Sculpting a warpwolf stalker

[PBartholdy]

Hi there. Some of you may have seen my Gorax sculpt from a couple of weeks ago

I'm expanding my battlegroup with a Warpwolf Stalker that I'm sculpting myself, and I thought I'd show a WIP.









I'm pretty far in the process. I still need to work on the ornamentation on the armor as well as the handle on the sword.

Do any of you have some ideas for decoration I could add to it? I was thinking a long the lines of some bones of previous victims or something, but I don't know if it'll be too much.

EDIT!: Pictures of the final painted version here

[CrashProned]

Dude thats crazy! how long did it take you so far?

[PBartholdy]

Thanks a lot for your comment! I guess it has taken me just about 20 hours or so. I've been working on it one or two hours just about every night for the last two weeks.

[scotty kahn]

That is awesome! I am I big fan of your Gorax but I think this one is surpassing it. I love the pose youve chosen for him.

[diehard]

I said it when you showed us your Gorax and I'll say it again, my friend you have some serious sculpting talent. What is this, like your second serious attempt if I recall correctly. The pose you went for is very fitting for the nature of the concept of the Stalker and you captured the feeling just right IMO. Can't wait to see this when you finish the details, will definitely put this right over the top. Please make sure to keep us updated with your progress on this great project and once again thanks for sharing.

[CrashProned]

What did you use to make it?

[Scowling-Koldun]

Your lying. NOBODY can possibly be THIS good at sculpting.

[EtherealPaints]

you know you should turn this into a Ghetorix instead, or make alternate weapon options and put in some magnests so that it can be used as any of the wolves. I bet you could sell it for good money if you advertised it as a ghetorix, since there will be a lot of players out there that will want a tournament legal ghetorix model before its actual release.

Good work on both of the beasts.

[MidnightFox0083]

I bet you could sell it for good money if you advertised it as a ghetorix, since there will be a lot of players out there that will want a tournament legal ghetorix model before its actual release.

If your tournaments are following PP rules, there's no such thing. Models that haven't been released yet aren't allowed by PP event rules:

"Models that have not yet been released to the general public at the time of the event are not permitted. "

[biohazardjonny]

I love the repose. I cant wait to see it done. Great work.

[loftybloke]

This is awesome, I love it!

Give us MOAR! :P

[bitmatic]

I love it.... and i love that there are 8 replies, but not a single attempt at answering the actual question

I wouldn't put on any separate decoration. I would much rather see you do more fine details on the armor plates, and perhaps along the sword. I have a feeling that keeping the actual body simple, and having all the detail on the armor/sword would look much more striking when it is painted.

[loftybloke]

I love it.... and i love that there are 8 replies, but not a single attempt at answering the actual question

I was in awe :P genuinely missed the question. I think trophies would be god, but easy to overdo. some suggestions to follow

Studs on the leather armour
Scars on the skin areas
Fetishes/talismans - braids/skulls/feathers etc?

[Nuriochi_sol]

If you're willing to buy some bits from the parts store, eButcher and Drago both have some skull collections that would make excellent additions to this model. I love the falcion/scimitar style sword! Is the handle going to be curved as well? Maybe in the opposite direction, to give an "S" shape and sense of flow and movement. I also love the use of actual metal rings for the armor closures. Look at the Farrow Brigand unit leader, too, for perhaps an extra long goatee, with trinkets/things tied into it. Overall, amazing work! Did you use any metal pieces underneath? - he resembles the Feral in a lot of regards - the tail, feet, over all hunched over pose.

[PBartholdy]

Diehard: Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it Yeah, this is just about my second serious attempt. I still have the problem about estimating size. This model is considerably larger than the feral Warpwolf, but I guess it's not that important as long as it can be put in base to base contact with other models.

CrashProned: I've used wire for the armature; Fimo polymer clay for the rough shaping and doing the basic shape of the model; milliput for building up the anatomy, most of the body and the head is made of milliput. Details such as hands, cloth, spines and straps are made from green stuff, and most of the armour is then made of brown stuff.

Scowling-Koldun: Check out some of the stuff from Brian Dugas, and recognize that you're wrong

EtherealPaints: Hmm, that's not a totally bad idea, although, as Midnightfox states, it's not permitted in tournaments. But I was thinking of making a mold of the model, in order to produce copies. I'm a bit anxious about that though, as it would require me to saw the whole model up into pieces, and I wouldn't know where to cut...
Any suggestions on how to do this?

[PBartholdy]

Bitmatic: Hey, a fellow dane Yeah, you may be right. That's exactly my concern that it would get too cluttered, but at the same time it's a large model, so with a little strategic planning it should be possible to add some decorations. I agree with putting emphasis on the armor detail though.

Loftybloke: Good ideas. Studs on the leather could be interesting. I'll take it into consideration.

Nuriochi_sol: I may have some bits from my Warhammer bits box actually... Or maybe I have som old chaos models I could cut into pieces. Thanks for that idea
With regards to the sword, that was exactly my thought. In fact it does have a subtle curve on the handle that bends in the opposite direction of the blade, just as you've described
The only metal is the wire armature, and the metal rings (which are made from the same type of wire as the armature). Everything else is putty. The pose is very like the feral yes. I actually didn't notice until I was well into making the body of it, but in fact it's almost the mirror image of the ferals pose.

