HeroClix are about to get a new paint job, and it'll be one worthy of its superhero origins. In anticipation of the upcoming set X-Men House of X, WizKids showed how several new figures compare to their older selves. The results show Marvel's mighty mutants looking more vibrant, detailed, and sassy than ever before.
Miniature painting is one of the staples of tabletop gaming, and yet it remains an elusive craft. It can be near-impossible to add details like facial expressions, belt buckles, or even texture to a tiny figurine. Since the hobby can essentially be a job in and of itself, many just choose to buy pre-painted figures.
WizKids has a history of delivering high-quality pre-painted miniatures for franchises like Dungeons & Dragons and Marvel. Yet while the HeroClix line has endured, the company decided that the time has come to upgrade its technique. It showed some of the secrets behind improving mini paint jobs on its blog.
According to the blog, a few factors go into making the X-Men House of X line better. One is poses. By widening legs, shifting balance, and getting more creative with the arms, WizKids created more dynamic looks for the X-Men and their foes. Another is scale – by making figures slightly bigger, there's more room to incorporate detail. This allows for tiny bits like pockets, hems, and (most importantly) facial features to be rendered. The ability to vary scale also allows for characters like Apocalypse to look more imposing without needing to create a larger, more expensive figure.
You can learn more from the WizKids blog, and also pre-order the X-Men House of X line before it hits stores this December.
Source: WizKids