GW national painting comp.?

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by Dragon Forge Design

Originally posted by Springbok
I never quite understood why the GD isn\'t done on a public voting system, there is the argument that it raises the quality of judging when it is done by a panel, but the very same panel is only human, and when you have to look at hundreds of mini\'s you might start to miss things. Don\'t get me wrong, i\'m not bad-mouthing the judges, but if you spend 300 hours on a model, you don\'t want to lose out on a possible prize because of an unfortunate oversight. (phew..... rant over!)

Cleezy beat me to it but its all about time.. recording the votes in the 6 hours or so time they have would be not possible.

Ok getting in on the GW should make it viewer voting \"BunFight\" there are a few things that make that non-feasible (especially in the UK):

1) Entries close at 12:30, Judging is complete and ready to be announced at 16:00. (3½ hours to process that much paper aint easy. I\'ve attended Election counting and that is intense even when you have all night to process votes.)

2) GD UK had close to 10,000 people attend last year. and something like 2,000 entries to the 11 Golden Deamon categories.

3) In order to vote you\'d need to see the entries and unlike Coolminiornot there is a huge queue/mob gathered around each categories display. (And this is a vast improvement on what display was available at the NIA up untill 2004.

4) In order to process the votes you\'d have to have an electronic (ie Computerised) process due to the timescale and all you need to do in regard to that concept is look at the number of threads on Coolmini regarding voting. Plus think of this, how many little \"Timothy\'s\" will be voting for their own piece and not reacting to the pieces which show quality? Oh and GW\'s gonna cough up cash for someting that won\'t generate any income..............................Hmmm lemme think on that, probably about the same chance of seeing Tom Cruise make a movie about how evil Scientology is.


While I like so many others would like to see an improvement in the judging at GD, I still think that open voting is best suited to and served by Coolmini.

 

[SJB]

Public voting would destroy the competition, even if it were feasible. Judges need to be qualified to make the decisions. A large percentage of the voting public would not be in any way qualified to judge if a figure if good or not.

The first GD to be judged by the public would be conspicuous by it being blanketed by demons for Space Marines with big guns and variable paintjobs (because that\'s what little Jimmy Munchkin thinks is cool).

 

[Cleezy]

Glad i got in first

But its true Gamesday just doesnt have the time scale to cope, plus the results would more than likely be more random than they are now, as not all voters will be painting fans who look at the mini\'s in scrutinizing detail.

We will keep the public view to Coolmini

 

[Springbok]

In that case, i think there should be a \"As voted for by CMON members\" category, i might start a petition lol

 

[Skinskinner]

My local GW must be really crap as I am in there all the time and have friends who work in there, but I have heard nothing from anyone locally about this painting competition.

Will this be held in every uk GW store or is it just the lucky few?

Wouldn\'t it be great if the competition was not just to be held as a store competition but the winners went to a regional and national level. This would only be great if GW continued with golden demon awards as they are though.

 

[matty1001]

Well the fella in my local GW told me rumors about this about 2 month ago, so it sounds like GW staff knew about it...or some did.

Should be fun

 

[Skinskinner]

I will investigate!!!! Well give them hell if they are keeping it from me!lol
Sounds good though, I think there are not enough painting contests set up by GW, they dont seem to do enough to encourage the painting and converting side of the hobby. Seems to be focuseda lot on the gaming, and as I dont game I just paint, the more painting comps the better.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by Skinskinner
I will investigate!!!! Well give them hell if they are keeping it from me!lol
Sounds good though, I think there are not enough painting contests set up by GW, they dont seem to do enough to encourage the painting and converting side of the hobby. Seems to be focuseda lot on the gaming, and as I dont game I just paint, the more painting comps the better.

I understand what you are saying here SkinSkinner but remember GW is in the BUSINESS of selling toy soldiers, which in reality means selling LOTS of toy soldiers and despite our collective Pewter addiction Painting only hobbyists will buy considerably less figures than gamers.

 

[squidders]

yes indeed - gamers are mini companies bread and butter!

artists raise awareness of minis and make them desireable but gamers are the real target lf a companies marketing.

 

[Skinskinner]

Ah it becomes clear.

 

[demonherald]

Originally posted by veggiemanuk
OK, i\'d just like to make something clear. My comment was never intended to sound as if I wanted to lessen competition. I\'d just like to see UK residents winning UK GD\'s, French residents winning French GD\'s and so on.

And as I said, i\'d like to see a Best International category so that tallented individuals can enter multiple GD\'s if they so wish (Not everyone can afford to travel around the world just to enter into a painting competition), this would also cater for people who dont have a GD in their country (although a seperate category would be nice for none GD countries).

The other point I made was to have a Best of Year category where all winners from their respective categories go head to head and the best from around the world is picked out, if anything this would increase competition.

Slayer Sword winners going head to head to win a \'Righteous Bolter\' could be the most prestigious award of the year

I like the idea of a yearly overall comp but it would have to be at GW\'s expense and them pay for the world winners to gather at one place with their models and certainly not take care of handling the models in the post or other system...

as for UK residents winning UKGD\'s and all the other countries. well there\'s a simple answer UK painters need to paint model or present better than french spanish German (...insert country...) painters on the day.... There is nothing to stop a UK painter winning in another country.. True not everyone can afford to travel to a different GD but at the end of the day those that are willing to invest the time and money and push themselves competitively this way show the dedication to win.. limiting the field would just spoil the competition it has become...