fairy masters and cookie

Just so you're up to date, I managed to get some satisfying masters of some of the sculpts, see for yourself (at least see what you can on those mediocre photos; again, I apologize for not using a better cam, I'll post better pics once I'm less busy). Right now, a few variations are in the making. 

Oh, and here's a 'Jabberwocor', apparently sculpted from Oreo, on a 40mm circular biscuit:

He's going to get the paint-job of a lifetime ... I hope - haven't picked up a brush in a long time

Cheers à tout :) !

P.S.: Go Muppets.

Dryads or clay on a stick ?

viewer's decision

Using  twigs as armatures for these three (not yet) arboreal beauties was alluringly logical - what else would be more appropriate ?
I'm still figuring out if I have to cut of parts to reduce undercuts without making them look to flat.

The idea was leaving the branches leafless, so you can modify them to fit surrounding terrain.

-

... and for the gourmets amongst you, here's some culinary findings:

Armillaria and a single Red Cracking Bolete, which has a simple but particularly interesting sour taste.

Cheers :)

more work on the headless lion

Recent progress on the Manticore; he grew claws and more muscles. Also, I cut both arms and one leg off and re-attached them.

He still needs some more muscles before knuckles, scars and some fur can be added. But first, I'll be working on his head and tail as I finally have a concept in mind.

Cheers :)

Puttycore

Hi, again

Since yesterday, I was able to create a basis for the main skeletal musculature and the tail. I attached an image of an older attempt at a manticore's tail but I decided to try something different this time. The armature is still missing a head, for a reason.

What about the head ... ? Well I'm not perfectly sure how to make it. The classic Manticore is depicted having a human face and countless teeth, I'd like to stay with that impression but probably less literate.

Let's be honest here: a 4-legged creature and a human head, that's cartoon. There's nothing wrong with cartoons but I'd like to go a bit more horror. Modern, realistic horror, not vintage cinema horror.

It seems the media constantly tries to be more serious and scientific since the internet made such a huge impact on humanity. People can google now, being sceptic and curious is a lot easier today, people hold a lot more "useless knowledge" and thus are less likely to be horrified.

Horror needs to look more realistic now, so let's try and work with a modern and more probable concept (by the way, this is going to be a Manticore, of course ;) ) and let people feel "Hell, this thing could be out there somewhere !".

Back to the concept: Countless teeth ? I've heard that before !

Sharks ! And sharks are horrifying too ! Endless hunger, lifeless eyes, known to be tougher than a tank. How's that not scary ? Perfect, let's consider working with this :)

But a shark's not really human, is it ? What makes us look human anyway ?

If you ask me, it's what makes us different from all other animals: hands and a very peculiar nose. 

With all this, a Manticore still needs to be a majestic lion. So the mission is clear now: Combine a shark's head with a lion's and point out is has some kind of weird nose without making it look too ridiculous.

Cheers, Nico :)

Wirecore

Following the Jabberwock, this is going to be number 2 of my collection of legendary and mythical creatures. You can probably already tell what it's going to be :)

It's 20mm ground to upper back, aluminum and copper wire. You can get pretty useful copper wire out of scrap cables, by the way - and it's cheap too.

Cheers :)

In the mood for ogres

I recently started sculpting again and my first impulse was "I want ogres !", and I thought why not start a whole unit of ogres ?

Starting on the left, going down: let's call them "Bulldog", "Gremlin", "Scarface", "Grandma", "Basic" and "Orc". Made from pre-made 15mm ogre-type dollies, toe to top of the head 25mm, no hair yet.

The plan is sculpting 6 minis with swappable weapon arms (right arms) and heads, different armor and stances. Not the very fat type, not to beastly but not too human either. They'll probably end up looking more like a bunch of brawlers then like a real unit.

Cheers, Nico :)

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

"Jabberwocky"

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.



------



One of my favourite fantastic creatures. Rather than a phantasm of nonsense I tried to create a (somewhat) realistic Jabberwock. Imagine an amphibian, dragon-like beast lurking in a swamp's deep pond and jumping out like a frog when hunting for prey, supporting the leap with it's wings instead of actually flying - or hanging down a giant tree with it's tail like an opossum.


I might stick some warts and wrinkles to his neck and lengthen the antennae.


Cheers,

the Magic Mushroom :)

Walking Rocks

Hello again :)

2 more sculpts finished: 

Earth elementals, vivid ground, with simple heads but without further, noticeable anatomy. Brown stuff, green stuff, wood, no wire. Standing about 22mm's tall. The eyes look shallow, they are actually quite deep.

Cheers,
              Steinpilz

Square One

Since this is the first posting in a blog about miniatures, I guess it would be bold not to start with a picture:









My try on a djinn, I hope you like it. He's larger than a human but smaller than an ogre should be in this scale. Almost done, still missing his knuckles. I tried to catch and reflect the impression of a powerful being, magically bound to a lamp and forced into eternal slavery, waiting for a chance to turn against his master and free himself. Cunning and determined, yet not too dominant. For now, this little fella is resting in his former master's tomb until I find time and inspiration to let a group of oriental adventurers raid his chambers.




Cheers,

your lovely little fungoid lotus-eater