Good evening CMON’rs! I am an aspiring student of miniature painting and I am looking to seriously bring my current skills from their current level of table quality miniature to painting competition quality. I am posting here because CMON has the largest community of excellent painters out there. I am looking for a painting mentor. I am a highly visual learner, and I like to ask tons of questions. I have looked at some painting videos, and I have some mediocre painters at my LGS. I really want to pour all of my free time and effort into becoming an admirable painter, and a teacher with lots of experience would be most desirable. Why exactly am I posting here? Well, Maine USA is notorious for having all it’s fun being underground. Big time. I can’t even find any advanced painters via my LGS. All the advanced painters are hidden amongst the trees. So here I am, asking if any of you lovely people have a pal in maine(hopefully central maine), or are yourselves painters of mighty stature living in maine, looking for an apprentice. Help me Cool Mini Or Not, you’re my only hope!
Amateur seeks Master
- Thread starter sealancer
- Start date
In Chigh P.I.
New member
Lets say you find someone....you are then taught all the mysterious intricacies of mini painting....you practice for a few months/years untill you reach the zenith of \'Demon\' standard.
What you gonna do then? Sit back with your awards & look at your minis and say to yourself \"i did that\"?
I think not
What you gonna do then? Sit back with your awards & look at your minis and say to yourself \"i did that\"?
I think not
Matt Cexwish
Member
Hm.... sounds like one of those Newspaper Anouncements You find in the back section...
...
What´s your country, to start off...?... Learning is so much easier when taught live...
...What´s your country, to start off...?... Learning is so much easier when taught live...
NGArtStudios
New member
Being from New England I can tell you it is not an easy task to find local painters here. My advice to you would be to browse the internet for techniques, painters or minis that you may like (this site is a gold mine for that) and contact that painter. Most painters (especially on this site) are more than willing to lend a hand by sharing how they accomplish certain techniques, etc. Also don\'t be afraid to post some pictures of your work in the gallery here and even get a WIP going on these forums. We are all always willing to help and give constructive criticism.
Dragon Forge Design
New member
Well as he states more than once hes from central Maine..Id safely say the USA in central Maine
Seems to me like a lot of people are giving someone an underserved \"Hard Time!\".
Hardly the welcome I\'d expect Coolmini forum people to give to someone visiting the forums for the first time.
Not Impressed Guys!
Hardly the welcome I\'d expect Coolmini forum people to give to someone visiting the forums for the first time.
Not Impressed Guys!
tidoco2222
Active member
Learning or to be more precise being shown how to use different techniques is an invaluable tool when it comes to mini painting. I am not a master and would never be so far up my own arse to think that I am but I do paint with another mate on a regular bases and he has told me that since our painting sessions he has picked up no end by just watching me and the reverse is true as well. Good luck in your hunt.
id say your best bet is to start buying some of the oainting dvd from the cmon store and miniature mentor.i use to ask questions like that too and got the same bogus answers.so i just started looking up tutorials on google and buying dvd\'s.dont get me wrong there are some really kind people on this sight but when it rains it pour\'s.lol
by doing it the way i told you i did my level of painting has really got better.i just havent had time to post because other projects.good luck bud and dont give up
by doing it the way i told you i did my level of painting has really got better.i just havent had time to post because other projects.good luck bud and dont give up
Avelorn
Sven Jonsson
I\'m not from U.S. so can\'t help you there. But if you post works in the WIP section people can help you, at least up to a point. Otherwise practising on your own is good, read articles and make your own version of the techniques. I\'m sure there will be some painting classes somewhere in U.S. that you can attend, and then practice what you learn by yourself. Most showcase level painters haven\'t had a tutor.
Einion
New member
@sealancer, assuming you can\'t find someone close to you to give lessons you\'re probably going to have to use CMON and other online sources so don\'t be afraid to post work and ask for critique, search for info on techniques, practice, ask about stuff, practice, post some more etc.
Lots of threads have links to step-by-steps elsewhere, as well as articles here, so they\'re worth hunting down.
Einion
Lots of threads have links to step-by-steps elsewhere, as well as articles here, so they\'re worth hunting down.
