So It Begins...

[Wah Wing]

Well, I think it's about time I start one of these WIP pages. It'll help keep me on track through the coming school year. Ah Man! School. Oh Well. Senior year!

Anyway, I think I'll start where it matters most right now: Isengard and Rohan.

For my Senior Project, I have planned to make Helm's Deep. For those of you who don't know what this project is, it is some project that shows you've learned skills and how it can help others. It's a requirement for Seniors to graduate High School. How does making Helm's Deep help others? I'm tying it in to the literature of the books to get kids to read them.

Enough with the rambling, so here are the first mini's to go towards the project: The leaders of the forces.

Saruman:


Here's the back in a different lighting. The sun is never consistent. One minute its bright. The next there's a shadow.


I still need to paint the eyes and touch up on his staff. Not so sure about the horse. Does it look ok? I didn't like the black horse GW shows so chose this color.

Theoden:

There's one part on his shoulder armour that got hit by some grey so need to touch that up too.

Hope to get some more updates soon!
Comments welcome! Go light on the criticism, though. I still consider myself an apprentice next to the masters.

[Sithious]

Theoden looks good. the horse looks rough, but not a bad scheme.

[Wah Wing]

Do you think a wash would fix the rough look? If so, Baddab Black or Delvan Mud?
Maybe Leviathan Purple?

I honestly don't know where to begin with the Fortress. Should I start with the Hornburg? Then tackle the rest of the fortress? I would like to follow Onyx's tutorial(http://onyxworkshop.wordpress.com/about/helms-deep/) but, I don't have the famous Hirst Arts Blocks. I do have Foam board and Foam core, though. Which would be easier to work with, for sculpting stone purposes? (if that makes any sense).

Well, thought I'd add another update at least on the model side of the project.

Here are Gamling and Eowyn:



Sorry for the bad pics. I'll have to retake them some day. Those were a while ago.
I think that Gamling is by far the best model I've painted with Theoden in 2nd just 'cause of the little grey spot on the king's armour.
Anyway... Thanks again for the kind comments. I'll try to finish up Saruman with those finishing touches and also his base. I found the Escape from Orthanc box and so will try to paint the foot model of Saruman as well.
Till next time!

[Stovorn]

WOW! I wish I could paint that well! I'm about to begin a Helm's deep project too, and I started by taking a lot of pictures from the movie. If I were you i would start at the hornburg, at least thats how i would start. I don't know where to find hirst art blocks either, but maybe thats cause i'm just too lazy to look . I think foamcore/board would be easier to work with tho. Anyway good luck with that project!

[Sithious]

With all projects, start with a sketch of where everything goes an some measurements. there is no set way to make walls, I like foamcore, pink foam, card, plasticard and balsa for most of my projects casue they are light, easy to cut, and cheap.
Advice;
Start at the back, work your way out, don't glue anything til you know you can reach in for details and painting. Test fit, and retest fit. Don't get impatient. think creatively on how to solve details with less work than it looks.

Gamling does look great, like the muted natural colors.

[Wah Wing]

Thanks Sithious!
Some great advice I'll follow to the letter! Hopefully!

Thought I'd add some more pics on.
Here is my current army for Isengard.
I didn't have my troll done so he's not in the pictures.

The whole army:


The Fighting Uruk-hai:



Saruman leading Berserkers:


Warg Riders and Saruman:


Engineers:


Vrashku and Scouts w/bows:


Isengard Orcs:



Ugluk and his Scouts:



Lurtz:


A WIP objective marker:


Uruk-hai Shaman:


Converted Captain:


Converted Banner Carrier:


Converted Hornblower:

In War of the Ring, can you substitute a Hornblower for the Drummer?

Dying Boromir to add to the Scout formation:


And then there's the troll, but no pics of him yet.
Quite the army to set up for a picture! I'll get pictures of the Defenders soon, and, hopefully, start on the actual project of building the fortress.
Till next time!

[Lord Hyper]

I like the horn blower, thats alot of uruks!

[Wah Wing]

Many Uruks but not enough.
Here is my Isengard Troll! I've added the photo to the Paint challenge (One-Ring site), though I'll probably only put the finished product there, while the WIP pics will go here to the finished troll.

Still need to place spent arrows here and there, on the base and the troll.
Have to wait for the greenstuff to dry before I spray the troll.
I decided not to magnetize the arms and weapon hand, so will save the magnets for another project. Hope to get this guy started soon.

Next up: The Defenders. (Probably said that before).

[Lord Hyper]

I like the new pose better than the usual one. Put some dead bodies around his base as well! Arrows sound like a good idea.

[Wah Wing]

Here's an update of my Isengard Troll. Didn't have any spare models to use for dead bodies so decided not to use that idea.
But thanks for the idea. I'll use it for sure on the other trolls I'm bound to get.









It would have been completed, but there's been a minor set-back.
You can see on the shield arm a gap of missing paint. I was showing another model to my sister while I set this guy down and she accidentally bumped him off the kitchen counter. He suffered an amputated arm which was re-pinned on and is in the process of re-applying Green Stuff. After that dries, I'll finish him off by painting that part of skin, painting the cloth, painting the details (eyes, teeth, nails, etc.), and do some work on the fletchings of the arrows.

And here's an addition to the project!


Gandalf the White!




Just need to base him and paint the eyes and he'll be finished as well.
Well, that's all for now. Till next time!
C&C welcome!