MIKH's: April 2013

Friday, April 19, 2013

Work In Progress Of A Wolfy Gladiator, Lupa ! ( Arena Rex Kickstarter Exclusive )

Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

Hello to Everyone,

As promised in my last article, I give you pictures of Lupa work in progress !

For those who did not know yet ( Uh ? ), Lupa is the Exclusive Miniature for Arena Rex Kickstarter, and this Kickstarter will end this very Sunday, the 21st of April !

If you are interested, you know what to do !

;)

You may have already seen pictures of the very first stage of her volumes and the base for her Hammer in a previous article...

At this stage, the basis for her head and clothes are made, anatomy and whole shape a bit more defined and even some textures have been tested on the different leather and skin clothes...

Feet have been advanced as well...

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

You can see some texture here...

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

Just for you to remember the scale...
;)

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

I actually like a lot this next picture ! :)

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

At this point, I am very satisfied with the shape and the balance between her anatomy that needs to be voluptuous in an attractive way (... do you know her background... ? ) and I already have added some details such as the belt buckle or the knot and strings on her back.

Wolfy did you say ?

... Then, some volumes are added to create what will be the skin and fur of a wolf, wrapped around the lower left leg and shoulders...
The head of the dead wolf will come on her right shoulder...

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

... I then started to work on the wolf fur texture.
The upper part of the fur wrapped around her leg is what might be the final texture.
I also made one of the stripe with a knot just to have a better idea of the result.
Face was slightly continued as well.

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

And then, I added the basis of her Hammer to get a good look at the dynamic and volume in the space she would occupy...
I'm pretty happy so far !

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

... Gladiator... Or Gladiators ?

You have seen some pictures of Otho WIP in these pages or via the Kickstarter updates...
I wanted to show you them both together...
Hope this is as exciting for you as it is for me !

I should be able to show some pictures of Otho during the week end, specially of his right arm...
It is full of volumes, textures and details !
... Next time !
;)

Arena Rex's Lupa - WIP (Click to enlarge)

I hope you enjoyed these WIP pictures,
you now can dream of Gladiators !

M.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Did You Say Huntress ?... The Dragon Huntress ?

Dragon Huntress (Click to enlarge)

Hello Everyone,

so, I guess you've heard...

The Dragon Huntress I have sculpted is now available in pre-order directly at JoeK Minis webstore !

Dragon Huntress (Click to enlarge)

Be careful, it seems that not everyone will get it since this is a definitive 500 ex Limited Edition !

You will be able to pre-order it at Salute as well.

Go to British Indies booth, JoeK will be there next to James for Infamy Miniatures !

You might see several of my sculptures there !

If you have read my last article, you may be interested by 2 other models as well : Otho and Lupa for Arena Rex.

I will show more Work In Progress of both sculptures within the next 2 days, so stay around !

Oh! Don't forget ! Arena Rex Kickstarter ends the 21th of April !

Just few days left !!!!!!

... But now, it's all about our Dragon Huntress !

Dragon Huntress by Roberto Cirillo & Steve Buddle (Click to enlarge)

... At the Beginning...

It all started with an email from a fellow sculptor, Steve Buddle.

He liked my work and asked me if I was willing to sculpt a model for him, for his own range.

It is always nice and in the same time a challenge to be contacted by an other sculptor for a commission.

Because if so, it means he values a lot your own skills, but it also means you have to be at your best and show your potential without cheating !

He told of a concept art about a girl hunting a beast.

Interesting.

Then, he showed me the first sketches, and then I thought :Yeah, it is definitely for me !

He finalized it eventually and we agreed that I would go for my best work, finest result I could produce.

But then, for different reasons, I got stuck into it.

And a nice thing happened to Steve : he was hired by Games workshop !

Nice for him, but then no more range !

No more Huntress !

... New Range ?

And some time after Steve knew he would go live in the Midlands, he introduced me to JoeK, owner of JoeK Minis.

JoeK agreed to get on board and finally inherited of the "baby", I mean The Dragon Huntress !

At a point, JoeK and I agreed to change the armor plate of her right forearm.

I drew some sketches and we opted for the second one bellow.

Dragon Huntress Forearm Sketch 1 (Click to enlarge)

Dragon Huntress Forearm Armor Design 1 (Click to enlarge)

Dragon Huntress Forearm Sketch 2 (Click to enlarge)

Dragon Huntress Forearm Armor Design 2 (Click to enlarge)

And finally, after what seemed to be a too long time of sweat, stress and patience for both of us, JoeK and I, She was finished, ready to be produced !

I am very proud of this model because she is one of the finest I have ever sculpted, one of the most balanced with lot of attention between textures, volumes, dynamic and esthetic.
I actually specially like her anatomy.

Fine like Nagausith, and so technical that I would compare her to One Shot (the entire project).

It was very interesting to create these textures and shapes, specially the Dragon scales Shield and the dead Dragon itself of course, but also the weapon, her leather pants, stripes, metal pieces...
Each elements needed to be complete and definitely "finished".
No place for approximation...
... Did I mention her necklace with small teeth ?

You will find some close-ups in what follows, but I will hopefully show these textures and details soon in an other article...

Enough said, let's place to the pictures !
(Keep in mind I did use white Blu-Tack for the pictures. Junctions are actually fitted.)

Enjoy !
M.

The Dragon Huntress, 32mm, made in Fimo and Magic Sculp.

Dragon Huntress (Click to enlarge)

Dragon Huntress Close-Up (Click to enlarge)