Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
2013/10/07 16:11:13
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
FW models, particularly Erebus and Ferrus Manus, are (IMHO) better than both of those. Before you mention sculpting intricacies, look at some close up pics of Ferrus Manus, particularly all the stuff on his back.
I actually like Fulgrim better in that collection. His pose is more dynamic, his face has more character imo, and the stuff on Ferrus' back looks kind of cluttered. There are definitely some amazing sculpts there but some of the stuff being posted is middle-of-the-road at best. IG naval officer? Really?
"Never let your morals get in the way of doing what is right" -Issac Asimov (open to interpretation)
2013/10/07 20:48:03
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
I think its really hard to pick a best, everyones tastes are so varied, and there are literally hundreds of great models across the companies.
For GW alone I could mention 6 or 7 I loved, or anything out of Space Hulk. I love all the AOW dwarves as well, despite the fact Felix seems to use his modelling tool even less than Anne Frank used her drumkit.
We are arming Syrian rebels who support ISIS, who is fighting Iran, who is fighting Iraq who we also support against ISIS, while fighting Kurds who we support while they are fighting Syrian rebels.
2013/10/07 20:52:47
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
Some great sculpts here. I am definitely going to pick up a couple, just undecided which! It's good to see some healthy debate as well. It's always going to be subjective, what floats one persons boat isn't necessarily another's cup of tea.... (or whatever the saying is!).
I've always painted 28mm, but maybe I should try a 54mm as one of the new purchases..
2013/10/07 20:55:28
Subject: Re:Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
FW models, particularly Erebus and Ferrus Manus, are (IMHO) better than both of those. Before you mention sculpting intricacies, look at some close up pics of Ferrus Manus, particularly all the stuff on his back.
'Best' is a subjective term, as is 'quality of sculpt' to an extent - although both of the miniatures you mention are crude in terms of the level of detail they contain compared to that Origen Art miniature. She is designed as a display piece and for miniature painting, and bear in mind at 28mm about the same size as a space marine.
Think some of the best sculptors in the world at the moment are Spanish; Carlos Torres and Fernando Liste from Corvus Belli, Pedro Ramos (who did that Origen miniature, amongst others), Juan Diaz (previously of GW - he did Lelith and I believe Astorath the Grim as well).
Really, you need to hold these miniatures in your hand to view the level of intricacy, if you've only owned space marines or looked at pictures on the internet you're in no position to judge.
Its all subjective, Personally I only like the GW type look and Steam punk style stuff also, nothing else really stands out for me.
Having said that the best sculpts I have seen recently are coming out of Mierce miniatures, It is the best selection of massive creatures I have ever seen anywhere, Well worth getting in on the kickstarter too I think !
2013/10/08 16:05:19
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
Gotta say, I really agree with this. This is my biggest problem with a lot of GW miniatures - there's just too dang much going on! Any Space Marine HQ models are perfect examples of this. They're covered in cloth, sculpted armor, purity scrolls, little daggers, grenades, ropes, and a million other little odds and ends that make them take ages to paint.
Really, you need to hold these miniatures in your hand to view the level of intricacy, if you've only owned space marines or looked at pictures on the internet you're in no position to judge.
I own multiple KD, Infamy, Infinity, etc boutique minis and to make a blanket statement like that bout the FW marines is just untrue.
Angron, Fulgrim, and Loken are all just as detailed as anything I have. The detail and aesthetic are completely different, but to say they're less inricate is an outright falsehood. They're a very different kind of intricate, but the filligree on the two primrachs undermines your statement completely.
That being said, I think a lot of the GW models listed on this page so far wouldn't even touch my top 15......
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/10/08 16:49:55
2013/10/08 16:43:14
Subject: Re:Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
I like the sculpt for the Ogryn bone 'ead. It fits the feel and fluff of the "character" well. Nice model to paint too. However, it is a pain to put together, pinning those heavy pieces together.
martin74 wrote: I like the sculpt for the Ogryn bone 'ead. It fits the feel and fluff of the "character" well. Nice model to paint too. However, it is a pain to put together, pinning those heavy pieces together.
It's more of a steel head, mind.
DC:90+S+G++MB++I--Pww211+D++A++/fWD390R++T(F)DM+
2013/10/08 17:09:24
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
Really, you need to hold these miniatures in your hand to view the level of intricacy, if you've only owned space marines or looked at pictures on the internet you're in no position to judge.
