Digital M@ Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 They don't make money on pamphlets. I want a book darn it, but pamphlets would be better than nothing. You are not going to get the level of detail or printing quality in a pamphlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errex Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 So, it seems the general idea is to have a "How To" book, akin to those painting guides published by GW. This could be printed as a paperback. I, for my part, would prefer a coffe table art book, loaded with painted images, maybe a bit of comment either by the author or the editor, and perhaps a small glossary of painting terms and techniques at the back. I'd want it to be hardcover, and printed on quality paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Daniel's idea is brilliant. I say keep the book for showing off stuff, and do cool pick what you want to learn pamphlets... After all, an art book SHOULD show off art, not teach how to do it. I think most of the people here are forgetting that reading a tutorial on paper, or on the computer will not help like actually practicing and doing the technique! They may make learning easier, but YOU have to make the breakthrough in order to master the technique... So I am on the side of Daniel and Ruben here. I would not pay lots for a hardcover learn to paint miniatures book, though I may pay for a pamphlet detailing how Derek Schubert or Eric Louchard do their freehand.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe the Painter Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 It's not a pamphlet though. Think of it as those old time life do-it-yourself books that were sold by the chapter. A series of pages on heavy cardstock, and you put them in a binder. Each 'chapters' worth of material would deal with a different technique, from possibly different artists. Each set would be printed with holes ready for a binder Being put in a binder, it would always lie flat. If they were cut at 8.5x11, one could put them in protective plastic sleeves instead of relying on pre-cut holes, as those would eventually break, and they'd be even better protected. You could also remove just a SINGLE page, to keep by your paintstand as you practiced a certain technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AusMike Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 As requested earlier, I would definately want to see more "Inprogress" photos of key techniques. Most pictures accompanying explanations simply show before shots and after shots and the better the artist, the harder it is to see how they achieved the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Daniel, you are genius.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hells_Clown Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Daniel's idea is brilliant. I say keep the book for showing off stuff, and do cool pick what you want to learn pamphlets... After all, an art book SHOULD show off art, not teach how to do it. I think most of the people here are forgetting that reading a tutorial on paper, or on the computer will not help like actually practicing and doing the technique! They may make learning easier, but YOU have to make the breakthrough in order to master the technique... So I am on the side of Daniel and Ruben here. I would not pay lots for a hardcover learn to paint miniatures book, though I may pay for a pamphlet detailing how Derek Schubert or Eric Louchard do their freehand.... One cannot practice a technique one does not know. I look at painted minis all the time and wonder "how did they DO that?!" So I post a question in this forum, hopefully get some answers and then practice. But I have to have a starting place. I'm glad you can look at a mini and know exactly how it's done, but we aren't all super-special-almighty-painters-of-wonder. Most of us are ordinary and learn in different ways. Some of us need instructions and help. Don't like the book? Don't buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hells_Clown Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 I think the GW book is a good starting point. If it has any faults it's that they only cover how to paint their minis (which isn't really a fault cuz well, what else would they show you how to paint?). I like how they have several sections so that you can find what you are looking for quickly. They start with assembling, pining, gap filling, etc then go on to painting, then basing. Each section is alphabetical as well. That makes it a whole lot easier to find what you're looking for. There are so many things that could be included in such a book, it might be easier to publish several volumes. One on basic techniques, one on intermediate/advanced and maybe one with just purty pictures. However they are put out, they need to be sturdy and have super high quality pics. In progress pics are a great idea. I learned a few things from the GW book on highlighting, using inks, etc. So much so I went out and bought all their inks so I could try some of the techniques I learned there. If not for the book I wouldn't have known how the did what they did. As for what to put in the book, most everyone who has already posted listed the things I'd like to see. Don't focus on any one thing too much though. NMM is popular now but giving us 90 pages of it while ignoring blending and layering would be a bad idea. Oh well, I've rambled enough for the nonce. In summary: PUBLISH A DURN BOOK POST HASTE! