54mm questions...

[SJB]

Hiya

As many of you know I do a produce a small range of 54mm fantasy figures via my company, Spyglass. I released a new fig for this a couple of months back to staggeringly pathetic sales. Certainly not enough to really make me think it\'s worthwhile sculpting more.

However...

I do notice that 54mm fantasy seems rather popular these days. I was one of the first companies to take a proper shot at it and my early releases went okay. Just seems to have died on it\'s arse of late.

I suppose the direct \'competition\' are Enigma and Andrea. Their figs seem very popular. My figs are simpler though I think still very high in quality. Not so elaborate but then I\'m setting my price significantly lower. £11 each rather than the £15 approx for Enigma and £15-£25 for Andrea. Not saying they\'re overpriced just that I took the route of keeping things simple and production costs down via minimal pieces. Mainly because people seemed to bemoan the potential costs.

This isn\'t a plea for sales on my 54s (though please do buy if you feel like it ). No, I\'m just a little sad to be forced not to bother with 54mm anymore due to it being so cost ineffective.

So, I ask you: what\'s wrong? Would people really prefer me to be doing more elaborate stuff a\'la Enigma/Andrea? I\'m sure I could pull it off. My blank canvas style is a conscious choice, not all I\'m capable of.

Obviously Spyglass 54mm fantasy is a turn-off. I\'m curious as to why?

Thanks for any opinions

 

[Jike Ichi]

To be honest, I never tried to paint a 54mm mini, but I surely want to try it one time.

That could be one point. Simply that you paint a 54mm miniature just one time! And you use normal 20mm scale minis more often, sometimes I buy some just to cut them into bits.

Other thing is that I have seen Enigma and Andrea minis at my local mini dealer, while I never recognized Spyglass ones. Next time I visit there I will have a closer look where they are hidden. Perhaps they don\'t have them though.

So perhaps its just the packaging? Andrea Minis look good in that boxes, they are an eyecatcher and I had them in my hands, but the price turned me down to buy some.

Well thats my opinion, hope it helps somehow?

 

[green stuff]

Hi Steve,

I\'ve got you\'re Half Elven Archer both in 32mm and 54mm (still need to finish painting that last one ).

Both are a treat to paint, but what I think might refrain beginner or intermediate painters on the 54mm version are the large surfaces. Since the sculpt is a real beauty, the surfaces call for flawless blending and/or freehand IMHO.

Also, Enigma minis seem to answer the current trend for gritty minis with the amount of details they have. But I have heard negative feedback on the abuse of details some of their minis have from people who\'ve taken the task to paint them.

Andrea have the historic crowd backing them up.

Just my 2 cents, but I look forward to seeing more of your minis .

 

[Dragonsreach]

Well as someone who has all three 54mm figures by you Steve, I\'ll give you my 50p\'s worth.

While your 28 and 40 mm figures are superb (not that the 54 aren\'t) they lend themselves as a [/i]\"Canvas\"[/i] to superb blending and freehand work.
With the 54mm figures I find that the very plain smooth lines of the figure also cries out for extra smooth blending or freehand and that can be a little daunting.
The Bride Here is one of those miniatures. What also doesn\'t help is the fact that the first painted version was so damn good I doubt that I could do it anything like justice. (Stage fright)

I\'m in no way criticising your sculpting or your vision of how you want your work to look, in fact I appreciate them for their innate flowing lines and somewhat serene, graceful poses.

Rats Cedric got there first

 

[green stuff]

Message original : Dragonsreach
Rats Cedric got there first

But you said it better .

 

[Roger Bunting]

Well, my money\'s been going on other things lately but soon I\'ll be venturing more into other compainies stuff. I picked up a couple of your 54mm figures in Valloa\'s charity auctions and I really like them. One of them is the Shae model and the other is OOP. I personally would buy more. I do agree with the others that large areas seem daunting to tackle and have good results. The other thing is that the usual 28mm ish sizes are what\'s commonly used in gaming.

 

[SJB]

Okay, somewhat suspected this would be the major concensus. Okay, well might take a look at a more detailed fig (or at least something that is broken down a little more rather than vast surfaces).

And Cedric? Dragonsreach may have said it better but you got in the phrase \'the abuse of details\' and that more than makes up for it. That may find it\'s way into my general usage

Still happy for more opinions on the matter. And don\'t sugar coat. Might as well get the cold, honest truth of the matter.

 

[vincenti]

I think you probably nailed the problem yourself in your initial statement. Standards are very high .Also remember both Andrea and Enigma s roots are in Military Modelling were again the competition and stanards are exceptionally high :wow:.
I have admired your work for some time,your ladies are great ! :flip:
However stick one next to an Enigma piece and they lack the detail .Well sculpted and cast detail is a dodle to paint and you end up with classy model at the end of it.

If I was you I would play to your strengths.
Do an elaborate female warrior in a dramatic eye catching pose. Not too erotic yet still maintaing a degree of feminimity.
I cant think of any company who does any decent female warriors in 54 mm.
The other problem you have got is the 2 companies mentioned get ALL their minis reveiwed in ALL the International Model Mags. Your profile in the market is a lot more slight unfortunately.
I hope this is helpful.

