Smaug the Magnificent

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:50 pm

Now you understand why climbers reply to the question 'Why do you climb mountains?' is often put simply as 'Because it is there'. The goal is clear, a real challenge to creativity and stamina but the end result will, I am very confident, be very worthwhile.

Now hurry up and do more scales!

Natarn · **Posted:** Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:30 pm

Dorthonion wrote:

Now hurry up and do more scales!

Do, re, mi, fah, so, la, ti...

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:12 pm

Aha... methinks he doth execute a pune or play upon the sound and meaning of words, the scurvy knave.

Avaunt, varlet, get thee on with the scaling or thou wouldst wish thineself elsewhere...

Natarn · **Posted:** Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:04 pm

Dorthonion wrote:

or thou wouldst wish thineself elsewhere...

I'm wishing! I'm wishing!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:08 am

Hmm. Any new WIP pics, oh punster extraordinaire?

gaarew · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:31 pm

Yeah, all these puns are really starting to dragon. Errr, drag on...

We wants pics. Not puns.

Natarn · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:43 pm

John, be patient. I'm taking an Ent's view on this one and you are being too hasty! :wink:

I woke up this WIP thread because I am going to do some more work on the dragon over the next couple of weeks. It's been a big break because it's just so boring! The results aren't boring - but sculpting those little scales really, really is.

I need to do some reworking of the neck. The ridge along the spine looks great but it doesn't follow through up into the neck, so I'm going to scrape off some scales and build a ridge of spine/muscle and then resculpt the scales and spines on top of that.

This is how the neck looks at the moment although I've sculpted more scales on this side since taking this picture. You can see that the neck is pretty much a curved tube and needs a more complex shape.

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:52 pm

Another perfectionist, like the laser cut-assembled by robots Mister Balrog of build-off fame. Scraping off a load of scales.... that scares me but if it makes it work better, then the best of luck.

The rework involved in some of the larger constructs suggests that some sort of simple, smaller scale test version might be a useful aid - no fine detail, just to get the pose, overall lines, basic musculature etcetera resolved. It is easier to see what works when you have it there in 3D already rather than as sketches.

Just thought of a nickname for Smaug: Old Hot Lips... :wink:

Gondolin · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:13 pm

Good to see more scales, keep on sculpting!

lorderkenbrand · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:33 pm

Glad you've taken this project up again, was missing those daily scale updates :wink:

The neck looks fine to me, but I'm a realist, not a perfectionist as Dorth rightly stated. Any re-work can only make this piece more awesome than before as your sculpting skills continue to develop. I'm just amazed how much progress you have made in less than a few years! Can't wait to see more

DurinsBane · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:59 am

God dammit will you get this thing finished...this is going to be an awesome piece of work...I have no doubt !

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:31 pm

DurinsBane growled:

Quote:

God dammit

So, he does do Eric Cartman impressions.... And where the blazes are the latest pictures of that flaming dragon? We are burning with anticipation.

Puns all intended....

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:25 pm

Dorthonion wrote:

Where the blazes are the latest pictures of that flaming dragon?

Bullied into action by the inexorable Dorth, I got out a knife today and did some serious plastic surgery. I've descaled a kettle before, but this is the first dragon I've descaled! :roll:

As it was an hour ago...

As it is now...

DurinsBane wrote:

Will you get this thing finished?

Probably not!

We shall see. :wink:

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:49 pm

Nice kettle...

Sorandilun · **Posted:** Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:18 pm

Wow - very impressive.

MardukLegion · **Joined:** Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:54 pm **Posts:** 7

This is certainly some outstanding scratch work, and I must say loads better than the official metal one, which I am planning to pick up for fun anyway.

One thing that really bothers me about the GW one, is the rear end and underside area, it looks way too fat.

Here is hoping we get an official smaug if GW does some hobbit stuff.

You did a great job on the spine btw.

Darac · **Posted:** Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:53 pm

Natarn Ulka wrote:

Dorthonion wrote:

Now hurry up and do more scales!

Do, re, mi, fah, so, la, ti...

So back on point... Great stuff, he will be really magnificent!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:53 pm

Evidently the scale of the thing has overcome him... or TBB snatched the mojo.

Joansean · **Joined:** Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:23 pm **Posts:** 760

You are one Obsessive Perfectionist.

Like Myself.

:wink:

DurinsBane · **Posted:** Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:41 am

Nessy

Smaug the Magnificent

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