Superb artwork from Martin Whitmore confirmed! Marty is the man behind most of our artwork, so it seemed right for him to be involved in this. What is extra lovely is how the people involved in this project are passionate about the subject matter, so it’s more than just a job to them. It’s a solid team.
Artist Martin Whitmore
These fresh drawings are refined versions of my own preliminary rough sketches that take into account the sculpt and the changes we made during that phase. As well as being just “better,” they also have a consistent style that ties them together well. Marty’s quirky and fun style fits well in a project that could be at risk of seeming too heavy sometimes with the subject matter (When one of the women DOESN’T die horribly at the end, I always cheer – wahey!). We’re keeping to pencil line art for the obvious reason of cost, which would drive the price way up, but also, it adds to the sketchbook feel of it being this community project. Later on, if I fancy it, Marty will colour and ink them for me (in exchange for coin, of course!), so there’s lots of potential for future projects there.
Originally, I was planning to do this part myself as my own art project, but I wisely decided that the pressure of having to add a GOOD drawing to each figure, as well as doing all the managing, research, writing and graphics AND running Bad Squiddo Games full time… might be a bit much. And Marty is way better than me, so there. My sketches do their job of informing you all and the sculptor where things go, but the improved ones look much nicer for display and admiration.
Top row artwork by Annie Norman, bottom row by Martin Whitmore. It’s an easy way of seeing how the pose or details of some changed through the sculpting process for each.
Collectable Cards
In line with wanting these to be a bit special, collectable cards seem a good call; we all like collecting things right; it’s why we’re in this hobby! I’ve decided to limit these to the first 100. It’s an impetus for people to pick them up when they’re first available, which really helps us out. It also means you get something a bit special – as well as a cracking mini!
Design idea for the collectable cards, images by Martin Whitmore, text and design by Annie Norman
An example of our minis’ packaging
If they’re A7 size, they will fit in the blister packaging nicely and neatly, although they will need the corners rounding. This is an unusually expensive addition when ordering from a print supplier, so I’ve been looking at a few semi-industrial corner punchers, with the excuse that I can use it for many different tasks and projects. All the round edges, all of the times.
What do you think of this mock-up? I’ve had that parchment background in my mind for a while for the feel like they’re the lost scrolls or something. While most of what we produce is rather colourful, I appreciate the simplicity here that will tie them all together. I’d like to hear your feedback back though. The Limited Edition number will be written by hand on each one. Is there a pen you recommend for that – I guess just a fine marker pen?
What about the painted image of the mini? There will be that too! The Community Minis will also have their own full-colour packaging in line with the rest of the Bad Squiddo Games range. So you’ll get that AND the special card (if you’re in the first 100)
While I do my best to remain impartial (ha!), I was thrilled when Mary Fields was chosen. She’s not as well known as many, and should be! Also, her photo has a habit of being misused in articles about Harriet Tubman. They were both strong-built women who had escaped slavery and forged paths of determination and no-nonsense, living in the USA around the same time. But their stories are quite different; let’s have a look.
Mary Fields is known for being the first Black woman to work as a mail carrier in the USA. She defied the odds not just because of her race and gender but also her age, as she was SIXTY-FIVE when she began that job.
Born in 1832, Mary lived a full and long life until she passed in 1914, aged around 82. For some perspective to many readers, World War 1 had started then. It can be easy sometimes for these stories to feel like they occurred much longer ago through the old, faded photographs. In fact, the current oldest living person was born in 1907 while Mary was alive, so some of our grandparents or great-grandparents (whereabouts) could have even shared a whiskey with her.
Mary Fields approx 1895
As a recently emancipated Black woman, Mary was not expected for her to be so sweary, drinky, cigar-puffing, fighty or headstrong – qualities which garnered her respect from some and disdain from others. The Civil War had seen an end to slavery, but it would take much longer to change the attitudes of many of her countryfolk (unfortunately, some still aren’t there today).
When Mary landed the mail carrier job – by outskilling the much younger male applicants – she really made her mark on history. While at first sounding like a dull job, as we think of our local posties and while we love ’em, it’s not precisely death-defying, is it? Well, it was back then! Travelling alone across vicious terrain, there was danger of the extreme weather and wild animals such as wolves and the worst monster of all – mankind. Bandits waited in these parts for such a super looting opportunity. Sometimes the stagecoach (“Oh THAT’s why she’s called Stagecoach Mary!”) would be stuck in mud or snow, and she would go on foot. The most important thing to her was getting every single letter and parcel delivered on time. Evri, take note. YOU HAVE CARS.
She worked diligently at this for eight years with whiskey for warmth and her multiple guns and wits for safety. Remember, she was 65 when she began, so she was around 73 at the end of this career. This work would be taxing for any other person at their absolute peak, which shows how strong she was physically as well as mentally. It wasn’t just Amazon impulse buys of cutlery organisers (look, it was one time, and my cutlery takes up way less space now); it was life-saving urgent medication and equipment and food, as well as perhaps old-time cutlery organisers.
