Marathon LOTR/TH WIP Custom Builds..Reaper/Rider Wraith Redone & Finished.

Took me years to realise what that symbol actually was. Maiden covers were best on vinyl, especially Somewhere In Time, packed with little Maiden easter eggs just waiting to be discovered.

CHEERS!

Done paint mostly, touching up the 'chrome' silver then drenching it all in black ink, drying now but will do the mail silver drybrushing later. Livened up the chest plate a lot with two random bits for decoration (one came from a small Narnia minotaur figure ). As you can or rather can't see he's swimming in those 1/4 scale trousers! Obviously some tailoring to be done there but need the wide trouser legs for the pleated Hakama look. Just started faffing with the kabuto and menpo but nothing special done yet.

Going well, slight touch of MC Hammer though.

STOP! Shovel time!

CHEERS!

Looking good so far. Once you have all nine, this is going to be epic.

Rogerbee wrote:Going well, slight touch of MC Hammer though.

STOP! Shovel time!

CHEERS!

You bastard.. got that bloody awful song in my head now!! I won't be adding giant shoulder pads on top of the armour though! Or a square flat topped helmet!

Stryker2011 wrote:Looking good so far. Once you have all nine, this is going to be epic.

Nearly there, got that giant Sauron to build as well though...

LOL! Glad to be of service!



CHEERS!

Those are remarkably uncharacteristic MC Hammer pants... where's the pizzazz? Anyway, shovelchop, your guy isn't just swimming, he's drowning in those 1/4 scale pants. But I have no doubt you will rescue him as you complete your build and everything will be perfect.

LOL! It was the best I could find at the time!

CHEERS!

Not in the mood for sewing loads of parallel lines etc.. so decided to paint the blue hakama black since dying them didn't work in the past, done the mail silver paint on the armour too. I need to replace and recolour all the leg and forearm guards' straps with black and do some body mods for the new tabi feet and armoured hands.

All looking good so far.

CHEERS!

Coming along nicely.

Thanks guys! Done a second coat on the hakama and it's looking good touch wood!

I also like the makeshift acrobatics (waiting for paint to dry?) during the build.

Damn, this is all looking great. The Reaper Wraith looks so intense, and I love seeing the way the Ronin Wraith is coming together. That armor looks awesome.

And that found bit of branch is freakin perfect! What a lucky find. Can't get over how spot on it looks as a big creepy dead tree, like something out of a classic horror movie or illustration. I love it.

I'm seriously impressed, Chop.

I look at all this glorious work and just want to throw my shit in the trash. HA.

dadrab wrote:I'm seriously impressed, Chop.

I look at all this glorious work and just want to throw my shit in the trash. HA.

That's how I feel. Not to mention his constant drive; in the time I manage to get one custom figure made, he's made like 50!! All of them far more complex than anything I could have done.

dadrab wrote:I'm seriously impressed, Chop.

I look at all this glorious work and just want to throw my shit in the trash. HA.

Stryker2011 wrote:

dadrab wrote:I'm seriously impressed, Chop.

I look at all this glorious work and just want to throw my shit in the trash. HA.

That's how I feel. Not to mention his constant drive; in the time I manage to get one custom figure made, he's made like 50!! All of them far more complex than anything I could have done.

Damn guys, that's really sad to hear! I want to encourage people to make things not give up!!
I struggle too, right now I'm having trouble attaching his feet! I'm trying to use hot glue but the ball joints are so big (feet are from one of the old Cy Girls ninja cyborgs) and the ankles so thin on the Dalek Sec body that tr4ying to keep the full articulation is becoming a mess! . I'm lucky in the sense that I probably have far more time at my disposal to work on my builds than you guys that's all .

Stryker2011 wrote:

dadrab wrote:I'm seriously impressed, Chop.

I look at all this glorious work and just want to throw my shit in the trash. HA.

That's how I feel. Not to mention his constant drive; in the time I manage to get one custom figure made, he's made like 50!! All of them far more complex than anything I could have done.

THIS. Shovelchop's sheer volume of complex and beautiful work is somehow both intimidating and inspiring. Like, its baffling how he ever acomplishes it, and yet it really makes me want to work harder.

