Okay Okay heres a small update.
So I made another Uruk Scout with axe. This time I cheated slightly and used a head from an existing scout:
Then I did a little conversion for DMS. He didn't know it was coming so was a nice surprise I think. It's a little rough around the edges as I was rushing to get it done before Christmas:
It started out as a regular Shagrat mini:
I then snipped off the Mithril Shirt, bent the arm up a bit and drilled through with a pin vice. I also removed the pointing finger on the other hand, rotated the arm 90 degrees and drilled through that hand too. The head I cut off and posed facing the other way. In the lower hand I added a weapon from one of the other Mordor Uruks, which I had drilled and inserted a pin into the end of so that it would pass through the hand. In the outstretched arm I added a wire frame which would be an armature for the banner pole.:
A blob of putty on the head was formed into a tortoise shell style helmet, the weapon handle bulked out, and also the banner pole had the wood texture added on. I then added strips of putty for the rope fastenings:
Next a hooded cloak was added to the rear, and hair was blended from the helmet over the top of this. The banner itself was the final thing done.To do large flat surfaces, first put some talc down on your work surface. This stops the putty sticking to it as you roll it flat with a smooth cylindrical object. cut the banner to the approximate shape you want it to be then attach to the pole in places. These joins can be strengthened later once the main banner has cured. Wash off any excess talc from the banner, then add folds into it by blending small sausages of putty on its surface. Any layers that were not completely blended can be burnished off afterwards once cured:
I'm looking forward to seeing this painted up by DMS. If his recent Orc banners are anything to go by we are in for a treat.
I'm currently working on a WoW Goblin character for someone. It's coming along but still a few layers to go yet and some refining in places. Before anyone comments on the boring pose, it is at the clients request so not my choosing. I was going to sneakily enter it in the Goblin challenge, but decided against it as it isn't a Tolkien Gobbo. This little dude is just 20mm tall.