Unlike many of these women I research, Mary Fields got to have a nice retirement, phew. I highly recommend reading more about her, as there are so many stories, several quite funny too, but I try to keep these FAIRLY brief, so I can’t put it all in.
Designing Mary Fields: The Miniature
Hooray, we have photos! That always helps! It also means I don’t need to do a huge amount of clothing research, as the gear she has in these photos is what she would have been wearing, so we don’t need to speculate.
Photographs are not flawless, though, as we have learnt so far, they sometimes don’t tell the whole story. She’s pictured in the most famous picture (the one at the start of the article) with a Winchester but was known for being brilliant with a shotgun (second pic, just by this text), so while tempting to copy the photo, let’s change it to a shotgun. She also loved her six-shooter (revolver) tucked beneath her apron, but shall we have it peeking out? I need to move it to her other hip so she can draw it from her right hand.
As always, the crude drawing is just a starting point! And I may be being a bit lazier with getting them looking human now that I know Marty will do a better version after (oh yeah you might have missed it, Martin Whitmore has drawn some INCREDIBLE art for you).
The arm resting the gun on her shoulder frees up one hand and the frontage of the mini, so more detail can be added. I’m unsure about the other hand holding the mail sack, but I think this could translate well through the sculpt when Alan makes it have some real heft; perhaps she is walking forward a bit, dragging it?
She currently doesn’t have a messenger bag on, but perhaps on the back? I like the idea of her feeling very weighed down by the post. I’m conscious of the weight of the mini as I’ve declared these will all be £5, but that’s making me think more about a fixed £5 price for a certain amount of time so that I can raise them later if I need to.
Her jacket to the side a bit to show her holster with the ol’ six shootie in it and a hipflask of her whiskey. Perhaps instead of a whole strap for that, it could be the strap for a messenger bag, with the hipflask attached at a buckle? The bag could be half open as it’s bursting with letters? Lots of perhaps, of course, as this is a COMMUNITY minis project, so I really want to hear your feedback. Also it still doesn’t mean I can please everyone, as I can’t take every suggestion, but they really have steered this so far, and I want them to continue to.
This article totally doesn’t show the hours I’ve spent this afternoon researching Mary and then little things like mail carriers uniforms, mail bags, gun types etc. Where has the day gone! Before I forget, later on, the uniforms are Cadet Gray.
That’s right, you heard it – they’re available – woohoo! It feels so good to be making some solid progress now, it’ll be even more exciting once they’re in your hands. Here are the minis below, and YOU CAN GET THEM HERE. Well, you can pre-order them, they’re nearly ready though (more info below).
Thank you to John Morris and Andrew Taylor for painting these, John is just finishing the last two!
There are two ways to get these, both simple!
What is NOT simple is how I originally set up this project, so the next post will be some FAQs and updates on the project as a whole (all good, just making it easier), but this post will just focus on these six minis.
If you backed the “Ko-Fi”, read this:
Anyone who supported via Ko-Fi to pre fund these minis, firstly – thank you! We wouldn’t be here without you. You will need to check your email, the one you use for Paypal, and there will be an email from me, it might be in junk (silly email providers!). It will have all the information you need to get your minis, mostly a long thanks from me, and a coupon you can exchange via the website. Please do check, as it was [embarrassingly] quite a long time since we set this up, so you may have forgotten, I wouldn’t want anyone paying twice. In a nutshell, you put them in your basket on the website, then add the coupon underneath and it’ll minus your amount. Pretty much just like a Kickstarter Pledge Manager. Any questions or uncertainty please contact me.
If you didn’t back the “Ko-Fi” (or know what that means), read this:
Don’t worry – you too can have the miniatures! Also head to this part of the website and buy as you would anything else. Just note they’re pre orders so won’t ship immediately.
FAQS
Can I order with other things?
You sure can, anything you like! This makes sense especially if you are overseas and want to combine with other items to balance out shipping. As with all pre orders, anything else ordered with community minis will be held and shipped at the same time as them, same as our Kickstarters.
When do we get them?
September.. probably! If not, then October, but I am hopeful.
What are these question mark thingies?
Ah ha! These are minis 7, 8, 9 and 10. I’ve popped them there in case anyone who is certain they’ll have them before they’ve even seen a sketch can pre-order THE NEXT BATCH! They’re aiming to be ready in December.
Do I have a time limit on using my coupon or pre-ordering?
Not…really! Currently, it is absolutely whenever you like, I really wanted people to not be stuck having to get one mini shipped at a time, so it’s built around you popping them in other orders.
There MAY end up being something introduced down the line that would be limited, like perhaps the art cards or the price. For now, especially while we’re in the early stages, it is super chill. If you’re a couponer who was planning on using it much later on, could you reply to the email just to let me know you’ve received it, to alleviate my worry!
Of course I’d love it if you can do it now, as the more interest and minis in hands should boost excitement for the next ones. But no stress.
What happens after the pre-orders?
