Know a fave sculptor for hire? How about a metal mini manufacturer?

[Sophia]

Hey Coolminicommunity.

Basicly, ULTRAFORGE is looking for a list or some websites for some sculptors for hire, and a reputable company to use for white metal miniature manufacturing.

We are interested in branching out a little, and I would like to employ the talents of some talented sculptors. We also want to provide metal minis, but need a reputable company to work with.

If you have a fave sculptor for hire that you know of online, please leave a little information on them and their website. If you have used a company for your miniature manufacturing, or heard of a good provider, please let us know.

Thanks.

Sophia, of ULTRAFORGE

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

Well theres Me LOL

As for metal casters , the folks at Iron Wind Metals are doing a lot of contract casting these days. Also the guys at Fortress Figures do contract casting too. Jeff at Fortress has done quite a bit of work in molding non greenstuff origionals for master molding useing the new low temp silicone rubbers.

Id drop them both a line.

 

[Klute]

Try The Figure Trader
TFT

I\'m available for sculpting myself.

 

[THuff]

The people at Magnificient Egos contract out for both too. Their rates seems to be reasonable by my estimates.

-Terry

Mageworks

My Gallery

 

[tzor]

Speaking of sculptors and manufacturers

I have been thinking of looking into this for a non role playing related hobby of mine. As a part of my many non role playing activities I am a member of the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard. Those are the guys in tuexdos, with fancy colorful capes, feathered chapeaus and swords. The current supplier of equipment has a line of minis (I haven\'t measured them but I think they are 50mm) but they are poorly sculptured, horribly painted (so much so that they make the WOTC plastic mass produced minis look like works of art) and the pose is so bla!

I actually have a image of the mini I purchased, so you can verify my description that this is an \"OR NOT\" mini.

Anyway, my dream is to have a series of minis, with various proper poses with the sword, one at carry, one raised, one lowered, and even one kneeling in the Isabella Cross formation.

Here is me in uniform to show an example of the differences.

 

[No Such Agency]

Hey, I\'m glad to see your Lord of Pestilence is still available, though it is... less \"familiar\" looking than before The bandages actually make him look even more gross and rotted. Great mini, that one!

tzor, man that thing is brutal. Though to be fair it is really just the equivalent of a wedding cake topper figure... not even toy soldier grade sculpting. What would these new and improved KoC \"minis\" be for?

 

[tzor]

Well I am assuming the current edition is supposed to be the equivalent of a desk top nick nack, it can also be a counter top couriosity, or even a fig in a display case next to other memorbalia. And they would probably be impressive in a display formation. (Some people re-create wars, I think a honor guard diaromama would be cool.)

 

[Dragonsreach]

Well there are a couple of CMON\'ers I can suggest & recommend:

Steve Buddle of Spyglass Miniatures
Green Stuff , Cedric Maria Sube
MiniMaker, Ming Hua Koa
cdukino, Cindy Dukino

And there are probably many more who are gonna berate me for missing them off this list.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

Originally posted by THuff
The people at Magnificient Egos contract out for both too. Their rates seems to be reasonable by my estimates.

-Terry

Mageworks

My Gallery

Iron Wind casts Mag Egos stuff under contract.

 

[revelationminiatures]

Peter Shepheard of Sacred Blade Miniatures sculpted the Bishop miniature for our new company and I think he might be interested in some commission work.

 

[green stuff]

Thank you Mike , and yes, I\'d be interested.

 

[minimaker]

Hi,

over at the 1listsculpting yahoo group there are lists of sculptors and casting services. Do you want metal or resin casting?

Mike, thanks for pointing me out, but at the moment it looks like I\'ll have enough to do already.

By the way, cool sculpts Sophia. Hadn\'t seen the treelord before.

Bye, Ming-Hua

 

[Ebonbuddha]

Just out of curiousity...What are the rates for a sculptor and a metal caster?

 

[Frustrated Father]

Rates depend on the sculptor and his abilities, essentially it comes down to you get what you pay for in cases such as this. From people that I\'ve spoken to and other threads that I\'ve read, you get your people that go from $60 all the way up to $700 (which I laugh at personally, but that\'s me).

Metal casters as well you are looking for the price of a master mold, then a production mold, and then generally the cost of each miniature is XXX amount for the amount of lead that it takes to cast the miniature.

A very vague answer I know (apologies) but there are some many people doing different things out there at different abilities that the costs are all over the board.

 

[minimaker]

From what I\'ve heard professional rates for a standard 28mm human type fantasy/sf figure is between $150-450. $60 is severely underpaid since that would be about $2-3 per hour. At a rate of $700 I\'d guess it to be a more complex sculpt made by somebody who has a good reputation and whose name helps selling the miniature.

As to casting, Jeff Valent has some rates here: http://jeffvalentstudios.com/customservices.htm For a single master this would be a $90 for the moulds. Price per mini? $0.50 per cast? Depends very much on size. And then something for labour and postage.

 

[Ebonbuddha]

Ok.Thanks.

 

[cdukino]

Like Ming-Hua I have quite a bit on my plate already.. almost more than I can chew.. most things not even miniature-related.

I do appreciate being pointed out though Getting a reputation... that\'s nice
Basically I have build in a commisionstop for myself for x-time, atleast sculpting wise... the time/energy I will get to sculpt I\'ll try to push into Ming-Hua\'s and mine own miniature line.