Thoughts on fixing Valdor

[kombatwombat]

http://i.imgur.com/PLETaW0.jpg

 

There’s been a lot of people complaining about the new Valdor model. I tend to agree - i think it’s way overdone. But I like a lot of what’s there and don’t think it’s beyond salvation. Before taking the plunge and buying him, I wanted to see what people thought could be done to fix him. I think the overall problem is that he is way too busy, so that’s what I’m trying to fix.

 

- The elephant in the room is the bat thing on his left shoulder. That just has to go. Luckily it’s a separate piece that can be taken away. It leaves a little hole so I’ll need to find something to fill it - a trimmed down Custodes thigh plate is my first though.

- The fur and claw have to go as well. My intent would be to shave it down and green stuff an extension of his cloak over it instead.

- Leave off the upper wing of the raven, but keep the lower wing. It’s actually a detail I rather like, but removing the upper wing should bring down the profile of the model, particularly once the bat head is gone.

- Swap the head out for that of a plastic Custodian Warden - I don’t like uncovered heads, regardless of what people think of this one.

- File down the ‘solar rays’ of his Iron Halo. I honestly think that the sculptor was trying to apply a 40k aesthetic to a 30k model, then mixed it up and put an Age of Sigmar aesthetic in instead. I’d want them reduced to short, sharp, straight points.

- Remove the scroll from his right hand. Custodes speak with the voice of the Emperor; their word is law so they don’t need written authority. I’d replace it with the Custodes’ actual symbol of authority (which incidentally appears to be missing) - the Misericordia. The unsheathed one from the plastic Wardens kit would be ideal.

 

What do you reckon? Is this something I should pursue when time and budget permits? Is it fine as it is? Or is it an unsalvageable writeoff?

[Deadnaughty]

Thats not something we can judge for you really.

 

Imo, I'm sure he can be salvaged by a competent enough sculpter. But then why not buy a different model (like Dorne) and turn that into Valdor. May well be the same amount of work.

[Vash113]

 

 

- The elephant in the room is the bat thing on his left shoulder. That just has to go. Luckily it’s a separate piece that can be taken away. It leaves a little hole so I’ll need to find something to fill it - a trimmed down Custodes thigh plate is my first though.

 

I'd go with a tilt shield of some kind instead of a Custodian thigh plate which I think will be a bit too big for the purposes.

 

 

 

- The fur and claw have to go as well. My intent would be to shave it down and green stuff an extension of his cloak over it instead.

 

That is a lot of resculpting, the pelt and claw goes down over his belt and onto his thigh, if you have the skill to resculpt that go right ahead but IMO that's a bit much. shaving it down and covering it with a cloak is more likely but essentially leaves you with the same thing. A big bit of something covering his left side.

 

 

- Leave off the upper wing of the raven, but keep the lower wing. It’s actually a detail I rather like, but removing the upper wing should bring down the profile of the model, particularly once the bat head is gone.

 

Or you could leave off the shield in much the same way as the animal head.

 

 

- Swap the head out for that of a plastic Custodian Warden - I don’t like uncovered heads, regardless of what people think of this one.

 

I agree, helmets are better than no helmets.

 

 

- File down the ‘solar rays’ of his Iron Halo. I honestly think that the sculptor was trying to apply a 40k aesthetic to a 30k model, then mixed it up and put an Age of Sigmar aesthetic in instead. I’d want them reduced to short, sharp, straight points.

 

Their shape goes all the way to the base, shaving them down won't produce a straight profile. You're better off removing it entirely and replacing it with an alternate halo.

 

 

- Remove the scroll from his right hand. Custodes speak with the voice of the Emperor; their word is law so they don’t need written authority. I’d replace it with the Custodes’ actual symbol of authority (which incidentally appears to be missing) - the Misericordia. The unsheathed one from the plastic Wardens kit would be ideal.

 

Not to be nit picky here but IMO that's not a scroll. I see no paper details instead it looks like a metal rod of some kind, perhaps a form of tech-key or code-cipher rod of some kind. If it irks you that much go ahead and remove it, I wouldn't replace it with a knife though, he's got the spear what's he need with a drawn power knife? I'd give him a sheathed magisterium dagger and an open hand or clenched fist. You could just shave away the rod and keep his fist maybe.

