Friday, November 30, 2012

Building a Better Heldrake Part 2: Using the Tentacle Maker


Conversions are what happens when ideas meet plastic. Old School here to get into the second part of Building a Better Heldrake. This time, I want to show you how to crank this conversion into overdrive using a simple tool and some Green Stuff before I move onto the sculpting.



In the last post, I showed you the simple basics of the model as the plastic parts came together in hopes that others could attempt to make their own Heldrake conversions along this template if they want. This post is all about one tool - Green Stuff Industries' Tentacle Maker! As you can see in the photo above, the green stuff cables that I rolled out with the Tentacle Maker really fleshed out the midsection of the model.

For some reason this photo only published super huge, so it had to be constrained to be published. I am displaying it just to give you a top down look at the model.

My idea was to add a cable-style musculature, similar to the Juggernaugh,t to the creature to hold up the rotting flesh and bone of the rest of the model. I imagine that the Warpsmiths and the Sorcerers get together and make these things from machinery and human sacrifice, combined with dark rituals.


Overall, I am happy with the neck and the waist and I am now ready to add in some of the musculature around the legs and the shoulders.


I am excited to finish this model and get on to the painting stage. I think it will be a perfect future goth dragon for 40k.


Here is what I am working on for the base. Being part of a Word Bearers army, I like the idea of using the bigger bases to display ruined Imperial chapels and iconography.

Again, another constrained photo

Finally, I want to give a shout out to Green Stuff Industries. Without their SAW 050 or the other Tentacle Makers they provide, I would not be able to make conversions like this in a reasonable amount of time, if ever. I don't run ads here on DFG, but I do like to talk about quality products that I think work and this is one of the best tools for your money you will ever invest in.

With all that said, I will complete the modelling portion of this by the end of the weekend, along with a Tau commission I have in the wings right now.

Comments and feedback are always appreciated.

16 comments:

  1. I love the spine and all the hoses. And that head is fearsome/monsterous/nurgley in the extreme!

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  2. I've been putting off buying a GSI tentacle maker, only because I haven't had need for it yet...

    screw that. I'm ordering one when I get off work.

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  3. Damn. That is so cool. Yet another inspiring piece. My creativity thanks you - my wallet however, would like a word with you in that dark alley over there...

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  4. That's looking better and better - loving this conversion man! Keep up the great work!

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  5. Great work. Will have to put in an order for one of those tentacle makers.

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  6. Dude, awesome conversion! I really dig the Greenstuff tentacles around the neck and under the armor. I love those tentacle makers. Very handy :)

    That head conversion is sooo much better looking than the standard drake head.

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  7. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck, $31 if I want the tentacle maker after shipping. Probably worth it, but faaaaack

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  8. I already like it a 100x better then the original.

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  9. It is really coming together, can't wait to see it all painted up.

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  10. This project is amazing. You've sold me on both a Helldrake, and a tentacle maker!

    Great work, sir!

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  11. Hey hopefully when you finish that up I can face you at the store and the sons of perturabo will shoot it out of the sky.
    Thanks for this inspiration and all other. Hopefully you know who this is cant wait to see some new stuff.

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  12. I dont usually blatantly rip off other peoples ideas... but consider this stolen.... im sory, just to amazing...

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