On Sunday, we revealed the incredible new miniature for Glorfindel coming for the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game. With the Lord of the West riding in for pre-order tomorrow, Dan Entwisle from the Middle-earth team sat down with miniature designer Luke Blick to find out what it was like to bring this mighty Elven lord to life.
Dan Entwisle: Glorfindel is a favourite amongst Middle-earth fans. What was it like to work on a character that is so popular with the community?
Luke Blick: We don’t see Glorfindel in the films, so it opened up the chance to explore something new with his design, which was extremely exciting! It was important not only to refer back to the Rivendell designs seen in The Lord of the RingsTM movie series to make sure it matched the aesthetics, but also to see what inspiration could be drawn from the original Glorfindel miniature. This new version of Glorfindel was one of the first models I worked on, so it’s extremely exciting to finally see him released for the community to add to their collections!
Dan: Glorfindel is one of the finest warriors in Middle-earth. How did you arrive at this particular pose for the master swordsman?
Luke: I wanted his pose to match the type of weaponry he is armed with. As the swords wielded by the Elves are curved, single-edged blades, it was crucial that his pose reflected the fighting style in which he would use his weapon. In the end, I went with something that showed a composed, defensive stance, but one where he is ready to strike his opponent in the blink of an eye.
When it came to the mounted pose, I wanted to show how in tune the Elves are with their horses. I positioned Glorfindel and Asfaloth to look as if they were working in unison. It’s a total contrast to the mounted Witch-king of Angmar, who is clearly dominating his mount rather than working with it.
Dan: What was the most enjoyable part of the design process?
Luke: There were so many exciting elements to work on, from the initial concepts and seeing the direction the design was going in, to posing the miniature and adding the finishing details such as the folds in the fabric. Perhaps the most surprisingly satisfying part of the project was the engineering stage, when the model is split down into parts that would be recognisable to our customers.
Dan: Were there any challenges you faced?
Luke: Designing the helmet was quite tricky. I wanted to pay homage to the original model but make sure the details were sharper and that it integrated with our existing Rivendell range. The result was this unique and ornate Elven helm, which felt suitably elegant for an Elven lord of Glorfindel's station!
Dan: What part of the project are you most proud of?Luke: I am really pleased with the level of detail that I managed to include on Asfaloth, especially the bells on his tack – the ringing of bells heralds his arrival when he rides to Frodo’s aid in the book* and it was nice to include such a small detail.
Dan: Have you decided how you will paint your own Glorfindel?
Luke: I will paint him up to match the rest of my Rivendell collection in the traditional blues and golds we see in the films – for me, it's hard to beat the combination of the antique-looking gold armour and rich blue cloaks!
Thanks to Dan and Luke! If you want to acquire your own Lord of the West, head over to the Forge World website tomorrow to place your pre-order. In the meantime, sign up for our newsletter for all the latest Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game updates.
*Of course in the movies it’s Arwen who rescues Frodo.