Mind Eater / Intellect Devourer

 

Another speed-painted horror from the dark! The Mind Eater is Reaper's take on D&D's iconic intellect devourer, and I think it does a really nice job of filling that niche. I painted this miniature with the help of my son, who did all of the basecoating. I really like the "Clear Magenta" he chose for the brain-like part; its such a vivid color and it suits the bizarre nature of the thing.

Rockmaw and Rockmaw Whelp (Xorn)

 This is a nice pair of not-xorn from Reaper miniatures. as soon as the large rockmaw came in from the KS, I knew I had to pickup the whelp.  I love having multiple variants of monsters, even more so when there are young. I like a touch of realism in my high fantasy, and it is nice to have miniatures reflect that these creatures have an ecology and lifecycle of sorts (even if completely fantastical). 

I might need to get another adult to round out the family.

Adult White Dragon

 

My most recent miniature! She is close to the largest piece I have painted, and easily the largest miniature I have 3d printed. In order to fit this beast onto my small resin printer I had to chop it into a number of pieces, and get creative with the reconstruction. I was good experience keying parts, and while it gave me some issues, I'm sure my next large prints will be better for it.

 This piece is an updated dragon from MZ4250s collection of free STLs, and was painted for the monthly competition. She took many sessions to print and a long time to assemble, so it really cut into my painting time. Fortunately, the chromatic dragons are relatively.... monochromatic. Unfortunately, I have a really hard time with white / off white color palates. I decided to go with a multi-tonal gray. She is still obviously a white dragon, and the light grays would blend with the skies of her gloomy homeland. It was an interesting painting experience, trying to lean so much on such a big piece so quickly, but ultimately it feels very rewarding to have a huge dragon completed.

These updated dragons from MZ are really nice; true to the source material. Seeing one completed inspires me to make the entire set of dragons from his line. A massive undertaking, but a worthy goal.

Finally, a shout out to my son. Those of you who are familiar with this miniature might notice that the stance is very different from the defaults. My son spent some time in Blender with the rigged file to cook up this very dynamic pose. I think it reflects the aggressive behavior of these beastly dragons perfectly. 

Bluejay

 

This is one of my favorite animal miniatures. Despite the simple techniques and brushstrokes I think it is one of the most effective and striking outcomes I have achieved on animal mini.  This is a very tiny model and a somewhat poorly defined Bones miniatures (on a 20mm base). It is listed as a hawk, but I think it actually looked more like a bluejay, si I reskinned it with paint. Of course, I have never actually seen a real bluejay....

This is the last of the animal miniatures I have previously published that I will be posting here for the time being. . My backlog of animal miniatures to post is pretty sizeable, so I expect will revisit them at some point, but for now I am looking forward to moving on to more monstrous blog entries. 

Cat

 This black cat is actually an accompanying piece / familiar to a classic witch miniature I have. It isn't particularly impressive, but it is an interesting conversation piece relating to techniques for painting the color black. at the time of my painting this (2013-2014) I had been using blue-black to get that deep black look. in retrospect it looks, unsurprisingly, blue. when compared to my more recent "fanatical acolyte" miniature, where I used the dark elf and dusky skin triads heavily, it is pretty clear that my  skill with that end of the color palate has improved significantly. Painting solid black colors has always been a barrier for me and it seems I am finally starting to understand the subtleties (shading, highlighting) of the color better.

Ferret

 The Ferret is probably the most "useful" of the animal miniatures I have posted so far, since they are often companions or familiars. The tiny sized animals are so small I really just make an effort to have some part of the head identifiable as a face despite the fact that it is about the size the head of a pin. To achieve this, I find the eyes are critical. The spot of reflection is usually the defining bit of paint to pull it off.

Based on a 20mm base. Originally published in January of 2015.

Skunk

 

Based on the North  American Striped Skunk.

 Based on a 20mm base. Completed in January of 2015.

Tortoise

 

Super cute! I need to paint more reptiles.

 Mounted on a 20mm base. Completed in January of 2015.

Penguin

 I just spent the day at the zoo with my fam and the penguin exhibit is always a hit.The paint scheme here was inspired by the emperor and king penguins, but is not accurate to either. Size wise (at scale) they are closer to the king penguins.

