Your likes and dislikes about miniatures ...

[Nathan Caroland]

I'm curious, for various reasons.

What are your likes and dislikes when it comes to miniatures? Now we all know opinions are like arseholes and some of them just plain stink, but I'm curious to see if there are any general 'guidelines' that people tend to follow when shopping for miniatures, etc.

Do you follow certain types of sculptors? If so, who?

What genre do you follow? Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, Modern, mixture of it all? Myself, I absolutely love some of the fantasy stuff out there, particularly some old RAFM (the halloween stuff is fantastic). I find myself jumping all over the place these days in purchases, though universally I tend to stay away from undead (I've yet to paint a good one, likely why).

Do you buy almost exclusively from the internet, or do you go into brick and mortar stores and peruse the miniature lines, buying as you see fit. Internet, B&M - does it really matter all that much?

Are you more prone to buy a miniature that you have seen a really smart studio paint job on or does it really matter? Kind of the whole art on the cover selling the book notion. Would you rather see it as a green, as a full cast, or just painted damn nicely? Any or all?

Do you follow a particular size of miniatures or it doesn't really matter any more? Scale creep is everywhere these days and there are some die hard 15, 25, 28mm folks out there, but 32mm seems to becoming a standard (heroic scale if you wish to call it). Reaper, Rackham and Privateer Press come to mind for this when I think of larger companies (hrmmm, how about Dark Age miniatures? Got to get a few of mine out and measure).

Bases, myself I'm pretty particular, in that I have started to find that I use, almost exclusively these days, the round display bases (ala Warmachine, Dark Age .. etc). Do bases make a difference for you when it comes to the miniature or is it just something you deel with as a 'side note' so to speak. Do you use premade bases like Groundforge or only ones you make yourself?

When it comes to packaging of a miniature - is some hot artwork or paintjob on a clamshell or blister likely to catch your eye, and persuade you to buy a miniature vs. something just stuffed into a blister with the company logo? For instance, Rackham has a very 'good' look when it comes to packaging I feel (catches my eye too, which I suppose is half the battle).

Do you buy box sets or singles?

Do you follow a game line and paint for a game figure or do you just pick up whatever catches your attention and paint for the pleasure of it. Do you paint to sell, or is it a private thing?

Why are you in this hobby? Myself, I find I'm addicted to these little pewter contraptions and enjoy painting them, though I find myself less likely to do so these days with life, or simple frustration, though I still buy the little monstrosities.

Anyhow, curiosities of mine. I am interested in who your favorites are, what you follow, do you have favorite painters that you follow, sculptors that you avidly watch for, and generally what makes you buy what you buy.

Something that I've been evaluating of late, and I've noticed that my lead content has cut back significantly in the last four months or so as I've gotten really picky about what I buy, likely due to the fact that I've got so much that needs paint and I'm just adding to the pile.

Look forward to your opinions.

[LeadAsbestos]

That sure is a lot of questions! Heres my take on things:

As we discussed in an earlier thread, I recently sold 2/3 of my minis, as I've given up ever finishing an "army" due to lack of time and the fact that I have the attention span of a 5yr old when it comes to minis! I've also decided that I'll only buy top notch sculpts, no more army fillers or back rankers, because I don't like to paint shitty minis, plain and simple.

I've also decided to stop following only the official releases for a game, and I'll pick and choose the models I want, regardless of company/sculptor/whatever. I'm doing a Weird WWII type thing now, with 1999, Disturbia, Projekt X, and maybe some Artizan depending on how things scale out. Also a Road Warrior project, with GW orcs, and various models from all over, painted up to match a theme, not some official game.

I do like to buy from the little guys as opposed to GW or some others, and I have no B&M stores in Buffalo anymore, so internet/eBay only.

I never buy w/ the intention of painting and selling, but after a while, a lot gets sold to finance the next project.

I'm mostly influenced in my purchases by internet ads here, TMP, Frothers, etc.