Once the pre orders are all shipped, the minis will stay in their Community Minis section of the website, as well as be put into relevant categories, and treated as any other mini in the range.
What are you waiting for?
I actually have a bunch of casts ready now! We just need the last two minis to be painted and shipped so I can photograph them, as I want them to come with the painted photo from the get go, as well as the art from the collectable art card that you will also get. That is due around the end of the month, and will be drawn by the excellent Martin Whitmore. Basically an updated sketch of the figure, that includes any changes from concept to sculpt, and will be consistent throughout. Just something to make it extra special.
IMPORTANT
The next blog update will have information on the future of the project, changes, and clarity. I am very aware it’s got very complicated, which is a product of it’s success (woohoo!) so I want to address a few bits and hopefully iron out some creases. I’m in this for the long haul!
There’s lots to show, I am *SO* Happy with these sculpts. They have actually been moulded already and some have already been painted, so stay tuned for upcoming updates to see that! Today though, we are talking sculpts! Let’s have a look at each of them, shall we. These have all been hand sculpted by the wonderfully talented Alan Marsh.
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Hooray, she came out just as the sketch! It looks regal whilst also maintaining some simplicity. I can’t wait to see her with some paint on.
Septimia Zenobia
This has a special place in my heart, I think as she was the first we designed. I noticed that the staff in my sketch was not long enough as I had used a reference picture of a broken statue (doh!) so that’s the only part that needed changing pre-sculpt.
Agnes Randolph
We changed the arm position from the sketch to make it more dynamic, and it really has worked, by making the tippets dangle from the movement, Alan’s sculpting solved the concern of casting them hanging straight down. This looks way better too!
Julie D’Aubigny
La Maupin! We thickened the sword but not enough to look strange or clunky, and that small tab is to be chopped off when you’re prepping the mini, it protects it from bending when being packed and shipped.
Ching Shih
It was pointed out that her sword was in the left hand, so I’ve swapped it to the right hand which would have been more likely & the community confirmed the scabbard was hanging correctly, so only some minor adjustments. I love the hair!
Harriet Tubman
There was a discussion on where her left arm would be as held far back did seem a bit unnatural, so Alan adjusted to this which feels more like she’s walking ahead cautiously. It’s brilliant.
Squee, it’s happening! Stay tuned for pics of them painted, and information on how you can get some or all of these minis. Thank you for supporting this, it’s exciting to see it actually happening,
Thank you to everybody who voted! 790 votes in total, which is impressive for sure. Third and forth were shimmying back and forth a bit while the poll was open but first and second were pretty much winning from the get-go. I am surprised by some results, yet not by others.
Over a quarter (29%) voted for the first four, so winning by a good margin. Special mention to Jeanne Hatchet who was SO CLOSE.
So the winners are….. ADA LOVELACE, MARY FIELDS, AUDREY HEPBURN AND JEANNE D’ARC
The next stage will be figuring out how these miniatures will look. I’ll make threads one at a time for each, but feel free to post (Facebook group, comments here, or any other of the social media or email) any information or wishes you have for any of these four – ie if there’s a certain way you’d like to see them as a mini or some common misconception you need to scream.
You can’t please all the people all of the time.
Apologies if who you really wanted to see as a miniature wasn’t voted for, it is the nature of the beast. She isn’t gone forever though! You can nominate her in the next round, and the next round, and the next round….! They won’t automatically be added to future polls, but so long as you nominate them, they will be there.
This means you have more chances to convince everybody why your suggestion is excellent. You can keep posting about them, maybe sharing other information and pictures and things. The joy of the project is it’s a neat trick way we can all educate each other. What’s the worst that can happen – oh no we all know a bit more about interesting women from history oh no!
An embarrassing amendment
When I was catching up after the hiatus, I miscounted the totals and therefore how many we unlocked. It said we are currently unlocking number 14, but it is actually 12. So 11 are currently unlocked. I wasn’t going to say anything so as to not look silly/unprofessional but in fact, covering it up and funding those extra two myself would be THE silly/unprofessional way! The totals raised don’t cover the whole miniature in terms of sculpting, moulding and production, but it’s enough for us to subsidise the rest after each total – ie you do X amount and we do the rest. SO it’s not a “free” project for me, if that makes sense. So adding two more wouldn’t have been a good thing for the project – ie massively overstretching myself/Bad Squiddo!
So hopefully you can understand my humble apology, again for the teething of this as a project. It means there is currently just one more to unlock, but well on the way to the next after that.
Contrary to this though, I do have one extra miniature that will be free to anybody who added to the ko fi before a certain date. I need to sort the date, but pretty much up to now-ish. She will be available as an extra purchase for everyone after this too. More information soon!
Thank you for supporting this, and I appreciate it can be confusing as I keep sending you all across the internet, but we will get there. I’m super happy to be able to bring these next four to life, and have you all help me with the deep, dark research!
SPOILER: I actually already made a start on Ada Lovelace and Audrey Hepburn while the poll was still live, NERD!
