My First Major Project - D&D Mini for Pathfinder game

[Dodson 4]

Let me preface with a brief overview of what I'm working on.

 

I am looking to customize a miniature to a specific idea I am looking to accomplish. I have a character for a Pathfinder game that I really enjoy and want to do a special miniature for it.

 

While browsing DeviantART I found the following image (SFW) (http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs22/f/2007/349/2/3/the_oracle_by_pbozproduction.jpg) This is what I am ultimately going for as her in town miniature look. I am also looking to have a second miniature for when she geared for battle. One of my favorite parts of the image is the hair, unfortunately I have been unable to find any miniatures with hair like that (lots of small braids). I have attempted some sculpting to modify a current miniature's hair to recreate the look but it beyond my current ability (but something I am going to continue to work on, if/once I get a decent copy I will post something here. Currently I am still in the design phase for the miniature.

 

 

Specifications I am looking to meet, we'll start with the "in town" look.

 

Face and hair like image linked to above

Dress, with scarf / shawl / wrap around shoulders.

Posture would be standing and poised.

I would like her to be holding a deck of cards, or a hand of cards (probably going to steal the hand and cards from Harrower sculpt) (She is an oracle and has the fortune-teller profession and uses the Deck of Harrow to fortune telling and also is her focus for divination)

The other hand could be free or holding an innocuous item, but preferably not a weapon. Possible items would be a sun shade/umbrella, wine glass, etc. While she is not nobility she is very poised and cosmopolitan.

 

A few ideas I've played around with is using the Queen Ileosa of Korvosa model (http://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/queen/sku-down/60031#detail/60031_w_1) with a resculpt of hair or head replacement. Could replace the fan with the deck of cards, or modify fan into cards.

 

I really like that sculpt and it is the top contender so far. (Anyone else just a huge fan of Derek Schubert's female sculpts?)

 

If anyone has ideas for a replacement head or just a miniature that has hair / looks similar to the image I provided above I would love to know about it. This might not be the fastest project due to real life taking up quite a bit of the time I normally use for painting, but I will keep it updated as I finish new parts.

 

Advice and encouragement are always welcome!

Critiques are also appreciated once I start getting picture and future updates going.

 

- John Dodson

[haldir 44054]

Only mini I know that has hair like the pic is a half-orc ranger by Reaper, but I don't think you'd want that.

 

Might just try to sculpt the hair on Ileosa mini. I like the card swap idea thou.

[Dodson 4]

Only mini I know that has hair like the pic is a half-orc ranger by Reaper, but I don't think you'd want that.

 

Might just try to sculpt the hair on Ileosa mini. I like the card swap idea thou.

 

 

Yeah I think I'm going to have to do the sculpt. I'll start working on ideas on how to do it.

[Cavman 1]

http://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/zodiac/sku-down/03368

 

This one might fit a bit. Bend the hair a bit and maybe sculpt/add a few things onto it. Kinda has a similar greek feel as the oracle pic.

[joe b 22]

If you're willing to play a bit fast and lose with the image and go more for feel than exactitude, you might try http://www.reapermini.com/FigureFinder#detail/03329

 

You could also try http://www.reapermini.com/FigureFinder#detail/03028 if you're willing to resculpt the hair.

[Darius Glenwell 2874]

You could resculpt the hair on this one. The box could be where she keeps the cards. http://darkswordminiatures.com/mainwebsite_html/gallery/GRRMline_5058_LadyInWaiting2.html

 

Or maybe even her: http://darkswordminiatures.com/mainwebsite_html/gallery/GRRMline_Melisandre.htm

 

Perhaps she would work best of all though: http://darkswordminiatures.com/mainwebsite_html/gallery/GRRMline_LLIW1.htm

 

Hope those help.

[Dodson 4]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I have decided to go with the Queen Ileosa sculpt and will be replacing her fan and hand with hand from Harrower holding the cards. I have begun process of cleaning the miniatures and using the lessons learned at Reapercon to make sure I do a very thorough job. Granted they won't look as amazing as the gentleman in the artist room that was doing the polished miniatures ;) I am going above and beyond what I previously did for miniature clean up back before I was taught better. After doing the hand conversion I will take a test mini or two and see about figuring out how to sculpt her hair (That will be an adventure in itself).

 

I will try and get a photo up in next week of miniatures all cleaned up. If you have a cool method for cleaning or special tool you love, please let me know! Even if I don't get a chance to use it maybe someone else reading this thread will love the idea and take it!

[Serenity 4619]

You can use the search function, if you are so inclined. If you prefix search terms with a "+", you can put extra terms in the search to narrow things down a lot. For instance, "+remove +lines" finds posts with both "remove" and "lines" in them.

 

I mostly use a hobby knife, files, fine wet/dry sandpaper, Dremel polishing points (usually by hand), a diamond bead reamer, sanding needles and milliput for filling rough areas, followed by more sanding.

 

Here's a link to a very good tutorial that includes some good advice on cleaning figures, as well as advice on painting for display.

 

How to blend by olliekickflip