All Hail the King

I made this fun conversion for my Tomb Kings army, with the various elements designed to show the taint of Tzeentch.  The multi colored carrion bird had been one of the King's pet birds prior to this taint.

Here's the story of the army:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/tainted-pharaoh-pseusenes-fate.html

I scratch sculpted two constructs for the army as well:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-constructs-of-pseusenes.html

This article discussed the planning of the display board:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/i-love-it-when-plan-comes-together.html

This image was seen in many of the bases, figures and display board:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/painting-by-design-more-armies-on.html

Here are some views of the army and the display board:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2015/01/dare-to-enter-tomb-city-of-pseusennes.html

Here's a closer look at the moveable terrain pieces that I created for that upper level:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2015/01/walls-obelisks-and-more.html

Casket of Doom!

Here's the unit that started it all for the Tomb Kings... the scary box!

The Casket was the featured element of the display board, one of two levels... here's the upper "ground" level:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/altars-bugs-and-bones-more-work-on.html

Here's a step by step of the lower level:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/chairman-on-board-painting-lower-tomb.html

This link shows how the lights were used to create some dramatic interior effects:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/are-you-board-yet-armies-on-parade.html

This step by step shows how I painted the primary image of the Upper Levels, and many of the bases (like the chariot set)

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/painting-by-design-more-armies-on.html

He's also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/322555851846?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

All the King's Horses

One of my favorite aspects of the Tomb Kings was converting all the skeletal horses, including those pulling the chariots.  I believe it was either the cover of the new army book or one of the interior illustrations that showed the horses with these scale mail 'blankets'.

I could not resist trying to make those myself!  I even had to create an entire theme/story to go with them :-)

I used tin foil as a base for the green stuff, which could be pressed into a mould (made from the original piece that I sculpted) and then wrapped over the miniature.  This tin foil gave the green stuff critical support as it cured, so I could put the blankets into any position that I wanted, and it would not sag!

I also had a lot of fun with the "demon marble"... so much fun that I even made one of my kickstarter painting videos featuring this technique.  The entire army was painted with this marble effect.

You can get a better view of that here:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-cries-of-tainted.html

Here's an example of converting the Hierophant on skeletal horse:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/07/behold-pale-horse-and-his-name-that-sat.html

One last view of an old favorite!

Creator of the Fall

I had a lot of fun with this Heirophant conversion that was done for my Tomb Kings army.  Using a bunch of chariot bits and green stuff, I was able to make him look more impressive than a standard skeletal cavalry figure.

I couldn't resist giving him a sceptre and a skull too!  Of course, he had to have a number of cartouches as well.

For those who have seen the story of my Tomb Kings, they know that this Heirophant was the source of the "First Fall", playing around with sorcery best left untouched.

I had him on the skeletal horse to make him more mobile, but also allow him to attach to the unit of cavalry for protection.  None of these things really worked out, as Tomb Kings tended to die from a random stiff breeze!

Feathered Friends

Here are some final views of the sculpted carrion birds for my Tzeetch tainted Tomb Kings army.  The bases were also carved from baked sculpey, which tell the story of Psuesennes and his corruption by the Tzeentch God.

The carrion were actually his pet tropical birds, which became horribly changed like all the rest of his kingdom once he foolishly accepted the God's unholy bargain.

That is one reason for the bright coloration, along with the Tzeentch taint.  I gave a few of them two heads to try and indicate the corruption as well.

Carving the pillars was definitely the hardest part!  Since they were round, the carving tools always wanted to scoot off the edge, and not where I wanted them.

There are also glowing skeletons inside the carrion birds.

Here's the story of Psuesennes:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/tainted-pharaoh-pseusenes-fate.html

The movement trays all declared the warning... "All those who enter the Tomb Cities of Pseusennes shall suffer a fate worse than death".

They are also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/222409810956?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Beetlejuice

This Prince Apophas figure was an interesting little conversion that I made for my Tomb Kings army.  I made a few press moulds of the beetles that formed the body, and used those moulds to cast some blobs of green stuff.

These 'casts' of beetles were used to extend the bottom of the figure in order to wrap around the base.

I added a few of the plastic winged scarabs on the tops of these extensions to make them appear like he was actually forming from the swarm!

I believe that I also added a few skulls in there too.  'Cause ya know... Tomb Kings. ;-)

He was painted in the same Tzeentch taint color scheme as the rest of the army.

He's also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/222405679133?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Terror Steeds

This is one of my favorite units of the old Tomb Kings army.  It's a converted skeleton cavalry unit that helped set the tone for everything else in the army.  Here's a look at the entire batch:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-first-painted-movement-tray-for.html

As you can see, each horse and rider is completely unique, in pose and in colors.  That was to reflect the Tzeentch taint of the entire army.  What was gold armor had turned to 'mercury', and was now every color of the rainbow.  

While you don't get bored painting every single figure differently, it can get a little crazy trying to make sure each one is unique, but yet maintain the same color set!

To learn more about the story of the army, I have this post:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/06/tainted-pharaoh-pseusenes-fate.html

He's also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/322410017661?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Here's a peek at the green stuff work.

From Sketch to Sculpt... and beyond

Several years ago, at our last Games Day, I sketched out this design for a scratch sculpted Heirotitan.   GW hadn't made one at the time (and they never will at this point), so I thought it would be very fun to sculpt my own!

I used a variety of materials to create the sculpt, including the tin foil armature!  Most of the sculpt is made from Apoxy Sculpt, which I really love.  It has all the good properties of green stuf, but none of the bad!  The same for a Miliput comparison.

Here's the original post with more images:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/07/clash-of-titans-scratch-sculpting.html

Here's part two of the sculpting process:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/07/tipping-scales-sculpting-nearly.html

I really enjoyed painting this as well... here's a post:

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/07/painting-hierotitan-early-stages.html

He also had a buddy... a scratch sculpted Colossus!

http://wappellious.blogspot.com/2012/07/colossal-paint-job-another-monster.html

The fluorescent paints were added to many of the surfaces in order to make the colors shimmer.  Since they entire army was tainted by Tzeentch, that was very important.

This might give you an idea of how massive he was.  I wish that I could have put him on a bigger base, but that's the legal size!

One final look at the Heirotitan.  He was definitely a favorite of the army, and a centerpiece of the story and the display board.

He's also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/322374117232?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649