The future of mini painting

[nels0nmac]

The other day I was looking in my loft and came across the 1988 Golden Demon book that GW produced. It\'s fair to say that by todays standards a number of the winning entries were a bit pants. The painting techniques were not as advanced and things were not as refined.
That got me thinking. If that is what it was like 20 years ago what will it be like in 20 years. Will our efforts be viewed in the same way. Or have the current techniques reached a zenith and it is now just down to the style in which they are painted.

Anyone with a crystal ball or access to a farseer feel free to enlighten uslol

 

[Mr Scream]

I think the quality and range of paints will improve. Look at the current ranges available and the recent change from inking miniatures to using washes/glazes (although inks still have their roles) and the addition of weathering powders. I also think new styles will be big, just look at the NMM TMM debate that constantly rears its head. There was a short lived style of polishing the metal then using washes and glazes to colour it, that was pretty cool.

 

[Matt Cexwish]

I think Miniature Painting will develop into a much more precise craft / art...

People will start to spend much, much, much more time on painting single parts... like Hair or Cloth... I think people will focus on creating more advanced Surface and Texture Techniques... In general, I think the development will be very similar to the development you can see in Rendering Techniques (Computer Programms...)...

Another possibility is the use of alternative Material... Effects like Sub Surface Scattering or real Transparent Effect have not yet been executed...

If you look at my recent work you will notice the use of alternative Material... in \"Creator Vs. Creation\" I used Lenses and it was only a small glimpse on what I plan in Future (especiately in my final \"Leonardo\" Diorama...^_^...)... There you can also see Sculpted Water... something I think will be big in future...

Concering competition I think there will be splitted work for more then one painter... like a Specialisation... in the worst case scenario, there will be a painter for the Skin... One for the Metal... One for the Clothes and so on... It can be seen in the Historical Miniature Contests...

But you know... in earlier Times, future looked more bright as well......

Maybe it will all collapse and people loose interest in Painting miniatures, because they have to fight back Gay Radioactive Mutant Zombies from Mars...

Let me finish this with a quote...^-^...

“I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.”

Albert Einstein

 

[freakinacage]

aside from technology of paints etc, i dont reckon it will change much tbh. fashion always changes so what is \'cool\' is very fluid.

also i think that historical and fantasy styles may mix a little more, adding to realism

 

[Infidel Castro]

We will all be living on the moon in 20yrs. What affect that\'ll have on painting is another issue...

 

[freakinacage]

nuts to the moon - i want to paint in zero g, no spillage problems then! or would there be more problems with the paint floating off....

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Originally posted by reverend
We will all be living on the moon in 20yrs. What affect that\'ll have on painting is another issue...

And imagine how expensive it\'ll be to get to the cons in London or LA or Indy...

 

[Beelzebrush]

Originally posted by freakinacage
or would there be more problems with the paint floating off....

I thought paint stuck to the model... I didn\'t realise it was gravity holding it on ??? that\'s the last time I turn one of my models upside down lol

 

[freakinacage]

be careful..gravity doesnt always for in our favour!

 

[evil tendencies]

from what I\'ve seen, the styles recently in a lot of gaming minis has been towards realism. I think the trend is going to continue this way for a while, as people take increased advantage of the high detail that models will correspondingly gain.

My wife\'s farseer is a fickle xenos witch, however, so I could be wrong.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

from some of the pics from the world expo, cmon top scorers are behind the curve.

to get people being truly creative and experimenting their needs to be more competions without restrictions.

i\'d personaly love to see where people like matt and ben are heading in a couple of years time as those guys (especialy when they work together) produce some fantastic results that help push others further by the ideas people get from their work.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Mini\'s in the future?? They will have rights......be afraid...very afraid.

 

[nels0nmac]

@ Matt

I can certainly see water/fluid effects becoming more popular. I have been experimenting myself in creating splashes in puddles for when someone is running through it. I\'m using fibre optic wire as a frame to hold clear epoxy glue to create the \"crown\" type wave splash. I haven\'t tried tinting it yet; either after it\'s set or when I mix the 2 parts together. I\'m not sure you can mix inks or such like into the 2 parts without an adverse effect.

I also get the feeling that there will be more OSL type effects / alternative lighting techniques becoming popular to add that extra bit of realism.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

Originally posted by nels0nmac
@ Matt

I can certainly see water/fluid effects becoming more popular. I have been experimenting myself in creating splashes in puddles for when someone is running through it. I\'m using fibre optic wire as a frame to hold clear epoxy glue to create the \"crown\" type wave splash. I haven\'t tried tinting it yet; either after it\'s set or when I mix the 2 parts together. I\'m not sure you can mix inks or such like into the 2 parts without an adverse effect.

