Marie Saffek
PainterProficiency bonus in Terrain, Ships, Large, Huge, and Gargantuan models.
What I love most is the way a simple, gray piece of plastic or metal can be brought to vibrant life. It’s like breathing a soul into something that was once inanimate. The process is incredibly meditative. I lose myself in the details – the subtle glint of metallic armor, the weathering on a leather boot, the fierce glint in a monster’s eye. Each tiny surface becomes a canvas, and I get to be the architect of its story.
My art style, I suppose you could call it ‘gritty realism with a touch of the fantastical’. I love bright and flashy colors. I think they bring the magic out to play, if you’re going into a fantasy world, why not make it stunning? I spend a lot of time layering thin washes and dry brushing to create realistic textures and depth. You’ll often see subtle hints of dirt, grime, and battle damage on my figures. It’s important to me that they look like they’ve lived a life, faced challenges, and earned their scars.
Rose Milmoe
PainterProficiency Bonus in Heroes, Monsters, Props, Scatter, and NPCs
I aim for a believable grit, hinting at the harsh realities of their world, while still capturing the unique essence of each creature or hero. For me, it’s about making them feel real, even when they’re entirely magical. It’s a quiet magic I get to wield, one tiny detail at a time.
I see painting D&D miniatures as a connection. It’s connecting with the character, with the story they represent, and with the community of fellow enthusiasts who share this passion. Holding a fully painted miniature in your hand, knowing you brought it to life, adds a whole new dimension to the game. And that, that’s a feeling I wouldn’t trade for all the gold in a dragon’s hoard.
Sam A.
Painter and CreatorProficiency bonus in Heroes, NPCs, Large Monsters, Props, and Scatters
Being an artist, particularly a painter of D&D miniatures, is more than just a hobby for me—it’s a passion. What I love most is that moment when the layers of paint start to define a muscle, highlight a scale, or bring a tiny, sculpted face to life. I lose myself when painting and create the possible stories and adventures in my head as I bring each creature to life. I enjoy challenging myself with the details, where my goal isn’t to create cartoonish or overly stylized figures, but rather to make these miniatures look like they could genuinely exist.
I achieve this through a meticulous process of layering thin paints to build up natural transitions in color and light. I focus heavily on lighting effects, trying to simulate how light would realistically hit different surfaces, creating deep shadows and bright highlights that give the miniature a sense of three-dimensionality and weight.
