Egyptian Miniatures Indiegogo is live

[axabrax]

I think it's fine to have some variation in scale between figures. It bothers me with modern ranges when the same rifles look totally different between figs, but height and size variations between people makes perfect sense.

I have to ask (as my girlfriend made the comment when I showed her your figs.) Was it really so common for Egyptian noblewomen to be bare chested? I know that the Minoans did so, but I didn't realize the Egyptians did too. Don't get me wrong, I am not a prude and I'm fine with the state of dress, I'm just curious about the historical reality. Dave's figs are my favorites in the range when it comes to artistic style.

Steve

[Samnite308]

Received your blurb about the bench Chirine and will put up a link shortly.  Im afraid I will have to shorten it a bit but will try to emphasize your connection with the Prof. and the long history of your Tekumel gaming.  Im sure people will find it a fascinating site to visit.

Axabrax in answer to your girlfriend's question about the historicity of Egyptian noblewomen being bare-chested so often - first and foremost my range is a Pseudo-historical range and does not attempt to portray the Egyptians (male and female) in strictly historical terms.  I have borrowed from Hollywood films, graphic novels and art, as well as archaeology when creating the character concepts.  I do try to stick to a basic historical form though - so the clothing depicted would be largely accurate - both the Queen models in my range wear the long form fitting dress that came up to below the breasts - there would usually be one or two shoulder straps to hold the dress up.  Egyptian women (Royal, noble and common) were not particular in how the straps were arranged - they could cover both breasts or one - or they could rest to the left or right of the breast leaving it exposed.  The two straps might even be crossed in the middle leaving both breasts exposed (this arrangement is shown on the Egyptian Queen model by Kev Adams and the noblewoman by Jo Brumby), whereas the Nefertiti model by Dave Soderquist has a dress in which one of the breasts are covered.  Brother Vinni also did an Egyptian lady figure holding some flowers who wears a long dress in which the single strap rests between her breasts, and another Egyptian woman with an ankh and dagger who has a breast covered by a single-strap.  All of these are historically accurate.  Egyptian ladies sometimes wore a form of shawl which covered the shoulders and breasts - I have chosen not to use these as I feel they make the character look much older - I might have a matronly figure made later on (perhaps the Queen-Mother or an Older High Priestess) and use the shawl on these models.

There are also a number of ladies and a sorceress who wear a long belted skirt which left the entire upper torso exposed.  These too are historically accurate although they are much less common - they appear to be a style of dress that was adopted perhaps from a Nubian influence as Nubian women are shown wearing these garments.  I have modified these long skirts by adding belts with ornately decorated clasps and flaps - these I have borrowed from many Hollywood films to give them a more Egyptian feel (the Nubian versions are quite plain with what appears to be hide or textile belts).  You will not find any bikini tops or breast bands on any of my figures - despite them being used by Hollywood and graphic artists quite often - other manufacturers of Egyptian type females often have bikini tops too.  I think this is a prudish reaction from the designers to make a figure which they feel are suitable for all age groups.  I'm not really about that.  I like the female form and I'm not squeamish about depicting it openly in my models.  What I'm looking for are nicely sculpted figures which have the feel of another culture that may not have our taboos about dress (for women - nobody ever seems to care if men are bare-chested ) and I try to do it in a tasteful and appealing way - there are no raunchy or overtly erotic female figures in my range.  They are all depicted engaged in activities or poses that are suitable for adventure gaming/wargaming.  I hope this answers the question or at least explains my reasons for making the figures the way I have.  I am an archaeologist by profession (although my PhD and field of expertise is in ancient Greek and Italic arms and armour) but I am well aware of what is accurate and what is not - I do get lectured quite often on forums about the figures not being entirely historically accurate and strangely boobs seem to send some people into a frenzy    One amusing comment I received pertained to the Female tomb robber (who is wearing a cloak and shenti (loincloth) but is bare-chested . . .
"Not that I necessarily object to hot chick minis ... but seriously why would a naked woman be robbing an egyptian tomb? Seriously when are small production minis producers going to stop the "boobies ... boobies ... boobies" stuff. If you want to just make porn minis ... make porn minis ... but leave that stuff out of your range if you want us to take you seriously. Ugh ... "

LOL hmmm time to take this person seriously 

[chirine ba kal]

You're very welcome - feel free to edit me all you need to!

