Modelling: Witch Hunter's Hats

The hat you ask? You want to know about the hat of mine? Well i suppose i can tell you. I was about your age, kept close to a Witch Hunters warband. I was a youngster back then yet seen my share of deaths already. The men i fallowed were made of tough stuff. A band of hardened killers who didn't spare me bitting and the most harsh of words imaginable. You may consider yourself lucky you little bastard, that i'm the one you cling to and not these men of ruthless art. The vastness of my golden heart is overwhelmed only by enormity of experience and the tongue of pure silver with which i wage war. Not to mention my burning faith. But what was i saying? Aah... the hat! My good old hat. I always wanted one you know? Fallowing these men, fighting side to side. In my eyes the only difference between us was the hat. For me it was a mark of status. I craved it with all my being. I was a glory seeker. Young and foolish. I was so blinded by the need of earning one that i didn't understood the meaning behind the hat untill it was too late. When i finally got one it was a parting gift from my dying comrade and mentor, Astellan Kroml. A man i've failed on the battlefield for the last and final time. "The hat is a simbol of a higher purpose. A mark of status as much as of devotion. It gives hope to our subjects and brings fear to the rotten hearts of spell crafters. Once you put on the hat, it cannot be undone." The last words left him with less than a whisper. And he was gone. His blank eyes stare at me up to this day. I sometimes wander if he considered me worthy or didn't want the hat to be left to rot on some forsaken field of battle. Will never know the answer tho...

Hell yeah - and that's what i call an introduction to an article! Today i would like to tell you about the hat! Fear not tho! It will not have much in common with what you've just read. This is a Modelling article and i'd like to show you a quick and rewarding way to make you're own Witch Hunter's Hat.

Witch Hunters miniatures are very rare and to lay hands on one of these is a miracle to behold. So why not make one yourself? There's plenty of Imperial miniatures that fits to become a Witch Hunter. Just pick your favorite badass, armoured and coated, arm him with torch, or a pistol... Congratulations my lord - you've got a Witch Hunter. Well almost... cause he still don't have a proper hat! Fortunately this won't be a problem any more when you're done with this article.

Let us begin!

MODELLING WITCH HUNTER'S HAT

First of all you've got to arm yourself with these:
* Modelling Knife,
* Sculpting Tools,
* Modellin File,
* Green Stuff, 
* Super Glue, 
* Some round and flat plastic bitz (heads in helmets will do too),
* Some tubular sprue plastic bitz (easy to get as they're in almost every sprue),

1) Prepare the Brim of the hat made of round shaped plastic bitz. Start by first cutting off the excess of plastic with Cutting Knife and then flattening the surface area with a Modelling File. 
Next use the Knife to cut tubular sprue bitz into nice hat top pieces. Here's the picture of how it should look like in the end:

2) Now prepare some Green Stuff and roll it a bit so that u have a long piece. Cut couple pieces off and make them into little balls. Remember to glue hat top onto the brim before you proceed to another step.

3) Using a Sculpting Tool or a picker apply some glue onto the brim, arount the top. It will help you further apply a Green Stuff roll to the hat so that it won't fall off. Personally i find this method far less frustrating than counting for Green Stuff to hold on it's own.

4) Lead the Green Stuff roll around the top of the hat with gentle touches of the Sculpting Tool. The key is to avoid damaging it's basic 'roll' shape. When the process is over cut off the rest of the roll and shape Green Stuff into a strap with back of the Sculpting Tool.

5) You can further correct and smooth the strap using Sculpting Tool dipped in water. 
TIP: Water will prevent the Scultping Tool to stick into Green Stuff.

6) Now apply some glue onto a piece of paper or plastic. Stick the tip of the Sculpting Tool into one of the Green Stuff balls you've prepared. Gently dip the ball into the glue so that it takes a small amount with it and put it onto the hat strap. You can flatten the ball using the rount side of the tool thus creating a buckle. 

7) You can add a final touch to the Hat by further sculpting a pattern onto the buckle or adding cuts and grazes on the hat's brim.

The final effect may not be outstanding but it will do the job of transforming your Imperial Mercenary into a badass Witch Hunter. See for yourself in the  Warband: 'Scourge of the Witches' the Witch Hunters  article. Here's a preview pic:

This little tutorial was inspired by a member of  Mordheim Facebook group  which asked me if i had any Witch Hunters miniatures for sale. The idea to share my 'Witch Hunter Hat' method came in an instant. Hope you like the tutorial. Will try to make some more in the future.


Nazroth.