ReverendSpooky wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:

dadrab wrote:I'm seriously impressed, Chop.

I look at all this glorious work and just want to throw my shit in the trash. HA.

That's how I feel. Not to mention his constant drive; in the time I manage to get one custom figure made, he's made like 50!! All of them far more complex than anything I could have done.

THIS. Shovelchop's sheer volume of complex and beautiful work is somehow both intimidating and inspiring.  Like, its baffling how he ever acomplishes it, and yet it really makes me want to work harder.  

I've super respect for your work! Just saw your amazing St. Crow thread for the first time! Really sorry I missed it on OSW, that's the drawback of working so much on your own stuff, you don't get time to appreciate other peoiple's hard and excellent work!

Feeling like crap so not getting much done but the kabuto is coming together, need to make the Eye Of Sauron crest next. Might go for some more unusual weaponry to break the traditional samurai mould, this is LOTR after all. Got the ankles articulating and attached finally, looks fugly but will be hidden by his shin armour.

Looking good. Hope you feel better.

I am excited about this helmet. Part Samurai and part gremlin, but when you're done with it, I bet it will be all classy.

Stryker2011 wrote:Looking good. Hope you feel better.

Thank you stryker! Getting there...

GubernatorFan wrote:I am excited about this helmet. Part Samurai and part gremlin, but when you're done with it, I bet it will be all classy.

Gremlin? I was going for demon!

shovelchop81 wrote:Gremlin? I was going for demon!

I am sure it will look like a full-blown demon by the time you are done with it!

GubernatorFan wrote:

shovelchop81 wrote:Gremlin? I was going for demon!

I am sure it will look like a full-blown demon by the time you are done with it!

Well as long as he looks evil and can pass for a Middle Earth character I'm all good! Well about the build that is, personally still feeling rough as hell, I blame the change in weather! New bugs always get me when the temperature changes...stupid crappy immune system.. Been gently going through scavenged armour parts looking for bits that give a continuity to the armour as detail accents that take it just far enough away from Japanese to allow him a non generic look if that makes sense? I want a samurai inspired wraith not just a samurai painted like a wraith, tricky balance to get to work.
Cut out his crest/kuwagata in the shape of The Eye Of Sauron, I'm reinforcing it with wire at the back that will help with posing it too. May add horns if they're not OTT, need to spray it all black then perhaps make up my mind on that one.

I love the idea of the Eye of Sauron (which by the way means lizard or lizard-y) crest, although at this point I am wondering if it would not be way over the top (literally) and setting him too much apart from the other wraiths. But then again, you are basing this on more than just the LOTR movies. Besides, your creations end up being works of art, and I look forward to the final result.
I hope you feel better soon.

Awesome idea, the Eye. This should be impressive when done.

GubernatorFan wrote:I love the idea of the Eye of Sauron (which by the way means lizard or lizard-y) crest, although at this point I am wondering if it would not be way over the top (literally) and setting him too much apart from the other wraiths. But then again, you are basing this on more than just the LOTR movies. Besides, your creations end up being works of art, and I look forward to the final result.
I hope you feel better soon.

Yup, hence the word saurus being used to name many dinosaurs (including that name! ) before they realized most of them were actually birds!  Hadn't actually connected it with Sauron though, guess I was always thinking of Sorcerer or something like that, good catch! As far as the crest goes they were actually that big in the Japanese middle ages, basically acting as a lord's personal banner to say to his shogun "Hey look at me being so brave and fighting for you here! Look it's me!" of course it also said to any personal rival "Hey it's me, come kill me!". Here though it would be more akin to a crusader's large red cross saying "This is my lord and who I fight for". I think it will blend in well with the other Wraith, you have to remember the last one had a far more subtle helmet/mask than most of the other Wraith I've made with giant horns, plumes, crests, spikes etc.. If it turns out to be too big I'll just make a smaller one!

Stryker2011 wrote:Awesome idea, the Eye. This should be impressive when done.

Thanks Stryker! I hope not to disappoint.