I own multiple KD, Infamy, Infinity, etc boutique minis and to make a blanket statement like that bout the FW marines is just untrue.
Angron, Fulgrim, and Loken are all just as detailed as anything I have. The detail and aesthetic are completely different, but to say they're less inricate is an outright falsehood. They're a very different kind of intricate, but the filligree on the two primrachs undermines your statement completely.
That being said, I think a lot of the GW models listed on this page so far wouldn't even touch my top 15......
I think perhaps 'intricate' is the wrong word for me to have used - 'delicate' might be a better choice, I think a lot of it is down to the character of the piece, and what it's trying to accomplish (whether it's designed to use in game etc.) I know with an Infinity mini I accidentally chopped off a miniatures hands (and felt like a right idiot for doing so!) although from what I have read I'm not alone. But yes, intricate is the wrong word, perhaps I was looking for something more tangential about something being designed as a piece of art (as in the Origen miniatures) rather than with a mind to being a gaming piece, made to someone else's idea. How wooly is that?
About the other point, yes I think some people are posting the miniatures they like most, rather than best quality of sculpt.
Actually, one other I wanted to bring up..my favourite miniature of this year so far, Infinity Aleph Penthesilea, by Fausto Gutierrez
I want to explain why I like this so much.. I'm a little biased, being a biking nut, but I just love her character, icy gaze, aggressive pose and she has paused for a moment with you in her sights! And so much attention to detail, that perhaps only a big biking fan would understand; obviously, right hand on the throttle, but the way the 2 fingers are hovering over the brake, in the manner of racers on thoroughbred racing or prototype machines (perhaps with ceramic brakes?). The way the swing-arm is a stressed member of the bike's chassis, looking like it comes directly from the engine casing. Ducati tried this with their own prototype racing machine, really cutting edge stuff. From the set-up as well, with no chain or belt visible, possibly some kind of 2-wheeled drive design? This isn't future technology, you can buy it today, but you can imagine that this is the kind of route a design might take in the future.
And that's what I fething love about this miniature.. it's that someone, on top of his sculpting skills, has sat down to think about what a bike might look like in the future beyond being just a thing with 2 wheels. Combined with that the style of the pilot, of the controlled aggression in her pose, the upturned heel, and the way that the edges and segments of the design of the miniature complement each other so well. Miniature of the year so far for me for sure.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/10/08 17:17:19
Really, you need to hold these miniatures in your hand to view the level of intricacy, if you've only owned space marines or looked at pictures on the internet you're in no position to judge.
I own multiple KD, Infamy, Infinity, etc boutique minis and to make a blanket statement like that bout the FW marines is just untrue.
Angron, Fulgrim, and Loken are all just as detailed as anything I have. The detail and aesthetic are completely different, but to say they're less inricate is an outright falsehood. They're a very different kind of intricate, but the filligree on the two primrachs undermines your statement completely.
That being said, I think a lot of the GW models listed on this page so far wouldn't even touch my top 15......
I think perhaps 'intricate' is the wrong word for me to have used - 'delicate' might be a better choice, I think a lot of it is down to the character of the piece, and what it's trying to accomplish (whether it's designed to use in game etc.) I know with an Infinity mini I accidentally chopped off a miniatures hands (and felt like a right idiot for doing so!) although from what I have read I'm not alone. But yes, intricate is the wrong word, perhaps I was looking for something more tangential about something being designed as a piece of art (as in the Origen miniatures) rather than with a mind to being a gaming piece, made to someone else's idea. How wooly is that?
About the other point, yes I think some people are posting the miniatures they like most, rather than best quality of sculpt.
Actually, one other I wanted to bring up..my favourite miniature of this year so far, Infinity Aleph Penthesilea, by Fausto Gutierrez
I want to explain why I like this so much.. I'm a little biased, being a biking nut, but I just love her character, icy gaze, aggressive pose and she has paused for a moment with you in her sights! And so much attention to detail, that perhaps only a big biking fan would understand; obviously, right hand on the throttle, but the way the 2 fingers are hovering over the brake, in the manner of racers on thoroughbred racing or prototype machines (perhaps with ceramic brakes?). The way the swing-arm is a stressed member of the bike's chassis, looking like it comes directly from the engine casing. Ducati tried this with their own prototype racing machine, really cutting edge stuff. From the set-up as well, with no chain or belt visible, possibly some kind of 2-wheeled drive design? This isn't future technology, you can buy it today, but you can imagine that this is the kind of route a design might take in the future.
