Patreon, Kickstarter, Direct Sales, & Kindness

Patreon is one of the 4 major ways for Terrain and Miniature makers to get funding for their work.  The other I see, are Kickstarter , Direct Sales through a website, and donations through Thingiverse.  

Getting the word out is as important as creating great terrain or miniatures.  Patreon is a great way to help promote your work as well as give incentives to your patrons (or customers) to support you and get the word out.  Most of the designers on this list have pieces on multiple sites.  Many host sites where they sell terrain, or sell through another site like drivethrurpg, Gambody, or Wargame Vault.  

You can find direct links to makers in The Directory.

Worlds Over Run was the 50th Patreon listed.  

Patreon Roundup 

Here is the list of Patreon campaigns I am aware of.  If any are missing, please email me.  

  • 2nd DynastyThis is a Patreon for 2nd Dynasty to sell his pieces commercially.  
  • 3D Forge: This Patreon features impressive fantasy and Science Fiction terrain for your gaming table.  He’s come up with an interesting way to create a corridor system (think Space Hulk/Necromunda) using 5MM magnets.  Among many other things.
  • 3D Hexes: They have been around the community for quite some time.  They are now jumping into the Patreon arena.  They specialize in ruins scatter terrain.  
  • 3D Printed Tabletop: Danny, your friendly neighborhood 3D Printing DM has created his own Patreon.  Featuring the latest videos and content he releases.  Help support the videos and his channel by joining this Patreon.
  • Aether StudiosStarted by William Walker, this team of artists make Dragonbite compatible 3D terrain, scatter and miniatures for your tabletop games. They create fantasy and sci-fi models with occasional remixes of current FDG products.
  • AMINI3D: This Patreon is a fantasy miniatures Patreon.  He is concentrating more on dynamic monsters for use in games, though some could be used as exotic characters.  
  • Archvillain Games: They are creating printable miniatures and terrain for your tabletop games.  It looks like they are going for a more fantasy feel with a certain demonic look.
  • Asgard Rising: This Patreon is primarily about Viking miniatures.  It looks like they are adding more each month.  There is also a level that adds terrain as well.  
     Art of Mike: This is Patreon for a number of great looking sci-fi releases.  Terrific looking miniatures fitting for Necromunda and other games.  He even has some vehicles, bases and terrain that are all sci-fi thematic.  
  • Artisan Guild: This is a fantasy based Patreon with highly stylized miniatures for your 3D Printing.  They also have a few terrain pieces available right now.  I’m hearing that most people print at 85-90% for correct 28mm scale.  
  • Bad Tentacles – Worlds Over RunErik Askue is releasing new terrain on Patreon.  He creates all kinds of great looking Sci-Fi terrain.  This Patreon sees him branching out to fantasy, Gaslands and more.
  • Battle Yak Miniatures:  This Patreon features fantasy miniatures.  They look to be very detailed and look good.  Each month has a different theme. 
  • Black Carrot Design: BCD is creating miniatures for RPGs.  He is also releasing some terrain like the Hangman’s Tree.
  • Black Omen: This is another miniatures Patreon with some very cool looking miniatures being produced.  He produces 1 a week for Patrons. 
  • Black Scrolls GamesThis is another miniatures modeler.  He makes some cool monster miniatures that you can print at home.
  • BriteMinis: This is Patreon that features fantasy 3D Miniatures.  These miniatures are support free, to make them print well on FDM printers.  
  • Capsule Chibi: Bringing 3D printed Chibi characters to your 3D printer.  This includes dungeon tiles, vehicles as well as the cute Chibi miniatures, as far as I can tell.
  • Cast N Play: This is a group of artists that have come together to create models (Miniatures and Terrain) for the community.  They feature a TON of miniatures each month in various themes.  
  • Comet Lord Miniatures: This artist is creating a number of different miniatures.  He’s been producing tabletop miniatures for some time, and is making the jump to 3D Printable models.
  • CrossLances Studios: The ever talented Filippo Giovannini has created a Patreon featuring his incredible miniatures.  It looks to be fantasy based like his previous works.
  • Cult Miniatures: This Patreon features fantasy based Miniatures.  This is another set of highly detailed models.  What is cool, is they release both thematic miniatures but also terrain for each month.  Plus, digital kitbashing.
