Cloud Strife's WIP

[Cloud Strife]

So, I've had this guy on hold for awhile now, and finally decided to try and finish him up. I completely resculpted the chest, back and stomach of a Torch/Gung Ho/Monkeywrench/etc... torso. This was a nice challenge for me and I enjoyed it. The neck was actually the most difficult part but I'm really happy with how it turned out as well as the whole figure.

So, thanks to the amazing company that is Slayer Design Studio, I'm going to be redoing most of the 'Noks and making some that Hasbro hasn't. Zarana is the only 80's 'Nok that I currently lack in completing my 25th/ME 'Nok team.

I'll be changing a lot between Torch, Ripper and Buzzer to make them look more like the original figs in design, moreso than the 25th versions. At least, that's my goal. I'm starting another Thrasher and sculpting the chest armor, "diaper" and shoulder pads this time around. Just posted the pic to show the head I'll be using.

Zartan, Zandar and Zarana are also on the workbench and I'll share pics when I'm further along with them.

Please, share any and all comments and critiques.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

yer sculpting looks good...specially on Sarge...his neck and shirt wrinkles look like they came that way, very smooth...

that RP kit it awesome!...i'd bet that even if hasbro made him they wouldnt do that well...

as for the other noks, i did the same thing with them, making them resemble the OGs more closely

 

[Slaymaker]

Can't wait to see those SDS heads painted...it will help me decide if I am gonna spend the dough to change all of mine.

Your WIPs look great so far...where did you get the veiny arms for the Sarge?

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Those are looking great dude! I should've gotten that torso for RP. Are those the same arms on RP and Sarge? Or similar? I'm not familiar with them. That RP will look great all painted up!

Sarge looks good too, but needs a bigger waist like I already mentioned to you elsewhere. Can't wait to see the rest of your Nok redos! SDS really did a great job on their Nok heads, but I wasn't really unhappy with the Hasbro heads for Torch, Ripper and Buzzer, but I'm curious to see those noggins painted up. They look great!

Also, I've been considering rebuilding Buzzer like you mentioned... Can't wait to see how you finish him up.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Sarge looks good too, but needs a bigger waist like I already mentioned to you elsewhere..

i thought that too...either that or he needs to loose the thunder thighs...but for Sarge, i'd say more bulk is better

SDS really did a great job on their Nok heads, but I wasn't really unhappy with the Hasbro heads for Torch, Ripper and Buzzer, but I'm curious to see those noggins painted up.

same here...they were always fine with me...though these SDS ones look even better

 

[Cloud Strife]

yer sculpting looks good...specially on Sarge...his neck and shirt wrinkles look like they came that way, very smooth...

that RP kit it awesome!...i'd bet that even if hasbro made him they wouldnt do that well...

as for the other noks, i did the same thing with them, making them resemble the OGs more closely

Thanks, Eddie! I've done a few more wrinkles along the the chest and some sanding to help them blend in with the shirt better. I'll try to post some updated pics tonight.

I'm definitely happy with the parts I've chosen for Road Pig:

Head: SDS slightly modified
Torso: SDS slightly modified
Arms: Wolverine Origins Sabretooth (will have to drill holes for hands)
Upper Legs: Serpentor w/lots of sculpting
Lower Legs: Resolute Destro w/lots of sculpting

Can't wait to see those SDS heads painted...it will help me decide if I am gonna spend the dough to change all of mine.

Your WIPs look great so far...where did you get the veiny arms for the Sarge?

Thank you! The arms came from the DTC Major Barrage figure. Although you could just as well use the Wolverine Origins Sabretooth arms that I used on my RP fig (you'll have to cut the hands off and drill holes for the replacements).

Those are looking great dude! I should've gotten that torso for RP. Are those the same arms on RP and Sarge? Or similar? I'm not familiar with them. That RP will look great all painted up!