People pimping their wares catches me all the time. As far as packaging, couldn't care less. Give me a good, large, clear photo on the Web, and you can mail it to me in toilet paper!

If Tom Weiss painted dog turds, you'd see me sniffing around kennels! I just can't get enough of that guy's stuff. He influenced my purchase and painting of a large Viking army, and actually made me want to paint US paratroopers, and I dread painting uniforms! He is my #1 painting hero.

Nice and long-winded! :thumb:

[Ritual]

Ok, where should I start?

The reason why I paint have changed during the years, especially since I've had periods when I have decided I don't paint anymore. I started painting minis some 20 years ago and the main reason back then was to use for role playing games. Then, I found out about tabletop games and decided I was going to start doing that.

I think somewhere at that point, halfway through my planned orcs & goblins army for WHFB, I became spellbound by the minis themselves. I realised I wanted to paint a few of these, a few of those and even the odd sci-fi mini. My hobby became more focused on painting the coolest minis. I never managed to build a playable army.

Nowadays, my motivation comes from the painting, though I'm still addicted to getting all the coolest minis. I've discovered how much you can actually do with a mini and am always striving to go further. To better being able to express my aesthetic visions through painting miniatures (if that makes sense .

Out of old habit I prefer fantasy minis, although I don't mind painting the odd sci-fi mini now an then. Also out of old habit I tend to chose 30-ish mm minis. I wouldn't mind painting larger scales too, but I don't think I'll ever paint 15 mm or smaller.

When I buy minis I look for minis that appeal to my aesthetics. I like dark, menacing or brooding stuff! I want powerful, elegant poses and I want crisp detail. I want something that is both challenging and rewarding to paint. I find that Rackham, Freebooter and some Warcrow stuff is what I best like to paint. They are all characterised by delicate details, dynamic poses and lots of atmosphere in the sculpts themselves.

I'm not that concerned with studio paintjobs when buying miniatures, although I like to look at professional studio work for inspiration while painting. When I buy minis I'm more concerned with the sculpts. If I can buy the minis I want at my LGS I do so to support them as I like the store and those who run it.

Since I don't use my minis for gaming I'm more concerned about the look of the bases rather than what's the proper size for the game in question. I happen to think round bases look better and often use that for my mini. I also favour slightly larger bases than what's standard so that I can create a sufficiently large framing to the mini, a piece of environment to enhance the atmosphere. I like to build my own bases, but I use premade bases as foundation as well although I always add things of my own to those.

When it comes to sculptors and painters there are a few whose work I'm always interested in. I love Werner Klockes sculpts and I'm also a big fan of Yanick Henebo (former Rackham sculptor, now with Warcrow among others). The Rackham sculptors are of course also always interesting. I have plenty of favourite painters and it takes too much time to list them all, but I think my number one source of inspiration at the moment is Emmanuele Giovagnoni (Poupée Canope).

In your title you mentioned dislikes! So, what do I NOT like in minis? I don't like stiff poses. I don't like clumsy, bulky oversized minis (think space marines). I don't like bland minis without any strong visual features, like 'male adventurer with sword' (generic adventurer type waving a sword above his head), that sort of things. I don't like cheesy, semi-pornographic minis, though I don't mind 'sexy' sculpts as long as they fulfil my criteria for being cool minis. But tasteless, unsophisticated stuff whose only purpose is to be pornographic don't interest me. Finally (well, there's probably more stuff I dislike, but these are the important stuff) I REALLY HATE POORLY CASTED MINIS WITH SEVERE MOULD LINES, FLASH OR MISCASTED DETAILS!

[Klute]

When I first started painting figures it was really becuase I had no one to play the games with and I was mesmerised by the painted minis at the local GW store.

I would just get whatever caught my eye.

When I first got the internet I found more companies selling minis. I - Kore was looking good certain figures in particular. So I got some of those. I was always drawn to a certain type though.

Then I spotted Hasslefree and painted one of their figures.

