What makes a good miniature?

[mgm96]

Hi,
I need some help please!

I want to get into the sculpting hobby and I would like to know what for you makes a good miniature so that I can bare it in mind when i plan my sculpts.

Does size matter for you :P?

Do you like to paint metallics?

Do you prefer male or female figures?

What do you love to find in a miniature??

what do you hate in a miniature??

Do you like humans, dragons, orcs, elves,...??

Weapons??

What is your FAVOURITE MINIATURE OF ALL TIMES??
Thank you or your help!!
Any kind of feedback is highly appreciated!!

[TrystanGST]

If you're just getting started, I'd shy away from anything crazy like monsters or dragons. Most people around here work in 32mm, so I'd probably start there. It's all about practice, so get out the green stuff and sculpt away.

[MightyChad]

If you're just getting started, I'd shy away from anything crazy like monsters or dragons. Most people around here work in 32mm, so I'd probably start there. It's all about practice, so get out the green stuff and sculpt away.

Yep. I think you would do best working on the human form, so start with a Barbarian with minimal clothing/armor, so you can work on proportions and form. After that start adding new things to the next mini. Or do a female. Then switch races. Sculpting is gonna be tough if you haven't mastered the human form. I know I am less likely to paint a mini if the proportions are all messed up. Good luck, start a WIP so we can see your progress.

[Garshnak]

If you work on your 2d and design skills along the side (2d skills are really useful, as it is easier to do designs and studies in 2d), try to work from reference, life studies (anatomical, male/female). Technical skill before style.
Do style and design studies. Do all this for a few years.

Then start making stuff like this (but different and new) and everyone will love you:






But...honestly though. Find your own aspirations. Look at what inspires you, stuff from life, history, art, let yourself be inspired. And then deconstruct it (don't always directly replicate other people's work! this is bad for creativity and getting your own style to set you apart) to see what you need to learn to achieve similar (theory of art and design, anatomy, composition, historical references, stylization, cloth, etc), eventually you'll develop your own style. And then you can look at the market and see what people want.

Also, size doesn't matter. You could work your way down towards smaller, to make it easier for yourself in the beginning though. Like larger scale studies in supersculpey or similar.

Good luck and god speed!

I'll post some helpful links to get you started later, right now I'm a little stressed for time..I don't even know what I'm doing here.

[Master Splinter]

Back in the day, sixties I presume, fantasy got invented in book form, so you can get your ideas from there. Now more or less there's tons of mini makers and you can go sci-fi, steampunk anything you like. One of my favorite minis is the old Heinrich Kemmler which had flayed skin in his mantle which was cool then:




Others are the latest daemonettes and freebooter goblins.





For sculpting, try to read lots about it and do smalls things first if you don't mind.

MS

[RuneBrush]

It's not so much that a specific type of miniature appeals, more that it has to look interesting. I'd agree to shy away from BIG models initially. Also I'm going to fire the question back at you - what do YOU think makes a good miniature, what would you enjoy sculpting and then painting? You need to pick something that inspires you and you want to finish.

[Dragonsreach]

I want to get into the sculpting hobby and I would like to know what for you makes a good miniature so that I can bare it in mind when i plan my sculpts.

To quote the old adage "One mans meat is another mans poison"
You can't afford to play to the market at the moment, plan out a few good sculpts which appeal to you and do them, then show them around here.
If you get a good feedback, excellent. If you get constructive criticism then its a win as well.