GOD bless ..............Adie

 

[generulpoleaxe]

have a chat with the guys at the basement steve, they attend a lot of shows and could help get your 54mm figs better known.

if you can get down to plattoon britanica or gd i\'ll be happy to have a good chat about it as i\'m getting a couple of 54mm done after doing the research that your starting to do now (or p.m me)

Adrian got it bang on with the big companies tho, they are well known as well as getting reviews in the target market magazines.
try euro militaire mate with some of yours as entries, it\'s always a good way to get exposure by entering something that\'s different.

 

[SJB]

Adie, you may well be right (in fact the word \'may\' maybe surplus to requirement). I don\'t dear the high standards of these figures so I guess I might have to apply myself and suppress my blank canvas instincts a little

Female Warrior could work well. I\'ve noticed a lack of that in the 54mm ranges (except the erotic stuff as mentioned). It does leave a little niche. I\'ve kind of gone there with Spyglass 54s but probably need to push further.

And, yes, perhaps a little more promotion beyond the net could be a good plan.

Generulpoleaxe, it\'s an unfortunate thing that I can\'t really make it to shows now due to my illness (currently counting blessings that I can still sculpt and run my company). Really want to get past this as I\'ve missed two GDs in a row, Platoon Britannica sounds intriguing and I\'ve always fancied going to Euro.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

a way around the problem of not being able to get to shows is to see if some of the traders you know are going and see if they will sell some stuff for you. (you probably do that already eh lol)

get in touch with the guys on the basement and see if they want a free figure in turn for a review article from someone who gets to quite a few shows (prawn power springs to mind a he\'s a good painter and gets to loads of shows)

 

[Jazz is for losers]

I\'ve never felt compelled to buy any of your independantly produced stuff, but I own some of your =][= sculpts. Every time your work is discussed at the-conclave you say you might make some 54mm sci-fi, but nothing ever comes of it.

 

[freakinacage]

i like your sculpts, they are nicely proportioned and clean. i only own some munchkins as i prefer gritty sci fi models (and i tend not to buy women). try making something grittier, see how it goes

 

[SJB]

I know I\'ve mentioned a few times about 54mm scifi on the Conclave. I\'ve thought about it a fair bit but I just never quite get the enthusiasm up. Just not a big sf fan I guess, when it comes to minis.

 

[Undave]

Yeah I\'d probably buy some 54mm sci-fi minis. It\'d be nice to fill the glaring gaps in the Inquisitor range like servitors for instance. Failing that some generic sci-fi civilian types wouldn\'t go amiss.

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by Undave
Yeah I\'d probably buy some 54mm sci-fi minis. It\'d be nice to fill the glaring gaps in the Inquisitor range like servitors for instance. Failing that some generic sci-fi civilian types wouldn\'t go amiss.

yeah yeah!! servitors and other biomech stuff i would defo buy!!! scribes and other ancillary characters

 

[generulpoleaxe]

steve, do what a few other companies do and start a 100 club.

put out a couple of ideas and let people pick which they like the best.
let people sighn up to it and when 100 is reached then have each person pay a reduced amount (say 20% off) upfront, then you sculpt it.
give a certificate for these people and possibly some other benefits.

that way it cuts out the risk and your more loyal customers get to have a big imput into your business.

i think it\'s mithril miniatures that does something like this.

 

[Hinton]

I\'ve only painted one 54MM (it was a while ago), but it was a great challenge and something I\'ve wanted to try again to see how my skills have improved.

I\'ve looked at the Spyglass stuff quite a bit as I do like the sculpts - both 54 and 28 - and have considered picking some up.

However, for me it simply boils down to a matter of finances. Of course 54\'s are going to cost quite a bit more than 28\'s, but I can justify to myself spending $25US on several minis, while spending the same amount on one mini is a bit more difficult.

So, strictly from my point-of-view, it\'s just a matter of money (and my lack of it).

 

[Wren]

Originally posted by freakinacage
i like your sculpts, they are nicely proportioned and clean. i only own some munchkins as i prefer gritty sci fi models (and i tend not to buy women). try making something grittier, see how it goes

I\'m wondering if it\'s as much or more to do with current tastes re atmosphere and realism as it is with detail? Your Spyglass style suits my tastes fairly well, but my perception is that tastes in general right now favour in the midst of/just after/before battle poses and looks with grimacing faces, lots of muscles and a gritty, wearied/weathered air to them. Enigma\'s Yarry is a bit of an exception to that and seems to be pretty popular, but although he\'s less violent looking he\'s still in the realistic style. Maybe 54mm has more cross-over with the historical crowd and more realism is expected?

Possibly I\'m using the wrong term with realism. I don\'t mean that Spyglass stuff is unrealistic or inhuman looking, just that to my eye the Andrea and Engima figs seem modeled to look more like \'real\' people/creatures than to express more of a marked artistic style. I notice Kev White hasn\'t been doing a lot of follow-ups to his 54mm and 40mm pieces from the past couple of years, and I wonder if it\'s similarily due to poorer sales. I would say his work also has a very distinct style, which maybe isn\'t what some 54mm purchasers are looking for?

 

[Yramrag]

Pardon the expression,

HOLY CRAP! That is your stuff? I have seen the greens for Shae but i have never really seen your other sculpts (in Australia we are sometimes starved for stuff other than GW or Reaper).

I think i would not touch it because of the high level of brush control that is needed, but if i had the ability i couldn\'t see why i wouldn\'t.They have personality, good sculpts and a good price.