The Night King - Prep 4b: The Armour--Cuirass

In lieu of a long-winded narrative, I will outline my reworking of the armour in an itemized s-b-s. . . Should any reader require additional details, please do not hesitate to ask in the Comments. . . 

27.03.2019--The "spaudlers" (shoulder guards) have been assembled, fitted, resized, and filed smooth. [NOTE: Filing off the surface "vents" is the most tedious aspect of the project to this point. Every "vent" must be replaced--including those that were left off in the original design!] Remember that the rear edge of the shoulder guards must be integrated with the back of the cuirass. The trailing lateral edge of each guard has been reshaped per the source. Finally, I 
have begun removal of the surface "vents", and finishing the surface of the cuirass.

30.03.2019--The back of the cuirass is effectively cleaned and finished. I also finished reworking the girdle proper, though I still have to model the "clasp". 11.04.2019--DONE!

31.03.2019--The "re-venting" of the armour has begun! Three columns of vents have been applied to the largest panel of the cuirass, Panel 2. 

03.04.2019--The "re-venting" of the armour continues to progress very nicely. That being said, this aspect of the project--front and back--is going to take 3-5 weeks to complete. I will post updates as each panel of the armour is completed. . .  

06.04.2019--The "re-venting" of Panel 2 has been completed! The medial vent columns on Panels 1 and 3 have been applied.

10.04.2019--Panel 3 has been completed!
  
13.04.2019--The cuirass has been completed!! The remainder of the weekend will be spent clean- ing- and touching-up. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Prep 4a: The Armour--Intro

In Prep #2, I mentioned that the most serious shortcoming of this piece is the design of the ar- mour. Those that I have discussed it with have argued quite vehemently that given the scale and the design of the actual armour, I am making much ado about nothing. . . a tempest in a teacup! And that the return to be gained is nowhere near commensurate with the effort required. . . 

I have been modeling figures since I was 5. And it has been my primary past-time-cum-vocation for the last 42 years! While my days at the benches might be drawing to a close quicker than I might like, that does not mean that I am going to turn-out substandard work that I would be a- shamed to display simply to finish as many pieces as possible before "the day" comes. I believe that we should be assiduously working our way to this "last lap", and once we get the white flag, we should be putting out the best work of our tenure! If not, then why bother?!

Walker armour is interesting. They--the ones seen on the show--only began to wear armour as of S4, after Sam killed a White Walker with a dragonglass dagger in S3ep8. Each Walker's armour is somewhat unique/personalized--similar, but unique. And the Night King (NK), Lord-Commander of the White Walkers and CiC of the Army of the Dead, wears two versions of his harness: "light" and "full". As I noted in the introductory posting, the NK is only shown armed when wearing his full harness: since the kit provides the "light" armour, the ice sword is superfluous.

[NOTE: The appearance of the Walkers, in particular the Night King, is dependent on the season in question, as well as the actor portraying him/them. The Walker was portrayed by Ross Mullan through S4. Richard Brake portrayed the NK in S4 and 5: he wore the "light" harness. Vladimír Furdik portrays a Walker in S5, and the NK in S6-8: he wears the "full" harness as the latter.]

This is a visual hobby-cum-art, so I will not waste time attempting to convince you of the need to rework the armour. If the armour as provided is acceptable, then it is good enough. Having said that, allow me to point out the areas where research was less than it should have been. . .

• The cuirass is essentially a metal linothorax: the shoulder plates are connected en suite to the back, and drape over the respective shoulders, being secured to each other and the top of the breast. The kit provides the shoulder plates as a separate piece. 
• The shape of the shoulder plates is wrong.
• The arrangement of the perforated "vents" is wrong.

All the references one might need--and then some!--are available on line.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Prep 3: The Arms, etc.

As I indicated in my introductory posting to this project, my iteration of the Night King would be as he appeared in GoT S5ep8: "Hardhome". Specifically, the iconic moment at the end when he begins to resurrect the slain Free Folk/Wildlings. 

Both arms have not only been relocated, both have been sectioned as well: the right arm in its entirety, and the left arm bisected. The reanimation of the right arm is now about 80% complete, while I have only begun to work on the elbow joint of the left arm. Finally, I have permanently at- tached the figure grouping of the right hand--now, I can begin to reanimate the individual fingers.

More to follow. . .  

UPDATE - 24.03.2019. . . The arms--including reanimation of the right hand--have been complet- ed and fitted. All that remains to be done is final filling and clean-up. And a rear vent has been cut on the gambeson. . . 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Prep 2

This has been a somewhat transitory step, but the difference has been that I now have a dry-assembled figure before me, albeit fingerless. The head has been repositioned, tapped and pegged--as have the arms. Furthermore, the head has been fitted.

That about does it for today at the bench. I will spend the rest of my waking hours re-evaluating the relevancy of my research, and hopefully adding to the same.

Before closing, I would just like to make a few comments/observations. This is a VG+++ figure: 8.5/10. If not for the casting flaw on the dorsal half of the spaudler, I would give it a 9/10 without thinking twice! We will examine in-depth the design flaws in the armour that resulted in the loss of a full point when the time comes. I have encountered none of the assembly and/or fit problems encountered by reviewers in my example. As one reviewer noted:

You will need to do a fair amount of “old school” model making to assemble this ICM kit which is apparently a new line for them. The paint job is simple and the weathering will make the kit pop. Definitely more for the experienced builder who wants to get into figures and not for the casual GoT fan/novice modeler who thought it would be a good idea.