I got some Warmachine and Iron Kingdoms.

The Sally at Hasslefree bought the figure from me I painted and asked me to do some more. It was only then looking back at the non GW figures I had collected and painted did I realise the majority where Kev White sculpts.

So I guess without knowing it I turned into a Kev White fan.

I still really enjoy painting anything he does.

I get more enjoyment from sculpting now than painting. I have found I am a lot fussier in chosing figures to paint.

I like Steve Buddles clean sculpts. I like the character in Heresy sculpts.

I like Rackham sculpts here and there but dont seem to be able to get the motivation to paint them.

I like a good balance between detail and cleanliness. Too much un essential detail ruins a sculpt for me.

Probably the sculptor who I am keeping the closest eye on is Edgar Ramos. His sculpts never fail to get me foaming at the mouth.

So I think Kev will always be my favourite sculptor but Edgar is very close.

As for painters I get inspiration every where. Yellow One never fails to amaze me.

My own mind.

I like horror. Fantasy or sci fi. Doesnt matter. The more twisted and weird the better.

I buy all my minis on tinternet

Packaging.....I love the Rackham stuff. Feels like you are getting a collectable. Which suits me more cos I dont game.

I hate mould lines on faces.

I hate Reaper broccolli bases.

I love rounded display bases eg Warmichine.

[EricJ]

well, lots to reply to here!

Favorite Sculptors atm:

Werner

Edgar

SteveB (I think with his new line he is really finding his stride)

Favorite Painters

Arkaal (my #1 for a while now)

Alexi (yes, despite it all, I find a lot here to learn from)

Those two have probably helped my painting the most, particularly my NMM, but there are of course a ton others that I've drawn inspiration from

Genre

I actually like both Fantasy and SF and anything inbetween really, no preference here

Studio Paint Job

This is a funny one, I think that I do like to see really nice studio paint jobs, it's what catches my attention and makes me give a mini company a 2nd closer look, but then it comes down to the sculpt. Of course a nice paint job can show off the details of a sculpt real nicely as well. So while it's all about the sculpt for what I'll buy, I do think the paint job has a big influence there

Mini Size

Ummm, I'll always stand my the theory it's not the size of the mini that matters, but how you use it...it helps me

Bases

When I'm painting for fun/art I'll always use my own, I have stocks of bases all over the place. When for an army, I'm happy to use that too...I generally put way less time/thought into bases than I should

Packaging

It doesn't matter too much to me really

Box sets?

I will buy boxes or singles, and even been known to buy boxes to get a single out of them

Why?!

why do I do what I do...if I could really answer that...then we'd have something!

ok, that's all the energy I have tonight for a single post!

[Celtic Lilly]

I tend towards more simple miniatures, something that doesn't have too many hard spots and fine detail work as I know my own limitations! Rackham look nice but I'm not going to waste my money on them because I can't paint them at all.

No favorite sculptors ATM though there are some that I have been keeping an eye on more recently.

Those premade bases must DIE! I don't have a dremel and using snips and files takes forever and is hell on my nails.

I paint because I like the pretty shiny things, though I have been known to just clean them and prime them so I can look at them instead of putting paint on them. Bad habbit of mine.

Packaging doesn't really matter to me, though I have noticed a tendency towards looking at studio paint jobs before painting mine as it helps me get an understanding for the miniature and maybe see something that I might have missed.

[Sakura]

Well, I prefer Fantasy or modern minis, but I sometimes buy other minis if I like them.

If I just need 1-2 minis and can get them in one of the shops around here (mostly GW, Rackham, Reaper) , I'll buy them there, if I want Stuff from other companys I usually wait a bit any buy a load at an online shop.

It doesn't matter to me if they have nice paintjops or something, I don't mind having only seen the green or bare metall. So I won't have any illusions about how it will look in the end. (I'll never be able to paint like the Rackham artists.)

