Brother Christopher's Other Projects

[space wolf]

Yep, like the fellows above me said. Your NMM is quite convincing! The details you chose to emphasize, not just in the model, but also the base, really elevate the model (pun intended).

 

I totally get what you're sayin compositionally. But I think the flat base says something. Most models have an ideal angle to be viewed through. I personally think that yours is the 2nd photo down, the quarter oblique (or whatever its called). If you view the model straight on, I see what you're saying about the base looking too flat. But look at it from the 2nd picture. The flying model, takes up all that space, and it evens out. I think that angle, shows off your NMM better as well. Remember, NMM only ever REALLY looks accurate from generally one point of view.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I too like the simpler base - it really puts the emphasis on the two models, and the contrast and space between them.  I love how in the first photo that Celestine has an almost unatural crispness and brightness about her that the sister on the base doesn't, giving Celestine a very angellic quality, as if it isn't certain whether she's real or the last vision of a mortally wounded sister.  Even if that's just a story in my head, its an incredibly moving one.

 

I quite like the freckles but don't find them terribly convincing as freckles - to me, they are too few and large for such, and instead seem more like moles or birthmarks.  Which is fine, as I feel they give the model some humanity - in the story in my head, indicating that she is in fact real even if her observer (the wounded sister) herself isn't sure.

 

If you were to try freckles again, maybe do it like you would a blood splatter?  By that, I mean taking a ratty old brush with a bit of red/orange-brown paint on it and then flicking it to spray droplets onto the model.  You would probably want to do this before painting most of the rest of the model, as you would want to then clean up the flicked paint on places you don't want it (including, I would imagine, other portions of the face and her hair).  Anyway, something to think about - I've never actually tried anything similar.

[Brother Christopher]

First of all, once again - a collective thank you for all the kind words and positive feedback on the first stab at NNM. This was supposed to be the main gimmick of this project and after many hardships and excellent, productive nudging from the Community, I ended up here. Typing this now, I've all but forgotten about the annoyances and doubts I've experienced and am already planning another go - this time perhaps on a larger model!

  

On 10/28/2026 at 9:11 AM, Heraclite said:

I saw the album update on the sidebar yesterday and was eagerly waiting for your post.

 

Your NMM looks really convincing and there's also lots of tiny details that are done brilliantly : I repeat myself but the FRECKLES ! the eyes, the lightning on the sword, the marbling effect on the tiles, the gradient on the wings and so on !

 

Thank you, Brother! I'm stoked you noticed and liked all the little(r) thing. Appreciate it.

 

On 10/28/2026 at 11:39 AM, WBRBloom said:

This is so amazing, I'm gonna die (insert Despicable Me gif here)!

 

I love concept models so much (the sister bleeding on the floor seeing St Celestine is BRILLIANT), it's not even fair.

 

I will second what @kabaakaba said that your NMM looks like metal (I had to scroll down to the latest photos until I realised that it's actually greys and blues and blacks).

 

On 10/28/2026 at 1:06 PM, Rusted Boltgun said:

As above, fantastic work and a great mini diorama. Absolutely a display piece.

 

I'm glad you liked the concept. Having a set of incomplete SoB minis helped, too. While I didn't know what I wanted exactly (e.g. a tiled floor), I knew that 1. I didn't want Celestine's original scrolls as the base; 2. I wanted some sort of temple/church/stones and 3. I wanted to repurpose the wounded sister.

  

On 10/28/2026 at 5:50 PM, space wolf said:

Yep, like the fellows above me said. Your NMM is quite convincing! The details you chose to emphasize, not just in the model, but also the base, really elevate the model (pun intended).

 

I totally get what you're sayin compositionally. But I think the flat base says something. Most models have an ideal angle to be viewed through. I personally think that yours is the 2nd photo down, the quarter oblique (or whatever its called). If you view the model straight on, I see what you're saying about the base looking too flat. But look at it from the 2nd picture. The flying model, takes up all that space, and it evens out. I think that angle, shows off your NMM better as well. Remember, NMM only ever REALLY looks accurate from generally one point of view.

 

Regarding the base and the 'perfect angle,' I get what you're saying and... it's actually very reassuring. Especially so that this is supposed to be a display model through and through. 

  

On 10/29/2026 at 11:52 PM, Dr_Ruminahui said:

I too like the simpler base - it really puts the emphasis on the two models, and the contrast and space between them.  I love how in the first photo that Celestine has an almost unatural crispness and brightness about her that the sister on the base doesn't, giving Celestine a very angellic quality, as if it isn't certain whether she's real or the last vision of a mortally wounded sister.  Even if that's just a story in my head, its an incredibly moving one.

 

I'm glad you wrote this. While I haven't mentioned this anywhere, this was a part of the concept for the whole diorama. Initially, 

 

Admittedly, I wanted to achieve this effect through different means. In the end, the perceived 'discrepancy' is mostly the result of me rushing the sister and paying less time and attention to her. But in this case, it also works well.

 

On top of that -- and this, I think, isn't apparent in the photos -- the paint job on the sister is very restrained and dark (with the armour painted black with very subtle, dark-grey edge highlights), with the exception of the area around her face (e.g. the armour on the pads and chest plate are brighter than 'standard' highlights, and the edges are bright gray, with the extremes reaching whites) - as if she is illuminated by the saint's holy light or whatnot. 

 

So, while the execution wasn't what I planned, I had what you pointed out in mind when I set out. Since you noted this, it's clear that at least some of that found its way to the finished work.

 

On 10/29/2026 at 11:52 PM, Dr_Ruminahui said:

I quite like the freckles but don't find them terribly convincing as freckles - to me, they are too few and large for such, and instead seem more like moles or birthmarks.  Which is fine, as I feel they give the model some humanity - in the story in my head, indicating that she is in fact real even if her observer (the wounded sister) herself isn't sure.

 

If you were to try freckles again, maybe do it like you would a blood splatter?  By that, I mean taking a ratty old brush with a bit of red/orange-brown paint on it and then flicking it to spray droplets onto the model.  You would probably want to do this before painting most of the rest of the model, as you would want to then clean up the flicked paint on places you don't want it (including, I would imagine, other portions of the face and her hair).  Anyway, something to think about - I've never actually tried anything similar.

 

Oh, that's also an excellent point that I can comment on... I mentioned above that I didn't execute my plan regarding the sister and base because I wanted to rush it and finish the mini. Coincidentally, I had had plans to do the freckles the way you wrote (similar to the blood splatter) but... I forgot about it! I only realised this after I painted the face. I didn't want to risk ruining the work but I wanted to retain the original concept in some form. That's how I got where I got. I agree that they'd be more convincing if done the way you described it. Conversely, they are okay as they are and in a way, I think, look better in person.