Eldar Phoenix Lord Jain Zar
The Storm of Silence (version 2)
Having previously converted the old metal version of Jain Zar, when a new plastic version was released in 2020 I was in two minds about whether or not to attempt a similar conversion a second time. Ultimately I decided that the improvements to the base model were significant enough to warrant revisiting the character. The move from metal to plastic also made the model easier to work with and allowed for a dynamic pose without worrying about supporting the weight of a metal model.Date: 2021 - 2026 (complete)
Components: 1x plastic Jain Zar, 1x plastic Jain Zar torso, Green Stuff, paperclips, brass rod, 40mm round base
Related:
1. Once again, this piece of artwork of the character by Mark Gibbons was the inspiration for this conversion. My goal was to recreate it as faithfully as possible.
Original illustration by Mark Gibbons, © Games Workshop.
Original illustration by Mark Gibbons, © Games Workshop.
The hand holding the triskele is bent back at the wrist.
The right arm is locked straight and actually slightly hyper-extended.
The Blade of Destruction is held with the shaft flat against Jain Zar's left forearm.
The left leg is raised, rather than being extended straight.
Jain Zar's head is turned down and to the left.
Her torso is twisted and she is leaning over on her left.
2. The standard model has a dynamic pose, but it is clearly very different from the pose in the artwork that I was aiming to recreate.
Image © Games Workshop.
Image © Games Workshop.
3. The head was assembled as per the instructions, but then had to be separated from the body in order to reposition it.
4. The legs of the conversion. The left leg had to be cut down substantially so that it would fit snugly alongside the right leg.
5. The torso and legs at an early stage of construction.
6. A rough mock-up of how the various pieces will fit together.
7. The head and torso have now been attached together.
8. The feet and lower legs have been glued in place. I was pleased to have managed to have the feet crossing over each other slightly and for the toes to be close together.
9. A side view of the assembled legs. The left leg is slightly forward from the right, which matches the source illustration.
10. The right arm, wielding the Jainas Mor (the Silent Death), actually required a lot more work than it initially appears. The arm was repositioned at the elbow and the hand was separated from the forearm at the wrist and then reattached in a new position.
11. The component pieces of the conversion, partway through assembly.
12. A close-up of the left arm wielding the Zhai Morenn (the Blade of Destruction).
13. Some sculpting work was needed on the legs, to mask the join between the left leg and the hips and restore the creases to the loincloth.
14. Side view of the legs. I used Green Stuff to fill in the gap behind the left knee and to resculpt the top half of the left leg.
15. The scenic base.
In order to extend the ribbed tubing to reach from the chin to behind the shoulders, I used parts from a second torso that I'd purchased from a bitz site.
Green Stuff was used to fill in missing detail on the hair that would normally be covered up if the model was assembled according to the instructions.
16. The torso starts to take shape.
17. The entire miniature is connected to the base via a single piece of ruined scenery. The advantage of a plastic miniature (compared to a metal one) is that it is substantially lighter; this means that the model is easily supported with just one pin.
18. A close-up of the head and torso after some Green Stuff sculpting. I based the neck on the source illustration, which has a more organic look, rather than the "ribbed" design that is usually found on other Eldar models.
19. A mock-up of the assembled model, with blu-tack holding some of the components in place.
20. Rear view of the model. The tips of the toes won't be glued to the base at all; this will allow them to retain their points and give the impression that Jain Zar is pirouetting.
21. Alternate view of the model. This shows that Jain Zar will still have some forward momentum despite having her arms raised up, as I didn't want her to appear too static - rather that she is in the middle of a balletic spin towards her enemies.
22. An updated shot of the scenic base.
23. The completed conversion, undercoated and ready for painting.
24. Side view of the conversion.
25. Rear view of the conversion.
26. The conversion from the right side.
27. Another view of the undercoated model.
I created a second "antler" for the ruined Avatar statue on the base, to match the one that connects Jain Zar's hair to the base.
I used a small piece of scenery from a different Eldar kit as it looks like a continuation of the other ruins on the base.
28. I made some changes to Jain Zar's base as I wasn't entirely happy with how it looked and how Jain Zar was positioned on it.
29. An early work-in-progress shot of the painting of Jain Zar's legs.
30. Rear view of the legs; I was especially pleased with the gold/brass and leather of the boots.
31. Early colour-blocking work on the head. I wanted to replicate the alternating stripes in Jain Zar's hair, to match the original illustration. The official 'Eavy Metal studio model has some stripes but these disappear into the hair and it becomes a solid red. Instead, I aimed to preserve the stripes throughout the length of the hair, right down to the tips.
32. At this point the painting of the head, hair and torso was virtually complete.
33. Alternate angle of the torso.
34. A close-up of the Howling Banshee rune that I painted freehand on the tabard.
35. The (nearly) completed legs. At this stage I had not decided on a colour scheme for the gems at the waist.
36. Another view of the legs.
37. A better angle of the Howling Banshee rune, after some minor changes.
38. The scenic base has been fully painted at this point, barring the rim (which is always the absolutely final thing).
39. Another angle of the base.
40. After glueing the torso to the legs and the base.
41. The final, completed model.
42. Jain Zar, in all her glory.
43. The colour scheme came together much better than I had expected, which was a huge relief.
44. The bold red and white of the hair contrasts nicely with the green of the ribbons and tabard.
45. Rear angle of the model. I was able to get Jain Zar up on her toes, which was a major design element of the original illustration that I wanted to include.
46. Side view of Jain Zar.
47. From this angle it's easier to see the forward momentum that the model conveys; she is not just standing straight up.
48. A close-up of the detail on the base.
49. This shot focuses on the head and face of the model.
50. The non-metallic-metal (NMM) effect on the blade of the Zhai Morenn turned out quite nicely.
51. Another view of the rune on the tabard.
52. Close-up of the multiple blades of the Jainas Mor.
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