Tom Meier is a
sculptor
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
, a founding partner of
Ral Partha Enterprises
Formed in 1975, Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, is now known as ''Ral Partha Legacy Ltd.'' and produces miniature figures in 25 mm, 30 mm, 15 mm, and 54 mm scale. The company's products are m ...
, and the winner of numerous awards for the design and sculpture of historical, fantasy and science fiction gaming miniatures.
Meier began sculpting professionally at the age of 15 and won his first H.G. Wells award just two years later. His earliest work was in the bulky style of
Heritage Miniatures
Heritage may refer to:
History and society
* A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today
** Cultural heritage is created by humans
** Natural heritage is not
* Heritage language
Biology
* Heredity, biological inheritance of physica ...
for whom he briefly worked. After the founding of Ral Partha in 1975, he was inspired by the art in fables and fairy tales and developed a style which emphasized beauty and natural proportion. A second lasting contribution was the popularization of sculpting in two-part ribbon
epoxy putty
Epoxy putty refers to a group of room-temperature-hardening substances used as space-filling adhesives. Exact compositions vary according to manufacturer and application. They are stored until used as two components of clay-like consistency. Knead ...
designed for automotive repair. Commonly known as "green stuff," the epoxy held detail better than traditional media. Between 1977 and 1992 Tom's work won more than two dozen awards and he was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in 1991. In 1988, he left Ral Partha to start up his own company, Thunderbolt Mountain and does commission work for large and small game manufacturers.
Artistry
Meier's signature lines include:
*Ral Partha ''Fantasy Line'', ''ES/01-xxx
Personalities and Things that Go Bump in the Night'' 25mm miniatures
[Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1978 Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1979 Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1980 Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1982 Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1983 Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1984 Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1985 Fantasy Catalog.][Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1986 Catalog.]
*Ral Partha ''AN/35-xxx The Hoplites'' 25mm miniatures included Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Gauls, Early Republic Romans and Macedonians .
[Ral Partha Advertisement, Dragon Magazine #11, December 1977.]
*Ral Partha ''11/42-xxx 1200 A.D.'' 25mm miniatures included Vikings, English, French, Spanish, Moorish, Mongol, and Sung Chinese soldiers.
*Ral Partha ''E-xxx Wizards, Warriors and Warlocks'' 25mm miniatures included some of Meier's earliest work
*Ral Partha ''GG-xxx Galactic Grenadiers: Strike Force Alpha'' 25mm miniatures
*Ral Partha ''S/97-xxx Partha
Personalities
Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that examines personality and its variation among individuals. It aims to show how people are individually different due to psychological forces. Its areas of focus include:
* construction of a ...
'', and lines of 25mm miniature dungeon accessories (''D/97-xxx'') and weapons (''D/97-5xx'').
*Ral Partha ''15/54-xxx Condotitieri'' 25mm miniatures, a line of Renaissance era figures.
*Ral Partha ''88-xxx The Colonials'' which included 25mm miniatures for the
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following the passing of the British North America Act of 1867 forming a federation in Canada, Lord Carnarvon thought that a similar political effort, coupl ...
,
Northwest Frontier, and the
Sudan Campaign
The Mahdist War ( ar, الثورة المهدية, ath-Thawra al-Mahdiyya; 1881–1899) was a war between the Mahdist Sudanese of the religious leader Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah, who had proclaimed himself the "Mahdi" of Islam (the "Guided On ...
.
[Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1985 Historical Catalog.]
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''25mm Dragons''.
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''25mm Arthurians.''
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''30mm High Elves.''
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''30mm Wood Elves.''
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''30mm Goblins.''
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''30mm Humans.''
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''30mm Savage and Sparkle.''
* Thunderbolt Mountain ''1/48 scale French and Indian War.''
* Fox Miniatures ''1/48 scale American Airborne and German Grenadiers.''
* Dreamland Toyworks ''Mythos Buddies,'' novelties designed by
John Kovalic
John Kovalic (born Robert John Kovalic, Jr. on 24 November 1962) is an American cartoonist, illustrator, and writer.
Career
Born in Manchester, England, Kovalic is best known for his ''Dork Tower'' comic book, comic strip, and webcomic, and oth ...
.
Meier also contributed to:
*Ral Partha ''98-xxx
The Adventurers'' 25mm miniatures.
[Ral Partha Advertisement, Dragon Magazine #49, May 1981.]
*Ral Partha ''01-3xx 3-Stage Characters'' line which consisted of 25mm miniatures depicting three aspects of the a single character's game career.
*Ral Partha Advanced Dungeons and Dragons figures ''10-56x Battlesystem Brigades (25mm)'', ''11-9xx Battlesystem Brigades (15mm)'', Adventurers ''11-0xx'' and monsters (''11-4xx'').
[Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. 1991 Catalog.]
* Ral Partha Battletech Mechs and vehicles miniatures ''20-8xx''
* Lance and Laser ''Pendragon'' (with Sandra Garrity)
* Dark Sword Miniatures ''Larry Elmore Masterworks.''
* Dark Sword Miniatures ''Visions of Fantasy.''
* Dark Sword Miniatures ''George R.R. Martin Masterworks.''
* Dark Sword Miniatures ''Kieth Parkinson Masterworks.''