  • The Cult of PickleThis Patreon is releasing Monsters to cause Mayhem in your D&D and fantasy based games.  He is also including stat blocks for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition with each release.  
  • Dice Heads: These are pretty cool.  They are not exactly gaming files, but definately gaming adjacent.  They are fantasy miniatures with a D20 for a head.  They are very creative. 
  • The Dragon’s Rest: He creates 28mm terrain.  His first release is fantasy, but his site features a number of sci-fi.  You can also get his commercial tier this way.  
  • Dread Forge Miniatures: This is a Patreon that features a number of fantasy creatures and heroes each month.  These are set up to print on FDM and Resin printers.  With several months of development, this is a pretty well developed Patreon.  
  • Duncan Shadow Louca: Duncan is well known for his character creations.  He also releases terrain pieces that are spectacular.  I’ve yet to print any of his characters, but I have printed several terrain pieces.
  • DungeonPrint Studio:  This is both software and terrain files.   The main reason I backed it, was for the terrific mapping capabilities, allowing me to build up dungeons virtually to find out what pieces I need.  They also offer free sets of terrain that the community votes on which is really nice.
  • Epics ‘N’ Stuffs: Lance Wilkinson is creating printable Figures for D&D and for display.  He has a few monsters to start with but plans to include demons, other creatures, dinosaurs and more. 
  • Fabio Schizzo : Fabio is creating various, highly detailed fantasy miniatures.  Even the monster miniatures are more highly detailed characters than most. 
  • Francesco A. Pizzo: Releasing fantasy and sci-fi miniatures to print, as well as scenic elements and game aids.
  • GameScape3DThey are releasing some new pieces to expand their previous OpenPeg lines and plans to build out new looks using existing pieces.  One level is for previous Kickstarter backers that only includes the extra pieces he develops.  The other level is for those that did not back Kickstarters and need all the pieces for the new buildings.
  • GloomyKid Minis:  This is a Patreon dedicated to various fantasy miniatures for D&D and Pathfinder games.  He gives back to the community by releasing most of his models on Thingiverse.
  • Goon Master Games: This Patreon is dedicated to all kinds of fantasy miniatures and some terrain.  It looks like a monthly release of a lot of miniatures. 
  • Hardcoeur Studios: This is a Patreon that features a number of modern and sci-fi miniatures.  He is interested in sci-fi, cyberpunk, and fantasy.
  • Heroes Infinite: Raging Heroes is creating fantasy miniatures for your gaming table.  Each month they release a number of miniatures based on a set theme.
  • Hobgoblin3D: This is a Patreon that features miniatures for fantasy games in a 28mm scale.  They will also have props and terrain.  
  • Ill Gotten Games:  Ill Gotten Games is well-known and prolific in the modeling terrain and miniatures community.  He has funded numerous Kickstarters and released loads of models for free.  From Miniatures to Terrain, to creating full-blown fully printable games, Ill Gotten Games does it all.
  • Imperial Terrain:  Imperial Terrain is doing a monthly, Patreon like service that features a subscription for their terrain.  They feature terrific scuplts that are easy to print.   Sci-Fi and Star Wars Legion themed terrain.
  • Jeremy Smith: Jeremy is creating a wide assortment of miniatures.  He features heroes, and monsters, and others.  Very well done miniatures. 
  • JGSculpts: Jake is sculpting fantasy creatures and heroes for 3D Printing.  These are 28mm miniatures.
  • Kaede Game SculptureMark is a professional sculptor by trade.  His Patreon brings fantasy miniatures to gamers.  You will have to actually click on his Instagram feed to see any of his work.
  • LabradoriteWolf: This Patreon is about creating monsters and characters for fantasy tabletop games. She is taking mundane creatures that everyone is familiar with and makes them unique by adding a creative twist to their designs.  
  • Lion Tower Miniatures: This sculptor is all about miniatures.  He has very stylize miniatures for fantasy games.
  • Lord of the Print: This Patreon features fantasy miniatures and some terrain to go along with them.  The miniatures go from small to huge and follow a monthly theme.
  • Lost Kingdom Miniatures: This is a Patreon featuring a number of fantasy miniatures released each month.  They go with a monthly theme for their miniatures pack. 
  • Manuel Boria: Character artist creating beautiful looking miniatures.
  • Madox Zombie Survivors: This is a Patreon all about the Zombie apocalypse.  He is planning on doing 3 thematic releases over 3 months.  Survivors, Zombies, and then scenery.
