Imperius: Archangel of Valor Build Log

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Jan 27, 2013

• #1

Hello all!

Having finished Solarion (build shown here, if anyone is interested) its about time to get started on the actual armor. This is probably the only build I'm going to be able to do this year.. so I'm going all out on it. Cinematic version or bust.

After ripping the games model (as a base) and breaking down the armor into parts, I started making the breastplate today.

After what felt like way too long of a time planning and tinkering with templates, I figured out what I wanted and cut the template out. Turned out being only 4 pieces in the end.

And then the test taping! Much cleanup and work will go into this tomorrow.

Glad to finally be working on this again.


Weekend 2: Made some good progress on the base of the chest today.

This chest has a lot of layers, as seen here:

I started by sealing up the top and reinforcing the hell out of the inside/outside of the first collar using fiberglass and rondo - That first layer is going NOWHERE.
I then started tinkering with adding the 2nd layer of collars.

Then the third

Then the bottom first layer and back segment.

I will be designing the sun on the front tonight and tomorrow.. then I have to actually make it. After that its a whole hell of a lot of trim and cleaning - but I'm happy with the direction its going so far!

The screws are incredibly temporary, needed a reliable way to keep the plates in place while I templated out the next bit while still being able to remove them entirely.

 

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paradoxdj

Well-Known Member

• Jan 27, 2013

• #2

This is looking awesome! I'll be watching this thread closely.

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Jan 29, 2013

• #3

More progress. I started on the hard bit of the chest - the sun symbol.

After a lot of failed patterns I finally made one that I liked and transferred it to plastic.

I'm going to throw this thing on my vac table and make a pull of it when it is finished (I figure a hollow one will be lighter and take the curve more easily.) this mercifully allows me to build it flat.

Started building up the base layers.

then apoxie sculpt to fill the gaps. lots of sanding.

Threw a thin coat of filler primer on it so I could see the non symmetrical bits for cleanup, there is surprisingly little to do in that regard! Starting to look pretty close!

Going to do a bit of cleanup, then the 2nd round of apoxie sculpted details go on!

 

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Sir Tsaboc

Member

• Jan 29, 2013

• #4

I don't play Diablo, but this is looking very professional!

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Jan 30, 2013

• #5

Thanks Tsaboc!

The sun buck is pretty much finished! Some minor cleanup and then im going to make a pull and see what happens!

Hopefully this works, if it does then the other detailing comes next!

 

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Halex

Jr Member

• Jan 30, 2013

• #6

This is coming along very well. It's been awhile since I played, but Imperius was quite a badass and you're doing a great job on replicating the armor/weapon.

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Feb 4, 2013

• #7

Thanks guys, I'll do my best to give this character the attention he deserves. Imperius will live!

In that vein, I messed around with the sun today and got it mounted! Its messy and unfinished.. but I'm posting it anyways.

First I made a pull of the two halves on my little vac table, then quickly discovered that shells and compound curves don't get along well. I was running uot of good ideas so I decided to try a stupid one. I flipped the two pulls I made over, and filled them with cheap cheap fiberglass resin. "Ghetto casting" - Anyways the goal was to pull the casts out of the plastic molds before they had fully cured so I could bend it to shape and mount it before it finished hardening. The general crappiness of the resin I used (Home depot brand!) probably helped with this, because it worked flawlessly.

The bolts are sunk below the surface, so I can very easy hide them with apoxie sculpt later, and its not going anywhere! Lots of cleanup yet to do, and I need to hide the seam and attach the middle bit.. but its finally "together" - there arent any more parts of the chest to build.. its all trim and detailing now. Let the fun begin!

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Feb 4, 2013

• #8

Goal met for the day.

I managed to get the base for the collar trim added and cleaned up.. tomorrow I can probably put a coat of filler primer on this! Nothing like primer to make a project look like one piece - anyways.

Added half inch trim to the collars - sintra

With the sun

 

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briciius

Jr Member

• Feb 5, 2013

• #9

what the f*** your skill man !!! what are you using as material ?

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Feb 5, 2013

• #10

Thanks Briciius!

Added some more to the trim (I do not like this change, damn you acrylic piping) and did a lot of cleanup sanding - will need to do a lot more filling/sanding before I can paint any actual colors.. but I really do enjoy the "prime it!" stage of projects.. it all starts to come together.

Atleast now you can see fully where I'm going with this.. I'm especially happy with that lower segment under the main breastplate - anyways I might be able to finish this next weekend! Last major bit is the two armpit guard circles and a bunch of finish work/flourish detailing!

(Also of course filling that bottom gap in the sun and sanding it flush with the other side/general straightening/hole filling/making everything permanent)

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Feb 11, 2013

• #11

More progress! Did a bunch of filling, hid and sealed all the screws and bolts into it - its permanent now. I am so impatient to paint this gold.. urgg.

I also added some of the flourish detailing that this armor will literally be buried in - Starting to reach the end stretch of this piece of the chest! Guess I need to start on those circular star guards.

 

drack

Well-Known Member

European Regiment

• Feb 11, 2013

• #12

WOW!!! This is truely stunning work man. I am beyond impressed. Those details are amazing and gunna be the death of you

Tom.

 

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Starvinartist80

Well-Known Member

• Feb 11, 2013

• #13

Really fantastic work. I am so impressed with everything I'm seeing.

 

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Djinn

Jr Member

• Feb 19, 2013

• #14

Thanks guys!

Well I did a bit more detail work and am at a place with the chest where I either paint it gold or set it aside, I decided to set it aside. BUT NOT BEFORE i TOOK SOME STUPID PICTURES TO MAKE SURE IT FIT.

I had started on the bases for the shoulders, and their patterns were extremely simple to setup and make compared to the chest so I cranked out a pair of shoulder bases (minus the inner spike, still working on how ill attach that lining/attach to the chest). The major shells of the shoulders are essentially done (seam hiding and rounding aside). They are made from 1.8th sintra sheets and will be sealed and strengthened a bit on the inside (only a little bit) with Rondo.

with that setup, while the rondo was curing fully I started freehanding the innermost layer of detailing, so far so good I think. Might tweak it a little bit, but its just the first layer so bah.

One of these days I'm going to wisen up and start casting parts instead of making/using masters.. guess I havent learned that lesson yet. There is much cutting in my future.

 

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Maverick Hunter

New Member

• Feb 19, 2013

• #15

Looking VERY excellent, good sir! Can't wait to see how this turns out. Your use of various materials and methods is ingenious and quite inspiring, I'll have to steal a few of your tricks!