Great Beast of Gorgoroth met with the deadline

The line of death, also known as the threshold to marriage, has been nearly crossed by this beast. I sculpted a lot of chains, of varying quality, and as the Elves* say: A chain is only as strong as it's weakest Zelda.

The platform is deliberately very different from my "source of inspiration" (the GW-model which I just ripped-off, design wise) for the simple reason I think it looks more Mordor-y.
     Still need to fix the goddamned crew... but I never mentioned those in my release-schedule, at least I think I did not... Should also mention there are some details left to attach, such as some shields and chains.

So, I am now allowed to start work on the fastitocalon! Notice the missing capital "f" in "fastitocalon"? Feels good to return to the more Scandinavian way of spelling things. Did you know that we, in Sweden, do not capitalize languages and nationalities, meaning that a word like "Danes" and "Englishwomen", should be spelled "danskar" and "engelskor" - not "Danskar" or "Engelskor". If you still do, as a native Swede, there is a big probability that you belong to Social-grupp III.

*) I recently read a book in English, and there the word humans was not capitalized... my conclusion is that according to English rules, one should not capitalize elves, dwarves or orcs. I shall from hereafter not do so.

PS) A fastitocalon is just a by-note in the Lord of the Rings or in The Hobbit, but it is basically a leviathan, often depicted as a giant turtle or tortoise, whatever the difference is between the two.

Birch-Ent, Angband Beast and Work Troll

Soon and very soon I will declare these monsters ready and able.

Angband Beast still has it's horns in the to-do-basket, and the Work Troll still got his alternative arms left to be sculpted (not to mention a second head with a Turtles(TM) bandana for crewing the Mordor war catapult).
    Birch-Ent is obviously 96% done. The heads turned out exactly as I had planned, but that doesn't mean I am wholly satisfied with them - my designs were lacking, but the execution was 100%! That is reaffirming, in a backwards way: It means I am learning. The heads are magnetized with rare earth magnets.
    Beast of The Dark Plains (TM) is currently getting outfitted with chains to hold the battle platform/howdah in place and I left it out of the picture out of fear of smudging the still-curing green stuff. The chains turned out quite Mordor-y... very rustique...
    I wish you all a good work-week, and remember folks: Mondays' are fundays!

Scultping Gorgoroth chains!

This is the single most helvetish thing I have ever tried to sculpt. My gaaaw is this trying on my poor soul. But it is great fun.

A short update this afternoon, more will likely follow tonight. The Birch-Ent is basically finished, five months before it's deadline. The Great Beast of Gorgoroth revampation just has two days left before it has to be finished. I have still got five crew to do. Normally, one 28mm model in humanoid shape will take me roughly ten days to finish, so there might be some problems towering up before me. We shall see how this ends.

Birch Ent (update 3 of 3 for today)

The crazy head for the Birch Ent. This version of the ent I intend to include a burning right arm; the ent has been maddened into a berserk frenzy.

This is the silly Lenin-head-version of the ent. He actually looks a bit like a bearded version of my brother-in-law (the crooked nose does it).

Mr Kite-flying nose-man got himself a rocking hairstyle of branches and disgusting protusions. A lot of tickor will be added, you know, those mushrooms/fungus that was used for firestarter-kits way back in the day.

It turns out that GS suffer no ill effects being heated to 400 degrees C (which happens when I overkill-heat the Super Sculpey). This particular project burst into flames once... needless to say I was struck by panic, but we should not dwell on that matter for too long, because there are other more important things to look at...

 

Sculpting Super Sculpey is a bit different from using GS (GS is a so called "acronym" for Green Stuff, which is a euphemism for Kneadatite, which is another word for "Plumber's Putty" which is also known as "Mario's Sauce" in homosexual circuits - a circuit can also be something that carry electrical current, which is also known as "electricity" which is what I got into my hand when I tried to change a lightbulb today).

Easy as pie. Sculpt and heat it to 24000 C and don't burn yourself and then get electrocuted when trying to change a lightbulb. This is all for today's hattrick! Don't forget to press like, subscribe and leave a comment in the comments section, this is CutieFuck signing off of FaceTube!

Great Beast of Gorgoroth revampation (update 2 of 3 of today)

The Beast of the Dark Plains has finally gotten his left front leg fixed. It took me four tries until I realized what needed doing: I opened up a picture of a rhino and just copied the animal's exact footing. And presto:

Instant rip-off [of GeeDubb]... Next month's sculpting project will be 100% of my own designs though. I need this project to be 85% close to perfect since I am doing a mould of it. I want to cast the little fucker!

One of the many failed versions of the front left leg. The saw symbolizes sawing of a leg. Left side of GBoG.

Some assorted WIP:s.

Right side of GBoG.

The howdah is actually quite nice, although it looks a bit lacking above. I have stripped it down to it's base. I have not started working on the crew yet, despite having just five days left to work on this project!

Angband Beast, phase two (Update 1 of 3 for today)

Returning to my phases, this time, though, with some attitude changes: I will try to make a better effort to give the project in question a better finish.

