Work In Progress – ToadChapel Minis

Brand New Bust from Blacksmith

I’m a big fan of the small French miniatures manufacturer Blacksmith. I backed their Kickstarter bringing to miniature life the artwork of illustrator Jean-Baptiste Monge, and I have a few other minis of theirs as well. I have been impressed every time by their finely detailed and clean casting, and I love Blacksmith’s children’s book aesthetic.

I was very excited, therefore, to see Blacksmith offering a new sculpt by Matthieu Rouèche, whose beautiful and distinctive painting I have admired for a long time. Blabla, as Rouèche is sometimes known, has provided box art for a lot of Blacksmith’s models, but this is the first figure he has added to their range. I can only say that it fits right in!

On Touille I’m trying to further my study of powerful color which I began on Radigundus. I’ll probably tone things down from where they stand here, but I do want to retain the strength of those beautiful tones. Let me know what you think.

Keep your brushes wet!

Radigundus WIP

I’ve started a quick project, one I’ve had in mind for some time. It’s Radigundus by Forged Monkey, released by FeR Miniatures. Forged Monkey is the imprint of the brilliant Raffaele Picca. I painted another of Raffa’s busts back in May and really enjoyed the experience, and I had admired Radigundus for a long time. It’s been fun getting some paint on this little cracker.

This will be a gift, which I’ll explain later. You can probably see the Christmasy vibe I’m chasing.

I don’t expect this tiny bust to take all too long, so check back soon (or better, subscribe!) to see him come to life!

Cormac (2 XI)

The time came to fulfill the Saint Francis vibe on Cormac, providing him with his little woodland friends.

Mini bust of Cormac by Lucas Pina for Black Crow

While these delightful little animals offer the possibility for strong secondary focal points, I chose to paint them as humble, somewhat drab creatures rather than colorful personalities.

Cormac (28 X)

I’ve passed a crucial threshold with Cormac, bringing in the vibrant Autumn leaves to set the tone for the whole miniature. Hopefully now it is clear that Cormac himself represents the season and its fleeting beauty.

I find that my minis tend to evoke for me the circumstances of their creation, the time, goings on, and attendant emotions. I knew this year I wanted to capture the striking, fiery colors of the Fall foliage in western Pennsylvania (USA for those not familiar with American geography), playing into my sentimentality by making a kind of visual record of this special time of year.

Cormac 26 X

I have more progress to share with you on Cormac. I’ve been able to paint nearly every day recently, often for nice stretches, and I’ve built up good momentum as I’ve worked through most of the major areas on the mini. Still a lot of work remains, though, as the details will require care to do justice to the sculpt and my vision for it.

Textures have always been an important part of the way I paint, and I hope I’m achieving finer and more interesting material effects now than ever before. Certainly as I strive to fulfill the artistic course I’m charting, I want to incorporate the continued and conspicuous use of textures in my work.

Cormac 20 X

It’s been sheer joy painting Lucas Pina’s Cormac bust (Black Crow). Every pose and gesture is super expressive, and the face shines with humanity. It’s my first time painting one of Lucas’s sculpts, but it will definitely not be my last.

I’m daydreaming of painting Cormac when I’m at work, eager to explore his character and effects. I have a clear plan of how I’ll handle the various textures, but the spirit of discovery will guide my brush.

Cormac 17 X

I’ve gotten in the habit in recent months of mostly showing finished minis around ToadChapel, and I figured it might be fun to work through my next project with more of a log running. My next model is Cormac, a classic bust from Black Crow Miniatures that has been painted well in a variety of styles.

I’m hoping to bring to this project a clear aesthetic direction and the patience to see it through. I’ve been thinking a great deal about what I want my figures to look like, what my style is, and I intend to apply the fruits of that reflection to this model.

Rogue Robot

I was getting a little tired of painting space marines (my tolerance isn’t that high!), so I reached into my box of models and pulled out the Rogue Robot by Trovarion Miniatures. I was attracted to the variety of materials and textures and the interesting mix of familiar and fantastical elements.

This is a WIP shot, with substantial development still to come.

Exotic Meats

From the outset I’ve had in mind a exaggerated tall narrow wall behind the kobold to reinforce his diminutive stature and shabby urban surroundings. It took a while to get the finish right, but I’m finally happy with this:

For some reason the phrase ‘exotic meats’ sprang to mind to provide a little ominous backdrop to this sinister character. He clearly doesn’t do much cutting himself anymore, but he keeps that old knife sharp.

I still need to try to kill the shine from the many ink washes and I’m planning some streaky slime on the wall and a few plants sneaking between the cobblestones. It may actually take a while before the project is finished, but it’s mostly there.

Let me know about the little fellow’s new home.

Don’t forget to follow ToadChapel on Instagram.

Sinister Shorty

After a delightful break from all mini related activity, which involved several days in the woods with my family, I’m back at this kobold (whom everyone calls a leprechaun) and starting to think about wrapping up the painting.

Here is where he stands now, needing gold NMM buttons, buckles, and bits and the inevitable tidying up before I move on to basing him.