# High elf dragon conversion to zombie dragon



## Gharof von Carstein

Oke so i want a kewl looking zombie dragon with a kewl looking rider on it. naturally i stumbled onto the high elf dragon which is just awesome for converting purposes, and it has the kewlest looking base!

so i went out and bought it, and now im faced with a few difficult choices. seeing as this is my first big conversion.

id like some advice on:

-what is the best way to make the wings and dragon look teathered? 
*i was thinking green stuffing features onto it naturally and filling down the tail to make a piece of skeleton tail here and there.

-whats the best choice for a rider conversion or otherwise?
*sure zacharius himself springs to mind and hes already fit for the job. unfortunatly that cloak of his makes the use of a throne more difficult... another option i could go for (to make the rider look more armoured) is the blood dragon vampire mounted, any other good looking ideas are appreciated.

-whats the best way to modify this plastic dragon? addings holes with oozing guts seems like a good idea but wont it make the model look to messy?

anyone got any thoughts on this?? ANYTHING popping in your head is gonna be great. 

the base is all thought up BTW. ill be using all my spare skeleton and gravestone bits to turn the rock into a pile of skulls. the base itself will be covered with gravestones, hands popping out and maybe even a full zombie torso to picture the dead awakening under the gaze of the vampire on his dragon. 

let me know what you think!


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## squeek

You might find rather than filing the tail down it is easier to cut it and extend it slightly with a thick paperclip or piece of coathanger, that would save you having to risk damaging the model, and leave more room for greenstuffing maybe.


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## Dusty's Corner

cool idea. What kinda pose is the dragon/rider gonna have? Your approach sounds not too bad. Being a zombie dagon, you could take chunks out of it. Get the bone work going, maybe not so much guts spills - Gut's from a dragon would probably get everywhere (might make it look like it's in the process of dying), whereas a regular zombie bloke walking holding it's intestines in would be more suitable. Get us some pic's.
Oh maybe some torn/ripped fabrics mights help - not sure on a dragon, but rags on the rider tho., maybe.
Hope it helps
Dusty


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## Gharof von Carstein

i could easily take zacharius as the rider, his scroll and staff look will actually make my base design come out more, like the scroll awakens the dead vlad von carstein style. im really psyched about this model but i dont want to ruin it either. 

ill probably wont file any of the elven symbols away, rather ill just greenstuff a small layer over them representing rotted away skin. adding boils and flesh here and there will give it a nice zombie look. the joints ill probably file down a little so i can greenstuff a bone look to them. the guts indeed might be a weird idea. ill probably try to make a ribcage show somewhat. along with the base the rider will probably be the least interesting part  i do have 2 options for it which are both viable. so i might interchange them based on what kind of lord im fielding. 

the last piece of trouble im still faced with is the throne the rider sits on... what is the best way to go with this? take a big gravestone and set it up or use the throne from the high elf one and add a different ornament to it? 

id like some ideas on this plz!


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## LVix

This sounds like an ambitious and cool project... I hope to see work in progress and eventually the finished thing. :grin:

squeek is dead right about how to tackle the tail (yes, pun intended!  ), it would be far better to cut and sculpt than to add.

My first suggestion would be to get as many pictures of animal skeletons (bats, lizards, horned creatures like cattle and predatory mammals), and zombies in more recent video games and films (don't try to look for pictures of rotting/wounded stuff on the net... messy results to be had there :shok: ) as you need and it should give you a nice understanding of what you can sculpt onto the dragon. (This website is good for skeletons... Bone Clones )

With the wings; you don't need to make them look aged/rotted, a nice colour scheme will do that for you. 

However you want to try it; (and I commend you for that indeed) so simply filing notches into the wing flaps (taking note of the existing lines and simply deepening them where possible - its safer that way as you can risk taking too much off the wing) and cutting and resculpting bony parts onto the fingers of the wing itself - especially near the ends and up at the top of the wing near the spikes - should make for a suitably zombified wing without ruining the curve and look of the wing in general. I would definately not add to the wing as this could unbalance the look of it.

For the main body I think it is worthlooking at the current zombie dragon for ideas and to take into account GW's more recent zombies... the theme seems to be "reanimated and rebuilt" as well as just "risen and rotting"... you could add ropes/chains to look like they were holding the dragon together for example.