As always, any questions, let me know, and this blog is the best way for a concise “what is happening.”
I know I know it sucks. But our group has the biggest captive audience of actual customers & a community, rather than it being open to random people across the web. The reason for not adding votes from elsewhere is to keep it transparent & less confusing.
For example, like Eurovision, someone could be clearly winning & then suddenly votes pile in from elsewhere & it doesn’t feel fair/clear. And it’s just messy. And I could cheat! (Hey er John from Hockley just tipped the votes to the one I want to make)
The reason for showing you the nominations before voting time was so you could get a chance to know them rather than voting on instinct for famous ones. But I might just slam them out next time!
Thanks for sticking around while it’s teething, it will smooth out!
One of the important things is to make sure you’re voting for you who you would like to see (and even buy!) as a miniature, rather than who you like the most.
I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF WORDS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ, THANK YOU!
Hello! The project is garnering more interest as the sculpts have been shown (though not here yet funnily enough, I need to properly edit the pics and write a new post for all those!) so I wanted to update on how it’s all going! Also to be useful for new people – hello!
The project started off much bigger than I anticipated, and following a long pause where I wasn’t able to give it the attention it needed, we had unlocked THIRTEEN minis. Incredible!
Because of the popularity though it’s changed how I initially approached it, which is ok as I expect this to grow, evolve, and adapt.
I haven’t advertised that this is a thing for a while – though I couldn’t resist sharing those sculpt pics – as I don’t want it to get too much attention while it’s still teething! Oops!
The nature of the project means I have to sink a lot of time into researching and designing each miniature. This I LOVE. This is what I live for, I love it! When it’s one or two a month it is very manageable, but when I was first hit with the popularity I was very daunted, as it’s a lot of time. I jokingly call The Community Miniatures Project my second job, as, although it’s still part of Bad Squiddo Games, I tend to work on it on weekends and evenings as it takes all the weekdays to do the standard Bad Squiddo tasks.
What I am trying to do at the moment is… catch up! So we can get to a nice rhythm of them happening regularly alongside Bad Squiddo standard releases and Kickstarters, rather than taking anything away from those plans (WW2 French is the latest project btw) I am more than happy for this project to go on forever – there is so much we can do with it!
So what does this mean?
It’s all good! Basically, if you are a blogger or anything, I’m politely asking you to hold off posting about it yet (though when we’re ready, that would be immense) I still want it to be on the relative down low while we’re in “Early Access” which is what it would be if it was a videogame! No doubt there will be a few tweaks along the way, which is easier when there are fewer people. For example, I might switch platforms from Ko-Fi if it doesn’t do what I need, but I won’t know til the first batch of fulfillment.
Don’t give me any more money!*
What?! I know right! of course you can really. If you have a subscription that you’re happy to keep plodding on, I won’t send you off. *And of course buy things from the web shop!
Essentially I want to get caught up to the point that there’s only one or two minis ahead. It was originally supposed to be “choose mini, THEN crowdfund” for each one, but you all went wild – WHICH IS GOOD. I just want it to be less frantic.
So I know you’re desperate to support, and you will get the chance! If you want any of these minis, either the ones who win this poll or the ones heading off to the casters – they have already been paid for by the crowdfunder – so when they are cast, they will be in the shop and you can buy them as normal. The collective pot is for future minis.
“Hello I am new and have no idea what is going on, help!”
No problem! You’re best to have a look around this blog and the FAQs, it’s where I keep all the information for the project so it doesn’t get lost around social media. In a nutshell, we vote for a lady we’d like in 28mm, chuck in a fiver each til we’ve hit the target, and voila she is made. Payment is via Ko-Fi (usually, just hold off at the mo!) which than then be “cashed out” at any time, and turned into a shop voucher. This means if you’re overseas and want to wait til you get a bunch of minis, you can do, rather than having to pay shipping for each one separately.
“Hello, I have money in the Ko-Fi, when do I get my voucher?”
Whenever really! If you can hold off til the first 6 are in the shop it would be super as I’ll have some sort of system in place then. And if you want to “leave the money in” for longer and say grab a year’s worth at once, that’s cool too. if you’ve forgotten how much you’ve paid in, let me know and I’ll check for you (you will also have Paypal receipts). What I will do is once the first 6 are ready and in the shop (not long, I was going to wait until they were painted but might not this time, if you’re ok with that, so they can be in people’s hands sooner), I’ll message everybody, like with a KS, and let you know how much credit you have and a link to a blog post with the info.
Thank you so much!
I really appreciate you sticking with this, especially as I am making it up figuring it out as I go along. Once we’re vaguely caught up and have the first wave in people’s hands, I’ll be able to streamline it…. probably!
Also, I want to make sure you know how blown away I am by the popularity of this! I definitely don’t want to sound like it being too popular was a bad thing, I just want to make sure you all know what’s going on with it, and why it’s a bit all over the place at the moment. Another side effect is that I am researching every nominee (only briefly) so my own knowledge is going up even with those. I LOVE RESEARCHING. It’s the best bit of the job. I have a huge collection of books on women in history and getting a good stack out to cross reference brings out the biggest and best nerd in me.
