Spectator

 

My fourth mini of 2022! I have been a painting machine lately, but I have been worse than ever at sharing my work. I completed 52 minis in 2021, making the first year since 2013 (gasp!) that I have actually achieved my annual painting goal of averaging one mini per week. I think part of my success came from giving myself a non-arbitrary goal.

 I have been steadily painting every miniature needed to run The Lost mines of Phandelver. At first it seemed pretty easy to do, but there are a surprising number of different pieces needed, especially when I consider descriptions that are unique (such as demihuman undead and villagers). The spectator is, of course, one of the apex encounters in that module, and easily the most monstrous creature to be found. 

This sculpt was a 3D print from MZ4250's collection, painted quickly with his monthly contest in mind. It is my second beholder kin from him, and each has been super fun. There will be more beholders in my future.

I wanted to try something unique with the basing here - I really wanted it to be flying but I have been overusing the conveniently close pillar for flying creatures quite a bit. Ultimately I opted for something I hadn't done before, smoke! I thought it would be action movie-esq to have him swooping through the smoke from a prior destructive eye ray blast. The smoke effect actually lends a ton of flexibility for attachment points, and though you cant really see it in these pictures, I think it pulled off the floating effect well. For those interested in the craft, the smoke was made bake clay and wire for strength.

 Death from above!