"The Warden of the North" - Prep: Arms & Ice (cont.)

By way of a brief "catching-up". . .

• Basic construction of Ice is all-but-done-- blade, cross-guard, and grip have been permanently assembled. Finishing--and the pommel!--remain to be done, but it is otherwise 'functional'.
• Arms have been fitted. All that remains to be done is resculpting the quilting on the sleeves, and finishing the gauntleted hands. 
• Began reworking the pedestal to achieve a less angular, 'fixed' appearance.

 
More to follow. . .

UPDATE 22.08.15. . . The basic pommel has been modelled and fitted: it is now ready for detail- ing and finishing. The shadowcat pelt that serves as the collar of Ned's cloak has been reworked and enhanced: the uncredited sculptor obviously took it for a wolf's pelt. There was also some distortion of the pelt that precluded a "tight" fit: this is not at all unusual in this type of accessory item, and with some careful tweaking and judicious application of heat, can be corrected in short order.

UPDATE 23.08.15. . . The right arm has been finished and permanently attached.

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

"The Warden of the North" - Prep: Arms & Ice

Since last night (this morning?), I have:

• "wedged" the left elbow joint
• tapped and pegged the left hand for repositioning
• finished the hand openings

With the above done, it is now time to consider "Ice". Ice was a House Stark heirloom: a greatsword forged in ancient Valyria measuring close to 5' in OL, with a 42"L blade.   

To date, I have begun work on the blade blank, and I have roughly shaped the grip from walnut stock. My next step will be the cross-guard -- once that is roughed in, I will have all the main components needed to assemble the sword.

Stay tuned!

FOLLOW-UP. . . The arms are now tentatively attached by means of 1/8" tin solder. I normally do not "pin" figures, but in this instance, the need for a stable assembly upon which to construct and position Ice dictated otherwise. 

FOLLOW-UP (2). . . I began to fill the "cuts" of the repositioned left forearm and hand when something struck me as not being quite right. So I stripped away all the putty, and remeasured all the skeletal proportions: sure enough, the left forearm was too long! I had almost made a critical beginner's mistake: proportions are predicated on a nude individual, not--in this case--a fully armed one. Less than 15 minutes later, I was back to square 1, though I will not fill in the cuts until sometime layer in the week.

Also,  the cross guard is now roughed-in and I have begun to finalize the shape of Ice's blade.

UPDATE 17.08.15. . . Ice is now provisionally assembled, and final finishing has begun on the cross-guard, and--to a lesser extent--the blade. I have replaced the walnut grip with a brass tube, as the latter will allow me to make a one-piece sword (comprised of 4 components), as well as provide a tighter fit/"grip" in the hands.  

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

"The Warden of the North"

The Game of Thrones family continues to grow!

While I already have a "Ned" Stark bust in the works, my dear lady has surprised me this even- ing with Andrea's latest release, "Warrior of the North"!

This is arguably Andrea at its best. Handsomely and lavishly packaged in a sturdy "presentation" box, the 9-piece (3 resin and 6 white metal) 1/10th scale casting is pretty much spot-on.

Some might quibble about the likeness--and I would not entirely disagree; but most of the devia- tion is due to the painting, not the sculpting. Judiciously reducing the somewhat jowly jaw to taste will provide you with a near-excellent likeness of Sean Bean.

My only real objection to this otherwise excellent piece is Andrea's choice of featured weapon: Ned is depicted wielding his [unnamed] bastard sword. I intend to replace this weapon with his iconic Valyrian greatsword, Ice, depicting the execution of Will, a deserter from the Night's Watch, in episode 1-01. To this end, I have already removed the stock blade, as well as sepa- rated and tapped the hands. . .

“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die.”--George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones 

FOLLOW-UP 30.08.15. . . I have been hesitant to comment on the quality of the resin medium used in the production of this casting, but my sample exhibits a pronounced thermal instability. Given that it is a two-part resin, it might simply be a bad batch; nevertheless . . . There is really nothing to be done about it: just be sure that all "accessory" pieces fit before you prime, and do not heat your bust until it is fully and permanently assembled. Finally, if you plan to "heat-treat" your bust, final assembly should be done with a 5-minute epoxy gel. 

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

"Swan Knight" -- Prepwork - Intermezzo 1

In a word. . . WOW!

The figure is tentatively assembled before me and IT IS IMPRESSIVE! Here's a teaser shot. . . 

The sub-assemblies have been finalized and there will be four:

• Head/Torso/Arms/Mantle
• Legs
• Cappa "Skirt" 1
• Cappa "Skirt" 2

Assuming my skills are up to the task, this is going to be a centerpiece of my collection: he will stand solemn vigil over Éowyn in the display case.

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

"Swan Knight" -- Prepwork 1

Everyone will have their own approach to a large-scale (>154mm) resin figure. These approaches will be largely determined by:

• modelling experience
• familiarity with the subject 
• familiarity with the figure(!)
• degree of comfort with the medium
•  IMAGINATION(!!)

