Maru's Den Avicenna V2 & Tooha

[Maru]

ok as i trolled some ppl i should give chances for revenge :0
so a Commissioned piece of Morat (ye im Mercenary painter )

next probably daktari and promised Go Go Marlene

[Crushar]

AWESOME! He looks like he has just gotten out of some "action" and is taking a moment before killing again!

[kidterminal]

The light effects are great,

[Arachas]

Funny, I have kind of mixed feelings when I see this. Don't get me wrong, I love it. But perhaps I can offer some constructive criticism?

On the one hand, the light effects are off-the-charts cool. The way you use gradients to go from light to dark are unbelievable. And yet you mix it up with, what seems, sloppy highlighting. Especially the backside of the model looks really messy. Or is that just the photograph?

[Maru]

off focus photo this dude looks like he is wearing a refrigerator
same blury effect is visible on axe as it go out of focus

[savonarola]

Funny, I have kind of mixed feelings when I see this. Don't get me wrong, I love it. But perhaps I can offer some constructive criticism?

On the one hand, the light effects are off-the-charts cool. The way you use gradients to go from light to dark are unbelievable. And yet you mix it up with, what seems, sloppy highlighting. Especially the backside of the model looks really messy. Or is that just the photograph?

he has got this style. messy and brave. and specific, you do recognize it. I prefer to like it. do not forget these are comiission, that says a lot also. as tabletop this kind of style can easily dominate visually and that is what he bears in mind. I remember one day when my super clean black-grey mini was considered "unpainted" in the common bad light of a lgs. I definitely like minis with style and brave mess can be so relaxing.

[Maru]

hum more or less
thats the style i kind of Learned working with studio painters on commissions , the goal was - mini must be eye candy it have to be visible from a t last 1 meter away on the table, so sharp edges , saturated colors, and dark/ bright contrast puled to the maximum like on W/B photography
even if minature is made in monochromatic way contrast must be naxymalized

end ye i know the issue with cool painted Grayscale minature end "o is that a Base Coat ??"

so all this is mixed with "mine" messy and chaotic style
but yup i may paint minis much clean and sometime i do on competitions .. if i force my self (as i like a lot of wet blending + texture experiments is hard for me to keep that clean )
and in mean time Daktari / Impersonated Fiday





will throw this to the official forum .. like tomorrow or so ... (so now it is a forum exclusive - tilt i get time to post this in other places )

[kidterminal]

The catgirl eyes jump out at me. I love the stripes on the tail.

[savonarola]

somebody wrote somewhere on the official forum that few people enter competitions with infinity miniatres, which should change with Ajax. that indeed depicts your cat girl well. taking this mini to a standard nowadays competition is a suicide. how wide is the shoulder, 2mm in total. now paint red cross in a circle on it. infinity are for the elite. this mini is so small you have no idea until you do it yourself. that is the reason why pictures of daktari side by side Ajax pictures pop "cheating" in my mind.
hey Mary, will you paint Ajax? heh, one day you will have to. when I saw the pic for the first time, I said "this is the limit". when I realized it is indeed a tag, I said "hm, cheating". yes, size does matter.

[Pierzasty]

The catgirl eyes jump out at me. I love the stripes on the tail.

cat girl not mouse girl - stripes must be

somebody wrote somewhere on the official forum that few people enter competitions with infinity miniatres, which should change with Ajax. that indeed depicts your cat girl well. taking this mini to a standard nowadays competition is a suicide.

i actually c some infinity minis on competitions but if ppl got a possibility (or pussybility - it is Cat girl - nah ??) to put in single SF a Terminator mega chaplain and petit Daktari - they will go witch actually much easer route end get Chaplain or iven Ork Boss, so ye if i see a Infinity mini on competition it is Rem or TAG or some times a HI like Hac tao - the "bigger uns"

how wide is the shoulder, 2mm in total. now paint red cross in a circle on it. infinity are for the elite. this mini is so small you have no idea until you do it yourself. that is the reason why pictures of daktari side by side Ajax pictures pop "cheating" in my mind.

well i think is below 2 mm
compare to Sogarat -
who need Ajax to compare (bad photo but this 1 is just size compar)

and Sogarat is just Space marine size - a normal one not some super uber terminator mega cool armor - all thous mini go to Single SF mini category

hey Mary, will you paint Ajax?

