Join Dan Entwisle from the Middle-earth team as he catches up with Keith Robertson – one of the miniatures designers responsible for bringing the hastiest of all Ents, Quickbeam, to the Middle-earth range.
Dan Entwisle: So, what was it like working on a project like Quickbeam?
Keith Robertson: It was great to have the opportunity to take a dive into Fangorn. On all our projects, we spend a lot of time reviewing the source material by going back and rewatching scenes from the movies to make sure we’ve got all of the intricate details spot on. It's easy to miss those tiny elements: winding ivy vines, the twig on his nose, or the small bags under his eyes, but we take a lot of care to ensure that the miniature is as close as possible to what is on-screen.
Dan: Well, that attention to detail sure paid off – the model is so full of character. How did you get so much life into it?
Keith: It was important that Quickbeam had his own identity when standing alongside the new Treebeard and the existing Ents, but he still had to look as if he belonged with the other Ents of Fangorn. I mentioned earlier the small details such as the bags under his eyes, but his real stand-out features are the twisted, gnarled wood that makes up his body and that incredibly large nose! I think the painters also did a wonderful job on bringing the Ent to life, especially the amber colour in his eyes. It’s only a subtle detail, but it really does help to complete the model.
Dan: What did you enjoy most about working on Quickbeam?
Keith: Probably creating the natural, organic texture of the wood. The twisted, rootlike structure of the trunk was an absolute pleasure to design, and I hope anyone who’s planning on picking up Quickbeam will enjoy painting him as much as we’ve enjoyed working on him. We also got to incorporate additional textures that we don’t create all that often, such as the knots in the wood and the spiralling ivy vines.
Dan: What aspect of the model are you most proud of?
Keith: I really think we got the likeness just right, especially his face, even though it was one of the more tricky elements of the project to get right. Quickbeam’s head and face are really the focal points of the model, so getting them spot-on was incredibly satisfying. I’m also pleased with the pose of the miniature – he looks sturdy and strong, just as a tree should, but he’s also moving with great purpose, perhaps as if he was striding into battle at Isengard.
Dan: What have you got planned for your own Quickbeam model?
Keith: That's one of the really nice things about a Fangorn force – there’s so much variety in the way you can paint the various Ents. You not only have the choice of four seasons, but you can also draw inspiration from other species of tree for your colour scheme. With that in mind, I think I'm going for a silver birch-inspired appearance for my Quickbeam. Hopefully, this distinctive look will help him to really stand out among my other Ents.
Cheers, gents, and our thanks also goes to Daniel Wegmann from HVM Workbench for his awesome imagery of Quickbeam taking part in the Last March of the Ents. It’s always interesting to learn what goes into the creation of a new model, especially one as large as an Ent of Fangorn. Quickbeam will be available soon, but until then, let us know how you’re going to paint yours on the Warhammer Official Facebook page.