I usually buy 28mm, but I don't mind if they're a bit smaller or bigger. I have some 52mm minis, but I have problems painting them, so I only buy them if they really are gorgeous.

I don't mind the bases, when I like the mini, though I hate Reaper bases (who don't). I substitute all other bases mostly with the Dark Age ones, or make fitting efaplast- bases

Packing I don't care about, as long as I can see the miniature. Reapers packing works good enough, though they're allways bending the wepons. And I prefer if it's whole in the package, I don't like multipart minis much.

I prefer single minis, but if I really want one mini in a box, I might still get it.

I just buy what I like, though there are some lines I like much stuff from, like Hasslefree. I tried painting myself an Confrontation armee, but it didn't work. I just can't paint what I don't like, and all in the same colours and stuff.

So, why do I like to paint minis: I'm not even sure about that. I guess it's for the beauty of it. Just to paint something so that it looks good.

[gi6ers]

I tend to go for fantasy but anything that takes my fancy really. I only buy from the internet as there is nowhere near me to buy from.

I got into painting via GW, I've never gamed.

Favourite sculptors/companies - Kev White, SteveB, Whoever does the Wargods range and anyone else who appeals. It's got to have character and not be too fiddly (Rackham!), I really like some GW stuff and I'm a big fan of Sacred Blade.

Scale - anything goes up to 54mm

As for studio paintjobs, they sometimes put me off (Rackham) but as long as there is a good pic I'm happy....

Favourite painters - The paintslaves on the Forum of doom are the guys I try to emulate.

Bases - Don't really care but I'm not a fan of integral bases.

Packaging - Not bothered,

Mostly I do it to relax, I have a high pressure job and need to wind down when I can..

[green stuff]

Do you follow certain types of sculptors? If so, who?

I don't really care about the name, if talent can be seen, then it's worth buying. But regular names that appearin my mini cabinet are : Jes Goodwyn, Brian Nelson, Cyril Abati, JAG, what ever Rackham comes out with, ... and lately Ergman has been doing some remarkable minis.

What genre do you follow?

Mostly Sci-Fi because it lets more place to the imagination and conversions.

Do you buy almost exclusively from the internet, or do you go into brick and mortar stores?

Mostly in my LGS unless I can't get the mini.

Are you more prone to buy a miniature that you have seen a really smart studio paint job on or does it really matter?

Studio paint jobs are cool but not necessary. Most Rackham minis are first shown in the "green stage" or primed, and they look cool as is. Studio paint jobs can give painting scheme ideas and IMHO only become important if it's used for a game that has a lot of fluff.

Do you follow a particular size of miniatures or it doesn't really matter any more?

I'm less and less a gamer nowadays, so whatever looks cool in my cabinet will do the trick.

Do you use premade bases like Groundforge or only ones you make yourself?

I make them myself (and even cast them

).

When it comes to packaging of a miniature - is some hot artwork or paintjob on a clamshell or blister likely to catch your eye, and persuade you to buy a miniature vs. something just stuffed into a blister with the company logo? For instance, Rackham has a very 'good' look when it comes to packaging I feel (catches my eye too, which I suppose is half the battle).

Yep, Rackham is the Rolls, and I do admit their art has had effets on my hording character, but Ilyad has very sober packaging and the quality of their minis does the job just as well.

Do you buy box sets or singles?

Both but more singles.

Do you follow a game line and paint for a game figure or do you just pick up whatever catches your attention and paint for the pleasure of it. Do you paint to sell, or is it a private thing?

I paint just for the sake of it and it's a private thing.

Why are you in this hobby?

Because sometimes I feel like Mr Anderson and need to escape (yep been watching Matrix again

).

Anyhow, curiosities of mine. I am interested in who your favorites are, what you follow, do you have favorite painters that you follow, sculptors that you avidly watch for, and generally what makes you buy what you buy.

Too many names, just whatever looks dynamic and cool.

[Klute]

I forgot.

I like miniature painting becuase they are my only friends.

