Just finished this Salamander Commander conversion for a Client of mine that I've done a few other conversions for as well (Old School Librarian, Vulkan conversion).
I have to say, this model has been one of the most fun I've had in a while when it comes to building Space Marine characters. He was a bit of a challenge when it came to getting the right "look" and the fact that I didn't want to recycle any of the bits I used in previous conversions for the same army.
The inspiration comes from this picture. I absolutely love the custom Iron Halo and the cables that run to it. I knew one day I'd have the chance to incorporate this into a model for someone.
Here you can see the beginning of the Halo made of plasticard and greenstuff. The cables were added near the end after I put a wire framework in place to support them. His backpack is a combination of the Chaos dragon vents and the cape from the Plastic Chaos Terminator Lord (with some modification).
I added some ornate relief work to his greaves along with studding out his right thigh. Combined with the half tabard and additional waistline elements, it really helped bulk him out. I also added spacers (again with plasticard) to the bottom of his feet to give him a slight lift in height.
Looking to really keep the Salamander theme throughout the model, I converted his thunder hammer and storm shield to include Salamander iconography.
Building a model like this really forces you to look at each element on the model and scrutinize them. It takes lots of small details to pull off the overall look in the end. They can be tons of work to do, but as a character model, they can have a huge impact on the overall look and feel of an army.
Make sure to check out these posts as they might help:
How to paint Dark Angels fast and dark (for the green armour)
