I left these last having to decide on DAS Air Drying Clay or Milliput to clad the chinin plates on the pineapple pot. In the end I decided on the Milliput. For some reason I thought it would be more durable and less likely to chip. It'll cost more but it'll survive. Once again if you refer back to my original post about
Mr_Pink's Tyranid defence line you will see he did a layered effect of the plates. Did the tip, then added another on and then a third, much like the standard Tyranid armour. However despite liking the idea I just slapped a full sheet of Milliput on and sculpted it as large plates.
Much in the same way I did with my Mycetic Spore, you can see below where around a third of my 4oz Milliput supply went.
And that didn't turn out too bad did it? So although I'm deviating from Mr_Pinks design that's what the hobbies about, riffing and remixing others ideas [like
Turiya64's reimaging of my STCs] and creating something new or an alternative option for how you do yours.
One thing I did keep that Mr_pink did was little holes, not sure why but the look cool, even as battle damage but how that will work with my already 'spotty in places' turquoise we'll have to wait and see.
Each of these pieces was rolled out as flat as could be then stuck on [something I feared the DAS would also struggle to do well on the shiny plastic pot]. I was wearing nitrile gloves, because I hate the way Milliput gets hot as the chemical reaction takes place and getting epoxy putty on your hands isn't nice.
Then, once it was in place I shaped it. I used water to smooth the surfaces and then used my thumbnail to score the plate grooves, occasionally pinching and squidging the centre of the plates to get those ridged centres.
I used a cocktail stick for the holes, but for the most part it was just my hands, you can see here I scored the chitin plate on the left right down to the plastic to try and create the depth Mr_Pink achieved by overlapping the plates. This is slightly less detailed but probably quicker because you don't have to wait for one pit to dry before you overlap it.
I haven't done the backs yet, I didn't want to spoil the front while messing around the back.
So far this is all I've done, three singles and a double - five out of the twelve panels. I estimated that there was around 3/4 to 2/3 of the packet of Milliput so I'm assuming one more packet will cover the front of the remaining seven and a second packet will do all twelve backs - I don't expect to have it as thick there and my quad gun base.
As you can see the Hive Guard are making themselves at home and why not?
There's still so much I wanted to do to them. I actually cast a thin layer of plaster that I was going to break up around the base to show the plates 'erupting' from the ground but having smoothed the Milliput into the bevelled edge I don't think there's room, so a standard sprinkling of sand maybe.
There's also opportunity to add more detail - toxin sacs and beads could be embedded in the walls. Tentacles - rolled Milliput or even unwound string like my other efforts. I also thought of making a little press cast of some ribbed tubing I have, if I bend it as I press it into the some Milliput when it's dry I can press more into so I get a ribbed 'slug' shape. That can be put on the insides and then Milliput can be smoothed wound it to make those little ridged detail bits you see on Tyranid arms and legs. So many details and effects I want to do but I fear doing them would slow down progress and I want this done while I have the momentum.
And yes, they do still stack, a bit. Now I await the two packs of Milliput I ordered off ebay for £5.50