And that's what I fething love about this miniature.. it's that someone, on top of his sculpting skills, has sat down to think about what a bike might look like in the future beyond being just a thing with 2 wheels. Combined with that the style of the pilot, of the controlled aggression in her pose, the upturned heel, and the way that the edges and segments of the design of the miniature complement each other so well. Miniature of the year so far for me for sure.
I love this model too. And I like your summation. And I think you're right about the sculptors thought process. Though don't the Spanish love their motoGP? You might find this guy is a bike fan as well, and has always been dreaming of an opportunity to sculpt something like this.
As to the prevalence of gw minis here, I suppose that's what most folk know (some people only know gw, can't get down on them too much for that) and even though we are talking about quality of sculpt, we're also talking about character which is something gw can do really well. All very subjective though, of course.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/10/08 17:41:17
PsychoticStorm wrote:Quantity does not equal quality.
A quantity of good details does.
That's subjective of course, but for me the GW way of cluttering everything with things, is not quantity of good details, there must be a balance for quality to exist.
2013/10/08 19:02:02
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
Say what you want about GW (and I think for the most part they're an awful company nowadays) but they do have a huge amount of good sculpts. Yes, they also have a large amount of bad sculpts but that's because they have like 30 armies to make models for..
Hard to beat Ferrus Manus to me. Most of the FW heresy stuff has been some of the best models I've seen in awhile, granted you have to LIKE space marines.
Since this is all subjective our own bias matters a huge deal. If you're a LOTR nut and love gandalf the most out of everything in the universe you're probably not going to agree that Ferrus Manus is a better model compared to the 50th sculpt of Gandalf.
Keeper of the DomBox
Warhammer Armies - Click to see galleries of fully painted armies
32,000, 19,000, Renegades - 10,000 , 7,500,
2013/10/08 19:43:22
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
@Pacific -- Delicate. Now that's a different story altogether I think GW has one, maybe two, good "delicate" sculpts. Hesperax and the Eldar Ranger character. That's about it. The heroic scale just doesn't make delicate terribly possible.
I looooove that Infinity Aleph chick, but I have to admit I had a little trouble putting her together. I had to rearange her body a bit to get the footpedal to fit in correctly. But you're right; that model is the tits.
Like I said, I don't think any of the GW models listed here would make my top 15 models that I own, though Hesperax would be close. I like her a lot.
2013/10/08 19:56:39
Subject: Re:Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
PsychoticStorm wrote:Quantity does not equal quality.
A quantity of good details does.
That's subjective of course, but for me the GW way of cluttering everything with things, is not quantity of good details, there must be a balance for quality to exist.
Matter of opinion.
DC:90+S+G++MB++I--Pww211+D++A++/fWD390R++T(F)DM+
2013/10/08 20:23:49
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
PsychoticStorm wrote:Quantity does not equal quality.
A quantity of good details does.
That's subjective of course, but for me the GW way of cluttering everything with things, is not quantity of good details, there must be a balance for quality to exist.
Matter of opinion.
That 's what subjective means....
2013/10/08 20:40:32
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
PsychoticStorm wrote:Quantity does not equal quality.
A quantity of good details does.
That's subjective of course, but for me the GW way of cluttering everything with things, is not quantity of good details, there must be a balance for quality to exist.
Matter of opinion.
That 's what subjective means....
[/spoiler]
Indeed it does.
DC:90+S+G++MB++I--Pww211+D++A++/fWD390R++T(F)DM+
2013/10/08 23:01:42
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
Rather interesting that they didn't attach his Iron Halo on that image, I've never noticed that before.
Probably one of my favorite models ever. This guy embodies 40k...
Also this guy - in the upper left corner has always been one of my favorite models... not sure what it is about him.
I agree on both counts.
I actually prefer the old Sternguard sculpts as they are more varied than the new kit. But I do love the new kit as it is PACKED with unique plastic bits.
JSF wrote:... this is really quite an audacious move by GW, throwing out any pretext that this is a game and that its customers exist to do anything other than buy their overpriced products for the sake of it. The naked arrogance, greed and contempt for their audience is shocking.
= Epic First Post.
2013/10/09 07:27:08
Subject: Best ever sculpt - character of mini and quality of sculpt/detail
'); 3,000 pointsjavascript:emoticon('
');
2,000 points 
265 point detachment
Iron Hands: 1,850 
Angels Amaranthine - growing slowly
Currently 200pts 
Renegades - 
I think 
