In the community of the hobby dealing with painting tabletop figures related to Warhammer and Dungeons & Dragons, a special project by a Pokémon fan caused excitement. MyMMO editor Caro contacted the artist and received exactly the tips that newcomers are often reluctant to hear.
In the subreddit for miniature painting, a special project caused quiet a stir, proving that nerd culture transcends hobbies. Miniature artist MaskedPotat0 presented a fully painted “Snorlax-Dreadnought” that looks as if the sleepy Pokémon is questioning its previous life choices and wants to go into battle in the form of a war machine.
“This is it. Mankind has reached its pinnacle. We have accomplished our great work,” writes JustinLaloGibbs, summarizing the general reaction to the masterpiece with these words.
I was just as impressed as the community Almost exactly a year ago, I also took up this hobby and became completely obsessed with painting my little heroines, heroes, and monsters.
However, when I saw that MaskedPotat0 had only started painting 4 months ago and was still able to achieve such impressive results, I knew: I need to find out their secret. And I am very pleased to say that the friendly exchange provided painful but all the more valuable insights.
Artist provides exactly the tip no newcomer really wants to hear
In a conversation with the creator of the painted Snorlax-Dreadnaught, I asked MaskedPotat0 what helped them develop and refine such impressive skills in such a short time.
The answer is: there is no cheat code or “one helpful tip” that some tutorials advertise. Rather, there are several ways to achieve the goal, and you have to find the best one for yourself.
MaskedPotat0: I tried looking for some guidance on YouTube and found some people I could follow; also, watching many different takes on the same topic helps get a better understanding for sure.
Through a Patreon membership that he initially used to acquire miniatures, he was provided with video tutorials that taught him various techniques. Ultimately, however, he emphasizes that one must find out for oneself what works best for each artist amidst this flood of tutorials.
Among his personal recommendations are Zumakito, Midwinter Minis, Monument Hobbies, Squidmar, and Rogue Hobbies, all of which can be found on YouTube.
Becoming a miniature artist through Pokémon
Seeing his Snorlax Dreadnaught, I was curious as to why he chose this model in particular instead of more “classic” Warhammer miniatures. Ultimately, Pokémon plays a major role not only in his choice of models, but also in how he got into the hobby in the first place.
MaskedPotat0: I mean it all really started off with me wanting to paint life-size Pokémon, lol. Printed one in color, then started the process in wintertime and couldn’t really paint it outside. Time passed and I eventually got a cheapo airbrush and used it on a helmet I had printed and then on a little Igris model. And I think that’s where it kicked off. I got some cheap airbrush paint and a couple synthetic brushes and tried my luck. Did a pretty poor job and started looking for ways to improve. I have a 3D printer, so it’s just a matter of finding some models I could paint.
When asked if he ultimately managed to stick to his original plan of life-sized painted Pokémon, the artist explains that it was easier said than done.
MaskedPotat0: Haha, well, I wanted to do Pikachu first, but after joining all the seams, I messed up with the amount of filler I used and really just lost motivation to finish it. That, and I had been experiencing some issues with my printer, causing for waaay too much post-processing to take care of. I moved on and decided a 50% Charmander would suffice. At this point I was very much still a beginner and did not do any highlights or shadows, so it feels very flat haha.
Bigger is not always better – All scales have their advantages
I found the preference for large and small miniatures very interesting, as I also want to take on projects in different sizes. The artist explained that there is no “better” size, only individual advantages and disadvantages.
MaskedPotat0: I don’t mind the size of the figures. They are all fun. Small ones go faster, so there is a quicker sense of accomplishment, I would say, but that can easily change with how detailed you want to get. The bigger ones are fun too; it definitely becomes more challenging when you have big areas that need blending.
But for that blending, he takes his Snorlax as an example and explains how he approached the peaceful-looking war machine.
MaskedPotat0: And really this is where stippling shines. Having the random dots or swatches or blobs of paint all bleed into one another is a lot easier than getting a glazed blend. So with Snorlax, I started with a black jade mix for the base, then used pure jade green, focusing stippling to where your light source would be; the closer you get to the light source, the closer the blobs/swatches/dots/smears get to each other. Then just repeat that process with lighter mixed varieties to get where you want to end.
You can see on Snorlax’s head how the lighter, “messier” color spots provide the perfect blend:
3D printers are an investment that could be very worthwhile for ambitious hobbyists
In the conversation with MaskedPotat0, the artist mentioned several times that he prints his miniatures himself because he owns a 3D printer. As someone who is somewhat impulsive but nevertheless only too happy to spend too much money on miniatures, I wanted to know whether investing in a 3D printer could be worthwhile.
MaskedPotat0: Yes, a good quality 3D printer is very useful, I think. I have FDM and Resin. FDM is great for the big stuff, though always remember that there will be some sort of post-processing if you want a smooth finish. The resin models are waaay more detailed and the process is more intricate […] Finding the models you want is the hardest part when it comes to 40k stuff; of course, Games Workshop has a pretty tight hand on that. But for the cost of a box of 10 marines, you can print yourself 100 units if you have the files. So very much with getting one in my opinion.
And that they don’t always have to be exact Warhammer soldiers is proven by MaskedPotat0 with a 5-piece commission he printed and painted for a friend and ultimately showed me:
I have already asked another artist about their Warhammer miniatures, who chose a different approach than Pokémon soldiers. Bubblegum Angels is dedicated to the “Girly Pop” genre and creates artworks that are particularly well received in the community: An artist turns tough Warhammer soldiers into “silly little guys,” resonates with the community
