Monday 15 December 2014

Coming Soon: Lilith, Luna's Soldier and Luz Tokio

All three female characters from the Malefic Time fantasy universe will soon be available from the Shire Works blogshop. Lilith is a character from the first installment (Malefic Time: Apocalypse) of a joint project by artists Luis Royo and Romulo Royo while both Luna's Soldier and Luz Tokio are from the second installment (Malefic Time: 110 Katanas).


Malefic Time's main story/adventure occurs in three books i.e. Apocalypse, 110 Katanas and Akelarre (not yet published). First two books in this project are in Spanish. Miniatures shown below are in 70-mm or 1:24 scale, are supplied unpainted and will require assembly.

Malefic Time: Apocalypse - Lilith
Malefic Time: 110 Katanas - Luna's Soldier
Malefic Time: 110 Katanas - Luz Tokio

Some Nocturna Models miniatures based on the Malefic Time universe are already available from Shire Works such as Luz New York, Soum 13 Moons and Enchantment. For more info on their scale and prices, please click on the Nocturna Models product tab above this blog post or click on the following link - http://shireworks.blogspot.com/p/nocturna.html  

Monday 10 November 2014

Knight Models Spider-Man, a comic book-inspired paint job exclusive to Shire Works

A Knight Models piece whose Shire Works exclusive paint job was largely inspired by comic book cover art, Spider-Man is a 1/28th scale resin/metal miniature that captures the dynamism and agility of this popular Marvel superhero.  





Acrylic paint colours were blended to portray a comic book feel to the miniature which comprises a base that is a cut-off of a New York City cab and Spider-Man himself. 



Although shown fully painted above, the Knight Models miniature is actually sold unpainted and will require assembly. Spider-Man comes in a cardboard box packaging comprising both resin as well as metal parts. Tips on assembling Spider-Man are available by clicking here.



Spider-Man is available in the Shire Works blog shop. To check out Spider-Man and other Marvel characters from the Knight Models miniature line, please click on the ad below.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Latest Arrival: Ax Faction Urban Monster Hunter

Ax Faction's Urban Monster Hunter is finally here. She is a new 32-mm scale miniature that comes in the usual artisan, hand-stamped boxed as well as an A5-sized art card of an illustration by Nate Van Dyke (please see photo below).

Urban Monster Hunter comes with an A5 art card

An ideal piece for beginners and experts alike, this beautiful miniature comprises the Urban Monster Hunter herself sitting atop a fallen monster which also serves as the base, and a sword. As such minimal prep work is required as there are only two parts to work with.

Ax Faction Urban Monster Hunter (Front view)
Ax Faction Urban Monster Hunter (Back view)

Moreover, the Ax Faction Urban Monster is sold at a very attractive price of RM57 only. Shown below is a size comparison between the miniature and a Malaysian five sens coin.

Top view of the Urban Monster Hunter as compared to a Malaysian 5 sens coin

Check out the Urban Monster Hunter now at the appropriate Shire Works product page (http://shireworks.blogspot.com/p/ax-faction.html) where you can also take a look at other Ax Faction miniatures available for painters and collectors in Malaysia.

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Coming Soon: Urban Monster Hunter

New from Ax Faction is a 32-mm scale miniature with the company's trademark detailed base is the Urban Monster Hunter. She was created by Ax Faction in collaboration with a top US artist who has take a break from working with the likes of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Heavy Metal Magazine, Slayer, Converse and EMI to name a few i.e. Nate Van Dyke.   


You can check out Nate's other works on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/N8VanDyke


Stay tuned as we will be sure to keep you informed when she finally reaches our shores! Meanwhile, please check out other equally cool resin miniatures from Ax Faction by clicking the appropriate tab above or just click http://shireworks.blogspot.com/p/ax-faction.html

Monday 4 August 2014

Unboxing of Knight Models Thor and Loki

Shire Works is pleased to present the first of hopefully many unboxing videos of the miniature products on offer to painters and collectors in Malaysia. In this maiden video, the miniatures on show are Knight Models Thor and Loki, both of which are in 1/28th scale.

Knight Models Thor and Loki 1/28th scale miniature model kits

For comic book fans out there, you might be interested in this little trivia about the two Marvel characters. Thor first appeared in Journey into Mystery Vol.1 #83 way back on August 1962 while Loki made his bow in the same comic series i.e. issue #85 on October 1962.   

