Use a proxy for your favourite characters or go original

Be it sourced from books or movies, memorable characters form a large part of what inspires us miniature painters to recreate them artistically. But there are occasions when the characters we want to paint are just not available in miniature for. That's when we look for proxies or replacement figurines that best capture the spirit of the character we want to recreate in paint form.  They aren't easy to find, but when you do it's a glorious feeling.

Harley Quinn and Katana from the Suicide Squad - characters worthy of a search for proxies to paint

An example of such a proxy hunt revolved around characters from the latest superheroes (or more accurately supervillains) comic book adaptation movie Suicide Squad. More specifically, proxies were being sought for Harley Quinn and Katana [see above]. There were found in the Nocturna Models 80 mm resin figurine collection, namely the Nocturna Models 80 mm Alice (Fairy Tale Girls) and 70 mm Soum, 13 Moons (Malefic Time) [see below]. 

Nocturna Models 80 mm - Alice (Fairy Tale Girls) tin box packaging

Nocturna Models Alice (Fairy Tale Girls) unboxed

Resin miniature parts of Alice, Fairy Tale Girls

Nocturna Models 70 mm - Soum, 13 Moons (Malefic Time) tin box packaging

Nocturna Models Soum, 13 Moons (Malefic Time) unboxed

Resin miniature parts of Soum, 13 moons (Malefic Time)

What made these resin miniatures so suitable as proxies for Harley and Katana? Well, features of the Noctuna Models Alice figurine which lend itself perfectly to a Harley Quinn-Joker themed diorama piece were, in no particular order:
1. A teacup in hand (from a scene in the movie);
2. Pigtail-like hair for Harley's iconic tri-coloured hairstyle;
3. Large leg stockings which can painted to resemble her in-movie ones;
4. Playing cards which offer the opportunity to paint Joker cards; and
5. A large mushroom which can be painted in purplish Joker hues.

The scene that produced a light-bulb moment linking Nocturna Models Alice to Harley Quinn

With Katana it was all about finding a miniature with an Eastern Asian look and a ... well ... katana

Meanwhile for Katana it was more a case of finding a miniature with oriental features who happened to be holding on to a traditional Japanese sword i.e. the character's namesake. Cue the Nocturna Models Soum, 13 Moons figurine from the Malefic Time series. She also had some workable similarities to her DC counterpart which made her a good proxy:
1. Soum's katana which is self explanatory;
2. She's of East Asian ethnicity, also self explanatory; and
3. Round signage offers an opportunity for some Suicide Squad-related freehand painting.

But all is not doom and gloom in terms of finding an accurately sculpted superhero miniature to paint. Shire Works carries some of the more iconic Marvel characters from Knight Models some of which are shown below. Pictures courtesy of our resident painter who blogs at http://foureyed-monster.blogspot.my/

Knight Models Logan

Knight Models Spiderman

Knight Models Iron Man

Knight Models The Hulk

Coming back to finding proxies for your miniature painting projects, the following are some miniatures from the Nocturna Models and Ax Faction line which has been used as proxies for a popular book and TV series i.e. Game of Thrones. These miniatures were also painted by out resident painter FourEyedMonster.

Nocturna Models 70 mm Crusader, painted as Ser Gregor Clegane

Back view of the Nocturna Models 70 mm Crusader, painted as Ser Gregor Clegane

Nocturna Models 70 mm Akelarre Enchantment, painted as Daenerys Targaryen

Ax Faction 32 mm Giant Hunter painted as the wilding Ygritte

So don't fret. If you can't find the actual miniature of a character you want to paint, then look for a proxy. If you can, all the better to go original. Either way, remember to have fun!

Quick Tips: Bases, oft forgotten pieces of the puzzle

When painting miniatures we tend to spend so much attention on the figure itself that it's easy to overlook the base and give it minimal attention. It's an understandable mistake but one that is also easily overcome with a little bit of patience and thought on details.

An overhead view of the Knight Models Zombie Girl base

In a shout out to the latest season of the Walking Dead, the Knight Models Zombie Girl is a fine example of how some tender loving care to a base can give a figure that extra oomph! Straight out of the box, the base looks fairly unassuming with just a flat road and a pumpkin. But if you pay careful attention to it, you'll start to notice well sculpted details such as fallen autumn leaves, candy bars and wrappers as well as a well textured road and sidewalk. More than enough for any miniature painter to try and work his or her magic on. 