I like miniature sculpting becuase I am making new friends.

Disturbing thing is I actually mean that.

[Ritual]

I really like multi-part minis since that allows more dynamic poses.

[Duende]

Wow, there's a lot here to answer, FF! Well, to start at the beginning:

Do you follow certain types of sculptors? If so, who?

Not really, I do like Werner's stuff and visit his site occasionally, but I just like seeing new stuff by anybody.

What genre do you follow?

I usually buy more fantasy, although when I started, I got over 5000+ pts of GW Eldar stuff (most of which has been sold off). I think it comes from the fact I hate painting armor (i.e. anything metal) and usually get minis that either lack metallic armor of has armor that can be something other than metal (like Eldar armor is made from "wraithbone" and therefore open to interpretation). I also don't like undead. I prefer "pretty" to "gross", I guess

Do you buy almost exclusively from the internet, or do you go into brick and mortar stores?

I do both. I can find a bigger selection on the internet, but there definately is something to perusing a stores minis (hey, I'm a woman, I like to shop!) I like being to see the mini in RL, and turn it over in my hands (albiet in the package) before I decide. And I can have it right away too! Fork over the money, and walk out with my mini, no waiting for shipping! I've found some minis do look better in RL than in pictures.

Are you more prone to buy a miniature that you have seen a really smart studio paint job on or does it really matter? Not really, but I do like looking up paint jobs at CMON at the time I decide to paint a particular mini. I actually enjoy seeing the bad paint jobs on a mini as well as the fantastic ones. At the bad ones I can say "I can do better than that!" and the great ones give me something to aspire to, also with helping to see details that I may have trouble making out on the unpainted one I'm working on. (I got crappy eyes!)

Do you follow a particular size of miniatures or it doesn't really matter any more?

I do like the larger scale ones (30mm+) since it's easier for me to see (see earlier comment about my eyes) and gives me more room to work with, so to speak. I really enjoy my Dark Age Dragyri and since they're supposed to be 7 ft.+ in RL, the minis are about 50-60mm tall. The tiny 15mm scale are just too little for me. So, yeah, for me, size does matter!

Bases?Meh... I'm not to particular. I can work with anything, even those broccolli bases.

When it comes to packaging of a miniature - hot artwork or paintjob, clamshell or blister?

The packaging artwork doesn't matter so much as long as I can get a good view of the mini within. I DO prefer clamshells to blister cards since I use them to sort my vast amounts of unpainteds. See?:

That's another thing, I just can't leave a new mini in the package. As soon as I get it, I gotta get it out and look at it. I guess I'm just a "hands-on" kinda girl!

Do you buy box sets or singles?

Singles. I'm usually too poor for boxed sets and there's typically minis in boxed sets that I don't care for. Better to pick and choose the ones I want.

Do you follow a game line and paint for a game figure or do you just pick up whatever catches your attention and paint for the pleasure of it? Do you paint to sell, or is it a private thing?

No, I don't game so all my painting is for fun. Although, for some reason, I'll follow particular lines within companies, like I've only been buying Dragyri from Dark Age and only the elf chicks from WarCrow. I think it just helps me narrow down my options when buying since I can't spend a lot on minis. I DO have other interests that my $$ has to go to!

Myself, I find I'm addicted to these little pewter contraptions and enjoy painting them, though I find myself less likely to do so these days with life, or simple frustration, though I still buy the little monstrosities.

...I've noticed that my lead content has cut back significantly in the last four months or so as I've gotten really picky about what I buy, likely due to the fact that I've got so much that needs paint and I'm just adding to the pile.

I can second everything you just said there, FF. I've been having trouble finding the motivation to paint recently, since I've gotten into a bad mindset every time I paint that I can only think of what others will think of it and all the faults they will see, and it's been making painting stressful-- my hobby which is supposed to be stress-relief, wasn't anymore . So, I'm trying to get back to painting only for myself and have pretty much decided that after I finish my Wyrd entry, that I'm not going to post anything online for awhile, so what I paint will be for me only.