[Scowling-Koldun]

LIES! For if such a master exists what is reality for?

[Vicomte Athos]

Any suggestions on how to do this?

At the waist, right arm at the first set of bandages, right hand at the wrist,, left arm at the bandages and the head so that the cloth covers up the seam like the stalker does. That's where I'd part it out. You would cut it and then use greenstuff to make sure it fits back to gether well. Minimize your undercuts so that it casts and molds well. I'd recommend using smooth-on urethane as a model and cast in aluminite personally as that is what I do with mine when I make molds of them.

[Copperwolf]

I love your work. I would not add to much to it. I would hate for you to take away from the artwork you have produced (especially with pre made bits).

Do you have to bake the Fimo? I was thinking of trying to sculpt a few models with Sculpy. Would that be about the same as the Fimo product?
Also, can you use home made models in tourneys?

Thanks for the inspiration!!!

[PBartholdy]

At the waist, right arm at the first set of bandages, right hand at the wrist,, left arm at the bandages and the head so that the cloth covers up the seam like the stalker does. That's where I'd part it out. You would cut it and then use greenstuff to make sure it fits back to gether well. Minimize your undercuts so that it casts and molds well. I'd recommend using smooth-on urethane as a model and cast in aluminite personally as that is what I do with mine when I make molds of them.

Alright. Thanks for the advice

Do you have to bake the Fimo? I was thinking of trying to sculpt a few models with Sculpy. Would that be about the same as the Fimo product?
Also, can you use home made models in tourneys?

Yes, the fimo needs to be baked. I've never tried using sculpey, but as far as I know its pretty much the same whether you use fimo or sculpey. Both are polymer clays that needs to be baked in order to harden.

[Copperwolf]

Thanks for the fast response!!! Keep up the good work

[EpicAstinos]

Lovely. Can't wait to see how it progresses!

[PBartholdy]

Hi there. A small update on the armor





I've looked through my old warhammer bits, and found these old chaos marauder bits.


I thought I could use the skulls from the bannertops, and the chains to hang from the belt of the stalker.

[pattison]

Coming along very nicely, will definitely be better than the original sculpt.

[flameberge]

You really should be hired by PP because your sculpting is amazing. As others have said, I wouldn't add to many extras because I think that would detract from the model. I also wouldn't add any of those premade bits because right now the model is uniquely yours. If you cast duplicates you can always use the bits for conversions.
I also really like the idea of making a Ghetorix either with the sculpture your working on right now or making that as your next project. I think a pose similar to the newest PP gorax pose but a giant two-handed axe ready to come down on someone's head would be nice.

[Mr.chair]

This is a great model. I like the Gorax a lot too, but the stalker seems even more professional in its execution. Very very cool stuff!

[Jonovex]

Heres a general question from a sculptor to another: How do you keep the small fiddly pointy bits from breaking off? Like his fingers and back spikes and ears for example? Because the teeth of my typhon keep breaking off and pinning every single tooth is obviously out of the question

[PBartholdy]

Flameberge: Thanks a lot I still think I have a long way to go before I could be compared to the professionals, but it's a real good motivation for you to say so!
I think you're right about not adding premade bits. It's way more satisfying doing the entire sculpt myself.
I'll think about the Ghetorix idea. I'm mostly inclined to do a separate sculpt for that as I just want to be done with this model so I can get to painting it :P
(That being said, I think I'll wait with doing molds and duplicates for later projects when I'm more skilled, and less attached to my models so that I can bear sawing them into pieces)

Jonovex: I've used super glue to attach some of the breaky bits. The spikes on its back are pinned, but the ears are glued on. The fingers I made out of the same piece of putty as the rest of the hand, so it's well attached. The fingers can be a bit tough to do, but I did it by first making the basic shape with brown stuff which is pretty durable and gets a lot harder than green stuff. Then, when that had hardened, I added greenstuff and sculpted the rest of the hand. In that way I get great detail and a solid sculpt.

On my Gorax I used wire to do an armature for the fingers, but that was quite difficult.

I hope that was helpful. And good job on your typhon!

[PBartholdy]

It's finally finished!

[PBartholdy]

[PBartholdy]

Thanks for all your comments!

[desertwarlock]

Infinitely inspirational. it makes me want to sculpt something. Anything.

[Sector7]

Uh, WOW?! That looks sick, man. Congrats on this, I am quite looking forward to seeing this finished.

[Vicomte Athos]

I really like your progress. If you ever do end up making casts of this let me know, I might be interested in one.

[brokennecron]

soo beautiful

[Dracon]

Can I buy one?

[pattison]

Fabulous.
Now do some resin duplicates and make them available for purchase!

[Jones]

Smukt! awesome job .. makes us all wanna sculpt hehe.

[Hai-pe-neki]

To know, could you please describe the characteristics of the brown stuff compared with millput/Green stuff? Maybe it's more adapt to sharp parts like the armor plates? It could be worked (files/sandpapered) once dry or it's gummy like green stuff?

[PBartholdy]

Hehe, I'll wait with the recasting for another model, but thanks for your suggestions

Hai-pe-neki: Brown stuff is much like green stuff. The difference is that it gets harder when it hardens, and is better at retaining sharp edges whereas green stuff tend to soften around the edges.

thanks a lot for your comments everyone. It's really nice to share with you all