Sarge looks good too, but needs a bigger waist like I already mentioned to you elsewhere. Can't wait to see the rest of your Nok redos! SDS really did a great job on their Nok heads, but I wasn't really unhappy with the Hasbro heads for Torch, Ripper and Buzzer, but I'm curious to see those noggins painted up. They look great!

Also, I've been considering rebuilding Buzzer like you mentioned... Can't wait to see how you finish him up.

Thanks, Rex!

Sarge's Arms = Major Barrage (DTC)
RP Arms = Wolverine Origins Sabretooth

Sabretooth's arms could be used just as well for Sarge as they're very similar to the Major Barrage figure's arms that I used. They already have the wristbands to, although you'll have to sand the studs down.

I've actually sculpted some more on Sarge, but haven't hit the outside hips of the lower torso to make them more proportionate w/his legs. I'm kind of dreading that part and am putting it off. LOL

i thought that too...either that or he needs to loose the thunder thighs...but for Sarge, i'd say more bulk is better

same here...they were always fine with me...though these SDS ones look even better

Yeah, I want my Sarge to resemble his OG artwork, thick neck and all. lol

I'll be bulking the waistline up a bit to better fit his legs, but I dread having to do it. So, I'm procrastinating while I sculpt on Buzzer and Thrasher

 

[Cloud Strife]

Oh yeah, if you want that torso Rex, I've got an extra I can hook you up with. Let me know.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Actually, I might... I need to sort my custom fodder, because my spare bedroom is a wreck. I have Joe parts laying everywhere. Getting a torso from SDS never crossed my mind, but there aren't really any "ripped" torsos that work for a guy that big from Hasbro. The ones I had planned to use simply look way undersized.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Here's Thrasher so far. Still have a lot of details to sculpt but the bulk of it is done. Let me know what you think.

This is what I've gotten done with my Buzzer custom so far. Basically went with another torso, sculpted ripped sleeves and dog tags, and sanded the pockets of his pants. Still not sure that I'm going to be using these lower legs though...

 

[Cloud Strife]

And here's Sarge w/a couple more wrinkles and a wider mid-section:

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Dang, I'll have to post proper comments when I get off work and check out the pics again but the sculpting looks great so far!

 

[Cloud Strife]

Dang, I'll have to post proper comments when I get off work and check out the pics again but the sculpting looks great so far!

Thanks, man! I want your input. I caught that I need to sand down his left shoulder pad some more on the top outer edge.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

really nice job on the sculpting...

i know they were there in the first pics, but i like how you added the wrinkles between Sarges pecs to look like his shirts tawt...the added beef at the torso looks much better...

and good choice of torso for Buzzer...very little painting to do...do you plan to sculpt on the black armor/pads he had on his crotch and legs?...its the one thing i've avoided doing on mine to make him more accurate, but i never forget that i want to do it...its always in the back of my mind...

and i like how you sculpted the shoulder armor right onto Thrasher AND still kept range of motion

 

[Cloud Strife]

really nice job on the sculpting...

i know they were there in the first pics, but i like how you added the wrinkles between Sarges pecs to look like his shirts tawt...the added beef at the torso looks much better...

and good choice of torso for Buzzer...very little painting to do...do you plan to sculpt on the black armor/pads he had on his crotch and legs?...its the one thing i've avoided doing on mine to make him more accurate, but i never forget that i want to do it...its always in the back of my mind...

and i like how you sculpted the shoulder armor right onto Thrasher AND still kept range of motion

Thanks, for the comments!

I still need to add some wrinkles to the back of the shirt and widen his hips a little bit and then I reckon Sarge will be ready to finish painting.

The fact that the shirt was close to the color needed on that torso was a big reason why I chose it. I'll definitely be sculpting the black armor/pads on his crotch and legs. I'm waiting to do that after I've painted his shirt before doing it though, b/c It will make it more difficult to get his webgear on if I have to force it over the crotch armor. Also, waiting to sculpt the leg armor/pads until I get the webgear on b/c once I get them sculpted on I won't be able to take the legs apart, which will make it difficult to get the webgear as well.