If you are going to keep the swooping position of the dragon I'd suggest either not doing guts and going for an amaciated abdomen on the dragon or very carefully taking into account the movement of the model... they would be trailing along it's side somewhat. (Eeeooow!)

(phew... another long post.. sorry)

Ok to the rider; Zacharius is a nice choice, very nice (the guy just looks mean :wink: ), another option is to use the High Elves and convert them or to use their legs (especially the Mage's) and put a more vampiric looking torso on them. This would give you a good base for the throne so you could use that headstone on a base that already fits the dragon's neck.

I look forward to seeing your progress. :biggrin:


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## Gharof von Carstein

the only thing iv been having trouble with is getting enough skulls and bits to turn the rock into a big pile of bones. i might just buy some skellies off ebay and just throw them on there or steal some empire and orc bits from my mates to turn it into a pile of corpses. what do you guys think?

I really want to give it a graveyard field look with ashy grey ground as im really big on the idea of using the zombies and headstones with them seeming to burst from the base. iv decided to take zacharius for the rider. ill just have to bend his cloak back slightly, thank god its metal so that should work nicely. using the throne of the high elf dragon could also work, this way i can fit a miniature headstone on the top or perhaps a winged skull which i can steal from the extra banners of a grave guard unit. 

ill probably cut the tip of the tail (good advice guys thx!) and craft my own from greenstuff to look like bone. perhaps filing dents into the tale and greenstuff more bone look. (easy to do as im thinking of filling the dragon up with small pieces of metal wire to increase structural integrity, perhaps even nails) this because the dragon is plastic and hollow, which could be a problem with sturdiness and or converting.


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## Infael

Don't know if this has been mentioned but you could buy the Zombie Dragon wings from GW Website and no work to be done! If you want a truly unique conversion though, don't listen to me! :biggrin:


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## Gharof von Carstein

actually im going to make the wings from the existing ones of the high elf dragon. the ones on the site iv seen and i like em but they have one big flaw, theyre metal... and that turned me off on them  

i just know it will be hell to keep those wings on as theyll probably be heavier than the entire model.

im going to start cracking with the base pretty soon ill make pictures and upload them here to let you guys check progress


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## jordan_darko

Gharof von Carstein said:


> Oke so i want a kewl looking zombie dragon with a kewl looking rider on it. naturally i stumbled onto the high elf dragon which is just awesome for converting purposes, and it has the kewlest looking base!
> 
> so i went out and bought it, and now im faced with a few difficult choices. seeing as this is my first big conversion.
> 
> id like some advice on:
> 
> -what is the best way to make the wings and dragon look teathered?
> *i was thinking green stuffing features onto it naturally and filling down the tail to make a piece of skeleton tail here and there.
> 
> A modelling drill would work well for this drill some clean round holes in the wings then tatty the hole up with a modelling knife, also GS some pustules on there to make it look extra cool.
> 
> -whats the best choice for a rider conversion or otherwise?
> *sure zacharius himself springs to mind and hes already fit for the job. unfortunatly that cloak of his makes the use of a throne more difficult... another option i could go for (to make the rider look more armoured) is the blood dragon vampire mounted, any other good looking ideas are appreciated.
> 
> hmmm id go for a Chaos Knight maybe and replace his head with a zombie head.
> 
> -whats the best way to modify this plastic dragon? addings holes with oozing guts seems like a good idea but wont it make the model look to messy?
> 
> Not if done well it wont, just make sure not too go to over the top with the holes and the wounds and you will be just fine.
> 
> anyone got any thoughts on this?? ANYTHING popping in your head is gonna be great.
> Seems like a very cool project, only ideas i have is make it look as zombie like as possible you could GS some guts spilling from the stomach and add some swords slashes here and there, thats all i have for now.
> 
> the base is all thought up BTW. ill be using all my spare skeleton and gravestone bits to turn the rock into a pile of skulls. the base itself will be covered with gravestones, hands popping out and maybe even a full zombie torso to picture the dead awakening under the gaze of the vampire on his dragon.
> 
> Good call there, will look very very cool.
> 
> let me know what you think!


 thats all i got for now hope it helped. JD


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## Gharof von Carstein

it did very much so! thx!


