32mm grimdark miniatures set in the horrors of the Trench Crusade.
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Latest Updates from Our Project:
Sculpting the Combat Medic: Part II
almost 2 years ago
– Mon, Aug 01, 2022 at 12:32:58 PM
Good day to you, fellow pilgrims!
Yesterday I shared an update showing the initial stages of sculpting the Combat Medic. If you missed that, and want to see how I sculpt miniatures from the very beginning, then I really recommend checking that update out first. :)
Ok, so after making the armature we now need to pose it! In the next image, you will see the basic pose of the Combat Medic. I gradually and gently bend the copper wire with a pair of long-nose (needle-nose) pliers, using a 15cm (6 inch) steel rule to check the proportions as I go. I also make sure I have plenty of reference images to hand, including the female skeleton and anatomical photographs/drawings. This all helps to get the proportions and 'weight' of the post right, which is vital at this scale when you want to convey what the miniature might be doing. I cannot overstate how important it is to study anatomy if you want to sculpt!
Once I'm happy with the pose, I stick it into a champagne cork. I like to shave the top of the cork at an angle (which may be a bit difficult to see in this photo) in order to be able to make life easier when sculpting the lower sections, since I can angle my tools upwards from beneath (if that makes sense)!
The basic pose. Ignore the flappy arms - I just need to keep those out of the way to make it easier to access the torso.
Now that we have our pose, it's time to start blocking out some very simple anatomy! In the photo below, I have placed some very basic muscle shapes on the legs, just to get the overall structure/form. Since we won't be seeing the legs beneath the skirt, we don't need to make them any more refined than this. If I was sculpting bare legs, or tight-fitting clothing, then I would obviously make these more anatomically accurate and smooth them out.
Next step: very basic leg musculature. I don't need to be too refined about the legs, since they will be hidden beneath the skirt of her robes. I do, however, need the basic form so the skirt flows correctly.
Next up is making a proper head/skull shape, which you can see below. Once again, since her face will be covered, I do not need to add the usual facial details. All I have done is make sure I have a clear forehead, correctly positioned the eyes and can see where the centreline is (shown by a very faint vertical ridge running from the nose to the chin). I've also bulked out the ribcage a bit more, in preparation for the next step: making a basic torso.
Here I've made a proper head shape and started gradually building up the torso. Also, I have now filled the gap between the legs, ready for the putty for the skirt to be added over the top.
The final step in today's sculpting update is making a basic torso. This shape is important, since we need to know exactly where the clothes/armour will go and how it will hang. The hips and pectoral muscles are defined with simple shapes, so I know where and how I will be attaching the next layer of putty.
And here we are with the basic structure of the torso filled out. Now I have hips, I can see where the skirt will be hanging from, and where the armour will start and end. It's all about building up in layers, with each layer informing what will happen with the subsequent layer.
In the third sculpting update, I will be moving on to show the skirt and armour, since we are now ready to add those elements. I am happy with the basic frame that we now have and can really start to move on to proper details.
See you in the next update!
Cheers,
James
Sculpting the Combat Medic: Part I
almost 2 years ago
– Fri, Jul 29, 2022 at 01:59:54 AM
I have received word that the Cardinal has been displeased with my progress, and I really don't want to be drawing the attention of the Masque of the Red Death. I think he might be eager to see an update on the Combat Medic - apparently we have been losing an unacceptable number of pilgrims to gangrene due to a deficiency in bone saw-wielding nuns...
Combat Medic - art by Mike Franchina
So, as promised, here is the first part in this little sculpting series. I am going to briefly go through each stage of the process so far, from what tools I use to making and posing the armature.
Tools
The main tools I use are:
Dentist's tool
Clay shapers
Scalpel
Sewing needle
Pin vice
Files
My basic sculpting tool kit.
The dentist's tool on the left is my favourite of the bunch and the one I use the most. The clay shapers see quite a bit of use as well, especially the chisel-head, as does the sewing needle (glued and green-stuffed into the end of an old pencil - this one is actually from a Kev White sculpting class I attended a few years ago).
GW clippers and needle nosed pliers.
Making the armature
I also learnt a great way of making armatures from Kev White. Using 0.8mm tinned annealed copper wire, I solder three sections together (these sections form the spine, legs and arms). I use a Dremel soldering torch and have a ceramic plate upon which I have drilled & pinned some jigs for the various armatures I need to make, depending upon scale and whether they are male or female, adult or child. This is pictured below.
Rolling out the wire using a steel rule. This results in nice, straight wire.
On the soldering block. As you can see, we have three sections of wire - spine, arms, legs. These are placed in the jig with the correct torso length - 9mm in this case.
The armatures after soldering. I will clip the head/neck section to the correct length in the next step - posing the armature.
