A friend/ client commissioned me to make a Realm of Fire based Shaggoth conversion. He picked out the Gargant and the Magmadroth kits and told me to go for it. So With that guidance and a request to use a "huge fricken axe," I went at it. This was a lot of fun to build and I want to share it with you. The steps I took are below:
A quick walk around the model before we look at how it was made ... the idea was to make it big enough to lead the plastic dragon ogres, but also not so big it becomes abusive or unplayable.
When we began discussing the conversion, I told my buddy that we are basically dependent on the way the two models would join and how they scale together.
Luckily, that was not a problem. My initial take on it was that he would have to lose a couple pounds in the belly, but this would work like a dream.
I cut the belly, which wasn't a big deal because I would need to add a gut plate to match the look of the Dragon Ogre models he will be fielded with. I found that the Chaos Chariot had a perfect Gutplate and luckily I had one in my bits box.
The gutplate needed a little work. Parts of the plate had to be swapped around and some gaps needed to be filled. Also, the Giant axe I burrowed from the Khorne Bloodthirster kit, needed to be less Khorne affiliated (khorne doesn't like wizards even if they have axes ... and are ogres ... and fight in melee really well ... and well, you get the idea!)
I sraped the symbol and then attacked the surface with the different sizes of drill and then scraped some more until it looked like this:
I then realized that the axe couldn't be wielded in two hands as it existed because I would have to reposition the entire shoulder, spine and shoulders of the gargant and while that is possible, it would get expensive for my client. Instean, I had to make it one-handed ... and swap the hands out.
Chop, chop, chop ... I feel like Khorne is missing out on all this chopping.
While I was sorting that out, I also needed to smooth out some details. I added the gut plate, then added a cummerbund for the Shaggoth because he plans to go to a great number of charity dinners and weddings (the brayherds are known for their fancy events). I laid down miliput because it goes down nice and smooth and provides a great base for detailed Green Stuff work later.
I then had to start worrying about his other hand. I waffled here a lot. Is he casting a spell? Do I need to sculpt lightning? Can he just be fist-pumping? Maybe he is eating? BINGO! He is eating a dwarf!
The Gargant comes with this peasant fellow (I shouldn't assume his economic status, but let's face it, rich guys aren't getting eaten by giant guys. Just sayin') and anyway, the peasant had to go. This Shagmadroth (love this name) eats spicy food, like fireslayers!
The slayers that come in the box with the Magmadroth actually include a dwarf with seperate legs and arms perfectly positioned for chopping at a wrist or ready to chop fingers!
This made for just enough cinema and a believable reaction for a Fireslayer to have in protest to being eaten like a hairly, gold-flecked, little sausage!
With that, I finished the fin and the rest is history.
I will share photos of the model once the client paints it. I am personally thrilled to see it. I will offer some criticism of the Magmadroth kit - it is a beautiful dragon, but the pose is a little static and while that is fixable, that's also going to add to the hours spent converting a model like this, which can rack up the price for labor and we weren't going in that direction.
I think it will tie in nicely with his fluff and theme and I think it fits in with the Dragon Ogre kit.
As always let me know what you think and oh, Helloween is a little tradition around DFG where I make monsters and creepy stuff in the month of October for the blog, so be on the look out for some crazy shit this month!