 

What do you reckon? Is this something I should pursue when time and budget permits? Is it fine as it is? Or is it an unsalvageable writeoff?

 

Honestly he's a bit too busy for my taste but I don't think he's horrible, I honestly don't get the immediate need some people have to start hacking such a nicely sculpted model up because the most powerful of the Emperor's servants during the height of the Great Crusade has too much bling... I mean yea, that makes sense. He should be the most overwrought, busy and ridiculously ostentatious dude in the galaxy after the Emperor.

If you really want a more toned-down Valdor just get the Shield-Captain Forge World is releasing. I've said it before but IMO that model may well have originally been intended to be Valdor, his appearance much more closely resembles the old visions artwork and his Guardian Spear bears clear similarities to the shape and design of the more elaborate one Valdor is carrying. His weapon is unique, his armor is unique, if you want a WYSIWYG Valdor stand-in that isn't so over-the-top go with that model, it's what I'm probably going to do, and he costs half as much.

[Kinstryfe]

The more times I see the picture, the more Valdor is starting to grow on me and I want him. I'm not thrilled with the goat creature, but the more I see it the more I think that a different paint job could make it look ok. The blue-gray just doesn't do it for me. The big raven thing on the other shoulder I actually liked from the beginning, and think it could look much better painted as part of the golden armour instead of being some kind of taxidermied cyber-bird shoulder guard. Heck, even the goat soul painted as a sculpted representation may look better than as an actual skull. Even his wavy backdrop I'm ok with.

 

But he absolutely, 100% needs a helmet. The face just doesn't match the ruggedness he was always described as or shown as. The model's head looks more like Fulgrim than anyone else I'd guess. I'm curious to see how existing Custodes helmets fit to scale, or if something more custom would work better.

 

Still, he may become my first Forgeworld miniature I get and paint since my old renegade psyker.

 

But, since the question was how to "salvage" him, I think the best options would be to start with the removal of the goat head and possibly part of the Raven. I like his oversized spear as he has it, and could see the scroll-holder replaced by any number of things. A Misericordia in the right position could work, or just a hand, or even an open scroll or some sort of "rod of command" or other badge of office. The cascade of fur, I don't see a fix for without extensive sculpting. I'd almost say that unless you were a top notch sculptor, it's probably not worth even attempting. Lastly the backdrop for the head, whatever you'd call it. Maybe there's a way to file/sculpt it from sun beams to lightning bolts? That may be the best way I can think of to alter it without having to either fully remove or redo it.

[the emperor is scottish]

I've just posted this on the rumour page but on the custode facebook page someone posted a photoshopped image of him trimmed down, slightly different colours and his guardian spear replaced with a standard one.

I think it made the model look a lot better, even though I think its a nice model as is if slightly to cluttered.

[kombatwombat]

https://imgur.com/a/mLvKm

 

This is the photoshopped version. I like it a lot - the lowered profile makes a massive difference, though I do like the original spear. I’d still swap the head and do something about the fur and right hand though.

[Lucerne]

At that point why not just convert a regular custodian or use a stormcast?

[kombatwombat]

Because I like the rest of the model. I like the detailed armour, I like the tilting shield, I like the spear, I like the raven. Even after taking out all the detail I’m thinking to he still stands out as the blingiest guy in the blingiest army.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Well, different strokes for different folks, and all that ... but doesn't the Chief Custodian to the Emperor of Mankind and Captain-General of the most blinged-out unit in the Imperium (the Custodes) kind of need over-the-top bling himself? This is the first I've seen of this model, but I think he actually looks alright and fitting for the character/role. Even the goat-head and all the over-the-topness harkens back to the beloved John Blanche artwork from the old source materials.

 

That said, I kind of agree with the head. Doesn't look as hard-boiled as the Valdor of, say, the image in Brother Sete's profile picture.

[kombatwombat]

Frater Commissar Ibram Gaunt did this mock-up on photoshop:

 

http://i.imgur.com/8uIzGfe.jpg

 

...and suddenly, he looks fantastic. I think I might use a Warden helmet instead of a normal Custodes one, and I might see if I can turn his left hand to be resting on a sheathed Misericordia, but overall this is what I was driving at.