I added some more to Thrasher last night, but not much. Now that I'm getting into the smaller details, it's a lot more tedious...

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

its crazy much time the small details sap up...you sit back and think "did this one inch by two inch ladder really just take me five and half hours?!"

 

[Cloud Strife]

its crazy much time the small details sap up...you sit back and think "did this one inch by two inch ladder really just take me five and half hours?!"

lol... Speaking from experience here?

 

[Starfighter]

Very nice! I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

lol... Speaking from experience here?

yeah, kinda...styrene work takes me forrrr-ehhhh-verrrr!

 

[Dropshipbob]

They all look great, especially Sarge, and your sculpting skills kick ass!

 

[Meddatron]

I love what you are doing with Thrasher, Sarge looks great but the one little detail i am super loving is the added ripped sleeves to Buzzer. what a killer idea and a perfect execution of it. I cannot wait to see more

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Okay, had some time to take a second, longer look.

The Thrasher looks amazing. No constructive criticism there, as it's pretty spot-on to the ARAH and looks quality! Nothing I would change about it. The diaper area looks great, too. Can't wait to see the extra details, but the base padding looks flawless, man. It's nice to see the SDS head on the figure, as it helps me to visualize the entire figure. I need to completely redo my Thrasher from almost the ground up, so that's a good starting point that I may reference, if I ever get around to it.

I know you mentioned sending off the torso to get it cast by SDS, but won't that destroy the master? Also, I don't think you can paint it, either, if it's going to get cast, or did you jettison that idea?

Buzzer looks great too, only comment would be on the shoulder frays... You'll have to watch moving the arms up, which could be a problem in poses like raising the arms above his head to lift the chainsaw... I am not sure how the vintage weapon fits the 25th hands (I need to get the vintage weapon, too, btw) but if it holds similarly to the 25th chainsaw, you may snap off those details. Did you consider making them stick up slightly and be a little smaller?

They look great, I just worry that you may snap them off when posing.

Sarge looks bigger now, too. Looking good, man. Really making me want to crack open the greenstuff I have, but I've got waaay too many customs to clear off my list first. I'm kind of at a "crossroads" right now where to finish the majority of the ones on my plate, I'll need to get to sculpting and painting a lot of parts, which is what I normally try to avoid for durability.

On the Road Pig, what're you going to paint? The arms to match the torso, or the torso and head to match the arms? The parts are looking great, but ultimately you'll have to paint large areas of flesh to get the entire figure to mesh, and that's one thing I always shy away from, if at all possible.

 

[Cloud Strife]

They all look great, especially Sarge, and your sculpting skills kick ass!

Thanks! I haven't had much experience with sculpting, so it's good to hear I'm doing alright at it.

I love what you are doing with Thrasher, Sarge looks great but the one little detail i am super loving is the added ripped sleeves to Buzzer. what a killer idea and a perfect execution of it. I cannot wait to see more

Thanks, Meddatron! I've wanted to do a proper Buzzer for a while now and the ripped sleeves were a must for me.

Okay, had some time to take a second, longer look.

The Thrasher looks amazing. No constructive criticism there, as it's pretty spot-on to the ARAH and looks quality! Nothing I would change about it. The diaper area looks great, too. Can't wait to see the extra details, but the base padding looks flawless, man. It's nice to see the SDS head on the figure, as it helps me to visualize the entire figure. I need to completely redo my Thrasher from almost the ground up, so that's a good starting point that I may reference, if I ever get around to it.

I know you mentioned sending off the torso to get it cast by SDS, but won't that destroy the master? Also, I don't think you can paint it, either, if it's going to get cast, or did you jettison that idea?

