+ Raising a God-Engine +
+ Evoking character through customisation +
+ A hobby-horse inload today, on why making your models your own matters – and some ideas for where to start. +
+ While the principles can be applied to any model, I focus here on a Titan for three reasons. Firstly, they're lovely big centrepiece models. Secondly, they can be intimidating to adapt; and thirdly, because I haven't done any Adeptus Titanicus stuff for a while, and it's nice to show off work you're proud of! +
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+ Theoretical: Why modify the basic kit? +
Model kits are designed to be built a certain way, and anything you do to make your version stand out can help to add interest and impact to the model. Since both tabletop wargaming and painting for display imply some form of social interaction or having an audience, modifying and customising your kits is a great way to make your stuff stand out. Vive la difference!
You might do this purely for functional reasons – the tournament you're attending requires you to build and paint models rather than use paper stand-ins, perhaps; you might do it for your own pleasure or as a challenge; or you want to demonstrate your skills and imagination to other people – or just yourself.
In all likelihood, the impetus to modify your kits is driven by some combination of the three. And in turn, how much time and effort you want to put into converting and customising is down to your taste. Here I'll outline a few starting points.
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+ Practical: Where do I start? +
First things first, if you paint your model after assembling it, you're already modifying the kit. There's nothing inherently scary or intimidating in personalising your work, so we can get over at least that hurdle immediately.
+ Posing +
There are lots of simple ways to make your models your own. Perhaps the simplest is reposing it. For some kits – like this Warlord – reposing is easy, as all the parts are separate. This is both a blessing and a curse for personalisation: it makes things easy, but as variation in pose is baked-in, it's that much harder to make a pose stand out – after all, every version of this Warlord kit will be slightly different, even if you opt for the 'factory standard' pose.
I've exloaded before about reposing Titans (go check out this article about reposing Reavers' legs, hosted on Maximal Fire [+noosphericexloadlink embedded+], for example) so suffice to say here that (with fully-posable models) taking your time to consider the pose you want and executing it carefully will go a long way, while physically modifying the kit can further emphasise your customisation.
+ Re-posing +
The feet on this Warlord are single-piece, and so the relatively simple job of trimming off and refitting the toes at angles here adds to the sense of weight and ponderous movement.
Changes like this – that require physically modifying the base kit – are what's normally considered conversion, and it's one step on from posing.
The big hurdle for trying this is psychological. Trimming or cutting into a piece to modify it from how it was designed is stepping into terra incognita – but fundamentally it's the same skillset as trimming something off the sprue and assembling it as intended. If you can do the latter, you can do the former.
Again, having a strong idea of the pose and effect you want before you begin is important. A strong plan will help you – but don't let planning paralyse you. Trust your skills and give re-posing a go.
For kits that have a single set pose – tanks; the more modern 'multi-part but fixed pose' infantry from GW; old-school one-piece metal figures etc. – your effort is more immediately obvious, and you need do less to make your model stand out.
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+ Kitbashing +
Posing and simple conversion work will add a little character and personality to your model, and that's just while sticking to what's in the kit. Once you go beyond that, you can bring in extra parts from elsewhere.
Using parts from one kit to alter another is called 'kitbashing' – and it's distinct from conversion in that the parts are usually broadly compatible, and require little or no modification to do. Things like swapping heads from one kit to another are classic kitbashing, but it also applies to bringing in third-party bits, like the gun – or indeed head and armour plates here, all from Battle Bling [+noosphericexloadlink embedded+].
+ Conversion +
Throwing money at the problem isn't necessary – and while it's lovely if you can find a third-party element that you really love, functionally such changes are replicable. If you're looking for a genuinely unique custom job, then you can combine the skills from kitbashing and re-posing to make your own parts from others – or from scratch.
This graviton cannon combines a modified Taro Modelmakers [+noosphericexloadlink embedded+] part from another scale (a 40k Knight) with some spares from the leftover Warlord armour plates – keep useful looking bits in your bits box!
+ Basing +
A good base is a key part of creating a sense of belonging to a particular setting or place, and will help to (literally) ground your model. A few scattered additional bits and pieces here (from Varus Miniatures [+noosphericexloadlink embedded+] and Battle Bling again) create scale and enhance the character of the piece. Wordlessly, the fact the figures are facing in the same direction as the Titan suggests they're allies – it really can be as simple as that.
It's also a great example of narrative and story. Anything that you can do to grab the viewer's attention is worthwhile – but holding onto that attention relies on you respecting the audience and giving them something involving. Include some details that reward lingering on your model, that make the viewer ask what's going on – it's more rewarding for both your and the audience.
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+ How far? +
This, of course, is up to you. Changing your model to better reflect the character you've come up with can involve complex or complete resculpting – either traditionally or with CAD and 3D printing – but it can be as simple as making a minor tweak.
Neither approach is 'right', but I tend to find the more effort I put into a piece, the more I feel connected with it, and that is always a win. After all, you spend a lot of time and energy on these models, and they'll last as long as you want them around.
Give yourself a break if the result isn't perfect first time – refinement will come with practise – and ultimately, you only need to please yourself.
With all that said, I think you'll find that developing the character of your model, planning out how you'll execute it, and giving it a go is very rewarding indeed. Good luck!
