Welcome Welcome to Purple Mantis. This site contains our painting gallery, general information about the business, links and contact details.
We also operate a Store, selling Winsor & Newton sable brushes, putty, sculpting tools and Woodland Scenics groundcover products.
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Latest updates
Some bad news 7 August 2008
Due to a family medical emergency, I will be relocating to Somerville in order to
be with my parents for the near future. All currently scheduled commissions should
still be completed as planned, as I will be taking my work with me. Email is still
the best way to contact me, but I will have limited computer access and may take
an extra day or two to respond.
Store update 29 July 2008
The camera is back in action, and I've just finished a long-overdue update
of the Store
page. You can now find images of most products, with a scale shown for
reference.
GenCon Oz 2008 14 July 2008
Australia's first official Warmachine: Hardcore tournament ran last
weekend, as part of GenCon Oz. I won the Master Craftsman medal
with my latest project - a Protectorate of Menoth army, painted frantically
over the three weeks before the convention. Stay tuned for pictures...
Commissions page updated 19 May 2008
The Commissions
has finally been updated, with some information on the stages involved in
commissioning work. There haven't been many additions to the Gallery
lately, but that's because I've been spending all my time painting...
In the grim darkness... 29 April 2008
I've added a new section to the Gallery page, to show some figures from
the Warhammer 40,000 range. The first model is an Eldar Falcon grav-tank,
bearing the colours of the Ulthwe craftworld.
For the Motherland! 1 April 2008
The Imperial Khadoran war machine rolls relentlessly onwards. This week's
gallery update adds some more units to the familiar green Khadorans -
Spriggan and Destroyer warjacks, a Manhunter solo, and the Butcher of
Khadov (with a bit of a difference...).
Conquest 2008 31 March 2008
Thanks to all those who dropped in to see us at Conquest
over the Easter holiday. Sculpting tools and putty were both very popular,
with the new Woodland Scenics sampler packs also selling well. Stock
quantities in the store have now been updated, after a re-stock of
hard-to-find sculpting tools.
The Vanguard 20 March 2008
Now the weather has cooled down a bit, I've been able to do some more
painting at last. The latest warjack off the production line is a Vanguard,
converted slightly to accompany the Mercenary warcaster Fiona the Black.
Kya and Fruit 19 March 2008
Something a little different this month - two World of Warcraft characters,
designed to stand on top of a wedding cake. Sculpted in ProCreate putty,
on an aluminium armature.
Major store update 19 February 2008
The Store
has had a major update, adding the first of the Woodland Scenics products.
If you base your models with sand or flock, try out the Sampler Pack -
it has small quantities of several materials, so you can add detail to
characters and other prominent models.
The next wave 12 February 2008
Arriving soon are a range of Woodland Scenics basing materials, for
miniatures and terrain. We'll be selling these in sampler packs (good for
basing characters and experimenting with new techniques), and larger bags for
detailing armies and scenery.
Store updated! 6 February 2008
The Store
page has finally been updated, with a list of items and prices. Pictures
will be added soon, and all items now have a description of how they can
be used.
Arcanacon wrapup 5 February 2008
Huge thanks to all the people who bought putties, brushes and tools during
Arcanacon! Sculpting tools were the
most popular items on sale, with ProCreate putty not far behind them. Over
the coming weeks we will be announcing some new product ranges, and adding
our first couple of tutorials - one on basic putty techniques, and another
on painting weather-beaten armour.
Arcanacon ahoy 21 January 2008
We'll be at Arcanacon this
weekend, from Friday 25th to Monday 28th. You'll be able to find a range
of our sculpting tools and ProCreate putty on sale in the
40k area (managed by the
War All The Time crew).
Both Louise and I will be running the
Warmachine
tournament over in the main building - drop in and say hi!
Yarrr! 29 November 2007
The store opening has been pushed back a little, as I have three
publishing projects that need to reach the printers this month. Painting
continues apace, though - here are some pirate crew from Warmachine.
Online store opening soon 7 November 2007
Not long to go now. The Purple Mantis webstore should be opening in
mid-November, and the first wave of products are ready to go. Our shopfront
is due to go online by November 24th, with a range of paintbrushes and
sculpting tools.
Pirate Warjacks, Take Two 1 November 2007
All that exposed metal was sure to rust in the ocean air, so I've re-painted
the commission warjacks shown a few months back. A good protective coating
should see them raiding for some time to come...
Back in town 16 October 2007
Long time, no updates. I've just returned from backpacking around North
America and Europe, visiting GenCon Indianapolis
and Games Day UK in
the process. While at GenCon, I won a bronze "Skully" trophy in the
Privateer Press Grandmaster Painting Contest (Unit category), for a
group of goblin bodgers. Not just any bodgers, of course - I converted
the four stars of Infernal Contraption.
Pictures to come as soon as I get my camera repaired...
Trolls sighted 15 July 2007
Sadly, life's not just about steam-powered robots. Fortunately, the gaming
world (and the Gallery page) is also filled with rabid trolls from
Hordes...
Pirates with diving bells? 15 July 2007
Yo ho, yo ho... These are the first models in a Talion Contract mercenary
army, for Warmachine. Next will come the character figures, followed by a motley assortment of
crewmen.
Warjacks incoming! 14 July 2007
You can find a Warmachine Khadoran battlegroup in the Gallery page,
lead by Orsus Zoktavir, the Butcher of Khardov. These are part of a large
commission job, and there are plenty more models to come. Stay tuned for
updates...