There are people creating amazing, non-traditional art pieces constantly all over the world, be it whole paintings done on a single bird feather or an exotic stained glass façade. The internet has allowed us to see this talent – and we love it.
There is truly only one way to gain popularity as an artist overnight; the internet. As this is published, a whole new brand of artist emerges from past obscurity. Formerly known as the struggling artist, young talent like Heather Lee Brent in niche art mediums such as fantasy miniatures can become sensations overnight.
Schooled in Fine Arts and given accolades as high as an FAA International art award while still a teenager, Heather never expected to turn her talents towards painting miniature men and creatures the size of her palm. She dreamed of being an illustrator for a major corporation or having her drawings in museums. But audiences of every genre in entertainment value and respect great art, whether it be as large as a Jackson Pollack or so small it can fit in the palm of your hand.
Interactive art, such as painted fantasy miniatures that can represent you or your army on the tabletop is in high demand. It is the moderator between old tabletop card and board games and the online games of today; a sophisticated way to escape in a world that is becoming more and more electronic. There is a whole world of tabletop gamers, yearning to have their fantasies played out in front of their eyes. From historical recreationists waging wars in miniature via Romans or Celts or WWII soldiers, to people connecting with J.R.R. Tolkien through Games Workshops’ newly released Lord of the Rings fantasy game – miniatures games are everywhere.
Each day, Heather spends most of her time helping fulfill the dreams of others through painting miniatures so skillfully that their fantasy storylines come to life. It isn’t as well recognized as van Gogh but the love, care and exacting detail is the same. Thousands of her painted miniatures fight on Warhammer tabletops and D&D battle mats across the world. The exacting details, from the scrollwork on the quilted fabric of a knight’s tabard to the old leathered face of a Celtic warrior, the craftsmanship and painstanking detail work she embellishes each and every miniature she paints shines through.