[Ishagu]

I love the original FW piece with no changes.

Can't fix what ain't broken :-P

[DietOfLiquor]

I love the original FW piece with no changes.

Can't fix what ain't broken :-P

 

Agreed. But I feel like he might look better with some of the stuff taken off. I saw a picture of the pieces laid out. You can get away without the bird or the dragon head it looks like with some greenstuff work. And the scroll looks like it could be taken off and hand re-sculpted as well. I think the closer I can get him to looking closer to a regular Custodes without all the extra bling the better. So I might pick up two. One blinged out for a cabinet piece, one gaming with as much bling taken off.

[betrayer41]

I am so close breaking down and buyine one off ebay haha

[Honda]

Swap the head out for that of a plastic Custodian Warden - I don’t like uncovered heads, regardless of what people think of this one

 

 

The head is the first thing I noticed and it immediately struck me as...wrong. It almost looks alien with the very high forehead emphasized by the mohawk.

 

I personally don't like the super busy style this go around. The second photoshp version looks better to me.

 

So to answer the OP, can it be rescued? Yes.

 

Is it worth it?  I wouldn't consider the effort worthwhile, but you might. Should I need a Valdor, I would most likely make a "counts as" from a cleaner model and then add the things I want.

 

Good luck should you decide to move forward on this.

[DietOfLiquor]

I am so close breaking down and buyine one off ebay haha

 

Lol! Be strong man! He's only a month and a half out roughly for pre-order. Plenty of time to get all the other toys painted up. Working on 6 FW terminators currently. The back log I have for them is great enough to keep me occupied for the time being. It's not an event only so I'm not losing my mind. Hahah.

Edited February 8, 2018 by DietOfLiquor

[betrayer41]

 

I am so close breaking down and buyine one off ebay haha

 

Lol! Be strong man! He's only a month and a half out roughly for pre-order. Plenty of time to get all the other toys painted up. Working on 6 FW terminators currently. The back log I have for them is great enough to keep me occupied for the time being. It's not an event only so I'm not losing my mind. Hahah.

 

Hhah nice to have such a strong support group.  I almost pullled the trigger yesterday but it would have cost me almost 200 so........

[DietOfLiquor]

 

 

I am so close breaking down and buyine one off ebay haha

 

Lol! Be strong man! He's only a month and a half out roughly for pre-order. Plenty of time to get all the other toys painted up. Working on 6 FW terminators currently. The back log I have for them is great enough to keep me occupied for the time being. It's not an event only so I'm not losing my mind. Hahah.

 

Hhah nice to have such a strong support group.  I almost pullled the trigger yesterday but it would have cost me almost 200 so........

 

 

Starting a new support group called Custodes lovers against other Custodes lovers buying from People Taking Advantage of the Community.

Aka: CLAOCLBFPTAOFC

 

If you can pronounce it straight off the bad I'd be impressed.

[Sharrowkyn]

I good attempt here already for sale on Ebay in the UK!

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F142685025911

[Ranulf]

I good attempt here already for sale on Ebay in the UK!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F142685025911

That's not half bad.

[Stoic Raptor]

Wow, one of the very few models listed as "pro-painted" that's ever actually been painted well.  Not quite studio quality, perhaps, but very good.

[phairsto]

I'd like the thank this group for the words of wisdom that are keeping me from dropping a cool $200 on an Ebay Valdor.

 

Stay strong, brothers, we can wait it out!

[Withershadow]

Thats not something we can judge for you really.

 

Imo, I'm sure he can be salvaged by a competent enough sculpter. But then why not buy a different model (like Dorne) and turn that into Valdor. May well be the same amount of work.

Because Dorn is way larger and would look out of scale?

[Hellex_The_Thanatar]

https://imgur.com/a/twscE

 

My non subtle attempt since I cant stand doing faces.

[klisof]

https://imgur.com/a/twscE

 

My non subtle attempt since I cant stand doing faces.

Looking good there, I might rob that idea from you when i get my hands on Valdor :)

[Spiritual Liege]

He is growing on me, I have to admit. When I saw him first time I thought he looked awful, now I'm kind of liking him.

 

Also I actually like the head, at least more than with a helmet. Maybe that mohawk head from the basic Custodes set?