National Styles

[EricJ]

ok, so in a comment on my lastest mini, my style was classified as very american, which is something I\'d never thought about before (not that I have any problem with it! ), in fact I don\'t think I\'d really ever thought of connecting nationalities with painting style, but the more I\'ve thought about it, the more curious I\'ve gotten. So what characterizes different national styles:

American (Bobby Wong, Jen Haley, Victor Hardy, Mrika, CJCummings) - more brightly colored, almost comic book, bold work.

English (Mike McVey, DR) - a bit darker and more naturalistic, old-skool

French (Cyril, Allan C, Jacques Alexandre Gillois, Thomas David and Thomas barse) - Many subtle smooth washes and muted almost pastel colors - Contrasts, Storytelling bases, converson heavy and often fully sculpted.

Italian ( ) - Bold Work, bright colours

Spanish ( ) -

German (Sascha) - darker work

Austrialian ( )

Russian (Alexi_z, Yellow one)

Danish (Jakob Niellsen, Sonny Bundgaard, Jenova, Mikkel Nyboe, Rune Kapel)

Swedish (Ritual, Astonia)

others?

I\'d love to hear peoples opinions who\'ve followed minis for longer than me

 

[supervike]

I\'ve heard of a few of these before, and I think it was briefly discussed on the forums at one time.



I remember the french style was described as many subtle smooth washes and muted almost pastel colors. ala Cyril or Allan C.

The English was style was a bit darker and more naturalistic ala Tammy Haye or Dragonsreach.

The American Style was described as a more brightly colored, almost comic book style. Ala EricJ, I guess....???

 

[Ritual]

Sweden is too small to have it\'s own national style, I would think... I only know a handful of people from here into this hobby.

 

[Infidel Castro]

Do they paint over in England as well? Blimey! We do the same here!

The \'English\' style seems to be directly descended from Mike McVey with a few twists on the way, more old-skool. France have taught everyone to paint differently recently, whilst Germany has the darker work to my mind (Sascha). Russia (bless them) seem to be influenced by canvas work and America I associate with bold work, along with Italy (lots of bright colours). Saying that, I don\'t think it would stretch far as a theory. Then you\'ve got the East Asians. They kick arse big time. South Africa anyone? Iraq? Someone else carry on now please lol

 

[Ritual]

Rev, is there a Welsh style? You\'re not \'English\', are you?

 

[green stuff]

Message original : supervike
I remember the french style was described as many subtle smooth washes and muted almost pastel colors. ala Cyril or Allan C.

Contrast is also the case. And these last years, important work has been done on storytelling and scenic bases. Also, conversions are almost systematic and complete sculpts are getting more standard (I mean for show-case minis).

@Eric : I don\'t know if your style can be completely associated to the american style. But I find your work of intergrating your minis in an environment very interesting and often barrier breaking.

@Ritual : I think that both you and Anja have come up with some very interesting technics for textures, weathering, and details that define a whole atmosphere. Wouldn\'t that be your national style?

 

[Ritual]

@green stuff
Well... maybe if our stylistic techniques are picked up by other Swedes... As it is now I see them as a result of my attempts at mimicing other styles and not getting it completely right...

 

[green stuff]

Message original : Ritual
Well... maybe if our stylistic techniques are picked up by other Swedes...

So are you planning on going to GDs and other non-web paint contests to show your art to a wider public ?

Message original : Ritual
As it is now I see them as a result of my attempts at mimicing other styles and not getting it completely right...

Yeah, right ... enough modesty ... assume your talent .

 

[Legacy Account]

Oh dear.

We seem to have run out of pigeon holes.

Post Modern Toy Soldiers.....

Neo-McVeyism

Abstract Abbati

Each country\'s style has been defined by its top painters. The \'French\' seem to have had the most recognisable style of recent times. But everyone does it now...

:flip:

 

[marineboy]

Originally posted by Ritual
@green stuff
Well... maybe if our stylistic techniques are picked up by other Swedes... As it is now I see them as a result of my attempts at mimicing other styles and not getting it completely right...

lol! If that\'s the criteria, then I\'ll surely be starting the Danish style...after sneaking past Jakob Niellsen, Sonny Bundgaard, Jenova, Mikkel Nyboe, Rune Kapel and others....

\'Course being a transplanted Amercian, it\'ll be some kind of fusion style and completely screwed...

 

[Ritual]

@green stuff
No GDs this year at least! Can\'t afford to travel abroad at the moment. There aren\'t many events in Sweden either, so... only net-based events for the time being.

About my painting style, I guess that\'s how a lot of styles are formed: you try to learn something and you end up doing it a bit differently and as you go along you end up taking the technique further and further away from what you initially was going for.

 

[Corvus]

If you ever visit a painting comp in Belgium you\'ll see a mix of styles there

 

[Naukhel]

Canadian Style: We paint while playing hockey? We paint while drinking from a jug of maple syrup?

OH! No... scratch that.
We paint WITH maple syrup, while playing hockey!

This might explain why some of my minis look so gloopy....

:bouncy::bouncy:

 

[green stuff]

@Corvus : the known french painters have often said many good things about the Belgium painters. Their historical minis are quite remarquable from what I recall.

@Naukhel : sounds like fun, in a gooey and dangerous kind of way .

 

[Ritual]

Originally posted by Naukhel
OH! No... scratch that.
We paint WITH maple syrup, while playing hockey!

Licking your brush must be a lot more pleasent than if you\'re using Vallejos, then? :]

Are there any hockey minis in Canada? lol

 

[shinjikun1]

i think bobby wong is the epitome of american painters


Leonatus

definate characteristcs of russian painters are:hot and female:]

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by shinjikun1
i think bobby wong is the epitome of american painters


Leonatus

definate characteristcs of russian painters are:hot and female:]

While I appreciate Bobby Wong\'s sytle to class him as the epitome is to rule out Jen Haley, Victor Hardy, Mrika, CJCummings (RagingGagin) and a lot of others their indivdual style are as easily recognisable as \"The American Style\" .

And as for the Russian style, Yes Alexi_Z is Female and a very good painter as is Margo, but you are missing out Yellow_One who has a very distinctive, different style and I\'m sure is male. (I\'m not sure if Bad_Russian_Guy is Russian, but he too had a destinctive style).

@Supervike: You think my style is naturalistic? Thanks! (Don\'t tell anyone but Tammy\'s Dutch....Shh!)

 

[Modderrhu]

Originally posted by reverend
...South Africa anyone? ...

Hm! Does brute force and ignorance count?

I\'d guess that the number of people interested in miniatures and miniature painting here would be around 3% of those in England, just England, not the UK. Hardly enough to develop any national style, wouldn\'t you think?

The miniature painting population has mainly Dutch, French and UK backgrounds. That is reflected in the painting jobs that I have seen - we have no national heroes to try and emulate.

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
@Supervike: You think my style is naturalistic? Thanks!

Sure it does! In a Hitchiker\'s Guide to the Galaxy kind of way.

 

[green stuff]

Message original : Dragonsreach
And as for the Russian style, Yes Alexi_Z is Female and a very good painter as is Margo

I thought Margo wasn\'t russian.

 

[Fizl]

Can you pick up a style by osmosis without looking at material?

I never used to read any miniature mags, yet my style has been defined as naturalistic. It hasn\'t changed since coming to CMON, but my techniques have improved. I still prefer the same colours etc.

Shaz