Mad Max

I've picked up quite a few of them for myself and friends who play the Champions superhero RPG. They're okay in terms of sculpting quality. They range from decent to well, ham-fisted... Sometimes the sculptor will even make feet by placing a foot-shaped bit of putty and just pushing down the top - looks like someone mashed their foot! But they have "personality" and as we all know, personality goes a long way... I like some of them because they do "odd" stuff you won't get from the HeroClix supers. The giant brick in one of the posts is a good example, as is stuff like this: I just like her stance (and she's twice human size!) My friend bought him as a Nazi for his 1930's campaign: Unforunately in general a lot of the minis aren't as cool as these... Partially it's the sculpting to blame. I've seen the concept art they posted and it's pretty decent. Take care, Laszlo

I'm surprised no one has posted this info by Jen Haley yet. Check her basing article below, midway down. This snow was pretty popular on mini-painter and the web 4-5 years ago, but folks have probably forgotten... http://www.wegotgame.net/jen/basing.html Oh, and mind the warning she gives Eric! Later, Laszlo

And he makes them have *real bodies*! Not willowy, underfed super models. Not DDD top-heavy women. Women who have a little flesh to them (almost Rubanesque). As my wife said about one of his sculpts: "She looks like me!" It's good to see someone recognizes that not all women look like model waifs. Take care, Laszlo

Oh yeah... *Everyone's* got their quirks artistically, sculptor or painter. Just a brief list of things I've seen: Dennis Mize - don't get me wrong, I have a lot of his sculpts, but he's got two major things that bug me: 1) knock-kneed women. He seems to have this thing for portraying women like they have to go take a pee or something... 2) figures with raised arms. I swear half the Shadowrun line had minis holding their hands up like the stereotypic "I'm yawning pose." Tom Meier - every one of his faces uses the classical convention of a hole in the eye for a pupil. In marble sculpture this was done so the hole creates a natural "black" or dark patch for the pupil. He carried this through to mini-sculpting. Also, in his older models many of his men tended to look like old men, even young barbarian warriors! John Dennett - he had a very particular way of making claws, which he used on nigh-well every monster with claws he sculpted for Grenadier. They carried over from dragons to aliens to Cthuloid monsters... You could tell just by the claws it was one of his. He also had liked to wrap the claw over the base, so the mini looked like it could just come to life and step off. Werner Klocke - as mentioned the 'elfin' features are almost a trademark for him. That and the use of unusual poses. He tries to spice things up, though he doesn't always succeed and some his minis have odd stances or strangely-tilted heads as a result. You noticed that too huh? Well, she has very similar faces for her men and women, but then again most sculptors have a particular style for them. My thing with her is she picks the same poses and does them over and over and over... Though in her defense she has been trying new things, like that awesome undead dog she just did for Reaper. Bob Ridolfi's women all have the same, rounded face style. I could go on and on... Truth be told everyone has their quirks, including me, it's just when it gets to (drum roll please) the "Jakusovszky Rule" that I get concerned - "All artist's reach a plateau point, then either coast forever at the same level, or go down hill." This seems to hold true for any art form. It's rare when someone breaks out of a mold, or stretches their wings when they reach the point where either they feel in rut or they stop listening to their overwhelming fans/art director/etc telling them to keep putting out the same stuff.... The example I use of this is Boris Vallejo (no relation to the paint ;P) I mean how many more muscle-bound, oiled, "pseudo-fantasy" weight lifters does the world need? At one point he did try different things, telling stories, illustrating books, but now it's all testosterone and swords. Which is what the "fans" come to expect. It's nice to see when an artist stretches their wings and contradicts me! Like Julie Guthrie for Reaper. I never used to give her much credit when she worked for Grenadier - her faces looked alike and all the hands were large (like an anti-Austin Powers .) But her new models for Reaper were a breath of fresh air - unusual subjects, like six-armed snakewomen and banshees, and creative sculpts. I love it! Take care, Laszlo