I had to prime it to better see the overall shape of the beast. There is still lots to do on this one: Scales, hands/claws, the weird bull-feet needs to be redone. Face number one is not nearly close to being finished.

Troglodyte head is a mess... Regardless, I will keep it up, and might even add some horns on this particular blind head. I think it would give it a disturbing look. Maybe I am wrong.
    Also, this is update 1 of 3.

Current projects on the desk...

... are the same as before. I am finally secure enough that I dare post a picture of my current setup. This setup is apparently not luxurious, and neither am I, currently. Concordedly visavi we continue with the Angband Beast and it's many shitty photos from nearly the same angles. Dutch angles, apparently, currently.
    Before the WIP-pictures, I would like to share another personal thing: This is the "master plan" for the Angband Beast.

Not that impressive, huh? It shows the first head, the troglodyte head, the blind head. The scales will be added, although I am not sure exactly what style I will go with.

Second head with big, blind eyes that I would like to paint milk-white. This second head started as a 3D-sketch with Super Sculpey, but I kept it and will most likely keep working on it, but with GS.

This second rodent-like head is kind of small, but it is still in proportion to the rest of the body, it just so happens that this is a very buff beast.

The blind head, sculpted right after I had sawed off the second head (a bit weird sculpting order there). It is missing it's jaw here, amongst other things, including but not limited to: Feet, hands, skin, scales, certain muscles and teeth. 
    The general appearance of the creature is fine by my standards, and within my intended plans: Holding it's breath, ready to act violently.

    Fluff behind it is naturally that the creature is one of Melkor's many un-named dark beasts which he kept in his grand mountain fort.

Other projects. GBoG is giving me a headache: I have lost my hobby-chains and it may very well end up with me having to sculpt all the chains from scratch... Some work has been done on the howdah-parts because they were sketchy, at best.

In the lower part of this image you can see that I have added some twigs and pieces to the Crazy Ent-head. The other head is censored since it looks kind of silly, but I have confidence it will look decent in it's finished form.

This is in fact a work-troll, not a war troll which I have insisted on calling it, for some reason - his general beat-down and submissive look is a big hint which position he has in the pecking order, despite his size.
    The loin-cloth might change and he might be given some controlling devices in the form of leather straps.

Wonky arms for carrying rocks to Mordor War Catapults, or perhaps work some simple machines or perhaps even slightly repositioned arms for pushing or pulling Grond?

Continuation of Angband Beast!

Angband Beast.

Great Beast of Gorgoroth, AKA Beast of The Dark Plains.

The Birch Ent, a little close-up...

One of the three heads. This is the "crazy head" which will get a plethora of fags as hairstyle.

The whole gang: Birch-Ent with it's second head, the Dark Troll, Angband Beast and GBoG.

Dark Troll. It's head has been sculpted from Super Sculpey. [Perhaps] little known fact: You can subject Green Stuff, Grey Stuff and Yellow Stuff (Tamiya Putty) for the same heat as you cure your Super Sculpey or White Sculpey. Be advised though, that your Super Glue might lose it's connecting power when it is heatened.
    Super Sculpey lose a lot of it's detail when cured, remember that. I intend to add a helmet so the detail on this monster is not of importance.

Sculpting an Angband Beast... and others!

Upon completion of my practice (which went no-good, by the way, but hey, I got to watch someone fire some form of Dirty Harry gun!) I promtly returned home to finish the base job on these guys:

Mock-up of the Angband Beast. This guy will look a bit like a gorilla (yup... ), a bit like a balrog and a bit like something else. I want to make three different heads for it, although I am not entirely sure I am up for it.

Front limb prostetics in the form of plastic fantastic 40K, wooohooo! The thing will get awkward back-jointed hind-legs.

This boring project is a mess of a failed polyurethane copy, parts Super Sculpey, some wiring, and three different kinds of putty, no four! Tamiyas Fast Curing, AP's Green Stuff, some grey stuff possibly from GF9, some boat-putty (that cured as I was baking the two pieces together!) and another type.

The Great Beast of Gorgoroth, nowadays simply called Beast of the Dark Plains (TM), is getting a good overhaul - the handling of it actually made a lot of the brittle Super Sculpey fall off - it seems that the inner core of cornflakes and "good ideas" was not the best skeleton for this lump of putty... The left front leg is now being remodeled after a Rhino's left front leg. It looks a bit awkward, but that is apparently how they do it when they stroll around the plains of Africa.

Could not stop myself from starting work on the Birch Ent, a good six months before it's planned start. It is just that I want to paint something white and beautiful!

This horrendous face used to belong to the M.E.R.P. inspired Sand Wyrm... I really do not like it. I have since taking this photgraph cut off the ugly teeth. This is a classic example of "killing your babies"... I just can't bring myself to throw it away. At least I went the first step just now, and removed it from it's ill-suiting 64 mm base. Badly painted it is as well...

That was today's progress. See you in a while crocodile!