Thor makes his comic book debut ...
... followed shortly by Loki two issues later

So without further ado,see below for the video on Knight Models Thor and Loki's unboxing. For the best viewing quality, be sure to choose the high definition (HD) option when playing the YouTube video. Low definition videos are available for slower broadband connections.


Thanks for taking the time to check out the video. For more information on Knight Models miniatures available from Shire Works, please check out the product line on this following link => http://shireworks.blogspot.com/p/knight-models.html

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Victorian Darling, painted in the Shire Works studio and featured on Ax Faction's Facebook timeline

Thanks are in order to Paul of Ax Faction for kindly adding the web links of the Victorian Darling - as painted in the Shire Works studio - on his company's Facebook timeline.



Below is a video, taken from the original blog post, that showcases a 360 degree view of the Ax Faction Victorian Darling 32-mm scale miniature. For the clearest view of the miniature, be sure to choose the high definition (HD) option when viewing the YouTube video.


Meanwhile, if you are interested getting the Victorian Darling or any other Ax Faction resin miniature of your own, please check out the following page link => http://shireworks.blogspot.com/p/ax-faction.html for more details.

Thursday 26 June 2014

Raen of Rannoch and Logan in Figure Painter Magazine

Thanks are in order for the folks at Figure Painter Magazine for putting photos of the Ax Faction Raen of Rannoch aka Giant Hunter and Knight Models Logan (as painted for Shire Works) in their magazine pages.  If you haven't check out their digital magazine yet, make sure you do because it has loads of information for miniature painters of all levels.

Giant Hunter is on the top left hand corner of page 104
Logan is at the bottom right corner of page 105

Raen was painted in the colours of another popular book/TV character namely. Ygritte of Game of Thrones while Logan was painted as ... well ... himself.


Both miniatures were featured in the latest FPM digital issue (No. 14) as seen above.

Friday 6 June 2014

More tips on working with miniatures

So you have finished prepping and assembling your miniature (either the resin of metal variety), and are raring to start work on it. But hold on a minute, there is still an additional (optional but recommended) step you should take before you prime and paint your miniature. But before I go into that (it involves epoxy putty if you must know), the following is a more detailed explanation on using a super glue-pure baking soda combo, something which was touched on briefly in the earlier guides.

Knight Models Spider-Man comprises both resin and metal parts; a perfect example for this guide

When pure baking soda (otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate) is used with cyanoacrylate glues (in this case Shellys Supa Glue), the result is a very fast bonding time (almost instantaneous) and a very strong bond between the parts being glued together. Such characteristics make it ideal for gluing very small miniature parts together as well as to ensure the parts do not come apart easily.

Pure baking soda makes gluing small parts easier and also ensures stronger bonds
Super glue to be used with pure baking soda ... in small amounts as the mixture releases heat

It is important that you use pure baking soda and not those that have been mixed with flour. You can easily get a hold of pure baking soda either from your local supermarket or hardware store. As to the actual gluing process, one way to go about it is by using the following steps:

1. Place a small drop of super glue on the figure/model kit;
2. Dip the tiny part into the pure baking soda so that some sticks to the end that you want to glue;
3. Attach the tiny part to the figure/model kit and hold carefully in place for about 2 to 3 seconds.

Warning: Always read the instructions of the chemicals you are using and maintain a safety first policy. The steps above prevent your fingers from coming into direct contact with the mixture which releases heat when reacting with each other. Keep in mind that the larger the mixture, the more heat is released so use very small amounts.

And there you have it. An effective way to glue tiny parts on to your miniature figure or model kit as well as to have very strong bonds formed between two parts.

Gluing small parts such as the side-view mirror and door handle with a super glue-pure baking soda combo
Pure baking soda-super glue can also be used to make joints glue on stronger

There are times when you might notice some gaps in between the joints of your freshly assembled miniature. This is where epoxy putty comes in. Now this step is purely optional as you can still proceed to painting the miniature without filling in those gaps, especially when you are just starting out in the hobby. But it's always beneficial to get a good habit going so that it becomes second nature to prepare a best possible surface for your primer paint to attach to. Not only will the subsequent paint layers you apply look smoother, but the overall look of the miniature will be of better quality. 

Games Workshop Citadel's version of the epoxy putty - the Green Stuff
Another epoxy putty widely used by miniature hobbyists - milliput

Epoxy putty can be obtained either from your local hobby, art shop or even online. So how do you use them? Basically you will have to mix the two separate parts (green and yellow) together until the colours become uniform before applying it to the gaps to fill them. For a more detailed how-to, you can check out various online resources like the one from milliput.

