HeresyLab are coming to Kickstarter with their campaign to release a new set of Heresy Girls onto the painting tables of many a hobbyist.

Heresy Girls 2.0 Kickstarter

We got a chance to talk to the minds behind the project, Heresy Girls 2.0 and learn more about their background and the range as a whole.

Ben: First off, could you tell us a bit more about HeresyLabs and how you got started in the tabletop gaming scene?

Heresy Lab: I started out many years ago playing Warhammer Fantasy Battles. I fell in love with the game and even won the Italian GT and several heats but I always wanted to make the models I was playing with. I started out working for several other companies overseeing different phases of the process, be that concept and design or something like shipping.

I also spent my time learning to cast in both metal and resin and I still create a small amount of product in my own shop, mainly as limited runs for a range of friends. My wife is also a big part of the process. She lost her job not long ago and we decided to work together to bring HeresyLabs to life. She now owns the company and helps with the running of it as well as being in charge of the shipping and packaging of the products!

B: You're currently on Kickstarter with Heresy Girls 2.0. Could you give us a brief overview of the project and your aims?

HL: Heresy Girls 1.0 was way more successful than I expected it to be. We ended up delivering close to 25,000 models in the end. We also got lots of positive feedback and this spurred us on to improve our process. Konstantin, my main sculptor (who worked on all of the models from this project) spent weeks with us putting together a plan and starting out from a fresh standpoint.

I don't have an overall aim for the project right now other than to simply get amazing miniatures to people around the world. This is still very much a hobby for me rather than a business and if it funds, I will be happy. I have no real expectations either but if we get positive feedback then I will be happy with what we've managed to create.

B: You have some very highly detailed sculpts as part of the project. Could you tell me a little about the process of bringing one of these Heresy Girls to life?

HL: Well, after some research we managed to find a very high detail printer that would allow us to get even more into our sculpts than before. The choice of using resin was also a key thing here as it allows us to uphold our reputation for quality. When it comes to the different stages of bringing the miniatures to life it breaks down like this...

1. 2D Concepts are created and approved by both me and my sculptor (Konstantin)
2. The 3D model gets sculpted and fixed as needed or until we're happy with it
3. A low-quality test model is printed to make sure we've got the size and look correct
4. A model gets cut up for casting purposes and the STL files are then sent back to be printed in the highest quality possible
5. A master model is then cast for approval and if all is good, we move onto mass production!

It sounds very simple but there's a lot in there that we dive into from a creative standpoint. We like things to look perfect!

B: What have been some of your influences when it comes to your designs?

HL: I have been in the hobby for around three decades now and so I have been influenced by many, many companies and artists. My favourite of all time is still John Blanche. I have collected and categorised thousands of images over the years by him that I've used for inspiration when it comes to bringing characters to life.

We also bring in community feedback as well and we often get emails from people who ask for specific models. This can be a good way of thinking outside of the box! Also, Mr Google and Mr Pinterest are very handy!

B: If someone was starting out in 3D sculpting and sculpting, in general, what tips would you have to help them out?

HL: Haha, I'm not really sure as I'm still learning myself! I would say that you buy yourself a small 3D printer and print the models you like the look of. Start with something simple and maybe then change something to fit your needs. Also, remember that what you see on the screen is not what your printed miniature will eventually look like!

You can get lots of decent printers for less than $350 right now that would help to get you started.

B: Do you have a particular favourite miniature from the new range?

HL: Ooh, yes, but she's not ready yet. She will be one of the mounted figures from the range but you can keep an eye out for her.

However, I do really like Entrophy, she really intrigues me and could make for a fascinating painting project.

B: Is there a character that you've not had the chance to work on yet that you'd love to start work on?

HL: Yes, more Fantasy figures! I would love to work on more of them. Sadly we suffered a setback in January and had to make a lot of changes to work on delivering Heresy Girls 1.0. Currently, we have five different projects on hold. One of them is the Fantasy line-up with another being for a set of Sci-Fi Males.

We also have ideas for a Bitz collection and a more cartoonish project I have been working on with my daughter. I hope that Heresy Girls 2.0 will help us deliver a range of great models and help give us the impetus to dive back into more projects.

B: We notice that you've added the option for STL Files as part of the Kickstarter. Do you think 3D Printing your own miniatures is soon going to be the norm?

HL: Hmm, not really...not for another decade at least. 3D printers are improved daily but the printers we use to get the quality we do still cost almost as much as a small house!

For me, I've picked up STL files from other Kickstarters in the past and once you add together the printing cost and time required to get them to work it might just be easier to get your hands on a ready-made product. But yes, I think it'll be about ten years before we get 3D printers as the norm.

B: Do you get to play a lot of tabletop games; if so what's on your tabletop most of the time now?

HL: Alas, not for the last four years. I've been moving and working so much I haven't had a chance to find any gaming groups to join. It is in my plans as I love games like Necromunda and Mordheim especially. Working as HeresyLabs takes up a lot of time but one day I'll return to gaming!

B: What are the plans for HeresyLabs beyond this new Kickstarter?

HL: Oh, I have loads of ideas, some of which we've talked about already. I need to recover from our unfortunate set-back and find time in the day for something new. We are still a very small company with just my wife and me at the helm.

Maybe after Heresy Girls 2.0, we'll find time to deliver on the project and work towards one of the other ideas we have on the back burner. Which would you like to see?

It was great chatting to you and good luck with the campaign!

Make sure that you take a look at their Kickstarter project and delve into it in more detail. We'd love to hear which of the characters is your favourite!

Drop your thoughts below...