News: No news is good news...

Login  |  Register

Author Topic: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis  (Read 9003 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« on: May 18, 2009, 07:00:31 PM »
hello all,
Ive been putting it off for a while now while i finished up other stuff but i finally made a star on my tyranid dactylis for Apocalypse  since there's no model out for 40k other than the armourcast one (which I'm not too keen on) I'm starting from scratch.
Ive had an idea of what i would want one to look like so here's a general outline of the idea:
hes going to be standing on two legs unlike the biovore with a huge cannon in each hand, he'll be about the size of a hierodule but in a more upright position using 2 scything talons as anchorage against the recoil of his guns, his carapace is much like a biovore's and his legs will be chunky as hes holding a heavy load other than that i just hope to make him look nid like enough to not be laughed at lol.
so heres what Ive done so far:

i started with some paper clay just to get a basic body shape


then i used plasticard to form a spine and edge to the carapace pieces

each piece of the carapace was filled in and just put into the rough shape for the min

this is all 3 pieces on

and this is it with the tail...

all the pieces need to dry then i can add greenstuff to smooth each piece of the carapace wait for it to dry sand it down rinse and repeat until i get the shape i want before i move on to the tail piece.
lots of work to do but its going to be fun. more pics tomorrow.....


Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2009, 06:44:08 PM »
ok so ive smothed out the carapace and i decided it was lacking so i added a piece at the to to act as extra armour for where his head will be.

next up start the bone work on his chest:)

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2009, 08:07:50 PM »
yey started the chest, just a basic mock up lots of messing to do with it yet


now i know it looks chunky but its not finished yet and im not a green stuff master give it time:)

Offline moc065

  • Infinity Circuit / Necrontyr Lord / KoN Warlord
  • Ancient
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8827
  • Country: ca
  • King of the Preemptive Strike
    • klucas.piczo.com
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2009, 08:41:41 PM »
Actually I think its quite good..

Keep at it and lots of pics please.

CaHG
Join POC: Saim-Hann
or Read the Guide to Eldar
or read the Guide to Necrons


And Click here if you like Magic The Gathering

Offline DarkstormUlthwe

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 447
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2009, 02:32:11 AM »
It looks very good so far :) Keep up the good work and keep us posted!

2nd place - 40kO painting competition expert category April 2005
1st Place - 40kO converting competition beginner category June 2005

Offline dakota

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 150
  • I *LOVE* 40k Online!
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2009, 09:50:54 AM »
For someone who says they're not a green stuff master it's looking pretty damn good so far

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2009, 12:16:47 PM »
thanks guys I'm honored Ive managed to make a little progress today drying time of the greenstuff before i can move on is really slowing me down but theres no real rush i want to get it right:) heres the chest with a new breast plate and flesh texture in between the bones:


as you can see the bones still look a little flat so i need to do some more to them but its starting to look nid like, i also decided to do one full chittering plate as i want him to appear really tough like he could take a siege shell to the face and laugh lol.
unfortunately i go back to work tomorrow and as i work away work will be slowed if not stopped for my 3 week hitch but if i can get some done ill post what i can if not work will commence as soon as i return, sucks being me lol.
thanks again for your kind words and ill keep ya posted:D

Offline tryanotherone - smurfernating

  • SPAMMER: I swear I am not an ad-bot!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6222
  • Country: 00
  • Pray hard - life is short!
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2009, 02:40:53 PM »
Good job with the greenstuff.

Ehm, what exactly is a Dactylis? Obviously, it's a 'nid mini but what does it do?
Taking a very long break.

The Rumour Mill - bending the fabric of time and space

Remember Brimstone - legends live forever

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2009, 03:45:27 PM »
howdy tryanotherone cheers, its part of the biovore strain so kinda long range barrage for nid forces,theres an epic model but since i don't really know the rules for epic i couldn't translate what sort of power it wields, as i understand it it has a bigger version of the spore mine so trying to put together a data sheet for it at the mo that stays in line with the other gargantuan creatures (nothing below AP3 etc).
since I'm on ill post a pic of the bit I'm doing at the min.


