Last August, Corvus Belli kicked off their annual painting contest, and by November, they launched another one! As a fan of Corvus Belli miniatures and the Infinity universe, I couldn’t resist jumping in again. This time around, I decided to keep my project simple — focusing on the miniature itself instead of getting too carried away with a complex background or base. Sometimes, less is more, right?
After some serious brainstorming, I settled on painting the Digger Armed Prospector. This Infinity miniatures figure is a tough, resourceful miner, so it felt like the perfect subject for this challenge. Being a miner, I envisioned her in a rugged mining terrain. That idea pretty much determined the direction for the base, which I kept simple but effective with a weathered 50mm base and a backdrop of mine walls to set the scene.
One thing that immediately stood out about miners is the need for light — especially in the dark, ominous depths of a mine. To give my prospector the most realistic feel, I knew I had to add some lighting features. The inspiration came from real-world miners wearing headlamps, so I knew I had to put one on her forehead. But why stop there? I thought back to the iconic Aliens movie and remembered the shoulder-mounted lights the Colonial Marines had. That gave me the idea to add powerful shoulder lights to my miner — after all, she’s in the future, and technology’s evolved.
So, the plan was set: a basic mine terrain, with a headlamp and shoulder-mounted lights, all working together to highlight this powerful miner.
I built the shoulder-mounted light using plastic card, tubes, and thin wires for the cables. For the terrain itself, I kept things simple with more plastic card and bits to create beams and support structures.
As for the color scheme, I took some inspiration from the official art box design, leaning toward yellow accents. But I decided to make her pants blue — after all, miners are often seen in jeans, and I imagined that, even in the future, that classic style would hold on. It gave the character a bit of a vintage vibe, which I loved. And yes, I might’ve even added some test red scribbles on her armor just for fun!
The real challenge came with painting the light effects. I did some research on object-source lighting and gave it a shot. While I’m pleased with the result, I know there’s room for improvement, so I’ll definitely be practicing more to refine this technique.
Now, for a little creative fun, here’s a short story to set the scene for Ally, our fearless prospector:
“Ally’s ears perked up at the faint sound echoing through the mine. In her power-packed mining suit, she felt every vibration of the terrain beneath her feet. The suit, a beast of metal and hydraulics, powered by cutting-edge technology, amplified her strength and made her feel more machine than human. With her red bandana snug on her head and a trusty headlamp illuminating her path, her KX75 shoulder lights cut through the surrounding darkness. She was ready for whatever the mine’s depths had in store.
Her chain rifle was gripped firmly in one powerful arm, while the other clenched her massive mining hammer — a tool built for both destruction and defense.
Guided by the bright lights and sensors of her shoulder-mounted KX75 system, and the hum of her exo-suit’s systems, Ally moved cautiously through Sector 02. The mine around her was a labyrinth of shifting shadows, but her suit’s enhanced strength and precision gave her the confidence to move forward without hesitation. As she reached the sector’s edge, she paused, scanning the darkness for movement, her power lights flickering slightly in the dim.
Then, a silhouette appeared in the distance. Without missing a beat, her mechanical fingers tightened on the chain rifle’s trigger. The soft click of metal as the weapon’s system engaged blended with the increased pressure of her grip on the hammer. Her voice rang out, sharp and commanding: “Who goes there?”
Overall, I’m super happy with how the Digger Armed Prospector turned out for the Corvus Belli painting contest. While I feel good about the results, there’s always room to grow, especially in techniques like object source lighting and weathering. Miniature painting is all about experimenting, learning, and improving, and I can’t wait to dive deeper into these areas in future projects.