Really, I feel like I need a ton of penguin minis....for some reason.

 Mounted on a 20mm base.

Completed in January of 2015.

Hedgehog

 This hedgehog is easily the smallest miniature I have ever painted. It is swallowed up by the small 20mm base he is on. despite the minuscule size, I think I managed to make it work - it definitely reads hedgehog to me - its cute!

Originally completed prior to January 2015.

Vulture

 

Ah, the vulture! "Vulture" is my most frequently used moniker on the web, and this guy has served as my avatar on more than one occasion. I plan on painting up a wake of them at some point. 

this guy was completed and published on or before January 2015.

Raccoon

 

I really like raccoons, despite popular opinion and derogatory nicknames. I find their inquisitive and rapacious natures to actually be endearing -curiosity and resourcefulness are qualities I appreciate. Occasionally they visit my garden and I always consider it to be a treat. when I see this little guy on my shelf it brings me a little happiness.

This piece is pretty tiny - he is on a 20mm base. Originally published prior to January of 2015.

Fox

 A red fox! I am going to post a number of animals today in a bit of a binge (including some stuff I have never published before!). I have decided to post them individually even though I usually post animals in groups. As a favorite subject of mine, I think each one deserves its moment in the sun here in my blog

 

They are usually so small that they paint up in a single fast session, and they typically don't require much in terms of techniques - just some quick washes and highlights. I probably spend as much time on researching these little critters as I do actually painting them, but hey, that's fun too. I try to make each as close accurate to their living counterparts as possible.    this little guy was originally painted and published prior to January 2015.

Fanatical Acolyte

The classic robed cultist! I love the simplicity of this piece. I went with as generic a scheme as I could manage so he would be versatile.  It was a great opportunity to practice painting blacks - these are based on the dark elf triad of purple blacks. I think the little details like the scratched feet really sell the disturbed nature of this fellow.

 I'm on the hunt for compatible models to fill out a full cult -  they are universally useful in gaming as generic bad guys.

Completed and published in April of 2018

 

Burrowing Horror / Bulette

I really like this take on  the bulette - seems more realistic and brutal to me than many others. This is a great piece for the Bones material - it is bigger than I had expected. 

This model was originally completed and published in May of 2015.

Gravewailer / Gibbering Mouther

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a fantastic sculpt by Julie Guthrie, a favorite sculptor of mine. I was really satisfied with how this one turned out, and it was all the more satisfying because it was an early release at the time. 

Painted waaay back in may of 2014. Holds up pretty well!

Astral Mauler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This fellow is the original design of the Reaper Miniatures Astral Mauler (Reapers #2976, variant of the Ethereal Marauder). It was purportedly a mold destroyer and was replaced with a similar variant that I hope to paint some day. 

This mini was a true speed-paint completed in a single long session in February 2017. This was the first time it really clicked for me that I *LOVE* the color Nightmare Black from Reaper. It thins wonderfully and produces a beautiful gradient of indigo blues. It has since become a go-to color of mine.

Oni No Mizu (Water Terror / Elemental / Demon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a large number of elementals of various types I have completed, probably far more than I will ever need. Still, I want to do more! Similar to my fondness for animal minis, there is something very fulfilling about painting something that is naturalistic. It is also very forgiving with paint.

I wanted this (evil)  mini to be distinct from my already completed water elementals, so I went with a very green "pond" palate that was suggestive of some ancient evil or corruption lurking in the depths. the higher contrast this afforded lead one of my better attempts at painting water. 

I recall being conflicted about how to construct this mini - the hand emerging from water can face either direction. I opted to having it face inwards to emphasize that it was an animate creature capable of independent moment, but I have since seen it constructed as a wave. in retrospect I would have preferred that arrangement (I believe that was the intended configuration), but I am still satisfied with my depiction.

This Oni No Mizu is technically part of my extensive L5R/AEG/Clan War collection, and I look forward to really focusing on them at some point in the future.  

This is an archive piece I am just posting here now, and was originally finished /published in October of 2016.

 

 

Giant Ticks

 

Giant vermin are always useful models to have around, and they are great for quickly working on techniques. Giant ticks are a super gross option, and really pretty horrifying when you really think about them. 