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## bobss

> -what is the best way to make the wings and dragon look teathered?
> *i was thinking green stuffing features onto it naturally and filling down the tail to make a piece of skeleton tail here and there.


1. drill some holes into the wings, some large some small, and some small overlapping some large LOL. then using green stuff make them look less circular and more like a dog let loose on a pair of curtains.


best choice of rider? hmmm. maybe one of the blood knights or convert the HE one

as for mangeyu bits, drill some holes fill them will GS guts or slice grooves and do it. remember the paint job will also affect how it will turn out


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## Infael

Gharof von Carstein said:


> actually im going to make the wings from the existing ones of the high elf dragon. the ones on the site iv seen and i like em but they have one big flaw, theyre metal... and that turned me off on them
> 
> i just know it will be hell to keep those wings on as theyll probably be heavier than the entire model.


The wings are surprisingly light for metal; they are quite thin and when I used them for a conversion I didn't even have to pin then, just superglue and some green stuff scales around the base of the wings so they looked more natural...but as I said, if you are dead set on using the plastic ones then fair play!


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## Gharof von Carstein

well i really liked the wings so ill probably be ordering those at my GW. they should look awesome on the model. iv been assembling bits for the base. and im dont even have enough to cover half the rock  im hoping that 20 more skeletons should be more than enough for me to completly turn the rock into a pile of skulls. oof think of the green stuff ill have to use! 

btw! I have another issue i walked onto. the armour on the back of the dragon is sort of unnatural to me for a zombie dragon. now i could keep it on and make it look evil with a good paintjob. or i could remove it. anyone got any idea how best to do this??


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## Infael

Hmmm, I don't know the model myself but if the edges of the armour can be extended with GS to a tapered point (more spiky/nasty looking!) then you could paint it up black and gradually higlighting to purple or something, real evil, or just saw it off! HAKK IIIT!!


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## jax40kplyr

Wish I knew how to post my pics on here - did a zombie dragon conversion out of a high elf dragon and have gotten ALOT of praise for it.

Basically took the dragon skull off the giants club - added the horns from the High elf dragon - makes an incredible head for it.
Flipped the dragon around, trimmed the tail down and joined it with the skull.
Shaved down and green stuffed a metal Winged Nightmare/manticore tail from the old VC Blood dragon model - used that as the tail end of the dragon.
Used the regular High Elf dragon wings - just cut tattered holes in the wings.
Trimmed off the old saddle and green stuffed a new one higher up between the wings.
Cut some holes in the stomach, chest and neck areas - made them look like old gaping wounds.
Positioned it basically the same as the one on here (this project log is great): 
http://warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132576
I ended up using a blood knight with lance for my riding VC lord - converted the legs using the High Elf Lord's lower half that came with the Dragon.
All in all - love using it - works great for me.


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## bobss

the skull and the pose make it look truly awesome and unique

congrats :victory:


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## Gharof von Carstein

i saw that thread to seeing as im on warseer a lot 2. i like the positioning of the dragon but im going to go for something completly different. i really want to create a feeling like that scene from the two towers. where the witch king of angmar rides his winged beast and lands at the top of minas morgul to watch his army pull out. im just going to make it so that from a graveyard/battlefield the dead rise at the bidding of my lord. im not sticking the lord on the dragon and ill probably fashion another armoured rider for it if i decide to use a combat lord instead of a caster one. just havent made up my mind just yet. I loved the zombie dragon wings on the GW site so i ordered those and my skellies arrived the other day so im busy cutting off hands from spears and swords to create a gigantic bone pile. ill be going to town on the base soon enough to hopefully show you guys what im going for. ill take pictures and post them here.

PS.

