In a fit of enthusiasm, I started painting figures again after a decade lapse. Working through the Monster Manual, I noticed many monsters are actually very easy to scratch build.
Useful things to have:
Glues of various types depending on your materials
Thin, easily worked wire
Hobby nippers
An Xacto knife
Dimensional putty
Figure bases
Cheap plastic figures and accessories from a convention flea market or off eBay.
A work area where you can get messy.
Plus all the stuff you use to paint your regular minis.
Lets start with he easiest first:
Oozes:
Glue something that looks vaguely like a pseudopod to a base. Add a puddle of glue. When it's all dry, prime and paint the appropriate color. Remember to make large and small ones so you can do the split.
Hey, they're nearly invisible, right? Take several weapons and things and glue them together at odd angles and then, when set, glue the assemblage standing up on a large base so that it appears to defy gravity. Paint the base like you imagine a dungeon floor and paint the objects like they are severely used--rusty, broken, etc.
Golums:
Take any cheap figure you have and cut/file off the parts that stick out too much. Slather it with dimension putty available at any craft store. Shape with a toothpick or hobby knife. Let it dry, prime and paint.
Zombies:
Take any unarmed figure from the appropriate period and give it a zombie paint job.
Animated Objects:
If you are using 25/28mm minis, get a few 15mm minis and paint them as statues. I made terracotta warriors, stone ponies and brass bulls. Since my statues rate as small, I can throw 10 of them at the players with a single animate spell. :)
Scarecrow:
People have been making scarecrows for centuries. Repeat the process at a miniature scale. I glued a bead to a base, set a toothpick in it, added thin wire for arms with bits of wire sticking out for claws, added a bead for a head and squashed a lot of tinfoil on for and old robe. Then followed slathering with putty. I shaped the putty around the anchor bead to look like a mound of earth. When painted, it looks darn right spooky.
Homebrew undead:
Butcher some cheap plastic figures and put them back together in bizarre ways. Get demented. I made two legged walking horseheads.
All sorts of ethereal undead:
Once you get practiced at the slathering and shaping, make a slightly taller than scale wire manikin with a third leg to form a solid tripod when you glue it to a base. (This will be hidden under the "robes" of the final figure) Add another small bead for a head. Shape the wire so the ends of the arms are bent straight down to support the sleeves and the wire coming out the top of the bead head points straight back to support the hood. Slather and shape away. Be sure to make cavities for the ends of the robe sleeves and the front of the hood. If you feel really ambitious you might include hands cut from other figures somewhere in the process.
Pretty much the same idea as above. By now you can figure the method of my madness.
Final comments:
This is supposed to be a fun and rewarding process, if a bit messy. If you don't like messy, get out your credit card and buy somebody else's vaguely shaped lump of plastic.
With all these projects, the painting is the key. Keep it simple but imaginative. Add clever details that will make your gaming comrades go ooh and ah...
If you think this all pretty obvious stuff, it is. By writing this I'm not trying to tell you how clever I am, I am merely trying to remind you all how clever you can be--if you unleash your inner crafting demons. :)
I just recently made a couple of black puddings. I just drew a 2x2 square on a piece of wax paper and dropped a bunch of hot glue on there, then made strings of hot glue by squeezing it into a cup of water and hot glued that to the top. Painted it all black, and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out! Good write up.
This thread would be awesome, if it had pictures demonstrating these builds. :)
I know how you feel but I hesitate to post pictures because they will inevitably be compared to digital macro shots of super detailed figures painted by experts. I am a nearsighted old man who only paints to the "3 Foot Rule:" If it looks good sitting in the middle of the table, I'm satisfied.
I just recently made a couple of black puddings. I just drew a 2x2 square on a piece of wax paper and dropped a bunch of hot glue on there, then made strings of hot glue by squeezing it into a cup of water and hot glued that to the top. Painted it all black, and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out! Good write up.
In a fit of enthusiasm, I started painting figures again after a decade lapse. Working through the Monster Manual, I noticed many monsters are actually very easy to scratch build.