I can sympathize with you over the costumes; it never ceases to amaze me just how ill-informed many gamers are about ancient costume. I'm sort of surprised that none of the people who write into you complaining about how your figures are dressed (or un-dressed, as the case may be!) seem to have never done a simple Google search for 'Ancient Egyptian costume'; cloth was a big status symbol to the peoples of the Nile, and if you had clothes it usually meant you were a high-status person of wealth and position. Tomb-robbers robbed tombs because that's where the goods were - see also Willy Sutton's famous quote when asked by the police why he robbed banks: "Because that's where the money is."

Pharonic Egypt didn't have money in circulation; everything was done in kind, with cloth as a major 'big-ticket' item. It was hard to make, so the fashion designers of the day were pretty economical about using it. And, of course, Egypt is hot. Very hot. So folks living there, as their artwork shows, tended to try to stay as cool as they could - and since the Ancient Egyptians didn't seem to have any nudity taboos, we get a lot less cloth and a lot more skin.

Certainly, you have a lot of 'Hollywood Aegyptus' in your figures; this is, I think, as it should be. Our games take place in a timeless land along the Nile were we have handsome warriors, beautiful princesses, sneaky tomb-robbers, vile sorcerors, and at least one shambling mummy bent on revenge. (That'll teach you to disturb Pharoah's eternal rest, Mr. Adventurer!). You line is fun - let's enjoy it!

- chirine

[axabrax]

Hear hear for beautifully sculpted Hollywood-style figures! When you end up seeing see what I'm using them for, you'll get a kick I'm sure Thanks for the info--very informative. I agree that the prudery re the nudity is silly.

[Samnite308]

Well the second stretch goal reward has been reached  Unlocking the Egyptian overseer sculpted by Kev Adams and we are nearing the next stretch goal the Hunting Dogs - these were made by Andy Pieper who has done an amazing job on the animal sets.  Paul Sanderson also did a brilliant job painting up this cool little vignette of two Egyptian girls playing Senet, also known as the game of passing.  The resin base can be found at Fenris Games - I had based my players on two 20mm square bases and the games table on a 25mm base which worked nicely.  I do plan on doing a few other players in the future, males, guards, pharaoh, queen - perhaps even a skeleton as has been suggested.

[archiduque]

Great!

[Samnite308]

The third stretch goal (the hunting dog set) has been unlocked now - moving on to the leopard next!  Paul Sanderson has also been doing a great job painting up sets from the Indiegogo campaign like the female guard archers and skeletal guards    Also a look at one of the upcoming stretch goal rewards Ammut the devourer!

[axabrax]

Brilliant! Any way your painter can give us some clues about what colors he uses for the skintones? Something that I will have to figure out eventually when I get the minis...

[Samnite308]

Paul has a FB page called 'Here Be Goblins' where he shows off his most recent painting commissions.  I'm sure if you ask him he will let you know what paints he used for skintones and other effects    Here is a link to his page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Here-Be-Goblins/600233360069811?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

[Samnite308]

Axabrax, I asked Paul about the skintones and he sent this reply:

As far as questions go, sure send them to the FB page but I use

Caucasian - GW Cadian Fleshtone + highlights with white
Egyptian - Foundry Near Eastern Triad with mixes of the paints to give me at least 6 layers
Nubian - Foundry African Triad (as above)
North African - Foundry North African (as above)

Sometimes I just mix them up a bit as well fro a bit of variation. Experimenting is half the fun sometimes

[axabrax]

Sweet! Thanks so much for the info. And it just so happens that I have all of those triads too. I'm guessing the difference is that he uses 6 layers and I use three. Wow--it makes a big difference!

[Samnite308]

Well we just passed the $6k mark unlocking the sitting leopard stretch goal reward.  This is a great model for any throne room scene.  The leopard was sculpted by Andy Pieper and has a winged scarab collar.  The next stretch goals to be unlocked are the female vampires by Brother Vinni.  Blood drinking demons (not specifically vampires as we would know them) in Egyptian folklore and mythology are almost always seductive women who appear in desolate places, ruins or along the desert and would often try to lure men to their deaths    The vampire set depicts a powerful vampiress drinking from a bowl of blood with two minions - 

[Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye]

We broke $10,000!!! Yay!  Ammut the Devourer is unlocked!!! 

[Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye]

[axabrax]

Oh man--awesome! Not part of the kickstarter though right?