probably .. but atm don't know if it will go for me or commission

when I saw the pic for the first time, I said "this is the limit". when I realized it is indeed a tag, I said "hm, cheating". yes, size does matter.

lol - common reaction wow impossible !! .. w8 is that a tag size base ??
it is o .... that change a lot

other topic is "how competitions are made" well most of them favored a particular brand or way of painting ... wich disqualifies a Infinity minatures at the start
i may write a lot about that as a former co organizer of some of competitions and person involved in judging process

[Pierzasty]

other topic is "how competitions are made" well most of them favored a particular brand or way of painting ... wich disqualifies a Infinity minatures at the start
i may write a lot about that as a former co organizer of some of competitions and person involved in judging process

Please do. I may even proofread that article for ya

[kidterminal]

Yes do that please.

[Maru]

ther is a lot of about GD
but i will add - whole GW is hosted by marketing division of GW so wining pices are the one thats sales GW products from new line . and thous are favored no matter what
an old way to win (working to this days) are - Paint Drednaught adding some conversions to it (doing anything else puts you in disadvantage)
other rule is - don't iven tray a unit from regiment - go for heros / characters
or create hero from box unit by conversion (applay to SM )
and - you work will be hosted as marketing gizmo on White dwarf - it must look good on photo - like Coca Cola Advertisment

thats GW
there is good article
http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2012/ ... demon.html

on other events - well i encountered a situacion when organizer after judges made decision but before public announcement - decide for them "no no this mini mey not win - this one is the winer"

but all other
if single Sf miniature include an infinity minatures but also a Huge Terminator minatures from other company mimiking GW (and actually doing bigger version of there minis ) well you are in disadvantage
unless you actually put a big mini from infinity - like bike better with Vinete or some cool HI (or Salladin - he is a big one )
quite good example was kacpero Diorama
from my recall it qualify to the final and score a reward (or almoust score )
http://www.coolminiornot.com/319680?browseid=4067629
other way is Female Yuan Yuan with cool base - all Sisters off battle fans wet dream - they love this sculpt
check this :
a Viniete , a HI and good on photo
http://www.coolminiornot.com/pics/pics1 ... 5d3377.jpg
from what i remember a crystal brush finalist

so as ppl vote for what they know if they may chose a Space marine or unknown SF armor - they will go Space marine
but if they get Space marine VS Hac tao painted on Broterhood of steel Fallout armor with Fallout theme - that may change

other thing is that ppl paint in a certain way if they knew who will be judging
- if you knew judge preferences or his own painting style - abuse it (a lot of competitors do so )

so if i would like to win competition with infinity minis i would go for Viniete or Squad in terrain diorma (best inspired by something commonly known as video game, or move )
a single mini got chances to pass first cut , iven get honorable mentioned but win against other larger minis from better known companies - nop (unless on scenic base referring to some pop culture things)

ther is probably feve others factors i haven't mentioned as limited time on single mini to look at, the way first cut is made (you need to pas this if your's mini have to be judged seriously) - and actually Savonarola Grey scale mini would not pass this in 90% of events - but it could pass it in a breeze if he would change a feve things
- in a first cut mechanic a lot of worst minis pass in leving good ones outside
(i may write "how to pass first cut" - iven with limited palette mini )

[Athanadros]

Glad to have you with us Maru! Awesome stuff!

[Pierzasty]

Love that writeup but it hurts my eyes, here's a version translated to a single human language, let me know if I got anything wrong

There is a lot about GD, but I will add - the whole GD is hosted by the marketing division of GW, so the winning entries are the ones showcasing the current line of GW products, and those are favored no matter what.
An old way to win (working to this day) is: paint a Dreadnaught, adding some conversions to it (doing anything else puts you in a disadvantage).
Another rule is - don't even try a unit from a regiment - go for the heroes/characters or create a hero from a boxed unit by conversion (applies to SM).
Also, your work will be hosted as a marketing gizmo on White dwarf - it must look good on the photo - like a Coca Cola advertisement.