Buzzer looks great too, only comment would be on the shoulder frays... You'll have to watch moving the arms up, which could be a problem in poses like raising the arms above his head to lift the chainsaw... I am not sure how the vintage weapon fits the 25th hands (I need to get the vintage weapon, too, btw) but if it holds similarly to the 25th chainsaw, you may snap off those details. Did you consider making them stick up slightly and be a little smaller?

They look great, I just worry that you may snap them off when posing.

Sarge looks bigger now, too. Looking good, man. Really making me want to crack open the greenstuff I have, but I've got waaay too many customs to clear off my list first. I'm kind of at a "crossroads" right now where to finish the majority of the ones on my plate, I'll need to get to sculpting and painting a lot of parts, which is what I normally try to avoid for durability.

On the Road Pig, what're you going to paint? The arms to match the torso, or the torso and head to match the arms? The parts are looking great, but ultimately you'll have to paint large areas of flesh to get the entire figure to mesh, and that's one thing I always shy away from, if at all possible.

Glad you're digging Thrasher so far! I sculpted some more details (started the pouch on his right hip, the diamond shaped studs on the belt, added the strap in the middle of the back of the pads, sanded down his left shoulder pad some to make it more proportionate to his right one) last night after I posted the pics.

Dave told me that getting a cast made of a head doesn't hurt it, but not sure about a torso. Something I'll ask him though. In any case, I forgot to pop the bottom part of the torso open before sculpting. Oops. So, I don't think the lower part of the torso is going to be casted. I'm not even really sure on how to open the lower part of the torso w/out damaging and warping it.

I'm going to be painting Road Pig head-to-toe, including the skin. I hate trying to match skin tones as it takes me forever to get close and even then I can notice a different. So, I've gotten to where I just paint all of in most cases if I have to paint skin. It's a pain w/all the sanding of the joints and layers of paint, but it will drive me crazy if I don't have it all match. lol

 

[Mandingo Rex]

You're a braver man-boy than I, then. There's no way I'd paint a whole figure head-to-toe and be cool with it. Of course, I never can do the joint-sanding thing correctly, so that may help in your favor...

I've never been able to successfully split a lower torso, either. I always end up crushing it or warping part of it, or damaging it to the point of throwing it away and still not actually cracking the bastard.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Well, photobucket is down so I'm having to upload all of the pics as attachments.

I've added a lot of the smaller details on Thrasher's armor (what a pain!) and sanded down the ripped sleeves on Buzzer (Great suggestion Rex).

I still have to add more of the details on Thrasher's chest and back armor, but I believe I'm done with Thrasher's lower torso.

Buzzer still needs his armor pads on his legs and crotch, but I'm going to wait until I've got him painted and have his webgear on before doing that.

Threw a pic of Gung Ho in w/his new head, b/c I love it!

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Lookin' good man. I'll comment in the morning, it's time for bed. Haha.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

the sculpting on Thrasher is amazing man...really really nice and crisp sharp lines...smooth too...

very eager to see what you do with Buzzers leg sculpting now...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

That belt/padding looks awesome. Painted up, it'll look even better. Buzzer's looking good too.

I had to dremel that Gung Ho sculpt, it wouldn't fit that torso. I'll probably hot-glue it tonight, I didn't have much time to mess with it last night. I was a little surprised that they wouldn't size the GH head for the GH torso, though. Same with Cutter. I'm assuming you did the hot glue method to get it on there, or is it just balanced on it for now?

 

[Cloud Strife]

the sculpting on Thrasher is amazing man...really really nice and crisp sharp lines...smooth too...

very eager to see what you do with Buzzers leg sculpting now...

Maybe I'll take a break from the sculpting this weekend and get some painting done. Hopefully I can get Buzzer painted up and start the sculpting on him. The leg and crotch armor pads shouldn't be too difficult and time consuming.

That belt/padding looks awesome. Painted up, it'll look even better. Buzzer's looking good too.

