About Information about Purple Mantis, and the people behind the business.
Purple Mantis Welcome to Purple Mantis - a business in two parts. Currently, our main focus is on commission painting, specialising in 28mm wargaming figures. We've been producing commission pieces full time since early 2007, working on models from a range of Sci-Fi and Fantasy games. You can find out more about the commission process via the link above, and sample pieces can be found in the Gallery.
In early 2008, the business expanded to incorporate mail-order sales of quality painting and model-making supplies. These include paints and brushes, sculpting putties and tools, and other hard-to-find items. You can find our current product range via the Store link above.
Purple Mantis is a registered Victorian Business (no. B201803K, ABN 86 023 916 546).
Ben
I'm the main person behind Purple Mantis. Whenever you read things
written in the first-person perspective on this site, you now know
who's responsible for them...
I have been collecting and painting miniature figures for about sixteen years now, and have recently started sculpting as well. I paint more often than I get to play, but my games of choice are Warmachine and Hordes, from Privateer Press. I also play the occasional game of Warhammer 40,000, and have a house full of half-finished modelling projects.
Prior to starting my current endeavour, I've always been something of a jack-of-all-trades. I have an Honours degree in Science (Geochemistry), and a Graduate Diploma in Professional Writing (focussing on editing, publishing and non-fiction). I'm a huge fan of science communication and community education projects, and science books in general. I've also worked as a chemist at CSIRO, involved in corrosion research.
Louise
Louise is my closest companion, dearest friend and fiancée. She
plays an important role in the business behind the scenes, keeping me
sane and reminding me why I got into this line of work... Having
someone with the presence of mind to advise against taking on fifty
jobs at once has also been a godsend :)