Knight Models Zombie Girl in its original packaging

Knight Models Zombie Girl: individual metal parts

Knight Models Zombie Girl: parts assembled/glued on and then primed

For inspiration, photos of candy bars and fallen autumn leaves (see below) were used as a benchmark reference on how to paint the details on the base. At first glance, the bright, cheery colours might seem to be out of place in a horror piece. But the juxtaposition of the Zombie Girl's pallid, rotting skin tone and the warm colours of a festive Halloween trick-or-treat celebration actually gives a surreal twist to the whole horror diorama.  

Inspiration for an autumn Halloween came in the form of candy bars and fallen maple leaves

To allow greater access to and control over the painting of the minute details, the base was painted separately from the figure i.e. before gluing the Zombie Girl to the base.

Knight Models Zombie Girl base sans pumpkin - sidewalk/road with autumn leaves and candy bars strewn all over

Scale comparison - Knight Models Zombie Girl base next to a 31-mm paperclip

A pumpkin's advice: Have a thick skin and smile

This is how the whole model kit looks when put together and with the paint job completed.

Knight Models Zombie Girl, paint job completed

Low level lighting adds to the eerie atmosphere of the piece

A well painted base adds volumes to the overall piece

Back view of the Knight Models Zombie Girl

The figure shown above has been assembled and painted exclusively for Shire Works. Please note that the Zombie Girl metal model kit is supplied unpainted and requires assembly. For more information on zombie-related models available from Shire Works, please click on the Knight Models product tab in the menu bar above, or on the ad below.

Quick Tips: Reshaping a resin miniature part

Often times, a resin part(s) straight out of the box may not resemble the shape shown on the cover art. An example of this is the Nocturna Models Akelarre Enchantment 70 mm resin miniature. But fear not, the solution to this little problem is actually pretty straightforward and simple. And all it involves is a simple household appliance i.e. the hair dryer.

Akelarre Enchantment is an example of a resin model kit in which a part requires reshaping

Firstly, you can either paint a basecoat layer on the part concerned or leave it unpainted before reshaping. In the example below, a basecoat layer was painted on the ribbons before they were blasted with hot air from the hair dryer for about three seconds or more (the length of time the part is exposed to hot air varies with how thick it is).

Ribbon parts before they are reshaped

A simple hair dryer was used to generate the required heat to make the resin parts pliable

Then, while the ribbons were still pliable after being softened by the hot air, they were reshaped into a more dynamic form resembling the cover art. You have to work quickly though as the resin parts cool very quickly and in mere seconds will have cooled and re-hardened. Remember NOT to use excessive force when reshaping the resin parts in order to prevent them from accidentally breaking. Always err on the side of caution as you can always reheat the parts if they have cooled before you achieved your desired shape.

Ribbons were quickly reshaped to a more dynamic form before being allowed to cool and harden again

Once reshaped and painted, the ribbons were then attached to the Akelarre Enchantment with an alternative colour scheme as painted by Shire Works' resident painter (see photos below). The usual super glue-pure baking soda combination was used to glue such a small part. This gluing combination is describe in another post. Some additional midtones and highlights were then painted on the ribbons to finish off the reshaping process. 

Nocturna Models Akelarre Enchantment, as painted in an alternative colour scheme

Ribbons were glued on with the help of the Super Glue-Baking Soda combo

 And this concludes Shire Works' latest quick tip guide for the beginner miniature painter. For more detailed photos as well as a video of the Nocturna Models Akelarre Enchantment, please click on the following link => http://foureyed-monster.blogspot.my/2015/11/nocturna-models-akelarre-enchanment.html

Quick Tips: Priming a metal miniature

Following an earlier blog post on working with metal miniatures - specifically Knight Models Loki - here now is a short piece on what to do with your figure after you have assembled and prepped it. Right after the prepping stage, the model looks rather messy with the glue residues near its joints and the green stuff used to sculpt Loki's foot brace as well as elbow joints. But fret not. Applying a layer of primer coat on (or priming) the miniature will not only remove such eyesores but also allow acrylic paint to stick to it. Acrylic paint does not adhere well to neither metal nor resin hence the need for a thin layer of primer coat.   

The Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (Light Grey) was used to prime the metal Loki

To prime your miniature:
1. Shake the primer aerosol spray can vigorously for about one minute;
2. Hold the can upright about 20 cm away from the miniature;
3. Spray across the miniature in short light bursts;
4. Turn your miniature in between the bursts;
5. Stop spraying once a thin layer of primer coat has covered the miniature; and
6. Leave it to dry - how long depends on the weather so from a few hours to overnight. 

Knight Models Loki, after priming - a closeup view

For safety and proper working conditions:
1. Always spray in a well ventilated area; and
2. Protect the surrounding area from overspray e.g. by using old newspapers.

Knight Models Loki, after priming - front view

Primer coat removes all evidence of prepping

Knight Models Loki, after priming - back view

For a more detailed view of how a primed miniature looks, please click on the YouTube video below. It shows a 360 degree view of the Knight Models Loki after priming.

Once the primer coat has dried, you are now ready to paint the miniature using acrylic paints. For some ongoing miniature painting projects, please check out the blog site of Shire Works' own resident painter => http://foureyed-monster.blogspot.com/

More tips on working with metal miniatures - Assembling Loki from Knight Models

Working with metal miniatures can throw you challenges that seem insurmountable at first. But most of the time, any problems that arise can be easily solved using basic hobby tools such as (a) green putty (otherwise known as the sculptors epoxy putty), (b) a mini hand drill and (c) a pure baking soda-super glue combination that increases bonding strength.  

Knight Models Loki, assembled and ready for priming

Loki comes in both resin (throne) and metal parts (Loki himself). For an unboxing video of the Knight Models Loki and his step brother Thor, please click here.

Individual parts of Loki prior to assembly

In some cases, it's better to create more surface area for the separate parts to bond together with. This can be accomplished by using a mini hobby hand drill. For example, the drill can deepen a hole for the accompanying part to fit better as in Loki's horns to his helmet as well as the three pronged blade to the staff. The drill can also help in creating an indentation (which increases surface area) onto which a small part can be glued on e.g. Loki's ponytail to the back of his head. And for very small parts with equally small surface areas such as the pony tail, a special gluing combination will also help. 

Using a mini hand drill to deepen the hole in which the horns will slot into

Mini hand drill at work again, this time on the tip of Loki's staff

Making an indentation with the drill can also help small parts stick better e.g. Loki's ponytail to his head

On occasion - as it is for Loki - there are a lot of small parts which would be difficult to glue together using just super glue. In such situations, the use of a pure baking soda-super glue combination can result in a stronger bond between the parts. Before reading further, please click here first for more information on how to use this combination safely. The photos below show some examples of the combination in use to create much stronger bonds.

Using a Pure Baking Soda - Super Glue combination for stronger bonds

Using the Pure Baking Soda-Super Glue combo on areas with minimal surface contact for stronger bonds

Super glue and pure baking soda combo creates a strong bond between Loki's pony tail and his helmet

Gluing a piece of plastic sprue to the base to increase stability

With metal miniatures, sometimes you encounter parts leaving small gaps after being glued/joined together. This can be easily corrected using Green Stuff which is an epoxy putty that usually come in two separate stripes of blue and yellow (but not necessarily as a different brand might come in different colours). Use a hobby knife to cut out the required amount, and mix the two separate stripes together and knead until it turns a uniform green. You will then have roughly an hour or more to sculpt the resulting mixture before it hardens.   

Green stuff, or sculptors epoxy putty

As mentioned, Green Stuff is useful for plugging small gaps. It also can be used to sculpt stuff e.g. in Loki's case - an extension of the rocky throne for Loki's foot to rest on (see photo below). Much more detailed information on how to use Green Stuff can be easily accessed online by just Googling for 'Introduction to Green Stuff'.

Sculpting green stuff to resemble a foot rest carved out of rock on the throne

Small gaps in between the arm joints were filled with sculpted green stuff

A different angle of the green stuff used to plug the gaps in between the arm joints

Well, that's it for this brief tutorial on working with metal miniatures. For more on Loki and other 1/28th scale Marvel figures from Knight Models, please click on the ad banner below.