When Mike Howell decided to take his hobby to the next
level, he made a big impression in a very little way.
After a friend introduced him to miniature war gaming
— a style of board-less tabletop games using figures or
models to wage battle against opponents — Howell was drawn
to the genre's artistry and began painting the unfinished
game pieces as a way to relax.
 |
MINIATURE MASTER: Mike Howell, a platform
specialist in ICT, paints a miniature model. Howell's
hobby of painting miniature figures for war games
has been extensive. To date, he has painted more
than 500 miniatures for himself and others. Photo
by
Babs Rambold |
"Working on computers all day is rewarding," said
Howell, who serves as a platform specialist in Eastern
Michigan University's department of Information and Communication
Technology. "But, the end result is rather intangible.
Painting miniatures results in something you can put your
hands on at the end of the day."
Within two years of learning the craft from scratch, Howell,
who had never considered himself an artist, earned recognition
at a 2007 industry competition, Games Day Chicago. He took
fourth place out of hundreds of entrants.
The figures are made of plastic, lead and pewter, and
generally range from 1-5 inches in height, according to
Howell.
With intricate features and fine detailing, painting the
tiny figures requires specialty brushes and true-color
lighting, according to Howell. He added that patience
is the key to quality work.
"There are short cuts," said Howell, who reportedly
spent more than two hours perfecting the eyes of his winning
entry, a five-inch Warhammer Skaven giant, a 5-inch cumbersome
ogre of a warrior ridden by a surly, mind-controlling rat. "But,
shortcuts don't always measure up to scrutiny."
To date, Howell has painted nearly 500 figures, both for
himself and others. Howell supports his hobby through commissioned
work for clients in the U.S. and abroad.
"I just sent a 75-piece army to a customer in Italy.
I like knowing work I've done is going out all over the
world," said Howell, who added that selling his miniatures
in Europe is a bonus, given the Europeans' expertise in
the art form.
Rather than detract from time with his family, Howell,
who sometimes spends up to 20 hours per week painting,
shares his hobby with wife, Stephanie, and their three
children, Sarah, 8; Lily, 6; and Jay, 3.
"I didn't want to pursue painting at the expense
of my family," said Howell, who works out of a tackle
box at his kitchen table. "I love showing my kids
different techniques. I'm looking forward to them giving
me pointers one day."