Facebook
Facebook, our group “Baggy’s Cave” is where the polls and suggestions take place. I know this is a big bummer for those without Facebook, but it is currently the biggest place to have a captive audience and a record of all the votes (ie so nobody bot spams or anything). Anything outside of the polls (you can send suggestions anywhere!) won’t be counted, to keep it as clear as possible.
What next?
I have another blog post to make on the minis we have just sent to the casters, squee!
Voting for the next 4 minis (usually 1, but this is to catch up!) starts tomorrow, more info and pics here!
Thankyou to the contributors (listed below) for submitting these THIRTY suggestions. The four most popular will be made into miniatures! Please have a read through them all and have a think about who your favourites are! You will be able to vote for as many as you like, but please only vote for your favourites, ie what you’d REALLY like as a mini.
VOTING WILL OPEN 6PM WEDNESDAY 10TH MAY AND CLOSE 6PM SATURDAY 13TH MAY on our Facebook group. I’ll make a post here when it’s live with the direct link.
Images: Images are not necessarily how the minis will be dressed, just chosen for an easy glance and public domain, you are encouraged to look up more photos and information, we just haven’t gone in full detail for everyone or it would take a long, long, time!
Notes: Most of the text below is written or sourced by the contributors – you wonderful people via our Facebook group where such decisions take place, some may have more written about them, as that person just submitted more information. Some with low levels of info I, (Annie) have written a bit more to give them a fighting chance.
Dates: All dates are CE (Common ERA) unless stated.
Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) Mathematician and Scientist, considered to be the first computer programmer,
Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) British citizen born in Belgium, a fundraiser and supporter of the resistance in the Netherlands, as well as well known performer and actress.
Caroline Amelia Nation AKA Carrie Nation AKA Hatchet Granny November 25, (1846 – 1911) Women’s Rights Campaigner & radical Temperance member. Known for refusing to wear a corset against the standard of the times & for smashing up establishments that served alcohol with a hatchet in the name of the Temperance movement.
Charlotte de la Tremoüille (1599 – 1664) Famous for her robust defence of Lathom House (late February to late May 1644), and the subject of the song “They called her Babylon” by Steeleye Span, which appears on their 2004 album of the same name.
Clémentine Delait (1865 – 1939) “the most illustrious and celebrated bearded lady in France”, icon and feminist
Cleopatra (70-30BCE) Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, built up the economy establishing important trade deals, personally commanded fleets, and much more.
Eleomore Prohaska (1785 – 1813) A German soldier who fought in the Prussian army with the Lützom volunteer Jaegers disguised as a man. Honoured as “Potsdam’s Joan of Arc”
Emilia Plater (1806-1831) Polish–Lithuanian noblewoman and revolutionary, national heroine in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus
Fu Hao (1240-1200 BCE) Royal consort, military general and high priestess of the Shang Dynasty. Buried in her own grave (unusual for royal wives) with both precious goods and 130 weapons including two (or more) massive bronze axes.
Henrietta Maria (Queen) (1609 – 1669) English Civil War provocateur, nicknamed the generalissimo by Charles the 1st, got up to some shenanigans both useful and hurtful to the royalist cause.
Jean Ross (1911-1973) Journalist and political activist. Remembered as the inspiration for Caberet’s “Sally Bowles”, which she was not fond of. She was a journalist in the Spanish Civil War from 1936 – 1938.
Hypatia (Between 350 and 370 to 415) Alexandrian philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. Teacher, editor, commentator (not sports), and counsellor to the powerful. Though a pagan Neoplatonist philosopher, she taught Christians including a future bishop but was murdered and torn to pieces by a Christian mob as (probably) part of a political conflict.
Jeanne d’Arc (1412 – 1431) More or less got France back into gear to kick out the English in the Hundred Years War. Got captured and executed in the end. Patron Saint of France as a result of all that.
Jeanne Laisné “Jeanne Hachette” (1454 to ?) Axe-wielding peasant heroine of the siege of Beauvais
Kate Ter Horst (1906-1992) The “Angel Of Arnhem Her house was used as a regimental aid station, and she helped out nursing and scrounging potable water.
Kenau Simonsdochter (1526-1588) Folk hero defender of Haarlem, later led an army of 300 women against the Spanish.
Khutulun (1216-1306) Great-great-granddaughter of Genghis Khan and first cousin once removed of Kublai. Noblewoman of the Chagatai Khanate. Renowned athlete, archer and warrior. Accrued a herd of more than ten thousand horses in competitions and by defeating suitors in wrestling matches. Was her father’s chief advisor and preferred successor but this was prevented by her male relatives. Still became the army’s commander on his death. The probable basis for the character of Turandot in various Western works of art.
