Round 9 - Assault Team vs. Villa Guards

[Prof.Witchheimer]

[CPT Shanks]

Nothing against revford, I like his legionaires but other than the background what is the true difference between his basecoated grimy washed models and my base coated washed models, more varied color scheme, cleaner blocking, really, are mine 90% worse than his. Again I like revfords Villa Guards, bu t do not find them better than mine.

[Heldrak]

I assume that your question is an honest one for information to help you improve and not "sour grapes", so I will venture a response.

It may be a photography issue as much as a painting issue. Your entry photograph is frankly out of focus and poorly-lit and that may be causing a great deal of the voting disparity.

From a painting perspective, your models also show a glossy sheen and the grimy wash on your opponent's models gives them more of a detailed appearance.

From a composition perspective, snipping off the 6th model (rather than presenting a cohesive team of 5) may also have been a mistake.

[Plynkes]

You misunderstand the voting. There is no way to quantify the difference in quality with this system. 90% means 90% of the voters agree your entry is worse, nothing in their vote tells you how much worse they think it is. It may only be slightly worse, the point is that there is consensus that Revford's is the better entry.

Yes, I find the thick layer of grime on Revford's entry off-putting, and don't quite get those odd patches of green paint around the base edges, but on balance I still think it is a better entry than the glossy, out of focus soldiers above it. Neither the "just got out of the bath" nor the "just fell in a muddy pond" look are particularly attractive to me, but Revford's men are more well-defined in terms of shade and light bringing out the details. Perhaps a better photo would have done your boys more justice. It is a painting competition, but you need good photos to show your work at its best.

Sorry if I'm being harsh, but you did bring this up. I would have kept me gob shut normally.

[Hammers]

I think it should be said that there is no way one in this kind of competition you will be judged by your painting technique alone. It simply cannot be done. Choice of miniatures, display, photography, lighting will have just as decisive roles and wanting it to be different is wishful thinking. It is possible, I guess, to do away with certain factors, like fancy scenery, but it will never be possible to reduce them to just that one.

[revford]

You're right CPT Shanks, there isn't realy any difference in the painting between us, mine is a block colour, wash, drybrush I use on most things.  I think it's the backdrop that makes the difference.

I voted for you.

and don't quite get those odd patches of green paint around the base edges,

The dark brown bases with green patches match an old gaming table I used to use that had dark brown earth sections with and green painted sections for grass.

I'm not sure about them these days, but as almost everything else I've painted has them I've kept on with it. 

[Northstar]

I have to agree here, there is no "real" measure to interprit the votes...If you lose it's because the other entry has the edge on you!
And that can mean losing with 9% or losing with 49%.
There are almost no head-to-head votes.

I expierienced it myself against Hammers, he had a very good entry (but when doesn't he?!  ) but to my surprise I had an almost "equally" good one.
The fact that he beat me with 69% wasn't because mine was crap, just some little details, choice in mini's, presentation, ...
People don't always vote for the best painted but to the one that appeals to them, depending on all those factors.

It can be frustrating to lose it by a long shot but try to take it not too seriously, have fun painting and compete again next season...there's a lot to learn here.
I know I did!

[Calimero]

It’s all a matter of personal taste. I didn’t look at the background on any of the two entries. In fact I didn’t even notice it until I’ve read your post… That being said, I thing that a lot of people don’t like gloss varnish… I’ve noticed that I have a little less votes on my entries when the photos make them look "too glossy".

[phreedh]

Another thing that would improve your score is a little more attention to the bases... it looks like unpainted gravel. A round of dark brown wash and a drybrush of a lighter brown or tan would make a huge difference. Add a few tufts of static grass and Bob's your uncle!

Then there's the focus thing in the photo - you've managed to focus the picture on the backdrop instead of the subject(s). That really detracts.

What tipped the scale for me is the fact that revford's entry looks more life-like. That might be due to the photo quality, or it's the muted colours. I couldn't say for sure.

[CPT Shanks]

Wow thanks for the responses all taken with an air of critique towards improvement. I do apreciate it.
I think Plynkes summed it up best "90% means 90% of the voters agree your entry is worse" I had to laugh at that point, in fact I'm still laughing as I type it. Yours is a highly regarded opinion Plynkes. I will make note of it.

[Voogla]

Another point that tipped the scale for me are the eyes. I always found it amazing how much a well painted facial expression and natural looking eyes make me overlook painting flaws (or the other way round, you can easily spoil a well painted mini with too large pupils or mismatching eye sizes). That is one thing I learned from Zoogla who always started with the face until he got that right before working on the rest of the mini. For the current competion you cannot really see the eyes of the Villa Guards in the shade, but you can clearly see the on the Assult Team that the eyes are not well worked out...

[Bungle]

I don't see that 90% of people think your figures are worse.

I think that 90% of people think the Romans have the edge over the US army figures in how they appear in photos.

Some of this voting has been pretty hard, with two fairly evenly matched pairs of photos. I found this one of them.

Personal choice for me came down to which I would prefer to have on the table.