Blight Drone WIP

[moonmin82]

Well, I recently discovered (the hard way) how weak the structure holding my drone was... I was carving the helmet away to resculpt a section of rivets and the thing started to bend under the force. Oh well, it's turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I now how the opportunity to make the tail end of the model a bit more interesting.

I plan to create a new under-pinning / vertical structure and combine it with either tenticles or some kind of extended tail / stinger (as planned in my original sketches). I've roughly sketched some ideas (see below):

What do you think: does the idea work? Any suggestions? Tenticles, tail, stinger or otherwise? Would tenticles be better straight and vertical (suggesting slow lazy movement) or curved and lashing?

Also, here are some texture ideas I borrowed from the Forge World Spore Mines:

Apologies for the poor picture quality: limited time and a crappy photo edit program!

 

[cheelfy]

Those drawings are really amazing.

 

[moonmin82]

Okay, a long time out of the loop... again! I've had a few changes to make and had a bit of a creative block as to how to proceed. These are mostly pitfalls and silly problems encountered from poor forward planning: a weak armature (now solved) and various cases of clumsy asymmetry (not so easily solved, but easily compensated with a little creativity).

I will post a photo update as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh super glue (I'm sure I end up replacing my GW glue EVERY year as either the lid glues shut or the stuff just dries out, not matter how much care I take! Crappy design IMO).

Regarding the tenticle base idea I'm considering my options: i.e. whether to have conventional slimy tenticles or (continuining with the bio-mechanoid theme...) perhaps trailing pipework... or even a mixture of the two!

Watch this space...

 

[moonmin82]

The shameful realisation hit me this week that I've been working on this project for almost 18 months.
Time to get a move on I think! Apologies for the poor picture quality:

I will have to fix a second cork to the front of the base at the Drone is getting a little top-heavy.

Remaining work:
- 3 sections of armour on the spine;
- piping connecting the jets to the body;
- final body texture;
- trailing tenticles or tubing (still undecided...);
- exhausts and final details;
- base work.

I know there's not much progress in this update but comments would be very much welcome

 

[cassar]

nurgle space prawn's comming along nicely there moonmin

 

[Noddwyr]

Coming along nicely.

 

[cassar]

would you ever consider doing the armour plates smooth then using the rock salt hairspray method it really does give a rusted decaying look to a model.

 

[moonmin82]

would you ever consider doing the armour plates smooth then using the rock salt hairspray method it really does give a rusted decaying look to a model.

I've not come across that technique before... Would I be right in assuming the hairspray melts the surface of the greenstuff and the salt acts as a masking agent? Sounds interesting... Reminds me of a technique I used to use with salt and watercolour paints. To answer your question - yes!

 

[cassar]

the hairspray sticks the rock salt to the mini you then apply paint either by spraying it on or dabbing for nurgle stuff i find that applying layers on top of layers using different colours gets the required effect. i think theres a photo of the technique on my death guard wip.anyway when the paint dries you gently rinse the rock salt off under a luke warm tap and that gives you the corrosive effect.

page 5 death guard wip (a first)

 

[Torn blue sky]

Woo, nice looking doom prawn. Like the chain gun idea!

 

[Chrome]

- trailing tenticles or tubing (still undecided...);

I totally misread that. :rotfl:

Anyways, I think a mix of tentacles and trailing tubing would be cool, perhaps the remnants of someone/something hanging out of the entangled mess...

 

[moonmin82]

lol, trailing testicles?! i did try that once but it didnt seem to go down to well!!

i have a rare day off (and to myself!) tomorrow (as its my b'day!). i will be sculpting for sure and hope to post an update. my silent hill nurse should be complete tomorrow:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?39632-Silent-Hill-Nurse-WIP

 

[moonmin82]

Here's a brief update... I glued in some wire for use as armatures for the trailers earlier this week. I've just finished work on four of them. I hope these will help strengthen the framework of the model (the trailers are joined (in part) to the main assembly) and enhance the look at the same time.

I have temporarily removed the jet assemblies for ease of handling. I want to make the bulk of the trailers look more densely packed. It will be a challenge to securely fit more trailing structures to the models underside!

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[moonmin82]

A brief update: more trailers, additional piping on the torso (to aid symmetry) and more armour work. The end is in sight. A couple more trailers and tubes to sculpt, along with some 'skin' texture and two final armour plates. Then just to fix the jets and sculpt a base:

 

[Master of fact]

Love it! Looking really horrible in a nice nurgle way. Keep going!

 

[cassar]

the tendrils (in my opinion) dont look quite right they would be better if they were different lenghts and thickness's they seem a bit clumped together#33 seemed better maybe im going through a minamalist phase less seems more.the drone's going well keep at it.

 

[moonmin82]

The wire structures are all set at different lengths. Some trailers still require the tips to be sculpted, so once complete the lenths will look much more varied. These trailers are also reinforcing the structural integrity of the wire frame holding up the model. I think the trailers on post #33 were way way too sparse.

 

[cassar]

heres a couple of tips i use for doing different thickness of wire (coiled) needles of different thickness, sausages of milliput/greenstuff also of different thickness coil em around the (wet) needles let them cure to the point where you can handle them without squashing then slide emm off the needles and position as required. i also discovered that an automatic centre punch can do pretty good rivets in plasticard, re 33 seeing something in the flesh is always different to photo's so i will take your word for it happy sculpting.

 

[moonmin82]

That's a good idea about the coiled pipes. One to try!

 

[cassar]

once you've got the coils off the needle/tooth pick you can makeem thinner/taperd by gently rolling on a flat surface. happy to be of service