It's been a while since I last did a custom on a scale as large as this (Leokaiser was being to frustrating to work out) but after seeing Clutchkick's interpretation I knew I had to try this for myself. I got an extra Darkmount courtesy of Kapow (Thanks Andy!) and got to work.

Impactor is painted entirely with Citadel acrylics and was my first time using acrylics, an experience that has convinced me to use them rather than enamels. That said the gold paint is a bitch and required me to put a base coat of silver underneath to hide it's shoddy coverage.

The new head is a transplant along with the ball joint it was attached from a classics Astrotrain with some basic alterations. The hook is a wip, at the moment it is from the pickaxe but has to come out for vehicle mode.

Clip system Straxus head was a throwaway idea I had   i knew that in the marvel comics he ended being a head in a jar but since the balljoint size for the clips and the head joint were the same i just couldn't resist.

Impactor has not yet been clear coated and looking at pictures probably could do with another couple layers of purple paint and a base coat. (something I shall bear in mind when I get RTS Lugnut  )

Any questions or constructive criticism/ advice or ideas are welcome.

UPDATE ON 2ND PAGE

 

Haven't seen an Astrotrain head used for this guy yet. It's hard to put my finger on because the overall aesthetic of the head works but it just doesn't look right to me. Maybe just not mean enough. I do like what you've done on this guy though. I myself am painting something gold and it's about as bad as painting yellow. Never thought of doing silver as a base but it's a good idea since it seems to cover in one coat usually

 

Awesome mate that head is fantastic

 

Great work, good to see a fellow UKer being a customiser!!  .

If your looking fo a clear coat, I use Games Workshop Purity Seal

 

Here are my thoughts. I love this and the colors. I suggest you dont do any more layers of paint because some of those flaws make him look like he has been in the thick of it taking out cons. That head choice could not be more perfect. The legs do seem a little bold and might need that gold broken up just a tad. im talking just the slightest bit. But dude i am loving everything you got going on here. Fantastic.

 

Brilliant work. Like the choice of head, and the idea of putting the Straxus head on a clip is ingenious!   Actually, it does make me think it'd be cool for some of the clip system guys to use their attachment points like a trophy rack, which is the impression I get from Impactor here.

As for your gold, it looks pretty good here, but a suggestion for the future, since the gold I use doesn't cover too well either, what I do is apply a basecoat of a similar shade to the gold I want to end up with; for a fairly bright gold I might use a caramel colour, for a darker one, possibly a terracotta. Then I just wash one or two coats of gold over the top. It's amazing how many different shades of gold you can achieve using a layering method.

 

Thanks, I agree about the head, I was considering giving him a mouth closer to scowling to the neutral expression he has going as well as black lining around orange eyes.

Thanks, i had sclupted one from scratch made from a casted universe Ironhide head but this one was far easier to make look decent. I'll bring this guy down on nerd day to show off  

Right, thanks mate, I was wondering if that stuff was good or not, gonna get some tomorrow to finish this guy up.

Yeah it does look like it's splattered in gore in pictures but in person you can't really tell. I agree about the gold being too much, in LSOTW he does have some red on his kneepads but with them not being symmetrical it makes it a little difficult to decide how to apply it.

I'm going to end up going through the spare heads I heave now looking for ones to attach clips to now  

Thanks for the tip on the gold application, that's a really good idea. I'll remember that for the future.

 

I dig this. I need to go get me another copy of that mold now.

 

hey storm,

i like it.i use the citadel colours and only EVER use them with a base coat(which is also citadel) but considering this i think it turned out good! the head looks in proportion too which fits nice  

well done dude and do some more customs!

 

Thanks, i intend to do some more, going to have to wait for a bit I think. Can't decide whether to turn a WFC Megatron into Flame or Galvatron but that'll have to wait until I get another one (or 2)

I am going to use a base coat from now on though unless the toy is black or white.

 

well with them paints always use a flat base coat, as it takes the colours on and holds on to them in an amazing way. i can recommend the Krylon fusion camoflauge or however you spell it. sets rock hard and makes citadels look incredible!

and im also going to be working on a WFC megatron in galvatron. been soldering the electronics and LEDS into him!

 

I intend to be a bit different with mine, it hasn't escaped my attention that dark energon is purple so mine is going to be a fully corrupted WFC Megatron crazed by it's power and a dark energon crown growing out of his head.

I'll see if I can find any of that Krylon fusion then. Any suggestions on where I might find such a thing, living in Retford it's not too far out of the question to even go looking in Nottingham.

 

With Citadel paints I'd do a basecoat even on plastic of the same colour. The thickness difference isn't much if you use spray undercoat and your topcoat will be much more vivid  

Great job on Impactor, he looks awesome. Glad you stuck with it, those paints are a real pain but so worth it. I love his little claw thingy. Aside from possibly breaking up the colour in the legs as previously mentioned, he's perfect!

 

I mail order mine at about 6-7 quid a can and it lasts ages as all you need is a thin coat to paint on. I'll find a link to you asap as on the iPhone at the moment and my links are on the laptop lol

And the idea for the other custom sounds great!

 

Thanks mate, at that price there's no reason not to.

 

I've been wanting to do an Impactor and this looks different than the rest - thanks for that. Your paint doesnt look too bad really. I do agree the legs are a bit overwhelming and could use some purple highlights or something to break it up a bit. Over all that is an awesome custom man!

 

Yep. I want to do this.  

Love it! I actually have an Astrotrain head I can use too!

And Clip system Straxus = Genius!

 

Right, I believe I have solved the problem of the gold on the legs, the problem was trying to get a shape that was symmetrical that worked with the shape of the legs. i originally wanted to do red knees as in the comic but that was too difficult so it has moved down onto the shins and inside legs instead. There is also some red drybrushing on the legs also to simulate wear on a foreign planet (who says that cybertronian alloys have to be silver?)

Does that solve the in your face! gold?

 

Yes! I inspired someone!

Ah, gold paint is my nemesis. My impactor had about 3 coats just to get coverage. On my recent guzzle custom, the gold parts had an undercoat of either grey or matt black, and it helped so much.

Looks great mate, and I really dig the new red on the legs, breaks them up nicely.

Keep doing more customs!  

 

this looks awesome! any intentions on completing more custom wreckers? i'm toying with the idea myself although i have never customised before.

may i ask where his shoulder cannon is from? it's perfect!!