Hence what might work for me might very well appear like nonsensical rubbish to someone else-- and that is fine! À chacun son goût!! That being said, the initial goal is one of reduction: reduce the number of pieces to paintable sub-assemblies that can be assembled with little or no filling. My goal for this project is to end-up with 4-6 sub-assemblies + accessories (shield, weapons, etc.).

To date, I have assembled the legs (2-pieces; aligned and joined with a piece of 1/8" tin solder), permanently assembled the torso (2-pieces); and permanently assembled 2 sections of the 3- piece "skirt" of the cappa.

Next, I intend to permanently attach the arms, and permanently assemble the mantle. . . DONE! [nb: I have also begun to shorten the sleeves of the cappa.]

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

Pegaso 200mm Templar Confanonier - REVIEW and PROJECT

The recent near-parity of the Euro with the US$ forced me to reassess the relative affordability of currently available pieces . . . and the end result was the purchase of the subject figure, as well as a second bust of the "St. Lazarus Knight". As a brief aside, the bust in question is a slightly modified truncation of the subject figure.

I've always liked this figure. It is far from "perfect", but it puts the historically-minded miniaturist squarely in the ballpark, and provides a solid foundation for historical enhancement--if one is so inclined. AFAIC, it is the ideal base figure for a Hospitaller (brother-knight or sergeant) during the second half of the 12th c. (Hattin, fall of Jerusalem, etc.). Having said that, it can be built straight OOB as it is into a very respectable representation of a senior sergeant of the Order--hence the unarmoured arms and legs, and the short hauberk. [nb: without indulging in too much pedantry, the "Standard Bearer" was anything but. Firstly, he was one of five "senior" sergeants; secondly, he was essentially the "Master of the Squires". The honour of bearing the Beauséant in battle belonged to the Seneschal, the Master's surrogate.]

The kit, the second in Pegaso's "Artistic Statues" series, was released in Aug. 2013. It is com- prised of 28 pieces, masterfully sculpted by Viktor Konnov: 18 resin (incl. 2-pc. groundwork)-- cast by YS Miniatures; 9 white-metal--cast by Pegaso; and 1 wooden dowel for the lance haft. The white metal castings are perfection(!); the resin. . . not so much. On a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 6.5 +/-. My main "problem" is that the castings are rough in the areas of the joins, with noticeable mold shifts and trapped air along the edges nearest the pouring sprues. This means extensive clean-up and repeated dry-fitting until you are satisfied. There will be some filling no matter what you do: the goal is to minimize the putty-work to a swipe here, a swipe there.

THE PROJECT
As tempting as it might be to go back across the Rubicon into the realm of Clio (if only to paint it correctly!), alas, it is not to be. This figure will be the base figure for a subject dear to my heart, and one I have wanted to do for a long time: a Swan Knight of Dol Amroth at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, 15 March (T.A.) 3019.

Enhancements currently under consideration:

• resculpt helmet
• rework the mantle (omitted hood unit)
• shorten the sleeves of the cappa
• sculpt vambraces
• resculpt footwear
• sculpt mail chausses and schynbalds/greaves
• resculpt/re-detail/enhance the belt and scabbard
• re-haft the lance
• sculpt a new standard 

This ought to be a fun one. . . stay tuned!

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

HAMMERSTEIN!

As promised, a hands-on review of DWC's latest, arguably most ambitious, and indisputably one of their most spectacular releases to date. . .

HAMMERSTEIN HAS ARRIVED!

I am reviewing issue number 006 of 100. The kit is comprised of 9 pieces + logo'ed groundwork plinth, and its design is based on Clint Langley's superb artwork of Pat Mills' creation in their collaborative masterpiece, the 4-volume The Volgan War.

The castings are exceptional! It will require some careful seam-work, but nothing that anyone with a few figures under their belt will need to sweat over.

This is your goal if you choose to accept the challenge. . .


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

KSLJ (Bust) -- Prepwork II

Next comes the prepping/fitting of the head. 

Just as a reminder, I selected the largely unrecognized "third" head: the leprous knight. This is an exceptional sculpture that will amply reward thorough research, and deliberate and judicious painting.

Clean-up is fairly straight forward with few surprises and/or pitfalls. Fitting will be less straightfor- ward, as the head is locked in place by the ventail. I recommend proceeding carefully and dryfit- ting often. Once the ventail is fitted, the head should follow in short order. 

BUT. . . before you go attaching anything permanently, a historical note of no mean interest. The kit is provided with a drop-down, bilateral, bib ventail. Which is fine, if somewhat anachronistic. What isn't fine is the fact the the facial opening of the coif is is "closed" as well as edged in sewn leather: "closed" coifs were not used with bib ventails. 

This is what one should be striving for:


This is a fairly straightforward modification, the difficulty of which will largely depend on your "requirements". In my iteration, I will have to resculpt some of the mail to restore the volume lost by removal of the tailored coif.

There may be some issues with the overall length of the ventail, but this may be going too far. . . The options, as I see them, are: 1) perform the above mods; or, 2) delete the ventail altogether.