  • Masters of Mimic: This Patreon is about monsters and mimics, and not particularly in that order.  They are planning on releasing a number of mimics of different sorts plus monsters.  
  • Masterwork Tools: Masterwork tools was the first Patreon I funded.  This is a fantasy friendly Patreon that produces some amazing terrain, that he releases on Thingiverse.  He’s also done some miniatures.  
  • Matt Mason – PRIMEVAL:  Matt is known for his terrific terrain, starting with Star Wars Legion, but has been branching out. This latest project is for his new game, PRIMEVAL that will be releasing in 2019.  It looks like you will get access to minis and terrain as part of this Patreon.
  • MEGS3D: Megs is making some pretty intricate looking fantasy miniatures.  He also includes tips on modeling for backers.  
  • Mia Kay’s 3D Models (M3DM):  Mia is creating miniatures in 3D (as well as available printed).  The 3D model tier is very inexpensive for such good looking models.
  • Mini Flayer: This is a fantasy based Miniature Patreon (He says D&D / Pathfinder specifically).  It features models for PCs as well as NPCs, monsters and more.  It’s a relatively inexpensive Patreon to buy into.  
  • Mini Monster Mayhem: All the Dragons, all the time.  This Patreon will feature a dragon a month with an alternate pose.  
  • Monstrous EncountersThis is a Patreon by James Boykin that features a number of miniatures for gaming.  He has a track record of great miniatures that you can see on his website.
  • Mystic Pigeon Gaming:  This is a pretty complete Patreon.  From miniatures to dice boxes to terrain as well as dice towers objective markers and more.  And that’s just part of the welcome package.  He is creating items for both fantasy and sci-fi giving you a wide selection of genres.  
  • mz4250: Miguel is well known for his character creations as well, though for his, he is making all the monsters in the D&D Monster Manuals.  He’s already released a TON of miniatures and continues to make more awesome models at a breakneck pace.
  • Nickey’s Hatchery: Nicky is creating fantasy based miniatures and terrain, though he has done sci-fi in the past.  These are detailed STL miniature files that he is releasing.
  • NovaMinis: They are creating 28mm fantasy miniatures.  So far, most of the models are miniatures, but there is also some terrain that fits with the miniatures as well for the month.  
  • Noximous’ TableTop: This Patreon is all about the miniatures.  It is a fantasy based Patreon.  The miniatures are diverse and diverse in size from small to massive.
  • OnmiojiThis Patreon is all about fantasy miniatures.  He creates a number of core miniatures and reworks them with alternate poses for variety.  He also creates a few terrain pieces.  A few are support-free as well.
  • Orbital Games: They are creating a Print and Play 15mm/6mm wargame.  There are 5 factions with different strengths to choose from.  The Patreon offers the rules and access to the printable units for play.  
  • Orc King  3D MiniaturesOrc King is creating a large number of miniatures.  They seem to be all fantasy based minis.  He is saying he is making figures for D&D, Pathfinder, Warhammer and more.
  • Pinyo – Dark Realms: Pinyo is creating STL files for your tabletop game.  He features terrain as well as miniatures and seems to lean towards fantasy sculpts with some sci-fi tossed in for good measure.
  • Print Your MonstersThis is Patreon that is all about monsters and mutants.  These have a more Horror type bent and features both miniatures and busts. 
  • Printed Obsession This Patreon is all about the monster Minis.  Along with a few small creatures he is creating 1 large create and a 75mm scale model or bust each month.
  • The Printing Goes Ever On:  This Patreon is creating fantasy miniatures.  These look to be hero minis and there are some modular figures that are part of this.
  • RG sculpt: This Patreon has fantasy miniatures and small terrain that he is releasing.  He also says he will be doing some “collectibles” as part of the Patreon. 
  • RN Estudio: This is a Pateron that features a number of different miniatures each month.  These look to be fantasy based miniatures and so far, predominately look like Adventurers based on the detail and look.
  • Rocket Pig Games: A company that has been around for some time in the 3D Printing market.  They have several Kickstarters under their belt and have now moved over to Patreon.  This one is mainly about miniatures though they have some very large “Miniatures”.
  • SableBadger: SableBadger has been producing amazing models on Thingiverse for quite a while.  He produces models for games I play like Star Wars Legion and Gaslands. He also has produced terrain for fantasy wargames.  Along with those, he’s got more projects on his list.