Useful things to have:
Lets start with he easiest first:
Oozes:
Glue something that looks vaguely like a pseudopod to a base. Add a puddle of glue. When it's all dry, prime and paint the appropriate color. Remember to make large and small ones so you can do the split.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/185681883@N07/49119234847/in/dateposted-public/
Gelatinous cube:
Hey, they're nearly invisible, right? Take several weapons and things and glue them together at odd angles and then, when set, glue the assemblage standing up on a large base so that it appears to defy gravity. Paint the base like you imagine a dungeon floor and paint the objects like they are severely used--rusty, broken, etc.
Golums:
Take any cheap figure you have and cut/file off the parts that stick out too much. Slather it with dimension putty available at any craft store. Shape with a toothpick or hobby knife. Let it dry, prime and paint.
Zombies:
Take any unarmed figure from the appropriate period and give it a zombie paint job.
Animated Objects:
If you are using 25/28mm minis, get a few 15mm minis and paint them as statues. I made terracotta warriors, stone ponies and brass bulls. Since my statues rate as small, I can throw 10 of them at the players with a single animate spell. :)
Scarecrow:
People have been making scarecrows for centuries. Repeat the process at a miniature scale. I glued a bead to a base, set a toothpick in it, added thin wire for arms with bits of wire sticking out for claws, added a bead for a head and squashed a lot of tinfoil on for and old robe. Then followed slathering with putty. I shaped the putty around the anchor bead to look like a mound of earth. When painted, it looks darn right spooky.
Homebrew undead:
Butcher some cheap plastic figures and put them back together in bizarre ways. Get demented. I made two legged walking horseheads.
All sorts of ethereal undead:
Once you get practiced at the slathering and shaping, make a slightly taller than scale wire manikin with a third leg to form a solid tripod when you glue it to a base. (This will be hidden under the "robes" of the final figure) Add another small bead for a head. Shape the wire so the ends of the arms are bent straight down to support the sleeves and the wire coming out the top of the bead head points straight back to support the hood. Slather and shape away. Be sure to make cavities for the ends of the robe sleeves and the front of the hood. If you feel really ambitious you might include hands cut from other figures somewhere in the process.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/185681883@N07/49118430273/in/dateposted-public/
Elementals:
Pretty much the same idea as above. By now you can figure the method of my madness.
Final comments:
This is supposed to be a fun and rewarding process, if a bit messy. If you don't like messy, get out your credit card and buy somebody else's vaguely shaped lump of plastic.
With all these projects, the painting is the key. Keep it simple but imaginative. Add clever details that will make your gaming comrades go ooh and ah...
If you think this all pretty obvious stuff, it is. By writing this I'm not trying to tell you how clever I am, I am merely trying to remind you all how clever you can be--if you unleash your inner crafting demons. :)
Enjoy!
This thread would be awesome, if it had pictures demonstrating these builds. :)
I just recently made a couple of black puddings. I just drew a 2x2 square on a piece of wax paper and dropped a bunch of hot glue on there, then made strings of hot glue by squeezing it into a cup of water and hot glued that to the top. Painted it all black, and I'm pretty happy with how they turned out! Good write up.
I know how you feel but I hesitate to post pictures because they will inevitably be compared to digital macro shots of super detailed figures painted by experts. I am a nearsighted old man who only paints to the "3 Foot Rule:" If it looks good sitting in the middle of the table, I'm satisfied.
You get it. And thanks.
I'm going to start a new thread showing a project idea that hit me the other day. This one will have PICTURES!
Or I would if the photo embed feature weren't so inscrutable. :(
Okay, so here's my collection of improvises undead types including my scratch built scarecrow and wraiths. The other figures are all repurposed plastic Gauls including the walking horseheads, my homebrew monster. https://www.flickr.com/photos/185681883@N07/49118430273/in/dateposted-public/
My ooze collection: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185681883@N07/49119234847/in/dateposted-public/
Nice job Ted! I tend to use inexpensive plastic minis for my campaign but this has given me some ideas for more homemade models. Thanks.
Today I'm making Glaives by wrapping pins in Scotch Tape, trimming to shape and dipping them in Modge Podge.