As a final note, the small matter of the two temporal loops off the edge of the helmet. The maa would lace the ties of the ventail through the loops and tie them off at the back/side of the head. I prefer the more 'direct' option: bilateral ties tied-into the coif itself. To this end, I have already re- moved the loops, and am now deciding on how best to proceed with the ties. Given the location of the helmet straps, you may not have to worry about this. . .

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

KSLJ (Bust) -- Prepwork

The appliquéd crosses have been removed in their entirety. With that being done, I took the opportunity to reduce the chest of the mantle to a more acceptable expanse: it could still be reduced quite a bit more, but for now it is acceptable.

The bust has been filled with epoxy-putty, and I have sculpted a pedestal upon which it will rest. Final finishing and polishing remain to be done.

A great start for a bust that a little over 24 hrs. ago was still on the truck!

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

KSLJ!!!

After fitting the finalist heads, I have decided to stay "true" and do this as a historical piece! There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the "zed-head"--in fact, as mentioned earlier, the posted images do NOT do it justice!!! That being said, how often does one get to do a "leper knight"? 

And if I enjoy it sufficiently, I can always get a second kit to do as a revenant knight!

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

KSLJ (Bust) -- Review

The bust is here!!! [Thanks as always to Chuck and his exemplary service!]

A few 'surprises':

• Micro-packaging. Very stylish and--I'm assuming--cost-effective, but the parts are very cramped with little or no support. One of the ties of the ventail arrived broken-off on my sample.
• Multi-media offering. There are three white-metal pieces in the kit: nasal, [bilateral] ventail, and mantle ties.
• Joint effort. I presume the white metal pieces are cast by Pegaso; but the resin pieces are cast by the eponymous YS Masterpieces in Greece. While the overall casting quality is VG, YSM apparently does not pressure-cast, which leaves the castings prone to air-bubbles along the surfaces proximal to the sprues. In short, be prepared to do some filling. . .

The kit is comprised of 8 pieces + a resin mounting post--including three individual faces. NONE of the images available to-date on-line, painted or un-, do these faces justice! These are very good, and I am now hard-pressed to decide what I am going to do with this bust. . .  

The torso is indeed hollow, so filling and finishing is first on the agenda. Or, rather, second, as I have already begun to remove the appliquéd crosses. . .

Whether as a "leper-knight" or a resurrected wight, you will not be disappointed. . . 

RECOMMENDED + + +

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

Judge Death (Bust) - Prepwork

As we have come to expect from DWC, prepwork is minimal. There are seamlines, but you will have to work to find them. Given the nature of the hobby in this day, most people will not bother... Which suggests to me what little respect they have for their canvas--and we, in turn, should have for their work! 

I am anxiously awaiting the release of the return of the Dark Judges in Judge Dredd: Dark Jus- tice later this month, so any serious mods will have to wait until then. In the meantime, however, basic prepwork can be addressed and hopefully completed. . . 

This morning, I have fitted the right pterosaur pauldron to my satisfaction, and permanently at- tached the left arm. As to the latter, save for the left hand, that is as far as I intend to go with pre- assembly, as the fit is seemless, and I have no inclination to compromise the painting. I have also all-but-completed finishing of the helmet and the lower head.

Once the basic prepwork is completed, I will begin work on the coarse lacing that will replace the jumpsuit zipper. . . 

Movin' right along. . .

FOLLOW-UP. . . In order to created a more unique, less derivative look, I decided to reposition the left hand. The final position has yet to be determined, but the wrist socket has been expand- ed and the hand has been pegged (.063" tin solder).

While still very much in a design stage, I am examining the possibility of modding the helmet slightly. DONE!

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

And the bussssttt isssss. . . DEATH!

This year, DWC has ventured into my favorite miniatures' genre--BUSTS! And two of their three offerings to date are in their 2000AD sub-line: Ol' Stony Face himself, Judge Dredd; and his Deadworld nemesis. . . the lisping lich. . . Judge Death!!!

I am in proud possession of both of these gems; but for now, we will concern ourselves with Death. As a brief aside, each bust comes with a finished hardwood display plinth/base by Bespoke Bases! And lest I forget, each bust will be strictly limited to 100 issues worldwide.

This 1/10th scale bust is exquisitely cast in 7 pieces. While both of the 2000AD offerings are "cut-downs" of their 70mm full-figure counterparts (one of the advantages of using CAD to create design prototypes!), they have been significantly re-engineered to complement the larger scale. For example, Death's head is comprised of two-parts: helmet and lower face--PERFECTION!

Before moving on to the project itself, I can only say. . . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

As with the full-figure, the bust will be an exercise in hue and tonality.  Do I go with a greenish skin, a bluish skin, a deathly flesh tone. . . or a custom mix of all three? The gear--how faded/ worn should it be depicted? Should it be predominantly green or buff. . . or something in-be- tween?  And so on, and so forth. . .  

And as with the full-figure--not surprising given its provenance--this Death is obviously based on the iteration found in the Batman/Dredd crossover, "Die Laughing" (hence the chained badge, etc.). It too will be reverted to canon, and to this end I have already removed the chain and the zipper-tab.

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