Awards
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so (for example) the 1979 aw ...
s / H.G. Wells Awards
Origins Game Fair, Accessed November 24, 2008.
*1977 - Best Fantasy Figure Series (Ral Partha ''ES/01-xxx Fantasy Line'').
*1978 - Best Historical Figure Series (Ral Partha ''11/42-xxx 1200 A.D.'').
*1978 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''Fantasy Collectors Series'' (Ral Partha ''CS/02-xxx'').
*1979 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''Collectibles'' (Ral Partha ''CS/02-xxx'').
*1980 - Best Historical Figure Series - ''Condottieri'' (Ral Partha ''15/54-xxx'').
*1980 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''Personalities'' (Ral Partha ''ES/01-xxx'').
*1981 - Best Historical Figure Series - ''Condottieri'' (Ral Partha ''15/54-xxx'').
*1982 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''Personalities & Things That Go Bump In The Night'' (Ral Partha ''ES/01-xxx'').
*1983 - Best Vehicular Series - ''25mm Dwarf Steam Cannon'' (Ral Partha ''02-030'').
*1984 - Best Historical Figure Series - ''25mm Colonials'' (Ral Partha ''88-xxx Zulus and Northwest Frontier'').
*1984 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''25mm Personalities'' (Ral Partha ''ES/01-xxx'').
*1986 - Best Vehicular or Accessory Series - ''
BattleTech
''BattleTech'' is a wargaming and military science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2001, which was in turn acquired by Topps in 2003; and published since 2007 by Catalyst Game Labs. The trademark ...
Mech.'' (Ral Partha ''20-8xx'' with
Bob Charrette
Robert N. Charrette (born 1953) is an American graphic artist, game designer, sculptor and author. Charrette has authored more than a dozen novels. His gaming materials have received many Origins Awards. Charrette was inducted in the Origins Hall o ...
and
Julie Guthrie
Julie may refer to:
* Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name
Film and television
* ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day
* ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhava ...
).
*1988 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series -
TSR's ''
AD&D
In insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) is a policy that pays benefits to the beneficiary if the cause of death is an accident. This is a limited form of life insurance which is generally less expensive, or in some cases is an add ...
Series'' (Ral Partha ''11-xxx'' with
Dennis Mize
Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius.
The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is sometime ...
).
[Dragon Magazine #149, September 1989.]
*1988 - Best Vehicular or Accessory Series - ''BattleTech Mechs'' (Ral Partha ''20-8xx'' with Bob Charrette and Julie Guthrie).
*1989 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''
Dragonlance
''Dragonlance'' is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived ''Dragonlance'' while driving in t ...
Heroes Line'' (Ral Partha ''10-502'' with Dennis Mize and Richard Kerr).
*1989 - Best Vehicular Miniatures Series - ''BattleTech Mechs and Vehicles'' (Ral Partha ''20-xxx'' with Dave Summers,
Sandy Garrity
Sandy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Sandy (surname), a list of people
*Sandy (singer), Brazilian singer and actress Sandy Leah Lima (born 1983)
*(Sandy) A ...
, Richard Kerr, Bob Charrette, and Julie Guthrie).
*1991 - Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Figure Series - ''
Shadowrun
''Shadowrun'' is a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in an alternate future in which cybernetics, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy and crime, with occasional elements of conspir ...
'' (Ral Partha ''20-5xx'' with Dennis Mize and Dave Summers).
*1991 - Best Vehicular Miniatures Series - ''BattleTech Mechs & Vehicles'' (Ral Partha ''20-xxx'' with
Jeff Wilhelm, Dave Summers, Sandy Garrity, Richard Kerr, Bob Charrette, and Julie Guthrie).
*1991 - Best Historical Miniatures Series - ''Pendragon Knight and Lady Set'' (Lance & Laser ''P 01-08, 4001-4008)
*1992 - Best Vehicular Miniatures Series - ''BattleTech Mechs & Vehicles'' (Ral Partha ''20-8xx'' with Jeff Wilhelm, Dave Summers, Sandy Garrity, Richard Kerr, Bob Charrette, and Julie Guthrie).
Strategist Club "Creativity in Wargaming" Award
*1978 - Outstanding Miniature Figure Line - ''Fantasy Collectors Series'' (Ral Partha ''CS/02-xxx'').
*1979 - Outstanding Miniatures Figure Line - ''Condottieri'' (Ral Partha ''15/54-xxx'').
The Courier Award
*1979 - Best Historical Miniature Line - ''Condottieri'' (Ral Partha ''15/54-xxx'').
Games Day Awards
*1979 - Best Range SF/F Figures - ''Personalities and Things that Go Bump in the Night'' (Ral Partha ''ES/01-xxx'').
[White Dwarf Magazine #16, December/January 1979/1980.]
*1980 - Best Figures Range, Historical - ''1200 A.D.'' (Ral Partha ''11-xxx'').
[White Dwarf Magazine #22, December/January 1980/1981]
References
External links
Thunderbolt Mountain(DEAD LINK)
Tom Meier Sculpting and Design(current site)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meier, Tom
Living people
Miniatures games
Origins Award winners
Scale modeling
1960 births