If you want to post pix jax, i suggest photobucket. that way we can see your work, maybe ill get some inspiration from it


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## psychomidget99

tattered bloodthirster wings will do it i reckon. u might also not want to file the tail down to look like bones as u'll severely weaken the plastic structure of the model. id pin the entire tail with a length of wire, then drill holes for all the veretebrae, then slide it all in.

good luck


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## Gharof von Carstein

actually upon further inspection of the tail i noticed id be better off just cutting off a piece and than drilling a hole for a pin that ill be covering with green stuff to form a bone tail. i found some blood knight bits somewhere and converting one of the high elf lords bodies to a vampire appeals to me more and more. im still looking into it but its more of a secondary priority for me at the moment. ill probably be posting pics of the base next week when i hope it will be finished


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## Gharof von Carstein

well guys the base is as good as done. im just gonna add more greenstuff to the bottom to really make it look like a pile of bones spilled over a graveyard with the dragon standing on it  but this is what i got so far 



















so what do you guys think? ill be starting on the dragon soon


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## Spot The Grot

:shok: thats good........actualy really good:shok:


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## Gharof von Carstein

further work, from all angles


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## Gharof von Carstein

cant believe i started this thread almost 3 years ago. well guys its been a rough three years for me socially. warhammer got on the backburner big time! however! With the start of a new beastmen army, and gharof von carstein rising from his tomb once more to wreck plenty a tournament scene im totally back! and with me coming back means me finally finishing this conversion. ill be uploading pictures of the dragon soon, its done! finished it over the weekend along with some conversions to the base. the dragon can be placed on it tomorrow and then ill start finishing up details with green stuff on the dragon and than its painting time


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## Gharof von Carstein

as promised. the dragon itself. all its missing is its wings and the rider.










if any of you are still interested. let me know what you think.

the skull comes from the giant kit, the tail has been made longer to look like bone. the neck will probably be painted as gore.


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## Dave T Hobbit

The skull is a good choice; it is not immediately different so gives a subtle sense of wrongness.

I am not sure about the tail extension. The transition between plastic and green-stuff looks too uniform and level; if the flesh is gone then the bone would be narrower, and the skin/flesh would probably be more tattered.

Are you going to do anything to the saddle, as the back looks very elven at the moment?


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## Gharof von Carstein

i know what you mean. i had to wait for the green stuff to harden so i can file down the green stuff on the tail. I figured the back of the saddle could just be painted in a VC manner. However i think it might be a good idea to replace it for a gravestone.


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## Viscount Vash

Nice work so far.
I like the way the skull has come together in particular.

Maybe a coffin lid rather than a grave stone would work?


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## Bane_of_Kings

Nice work, love it :victory:.

Bane of Kings Out.


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## Gharof von Carstein

i replaced the high elf seat with a gravestone. it looks really kewl as i already thought the seat would be to big. another thing i did was restore the tail to normal. ill just file off the plastic of the tail to resemble bone parts. the wings of the normal HE dragon i shredded up some to give the zombie dragon more taste. next part is green stuffing gore on it and finally basing and painting.


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## Gharof von Carstein

had a big set back trying to get the dragon on the base. its completly unstable and pinning it is proving much more difficult than i thought. problem is that the dragons legs are just too small. im not that great a sculptor with green stuff or id just make him new ones.


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## Dave T Hobbit

Are the legs hollow? If they are you could run a thick wire through the middle and out of the foot; if you pack the remaining space with greenstuff it will make the legs even stronger.


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## Gharof von Carstein

thats just the thing. theyre not. there isnt a lot of room to drill into due to them being bent. iv superglued the original feet on again. im gonna try to green stuff the original legs into a different position and than, once hardened I can file away/add more green stuff and sculpt hanging flesh/gore on them. problem is once based its hard to keep him in the position i want to let the green stuff harden. if this all fails to work ill remove the legs completly and remake them with steel wire. Should give him more stability. Than its hoping im creative enough with green stuff to sculpt something nice out of it without making it look like chicken legs.


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## Dave T Hobbit

Hmm... tricksy legs....

The only thing that springs to mind to make that easier is an improvised gantry or brace while the GS hardens; maybe a stack of CD cases as they are rigid and narrow enough to get fine adjustment. If you cannot get the stack in close enough then two piles with a stiff ruler between also works.


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## Gharof von Carstein

thanks for the advice! ill let you know how it turns out!


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## steamius

Man thats some cool looking base there! Good luck with the dragon it self!


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## Gharof von Carstein

thx. i might be able to finish it this weekend. Im a little busy with my beastmen and assassins creed brotherhood now :blush:


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