That was about GW.
There is good article on this:
http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2012/ ... demon.html

As for other events - well, I've encountered a situation when the organizer interfered after the judges made their decision but before the public announcement - and decided for them: "no no, this mini may not win - this one is the winner"

but all other
If the "single SF miniature" category includes an Infinity miniature but also a Huge Terminator miniatures from other company mimicking GW (and actually doing bigger version of their minis) - well, you are in a disadvantage...
unless you actually enter a big mini from infinity - like a bike, even better with a vignette, or some cool HI (or Saladin - he is a big one )
Kacpero's diorama was quite a good example (as far as I recall it qualified to the final and got a prize (or almost got it)
http://www.coolminiornot.com/319680?browseid=4067629
Another way is a female Yuan Yuan with a cool base - all Sisters off battle fans' wet dream - they love this sculpt
check this:
a vignette, a HI and good on photo:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/pics/pics1 ... 5d3377.jpg
(from what I remember, a Crystal Brush finalist)

So as people vote for what they know, if they may chose a Space Marine or an unknown SF armor - they will choose the Space Marine;
but if they get a Space Marine vs a Hac Tao painted as a Broterhood of Steel Fallout armor with a Fallout theme - that may change.

Another thing is that people paint in a certain way if they know who will be judging - if you know the judge's preferences or his own painting style - abuse it (a lot of competitors do so)

So if I wanted to win a competition with Infinity minis I would go for a vignette or a squad in a terrain diorama (best inspired by something commonly known. like a video game, or a movie)
A single mini has a chance to pass the first cut, even get a "honorable mention", but not win against other larger minis from better-known companies (unless on scenic base referring to some pop-culture things)

There are probably a few other factors I haven't mentioned as limited time to look at each mini, the way the first cut is made (you need to pass this if your mini is to be judged seriously) - and actually Savonarola's grey-scale mini would not pass this cut in 90% of the events - but it could pass it in a breeze if he would change a few things.
In the first cut mechanic a lot of worst minis pass, leaving good ones outside (I may write something about "how to pass the first cut" - even with a limited-palette mini)

[Maru]

lol now is bad .. completly not like my post

[Pierzasty]

At least it's readable now

(Yeah I know, I edited it a bit)

[Maru]

bla bla bla (will post something smarter in future )

[Arachas]

At least it's readable now

(Yeah I know, I edited it a bit)

ROFL!!!

It's true, though, Maru... your English does need some work. Sorry...

[Maru]

ok im now stuck with Ikadron hemoroid .... -____- CB send them (2 blisters) without heads .. (ye i made new ones "Velocy raptor" & "pumpkin head" )

but quality of casts is awful .. i got nice day with Files .. and thats not over .. WTF all god cast go to US and all bad headless hors men to Poland ?? beside i haven't c single Chandra for over 3 months, nor new Uxia (or Ikadrons - Any other then thous 2 )

whats going on ??

[kidterminal]

Did you contact CB for replacements?

[Maru]

no point it it
like 3 weeks of shiping the replacment and minis are needed aSAP so stays like that but why "all" 2 blisters with missing parts ??

[Cervantes3773]

I think CB's growth has required them to hire non-gaming employees who may not realize that the strange alien beast is miscast or missing parts.

"I don't know what the heck this is, so sure... it looks fine."

[Morze]

For the record, Ikadrons head is ridiculously small, so I can kinda see how it slipped the quality control. My two got them, so it doesn't seem to be a problem.

I use craft knife almost exclusively for cleanin infinity kinis, even blatant miscasts will vanish with a careful cut and use files only if they are otherwise unaccessible.

Can't wait to see how you're going to make ikadrons look, though.

[Crushar]

Your english maynot be great Maru but I think we all appreciate what you do and how you do it bro!

[Maru]

Can't wait to see how you're going to make ikadrons look, though.

Velocy faptor almoust done need to tweek some and add green stuff - pumpkin dude in erly wip .. again bad casting .. a GW lvl of casting (rarely sen in CB products - most is "wow no cleaning lets just glue it")
both reqire some serious GS magic ..

[Maru]

on the table
if you ewer wonder how it mey look liker ot what is on it
things to come :

[Magno]

What heads did you throw on the Batroids?

[Maru]

i know this question will pop up
patience patience

[Pierzasty]

Oh god I thought you were joking. That's hilarious.