

Thanks

No I don't think I'll be adding any details to the rod.. I like the plain kind of staff. Much like Gandalf the Whites. It will be entirely white except for the rock. Do you think it needs more details?

I'd add some, but if you're going for an epured design, then no need for that .

What have you put on the other end? I think it should have a round jewel for magical purposes or a metal end for walking purposes .