Llama's WotR-release dates

Since GW has abandoned WotR/LotR and I still need my hobby fix I have decided to make my own release-dates... consider this very ambitious project unlikely to happen, if, however, 30% or so of it happen to be realized, then I'll (at least) be happy, well, satisfied... happiness is such a fickle feeling. Ficken feeling...
     I should also add that these "releases" have a bit doing with my enthusiasm for the hobby: It is at an all-time low and now only protestantic discipline can save me! Hence this deadline-list. Dead. Line.
    Inspiration can come from many places though, and tonight, I found it over at Bizarrewarstar.


Sculpting "release" dates of this flipping blog!

August 28th. Beast of the Dark Plains [revamped Great Beast of Gorgoroth], with five yrch crew. I will probably try to modify existing conversions into these yrch... Also, the howdah is in big need of an update.

End of September, release 1. Preview of the Fastitocalon. I have zero plans ready for this grand project which actually is kind of exciting!

End of September, release 2. Dark War Troll number 1 (with a very generic name) will probably be ready, painted and badly photographed within end of September. Dark War Troll is essentially a Mordor Troll-clone without weapons and less armoured.

October. Frostwyrm. This is not a huge model, but I want to learn some new ways of sculpting so I suspect it'll take longer than normally to finish. I will use Tamiya hard putty in this project.

November. The Red Wizard. This is a man-sized model and those guys always take the longest to sculpt... The Red Wizard is part of my plan to expand Arda ever so slightly, and perhaps even tilt it a bit into my own little world...

December. The Mouth of Sauron. A conversion or perhaps a sculpt, we shall see. I have always wanted one of these, but due to economical reasons I can't bring myself buying one.

January 2016. Avatar of Mahal (work-name).

February 2016. First cast of the Beast of the Dark Plains. This will only happen if at least two people can "pledge" to buy one copy - I am running out of money since I have no job and I am not on the "dole"...

March 2016. Ghur Riders. Two of them. This is essentially the boar riders from the Hobbit. Ghur means bear in Sindarin IIRC, but we'll go with that name anyway, 'cause it sounds okay.


There are some elasticy (spelling, word?) in my little release schedule, and please note that not only must I sculpt these darn things, I must also try to paint them as well as take pictures of them, so if I happen to miss a release, please have understanding. 

Other things I want to sculpt which have no release dates:

- Birch-Ent.
- Black-Hearted Tree.
- Middle-Earthian Warships (in 28mm)! Huuuge project, involving at least a dozen 6-months project each!
- Spell Effects and spawns!
- War Troll number 2.
- The Necromancer (from the Hobbit).
- Stone Guardian number 2.
- Umbarian Reavers.
- Beruthiel 2.
- Keiseimu - Ravager of Ithilien. A 28 mm project. Probably with an accompanying chariot.
- Acolytes of Beruthiel. 28 mm weird babes.
- The Wainrider project. This is a laden project.
- Sauron the Beautiful. Mainly a TC (TC = Total Conversion).
- Lossoth Matrophaunt. A mammoth, essentially. Inspired by WHFB!
- [True] Mountain Giant.
- A mountain giant that looks a bit like the Kadai Fireborn... "Cliffy".
- Felahwand Goblins. A spin off of The Hobbit's goblins - thaw means rotten!
- Andraug, the mechanical wolf! Inspiration from M.E.R.P.
- Beorn. Basic 28 mm model. I'll just use Persbrandt's ugly mug...
- Shapeshifters. Also 28 mm models. Bear-dudes.
- Lord of the Rings-vampires! Also, flying versions (meaning bats!).

- - -   - - -   - - -

Lastly, I am considering selling my Thranduil on Elk due to me needing every bit of cent I can get. Expect more on this matter next update. If you have an opinion on this matter, please let me know in the comments below!!!

Beheading a Gorgoroth Beast!

I have decided to remake the GBoG, AKA Great Beast of Gorgoroth, AKA the Rhino of Middle-Earth [fon.: Mi'dlö'rf-]. Starting with a grand beheading:

First using the AP-saw, I realized something badder was needed and the old get-out-of-jail-saw got out of his prison. I removed the head with a frenzy bordering to mania.

With the head out the way, I will now remove the howdah and redo some or fewer of it's legs. I want to make a mould out of this bugger, as mr FoB grandly asked me to do (no link to this infamous statement is available due to laziness).

Also, mr B-rog has gotten his wings back. My, my, is it a space-craving little model.

Failed Balrog-conversion

First, an edit: Welcome new followers Alejandro Rodríguez Gordillo (pretty impressive name!), Ariel El vikingo Dark and Pendragon Without. Also, mr Warlord gets another welcome, welcome, one and all!

After a tiny bit of vacation and a hefty bit of work, I am ready to do some hobby. It's been nearly two months away from this monstrosity and we have been able to think over things, apart from each other, and we have decided to back off with this whole rare-earth magnet-thingie and will now try to redo the damage we have done to each other:

It is a very nice model but I must confess that I have started to dislike it: A model for wargaming should first and foremost be a somewhat practical playing-piece, not a work of art or a display piece. I removed the beautiful whip and gave him a sword (according to the stories, the Balrog had a flaming sword besides the famous whip) instead. After that I tried to magnetize it's wings and failed.

A bit of drilling, a piece of iron-thread and some GS and I think we've reached a conlusion with this maleur.