Three-headed Pyrohydra / Tryclyde

This three-headed beast was wayyy off script, but it was a really fun way to finish off my painting goal for 2024 - model number 52! I try to average at least one model a week every year, and almost always fail horribly, but in 2024 I squeaked under the deadline with this huge sized monster. I went with it because it was a great opportunity to play with the airbrush I had just gotten for xmas. With big blocks of color I was able to knock out the base coats in no time at all, even with my ham-fisted spidery airbrushing. In retrospect, red was not the best starting point for my first color palate (so tough to highlight well), but it definitely gave me confidence to bring the airbrush into my regular rotation of painting techniques. I'm a little embarrassed it took me this long to try out - it was intimidating at first, but actually pretty easy to do. The paint work isn't perfect, but, dang, it was definitely fast for a model of this size. Of all the different elements in this piece, I really like how the eyes and tongues turned out. The scales need more pop but, hey, I was on a deadline. 

The sculpt itself is great - another gem from Schlossbauer. I really appreciated the Mario-D&D crossover potential. I know a three-headed pyrohydra isn't normally a D&D thing, but that is a missed opportunity (Wizards, take note). I stayed true to the tryclyde color palate, or at least my interpretation of it, and I'm happy I did. In fact, I'd like to make some shooting fireball models so I can really geek out on the Mario style encounter. 

Hydras are a favorite monster of mine, and all too often I find myself "saving" models like that until some magical future time when I am "good enough" or "have enough time to do it justice," but I end up just keeping them in the pile-o'-shame. But, not this time! I committed to try something new, and my first hydra is done! Only like 50 to go.....

Pumpkin Dragon, Adult

 

 

This is a much larger pumpkin dragon to go along with the smaller one I did recently. I really enjoy all of the pumpkin creatures I got during October - It seems like it would make for a very satisfying fantasy adventure to have the heroes go smashing evil pumpkins. November is still a pumpkiny season, so maybe I'll keep it going. Painting pumpkins is super relaxing, too - I could use a bit more of that vibe. 

This base is a custom oval size - somewhere in the ballpark of 75mm / "huge". 3D printing bases is amazing - I never seem to have enough of the right size and shape; the printer has paid for itself in just bases many times over. 

My color palate here was nearly identical to that of the smaller dragon, but the color of the picture is much closer to the eye than that post - I think the greens and browns in this piece really balance out the image so it doesn't get over corrected by the phone.

Pumpkin Dragon, Wyrmling / Harvest Dragon

 

 

 I have been struggling to do hobby stuff since the start of autumn, due to other responsibilities, which is really unfortunate because this is my favorite time of year. This also seems to be the season for the absolute best miniatures releases. So, to shake off my low productivity, what better way than to paint a seasonal release! This cute little dragon is from the under appreciated Dillon Olney, and took paint like a champ for a speed-paint. I had such a fun time, I will start work on a bigger pumpkin dragon mamma dragon. Not sure what the timeline will be there, but ill definitely post more thematic Halloween treats this month.

Color balance was tough on the photo here - I went with a more naturalistic orange, but the smartphone wanted to crank this think up to neon red.

Brown Jenkin

 This is a fun one! Brown Jenkin is one of my favorite HPL antagonists. Sure, lesser known than the big squid head guy, but so disturbing, sadistic, and no less enigmatic. He is something of a household boogeyman, so naturally I had to paint him up! This piece was sculpted by Schlossbauer, and I printed it at a very small size. For reference, the base is 15mm, making it one of the smaller works in my collection; roughly in-scale with a rat. 

As the years go by, I find myself increasingly interested in smaller and smaller miniatures. I even have a few projects that are at 10mm or less, and I thoroughly enjoy printing itty-bitty models. They are fast, I guess, and as a parent , I really need that to keep a glimmer of my hobby alive.

Darkweaver

 

After a long absence, I'm back. Today I am posting a miniature I just completed this afternoon, an anomaly for me. I painted this Printed Obsession piece for their painting contest, but it was a tight timeline and I missed the deadline (I sorta' expected to). I went very colorful, but appropriately dark and oozy. There were certainly some missed opportunities for blending, because of the rush, but I really enjoyed the intense color palate. I think they look suitably surreal for an aberration. I really thought the PO sculpting style works well on this old school critter, and though I can't imagine what I will use such on obscure monster for, it was fun. 

