Growing Your Own: The Possibility of Oldhammer Style Miniatures?

Insert Chaos Weapon here...

Recently, I have been waxing lyrical about two of the big three heavyweights of own niche of niche hobby, namely wargames scenarios and games tables.

So what's the third, you may wonder?

Well, if gaming in in highest form consists of creating your own detailed and challenging scenarios and working with others in your gaming group to produce massive, ambitious gaming tables then surely designing your own miniatures to actually play with is of equally great importance?

After spending an idle hour or two researching about how manufacturers (and committed wargamers) actually design and cast metal (and resin) models I got to wondering if I could do it myself. As far as I understand, casting in metal is a skill to be developed and improved just like writing, painting or sculpting. There are also a wide range of products available on-line that allow you to create rubber moulds and produce components and models at home.

This got me thinking (hypothetically, I mighty add) about what I'd want from a range of miniatures that would enhance the collection of Old School lead that I already own. Here are my thoughts on my 'ethos' of a miniature range...

1) The miniatures should be cast in metal. This is the material I prefer as they feel solid and 'real'. The weight of metal provides, for me anyway, with a far more tactile experience over plastic or resin. 

2) The design ethos needs to be based in reality. Unrealistic armours and weapons are not to my tastes. Nothing pushes me away from a range like oversized weapons (or weapons that would be useless if actually used by real soldiers) or ridiculous armours (like those often worn by female characters, that offer no real protection and plenty of flesh to oggle).

3) Use historical reference as major source material, particularly the later medieval period. This should be reflected in character clothing, equipment and so on. 

4) Inject character back into the models. No ranks of identikit blandness for me, and no multi-part plastic kits. I want my models to have a 'soul' to them. And I am sorry, the only way to achieve this is to have a sculptor skilled enough to actually put one there. 

Pig Faced Orcs by Otherworld. Though based on the design ethos of American D&D fantasy, they prove that Old School inspired models are a possibility.

So this leaves me to ask a few questions. Do you agree with my 'ethos' on design? Have you ever cast your own models, and if so can you offer any hints or tips at how best to start? Have you ever commissioned a sculptor to produce a mini, if so, how much did they charge?

Hoping to hear from you all soon...

Orlygg