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe the Painter Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Okay, let me further explain my idea.... First, you have sets of cardstock glossy printed pages, I think 5-10, double sided per topic would suffice. Each set of cardstock pages would cover one area of painting, by one artist, showing how THEY do it. So you could have... "Priming and cleaning" by Bobby Wong "Skintones" By Jennifer Haley "Skintones" by Anne foerster "Nmm" by Sascha "blending" by Foo Bar yadda yadda.... Now, each set of pages, would be 8.5x11 with prepunched holes, designed to fit in a ring binder. They would be heavy weight card stock, and glossy finished so spills wipe up. Being 8.5 x 11, the purchasers could also insert them into plastic sleeves, which would also make them more water resistant, and the plastic sleeves have their own holes that won't eventually tear out. This way, people can pop out and remove pages as needed, and easily look at them while painting w/o putting up with all the space a book takes. One could also just keep the binder nearby, and read from it, as binders always lay flat! There are several advantages to this. 1) Choice, people buy what they need. 2) Rapid adaptability. Every 3 months, Reaper could release a new set of pages. They could focus on a figure line, new techniques, materials, etc. They could publish tutorials submitted by others. Your book would never go old. 3) Ability to cover more than JUST painting. Terrain modules could be added, etc.. 4) Ease of use. Remove individual pages for study, the binder lies flat, etc... Some tie-ins... Get some custom quality black binders printed up with the Reaper logo in red or metallic on the front. Offer these in exchange for Reaper Proofs of Purchase, or include a coupon with the starter 'packet' that purchasers can send in to get a free Reaper binder. One can do tie-ins too. Send a free set to a game store upon each release, help them build a 'painting tome', that they can use to teach painting classes, or show people. Save the last half of the final page for 'ads' to help offset the costs of printing. People may hate ads, but this makes printing cheaper, makes Reaper look like a nice company ( for helping out 'competitors' ) and widens the pool of interested parties. Who knows, people may even pay to have their figs or products showcased in a Reaper painting packet. Ads for game stores, paint suppliers, tool people, yadda yadda. Painting techniques are always changing, and evolving. Making a modular 'book' allows one to change with the times, and expose people to more artists. Undoubtably, as the years march on, new painters will arrive on the scene, and people will be intrested in how they paint. The above setup allows reaper to keep current and topical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awong Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Although I like the idea of a modular book, I don't want to be nickeled and dimed to get the thing. I think what Crusoe is suggesting is very neat and I've seen this done as cut out supplements in magazines, (E.G. FineScale Modeler) but I'd like to buy the thing in one go. I'm willing to bet that buying a book in installments, even if one were to forego sections deemed unnecessary, could end up costing quite a bit more than annuals. Another picture book might be good too, but I think CMON's annual would cover that nicely (although, one can never have enough of really well painted references). I have to say, for the price, CMON's annual is a great reference and source of inspiration! I'd put my vote in for a techniques book. Definitely feature/bio the artists and get their comments (sidebars) and good, large, clear, relevant photos. Thanks AWhang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe the Painter Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Well, depending if you could get advertisers intrested, the cost could be very cheap. Plus, realize all the benefits. Minimal use of space easy to reference single pages lays flat never goes old buy as you go... Can do a little of everything each year. Not enough for a terrain book? Well how about a terrain packet... -Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital M@ Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 The modular book has some ups, but as a sales manager who regularly creates and has professionally printed sales brochures, I can say printing costs would be a killer. You want large single runs for cost savings. You also have to worry about demographics of buyers. You can sell a whole book to most people if they like 50% of it. If people don't buy half of the pamphlets, your whole project loses money. The modular book works great for a free .pdf release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domni Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 I'd just like to say ..yes!! to all the suggestions. I'd like to see both a coffee table art book and a book on techniques more indepth than drybrushing! Would it help if I pre-ordered now?? :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper User Vaitalla Posted October 30, 2003 Author Reaper User Share Posted October 30, 2003 The modular book works great for a free .pdf release. See, that's what I'm thinking, what Crusoe is talking about I was planning to have as free tutorials on the new website. Dunno if they'll ever be downloadable, but you could always just print it out. *shrugs* Anyway, the book would be a long ways out at this point, but thank you guys so much for your feedback, and be assured I'm taking notes! :) --Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mengu Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Actually what Daniel is describing *is* currently my painting book. Everything I collect from web sites, these message boards, convention workshops, emails, etc go into a binder, and each page is stored in a protective sheet, so I can take them out for reference and clip them back on when I'm done. It is also organized into sections, though the sections can sometimes overlap. It works great, and I have Debby (my GF) to thank for it :love: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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