Monday 24 November 2014

Conversion corner

When I'm left alone with my hobby I often have this internal monologue going on about a variety of subjects, for example I might ask myself "do I really need to apply a third highlight to this leather pouch?" or "shall I paint stripes or checkers on his trousers?" and I'm sure you all have similar thoughts whilst painting or converting.

One of my most pressing concerns though is my current fascination with GW of the past, or Oldhammer and the "to convert or not convert" question regarding miniatures from which I believe is the golden era of GW models. If you're a regular reader you will have noted that most of my current completed miniatures are from the era of the 80's when I first encountered GW and Warhammer and began a long relationship with the hobby, but I do also own many more current or more recent plastics. I don't mind cutting up plastic.

I love converting miniatures yet my internal monolgue (ehtical?) often prevents me from cutting up an old favourite piece of lead, "it's heresy!": "it's oop and a piece of history!", or "if I ever want to resell it the value would diminish if it was converted - both monetary and aesthetically". However the flip side is that they are my miniatures and that I don't have to take it upon myself to preserve the history of GW 80's miniatures. This is a good example of the cyclical internal monologue to which my answers often fluctuate between the two opinions.

So here are some conversions I have been doing in between painting (some of these conversions were started some time ago) and the majority of which are using new plastics and some old metal. I try not to do too much chopping and instead make a few alterations to make the models unique (this is afterall, I believe, why we convert - to make a unique, characterful model):


A centaur from a plastic cold one and a more recent beastman character. The old nurgle palanquin banner is also visible on it's back. I remember reading somewere that Centaurs like ale, so I've added a barrel and mug to his flank.



Some sort of Deamon Prince, with bits of Ogre, Forgeworld Herald, LotR troll, zombie and Typhus bits. The flying cherubs will be made to look more nurgling in appearance.


Based upon an illustration in the Lost and the Damned on the page about Spawn and Chaos steeds. I intend to add scales to this to complete it.


I think this was intended to be a Chaos Hound based upon a coldone and a wolf's head. Not sure I like it that much...


A small conversion of a Chaos Warrior with the addition of a Nurgle Lord's head and a shield with some greenstuffed/bead Nurgle symbol.


This guy's going to be added to a Thug unit and is simply a stone troll with a chaos warrior's head plus horn.


A Spawn. It started off as a cork with plastic spider legs attached and tyranid arms to the side. I think the head is a 40k squig with a skull in it's mouth. You can't see on this picture, but the skin sections will be stitched together with bits of very fine wire.




A plague cart to add to my eventual Lost and the Damned Nurgle army - it will accompany my plague zombies and skeletons (from Mantic) and just has the addition of a new rider (I hated the original one's proportions) and a plague doctor apprentice where the mask has been greenstuffed over the face.

So basically all these are quite "tame" conversions where I've added or changed without having to cut or chop any old lead. These are now in my "conversion box" which is next to my "to paint" box but basically the unpainted stuff still equates to the same!

I'll show less completed conversions another time. Cheers!

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