Defining Character in minis...

[supervike]

While moderating comments the other day, I noticed one user said \"this mini is full of character\"....when I looked at the mini, I couldn\'t have disagreed more....

So, how do you define \'character\' in a mini? I have always put a big emphasis on this when voting, but realized now my idea of character may be altogether something else to another.

Examples too please!

 

[Dragonsreach]

I have one Character which to me is the epitome of the rebelious Angst ridden Teen:
ALYX


EDIT: (Memo to self don\'t try to answer phone and type at same time)

Character in a mini is, in part, to me shows a close match to the mental image I have of a type of person portrayed in a miniature. (Don\'t know if that makes sense or not)
For example If I see a title of say \"Wood ELFC\" my mental imagery is influenced by Tolkien and GW but that doesn\'t mean to say I rule out Tom Meir or other sulptors. In similar vein I get the mental image of a Border Reiver through my knowledge of the History of the area I\'m originally from and therefore the miniatures I\'ve got from Perry Miniatures suit that picture.

However the definition of Character is not just down to how my mental process works (however twisted). As I\'ve used ALYX as an example that is a miniature which defines Character immediately without any real external reference. As does Poopee Canope\'s Alice on Wonder Hill.
Both of these miniatures show that there isn\'t really a stereotype for what defines character, and I expect to see many differing and interesting opinions here.

 

[airhead]

If you look at a mini and it says \"Pirate\" or \"Hero\" or \"Bard\" or whatever to you, the sculpter gave it character.

If you paint said mini and can smell the salt spray or the oiled armor or the smokey barroom, you\'ve given it character.

 

[hakoMike]

It\'s terribly subjective, isn\'t it? If we are defining character as what gives that little spark of life to a mini, then for me...

It can come from the sculpt.
It can come from the facial expression
It can come from a clever execution.
It can come from an unexpected interpretation.
It can come from technical mastery of the expected execution.

That last one is the most subjective of the lot. I have a preconceived notion of what a Cryx warjack should look like, and what they are like to play against, and that \'jack just oozes evil Cryx character to me. To someone else, it may just look like a well painted but lifeless robot.

 

[freakinacage]

good answer and good examples hakomike. i would say that the character is what i expect from the mini before i have seen it. or extras that add to the ethos of the character beyond what i expect

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Some fig\'s just stand there, others even without paint have emotion to them. It\'s one of those things that\'s hard to put in exact terms but it\'s more than just a dramatic sculpt or pose. Not saying my paintjob did the trick, this mini just has \"one badd ass Ork\" written all over it.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/141645

 

[darthfoley]

In a similar vein, though my paintjob isn\'t the best example out there, I always thought this mini was extremely characterful. I mean, pissed off halfling...how cool is that?

http://www.coolminiornot.com/16537

 

[Arkzein]

For me I would go as far as to say any mini that evokes an emotion, or even mere curiousity or internest, and as such it can be an entirely personal thing.

For example, some old gw figs from the 80s just screm \"character\" to me. Compared to some of the modern stuff they are sub standard, but seeing them brings me back to my introduction to the hobby (sometime after, but the club used old minis). Nostalgia value bringing up memories of fond times. (Going through this just now painting old Blood Blood figures)

To me the minis have plenty of character, to someone who never touched GW probably just some old ugly figs. Likewise, but slightly different, with some other minis. I\'ve seen plenty of works here that are technical masterpieces, but evoking more than the clincal response of \"great painjob\" takes something more like the examples shown above, and needn\'t be well painted or even sensible. (The Left Talon of Roc has character! )

 

[funnymouth]

i agree with most of what\'s already been said.

character is neigh undefineable - anything that gives it a flavor of individuality, that conjures an image of said charcter in some environment, with some mood, a feel that premeates it and allows you to see it as a character, not a mini.

........it wasnt me was it? lol

 

[vincegamer]

You asked the question, Jim.
You obviously had an opinion of the mini you mentioned.
So what\'s something you would think has character?
I go anywhere from this:
Vorag
to this:
Blackbeard
to this:
funny monster

 

[DaN]

I also think the \"background\" or base of the fig can help.

There was a figure in the WIP section not long ago, a young girl in some sort of war/riot-affected street...

