Home Forums Fantasy General Fantasy Doom Serpent idol and Pterro-Sphinx from Forge of Ice

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  • #54394
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    These aren’t a part of my recent Kickstarter, the timing just worked out so that they’re getting cast up at the same time.

    I expect to have them for sale in mid-January.

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

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    #54395
    Avatar photoMike
    Keymaster

    I am wondering about my choice to pick 15mm for my Conan games.
    Mind you, if you have a 15mm and get the inclination, any chance of a comparison shot?

    #54398
    Avatar photoRhoderic
    Member

    I hope they’re still available next time I get around to ordering from you. They are delectable.

    The Pterro-sphinx must be murder on the moulds.

    #54411
    Avatar photoRuarigh
    Participant

    Very nice, Alex. Those would look great on an alien planet in a Fantastic Worlds game.

    Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

    https://roderickdale.co.uk/
    https://emidsvikings.ac.uk/

    #54421
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    Love the Serpent Idol !!!

    #54424
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Alex:

    Great little sculpts, beautifully composed and masterfully created. It kills me that my budget does not have room for your products right now, so I urge everyone else to buy your wares until I can afford to get into the game too! Buy folks, buy! Keep Alex in the business until my patronage can kick in too!

    Cheers and thanks for all your hard work.

    Rod Robertson.

    #54446
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    I am wondering about my choice to pick 15mm for my Conan games. Mind you, if you have a 15mm and get the inclination, any chance of a comparison shot?

    I do not have any 15mm figs, but here’s the original sculpt standing next to a couple of my 28mm tall Snake Priestesses:

    It’s a substantial piece on the tabletop, but not hugely overpowering.  It doesn’t take up the whole table, but it’d make for a nice centerpiece in a temple or courtyard.

    Thanks for all the kinds words, folks 🙂

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

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    #54448
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    I ordered 50 castings of each to start with – I suspect they’ll last a few months before they sell out.

    Unfortunately you’re right about the Pterro-Sphinx – the molds and the original are both pretty ripped up.  The Doom Serpent will likely be able to be remade, but once the Pterro-Sphinxes are gone I’ll either have to have it resculpted or just sell out and call it a limited item.

    Heck, I don’t think I’ve ever had more than 200 of anything made yet.  Everything I sell is “limited”, depending on how you define “limited”…

    -Alex

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

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    #54457
    Avatar photoRhoderic
    Member

    The Doom Serpent will likely be able to be remade, but once the Pterro-Sphinxes are gone I’ll either have to have it resculpted or just sell out and call it a limited item.

    Can’t you save one of the resin pieces to use as a new master? Or you mean resculpting one of them so as to make it easier to re-mould and cast?

    Hmm… I’ll mull over whether to order them in the coming weeks, expecting the Pterro-Sphinx to not be “in production” again. They really are delectable.

    #54469
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    Can’t you save one of the resin pieces to use as a new master? Or you mean resculpting one of them so as to make it easier to re-mould and cast? Hmm… I’ll mull over whether to order them in the coming weeks, expecting the Pterro-Sphinx to not be “in production” again. They really are delectable.

    Likely a resculpt – but it’s a big cost for me, either way, so I may not bother unless there’s a big demand.

    I am a one man operation, and although my recent Kickstarter FAR exceeded my expectations (yay!), this coming year will determine whether or not I stay in business.  I’ve got at least one, likely two more KS’s coming, but after that, or if something flops, I’ll go back to my old “release two or three miniatures a year on a break even basis” way of doing things.  I don’t imagine I’ll stop completely any time soon, but if you like my stuff, please support it now, not later.

    Ugh.

    It doesn’t feel good to say that, and I think I’ve worded it awkwardly, but at the moment I can’t think of a better way to phrase it.  It’s not meant as pleading (“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez!”) or an ultimatum (“That’s a nice business I’ve got here… be a shame if something happened to it…”) or a demand (“BUY NOW OR FOREVER REGRET IT!”), it’s just meant as a bluntly honest statement of where I’m at at the moment.

    I’ve decided to take a shot at running this like a serious business, with regular releases & a plan.  There’s a lot – a LOT – yet to do (like getting that damn webstore set up…), but I’ve made more progress in the last six months than I have in the last seven years put together.  I’m cautiously optimistic, but we’ll see how the next few months go.  I’m on track to get my first Kickstarter fulfilled *almost* on time.  Which is a serious bummer.   I had really hoped to get it perfect – SOOOOOOOOOOOOO many KS’s run months or years late, but I didn’t account for the holiday shipping delays.  Everyone should have their stuff by mid January, no more than 2 weeks past the December “estimated completion date”.  I’ll do better with the next one, allow for more time on the end for shipping & production.

    Sorry, kinda rambled there, but I’m in an odd mood today.

    Hope everyone’s having a good holiday weekend!

    -Alex in Alaska

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

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    #54470
    Avatar photoAngel Barracks
    Moderator

    I don’t imagine I’ll stop completely any time soon, but if you like my stuff, please support it now, not later.

    This, I have lost count of the number of companies that have given up only for people to say, oh if I had known that I would have bought your stuff, I really like it.