The original STL size was pretty big (I believe I am using a ~70mm base for the larger model), but the typical specimen is size medium, so I ended up printing a reduced size model and painting both at the same time. The two sizes pose some interesting game-play scenarios - an enlarging enemy could be a pretty dramatic effect. 

This piece has me really looking forward to more otherworldly models, where I can really let loose with experimental color combinations and effects. 

Happy 4th!

Banshee

 

Harumph.

I said it. This may be my least favorite piece in my collection at the moment. I finished it as a speedpaint in 2020 with the idea that I would make it as monochromatic as possible. It made the queue for a few reasons: it was a good subject for a (nearly) monochromatic study, it was convenient to just grab a Bones model, and I desperately needed a banshee for LMoP. That it wasn't a great cast was an upside - no pressure. In particular, the hands weren't my favorite  and it suffered from the missing nose syndrome that many of the earlier Bones models had. I went with it and gave her a rotted-off skull-face nose, which actually ups the creepiness a bit. 

Anyhow, she does the job and even though I am now flush with ghost lady STLs I doubt I'll replace her any time soon. 

Rust Monster / Oxidation Beast

 

A classic foe, but I wanted to do something more original with its paint. To get some extra color in I played on the oxidation concept with  bronze/ golden metal and a blue-green rust effect along the antennae and back. The colors work well together and I think the result is recognizable but much brighter than the standard rust-all-over color.

Painted in 2017.

Bone Constructs / patchwork skeletons

 These wonderful "skeletons" are from the underappreciated Crucible line, sold as "Bone Constructs." I think they are really clever! Skeletal amalgamations have become more common in the age of digital STL files, but they are nearly always "large" - very few "medium" scale undead are available, which is a shame. These guys are particularly creative with their inclusion of various animal bones and otherwise odd anatomical structure.I always found it curious that necromancers always had perfectly formed skeletal minions, rather than skeletons such as these. I think they will work perfectly as the phase one skeletons in The Skull Dunes of a The Ghosts of Saltmarsh (or the original Isle of the Abby) campaign. Plus, it gives me an excuse to make more with swarms and a juggernaut! some of the previously mentioned bone golems should fit the bill, but I don't expect the collection to come together quickly. That is fine with me, though, I'll savor their simplicity when they hit the table. Even the bases are super simple - virtually nothing there, but I think it works perfectly. sometimes less-is-more.

These were originally completed in 2017, but I'd paint them just the same today.

Demilich

 

I had prepped this guy some months ago and and it earned a spot on the shelf of shame. Having recently completed a brutal short-term project on the biggest piece I have done to date (the adult black dragon that was posted recently), and I was in dire need of a palate cleanser, and this tiny fellow fit the bill - ready to go, simple, and a planned PJ. On Ssturday I knocked it out in a single-sitting two hour session, and touched it up the following morning. For me, that's great! As I've mentioned before, I really struggle with completing projects quickly - compulsive analysis paralysis and endless touch-ups are my curse as a painter.  By that standard, this represents real progress because the paint needs more work. I called it done, and I like where it is at!

Gray Ooze

 I said I would post more Oozes, and I delivered! I painted this nice little ooze earlier this year in a single session. It was a free 3D file from "Amalya" on MMF, and it was just too well done to pass over. the paint work is simple: monochromatic and lots of gloss, but I think it is really effective as a gray ooze. it is simple enough that I should be able to make similar models myself (a good exercise) so that I can field enough to run most modules (1-3 should do it). 

Gray-on-gray probably wasn't the best photography choice, but I suppose it plays to the monsters skill set.

Adult Black Dragon

 Fresh from the painting table! Well, the kitchen table, in the spot where I paint, much to the annoyance of my patient wife. It has been a whirlwind couple of project days getting this beast of a mini ready for a "chromatic dragon" paint contest MZ4250 is holding. Normally I struggle with short timelines on projects, but the top prize is an FDM printer which I could definitely put to good use but have no budget for. So, I decided to throw my hat into the ring by painting the biggest piece I have ever completed (perhaps comparable to the adult white dragon I completed previously). 

It was probably a poor choice - I had a good amount of indecision with reposing the model and some trouble with early print attempts (file scaling problems I didn't anticipate), which cut into my working time considerably. Assembly on these huge dragons is a bear - I had to cut and key it in Meshmixer to fit it on my Photon build plate. That means a lot of prep time was required. I also printed a base element (from Cast 'N Play, I believe), so that I could mount the model somewhat elevated in the air. It was a tricky pin job to secure it well, but the end result is very sturdy. The model is hollow, so very light, and I weighted the base with nickels to keep it stable, which worked out well. 