  • Saturnalia Studios: This Patreon features everything needed to play Fire and Sails, their 3D Printable Navel Combat game. This brings the Age of Sails to your game board, and your printer.  I’m always interested in fully 3D Printable games.  
  • Schlossbauer: This Patreon is all fantasy miniatures.  A few will be fan art and many original pieces as well.
  • The Smiths of Urth: This two person team features fantasy (and a few sci-fi) miniatures.  They feature bowmen, crossbowmen, and different types of infantry plus some mounted knights and skirmishers.  As time goes on, they’ll be adding assorted monsters as well.
  • TJ’s 3D Designs: This is a Patreon that features fantasy miniatures.  
  • ThatEvilOne: This is an animator turned modeler, so his miniatures seem to have a bit more dynamic poses.  He also creates Sci-Fi miniatures.  
  • The Makers Cult: This is a 3 person team that is bringing their expertise to creating an assortment of Sci-Fi miniatures and vehicles.  If you don’t want to join their Patreon, they also have a store.  
  • Terrain 4 Print: I have backed him on Kickstarter in the past, and he has started this Patreon campaign that pretty much covers all kinds of terrain.  He’s done fantasy ruins, hills, sci-fi terrain and Star Wars Legion terrain.  He covers a little bit of everything.
  • Thunder Chrome: The fine folks from Thunder Chrome have started a Patreon to start selling terrain that features their terrific looking sci-fi/Post Apocalyptic scenery.  I’ve always loved the look of their line of terrain.  If this is the style of terrain you need for your gaming table, you should check them out.  
  • Titan-Forge Mininatures: He is creating some very cool looking, highly detailed models  These all look to be fantasy based.  They They have a pretty interesting selection that is very unique.  Check them out.
  • Treeviews 3D: This is a fantasy based miniature maker.  So far it has mostly been monsters.  This is interesting because you will get multiple poses of miniatures.  Supportless (Or a few built in supports) and a more complex/dynamic pose that requires supports.  
  • TytanTroll Miniatures: This Patreon is all fantasy miniatures.  He has done work for some game studios in the past and lists them in his Patreon.  This is his own gig to get his own works out there. 
  • Vae Victis Miniatures: This is a duo making fantasy terrain and miniatures for the wargaming table.  They have a wide variety. 
  • Valandar: Creating awesome videos of his great character sculpts.  You can see how the magic is made in real time.
  • Velrock Art: This is a character/miniatures Patreon.  He releases miniatures for free, but if you join his Patreon, you get them a month early and get to vote for the models he releases.
  • VirtuallyJason: Creating 3D models for all kinds of games.  Fantasy so far.  He has several items on his Thingiverse profile as well.  He is also doing this for the good of the community, giving back through Creative Commons releases.
  • Voidbound Studios: This Patreon is a true multi-media experience.  (or, just the STL files).  First, they are creating a VTT product called the Nether Engine.  It’s not quite ready (as of writing this) but the Patreon goes to help fund it.  In the VTT (and others of your choosing) you can load up their animated battle maps.  They also include ambient sound effects for a visual and auditory experience.  They are teaming up with Archvillain Games for STL for miniatures and terrain to place on the virtual table top.  Plus, they are including virtual tokens for use in the VTT.  Like I said, a full multi-media experience.  Check the tiers for what you want.  STLs are in the 2nd tier and that 3rd, all in, tier.  
  • Will Sutton – Zandoria: Will has been part of the community for a while and has a newer Patreon.  He features fantasy type miniatures that are a little different (in a good way).
  • Yasashii Kyojin Studio: This is a low-cost Patreon ($1/$2) with an additional limited merchant funding level.  He is creating miniatures and terrain for fantasy games.
  • Zenphyre: This Patreon focuses on FDM friendly fantasy miniatures.  He’s producing primarily Dungeons and Dragons minis with some exclusive models mixed in of his own design.  

What should the costs be?

I back a number of these.  They seem to cost from $1 to $10 with added tiers above those for special rewards.  Personally, I have always viewed Patreon as a “low-cost” way to support modelers.  It seems beyond $5 starts to get steep to me.  It’s a site that makes its money based on a high volume at low cost.  With all of these new campaigns, differentiation may become a deciding factor as well as price.