Space Maori tatoo parlor

I've been working on more Carcharodons these days, so I can show you more finished stuff. The first one is most likely the easiest conversion of all, this being the starting point:

The Wolverine 40K Edition

The menacing pose works, so I just had to do some arrangements...

Essentially the same

The spiky claws work fine on Space Sharks, so I left them. Then I tried to give the mini some cultural flavour. The pose calls for a bare head. I tried to sculpt a tongue sticking out, in the Maori style, but I simply couldn't do it. Too small. So the man screaming will have to do. I sculpted some hair and turned the blood drops shaped gems into Maori hei toki, the traditional jade pendants.

When it came to colours, I knew for sure that I had to paint some facial tatoos and not only honour markings on the armour.

Free hugs

A little bit tricky, but it works at a distance!

But also has scary patterns on those hands

Let's go for another pal. This is the original model:

Could you tell me the time, please?

Well, this time I tried something different, yet keeping the pokey pokey idea.

I defeated the Swordmaster of Melee Islandtm

This one is the most Imperial-ish looking guy so far, with all those eagles and stuff. I didn't want to take them apart, as I do like the Aquila and it's clearly a distinctive feature. But he needed some Maori flavour...

He looks angry

But this is not all. I made a third one! I started with this:

It wasn't me! It was him!

Hmm. I kept that raised shoulder, but changed the interpretation of the mini:

I couldn't find another gun

It looks better with some paint on it

Once again I had to rely on the brushwork to give him the touch

I thought the facial tatoo pattern on the helmet could work, and I'm quite happy with the concept. I will repeat the idea on future minis.

So the Veteran Squad has six members now:

Ooops. I apparently need to do some additional work on those bases for coherence

Well, this is starting to look like something! Yet more to come!