In this edition of Staff’s Favourite Figures, we’ve got the Design Studio’s mistress of all things mythical (and sci-fi, and fantasy, and sometimes even historical…), Studio Painter Kirsten Williams, to tell us all about her favourite Warlord Games miniature, the Incan Maras from Mythic Americas (although ’miniature’ is clearly a relative term here)!
Kirsten: I’ve painted an awful lot of models in my time in the Design Studio, but I think the Maras definitely has to be my favourite of the bunch. It’s a huge gribbly beastie with great big claws and fangs, which was always going to endear it to me, but from a technical perspective it’s got a marvellous sense of flow – the whole model feels properly sinuous and coiled, as befits a giant snake demon! Design Studio Sculptor Marco Sano really has done a terrific job. As a painter, the details are all crisp, clear, and obvious, which gives plenty of opportunities for really striking colour schemes. Thus far I’ve only painted the Studio example, but I’ve got plans for a conversion of my own lurking in the wings at some point in the future…
For anyone looking to tackle their own Maras, resist the temptation to give such a big model a complex pattern across its surface – that way madness (and a less-impressive result) lies! Instead, working to a principle of simple, striking colours will give you great results, and spare your sanity to boot. It’s also worth keeping the main body as a separate component (perhaps temporarily attached to some kind of stand) throughout the painting process, so that you can access all the hard-to-reach bits, before final assembly.
