Since my very earliest days in gaming I have always loved miniatures of all kinds - there's nothing better than seeing a well painted mini. My earliest figures were, of course, Citadel - pre-slotta because there was no such thing as a slotta base in those dim and distant days.
My favourites were FTD/FTG and FA, Dwarves, Gnolls (Goblins by any other name) and adventurers for the uninitiated. The Citadel catalogues were great - they never did show the complete range but just gave you a snapshot of what was available. Some of the ranges in those slim booklets were awesome, if not a little....odd. Creatures that go bump in the night, an assortment of dungeon dressings, as well as a reasonably wide selection of female victims of various torture devices - racks et al (along with the dungeon mistress to go with them). I would never have been brave enough to ask the lady at Not Just Stamps for these, and in any case my budget was never big enough for such frivolity.
Over the years I have vaguely dipped in and out of figure painting. My sons did a (very) small amount of Warhammer when they were younger - definitely encouraged by me so I could live vicariously but to be honest their hearts were never really in it. Just recently my younger son (who is 19) has just purchased himself a little lot of 40K minis and has begun painting them - which means I'm probably going to have a little go myself. I feel that my skills might be greater now then they ever have been - if only because of the number of you tube idiots guides out there - but mainly because I have seen that it is a good idea to wash and then highlight your figures - something that would never have occurred to me in the past! (Photos may follow if they come out ok!)
I have a selection of books on the subject - I like a "coffee-table" style tome - such things as GW Fantasy Miniatures books as well as assorted Dallimore books. It's interesting to see how style and standards have changed over the years - we don't see as much of the early 80's block colours that Citadel loved so much, a shame because it's pretty timeless.
Anyway, as previously stated, my talents are rather limited but the internet is full of examples of painted figures by people who have got some talent - Some of the entries to GW's Golden Demon and the Crystal Brush in America frankly beggar belief - I simply cannot comprehend the level of details that go into these things - would that I had a tenth of the talent.
So last up are a couple of my favourite examples, both Crystal Brush winners as it happens, but Google searching of such things is a time sink of links and pictures - well worth it if you want to feel vaguely inadequate!
(Anyone know good sites to go to for this nonsense, drop me a line. (Or idiot proof tips to improve my painting without making any effort whatsoever!)
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2016 Winner by Kirill Kanaev - just ridiculous!
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Sergio Calvo 2018 Silver - not good enough for gold wtf!?
RPGA3 The Forgotten King - A little bit rare!