These fellows were part of a speed-paint binge I went on in summer of 2017. I played with quick chitin highlights (glossy effects). I particularly like the bloated, glossy, semitransparent abdomen look. gives me the willies.

Mummy

 This simple mummy was painted in a single short session - it was the perfect candidate for a speed-paint. Nearly everything here was done with washes, and the only real detail work was done on the eyes as the obvious focal point. I hadn't done many "evil-glowing-eye" effects at this point, so it was a useful exercise. I have a handful of other desert monsters that this guy will accompany, and I am eager to expand my collection more for this setting. 

This model was painted in early august 2017.

Graveyard Elemental

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I finished this big guy in March of 2019. Really easy and fun speed-paint, but rough on the wrist - he is a BIG chunk of metal. I like the concept of graveyard elementals from a painting standpoint - the earth parts are a snap to paint and the bones add some detail to make them pop, without being too time consuming. the glowing eyes and mouth leave something to be desired here. I think this piece would be better without the OSL (too quickly executed maybe? not dark & creepy enough?).  Its best not to overthink / overwork speed-paints, I suppose.

Mikey the Fiendish Flesh Golem

 

Mikey (or Mickey, as he is known in Descent Into Avernus), was painted for MZ4250's monthly painting competition. I went through his catalog and picked out the creepiest thing I could find (and thought I could complete on time) for a the fun thematic contest. I didn't know anything about the character  beforehand - he definitely wasn't something I expected to paint, but man, he was fun! I was able to play with all sorts of sickly and unearthly flesh types in a single piece. Definitely a good learning opportunity. Ill have to paint up his creator ("Mad Maggie") to accompany him.

Despite my best intentions, found myself waaay behind today (submission day), so I sat and cranked a good chunk of the model in one sitting. Still, I'm pretty happy with the paint. The photography, on the other hand, didn't work out as well. I am a poor studio photographer, and I don't really have proper equipment to do it right, so I tend to rely on natural light. Because I finished so late, that wasn't an option, and my crude rig of household lamps made for some unsightly shadows. 

But, hey! something new, and fun, in a ghastly sort of way

Babu - baby elephant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal miniatures are probably may favorite subject. Though I haven't posted any here previously, I have quite a few. this cute fellow (a Reaper Tsunami relief limited release baby elephant, "Babu" maybe?) was painted way back in 2017. a simple but effective paintjob, I tink, and very cheerful. a pleasant departure from the grim horrors I typically work on. perhaps that is why I enjoy them so - very peaceful and grounded.

Giant Leeches (2) - Greens

 

This is a pair of leeches I sculpted for bones 4. I based the anatomy and appearance on actual leeches I researched, and the mouths represent a combination of features present in actual leeches, exaggerated to be suitably monstrous.  I had some problems with my stock of green stuff, so it isn't my cleanest work, but the variation actually makes them more organic, I think. Despite being a rather mundane monster - not nearly as flashy as the most popular models, I suspect they will be among the most used on the game table. I have long since painted the copies I received with the kickstarter, so Ill post those as well. Sir Forscale is shown...for scale.

Beholder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been years since I posted anything here, and I am convinced that my blog is the darkest corner of the web based on the precious few visitors I have ever had. still, I will continue to update the site with my various hobby endeavors from time to time. Heck, its almost perfect for that reason ;). At this point I have a fairly huge collection, and only a handful of things have ever been shared, so maybe Ill spend a day or two of this crazy year and binge post for posterity. anyhow, enough of that. 

This big fellow marks an interesting transition in my mini painting and modelling hobby  - this is my first painted 3d printed mini! I have joined the ranks of 3d printing enthusiasts, it would seem. I have found it remarkably liberating to print what I want when I want, and I have fallen down the rabbit hole of printing all manner of crazy stuff. MOAR minis! I have been impressed with the detail my cheapo machine can produce.

It was a fairly obvious choice to start with this classic monster; I have always enjoyed painting eyes. It practically painted itself it came so easily, which was nice. I had had a nasty case of painters block and this helped me break free. I really love the rich purple I achieved here, and I hope I can replicate it in the future. 

The model was sculpted by MZ4250, and provided to all for free.  Kudos to him!