So there goes my CMON rating! :vb_tongue since I won't be adding anything new to my gallery for awhile! Awww.... :musicus:

[supervike]

Wow...Great thread...Tons of info here!

I've been a lover of miniature people for quite some time. I can remember from very early in childhood, my Dad has a model of one of the Apollo Rockets complete with Astronaut crew. I was fascinated by the scale and preciseness of it all. When I was a bit older, junior high age, I discovered the 1/35 scale World War 2 models. I was never truly interested in the vehicles, just the soldiers. The vehicles would make nice scenery, but it was the men that added the character.

I had seen some of the lead fantasy type figures at a store, and my curiosity was piqued. I bought a few here and there, Ral Partha, Grenadier, etc. but nothing was quite like the time I found a Citadel Ogre. These were the days before the internet (can you imagine!) and they were extremely hard to find. I found a comic book store that sold GW stuff, and become hooked, even placing orders to GW headquarters(by phone) to fill my needs.

Nowadays, I do tend to buy almost exclusively from the internet. I may check with my local store from time to time, but not very often.

The real explosion in my love for the hobby came as I discovered 'other' people online. Many with the same passion that I have for my little metal people. In my 'real' world, I don't know a single person who games/paints/collects, so the hobby has become real personal for me. With the online community, I feel I have many fine folks to share it with.

I mostly have fantasy miniatures, but recently that has began to change. I like dark science fiction and miniatures that are just on the fringes of popularity. There are too many to list. I have been paying particular attention to some Alternate WW2 stuff. Check out "Graven Images" by Jim Bowen. Absolutely fantastic stuff. I have never really gotten into Rackhams stuff, I certainly recognize the talent and excellence they have, but just haven't jumped aboard. Heresy may be one of my favorites.

I love monsters (trolls, demons, minotaurs, creatures of all sorts) and that may be why Jason Wiebe (Reaper) is among my favorite sculptors. He really excells at protraying them.

I do tend to buy single minis over boxed sets, but I have plenty of box sets as well. I have a HUGE collection of unpainted minis. I should sell some off, but I find it hard to part with them.

"Smart studio paint jobs" may influence me more than I know, but usually I buy minis because they fit into some sort of storyline I am thinking up. I like fluff with my minis. Especially stuff I think up or revise on my own.

I do much prefer bases that are not integrated. I want many of my minis to fit into dioramas (which I feel are the pinnacle of mini-dom), and premade bases don't usually work. An exception to this would be Werner Klockes incredible pre-sculpted bases he puts on some of his minis. The broccoli bases are plain dumb.

As I buy a huge majority of my stuff from the internet, the packaging doesn't really matter much. Although I just received an order of CELL 1999 stuff, and their packaging is very cool. Neat little boxes holding the 'info' card. I really liked it.

Scale is the one thing I am a bit more interested in. I like ALL my miniatures to fit in a more or less persistant "heroic" scale. I'm not truly anal about it, I just like the consistancy. I've painted things above and below that scale, I just prefer the 30mm or so size.

Lastly, as corny as it may sound, I truly believe we are in a sort of miniature lovers "golden age". There are so many choices, so many genres, and so many truly inspiring artists working with miniatures.

Kudos to all of you, for being like-minded enough for us to get along, but being diverse enough to make it interesting.!! :thumb:

[Ritual]

The real explosion in my love for the hobby came as I discovered 'other' people online. Many with the same passion that I have for my little metal people. In my 'real' world, I don't know a single person who games/paints/collects, so the hobby has become real personal for me. With the online community, I feel I have many fine folks to share it with.

I think that this global internet community of mini-painters probably have rocket-fueled the development of technique and general excellence that we can see today in painted miniatures. The development and improvement of each individual painter (well, at least of MANY painters) is instantly transmitted to all other painters taking part in this community and ideas, new techniques are instantly copied, modified, improved by others and give other painters new ideas. These mechanisms probably took a long time to work before the Internet. That's probably why we now experience this 'golden age' that Vike mentioned.