    However, as someone with 10 years experience plus, of flogging wargames stuff, also pay zero attention to people who say online they will buy something if you make it.

    Also, resin casting really is a doddle, did you say someone else is doing it for you?

    #54472
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    Please keep going Alex.

    #54474
    Avatar photoRhoderic
    Member

    This, I have lost count of the number of companies that have given up only for people to say, oh if I had known that I would have bought your stuff, I really like it. However, as someone with 10 years experience plus, of flogging wargames stuff, also pay zero attention to people who say online they will buy something if you make it.

    In fairness, I think a lot people are in the same position I am: Running their bank accounts dry (not really, but you’d be surprised) anxiously, desperately trying (and failing) to pick up everything they want before it goes OOP (or sells out if it’s limited edition). I feel like I constantly have to “gamble” on which figures will remain available the longest so I can put them further down the list of priorities, and I still kick myself for those times I’ve misjudged the situation and ended up missing out on figures like Drantakhs, Mephalians, Parroom Station Martians, etc. It’s genuinely stressing, and occasionally depressing.

    I think that’s partly why, whenever some new miniatures are announced online, a lot of people make comments like “You’re torturing my bank account!” and “She Who Must Be Obeyed can never know of this!”. It’s not just being jocular for the sake of it, it’s a way of politely signalling something to the effect of “I really, really want what you’re selling, but please understand my budget is strained so I can’t take responsibility for making your business venture lucrative”.

    By the way, AB, I really do intend to get around to ordering from you in the next few months 

    #54496
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    I don’t imagine I’ll stop completely any time soon, but if you like my stuff, please support it now, not later.

    This, I have lost count of the number of companies that have given up only for people to say, oh if I had known that I would have bought your stuff, I really like it. However, as someone with 10 years experience plus, of flogging wargames stuff, also pay zero attention to people who say online they will buy something if you make it. Also, resin casting really is a doddle, did you say someone else is doing it for you?

    Yeah, in my experience if 1 in 4 people who say “I’d buy that!” actually follow through and buy a thing, that’s an excellent follow-up rate.

    I do contract out my resin casting – I live in rural Alaska, and my garage is cold (-30F) and sealed tight – my house is also sealed up during the winter.  Doing any casting at all that involves heat or ventilation is impractical for about six months out of the year.  I do a very small amount of casting during the summer months, but it’s limited by time and space.

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

    https://eyeofthecyclops.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

    #54498
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    In fairness, I think a lot people are in the same position I am: Running their bank accounts dry (not really, but you’d be surprised) anxiously, desperately trying (and failing) to pick up everything they want before it goes OOP (or sells out if it’s limited edition). I feel like I constantly have to “gamble” on which figures will remain available the longest so I can put them further down the list of priorities, and I still kick myself for those times I’ve misjudged the situation and ended up missing out on figures like Drantakhs, Mephalians, Parroom Station Martians, etc. It’s genuinely stressing, and occasionally depressing. I think that’s partly why, whenever some new miniatures are announced online, a lot of people make comments like “You’re torturing my bank account!” and “She Who Must Be Obeyed can never know of this!”. It’s not just being jocular for the sake of it, it’s a way of politely signalling something to the effect of “I really, really want what you’re selling, but please understand my budget is strained so I can’t take responsibility for making your business venture lucrative”. By the way, AB, I really do intend to get around to ordering from you in the next few months

    Heck, man, I’m in a similar spot.  I’ve got a bigger collection than I think I can ever expect to paint or play with in my lifetime, and at 41 I like to think that my life isn’t quite half over yet!  I’d never judge anyone who needs to budget their purchases carefully.

    One problem with making miniatures today (and I’ve been making miniatures about 8 years now) – you’re not just competing with what’s on the market today, you’re competing with *every miniature ever made*.  The internet, Ebay, the secondary market, they mean that people have to want to buy my stuff more than they want to buy that old Genestealer hybrid that they loved when they were a teenager, but could never find or afford back then.

    You do what you gotta do -that’s what we’re all doing.

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

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    #54499
    Avatar photoAlexander Wasberg
    Participant

    Very cool, great work 🙂

    #58303
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    If anyone is interested in purchasing these, they are both now for sale – the Doom Serpent idols are $20 each, and the Pterro-Sphinxes are $28 each, or $50 for two (and if you buy more than two, they stay $25 each).

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

    https://eyeofthecyclops.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

    #106697
    Avatar photoJeff Wrbelis
    Participant

    Hey Alex, do you still have any Doom Serpents? Running a Cult of Yig as the main villains in my Basic Fantasy RPG campaign and I need some good temple props…

    #116927
    Avatar photoAlex Bates
    Participant

    Hey Alex, do you still have any Doom Serpents? Running a Cult of Yig as the main villains in my Basic Fantasy RPG campaign and I need some good temple props…

    I do – if you’re interested in picking some up, message the Forge of Ice page on Facebook or Instagram.

    They’ll also be available in the ‘backer kit pre-order store’ here for about another week:

    https://eyeofthecyclops.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

    Eye of the Cyclops pre-orders now available, for a short time only:

    https://eyeofthecyclops.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

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