Well, it's a mix of everything. Some people want the "gosh wow!" factor of having a new entry which *hasn't* been up on CMON for 6 months. Some do concern themselves about idea theft (I know of at least one major argument between "name" painters because of this.) I'm usually painting entries up until the last second (who has time for critiques?!?) And frankly it also saves the embrassment if you don't finish your entry (not that I know *anyone* who's ever done that. Nope, nosiree....) Personally I go for the gosh-wow factor, though I do have friends I share with. Stupidly enough my wife is my closest confidant in many ways. I'm lucky to have her. She's an artist so I can ask her for color and composition critiques. (Without worrying someone will "steal" my ideas!!! :listen: :laugh: ) Later, Laszlo

Sounds like my friend's old car "Deerslayer". 84? Honda CVCC that would not die.... Got the moniker from trading blows with a deer in Monterey (both opponents left the field under their own power ). He abused the CRAP out of that car and it kept going. Didn't change the oil for a year during college.... Brakes got down to metal on metal. Sad sight, but amazing what a car will take. Later, Laszlo

Somehow I never had this problem Then again, I'm sure you were never identified with the guy from Real Genius or called "Lancelot" in a pure move of desparation by someone who couldn't pronounce it... :soapbox: Later, Laszlo

No way baby... '68 Dodge Polara, with a 383 V8. Crappy gas mileage, but it was a tank that seated 6 with comfort. More if you wanted to get snuggly. This one's not mine, but the same model and color. Later, Laszlo

Can't say I've had catastrophic failure like that, but I dropped my CMON Amazon just after I Dullcoated it. Nothing broke, but I learned the bad news about the vinyl Vallejo paint binder. She bent back at the legs and the paint just *shedded* off the pewter like a banana's peel, straight down to bare metal! Good news was I was able to gently prod the paint slivers back into place and glue them back down with some matt medium... Very weird. Vinyl sticks to anything, but doesn't grip worth anyway... Take care, Laszlo

I've learned not to keep a cup or glass on my painting table anymore. My hand will dunk the brush into it like it has a mind of it's own... Ruined many a good soda that way Later, Laszlo

Hmmmm, I hadn't thought of using one of those to light minis. My guess is it would be a little too weak to light them strongly. These types of boxes are like the doctor's x-ray box - meant to view transparent objects through. You may want to look for something aimed more at jewelry - aim lights at the sides for bright, but diffuse, lighting. http://cgi.ebay.com/12-x12-Light-Cube-Light-Tent-Soft-Box-NEW_W0QQitemZ7548274931QQcategoryZ79008QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I've personally never used one, so YMMV. I do something similar to Eric. I use lamps and tape tracing paper over them (not too close w/incandescents, though. Don't start a fire!) Take care, Laszlo

Yeah... http://hot-lead.org/bio/firstmini.htm She's 6 now, but always been good about it too. Apart from playing with my table vise (she likes to turn the handle until it comes apart), she's been really good. My wife can even leave her at my worktable with some toys and work behind her at the drafting table, knowing Kira won't touch my minis. She did like that Space Marine though... I found him again recently when we cleared out our living room. Take care, Laszlo

"No, there is another..." :lame: For me personally though this one takes it for stupidest of all: Later, Laszlo

Yeah RAFM has some really cool stuff, esp. the Halloween-themed ghosts, witches, etc. I don't care for much of their older stuff, as it's all by the same 'house' sculptor who's pretty love or hate for me. However, their new "Modern Heroes" line is chocked full of cool minis! Mostly thinly-veiled version of tv/movie stars. http://www.rafm.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=RAF&Category_Code=RAF I simply *must have* the guy from "Falling Down": And "The Bride" from Kill Bill: There's other recognizables like a (ubiquitous) Lara Croft, Scully from X-files, etc. And some odd-ball selections like the gonzo military guy from "Reign of Fire" of all things! Take care, Laszlo

Probably a little of both... There are really nice minis in the line, so there must still be call for them, or RP Europe, etc. wouldn't still sell them. Take care, Laszlo

