Destination Relaxation
Ah, Labor Day. There was a time that I did not like it because it almost always fell on my birthday weekend. Most everyone would be out of town; those who stayed in town were in full on back-to-school mode… Now that I’m older, though, I appreciate this holiday. Not only does it bring a day's respite to our chaotic lives, it is often also the weekend that many awesome conventions take place! In my case this year, it offered me the chance to pause, sit down, and paint some miniatures. Life is short, and time is hard to come by — so enjoy it while you can!
Did you do anything hobby related over the long weekend, or anything you want to share? Then hit us up on the Discord, folks — we’d love to hear from you!
Just because it was a holiday weekend, however, doesn’t mean I’ll leave you empty handed for the weekly blog! So pull up a stool, hop on up, and have a seat at the BAR!
Artist Spotlight - Daniel Truchaud
Today we have an interview with another long-standing 3D-Modeler working for BAM, Daniel Truchaud a.k.a. DBlueice. Daniel has been responsible for creating some of my favorite larger pieces including the Artist Series Highblood Gnoll Warrior, Raijin and Fujin from Clans of Kinjo Island, and many more. So let’s raise a glass to Daniel as we learn more about him!
Alex: Who are you?
Daniel: Hello, my name is Daniel Fernandez Truchaud and I have been a member of the BAM “Commandos” since May of 2020.
Alex: Where are you from/based out of?
Daniel: I am based at 40°30′N 3°40′W, also known as Madrid, Spain.
Alex: Did you always want to be an artist?
Daniel: When I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be an artist, but I had no idea what type of artist I would become.
Alex: Where did you study/what did you study?
Daniel: My educational journey started in fine arts high school where I studied interior design. I ended up not liking it, but it did give me the chance to have a 3D-design subject. After my brief time studying interior design, I requested to further study 3D design but was denied. I didn't give up, however, and all the information I needed was available on the internet. So I just needed to start gathering it and studying the 3D-generalist path to find out what part of the 3D-design process I enjoyed the most. After crashing my HDD doing a particle simulation, I realized that 3D-modeling was what interested me the most. I then had the chance to work on some video game development as an environmental artist (I knew I liked character art more than anything else, but I thought it would be easier to get my foot into the 3D industry this way). I started working for a miniature company that has many amazing parts - the first is sculpting characters! But -- the technical slider -- was the closest I had come to doing any art! So, I had to keep studying after work every day, and taking all the mentorships I could.
Alex: What techniques/programs do you use to make your art?
Daniel: I learned a lot about different software during my educational journey, but I realized that it's better to keep it simple. Now, I no longer need to leave Zbrush. It also helps that the Zbrush team is creating new, helpful tools every year. I am currently exploring Blender though.
Alex: What are some challenges you’ve had/overcome in translating sketch art to a 3D model?
Daniel: Body language, poses, and a sense of weight go a long way in making figures look natural. It took me quite a long time to study and learn how to use them properly.
Alex: How long have you been doing this particular art?
Daniel: I started Miniature sculpting back in 2016 when I did some figures for Dark Age.
Alex: Do you do any other forms of artwork other than sculpting?
Daniel: Right now, I am learning how to make traditional sculptures. It's not artwork quality by any means at the moment. For me, I feel it to be very therapeutic. It's a super relaxing sensation to dig your hands in clay.
Alex: What has been your favorite art piece/sketch/model that you have created so far?
Daniel: My absolute favorite is the Highblood Gnoll Warrior model, since it was the first of many others I would go on the make for BAM. As far as the Patreon models, I’d have to go with the Legend of Daemoor Ratfolk, in particular the Ratfolk Warrior.
Alex: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us or advice you’d like to give?
Daniel: Yes, I hope that my experiences and failures inspire others to be kind to themselves, and keep on searching for their own way.
Thank you so much, Daniel, for taking the time to let us get to know you a little better!
If any of you would like to see more of Daniel’s work feel free to visit his Instagram account here.
Let’s Get Physical
It’s been no secret that we at BAM are looking to expand our physical model printing operations. In our early days, the only physical models we produced for sale were the Artist Series figures (cast in resin at a scale of 90mm). We are now expanding our offerings to the entirety of our Broken Anvil Monthly collections (in waves). So far, the BAM team has been working hard to expand our webstore, and we have added an assortment of tabletop-ready 3D printed minis from August’s Curse of the Emerald City and July’s Corsairs of the Ember Void collections to start. These models are printed on our highest quality producing machines using our own proprietary blend of resins to ensure the highest levels of both detail and durability.
A Pint of Patreon
For Paint Fight 2 we received a whopping twenty-one submissions! Look for the winners in next week’s blog! It’s amazing to see all of the talent in the community, and I can’t wait to see more from you all in upcoming competitions.
Our September release, The Lords of Loxhaven, is live now! If you aren’t a member of our Tribe or Patreon but want to check out the quality of our models on your home printer, we are releasing two current models that are available until the end of the month. Download them here.
We have Patreon collaborations planned both this month and the next, and we hope to build communities not only with you, our loyal readers, but also with other miniature-making groups that care about the hobby and business as a whole.
Last Call
You want a teaser? Well, when I mentioned what a big fan of Daniel’s work I was, that got me thinking; what other large pieces of Daniel’s can I look forward to? Look no further! I present to you a render of the upcoming 9-month loyalty reward The Scourge of Daemoor!
This model is coming down the pipeline and should be available some time in the coming months, so keep an eye out for it.
Lastly, a note about Dungeon Delvers rewards: Gamerati, one of our distribution partners, has announced that the last of the initial Dungeon Delvers rewards have shipped out! Check out the post here: Gamerati on Instagram: “The last of the initial @brokenanvilminiatures rewards leave on Tuesday.”
That’s a wrap for tonight, folks! Thanks for reading and hope to see you next week in the BAR!