Lady Hester Stanhope (1776-1839) She was a British woman who travelled widely in the eastern Mediterranean, the Levant and the Middle East, usually wearing male Turkish/Ottoman clothing. She was an archaeologist, an antiquarian and and explorer. She lived in what is now Lebanon for many years until her death. She was the first person to carry out an archaeological dig in Palestine, at the site of Ashkelon, although she was probably trying to find a legendary treasure that didn’t actually exist. Her narrated memoirs were published after her death by her physician Dr Charles Meryon.
Lucy Parsons (1851-1942) Anarchist, labour organiser, founding member of the Industrial Workers of the World, called “more dangerous than a thousand rioters” and an active writer, editor, orator and firebrand right up until she died in a house fire aged 91.
Madam Yoko (1849–1906) Madam Yoko was a leader of the Mende and was also a member of a secret women’s society which provided her with access to a whole load of traditional knowledge. A few marriages later, she became essentially a tribal chief and was negotiating with the British in her late 20s. She trained young women as influencers and wives and so was able to make and maintain alliances. Unfortunately seems like she got a bit too cosy with the Empire types and she ended up rich but seemingly not happy.
Maria Bochkareva (1889-1920) WW1 Russian army officer, formed the 1st Russian Women’s Battalion of Death. She was the first Russian woman to command a military unit.
Mary Fields “Stagecoach Mary”, (1832-1914) First black postwoman in the USA, carried multiple firearms, most notably a .38 Smith & Wesson under her apron to protect herself and the mail from wolves, thieves and bandits.
Mary Smith (1862-1946) A famous East End ‘knocker-up’, used a pea shooter to hit windows and wake people up early.
Nadezhda Durova (1783 – 1866) Born in an army camp at Voznesenskoe, Ukraine, her father was a major. Disguised as a man, she joined the Russian army in 1807 as a lancer and later became a lieutenant of Hussars. She survived the Napoleonic wars and later published her biography.
Nicola de La Haye (1150-1230) Defender of Lincoln castle against TWO seiges
Nzinga Ana de Sousa Mbande (Queen) (1583-1663) Queen Nzinga was an emissary to Portugal and eventually queen. She was very firm about presenting the Kingdom of Ndongo as an equal player in negotiations with the Portuguese, using her linguistic skills, wealth, and opulent clothing to prove a point. When she turned up to a negotiation and found chairs were provided for the Europeans and a mat for her, apparently she had one of her attendants go on hands and knees so she could sit on him and talk eye-to-eye. She rose to power and led a series of military campaigns against the Portuguese.
Rosalin Franklin (1920-1958) Discovered critical information about DNA that led to the famous double helix model, largely uncredited.
Taytu Betel (1851-1918) Empress Taytu Betel was essentially the person in Ethiopia who said, “Pull the other one,” when the Italians tried it on. She noticed that the treaty they’d been given to sign in Amharic didn’t quite match the one the Italians were scrutinising in Italian, in which Ethiopia would have become an Italian protectorate. So she hard-noped them, and saw them off.
Tomyris (?-520 BCE) Queen of the Massagetae (a Saka-Scythian tribal confederation). Cyrus the Great of Persia sought to acquire her kingdom through marriage but she was having none of it. So he attempted it by invasion. The tribes routed his army so he set out a great banquet with lots of wine. When the pursuing warriors found this and got drunk, the Persians ambushed and slaughtered them. Tomyris swore vengeance and led her army to crush the Persians in battle. She sought out the corpse of Cyrus, cut off his head, and shoved it into a bag filled with his soldiers’ blood, proclaiming ‘Drink your fill of blood!’. Which was nice.
Wu Zetian (624 – 705) personal name Wu Zhao, was the de facto ruler of the Tang dynasty from 665 to 705, ruling first through others and then (from 690) in her own right.
Thanks to the contributors: Alan Monk, Alistair Samson, Andreas Persson, Carole Flint, Claire Hearn, Donnie Kelly, Edmund Kyberd, Felicity MacLeod Cullen, Kh Ranitzsch, Marianne Wells, Phil Leedell, Sarah Arnold, Simon S, Skodster Dbg, Staffan Gustafsson, T Micha Trout and Tim Edwards. Anybody can make suggestions, while it’s currently closed for figures 7,8,9 and 10, you will get another chance when we choose the next three, keep tuned.
This project has been a blighter for “things I thought wouldn’t take long but it’s 4am and I’m crying in confusion at the difference between necklines”. Slight exaggeration, no tears, and only 2pm. I thought Ching Shih would be an easy one based on the fact there appeared to be a really clear woodcut of her waist upwards that I could use.
As always, the more I dug, the murkier everything got! These two images are featured in maybe 99% of articles, book illustrations and form the basis of many art pieces of her. Neither is Ching Shih! The second one MAY be, but certainly not contemporary or based on fact. It’s a classic case of something being imitated until nobody knows where it originated.
So, damn. That was my “easy start” obliterated!
Neither of these are Ching Shih!
