Thursday, March 31, 2016

{T}Rolling Along - Last of the Fire Eaters AND their new best friend!

So I have done two posts now showing my fire eater models - and I have saved the best for last... or at least the most extreme conversion!

This is one of those models where I will drop it on the table at a major event and have to hope for the best - I think it should be just fine BUT if someone wanted to be a tool they could most certainly call me out on it and I would have to accept that. Meh, I love it and wont lose sleep over such silliness.

So without further Ado, here she is!

 I know that I have done right by the concept of the fire eater and have included what I consider to be the most important thematic elements (fire/torch, flamboyant outfit/theatrical flare and booze) but in this case I only used two actual fire eater model components - the top hat from the fire eater pyg and the XL sized Keg backpack from one of the trollkin. I turned the hat around in the opposite direction of the pyg (which I built stock in my other fire eater unit) because it helped to further differentiate the two AND supported the overall compositional movement of the figure. Good stuff.


The body comes from one of the Dhunian Knot models (I picked up 2 blisters because I liked the sculpts so much! One to build stock standard and the other for conversions....the second of which I will show you very soon.... ;) )  I adjusted the arms and hands a bit so that it appears as though she is holding up the scratch built mug like a performer or magicians reveal (or perhaps as a holy object of veneration - either interpretation works for me!)

The mug itself is simply a piece of plastic tubing and some greenstuff rims and "froth". I also greenstuffed a few straps and minor detail edits on the model to complete the backpack and arm conversions.

The "piece de resistance" that really sells this as a fire eater is the torch bearing whelp. His body actually comes from the Dire Troll Bomber but I replaced the head. This figure is situated on the shoulder of the fire eater (much like the one from the actual FE unit leader) and the metal hand hold bracket sculpted to his hand has instead formed the handle to the mug/stein in the fire eaters hand! A little subtle bending/heating and reposing and it the whelp just looks so damn cool holding the mug/toes barely perched on the keg, flaming torch at the ready. I love the way this figure looks from multiple angles and it is going to be a real treat to paint.



And what is a unit of fire eaters without a Pyre troll? I'm afraid that I had some plans for his stock head (mwuhahahaha) and in my bits box I had this really awesome head from an IK troll model that I ordered on a whim once upon a time. I showed it to my son and as soon as he saw the combo with the new head he went wild - it just looks really cool. So expressive and SO MANY teeth!

RAWR So much more attitude now! Definitely ready to set his friends on fire :)

Cya soon!

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