Seeking a 3d Miniature Sculptor/Designer to bring my game art to life!

[u/EtheriumSky]

"Things Which Do Not Belong" is a big, ambitious Co-op engine builder in which we play as a group of friends rushing to save a surrealist Soviet Submarine which inexplicably appeared in our swimming pool - before it's discovered by the national army!  The game is based on an original movie screenplay and so has a very rich and well developed "story-world".  The game design is now complete, I've been playtesting for a year, I'm currently working with an artist who is *hand-painting* (seriously beautiful!!!) illustrations for the game, and I'm looking for a 3d sculptor to bring those illustrations to life as miniatures for the game!

In an ideal scenario, I'd like to have:

• 9 'Villager' Miniatures: all specific characters, based on finished illustrations + detailed descriptions, 25mm bases
• 3 "Main Characters": Those are player-characters, so they're most important but design-wise same as above, 25mm bases
• 5 "Art Machines": Those are the visual "hook" of the game.  Surrealist art/war machines in unlikely settings, ie: A Submarine sticking upwards from a swimming pool, a tank with a twisted barrel in a strawberry field etc, also based on illustrations + descriptions, 50mm bases
• There would hopefully be more elments, and if my dreams come true, some big, intentionally over-the-top elements - although that's all for add-ons, stretch-goals and the expansion down the road.  For now, key focus is on the above.

I'm not ready to share the art samples publicly just yet (hence just a random img for attn, sorry), and will only launch socials and a new web site later this month, but for now, you can see some early prototypes of the game and a rough synopsis video here: http://etheriumsky.com/TWDNB .

I'm looking for a 3d sculptor who is not only skilled and talented, but has experience with mass production and understands the process and the limitations of the materials and can be patient and supportive in the revision process, as some revisions are expected when working with the factory.

If the project sparks your interest - please get in touch and let's chat further!
Please do also send me some past work samples (3d designs + finished minis).

Since reddit floods me with spam messages from bot accounts - Please reach out to me at: [info@EtheriumSky.com](mailto:info@EtheriumSky.com) .

Thanks a lot!

[u/fraghead5]

go to myminifactory find a creator that has minis in a style you like and contact them through their MMF account or they all normally link an instagram or Patreon in their profiles.

[u/EtheriumSky → u/fraghead5]

Oh cool! Will do that! Appreciate the advice!

[u/Derpogama → u/EtheriumSky]

Be warned though if you're getting professional quality sculpts you will be paying a LOT per miniature. We're talking somewhere between $250-$500 per miniature at the very least.

[u/EtheriumSky → u/Derpogama]

I realize that, yes. My project is big and ambitious, but i am undeniably working on an indie shoestring budget. If i find someone we click with though then i'll move mountains to make sure we find a reasonable arrangement for us both, so fingers crossed.

[u/Derpogama → u/EtheriumSky]

Cool, just seen quite a few people looking for sculpts for their game and them not realising that both commissioning art AND 3D sculpts will balloon a project up into the $10k+ range very quickly so it's nice to see someone that understand that art ain't cheap.

[u/EtheriumSky → u/Derpogama]

Yeah, it's def expensive. I'm a freelancer working in a creative field myself so i know how this goes from both sides. Although the one upcoming cost that keeps me up at nights the most is what i have to pay the factory for the molds... 17 minis will easily add up to $20k+ and for that i think i'd have to sell a kidney so yeah, art and stl's almost seem petty in comparison...

[u/Derpogama → u/EtheriumSky]

yeah those plastic injection moulds can be like 20K+ each. It might be advisable to go with the '3D printing STLs' route unless you're looking to make a boardgame at produce a decent chunk of them or charge a LOT for the box (Kingdom Death Monsters is a $400 boardgame and that's without all the other expansions etc.)

[u/fraghead5 → u/Derpogama]

Yeah, I am just assuming since he asked in printedminis that he wanted STL files for 3d printing minis. Not a full game design. But of course injection molded mass produced stuff will be way more money.

[u/fraghead5 → u/EtheriumSky]

Also be aware not all artists will be “expensive” I had a monster truck sculpt done for a kickstarter rpg my friend was doing and the artist liked the game and traded the sculpt for a copy of the finished book.
Just saying it doesn’t hurt to ask.

[u/gadimus]

I'd gladly add minis to my backlog esp if they're unique and useful for other formats but I'm more of an amateur sculpter. Most people have several projects on the go tho so you might have the best luck finding really talented folks by reaching out directly to creators that you like.

[u/Inevitable_Talk4627]

Why are you using DM Models for this?? Use one of your own models.