Origin Kurgan Custom - First Pics

[LordAzrael]

Sorry for the cruddy quality - but whilst I didn't manage to get hold of a camera - I realised my phone had one in. This is my first attempt at a kurgan helm in 1/6th. It is removable so I plan to add mohair to the Frontline head underneath.

As I said - first attempt on the helm and second on sculpting. I didn't take pics of the breastplate as that will DEFINITELY be redone - probably tomorrow. Will also have some pics of the leggings - unfortunately they didn't come out in daylight.

With the helm - it looked alot better before baking it - but the wire I used as an armature was a little too weak - and allowed the helm to warp. On the positive side the use of gladwrap to keep the head from sticking to the sculpey worked perfectly - and then it melts away during the baking process. So I will redo the breastplate this time with an armature and using the gladwrap - meaning I should get a much better fit.

Will probably go shopping for the paint to do the heads tomorrow too so I can really start pulling this together.

 

[pixletwin]

Nice job. I can't wait to see the paint job you give 'em... Though I don't serve the great Kurgan.

 

[King Darkness]

From what I can see it looks pretty good Azrael..I get a little more excited every time I see new pix from you and Josh..I cant wait to see more pix!! Your fellow Crusaders salute you!!

 

[galactiboy]

Looks real good, can't wait to see the finished product!!!

 

[DannieDarKo]

NICE!

 

[TOE]

that looks sweet !!!! liking the the helm already.

 

[Shai]

**** yes... !!!! looks good already..

 

[DarkArtist81]

Great Job Azrael!!! You are LEAGUES ahead of me now!! Great work though, so keep it up. I know how hard this can be and trust me, you will mess up several times until you get it right.

BEST OF LUCK, FELLOW BRAVE SOUL!!!!

 

[LordAzrael]

Did a second sculpt last night which turned out better - the one above is a bit lopsided (which you can't see from the pics but is apparent from a birds eye view). I need to grab some sandpaper - the sculpey picks up fingerprints really easily which isn't apparent on the unpainted sculpt but stand out once painted. I've also prepared the plume for the helm which I'll attach once the helm is sanded and painted. Also sculpted the shoulder armour - unfortunately it ended up a bit narrow (shrunk a little in baking) so will have to have second go. Also my buckles arrived from Rio Rondo - but I didn't get any brown straps (my mistake) so I'll have to place another order. I think I'll use the black ones in the interim anyways.

 

[LordAzrael]

Ok. Got the chestplate and shoulder armour done - so here is a pic. I've also popped the head but ran into a little trouble - I need to widen the hole on the replacement head to get it to fit. Unfortunately while trying to prop the head on for taking the photo - I dropped the helm and it shattered - so will have to resculpt that (Again)........

Anyway - turns out the shoulder armour will be attached via straps around the upper bicep. Also in the pic you can see the fur undershirt between the figure and his armour. For the purposes of the pic its just taped on but the buckles arrived on Friday so once the backplate is done it will be held in place by straps and buckles.

Also got my black mohair on Friday and this will be perfect for the Kurgan's hair - before breaking the helm I did have a peek at what it looked like and will work great.

Cheers!

 

[King Darkness]

Damn Azrael that sux that you busted the 2nd helm...But I guess the more you make the better your get...I only wish that you had better pix...from what I can see it looks good, but I cant see much...You are getting this done pretty fast...Keep the updates coming!

 

[LordAzrael]

My folks get back from O/S this week and so I'll have access to a digital camera then So better photo's will be coming at that point in time!

 

[TOE]

dang man. the body is looking good. sorry to hear about the helm but the second is always better than the first. post a BIG pic when you get the digital camera.

 

[LordAzrael]

Did my third try at the helm last night - and it is the best by far. No pics as I should have access to a proper camera by the weekend. At first it was too tight to remove but I broke off the bit around the head and face leaving the "cap" and then redid that part and its pretty good now. The eyes on top are much improved and the overall shape matches the "bird's eye" view of the helm from the Kurgan Helm project. Also have done the backplate and accurised the shoulder guards a bit more. Having watched the DVD on the weekend again you do actually get quite a good shot of the back of the Kurgan's head right before the start of the battle as the camera pans backwards and upwards.

Using a cheap body as an armature worked pretty well for the breastplate and backplate - and then using gladwrap to stop the baked sculpey sticking to the figure. I'm thinking now that when I finish all the highlander customs I've got planned that a couple of Russell Crowe Gladiator figures are now a real possibility.

At this point i need to get some fine sandpaper to sand off the fingerprints from the sculpted parts, some paint to paint up the kurgan heads, a drill to allow me to fit the head to the body and some pleather for the leather parts (belt and leg armour). All in all its looking pretty good - I still have to do the undershirt with the same material as the leggings before I start assembling it permanently - I've decided against making the armour removable as it will just be too fragile.

Once I get the heads painted I'll probably be looking for two more Kurgan bodies immediately to have Modern kurgan in both the final battle and "with hair" versions.

Still to sort out the chainmail issue and the plate armour for the forearms though.

 

[LordAzrael]

Update for the weekend. Finished sculpting the new helm, breastplate, backplate and shoulder guards. Also sewed up the fur undercoat. I should have attached the plume before taking the photos but hadn't.

The Helmet rocks back a bit - unfortunately whilst I did add more to the inside back of the helm it still does that. The final will have a chin strap (like in the movie) but any more support and it wouldn't be removable.

Still have to work on the armour for the armours & legs, as well as get some boots (the ones in the photo are borrowed from "The Master").

 

[LordAzrael]

Also heres a preview of my Napoleonic Duncan. All that was done so far was to take the clothes from a DiD Napoleonic figure and transfer them to the sideshow Modern Duncan, and then add the sword from the Origins Duncan. I need to add gold epaulets, and sand back the head and resculpt new hair. But for a quick clothes swap I think he's pretty good.I also need to review that episode to make sure I'm getting the costuming right

 

[LordAzrael]

While I'm uploading here's a shot of a custom Neo I finished this week. The head was custom from Hong Kong, and the body is a "tall" 3.5 BBI with bendy fingers, the sun glasses are from a BBI Lucas and the costume is from a HT Neo, with the exception of the shirt & pistols which are from that other Neo figure (they were slightly smaller than the HT weapons - also the HT pistols were die cast and a little too heavy for the bendy hands).

It was when I got my shipment of bodies that I realised that BBI/Dragon bodies are "slightly" shorter than Sideshow bodies. Guess I'll be making a few Tom Cruise customs.

 

[Shai]

Update for the weekend. Finished sculpting the new helm, breastplate, backplate and shoulder guards. Also sewed up the fur undercoat. I should have attached the plume before taking the photos but hadn't.

The Helmet rocks back a bit - unfortunately whilst I did add more to the inside back of the helm it still does that. The final will have a chin strap (like in the movie) but any more support and it wouldn't be removable.

Still have to work on the armour for the armours & legs, as well as get some boots (the ones in the photo are borrowed from "The Master").

Whoaa..this is gonna look so good !!!!

 

[King Darkness]

Like Shai said....this is gonna rock!!! It is looking great! I think you are doing the great Kurgan justice.....Also your Duncan looks awesome..I'am VERY impressed with what you have done so far!!!!!

 

[DarkArtist81]

Very good work so far Azrael! Especially the helmet! Very nice....

Keep it up, he's gonna look fantastic when he's finished... :chew