Posing the armature
So, the next step is posing the armature. Just before posing, I will take some putty (ProCreate by Kraftmark in this case, but Green Stuff is just as good) and form the basic skull, ribcage and pelvis.
The armature with rudimentary skull, ribcage and pelvis. These three basic forms are important when it comes to sculpting the initial muscle groups, and gives me something to work around and attach muscles to.
Curvature of the spine.
Now that we have this very basic skeleton, I can begin posing it. Posing a miniature is one of the most important stages in the sculpt - we want to get a nice, believable pose, whilst also ensuring that everything is in proportion. If a limb is half a millimetre out it is quite obvious at such a small scale, so we need to be as precise as possible. This is what the ruler is for!
In the next update, I will show you the pose and the initial sculpting - getting the basic structure and form before moving on to the details.
I hope this has been interesting for some of you! :)
Cheers,
James
Communicant: Alternative poses stretch goals
about 2 years ago
– Wed, Jul 27, 2022 at 12:22:57 AM
In this update:
Next stretch goals
Brief insight into running a Kickstarter
Post campaign
Mike and I continue to be utterly blown away by the success of the Kickstarter campaign, and we have been busy planning where we want to take things next. The potential for the Trench Crusade is huge - with an entire world to play with, including factions, history, characters, unit types, gaming rules... The list goes on! Thank you for your belief in the project and your desire to help to bring it all to fruition. This is only the beginning...
Next stretch goals
Since the Kickstarter has exceeded our expectations, with multiple stretch goals being slaughtered and well over a thousand backers now, we need to 'stretch out' future goals a little bit, since there is already a lot of extra work to be done post campaign (not least of which, me sculpting the miniatures that have been unlocked)! As such, here are the next two goals:
Running a Kickstarter
To give you a little insight into running a Kickstarter campaign, it is quite relentless! In between the backer updates, and replying to you via comments or direct messages, I am also speaking with backers and followers across multiple platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Discord). Then there are the communications with the caster, fulfilment centres (I am talking with a couple at the moment to get the best rates for everyone), BackerKit (our pledge manager)... all this in addition to constantly running/updating the numbers as we hit stretch goals that go beyond our initial expectations. Then Mike and I are also in constant communication, timezones not withstanding (me in the UK, Mike in the US). Oh, and I'm trying to sculpt the combat medic, too! I promise to have some update photos of her soon. :)
Post campaign
Initially, with our initial expectations for the campaign, our aim was to have everything done and shipped to backers by the end of the year (2022). Since the Trench Crusade has exploded, we will need to move these delivery expectations back a bit (as mentioned from the beginning in the Risks & Challenges section). Our initial estimates were based upon a couple of hundred backers, and maybe one extra miniature - the combat medic - to be sculpted. Now, we have well over a thousand backers and have unlocked multiple stretch goal miniatures, all of which require sculpting.
As such, delivery will be pushed back. By how much, at this stage we cannot say. Once the campaign has ended, I can sit down and go through everything, speak with Zealot Miniatures about moulding & casting times, then with the fulfilment centre about final numbers. Another factor to take into account is how many of you add extra stuff when the pledge manager comes out, too!
So I really hope you can understand why things will be pushed back. I am very sorry that this is necessary to do, and Mike and I would both be very grateful for your patience! We will get everything delivered as soon as we possibly can, of course, but we want to make sure we get everything right so you are happy with what you receive. I will of course keep everyone informed throughout the entire process! :)
Running a Kickstarter can be all-consuming - and certainly is with this one, thanks to all you super amazing backers joining us on this (un)holy pilgrimage! Together we are going to make these miniatures a reality, plus you are all here at the very beginning of something very special. So thank you so much once again!
Cheers,
James
1000 pilgrims join us on the crusade!
about 2 years ago
– Tue, Jul 26, 2022 at 12:43:51 AM
Hell is that way...
A massive, heart-felt thank you from Mike and myself! To have a thousand join us on this (un)holy pilgrimage is simply mind-blowing! Thank you.
Only 9 days to go. Like the guy in the pulpit is saying, hell is that way...
Cheers!
James
The heretic tank will burn in holy fire.
about 2 years ago
– Tue, Jul 26, 2022 at 12:43:23 AM
Quick update (I'm out with family today - it's Sunday AND the school holidays)...
Illuminator Michael has prepared some sketches of alternative poses for the communicant. Your lord bishop bids you to cleanse yourself of your sins and prepare for absolution.
Alternative communicant poses. Concept art by Mike Franchina.
I will be re-posing and sculpting these as stretch goals. Many have been petitioning for alternative poses, so we hope this goes some way to answering your prayers! Essentially, once I receive the resin masters from Zealot Miniatures, I can convert some in order to give you more variety on the battlefield. My favourite is number 2. Which is yours?
