I won Iron Painter at Game Theory!

So, I found out this morning that my entry won this year’s Iron Painter competition at Game Theory in Raleigh, NC.  The theme was “magic is in the air.”  I went to Game Theory, found a few figures that inspired me and came up with this display.  I haven’t gotten it back yet to see what the critiques were, though I know I won by 1/2 a point…. Wow.  I feel pretty lucky to have gotten that 1/2 point, whatever it was for.  Thanks Lee and all the others that judged the contest!

gusty4
“Gusty”
gusty1
“Tobias Winterthorn, Druid” figure by Reaper
gusty2
“Shaeress, Dark Elf Queen” figure by Reaper
gusty3
Over head

Diorama made of foil covered in Sculpy, rocks and mulch from my backyard, and Gale Force 9 Medium Basing Grit, which I primed, painted and then added Gale Force 9 Meadow Blend Flock.  The wind effect is made with a bit of plastic from a container on which I painted lines.

I had some grand ideas to make a tower out of Hirst blocks but it just wasn’t coming out right.  I think I like the cave better anyways.  The idea is that she’s defending an entrance to the Dark Lands.  (I’m operating in Pathfinder lore, so I’m not calling it the Underdark 🙂 ).

I didn’t get a chance to see any of the other entries so I have no idea what I was up against.  I’m going to go pick it up tomorrow so I’ll see if anyone else’s is still there.

Thanks for looking!

Glyphglitch Wonderspangle, gnome wizard – a converted Briarberry, Halfling Wizard

I could not, for the life of me, find an interesting gnome with awesome facial hair and eyebrows so I decided to make one.  I started with Briarberry, halfing wizard by Reaper and a gob of green stuff.  Look at those boss sideburns!  I wish they showed up better with the mustache. Because Briarberry was a halfling, needed to cover his bare feet.  I had to add some on to the skirt for it to look right.  He was so fun to make, I can’t wait to start playing this character!  Again, pictures leave much to be desired.

glyphglitch1
mustache and shoes added, skirt fixed

Continue reading “Glyphglitch Wonderspangle, gnome wizard – a converted Briarberry, Halfling Wizard”

A year late, but still cool

So, last year, around this very time, I was making an awesome prop for the Race for the Rune-carved Key event at Game Theory.  Steve wanted me to use my skills to make a life-sized replica of the key we would be chasing down for the game.  The descriptor text is:

It stands roughly 3 feet tall when set on its Sihedron-shaped base, and is made of stone etched with glowing arcane symbols

And here is the picture from within the module:

© Paizo Publishing
© Paizo Publishing

Continue reading “A year late, but still cool”

Jabberwock from the Bones Collection

I got to paint  my friend Steve’s Jabberwock from Reaper’s Bones Collection.  They had done a Kickstarter and Steve got in it, and I get to have fun with some of his minis!!!  Yay.

Jabberwock bones collection
It started out white plastic like this. Image copyright Reaper Miniatures.
jabberwock1
after painting

It had a weird raised foot,probably because the original artwork in the Bestiary 2 shows it posed on some ruins with it’s foot raised.  Rather then heat it to lower the foot or leave him hanging precariously in the air, I decided to fashion a larger base with a boulder for him to rest his foot on.  The base he’s provided with isn’t “huge” size (3×3 inches) anyways, so enlarging the base worked out technical-wise also.

jabberwock2
Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

The base is Sculpy that I formed around the original base in such a way that the figure could slide out for the baking step.  I glued him down with E6000, my favorite glue.  I added ballast to give the “ground” texture and ease the transition between new base and old, then painted it all.  I also painted the Hellknight in this photo for Steve.  The pictures could be better, I’m working on my camera skills ^^;;  Don’t you like the outdoor posed shot?

Overall I’m pleased with how this turned out and I loved working with the plastic minis as much as I do the metal.

Lauren

Chorkak the Gorilla Lich Cleric of Angazhan

My friend Steve wanted a gorilla lich mini for a special Pathfinder Society module he is running at MACE West this weekend and he originally gave me a gorilla figurine he got from a craft store to alter.  After staring at the gorilla and being too scared to cut into it, I decided to get out the Sculpy and armature wire and give a go at making it from scratch.

As per usual, I didn’t get pictures of the whole process but here are a few making of’s:

Gorilla Lich in the making
Gorilla Lich in the making, next to the gorilla from the craft store

I started with an very basic armature that basically serves as the gorilla’s skeleton.  A spine, hips/legs, shoulders/arms and an oval for the skull.  I wrapped extra wire around the joints and down spine to make the chest part more substantial..  Then I put a thickish layer of Sculpy around everything.  I didn’t want it to be too thick because I knew I wanted some bones showing through in the final product.  I shaped an actual skull too for the same reason.  I baked the clay before moving on to set what I had done before adding the next level of detail.  Baking it in layers like this also helps the clay to bake thoroughly.

Adding detail
Adding detail
An ugly mug
An ugly mug

I started applying more sculpy layers, acting like I was adding skin but left parts off, added holes, gave him pecs, and scrapped up some fur with the pointy end of my sculpting tool.  Baked him up again and started the paint.

front detail
front detail
silver back
i was going for a silver back look
left side
left side
hello beautiful
hello beautiful
junk in the trunk
junk in the trunk
bottom
bottom

For the base, Steve had given me a plexiglass disk he had cut out, but I didn’t want to leave it clear, so I piled some sculpy on, baked it and painted it to hopefully look something like the cave floor of his lair.  I really wanted to put a nice 1d3 Creations sticker on the bottom but my printer decided it didn’t want to print blue today, even though there’s plenty in there.

In the end, I wish I had done a few things different. First of all, he needs more woundage.  That back is awfully in tact for an undead.  Second, I think I needed to make his head a little higher, right now he looks a little too hunched making it harder to see his face when he’s on a table.  Third, I think a fiercer stance might have been cool too.  Overall I feel pretty damn good about him though, especially considering he’s my first real sculpt.  Hope you like him too!

Figure Painting

I had a great time at Miller Con (a tiny local Pathfinder convention run by my buddy Steve) this weekend where I got to play Pathfinder Society on Saturday night and paint miniatures for most of the day on Sunday.  I loved it!!!  I only got crappy cell phone pictures of a few of the minis but here they are anyways 🙂  If I had been thinking before the con I would have put some stuff together to try to sell but instead I just whored out my mini painting abilities.  These pictures are soooo crappy though.  I promise they look cooler in person.

Ninja for Bobby
Ninja back
Arlene’s witch and rogue
Arlene’s ladies, back

The old adage, practice makes perfect, is really evident in my mini painting.  Not that I’m saying I’m anywhere near perfect!  Ha!  But my progression is evident.  I busted out one of the first minis I ever painted on Friday night to use her for my new Ancestor Oracle and I was like, I can’t use this, it’s not up to snuff any more.  So I added some more to her and was ten times happier.

Azmina before
Before from the back

Azmina got some more shading and details:

Azmina now
Azmina back