Before I talk about the design process though… who was she? She lived from 1775-1844 which was the Qing Dynasty in China. Her original name was Sek Yeung, all future names translate to mean widow of her husband – Zheng Yi. I have found different spellings of all throughout this which I think are just variants but please inform me if I’ve gone wrong somewhere. I’ll use Ching Shih for the article as that is how she is commonly known here.
Zheng was the commander of the Red Flags – a band of pirates. His fleet was around 300 ships, which Ching Shih inherited after his death. She took over immediately and over a relatively short period of time, through immense leadership, turned this fleet into around 70,000 crew and 2000 ships, said to be the largest ever. And why isn’t she a household name? Right?
This also is not Ching Shi!
She implemented a notorious code of conduct that gave women more protection, though, of course, they were still all pirates, so it would hardly be considered revolutionary today, but it was at the time. With the aim to make her crews behave better, rules with harsh punishments for how prisoners and female crew mates would be treated were introduced. In her earlier years, Ching Shih had been a sex worker, so you could see how her past experience had made her slightly more defensive of the women brought aboard than a standard male captain, having been in similar positions herself.
The fleet was so large and havoc causing that it attracted the attention of the Chinese Navy, who upon failing drastically to catch or destroy the Red Flag Fleet, eventually agreed to a treaty where she was pardoned, retired, and secured a pretty decent chunk of cash to retire and set up a gambling den for a chilled out and comfy retirement.
What the heck might she have looked like then?
I figured it out! Maybe! As always, there’s the balancing act between 100% accuracy and a cool model, and as always, I reckon I nailed it! So the hat to begin, many show her in a Qingdai guanmao aka Mandarin hat, which is a bit too official and solider like, especially for such a renegade. I did ponder the wide-brimmed straw hat which was commonly used at sea but decided, in the end, it might obscure too much of her face and therefore recognisability. Especially when I discovered that fairly elaborate buns are a hairstyle of choice for many boatwomen in a bit more of a formal setting, I figured that would look cool, and be realistic, as being a pirate queen and all, she would want to look a bit fancy. I’ve gone for a few strands down because of the wind and sea.
In her hands are a sack of coins and a dao, Chinese one-handed sabre. I am a fan of the “en guarde!” pose more than just standing there holding a sword. You just caught her looting your treasures and she won’t go down without a fight!
I am uncertain about the scabbard as to which way it would hang so need to figure that out before it’s sculpted, any ideas?
The clothes are quite simple. A silk tunic, which people can paint designs onto if they like, and some wide-legged fishing trousers. Many portray her wearing wudang socks with the trousers tucked in, but sailors seem to have these open trousers, which I guess dry off a lot quicker.
It seems like I didn’t do much research to get to these but it took such a long time, mostly on what NOT to do, so the result from all that is something simple, yet with a lot behind it. Oh yes, the belt! The belt is a solid status symbol, so that will be all jeweled to show she’s a leader. There isn’t any jewelry because again, she’s at sea.
As always my sketches are not as cool as what the sculptor will come up with, but soon you’ll be able have to trained your eyes to autocorrect to what Alan will make in 3D.
This means that all six of the first Community miniatures are now designed and being sculpted, so we can soon make a start on the next three – I am excited as to who you will choose!
Living a long life from 1122 to 1204, Eleanor managed to reign as Queen of both France and England and is known as a fierce forward striking intellect, as well gentle lover of the arts. I have absorbed so much information on her life and influences during my research that it will be hard to keep short! Also apologies if this isn’t written as well as the others, I wrote a huge chunk, time passed, then came back and edited it heavily once I had learnt much more.
As with many women around this period in history, she is often noted for the men she was connected to, especially her husbands and sons, which can make research frustrating for wanting to find out about her in agency as her own person. The books I have found the best for this research as those by Alison Weir and Sara Cockerill.
She was married to Louis VII of France and then Henry II of England, with her sons Richard and John later becoming Kings of England (and her other EIGHT children basically all being high up somewhere or other!). The first two lumps of power being by marriage and the third by motherhood, she also came with her own inherited wealth. This made Eleanor very sought after as a bride, as well as victim to various plots and rumours to discredit what was an incredibly powerful and influential woman.
Indeed most of her actions of influence seemed to be based around this knowledge and skill of networking to build allies, therefore making herself and her descendants stronger. This is while her male counterparts were doing the more visible (therefore praised) work. For example, Richard I is known for being one of the greatest kings of England but in his 10 year reign was in this country for no more than six months. The country mysteriously ran itself. Oh no wait, there was a woman! Queen Eleanor!
Later in history she started getting the recognition she deserved, though like many of the women we cover, it’s never to the same extent, which is a large reason why we do this. Many will know the name, but not the deeds or legacy. Even 16 years imprisonment by her own husband (Henry II) didn’t stop her ambition. There are also a lot of myths around Eleanor to romanticize her, which can take away credit sometimes of the things she actually did do – like riding through the Pyrenees to escort Berengaria of Navarre to Sicily to marry her son, King Richard I….AGED 70.
