The Lead Painters League Season 8 - General Discussion

[Admiral Benbow]

seconded!

updated list:

1. Frank
2. Hu Rhu
3. Orctrader
4. Strutter
5. gnomehome
6. Captain Blood
7. GemGames
8. Thargor
9. Steam Flunky
10. Calimero
11. Paracat
12. Hammers
13. Michi
14. Prof.Witchheimer
15. stevedaccs
16. CPT Shanks
17. Broonkah
18. wolfie907
19. Hubbynz
20. ollv
21. XCIV

Fanstastic list of participants - just missing Grimm and Chambers, of course! 

[syrinx0]

I still need to paint a third team- I may not make it in this year.
I've been painting a bunch of stuff for Wargames Factory that I'm not allowed to show 

What?! Who do we have email to file a complaint?  You can't buy a better pre-release advertisement than a team in the LPL. 

[Centaur_Seducer]

Looking forward to your entries! Mine won't be in at all due to the bloody real life thingy that I so often try to avoid

[Captain Blood]

Fanstastic list of participants - just missing Grimm and Chambers, of course! 

And, rather importantly, thus far, Admiral Benbow!

(And where is Bugsda??? Does he have a note from his mum???)

[Orctrader]

And, rather importantly, thus far, Admiral Benbow!

(And where is Bugsda??? Does he have a note from his mum???)

Agreed.  I was hoping to see the Admiral's teams.  And I need Bugsda to be "in" as, apart from him being a great painter, if I'm the only "sorry, no scenery" chap it will be lonely.   

[gnomehome]

if I'm the only "sorry, no scenery" chap it will be lonely.   

Well, I'll keep you company then. I won't bother with scenery (with a possbile exception for the last round). Blue gradient background it shall be.

[Bugsda]

if I'm the only "sorry, no scenery" chap it will be lonely.   

I'm trying Malcolm but it's going to be a close run thing, If I don't make it I'll be on the sidelines with the weezy boys and the half time oranges

[Blue in vt]

Agreed.  I was hoping to see the Admiral's teams.  And I need Bugsda to be "in" as, apart from him being a great painter, if I'm the only "sorry, no scenery" chap it will be lonely.   

Not to worry mate...I'll be in the "Gradient Club" too....assuming I can get the shields for team one done tonight!

Cheers,

Blue

[Hammers]

Not to worry mate...I'll be in the "Gradient Club" too....assuming I can get the shields for team one done tonight!

Cheers,

Blue

(Looking at your bottom tag line I see myself quoted. That's a good one, I was not aware I could be funny that way. )

[Dr Mathias]

If I enter this year I'm doing blue gradient background as well. It's pretty clear that some vocal or influential LAF members want the 'playing field leveled' for whatever reason- as evidenced by the new rules. There's also been some commentary that the LPL is a 'photo contest'. The fact is that anyone showing their figures in a contest online needs to know how to take a crisp clear photo. Anyone that has an tripod, lightbox, etc, and any training at all is at a distinct advantage no matter what sort of scenic backdrop or knowledge of Photoshop one has. No way around that. Some have also said that having terrain is an advantage (I won't argue with that to be honest as think it tipped the scales in my favor more than once) but really the big advantage some people have is time. A great majority of the thematic terrain I used in the past was made during the LPL as I worked on the figures, it wasn't like I had it beforehand.  

It may not seem like it but I don't have much of a competitive streak and I love doing the LPL because it forces me to get stuff done, and I like the self-challenge of knocking out new terrain at the same time. I think the LPL is getting more homogenized and is turning into a genuine 'competition'- but if that's the way it is, then that's the way it is. The only thing I had a problem with in the past is the Photoshopping of bases into the environment, which I think is misdirection and modification/obfuscation of reality.

Next year, when everyone is required to take a blurry photo of their figures on a cluttered kitchen table, with the camera in their phone so that the playing field is truly level, I'll still participate because I love the marathon

[Thargor]

Having tried terrain and nice backdrops this year and had the photo's rejected, I'm now using the plain blue background that came with my light tent.

[Hammers]

If I enter this year I'm doing blue gradient background as well. It's pretty clear that some vocal or influential LAF members want the 'playing field leveled' for whatever reason- as evidenced by the new rules. There's also been some commentary that the LPL is a 'photo contest'. The fact is that anyone showing their figures in a contest online needs to know how to take a crisp clear photo. Anyone that has an tripod, lightbox, etc, and any training at all is at a distinct advantage no matter what sort of background or knowledge of Photoshop one has. No way around that. Some have also said that having terrain is an advantage (I won't argue with that to be honest as think it tipped the scales in my favor more than once) but really the big advantage some people have is time. A great majority of the thematic terrain I used in the past was made during the LPL as I worked on the figures, it wasn't like I had it beforehand. 

It may not seem like it but I don't have much of a competitive streak and I love doing the LPL because it forces me to get stuff done, and I like the self-challenge of knocking out new terrain at the same time. I think the LPL is getting more homogenized and is turning into a genuine 'competition'- but if that's the way it is, then that's the way it is.

Next year, when everyone is required to take a blurry photo of their figures on a cluttered kitchen table, with the camera in their phone so that the playing field is truly level, I'll still participate because I love the marathon

It is pretty obvious the LPL has favored a combination of creativity, scenery, painting and photo skills. All season winners have been people who knows how to show their miniatures. What does this mean? With the risk of stating the obvious, it is what the voting members like, encourage and want more of. Myself, I am using a piece of shit camera this year and hope fI can do something with the other three.

[Centaur_Seducer]

I'd rather see creativity than crisp paint jobs to be honest. Sure, some might argue that it's unfair that some people get more votes just because they decided to spend an extra 50 hours on an entry. Oh wait...

[Bobbo]

I'll be joining the blue background crowd as well.  Actually, the new rules do make composing the entries quicker and make it much less likely that I'll misspell some key words again.  I also like only lining up a single shot per entry.

Ok, photos this year will be interesting.  I broke out my nice camera after a photography break and found moisture in my lens, so that's out.  The point and click is taking some horrible pictures so the best option I have thus far is... the cell phone camera.  Truth be told it is getting some pretty decent shots.

I'm fine with the new rules as they are.

[Dolmot]

Having tried terrain and nice backdrops this year and had the photo's rejected

...what?