Activity
Mon
Wed
Fri
Sun
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
What is this?
Less
More

Memberships

Lion's Tower Miniature Academy

22 members β€’ Free

2 contributions to Lion's Tower Miniature Academy
Miniature Scale - Size Doesn't Matter!
How often do you see companies offering the same miniature in 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm and 150mm scales? Its become a lot more common since the advent of 3D printing, and in fact before consumer 3D printing this phenomenon was actually unheard of! The fact is that you cannot produce the same model in multiple scales by simply changing the size that it prints at, because scale is sculpted into the model. So what do I mean when I say "Scale"? With table top miniatures we're typically dealing in a set range of relative scales - this is not to be confused with modelling scales that are more precise and use a scale ratio such as 1:72 or 1:56. In wargaming miniatures, we typically deal in 6mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm, 28mm, Heroic 28mm, 32mm, 54mm and 75mm. This is measured with the model in a T pose from the bottom of the foot to the eyeline of a standard human character. That's not to say that you can't have characters smaller or larger than that, but the level of detail on them should be relative and look consistent across a range. The image below shows our Captain Zed's Mercenary Company set - the characters are all individualised and have their own personalities and a variety of different body types and height differences, yet the scale is clearly uniform and they obviously belong in the same set. 54mm scale and up tend to be reserved for display pieces, whilst historical gaming is usually between 15mm-28mm. Games-Workshop pioneered the Heroic 28mm scale with miniatures that were 28mm scale in size but have comic book style exaggerations in the limb, head, hand and head sizes - rescale a heroic 28mm scale miniature to actual human size and it looks insane, but it reads great on the table and paints well so it became popular. In recent years we've seen a bit of a popularity shift more towards 32mm scale as a gaming standard because you can still get good detail but without having to comically exaggerate the features of the model. They also provide a nicer painting experience whilst not looking entirely out of place with 28mm miniatures. Everything we produce is by default sculpted at 32mm scale, with just a few exceptions with some of our display pieces. We can rescale them to 28mm for you by request without any significant losses as its not a huge leap, but trying to reduce them far beyond that is a big ask.
Miniature Scale - Size Doesn't Matter!
0 likes β€’ 7d
Such an informative write up Dan, I really appreciate you sharing your experiences and knowledge. It's really interesting how many 3D design methodologies cross pollinate into other avenues of 3D development. With video game assets for example it is also very important to sculpt to scale for many similar reasons. Just to continue regarding the question of only keying and cutting larger scale models above. Are there more preferable modelling or design outcomes to consider when sculpting a 32mm one part figure as opposed to a multipart kit of the same scale? And if so do these potential benefits outweigh the extra efforts it would take to be able to offer customisable poses?
1 like β€’ 7d
@Dan Kelly I look forward to reading your reply, cheers Dan πŸ™‚
Starting from scratch! Come and introduce yourself
Hi, thanks for coming! I'm just starting up my Skool community so I'm going to be inviting people in and trying to build this community up. If you've arrive here and are wondering why there's not much going on, this is why. I'm working on my first proper zbrush sculpting course right now (check it out here https://dankelly1.gumroad.com/l/uxser) and it will launch on the 15th September 2025 and I'd love for this community to be a hub for like minded people who want to learn about the full ecosystem of miniatures. Whether you're doing this for relaxation and mindfulness or you want to turn miniature sculpting into a career and free yourself from the shackles of your 9-5 job, I'll be here to help you every step of the way! Please post an introduction and let us know who you are, what you do for a living, what level your miniature experience is at, and what skills you're looking to develop. Oh, and where you are in the world - it would be great to organise some in-person meetups if we start getting groups of people with common geography! Everyone is in the same boat so don't be shy! Oh, and if you had to pick one and banish one - Lord of the Rings or Starwars?! πŸ˜‰
1 like β€’ 21d
@Rob Buchanan Cyberpunk Combat Zone! What are the sculpts like in the main box set? I'll be looking that one up πŸ˜… sounds a bit like how Necromunda used to be. We have been having a lot of fun with Warlords Judge Dredd, that's a good one to pick up if you love cyberpunk as a genre.
0 likes β€’ 20d
@Rob Buchanan Thank you Rob for such a detailed recommendation. It for sure sounds like something I'd play. The links are incredibly handy, I'll definitely download the rules and use a few proxies to test them out. There must be play throughs on YouTube, so I'll have a search. At first glance all the components in the main box set look pretty cool! It certainly reads really well design wise
1-2 of 2
Cez Rogers
2
14points to level up
@cez-rogers-2265
Professional Environment & Prop Artist for Games

Active 7h ago
Joined Aug 27, 2025