Here are a few hobby realities that I deal with every day...
1. I have no sculpting skills or patience to gain any
2. My giant hands make fine detail work a challenge, at best.
3. I am too poor to purchase Forge World models.
In light of these facts I have, nevertheless, found myself wanting to have some troops with greatcoats. In fact, almost every 40K related forum out there has at least 1 "plastic greatcoats" rumor thread, so I know I am not alone. In my constant search for some cost-effective alternative, I came upon an idea the other day that I was finally able to bring to life.
I went to my local hobby/craft store(here, it's Hobby Lobby) and purchased a 12" x 30" roll of soft aluminum.
After some persistent tinkering this afternoon, I believe I have achieved a result that will allow me my greatcoats, on a budget. Here is a picture of what I came up with...
I do realize there needs to be some fine tuning. This product is used in floral treatments and in embossing so it is very workable. My next step is to try and add some folds and details.
Please leave me your reactions and input and tell me if you have come up with a similar idea that you where happy with. I'm interested in what you readers think of the result and the potential.
The war goes on,
Hessler
Please leave me your reactions and input and tell me if you have come up with a similar idea that you where happy with. I'm interested in what you readers think of the result and the potential.
The war goes on,
Hessler
18 comments:
Arn't you worried that you'll drop the model and ruin it? How do you firm up the foil after you get it the way you want it?
Interesting choice. He looks pretty good as it stands, but you're right in that some creases are necessary to complete the effect.
The concern I'd have is that it would dent/conform to the shape of the model if dropped or touched. How sensitive is the material to manipulation?
I like the look, but I'd also be concerned about its structural integrity...
Interesting, every tried the same thing with greenstuff that you roll out real flat and cut to shape?
You could mock up the exact shape with the foil, and then cut out the same shape in GS and wrap the GS around the figure. You could creat folds in it and it would cure solid to prevent any damage.
To add strength you could add your folds and then do the following.
1- Blu-tac/Poster-tac the mini upside down.
2- Mix up and pour in some 5-minute Epoxy until level with the lowest part of you cut-outs.
3- Use a cocktail stick to make sure it goes up the sides a bit to support the corners where the cut-outs are.
Leave it to set and done, you can paint over it too but you probably won't see it underneath where it will be.
Wow, thanks for the comments guys.
Right now there is poster-tac adding some bulk behind the foil. There is also a drop of superglue holding the overlap.
It's worth mentioning that this isn't foil as in aluminum foil that one would use in the kitchen. It has a little more rigidity to it.
@Ron- GS is not out of the question, I still may try that.
@Da_Sub: That idea has a great deal of merit. Once I am comfortable with the outside, I may just try that.
The next step is to see if primer and paint will help maintain the rigidity as well.
Interesting idea- I would also be curious how durable the stuff is. Combining the two- aluminum for the form, GS to add details- could also be an idea. I know I saw a decent tutorial on making GS greatcoats out of Cadians recently... ah, right, the 40K online "show off your Imperial Guard" megathread. Someone linked to a tutorial they had done; don't recall exactly where, but it was somewhere in the final 40 pages or so.
Myself, I'm planning on grabbing some of the Trollforged Greatcoats, as I've had good experiences with their Tyranid models in the past. This could be a really handy add-on, though.
Actually, I can see this method being tried with GS. Make up a batch, roll it flat, and cut it like you've done the aluminum.
Aluminum's probably cheaper though.
Am looking forward to seeing how you end up makeing folds.
@Sean: The Trollforged stuff is OK, I love the Trenchers they now have. But looking at those makes me think I can do it myself. That offers its own reward as opposed to just buying them.
@the other Kevin: I am already considering the GS path. Believe it or not, the "foil" is almost too rigid to work with. The folds are not easy at all...
Awesome idea.... I'm in the same boat as you and will be looking forward to seeing more upates here...
What is the foil you bought called?
Nice idea mate, but with my clumbsy hands, I'd be worried about it bending. I'd like to see it done with GS.
@clt40k: It's called "Designer Metal Sheets" made by KS Metals.
@Corbane: You're right, what I pictured as an easier material to work with might not be that great. Another post coming soon...
I used that foil sheet to do a great coat on a 1/20 ma.k trooper for a group build a few years ago now. I think i used Aves to reinforce the folds from behind and used a small ball bernisher the form the folds whilst holding a paint brush handle behind the metal. I'm currently using Aves to do great coats on my Cadians too. I'll dig out some pics if i've still got them, it was before i started blogging.
found them on my old photbucket.
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u135/blitzspear27/?action=view¤t=DSCF2194.jpg
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u135/blitzspear27/?action=view¤t=DSCF2277.jpg
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u135/blitzspear27/?action=view¤t=DSCF2279-1.jpg
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u135/blitzspear27/?action=view¤t=DSCF2280.jpg
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u135/blitzspear27/?action=view¤t=DSCF2596.jpg
Last pic is him all painted up.
@Blitzspear: That's awesome, I knew I wasn't the first person to try this. Your work is just fantastic.
Alas, I fear I may not be able to tame the foil...
Keep at it mate. I had the opotunity to talk to a Golden deamon winner many years ago (not at games day) He had done a fantastic tau diplomat with a fantastic cape done using foil, that's were i got the idea from.
Have you tried painting aluminum foil?
Yes, look at the later posts for this project, it came out pretty nice.
Post a Comment