[EricJ]

yep, I have to credit the internet for my recent improvements, I would never have known that drybrushing wasn't the hight of miniature painting achievements without it.

[LeadAsbestos]

You mean drybrushing isn't.... Oh my God! :argh:

[LeadAsbestos]

@ supervike- The Weird WWII stuff is tops on my list these days too. I just ordered some Projekt X to fill out my 1999 stuff, and the Graven Images will be soon to follow. Love it when big ideas come together!

[Drake Farstrider]

I got to agree this a great thread. :thumb: :thumb:

Favorite Sculpters

Sandra Garity

Werner Klocke

I am really liking what I see from Kev White. I have one mini of his, got it from FF btw. Have yet to paint it though.

I also am quickly becoming a fan of Steve Buddles sculpts, but I don't own any at the moment.

Favorite Painters

EricJ, very helpful, pushes the envelope

Ritual, very helpful, very distictive style

Cyril, incredible blends and use of colors

Just to name a few. :rockon:

Favorite Companies

Reaper, I just love their minis.

Why I paint

Because I can! :rockon: I started painting because I had found a TTG that I wanted to play, Star Balazer's. But I only played that a few times. I then buying and painting minis for RPG's. I now mainly paint minis becvause I like a sculpt although I still paint mini's for my Forgotten Realms game.

That's all I can think of right now. :rockon:

[supervike]

@ supervike- The Weird WWII stuff is tops on my list these days too. I just ordered some Projekt X to fill out my 1999 stuff, and the Graven Images will be soon to follow. Love it when big ideas come together!

I'm awfully excited about the WW2 stuff. Have you seen this really cool page from Frothers?

http://wk.frothersunite.com/sc/pulp/weirdwar.htm

Definately some uber coolness! Have you joined any of the Yahoo Groups concerning this stuff?

[lauth81]

Basically two things brought me into the world of pewter miniatures:

- the release of DnD 3rd , because the rules emphasize using minis on some kind of battlegrid. And as a DM you need a lot of minis ...

- the BloodBowl game. I got it as a gift, got hooked and shortly thereafter sat there with about 5 teams, which had to be painted.

favorites:

Reaper and Rackham, no favourite sculptors or lines.

Up until now I only did fantasy stuff, because of the games I play.

I buy all the minis I can get there at my local FLGS. Sometimes they have to order them. I buy minis online (ebay) if I can get a mini I´m interested in at a bargain price or if it´s not available at a store nearby. Obvisiously you can get GW stuff everywhere, but Reaper, Rackham and Warmachine are easy to come by even here in Germany. Even Celtos minis or shadowforge (alternatives for GW BloodBowl minis) are in stock at my favourite store.

[EricJ]

oh, an answer I missed.

I tend to buy anything that I can from my local game store, just to support them, however they are quite limited (Reaper, GW, PP, and a few Rackham), so the rest I get online...

[vincegamer]

Just too many questions so I'll generally answer the topic title:

I like proportion.

I like clean minis.

I like non-violent minis.

I dislike weapons that are grotesquely oversized.

I dislike tons of filigree and useless bits.

I dislike depictions of disembowlment/severed heads/gore.

Last in-production minis I bought were I-Kore (now Urban Mammoth) archangels: beautiful, curvy, sexy women in sci-fy flying suits. Just have to figure out what to use to replace their oversized guns.

[gi6ers]

Just have to figure out what to use to replace their oversized guns.

Hasslefree do weapons packs that might be suitable.....

[vincegamer]

but that would not satisfy like #3

[green stuff]

but that would not satisfy like #3

Sculpt a banana, or put in a teddy bear, a soda can, a rolled up news paper, a parchement, a stop sign, a golden demon, ...

Lots of solutions :thumb:.