The LAF Games Workshop Discussion Thread

[nic-e]

As a customer I've never had anything but great service from dark sphere.

That's not because of the owners ,It's because the staff care about the games and the community. The warehouse is separate from the store so those guys are more free to do their jobs but are also constantly supervised by the owners mother.

The guys working there cared about doing their job well because A:the staff are gamers too, and B:any minor delay meant having the owner scream in your face.
(We all get good service from Amazon but they treat their employees like crap.When you're afraid that slipping up means you can't pay your rent , you tend to bend over backwards for customers.)

[Kommando_J]

I got into a big argument on facebook about the Voodoo Forest thing, people buying up loads of copies despite it being a limited non-repeated run, (you can probably guess which was me).

One guy for boasting that he ''held off'' before buying two extra copies(one to give and one to keep, apparently he plans to cut up the first...), later another guy got attacked for suggesting to Blanche that he explicitly say one copy per person to avoid any more people using the ''I wasn't told not to'' excuse.

One thing i have noticed sometimes...Blanche himself can be very cranky/dismissive to his fans, he pretty much outright accused one guy of plagiarism, he often takes statements or comments(some not even directed at him) badly and overall comes off as not really getting the point of social media...like Jesus man, cheer up and be nicer, his fans would do probably anything for him and he treat them at times almost like an inconvenience(is this just me seeing this?).

Also I dnt get why he cant let someone else handle distribution, all he does is the art but he makes it seem like a huge hassle printing and shipping the stuff(im pretty sure its done by others?) which is why its a limited run.

[Andrew Rae]

One thing i have noticed sometimes...Blanche himself can be very cranky/dismissive to his fans, he pretty much outright accused one guy of plagiarism, he often takes statements or comments(some not even directed at him) badly and overall comes off as not really getting the point of social media...like Jesus man, cheer up and be nicer, his fans would do probably anything for him and he treat them at times almost like an inconvenience(is this just me seeing this?).

Also I dnt get why he cant let someone else handle distribution, all he does is the art but he makes it seem like a huge hassle printing and shipping the stuff(im pretty sure its done by others?) which is why its a limited run.

He’s old, he’s ill and it’s his personal FB page so he can do as he wants. There are other forms of social media that would likely work better for him, but it is what it is. I think we can all understand a pensioner 'not really getting' Facebook. Or perhaps we could all realise not everyone wants to use Facebook in the same way.

I got impression that printing and postage was handled by friends, not by anyone expecting a payday. So one print run it is.

[nic-e]

Voodoo forest was a personal project for him ,not a commissioned work. the fact that a print run went up for sale at all is sort of amazing since he normally just gives a few prints to close friends.

As to Blanche on facebook, he's very friendly with his friends....
When he joined he was mostly just adding people from the Inquisimunda and AoS28 groups whose work he liked. Then word got out that he was on facebook and people began bombarding him with messages asking for tips or validation when all he wanted was to talk about miniatures.
And then you have the 17 year olds in call of duty t shirts saying his work isn't very 40k? That'd make me grumpy.

I also wonder if his sudden social media presence wasn't nudged along a little by gw?I know he isn't an employee of theirs anymore, But you have to wonder if someone at GW said "hey john, there's a large community of modellers who idolise your work,it'd be amazing if you could interact with them and make them feel more engaged with the mainstream hobby?" at which point Blanche chugged a bottle of windsor and newton crimson ink and rode off on a latex motorbike .
He used to post on iron sleet and spiky rat pack but always under a different name and only because he knew those guys personally.

Also yeah, He's an elderly chap with long term health issues who just wants to show his toy soldiers off, not act as messiah.

[nic-e]

NOW, I already have a nice little painting holder from Oshiro .

BUT, this looks very nice, with little springloaded grips to hold models.
Also i got mine at salute but it took me bloody ages to find anyone selling one and i've never seen a store carry anything like it, so this is GW filling a hobby tool highstreet niche.Sure i have a draw full of corks like everyone else, but this looks nice, chunky, comfy to hold.

[Kommando_J]

''He’s old, he’s ill and it’s his personal FB page so he can do as he wants.''

I understand he is both old and ill and that he doesn't get facebook, also I was talking about the group interactions, since he took all the pics off his personal page people really only interact through the various groups.

''There are other forms of social media that would likely work better for him,''

Indeed, he has an instagram which he ported his pics to, id would think its a better fit too.

''When he joined he was mostly just adding people from the Inquisimunda and AoS28 groups whose work he liked. Then word got out that he was on facebook and people began bombarding him with messages asking for tips or validation when all he wanted was to talk about miniatures.
And then you have the 17 year olds in call of duty t shirts saying his work isn't very 40k? That'd make me grumpy.''

People do talk about miniatures and I have yet to see any examples of 17 year olds saying his work isn't 40k(they'd be banned right quick).

I can get the logic by GW if true in that inq28 has boomed, it also is one of the things keeping him in a job as I find that GW itself is utilising his artwork less and less compared to before (a trend I hate).

''I got impression that printing and postage was handled by friends, not by anyone expecting a payday.''

Me too but when people complained he made it seem like it was a personal hassle which confused me.

Tbh methinks things should go back to intermediaries.

[FramFramson]

I have yet to see any examples of 17 year olds saying his work isn't 40k(they'd be banned right quick).

Maybe that's why you haven't seen any

[Kommando_J]

Lol yes, but if that is the case, why take it out on others? If you go online you are going to be exposed to people saying things you don't like.

I guess it just sits wrong with me how dismissive he can be, flinging around accusations of plagiarism when he does not own nor did he invent the concept of spooky forests for example.

I think this may be a case of not meeting your idols (albeit online).

Take our very own Fenrir for example, I would hold that up as a great example of a creator interacting positively with fans, Blanche could take notes .

[Kommando_J]

''I so agree with this. Possibly because I say an awful lot of stuff people don't like IRL and on the net. ''

Lol, who hasn't? Chances are no matter what you say someone will find it offensive/annoying etc.

''all art is derivative and mr blanche should know this.''

Indeed, and the way he went about it felt wrong as well(not sure if thread is still up) I would almost guess that jealousy may be partial motivation as the fellow in question has done some truly fantastic/creepy conversions and art pices, up there with blanches best almost.

''If you idolise people you will invariably be disappointed.''

True, although I did not go so far as to idolise him, I would have considered him a hobby hero/inspiration in the past.

And to pick up an earlier point while Blanche may be annoyed about people asking for tips etc....what did he expect, for years he did have a painting column called Blanchitsu that focused on his style, it'd be like Bruce Lee getting mad somebody asked him about Jeet Kun Do.

[YPU]

IIRC he still has that column every now and again.

[stone-cold-lead]

IIRC he still has that column every now and again.

It's in WD every month although I don't know if he actually has anything to do with it. It's mostly conversions in his style done by a group of modellers.

[Kommando_J]

He does and he contributes but is happy to show off the work of his fans.

[stone-cold-lead]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but just thumbing through WD and surprised by a few details about Necromunda. Looks like the two starter gangs, bulkheads, barricades and bases are all available separately. That'll screw the bits sellers on Ebay!

[nic-e]

The new painting handle is only £5.
Thats less than what I paid for my current one!

They're also bringing back the water pot with the brush holding rim.

[stone-cold-lead]

The new scenery bundles look to be pretty good value too.