scenery – ToadChapel Minis

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.

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Creating a Little Patch of Land for Your Minis

I got some nice feedback (thanks!) on the base of my recently completed Maulg figure and a request to explain how I put it together. I happened to take some pictures along the way (for some reason I was giving a friend an unsolicited play-by-play), so I’m able to offer a pretty detailed tutorial on various aspects of the construction & finishing. I’m also happy to share some of my principles, planning, and intention when doing bases and vignettes.

Ok, here we go!

Mushrumps for Granny

At last her search is over. Granny has found an incredible patch of all sorts of mushrooms! Perfect for her soup!

There are a few poisonous fungi in these woods, but Granny knows what’s good and what’s not.

She’ll never tell you where she found them!

My plan is to add a few animals to complete the scene, but I’m basically done with this fun project at last. Don’t forget to check out the tutorial on sculpting the mushrooms I have scattered throughout this diorama.

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https://www.instagram.com/toadchapel/

Miniature Mushroom Tutorial

Spend any time around ToadChapel and you know I’m plum crazy about the fungus. I like the way mushrooms look and I like learning about them, so I photograph them, I draw them, and I use them extensively in my miniature projects. I’ve developed techniques for creating a variety of mushroom shapes suitable for 28mm, 54mm, or larger scale mini scenes, and I’m happy to share my approach with you. Depending upon how you paint these, you could produce many actual mushroom species and an unlimited number of fictional fungi.

These mushrooms are sturdy and small enough to use on gaming bases, especially if you place them intelligently, but they’re delicate enough to add a lot of dazzling detail to display pieces. Read on to learn how to work some minuscule mushrooms into your next modeling project.

Forest Diorama First Look

I pointed out in a few recent posts that I often draw the same natural objects. I should have mentioned that I model them, too! Here is a sneak peek at a project I’ve been engaged in for a little while. I intend for it to serve several purposes.

Tiny Tavern

Here are the beginnings of a little tavern or popina somewhere in the Roman Empire.

A small diorama model of an ancient Roman tavern. The scene is in 28mm scale.

The tile inside the shop, the plaster wall facing the street, and the sidewalk and cobblestone roadway are carved & textured out of styrofoam. The roof is layered corrugated paper. There’s a little wood & plastic card for structure. Everything is held in place with wood glue and super glue. The building surface is 4″x4″. Everything is to 28mm scale.

Another Base without a Face

I’ve found time here and there to complete another little vignette. This one features a dead tree, which I haven’t done in a while. As usual, this one is a kind of lesson to be applied in basing minis, as well as a little imaginative refuge in its own right.

A detaile base featuring a forest scene without a miniature.

The base is 1.5″ square. I like the challenge of telling a story or creating a scene dense in interesting details on a very small scale. Continue reading “Another Base without a Face”

Feeling Foresty

Whenever possible I’ve been stealing moments to further this project, another little woodland scene.

This one has a dead tree on it, and I’ll be adding mushrooms, grass, and whatever else I can think of. These are a few bolete-style mushrooms ready for painting. Continue reading “Feeling Foresty”

Lichen It: Another Forest Vignette

I finished off in just a few days another little test scene. I enjoy creating these little vignettes for their own sake, and I can practice techniques or experiment with ideas I might draw upon when I’m basing a mini in the future.

A forest scene that could serve as the base for a miniature.

For this little forest scene I focused upon an idea I had for creating lichen and continued messing around with leaf litter. Continue reading “Lichen It: Another Forest Vignette”

Forest Scene

I’ve been making a little scene to practice some scenic elements and attempt to replicate some of the cool stuff my little buddy & I have been finding in the woods lately. I could easily add a figure here, but I don’t plan to. These scenic vignettes are intended as quiet little places to retire to when you can’t get away from your desk.

A forest scene that could be used as a base for a mini, but won't be!

I have built these little Nature scenes before and always given them away as gifts. I want one for my desk at school, but I also have a recipient in mind. I’ll probably give it away. Continue reading “Forest Scene”