My eyes twinkled when I read Niketas Choniates accounts of her riding to the Second Crusade in a golden dress with handmaidens dressed in men’s armour, but Sara Cockerill took the joy away by basically debunking it as non contemporary with no other mentions, and not referring to her by name. Boo. However, this again shows how we view the literal front line battle fighting as such a huge glory, which has definitely been hammered in through patriarchal history, whereas often it is though who never drew a blade who had the most impact.
Meeting Eleanor!
That’s me there, on the right!
Much like Eleanor, I have many skills, including the ability to build a time machine – which I did, to go back in time and meet her! Thanks so much to the Queen herself for showing me around some of her vast lands, unlike her rubbish son John Lackland (literally, lacking lands)
We had a lovely stroll where I got to ask her lots of questions and admire Sherwood Forest and it’s many ancient oaks. I also found out plenty about the history of the forest itself and the time of the Robin Hood tales – what was happening in England at that time. Of course the stories intertwine as Eleanor is indeed mum of both John and Richard – the former renowned for rising taxes to restore the money frittered away by the latter! I also learnt that if there was a Robin Hood, then he wouldn’t have been a fox. Dagnammit.
Designing the Miniature
Effigy of Eleanor of Aquitaine in the church of Fontevraud Abbey [photo by Adam Bishop]
This took much longer than I imagined, because I got so fascinated with the history, and the back and forthing between rumour, myth and reality. While I know some were keen for a fighting Eleanor a la Angus Mcbride, storming to battle, I wanted to represent her more realistically, and to her strengths.
Of course the pre raphaelites adored the romanticisation of this era and she has been portrayed very much in a flowing locks fantasy princess sort of manner. I’m now getting quite good at medieval fashion, so drew on the information I already knew from researching Black Agnes, though different as she is earlier on. No tippets, for example!
Victorian depiction of Eleanor, which looked like it’s based off the tomb effigy.
In the Agnes post I was unsure on whether I had designed her in a wimple or gorget, and I can confirm it’s wimple for Agnes, Gorget for Eleanor! I wasn’t sure of the difference but get it now. The gorget is a bit like a helmet strap, not covering the rest of the neck. A chin strap.
A good likeness of Eleanor is her tomb effigy, which she commissioned in life, and shows her reading. I’m not sure whether this is a representation of her love of knowledge and literature, or The Bible, or both! But you know how attached I get to the people I research – if she wanted herself shown with a book, then heck yes I will grant her that! So the mini needs a book.
What else to ramp up her royalty? She’s sometimes shown with a falcon, and we love a good bird-on-arm pose right. So then I got into researching medieval falconry. As one does. The gyrfalcon was reserved for royalty, so definitely one of those. They’re also BIG, which helps for a mini, so it’s not just a lil hard to see thing, you won’t miss this.
Figure Design (c) Annie Norman 2023
A falcon and a book, what more could a gal want? A crown I guess a cape, and a cool dress, though I speak only for myself. And Eleanor! For the clothes design I have gone pretty much straight off the funeral effigy as it’s accurate. I found the cape fastening interesting as it’s very wide.
Regarding the pose, this took me the longest. Also to note: I can’t show you all the references used as I’m not sure 100% on a commercial blog what can be used, so I’m playing it safe. I looked up gyrfalcons of course, and found great photos of people holding them, and how they sit on a hand.
Controversially…. I didn’t want to put a glove on her. But you would really need one, those things puncture! I didn’t want her to be in the process of hawking, more posing with it as a status symbol, as if I was painting her portrait, which is kind of how I’m treating this project. I’ve chosen a perch which she is holding, so her hands are safe, it looks cool, and she doesn’t have a big distracting glove on.
Gyrfalcon
I had my housemate Andy pose in various different ways with the book, as we both walked around the living room holding books and walking looking totally normal to anybody passing by. Acting natural is hard! As with the effigy, I want it to be either representing The Bible or just something else she holds dear to her heart, so she would be holding it carefully and well…. dear to her heart. Nice symbolism Annie. Thanks, Me.
As with all my scribbles, the details are saved for reference pictures to the sculptor, so some aren’t needed, it’s more an idea of the final figure. I’m sure Alan will do something cool with the cloak and dress, so I don’t need to draw exactly where the folds are, for example.
I could keep typing forever but it’s been a long day! And I promised myself I wouldn’t go to bed til this is done, so sleep is winning. I also haven’t proofread this back so apologies if it’s inane ramble.
The sketches are getting better I think, that’s a good thing! Getting the hang of drawing on the tablet (ie directly on the screen) and prefer it to paper now.
What do you think? I wanted to keep this fairly classical but not be boring. As for wargaming figures, she will make a great leader character or on a shared base perhaps with King Louis in the Second Crusade, or King Richard in the third. Or just a cool queeny model.
Donor portrait in a 12th-century psalter in the Royal Library of the Netherlands, thought to depict an older Eleanor.
Night night!
Edit: I didn’t want her to be reading the book as I didn’t want it to look like the tomb effigy had creepily just rose up to vertical!
Community Miniatures Project 