Looking for advise

[MonkLover]

I have just come back into the game after a 15 year absence from the gaming table. I am soon going to be playing a dragonborn warlord in a new campaign. I have however noticed that there is an incredible lack of affordable dragonborn minis out on the market. I am also not a big fan of the official D&D prepainted plastic minis. I used to paint minis back in the 80's, and have gone through my collection of RAFM, Ral Partha, and Citadel minis from the late 80's and found nothing suitable to use but the Suaron Paladin mini from Curse of the Azure Bonds in the Forgotten Realms box set produced by Ral Partha ( I miss them), but I have not found anything that suites my vision of my character. After doing a little searching on the net I have found a mini produced by Reaper that could serve my needs with some modifications. However I have not touched a paintbrush to a mini since the early 90's and have never performed any serious conversion work on a mini besides bending the limbs to adjust the figures pose a little. I would like to use the Reaper miniature 03442: Gulark, Reptus Warlord as the base. I was thinking about then performing a head swap with a head from either the Reaper 03457: Dragonman Conversion Kit (Dragonman Conversion ) or a dragon head from Hasslefree Miniatures (Pack - Dragon Heads). I was then thinking of removing the polearm and performing a weapon swap with a sword available from one of Reapers several available weapon sprues followed by repostioning and possible resculpting the empty hand to hold a shield strap and attaching a shiel to the same arm. I hav never used the green stuff. I would like to perform this conversion myself as I have limited funds, but I find it intimidiating and I am unsure if I am being over ambitious with my rusty sculpting and painting skills in my choice of a 1st conversion project. any tips and advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[ExploderWizard]

The weapon swap isn't too difficult. The head swap will be very tricky especially if you have never worked with greenstuff.

Reaper Miniatures :: Miniatures


Reaper Miniatures :: Miniatures

Reaper Miniatures :: Miniatures

These are some dragonmen with sword and shield. They might require a lot less conversion work.

 

[Nytmare]

The Reaper Reptus line of figures are probably the best Dragonborn standins I've seen.

I'd try a simpler project or two first though, just to get the hang of sculpting in putty, it's like trying to sculpt with snot. Always remember that you can go high, and cut and file back down after it has cured.

Sweat the initial pinning and placement more than the putty, it's harder to readjust.

 

[MonkLover]

Thanks for the suggestions ExploderWizard, they look great, but just a little more heavly armored than I was looking for, I want my figure in either chainmail or scalemail armor.
and thanks for your advise as well Nytmare.