Prior to the first D&D Miniatures Harbinger set back in November 2003, a role player’s only true option was to go the metal figure route (where Reaper sat at the head of the table). With the Wizards of the Coast’s pre-painted miniatures line taking some unexplainable twist and turns, hand painted metal miniatures are making a bit of a comeback.
Metal miniatures take painstaking amounts of patience and care to paint properly. They’re also trickier to store and transport. And accidental chips are always a heartbreaker.
Still, a really well done hand painted mini is a one of kind and adds a bit of nostalgia to one’s collection. The key is to know where and when to look. Lots of artisans are trading their original precious pieces for new games or quick cash.
In this multi-part installment, we take a gander at a human fighter, an orc commander, an elf fighter, and a pair of angry eaters.
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June 17th, 2009 at 11:18 am
I know this post was about miniatures, but I have to ask, how are those Hirst Arts blocks based in that photo? I’m working on a modular dungeon, and I’d picked up some foam core, but am curious what other folks are using.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Excellent Q. I have several options for you when basing your Hirst Arts floors: My top choice is good ol’ white foam board (3/16″ thick) from Staples or Michaels ($13 for a 3-pack). I’ve also used Midwest Balsa wood (3/32” x 3″ x 36″) but that sometimes warps. Pink insulation foam also works well but its hard to locate outside the Midwest. Finally, Bruce is a fan of cork board but I haven’t tried that yet.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:18 am
Thanks. I’ve got a piece of foam core, think it’s the 3/16 variety but I’ll have to check. Need to get an Exacto knife this weekend so I can start cutting strips.
Which bring my next question, what did you do in that pit on the picture? Just paint black underneath, or did you also texture that somehow?
I really need to get a floor tile mold, but for now I’m working with the Prison Tower Mold.
September 8th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
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September 18th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Cork is kind of expensive, but really nice. I sometimes use foam core, but it’s a pain to cut. I like to use soft foam sheets you get in the kid’s craft section, it’s really thin and easy to cut, and super cheap. This is the stuff:
http://www.acmoore.com/p-89911-foam-sheets-5472-x-8464-50pkg-rainbow-colors.aspx
September 20th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Yeah – the cork stuff is decent. That’s what Bruce uses for his Terrain. It tends to warp though (but hey what doesn’t). I use that same kinda foam but buy it from Staples rather inexpensively.
September 22nd, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I see you use both Dwarven Forge and Hirst Arts. I have several HA molds. Could you do a post on making pieces that are compatible between the two? For example, how would you base the HA pieces so there’s no height difference? How would you attach the walls to the floor tiles to make them look the same (i.e., the way Bruce recommends, walls on top of floor, or walls glued to the sides of floor tiles?) I’d be very interested in such an article. (I don’t own any DF, nor do I have access to any)