Trophy Hunter Busts by ZabaArt

I recently got my hands on a package from ZabaArt Studio featuring the wall-mounted bust of Tong the Orc from the Trophy Hunter series. The Trophy Hunter line currently features 3 characters: the aforementioned Tong the Orc, a frog monster with the hilarious name Hopkins—which always reminds me of a certain famous actor—and the dwarven pickpocket Bruno. These characters are no good guys; quite the opposite. You can play the bounty hunter and hang their heads on a shield as a trophy. I must admit, it’s a very original and clever way to display finished models.

These busts are created by Lukáš Žaba, one of the best miniature painters in the Czech Republic and the world, who has won numerous awards at international competitions. He sculpted the busts himself, making them a complete work of his own that is definitely worth your attention. The trophy set includes the bust itself, a shield, a character card with a description and artwork, and a small booklet containing the character's backstory, which you can use for example for playing RPG games. This imaginative packaging makes the Trophy Hunter series not just a collector's item, but also a unique gift for any enthusiast of modeling or miniature painting.

The models are beautifully crafted and detailed, in roughly 1:5 scale. They are large enough even for less experienced painters like myself, providing plenty of room to test and learn new painting techniques. I finally got to properly practice layering and tone transitions, as well as wet blending. This is a technique where you blend two colors while they are still wet, mixing them directly on the miniature. I practiced this on the inside of the ears, using colors that were quite far apart in shade, but I managed to smooth them out pretty well. That’s just my humble opinion, though—you can judge the result for yourself, dear readers. 🙂

Thanks to large objects like these busts, you have the opportunity to better practice techniques that you simply can't use on small models for RPG games, or that are so demanding on tiny figures that you’ll struggle to master them. Large figures are also great for beginners who have never painted before and want to learn how to use a brush and paints while enjoying the process. It’s easier for a beginner to paint a larger figure than a small one, and you’ll be much happier with the result.

In conclusion, I’ll say just one thing: definitely try out a Trophy Hunter bust. It’s truly one of the most fun miniatures I’ve ever had the pleasure of painting. Follow the creator, ZabaArt, on Facebook.

author Martin Holouš