Yeah it's ultrasonic. Human can't hear it, unless you put your ear right up to it - then you can barely hear a tinny high-pitched squeal. It has a motion sensor that sets off the sound when anything passes in front of it. Works great with my cat. She won't go near it, even when the battery's dead. Pavlovian training at it's finest! The only downside is swapping our batteries every few months, though you can plug in a 9V converter instead. http://www.epets.com/catscram.html Note, I haven't ordered from this place, so YMMV, but I saw a lot of places selling it online. Forgot where I got ours as it's been like 10 years... Take care, Laszlo

Nice article Eric!! I've just begun experimenting with layering myself as I've primarily been a wet-blender in the past. I've been running into problems getting wet-blends to be ultra-smooth with the lighter pigments (like white). I have been layering lately (the muscles on my Destroy!! entry) but letting the layers dry between instead of feathering/removing the paint. The removal stage of your technique seems rather tricky, but I imagine it comes with practice, as both you and Scott get excellent results with it. On a side note, since you don't use mediums much I'd recommend flow-aid. I didn't give it much credit myself when I was wet-blending exclusively (didn't seem to have any effect frankly), but I found a water/flow-aid mix has been instrumental in smooth layering. I'd recommend you give it a shot. Thanks again for this excellent tutorial! I'll be trying the technique. Take care, Laszlo

Nice!! Gives me inspiration for painting mine up (if I wrest them from my kid's hands long enough Later, Laszlo

Oh behave.... Later, Laszlo

Link? I haven't seen the repaints. I have some of these for my daughter (and even considered doing repaints myself). Later, Laszlo

*sigh* You guys, don't start making me do that "young whippersnappers" thing Deanne Goodwin does on mini-painter! Later, Laszlo

Hey, I'm as much into soft-core bondage as many guys (well, maybe not Nathan )but the straps just don't make sense with the rest of what's going on. If you're going to do bondage, then just do the whole package, like the Total Testosterone diorama with the Hasslefree minis. In terms of the blindfold, I think it's cool. Gives her a mystical air or something like the old Kung Fu 'blind' masters. Take care, Laszlo

Check out RP Europe once again for the answer: http://www.connectstores.com/ralpartha/sp_16818.html There's a link at the top for the rest of the line, with pics of most. They're also good about noting what has been replackaged. Take care, Laszlo

Unfortunately hate to be the bearer of bad news but those WizKids minis are at least 5 years old. They did that line right around the first few releases of the MageKnight collectible game IIRC. My guess, based on the industry at the time, is they did this line because they either owned (or were contracting with) FASA to get the rights for Battletech and Crimson Skies. FASA also happened to own Ral Partha then, and it makes sense they'd stipualte some sort of deal with a mini line for Partha to produce. Hence 'Mageknight Metals', cast and distributed by RP, with sculpting from some of the better sculptors on their "Crucible" line. They resculpted *a lot* of the crappy initial MK sculpts before releasing the line. Unfortunately the line never got any real support from WizKids. It never tied into the collectible game directly - no rules or ability to swap the metal ones onto their plastic counterparts' bases easily (apart from conversion...) As a result it kind of petered out (like the earlier Magic the Gathering line from Heartbreaker.) A strange little footnote in the annals of mini-painting... The line was eventually disco'd, except for RP Europe apparently, but can still be found at some hobby shops (my local one has a bin full of the 50% off hard cases no one will buy.) There were some really nice minis in the line though, and it's well worth hunting down those. In terms of the paint jobs on the blisters, they were (I believe) actually shots of the collectible minis from the MK game. Hence crappy paint jobs on crappy plastics by Chinese wage-slaves (or political prisoners...) That's why sometimes the mini itself doesn't match the picture - it was one of the resculpts, but they didn't bother painting it up and shooting new pics. Take care, Laszlo

Yeah, these were plenty as stink a few years ago. Even my local comic store had sets due to the cross-over. I've never gotten into the comic and they didn't appeal to me esthetically so I passed on them at the time. Take care, Laszlo