Bailey03's WIP

Bailey03

Well-known member
Thanks, everyone! I think the workshops went really well. I got a lot of great feedback. I also chatted with the overall organizer for the classes and he said he'd heard good things about my classes too. I put a lot of time into preparing so I think it paid off. I was especially happy with the faces people painted in the classes. Some got further than others, but overall it really seemed like people were getting the main idea. I also think it helped people understand the glazing step in ways that online descriptions and pictures just can't really show. If I'm able to go back next year (which I hope I will), I'll probably teach it again and maybe add a section or two of another topic. Perhaps freehand design?

SaintToad, nope, no pirate dwarf. I was sick for a couple weeks last month, so that really cut down on my painting time. With so much still to do on the samurai, I decided not to even try to finish the dwarf. It worked out since fantasy single was another tough category and I seriously doubt he would have placed. I do plan to finish him now and hopefully take him to KingdomCon at the end of the month.

In other news, they just posted the winners to the crystal brush gallery here
http://crystalbrush.coolminiornot.com/cbwinners
Before all you could see was the gallery. It also means that now when you go to the gallery ( http://crystalbrush.coolminiornot.com/cbgallery ) you can now sort by score! I don't know if that's just the online score or the combined online/judges score, but I'm guess combined since the top three are the same in every category. Why does this matter? Well, let's say you submitted a piece that made first cut but didn't place. You might still like to know how it did. Based on that, it looks like my samurai came in 4th in the large scale category. So close!!!! Ah, but I can't fault the winners. Those top three were fantastic. I'm just super stoked that I came that close! Okay, back to planning for next year...
 

Bailey03

Well-known member
Well, I just put the Northumbrian up in the gallery at CMON and over at P&P. Here's the link to P&P
http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/9400

This is the CMON gallery link, though I just uploaded the image so it may be a little bit before the mods approve it
http://www.coolminiornot.com/396160

I'll be posting the samurai too, but I thought I'd wait a couple weeks until the coming flood of all the other Crystal Brush entries subsides

img5702eb56aa259.jpg
 

Darthmarsh

Active member
Congratulations Bailey. That's a shame about the pirate as I think he's absolutely brilliant. The finished Samuri is mind blowing. Voted and commented
 

Bailey03

Well-known member
Ha, not much. Painting some figures, went to Crystal Brush. I've been working on the samurai for months now, so unless you've been gone for a loooooong time you probably don't have much to catch up on.
 

Bailey03

Well-known member
So now that I've had some time at home after the show, I've done a bit of thinking about what I learned and what I think I can improve next. I think it's a good thing to stop and evaluate your work from time to time. What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? And sometimes even your strengths can still be improved upon.

I'm not frustrated by the results of the show. I wanted to win of course, but for the most part I was beat out by pieces even I thought were better. However, if you are frustrated that you didn't win or that you didn't make first cut, taking the time to evaluate your work is even more important. Even if you don't agree with the judges, ask why did they pick that other piece over mine? What did it have that they might have been looking for? If you talked to people at the shows, what sort of feedback did you get? How can you use that to improve?

This is a hobby for most of us and should be fun. So don't stress over things needlessly! But, if your goal is to continue to improve upon your last piece, then I think this sort of thing can be very helpful.

Anyway, I don't want to fill up this thread with all those thoughts. But, if you're interested in the personal lessons I feel like I learned from the show, you can read about them in detail over on my painting blog. Either way, hopefully you'll see those lessons in action right here as I start to post some new pieces!
http://powellminipainting.blogspot.com/2016/04/lessons-from-crystal-brush.html
 

Alowan

New member
Some really interesting thoughts that I think all painters can learn and improve from. Especially the thought about creating the miniature and base as a cohesive piece - something I think 90% of painters could improve from.

I personally thought that the archer was one of the top 3 pieces but I personally did not like the orcs (there is something about Warcraft miniatures that just bugs me) and was sad to see that it diden't place. But as you say on the blog there are always things to improve and learn from and I look forward to see and learn from your next project!
 

SaintToad

New member
Very interesting to read your reflections on the process, Bailey. Doubtless part of the reason you have reached the level you have is your ability to constructively assess your own shortcomings, even as you continue to distinguish yourself among the very best miniature painters in the world. I am glad we have the chance to follow your journey here and on your blog. Keep up the great work!
 

ten ball

Active member
Maybe use more story telling in the mini, between the mini itself and the base? Like you did with the hobbit and spider (still my favourite of your work).
 

Maenas

New member
The thoughts you've put on your blog do really make sense, your hobbit piece is also one of my favorite works of yours, because of that storytelling element (and also for everything else).
It's really usefull that you shared that comments for improving your pieces because they give a second twist for levelling up already great pieces. Congratulatins on your placement!
 

bgcdazzler

New member
I agree with Zab and Ten Ball. I don't think there's any way to improve your painting - your skills and technique are second only to Kirill, in my opinion - but looking past that skill, at each piece critically, and I wonder at the story. The Northumbrian's pose, for example: what is he doing? What is he thinking? Is he silently contemplating the coming battle? Exhausted after the last one? Is he studying the body of a fallen comrade? Or - because of the horn - is he a scout, studying fresh tracks he's spotted in the snow? The base is an opportunity to complete the narrative (or subvert it).
 
Back To Top
Top