Einion
Vern
New member
Sealancer - I consider myself a novice too (even though I\'ve been gaming for 25 years!) - I can recommend the WAMP forums - friendly, critical advice is given & they have some killer competitions
(btw I\'ve painted more \'28mm\'s\' this year than I have in the last 20!)
http://wamp-forum.com/phpBB2/portal.php
(btw I\'ve painted more \'28mm\'s\' this year than I have in the last 20!)
http://wamp-forum.com/phpBB2/portal.php
@sealancer
I hope you realise that it\'s YOU who need to do the work here, if you want to become a good painter. Unless you pay someone to teach you, you can not rely on anyone but yourself. You need to have the patience and the determination to let things take the time it takes and put in the effort needed. It may be several years. It helps if you think painting is fun, so never forget that it\'s a hobby. Enjoy yourself, or you will find it very stressful.
You will find people here (and on other sites) more than willing to help out the best they can and answer questions. But, I think you will have a hard time finding anyone willing to dedicate THEIR free time turning you into an advanced painter. Answering questions and giving feedback when you\'re relaxing in front of the computer is one thing, but becoming someone\'s teacher is a whole different thing.
Having people in your area to paint with is a good idea, even if they\'re not advanced painters with the knowledge you seek. Having regular painting sessions with friends is a good way to keep up momentum, getting things done and, regardless of skill level, you CAN help each other out by just talking, giving feedback and such. I think you can get even more out of that than you do out of talking to people on-line that have no way of seeing your work in real life.
So, with the HELP of others, become YOUR OWN TEACHER. That\'s how most skilled painters I know have done it.
I hope you realise that it\'s YOU who need to do the work here, if you want to become a good painter. Unless you pay someone to teach you, you can not rely on anyone but yourself. You need to have the patience and the determination to let things take the time it takes and put in the effort needed. It may be several years. It helps if you think painting is fun, so never forget that it\'s a hobby. Enjoy yourself, or you will find it very stressful.
You will find people here (and on other sites) more than willing to help out the best they can and answer questions. But, I think you will have a hard time finding anyone willing to dedicate THEIR free time turning you into an advanced painter. Answering questions and giving feedback when you\'re relaxing in front of the computer is one thing, but becoming someone\'s teacher is a whole different thing.
Having people in your area to paint with is a good idea, even if they\'re not advanced painters with the knowledge you seek. Having regular painting sessions with friends is a good way to keep up momentum, getting things done and, regardless of skill level, you CAN help each other out by just talking, giving feedback and such. I think you can get even more out of that than you do out of talking to people on-line that have no way of seeing your work in real life.
So, with the HELP of others, become YOUR OWN TEACHER. That\'s how most skilled painters I know have done it.
post some stuff in the wip and i would be happy to give you advice....go to youtube and check for painting tutorials on there. if i remember correctly tabstudios has some great beginner level painting videos for free. so dig your feet into the ground, roll up the sleeves and start painting. welcome to the forums. just remember though i am awesome and always trust me on what i say and you will be fine.
dont listen to undave, he bites, and scottradom eats flies, so he\'s good to keep around in the summer. other than that....welcome
welcome to the forums. just remember though i am awesome and always trust me on what i say and you will be fine. dont listen to undave, he bites, and scottradom eats flies, so he\'s good to keep around in the summer. other than that....welcome
Infidel Castro
New member
God, there\'s some awful stuff on youtube, really, really awful. Funny almost!
Thanks for the constructive criticism guys, I didn\'t mean to be snippish. I half expected someone to have flamed me for getting aggy, or maybe even locking this thread. I love the tutorials that CMON has, and I will continue to seek advice from folks on these forums. And practice. Then practice again. and for a change of pace, practice. Thanks guys!
Infidel Castro
New member
Stick with it sealancer lad.
evil tendencies
Cake or Death?
I think what you are proposing is kinda cool, but I think you might not be considering the reason masters in other arts take on apprentices - obligation or mutual benefit. Guilds often require masters to take on apprentices to remain part of the guild. Others usually do it to get a free set of hands to help with their projects. These incentives don\'t really exist for mini painters.
Good luck with your search, though. It\'s an interesting idea.
Good luck with your search, though. It\'s an interesting idea.
Aliengod3
Active member
I am a visual learner and started out the same way you did. My first minis were BELOW tabletop quality but I just kept painting and painting and eventually my skills improved. The more you paint the more you become aware of what your brush and paints are capable of. All you need is lots of practice. Also look at minis that you think are good minis and try to reverse engineer them so that you can attempt similar executions. That is what I did. Plus if you are a visual learner then watching video tutorials should work.
