Yup, I've been cutting the heads off horses
I've always liked the grenadier barbarians that you can get from places like Forlorn Hope, Battlezone, em4 etc (actually, most of the grenadier miniatures in their fantasy range are at least solid sculpts, if not gems), and this is what they can look like if you are as talented with the brush as LAF supremo, Professor Witcheimer:
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| Look at those vibrant flesh tones! |
But they don't make centaur versions, so I decided to get a little hack-happy with my new razor saw...
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| This is actually the second horse and rider - the first was already cut and shunted by the time I thought to take photos |
A spot of pinning and greenstuff later (and some mold line removal; goodness but the metal they use is hard - it took ages!) and I had this, including my first ever attempt at sculpting mail. Not bad, imo, but the "rings" are a bit large.
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| Blurred by the speed of his gallop! |
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| I was pleased with a natural looking curve from "man spine" into "horse spine" |
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| See what I mean about the giant mail? It'll have to do. |
And then the usual grey spray undercoat (Wilko's finest generic spray paint) with a black wash (my Badab Black has finally run out so I've replaced it with Army Painter "Dark Tone" ink; an exact substitution, pleasingly).
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| Taa-daa! |
Reassured that this would work I ordered the other three I needed for my little cavalry unit and, as soon as my new pin vice drill bit arrives (today, I hope) then I'll get on with the rest. Hopefully with smaller mail, this time! And then, eventually, paint....
Advice, suggestions and fawning flattery all welcome!
Rab
btw - the illustration at the top of this piece is by Pixar artist, John Cooley, who has done some great film scene sketches in the Pixar look... but definitely not for children!
I've got those barbarians, they look great, I've used them as mounted chaos thug substitutes. Sadly GW never bothered to make any mounted versions of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat did I come here to comment about again......oh yes, your centaur's. Their the steads they came with yeah? Their too damn small to use as they were intended, being just about the right size for a pony. But as a centaur, they work! A very cunning use of them I say!
Mine are still lingering in my bits box, as I can't decided what to do with them.
Good job old boy!
Thank you kindly; I am rather pleased with how he turned out - and since posting this the new drill bits have turned up. Time for more horse butchery :)
DeleteI agree that the horses are a touch on the small side for, say, specially bred warhorses, but as the steppe ponies of an itinerant horde of hairies I think they're perfect! I'm guessing that they're Copplestone sculpts along with the barbarians themselves...
Awesome idea and conversion. He looks great!!
ReplyDeleteCheers, airboprnegrove :)
DeleteDon't beat yourself up about the mail, it looks good and no one is going to focus on it and more on the fact that the conversion is flippin' brill.
ReplyDeleteThe big J descends upon my household, damn you!
Thanks, Snickit :)
Deletebtw, I think you're going about it in just the right way with your nephew, and it sounds like you lucked out with picking High Elves. If he enjoys it, there's always the opportunity to add in a healthy blend of magic users, chariots and (my favourite) maybe even a dragon rider. 4x4 is a good battlefield size choice, psychologically, because he'll be able to reach the middle from any side so he'll feel more fully in control or able to contribute. Hopefully that will increase his enjoyment. And if he still doesn't want to play again, you've got a decent skirmish board and some painted figures out of it at least!
Damn.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was cool for having 10 of the old "centigors".
Yours look really great can't wait to see how you paint them up. Painted horse style would look awesome you never see them done anymore.
Well, thank you! Funny you should say that about the painting as that's exactly my plan! I've got that Foundry Dallimore tome and it has a nice section on painting patterned horses for native Americans which I'm going to try and follow.
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