I also get the feeling that there will be more OSL type effects / alternative lighting techniques becoming popular to add that extra bit of realism.

you can use inks to tint the two part resin mixes, just use a very small amount of ink.

 

[cybersquig]

nobody has mentioned the effects of sculpting and casting techniques... one thing that has advanced the painting of minis is the extravagant detail that some of the models have. If I stick a 1982 gw fantasy orc next to the new FW hounds of xaphos, the difference is laughable. That ups my painting from the get go (I know many people on here have a bizarre fascination with old lead on this board, but hey, I don\'t share the sentiment beyond enjoying looking back at what I used to know and love)

That\'s down to the sculptor yeah sure, but it\'s made possible by the casting techniuques which have flown ahead. The sculpting is also relevant though - there is the potential (I think) for a real revolution in how models are sculpted. People would start producing models with correct (or at least more realistic) proportions. The miniature sculptors from gw/rackham/anima tactics etc. could go on life sculpting courses and come back prepared to make something other than barbie, something with some realism in it.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/170051
look at the owl, look at the guys faces. see what I mean? now look at this:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/82372
it\'s all in the sculpting...

There are many other examples, sure. faces, hands, breasts, feet and thighs are the parts that tend to be hopelessly out of proportion

my point is this - sculpting can develop as casting does
casting needs to develop so that sculptors have mre freedom to pose and produce fragile components

I know we\'ll never have perfect replicas (.2mm thick wrists and ankles at 28mm scale anyone?) but you understand my point I hope.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Cybersquig you make some good points about sculpting and casting techniques, but a lot of the advances are being made due to financial investment that smaller companies and \"Boutique\" miniature producers will not be able to match.

If you look at todays historical wargaming marketplace and consider the difference in sculpting to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy market you will see that there is still a difference between the two. That difference in \"quality\" is a direct reflection of the advancement between the figures available in the late 70\'s early 80\'s and now.
Historical miniatures are only beginning to pay catch up against the \"market leaders\" after so long. Those of us old enough to remember the 25mm Hinchcliffe Napoleonics (or still have some) can confirm that the difference between then and now is definitly a \"Quantum Leap\".

I strongly suspect that the standard of today\'s GW figures (scale creep notwithstanding) will be available as historicals and that the figures in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy sphere will have likewise developed .

 

[supervike]

I think the biggest advances in the hobby have all come about because of the Internet.

As in most things, as more folks become aware of what is out there, the more is built and perfected. Sort of like how Rock and roll built on old Blues.

The Internet has blossomed the hobby of sculpting and painting into something folks can find rather easily, instead of what it once was...a hidden little obsession of odd stinky little wargamers.

As the hobby is exposed to the masses, the chances for real technique improvements goes up sharply. The quality of an \'8\' here on CMoN is testament to that. What routinely gets an \'8\' now would have been mind blowing just 10 years ago.

The bar just keeps getting raised, and because of the Internet, we are all made aware of it.

Thank you Al Gore!

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by supervike
The Internet has blossomed the hobby of sculpting and painting into something folks can find rather easily, instead of what it once was...a hidden little obsession of odd stinky little wargamers.

I take great exception to being refered to as \"Stinky or Little\".
Odd is accurate however.

 

[cybersquig]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
Cybersquig you make some good points about sculpting and casting techniques, but a lot of the advances are being made due to financial investment that smaller companies and \"Boutique\" miniature producers will not be able to match.

If you look at todays historical wargaming marketplace and consider the difference in sculpting to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy market you will see that there is still a difference between the two. That difference in \"quality\" is a direct reflection of the advancement between the figures available in the late 70\'s early 80\'s and now.
Historical miniatures are only beginning to pay catch up against the \"market leaders\" after so long. Those of us old enough to remember the 25mm Hinchcliffe Napoleonics (or still have some) can confirm that the difference between then and now is definitly a \"Quantum Leap\".

I strongly suspect that the standard of today\'s GW figures (scale creep notwithstanding) will be available as historicals and that the figures in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy sphere will have likewise developed .

a fine point.

 

[Amazon warrior]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach

Originally posted by supervike
The Internet has blossomed the hobby of sculpting and painting into something folks can find rather easily, instead of what it once was...a hidden little obsession of odd stinky little wargamers.

I take great exception to being refered to as \"Stinky or Little\".
Odd is accurate however.

I\'ll second that! :beer: I have excellent personal hygiene and I\'m 6\' tall. So there!