OK so pretty much the same as the top, made a spine out of plasticard then i made some chittering plates out of plasticard and later i will cover and try to shape some greenstuff over them:D

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2009, 06:12:07 PM »
OK last one before i go to work (altho ill try and get something out while I'm there) started building up the tail carapace.


the tail section actually needs extending its a bit short at the min and throws the proportions out also once the bone on the front of this piece is on it will make it bulk out a bit more to blend in to the chest section or at least i hope so haha.
oh yer and the carapace bits need cleaning and sharpening but its good to see it go together bit by bit:)

Offline Rupert Penwarden

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2009, 07:58:28 PM »
From what I remember of the epic model it threw ordnance with arms on either side of the "bug".

Admittedly this is from the time of 2nd ed 40k and tyranids have undergone a significant style change since this time.

Looks very promising so far!

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2009, 08:39:00 PM »
From what I remember of the epic model it threw ordnance with arms on either side of the "bug".

Admittedly this is from the time of 2nd ed 40k and tyranids have undergone a significant style change since this time.

Looks very promising so far!

yer there was an armourcast one made for 40k but it looked like a giant tomato thrower lol I'm going more for a cannon wielding giant approach i think it should fit in with the current style a bit better plus i preffer the new style nid to the old:)

Offline tryanotherone - smurfernating

  • SPAMMER: I swear I am not an ad-bot!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6222
  • Country: 00
  • Pray hard - life is short!
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2009, 08:23:37 AM »
Oh boy. You mini is growing rather fast.

How large will it be at its final stage?
Taking a very long break.

The Rumour Mill - bending the fabric of time and space

Remember Brimstone - legends live forever

Offline the solitaire

  • Stupendous Badass
  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2947
  • Country: de
  • quod me nutrit, me destruit
  • Armies: Harlequins, Eldar, Space Marines, DeathGuard, Nids
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2009, 08:59:56 AM »


Dactylis is a ranged weapon of sorts. I wonder how the work you did so far will convert into the dactylus but the alternate pose so far shows to be promising. You could give the thing 2 short and stubby front legs and grasshopper like rear legs for support, then make the arms like praying matis ones. I would personally prefer to see a lictor like (Cthulu style ;) ) head with lots of tentacles.

Looking good so far, but I would advise to make the rib cage more pronounced. Adding a further layer of greenstuff can easily do this which would make the front look more cavernous and agressive.

Also, adding detail on the rear armopur plates would be a great addition. Just add a thin layer of greenstuff to the lower half of an armour plate and make some incisions in it to create a worn effect.

That's just my 2 cents on the project. Looking great so far

Offline dobbin.rob

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 25
  • Country: 00
Re: Scratch Build Tyranid Dactylis
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2009, 09:08:40 PM »
Oh boy. You mini is growing rather fast.

How large will it be at its final stage?

hi yer unfortunately its ground to a holt as Ive come back to work on the oilrigs for some reason the didn't want greenstuff in my bag on the chopper i don't know why i think they didn't really understand what it was but I'm home on the 11th June so i will be continuing then, as for the size it is going to be the same mass as a hierodule but a bit more upright as soon as i get back home ill post a pic of it next to a gaunt:)

(Image removed from quote.)

Dactylis is a ranged weapon of sorts. I wonder how the work you did so far will convert into the dactylus but the alternate pose so far shows to be promising. You could give the thing 2 short and stubby front legs and grasshopper like rear legs for support, then make the arms like praying matis ones. I would personally prefer to see a lictor like (Cthulu style ;) ) head with lots of tentacles.

Looking good so far, but I would advise to make the rib cage more pronounced. Adding a further layer of greenstuff can easily do this which would make the front look more cavernous and agressive.

Also, adding detail on the rear armopur plates would be a great addition. Just add a thin layer of greenstuff to the lower half of an armour plate and make some incisions in it to create a worn effect.

That's just my 2 cents on the project. Looking great so far

cheers for the input solitaire I'm deffinatly going to have to sort out that rib cage i think i might break it up into smaller sections so it wraps around the body more effectively and ill def give that carapace idea a go it looks a bit to flat at the min:)
most of the detail work will come at the end once i have the main parts assembled I'm a bit worried if i go to town on one piece when i add the next it wont marry in properly if you know what i mean.

oh and by all means keep chucking you 2 cents in guys ill take any advice and ideas i can get:D thanks all.

 


Powered by EzPortal