I had to dremel that Gung Ho sculpt, it wouldn't fit that torso. I'll probably hot-glue it tonight, I didn't have much time to mess with it last night. I was a little surprised that they wouldn't size the GH head for the GH torso, though. Same with Cutter. I'm assuming you did the hot glue method to get it on there, or is it just balanced on it for now?

I was surprised to see that the GH head wasn't made to fit the Gung Ho torso... Not sure which torso they had in mind. I just sat on the neck ball for the pic. I'm going to have to mod it to fit too. I want to do Gung Ho in his original colors, but I hate the arms they gave Gung Ho. The arms are an easy fix, but matching the skin tones would be an absolute pain. I can't paint the whole figure and cover the tattoo up. I don't have the means to do make a waterslide decal of the tat...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Making waterslide decals would be choice... I have a thousand uses I could come with, not just for silly toys. I was really jealous of ceraurus' work over at the other site.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

i don't know if you've done any cutting of figures, either way, just cut the crotch part of the original G-H off and cut the crotch off the comic pack release and switch them...just peg and glue them..that way you get the better color skin tone G-H in OG uniform...

its really easy...and with that comic pack skin tone, you have a choice between many arm combos...i used to hate looking at G-H due to his zombie nature, but now, fixed up, HE ROCKS!

one thing i really wish i could change is his legs....ohhh how i hate the G-H legs, the lowers specifically...though his attachments on his uppers are too bulky IMO...

 

[Cloud Strife]

Making waterslide decals would be choice... I have a thousand uses I could come with, not just for silly toys. I was really jealous of ceraurus' work over at the other site.

Yeah, I saw those. He did an awesome job on those and I need to figure out how to do that. All of those patches make the customs that much better.

i don't know if you've done any cutting of figures, either way, just cut the crotch part of the original G-H off and cut the crotch off the comic pack release and switch them...just peg and glue them..that way you get the better color skin tone G-H in OG uniform...

its really easy...and with that comic pack skin tone, you have a choice between many arm combos...i used to hate looking at G-H due to his zombie nature, but now, fixed up, HE ROCKS!

one thing i really wish i could change is his legs....ohhh how i hate the G-H legs, the lowers specifically...though his attachments on his uppers are too bulky IMO...

Dude, you need to explain to me the method you used to cut the figures like that. I can't even tell you did that looking at the fig. Very cool.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

i did it with a band saw, but any saw will work, you just have to properly place your cuts...

the torso yer keep'n needs to be cut low so you lose material in the crotch area...

the crotch part you plan to keep needs to be cut high so you lose material in the torso...then any clean up can be done with a Dremel...

i cut just above the pockets on G-Hs crotch so that i could Dremel out the material and set the toso behind the pockets so that it looked just like factory...

 

[Cloud Strife]

i did it with a band saw, but any saw will work, you just have to properly place your cuts...

the torso yer keep'n needs to be cut low so you lose material in the crotch area...

the crotch part you plan to keep needs to be cut high so you lose material in the torso...then any clean up can be done with a Dremel...

i cut just above the pockets on G-Hs crotch so that i could Dremel out the material and set the toso behind the pockets so that it looked just like factory...

Thanks, for the tip. I'll have to make sure to work extra hard on the crotch area.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

i hope it made sense...when i read it (and i wrote it) its hard for ME to follow...

 

[Cloud Strife]

i hope it made sense...when i read it (and i wrote it) its hard for ME to follow...

I think I got the brunt of it. Thanks!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

if ya want, you can send your figs and i'll bandsaw them for ya...just say'n

 

[Cloud Strife]

if ya want, you can send your figs and i'll bandsaw them for ya...just say'n

That's cool of you to offer man! I don't have a bandsaw, so I'll take you up on that.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

takes like one minute to do...do you have a dremel?

 

[Cloud Strife]

takes like one minute to do...do you have a dremel?

Yup. (I'm typing this parenthetical statement b/c the website requires a post of at least 5 characters or more...)

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

so if i cut them, you can do the rest?