Caution - Wet Paint
Interview
The following is an interview with David Violago about judging painting contests. He judges contests with David Holland
1) What are you looking for when judging a painted miniature?
Craftsmanship.
If the figure is stock (unmodified), how well is it assembled and cleaned up? Are
there mould lines? (This is a particular bugaboo of mine.) Are joins between parts filled?
Are edged weapons actually edged, or have they been left dull? This IS a limitation of the
moulding process, but I like to see edged weapons with actual edges to them. If the figure
is a conversion, how well is the conversion executed - do things look "slapped
on" or a part of the figure? If a new weapon is added, does the figure look like it
is actually gripping it? If anatomy is repositioned, does it look natural? For example, if
an arm is raised at the shoulder, the shoulder itself rises, too - look in a mirror to see
what I mean. If in an action pose, is it at the extreme of that action - full extension or
withdrawal? If the pose is relaxed, how is the weight handled? When standing still, most
people put their weight on one leg, and that foot rests exactly below the person's center
of mass - again, look in a mirror to see what I mean. If a figure is totally scratchbuilt,
how well is the pose handled? Is the anatomy correct? For example, is the figure's anatomy
proportional (are the head and hands in scale with the rest of the figure)? How crisp is
the sculpted detail - do metal objects have hard edges to them, for e.g.?
Neatness.
Does the paint "stay within the lines?" For example, does the colour of
a figure's belt stay only on the belt and not spill over onto its coat. If the painter
uses washes, are the washes controlled or did the painter let the wash just pool in
crevasses?
Highlight and shadow.
Figures must have painted highlights and shadows, because most light that they
are viewed under is not like sunlight on a full size object - in scale, the light sources
are too large and too numerous. So, are the highlights and shadows in the right spots in
reference to the figure's nominal light source? Usually, figures are treated as if they
are lit from above. Is there enough contrast between the high highlights and the darkest
shadows? Generally, the smaller the figure, the greater the contrast that is required.
Books on art, especially Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and the 17th century Dutch masters are
informative here. Really.
[I am currently experimenting with light sources on the figure itself - a hand glowing with magical energy or a powered sword, illuminating the rest of the figure. This is working to a certain extent, but I am not completely satisfied with my results so far.]
Blending.
How is the transition from highlight to shadow handled? Generally, I personally
like to see subtle transitions as one shade blends into the next. However, interesting
effects can result if one uses many different distinct tones and lays them next to each
other, without a lot of blending.
Detail.
Are all the small details picked out? Is there extra detail added, such as a
pattern on clothing, or trim on the hem of a robe or cloak? One of the best things I ever
saw was a Guns 'N Roses t-shirt painted on a 25mm modern vampire figure, at GenCon. If
there is a repeating pattern, how precise is the repetition? Are small items highlighted
and shadowed as well as the large areas of the figure? How are gems painted? Are the gems
supposed to be translucent or opaque? How is any writing executed (on books or banners,
for e.g.)? For vehicles, weapons and equipment, do they look used? Has paint chipped off
to show the underlying metal? Is that metal rusted?
Flesh tones.
When you look at a person, their face is usually the first thing you see.
Realistic flesh tones, especially on the face, enhance the viewer's connection to a
figure. Highlight and shadow is especially important, as these add so much to the
"character" of a figure. Also, female faces demand especially subtle transitions
from light to dark. I think of face painting like stage makeup for an actor, and have
found books on this subject to be very useful.
Finish.
Is the paint "chalky" when it shouldn't be? The paint may be laid on
too thick. How well is texture treated? Are cloth and other non-shiny things actually
matte? Are metallics and gems shiny? One way to achieve this is to have a matte overcoat
then pick out shiny details with brush on gloss.
Groundwork.
Has there been groundwork added? Is it done neatly or haphazardly? How well is
the groundwork painted?
2) How do you choose between entries that might otherwise be a tie?
All other things being equal (construction, detail, painting skill...), this is a consideration of what sets an entry apart from all the rest.
Does the figure tell a story?
This is usually a consideration for a diorama, but a single figure can tell a
story, too. For example, I saw a photo of a figure by Bill Horan, a skilled sculptor and
painter. It was a soldier, crouched down low, with one finger to his lips
("shh!") and his other hand pointing off behind him. You know where his enemies
are, where his friends are, and that he is in immediate danger! As another example, I
placed a cut off, bleeding genestealer claw under the foot of an advancing Eldar Warlock
swinging a sword - the implied opponent is right in front of the figure.
Is the modeler trying something different?
If the figure is of a spell caster, is there a physical representation of spell
effects (light, flame, smoke)? Is the figure attached to the base in a clever way? A
running figure may be supported only by a piece of wire in the toe, or a flyer may be
supported by wire in a jet pack exhaust flame.
Has something been done with the base?
The base is only the "frame" for the figure, but can still make or
break the overall effect. If the figure is wearing camouflage, does it match the terrain
on the base? How well is the terrain on the base painted? Was the base a rush job? Are
there objects placed on the base that "set the scene?"
3) What are some common mistakes or things people neglect to do when painting miniatures for competition?
Failure to fully clean up a figure before painting. Mould lines destroy the illusion that the subject is a full size object rendered in miniature. This bugs me. A lot.
Laying paint on too thickly. This can obscure details and leave an uneven finish.
Failure to paint groundwork (e.g. sand or rocks on a base). The figure itself is painted, shaded and highlighted. The groundwork should be, too. Otherwise, the eye is drawn away from the figure to the unpainted areas.
Decals that look like decals, not painted insignia. Decals should not just be placed on a model. A good clear gloss will generally allow good adherence of the decal. Decal setting solution may be required to allow a decal to settle around curves and into crevasses. Another clear overcoat will help the decal blend into the surrounding paintwork. Using the decal as a painting guide and actually re-painting the colours over the decal is another option.
4) Do you have any specific advice for painting contestants.?
Don't just copy paint jobs from magazine articles. A "Codex" colour scheme is fine, but shows little innovation.
Think about the colours you use and how they look together.
5) How long have you been painting and how long have you been judging contests?
I've been painting since 1977. I've been judging since 1991. I'm always glad to learn about people's modeling techniques.
Happy painting,
Dave
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5/11/2001
