Master series paint contest rules question

[Okari]

Hello! I have a question on the upcoming ReaperCon this year. For the Master series paint open contest rules on the page https://reapercon.com/contestI could not find anything regarding personally designed Models that an artist  3D prints and then paints.

 

for use as an example:

 

 

That is my first attempt at a model I personally designed in Blender, and then printed, in the style of warhammer 40k, though as a mention I really like the look of the grav-flux bombard from forgeworld so I created a very close facsimile of it for my model.

 

Under the rules I'm seeing I'm assuming that in the Painters Division it would not matter if it is 3D printed given the source of the model is not given consideration, just the prep and painting quality.

 

However I'm curious what, if any, the ruling on 3D designed and printed models are in the Open Division. Given the rules and the scoring system, sculpted models are judged by design originality, creativity, difficulty, etc, would a custom designed 3D printed model enjoy the same criteria for judging, or would it even be welcome in this division? Arguably this could extend to the diorama and vehicle division as well given the criteria in those.

 

I would like to argue that 3D designed and printed models should be welcome in any division; my design time alone for the model I gave as an example was clocked at 60+ hours. And while my tools and medium are different than a clay or greenstuff sculptor, I don't put any less passion or hard work into it.

 

[Keianna]

Generally, models that are sculpted digitally are treated the same as ones that are traditionally sculpted. I don't know if any specific examples, but I am sure someone else does. There are very, very talented digital sculpters that judge this contest and I imagine they would love to have a custom digital sculpt entered.

[Heisler]

Currently there are no sculptors on the judging teams. That doesn't mean that there won't be any for ReaperCon 2017 as the teams have not yet been drawn up and probably won't be for a number of months yet as we don't fully know who will be attending.

 

That being said all of the people we are likely to tap as judges would certainly be able to judge how well a miniature is sculpted. The category you enter defines how we judge something. If it goes in painters then we aren't going to care to much if it's an original sculpt, we are looking at the paint work. I would have no problem with it going into open as an original sculpt, just remember that the quality of the printing could cause you more work to make it presentable as the quality of the printing is going to come into play.

[Pegazus]

I actually did 3D print and enter in last year's contest, in the Open division. I considered the Vehicle division, but decided that having it as an original sculpt would help it more in the Open than the Vehicle. Not sure it did or not, but I came home with a bronze. The paint job wasn't superb (I decided to restart 3 weeks prior to the contest), so it probably could have scored a bit better had I the time.

 

In case it helps, here's the link my page from last year's entries: Artist Page

[Okari]

Thank you for the reply's and information everyone! I'm happy to hear I should be able to consider entering a 3D model into the competition. I only live a couple hours away from the convention and have thought about going a couple times. Maybe this years the year!

[Heisler]

Thank you for the reply's and information everyone! I'm happy to hear I should be able to consider entering a 3D model into the competition. I only live a couple hours away from the convention and have thought about going a couple times. Maybe this years the year!

 

Just one last thought. I mentioned print quality, and its definitely an issue with the photograph of the mini you posted. You can see the layers on the mini as the 3D printer built up the model. You either need a much better quality printer or be prepared to fix that in your prep stages.

[Okari]

 

Thank you for the reply's and information everyone! I'm happy to hear I should be able to consider entering a 3D model into the competition. I only live a couple hours away from the convention and have thought about going a couple times. Maybe this years the year!

 

Just one last thought. I mentioned print quality, and its definitely an issue with the photograph of the mini you posted. You can see the layers on the mini as the 3D printer built up the model. You either need a much better quality printer or be prepared to fix that in your prep stages.

 

Thank you for the feedback! I totally agree with you. I made that more as a proof of concept than anything else. Always wanted a dreadnought, but could never convince myself to pick one up. printer I have can go down to .02mm and that was printed at .1mm, additionally I was purposely playing with overhangs to see what I could and couldn't expect to come out well. I may make a post about what I've learned from it, but I figure that is best for a different forum section.

[Pegazus]

Okari, just for reference, that print I linked to was probably done at .2mm. Something at .02mm should work phenomenally in comparison.

[Okari]

Thanks for the reference Pegazus! That is definitely useful to know for reference.

[Wren]

If you haven't been to an open style competition before, you might not know that you can include some additional information with your entry. You'll be given a card with the entry number on it to display next to the entry. You should definitely write on it that it's a scratch 3D sculpt. You are also welcome to include additional info like a photo of the render, and/or of the print before you paint it, or a copy of a sketch you might have done in the planning stages, a brief description of the creation process, stuff like that.

[knarthex]

If you haven't been to an open style competition before, you might not know that you can include some additional information with your entry. You'll be given a card with the entry number on it to display next to the entry. You should definitely write on it that it's a scratch 3D sculpt. You are also welcome to include additional info like a photo of the render, and/or of the print before you paint it, or a copy of a sketch you might have done in the planning stages, a brief description of the creation process, stuff like that.

And make sure that you do this!

[Crowley]

 

If you haven't been to an open style competition before, you might not know that you can include some additional information with your entry. You'll be given a card with the entry number on it to display next to the entry. You should definitely write on it that it's a scratch 3D sculpt. You are also welcome to include additional info like a photo of the render, and/or of the print before you paint it, or a copy of a sketch you might have done in the planning stages, a brief description of the creation process, stuff like that.

And make sure that you do this!

 

Must remember to do this for this year...

[knarthex]

I lost quite a few points from failure to do this last yeat....

[Heisler]

Yes, the more information the better, Especially for original sculpts or major conversions. If you have done a conversion right then we won't know its a conversion, The same would be true for a 3D sculpt, if I don't know you built the files and its an original piece I have no way of knowing after you have painted it,

 

As a point of fact you do not lose any "points" the system doesn't really work like that. That being said depending on what category you are in something is going to be looked at and rated more highly than other aspects, Obviously in the Painter category we are looking mostly at the painting skill:

• Difficulty           5%
• Creativity        10%
• Workmanship 10%
• Painting Skill   70%
• Presentation    5%

As compared to the Open Category were painting is important but nearly as important as it is in Painters

• Difficulty          15%
• Creativity         10%
• Workmanship  30%
• Painting Skill    30%
• Presentation    15%

Those are the guidelines the judges use for the two different categories. Its also why there are three judges and each of them assigns every piece a score from 0-4 (are these the points you are talking about Knarthex?). Those scores are added together and the total score determines what medal you have earned:

11-12 points - Gold

8-10 points - Silver

5-7 points - Bronze

2-4 points - Certificate of Merit

0-1 point - No award

 

I'm don't know which piece you are referring to Knarthex but I be interested in seeing which one it is on the ReaperCon 2016 Gallery. Remember that there are also multiple judging teams so not every judge looked at every piece.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Heisler

[Grayfax]

I would imagine Knarthex meant his diorama from last year based on the cover from the Waterdeep book in Forgotten Realms.  I believe he forgot to include a copy of the cover so others could see what he was referencing / recreating.