Although the girl might not have been so \"characterful\" on a standard 40mm slotta, the sandbags, razor wire etc gave a lot to the effect...

 

[GreenOne]

Originally posted by vincegamer
You asked the question, Jim.
You obviously had an opinion of the mini you mentioned.
So what\'s something you would think has character?

Way to answer a question by asking a question lol

@Shawn: That ork hasn\'t got character, it got attitude

I think the definition of character is different when talking about a sculpt and a paintjob.
On a paintjob my definition gets blurry with atmosphere and impression.
A sculpt job with character would have strong feature, facial expression, obvious reference to belonging setting of fluff and dynamic posing ( Even if representing a still character.)
Anything you do to enhance the visual impact will aslo add character.

 

[Aidan K]

Banshee\'s Major Rawne defines character for me. The face, the sneaky dagger behind the back, the weathering...

 

[lono]

I was just about to say the same thing, Banshee\'s Rawne oozes character completely. He looks like an angry, vicious, hate filled bastard.

On the other extreme I think that AlexiZ gets some very characterful, cheeky looks on the faces of a lot of her female minis.

Also the face on Adrian Bay\'s Chaplain really looks like he has seen a thousand battles and come out on the other side.

Edit - I think the fact that I mention faces so frequently here shows that is how I measure character in a mini most of all, although there are other things this is the first thing I look at on a mini (or at least it should be) and it sets the tone for the rest of it.

 

[matty1001]

Originally posted by DaN
There was a figure in the WIP section not long ago, a young girl in some sort of war/riot-affected street...

Although the girl might not have been so \"characterful\" on a standard 40mm slotta, the sandbags, razor wire etc gave a lot to the effect...

Pretty sure that was Jondalars (?)

This to me has got serious character/emotion

 

[freakinacage]

yeah i love that rawne he\'s very much how i imagined him. i have just looked through my favourites and there are a few i think are characterful. i think with these, what makes them stick out from the others is that rather than just being well painted, they are believable.
alice
this bloodpact dude and lastly
selene who i thought just looked cool

 

[No Such Agency]

I guess it\'s anything that makes the mini feel like a living individual. A strong expression won\'t do it if there are 20 other RaF troops there with the same scowl. A great paint job won\'t do it if it\'s Just Another Ultramarine. And a unique quirky sculpt isn\'t enough if it looks like it was painted with correction fluid and a Q-tip...

 

[Aidan K]

Originally posted by No Such Agency
I guess it\'s anything that makes the mini feel like a living individual. A strong expression won\'t do it if there are 20 other RaF troops there with the same scowl. A great paint job won\'t do it if it\'s Just Another Ultramarine. And a unique quirky sculpt isn\'t enough if it looks like it was painted with correction fluid and a Q-tip...

I think a great paint job can give even another Ultramarine character!! Little details, great freehand, a well painted expressionistic face are all things that add character, even to an Ultra.

 

[AinuLainour]

Character is very much like hakomike described, and with standard miniatures it is the painting, whether unexpected or expected. It is what seperates that figure from the rest of the pack, details like heraldry, wet cloth, overall scope encompassing interpetation and originality.

@Supervike - Do you think you could link me to the submission referred to in the first post? (PMing is fine) Thank you!

 

[Infidel Castro]

Originally posted by airhead
If you look at a mini and it says \"Pirate\" or \"Hero\" or \"Bard\" or whatever to you, the sculpter gave it character.

If you paint said mini and can smell the salt spray or the oiled armor or the smokey barroom, you\'ve given it character.

I disagree entirely with the first part there. If you look at a piece and think immediately \'bard\' or \'hero\', the sculptor is probably just churning out archetypes. The sculptor in this case would probably be bored off of his/her tits if not just plain unimaginative and lazy.

As to the second, now you\'re talking! Character is very important, and the sculptor can put it into a piece initially and, if painted to a decent level, will show through from the original work. However, a painter (a good one) can take a standard piece and add character through style of painting. Therefore the sculptor and painter both have a big part to play in making something with character. If they both happen to click, we\'re really in business! I\'ve not got any examples, but I\'m happy I\'ve communicated my thoughts well enough.