Filling in some gaps in between the miniatures glued joints with epoxy putty

Finally, prior to actual painting you will need to spray on a primer coat for the subsequent acrylic paints to adhere to. In this guide, two separate primers were used - Citadel Chaos Black (for the taxi) and Tamiya Light Grey Fine Surface Primer (for Spider-Man). If you are a hobbyist in Malaysia, the former is available in your local hobby shops as well as bookstores while the latter can be purchased from a Tamiya retailer.

Black and Light Grey primer spray cans from Citadel (left) and Tamiya (right)
Spider-Man and the taxi after getting a coat of primer paint

Always make sure you spray the primer paints in a well ventilated area. Distance from spray can to the miniature is roughly about 20cmm or 8 inches. When spraying, move the spray can from left to right in quick motions across the miniature so that paint is applied in even coats. With the primer coat is done, your miniature is now ready for painting! For some miniature painting projects, please check out the personal blog and facebook of Shire Work's resident painter - http://foureyed-monster.blogspot.com/

Friday 23 May 2014

Spotlight on Knight Models Magneto and Wolverine

Marvel's latest movie, X-Men: Days of Future Past is now showing in Malaysian cinemas so make sure you book your tickets fast or risk missing it during release week.


While you are at it, don't forget to check out the X-Men characters in the Knight Models miniature line that are available from Shire Works i.e. Magneto and Wolverine. All three are shown below in their assembled and painted form. Coming in at 1/28th scale, these metal model kits are supplied unpainted and will require assembly.


Knight Model's miniature from its Marvel Universe line are all highly detailed and sculpted in dynamic poses, which make them ideal as display pieces after being painted.

Unboxed - Knight Models Wolverine metal miniature kit for assembly and painting
Unboxed - Knight Models Magneto metal miniature kit for assembly and painting
Unboxed - Knight Models Logan metal miniature kit for assembly and painting

So go watch the movie and then paint up either Magneto, Wolverine or Logan from Knight Models Marvel Universe series for your own private collection!

Thursday 15 May 2014

One more week to go ...

... until the release of X-Men: Days of Future Past in theatres throughout Malaysia. These are great times for a Marvel fan with so many superhero movies to look forward to on the big screen. Fans will be hoping the latest X-Men movie lives up to the promotional trailers.

X-Men Days of Future Past ... soon in theatres in Malaysia

As a fan, you know you owe it to yourself to get one of the many X-Men related characters available in the Knight Models range, assemble it and paint it up as you see fit. One of these characters is Logan, a highly detailed metal miniature that accurately captures the look portrayed by actor Hugh Jackman. 

Unboxed - Knight Models Logan metal miniature kit for assembly and painting

Shown below are selected photos of the Knight Models Logan that was assembled and painted up especially for Shire Works, which currently has this miniature in stock.


Logan is not the only Knight Models X-Men related character available from Shire Works. We also have another version of Wolverine in the famous blue and yellow costume as well as Magneto. More highlights to come as we count down to the opening day of X-Men: Days of Future Past. Until then, stay safe and have a good week.

Thursday 1 May 2014

Spotlight on the Knight Models Spiderman

It's May 1st and The Amazing Spiderman 2: Rise of Electro is now showing in theatres throughout Malaysia. Make sure you catch this awesome movie in what is a defining moment of Peter Parker's life. Andrew Garfield is perfectly cast as Spiderman's geeky alter ego.


In its Marvel Universe range of 1/28th scale miniatures, Knight Models has an old school version of Spiderman leapfrogging a New York taxi. It's a beautifully sculpted piece of Spidey in a very dynamic pose; managing to capture the agility that is Spiderman's trademark.


Supplied unpainted and requiring assembly, the Knight Models Spiderman model kit comes in a combination of resin (for the taxi) and metal (for Spiderman). All figure/model parts are sandwiched between two protective sponges and encased inside a cardboard packaging. Pictures above show how a fully assembled and painted Spiderman looks like.

Knight Models Spiderman unboxed - actual model requires assembly and is unpainted

To check out Spidey and other superheroes from the Knight Models Marvel Universe range that's available from Shire Works, please choose the Knight Models tab at the top of this blog or click the following link => http://shireworks.blogspot.com/p/knight-models.html