The paintjob itself was a bit of a random walk. I had some vague ideas, but only about 12 hours of paint time available to me when all was said and done. For me, with a model of this size, that is firmly in "speed paint" territory. A lot of people have been playing with the variety of colored metallic paints that have recently become available so I wanted to joint in. I knew I wanted to break out Reapers new "black Pearl" color and a collection of of Turbodork paints I had accumulated but had yet to try. The fam was pretty convincing that it should be a purple-black dragon, rather than the traditional green-black that is the norm for D&D art, and I am really pleased with that decision. I think it reads well as a black dragon, and I have plenty of room on the palate for other purple dragons down the road (looking at you amethyst dragon). 

When I completed my Adult White Dragon I mentioned that I might try to complete a whole cycle of MZ4250's chromatic dragons, and with this second entry, it seems like I am committed. Given that it is such a big piece in my collection, and sure to grab some attention on my display shelf, I think it is worthy of being a named dragon. I'm liking " Susyalgra the Odious,"  what do you think? Ill have to come up with a name for the other dragon as well.

 In terms of utility on the game table I had the black dragon Aulicus from I2: Tomb of the Lizard king in mind. The encounter in that module looks positively vicious - TPK material. This should fit the bill; looking forward to it.

Gargoyle

I completed this impressively large gargoyle made by reaper miniatures in 2015. This guy is solid metal and weighs a ton! I really like how it turned out and I want to to a whole bunch of similar but more conventionally sized gargoyles for my collection. I haven't posted this mini widely because I found it very difficult to photograph - any angle that shows its face tends to make its tail look......inappropriate.
 

Ogres and Goblins Warband

 

I could've sworn I had posted this warband here on the blog before, but it looks like I omitted one of my favorite big projects in my collection! These minis are some of the best that reaper has done in its bones line, and I love that they are themed together. They have continued to add more ogres and goblins with a similar style, and I have since added a handful of additional models, but this collection is the original group first completed in 2018.

I already have multiple goblin warbands in my collection, so I elected to go with the seldom used blue as the base skin color. I really like the look as it contrasts well with the orange skin of the ogres and the rusted iron used throughout. I doubled down on the palate by using bright aqua accents as well. 

 This collection is a critical part of my goal to complete all the models necessary to run LMoP and DoIP, so I am happy to have them done! Other models from those modules are at the top of my queue, and I will need to expand the number of goblins quite a bit.

Below are some pictures of subgroups so everything can be seen a little more clearly

Ogre Leaders:

Ogre Brutes:

Goblins:

Bugbear and wolf

The bugbear was completed in 2021 and his pet wolf was completed earlier this year. These guys are intended to be used as Klarg and Ripper from Cragmaw Hideout in LMoP. They are test pieces for the virtual army of bugbears that I will need to run...virtually every module. These guys appear as often as their lesser cousins, or perhaps more. When I fist started working on minis for various modules this suprised me because outside of D&D they are virtually unheard of. I have snatched up the older bugbear models that reaper makes (which I prefer to the newer much larger style), as well as a few STLs that fit very closely stylistically, so I can create a complete warband. I already have a good number prepped to paint, and now that I have a palate and style worked out I will batch paint them. These older models have a ton of quirky details which will slow down the painting, but also gives each one unique character. Other than the bobbles everything in the paint-job is pretty straightforward with the exception of the bugbears shaggy fur - that style of highlighting can be tedious but my earlier attempt to do a plain fur didn't work for me.
 

Warg

 The warg! I went with a naturalistic look for this classic wolf monster, but tried to make its face as malicious as possible with evil red eyes. I think it looks pretty darn mean. I think the pop of yellow flock is an interesting if mundane addition. I find it keeps my eye in the center of the photo and also acts as an interesting counterbalance to an otherwise wicked beast. I like this sculpt quite a bit. that snarl is perfect, and is a pose I'd like to see more frequently in wolf miniatures.

Giant leech (2)- painted!

 

Not sure how I missed cross-posting these here - they are a special set for me. this is my copy of the leeches I sculpted for reapers bones line. While not complex, I think their simplicity makes them among my favorite sculpts of mine to have ever been produced. The sculpts themselves were not perfect, but I personally love the end result. Just as I modeled these inspired by actual leech anatomy, I also painted them based of of some of the more striking colors I found in my research. 

I have a third incomplete leech that I never submitted floating around in my WIP drawer that I may have to dust off this year.

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!

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. 

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.