12 April 2014

Ugly duckling - WIP 2

What seems like several months ago now, I undertook the Asslessman's challenge to oldhammerers to convert a knight that would say something about where we lived or where we came from. Now that I've settled in Bedfordshire I chose a giant swan mount to play with (many, many swans congregate on the stretch of river that runs through the town). This also went with my idea of including it in my nascent Tzeentch-themed force - an evil swan ridden by a fallen knight seemed as if it must have been well and truly exposed to the warping power of Change to me, no longer images of purity, loyalty (swans really do mate for life) and steadfast chivalry.

The process was initially straightforward. I found a not-too-spiky chaos knight to use from a joblot I picked up at the usual online auction site, as well as a giant model bird with a bad attitude to press into service as his mount. 

Flashback photo! First used on this blog back in October 2013...
The beak was pretty easy to sculpt, at least to my own satisfaction, but then I hit the Problem. For some reason I just could not get the saddle and its strap to look smooth, let alone like a saddle and strap, so it got pushed to the back of my desk and abandoned.

No more, I tell you, no more! The saddle etc still look more than a bit shoddy, but I shall attempt to paint on the detail and competence that my putty-pushing skills evidently lack. The knight is done (yes, actually painted!) and the bird undercoated grey and inkwashed with Badab Black (my usual starting point). 

Pictures or it didn't happen, you say? Here you go:

Gaah! Some of those dark bits on the reins and saddle are just pools of wash, rather than horrendous lumpy bits, honest!

Hopefully there'll be something interesting but not too taxing on the gogglebox tonight so I can get on with actually painting the bird...

Geek on, my friends,
Rab

5 comments:

  1. Very interesting, sadly I'm not sure if having a knight riding an asbo'd delinquent would work to show off Luton..........

    I look forward to seeing the finished mini!

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    1. I don't know, it works for goblins/snotlings:

      http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg554/GrinninGobbo/Goblin%20Unit%20NGshaman%20and%20Skulker%20no1/VariousandGoblinsUnitNGshamanetc077.jpg

      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/Night%20Goblins/PiggyBack.jpg

      As for mine, I sneakily got a couple of coats of drybrushing the feathers done this morning while being ever so noble and fetching the missus a cup of tea in bed ;)

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  2. Ahh, I'm glad to see this one getting some love !
    I really like the model you chose to ride on the swan and it definitely has a strong oldschool look.
    I'm truly impatient to see this one in colour !

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    Replies
    1. Well, wife and kids are out this afternoon, so as long as I can get the shed sorted out really quickly (my task to complete during their absence) your wish may be my command :)

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    2. No, it turned out the shed was a truly Herculean task. Still, there's always this evening :)

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