Ragnarok's art projects

[Ragnarok]

Your a talented moddler, you should work for Dreamworks or some where like that.

Thanks, but I know I'm not really up to those standards (yet, at least) - I've got precisely zilch official art qualification, and I'm already on the path to becoming an engineer. I've had people tell me I should have taken up the path of art rather than engineering, and I never know if they're right.

Really, this is just a hobby I've gained entirely as a side effect of my drawing hobby - which I never really learnt either. I was never taught to draw (art teachers don't seem to want to draw out any artistic talent - they get you to try drawing things, but they don't really ever teach you how to improve), but there was one day when I tried drawing after years of nothing, and it half worked for some reason - about a month later it suddenly all slid into place.

My last model, which I did a few years back, was passable, but it was far from great. I think the only reason this one's turning out OK is because I've subsequently learned to draw.

[jrrdw]

It's because your paying more attention to detail, comes with age and practice, but mainly age. Have you seen any of the modeling done for movies? The beginning stages are usely blobs tooth-picked together, there are many levels to the process.

I understand it's a hobby to you, so was fixing things to me when I was young-er. As long as your having fun, it's all that matters.... 8) I'm waiting to see what the head looks like.

[Ragnarok]

I'm waiting to see what the head looks like.

So am I!
The head and hands are going to be the tricky parts - I know that from my drawing. I may need more than one attempt. There's another section of body before that though.

Basically the routine here is:
1) Body and leg musculature
2) Clothing over that
3) Head
4) Arm musculature and hands
5) Clothing over that.

(Arms are done last because they can cross over other things, making it harder to get to the bits under them.)
I'm still on stage #2 - this guy's going to have a long sweeping trenchcoat.

I went into my local Games Workshop store to do some of the sculpting earlier today. I don't know who many of you understand a GW store, but it's not just a shop. The guys in there also give advice on modelling, collecting, playing and painting - and run games on tables inside the store.
There's usually a small corner with a table where you can set up, then build your model kits and paint them. I staked myself a corner over here - you wouldn't believe how conspicuous you become if you've got a green putty model in your hands.

An American came in to the store, asking around about the hobby (well, if you consider there are about twice as many GW stores in the UK as the rest of the world put together, you can understand why).
One of the store guys was explaining it to him, and came over to the painting corner, explaining the building and painting, then starts the sentence:
"And this guy is sculpting his own model from scratch - which takes a lot of skill. You don't have to do that though."

You kinda get the impression that the people in there don't see it done very often if you get specifically pointed out for doing it (and when it's only your second time in the store ever - I've not visited the store near my uni until recently) and every and anyone is coming and peering at it.

[jrrdw]

You should do a model signing when your done. Like a book signing. The store could pay you for the appearance. Dam Rag, you need a agent lol. You'll be famous in the strore when you get this done.....

[Ragnarok]

Next stage. I'm trying a different photography style.

Front
Back

The armour plates look messier than they are, the camera seems to hate me, and I can't get them to look right.

There is some more to do on the coat, but after that... the head.

[jrrdw]

What kind of cannon/guns will he have?

[Demon]

What kind of cannon/guns will he have?

Put a spudgun!

[Ragnarok]

What kind of cannon/guns will he have?

Eventually, he'll be armed with a suppressed pistol and a runic sword (because in the world of 40K, the sword is still a very viable option).

@Demon: Novel though it would be, I intend to take this slightly seriously.

[Ragnarok]

I know this is a double post, but I've done a couple already, and I realised I've not mentioned the size yet, so I've got this photo of me working to give you an idea of the scale.

It's about 2" tall, or will be when it gets a head.

[CasinoVanart]

Thats pretty small, you have great patience Rag, it's looking really good

[Ragnarok]

Mini update, I've not done all that much, just a little covering of the wire frame, a tweak of the collar and adding of the strap you can see me working on in the last photo, but here it is anyway:

Front
Back

[daberno123]

Wow that's small, I thought it was larger, like 6-8 inches tall. Very impressive, especially on such a scale.

[Fnord]

Looking good so far.
I would have gone with the six-pack style armoUr plate arrangement rather than three big plates, but that's just me. It would probably look more organic and therefore mesh with the pants/cape better.

What kind of color scheme are you thinking about? Dull and natural or something bright and flashy?

[Ragnarok]

Wow that's small, I thought it was larger, like 6-8 inches tall.

That would cost me a fortune in epoxy putty. I don't have JSR's epoxy batcave handy!

I would have gone with the six-pack style armour plate arrangement rather than three big plates, but that's just me. It would probably look more organic and therefore mesh with the pants/cape better.

Well, it's designed to look loosely like the armour of the Imperial Guard, which is made up of large plates. A good example is this model (not mine!): http://www.coolminiornot.com/index/whatm/GW/id/157640

That's the way it is in the Imperium, relatively blocky and square in vehicle, armour and weapons design.
Flowing lines is the way of the Eldar, manga-esque the Tau, made out of an old garden shed the Orks, and organic the Tyranids (although to be fair, they're creatures grown to have whatever military features they need, so that would be the case)

Thing is, I'm working to the strictures already set down by Games Workshop. So tempting though it might be to think "Yeah, six pack armour!" it wouldn't fit in with the background involved.

What kind of color scheme are you thinking about? Dull and natural or something bright and flashy?

Probably muted earth tones.

Although in reality, my preference is for black leather, the trenchcoat will probably get done in brown leather tones, because it's hard to paint large areas of black to look good (although the cheeky technique is to use a gloss varnish on it!).
The armour probably a dark green - and other bits will get done in other colours, probably some cream/bone colours.

I might slide in some brighter colours here and there to add a little zest - perhaps the hem of the shirt that sticks out under the armour will get done in a brighter colour to break it up a bit.

[Ragnarok]

Okay, my "hand lightning" effect isn't great, but I couldn't resist a joke.

~~~~~

Thought you lot deserved an update on this.

The model you've seen so far has not progressed very far since the last update. I stalled when it came to do the head, which I'm sure you can understand is some of the hardest work to get right.

I came back to the work about a week ago, and started on a new model to get my hand back in before anything really tricky needs doing.

So, this is Silva, a military veteran who has had a lot of bionic repairs. I've just done the basics of what's still "her" and part of her bionic leg so far, but the left arm will also be mechanical - with "Wolverine" claws, because I thought it would be cool.
#1 and #2

Another model in the pipeline is "Frost", a bounty hunter/mercenary. She's not got any model yet, but here's the concept sketch for her armour, which is supposed to be functional and "organic" in appearance, a mix of "dragon scale" meshes and harder plates:
Frost's armour- also, lots of knives. Lots and lots of knives.