This is not the first time I have heard ""old school" model making" mentioned disparagingly, but I am none the wiser as to what "new school" model making might be. . . The "King of the Night" was ICM's tenth 1/16th scale release! The paint scheme is as "simple" as the miniaturist wants to make it; but, in my experience, monotone/monochromatic figures are some of the most chal- lenging--and enjoyable!--projects to undertake. I will concur that the more experience one brings to the table, the greater the likelihood of an overall enjoyable, positive undertaking. BUT. . . one can say that of any project! This figure is quite suitable for a beginner with basic modelling skills (old school?) who is observant, patient, and passionate.

Valar dohaeris!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Prep 1

The rear half of the spaudler's production error has been corrected; and all the subassemblies have been assembled. The only pieces remaining to be glued (to something) are the respective finger groups. . . 

UPDATE - 21.03.2019. . . I have just concluded packing the hollow torso with MS. This will provide a solid anchor-point for the repositioned arms. . . Speaking of which, I tapped the arms to accept lengths of 1/16" brass tube to act as 'locating pegs'. The relocation of the arms is on tap for the weekend. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -

Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

ICM's King of the Night - Review

The kit has arrived!

It is comprised of 21 pieces: 17 grey (the figure); 1 clear (the sword); and 3 black (the pedestal). The casting quality is VG+++: crisp and uniform finish and no flash--or seams!--to speak of.

You will be largely on your own insofar as assembly and painting are concerned. There is no assembly guide as such, and the painting guide is rudimentary at best. I would advise dry-fit twice, glue once--and rewatch your favourite episodes with the Night King. . . 

If you like to read reviews before taking a leap, don't bother. In spite of the fact that most of them are quite complimentary, there is at least one that has one wondering which kit was being evaluated! That, and the fact that most, if not all, were not done by figure modelers--or styrene figure modelers!!

The kit has been "de-sprued", and inspected. There was but a single problem in mine, and that was an incomplete casting of the left side of the rear half of the spaudler. If I were building it straight OOB, I would ask that the part--or the kit!--be replaced. But as I am reworking the armour, it should not be that big of a deal. 

The legs have been glued together: the lower body is now curing on the side. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King

Early last year, ICM announced the mid-year release of a 1/16th scale (120mm) styrene kit of The Night King from HBO's Game of Thrones. As you can well imagine, I was over the moon about this! As it turned out, however, I was not at all impressed with what I saw in the Fall. . .

That was then and this is now. Mirroring my experience with ICM's Vatican Swiss Guard, once I got to see hi-res stills of the sprues, a sampling of video reviews, and a fair number of build-ups, only then did I realize the haste, to say nothing of the error, of my judgement.  

The kit is on order, and I should have it in hand early next week--I will review it once I have had an opportunity to examine the kit. In the meantime, the project is slowly taking form and this is my TDL/project notes to date:

• I intend to completely refinish the armour. This is unequivocally the weakest aspect of the kit on all counts; and while refinishing will be tedious, it will not be difficult if well planned.
• There are two versions that can be done, which I have referred to as "light armoured" and "full armoured". The kit as provided is the "light armoured" version, and this is the one I intend to do, based on the appearance of the Night King in Season 5, Episode 8: "Hardhome". 
• I do not recall the Night King ever being armed if not "full armoured"; hence, my itera- tion will not include the ice sword. NOTE: while the ice sword is a very welcome in- clusion, it is neither accurate--nor aesthetically complimentary.
• I intend to reposition and reanimate the arms.
• I will rework the sigil.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Jon Snow and Ghost: The Return - Assessment

As is often the case, I took a break from this project at a most opportune time: most of the work is either done, or well-underway!

This project is for the most part in a finishing phase. Arguably, this is the most trying/challenging portion of any project, as we are dealing with virtually unnoticeable advances that cannot be con- veniently disregarded.

The major hurdles remaining to be negotiated are: 1) reworking the shortcomings on Ghost; and 2) sculpting a scabbard and integrating it onto the swordbelt.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Jon Snow and Ghost: The Return

In 5 weeks, the eighth and final season of HBO's Game of Thrones will premiere. In 11 weeks, the most magnificent show in TV history-to-date will be. . . well. . . history. As I indicated some 18 months ago, I intend to commemorate the conclusion of the magnum opus with the resump- tion--and hopefully completion--of my Jon Snow and Ghost project, Beyond the Wall. . .

My goal is to have the prepwork and the priming completed in the next 2-3 months. Painting will be undertaken during the countless re-watchings. . . Back to the bench!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

"Voivode" - Prepwork 1

All the armour, save for the left rerebrace, is now in the finishing phase. I will not commence work on the left arm until the everything else is done. . . or nearly so.

I have also begun work on the integrated plinth, but still very much in the preliminary stages.

Movin' right along. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Dimitr von Goray--Karol Rudyk Art 1/10 scale bust

Dimitr von Goray was the first bust released by Polish artist, Karol Rudyk. It was also the first bust in his "Vampire" series.

To date, the bust series has been a collaborative effort designed and sculpted by fellow artists--in this instance, Luke Starkie (UK). Karol is focused on the 'creatures' in his line.

It is a 1/10 scale resin bust, comprised of 8 pieces--including 2 additional pieces that appear like large fangs, but I have no idea if they are fangs--or where they might go! Casting was overall B+: a bit disappointing with significant sprues, a few air voids, mold 'roughage', and flash. Nonethe- less, clean-up is straightforward, and certainly not something to be concerned about.

My main "concern" is the design: the subject's lower chest and back are bare, as are the arms. This is my problem, as a fantasy subject is the artist's call, but it simply doesn't make sense! Also, the design of the torso is offset. Hence, most of my "prep" will involve sculpting a cuirass and the rerebraces, extending and reworking the sash--and undercutting all overlapping plates!  

More to follow. . .  

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003