Cerridwyn1st Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 One of the frustrating things for me, in painting, is the lack of people to "hang out" with. I love to paint minis, but doing it by yourself all the time gets very dull. In addtion, I know I get better when I have people to talk to about paiting. The online painting thing has helped me immensly. As a matter of fact, my painting has advanced dramatically since I've been using online discussion boards. I have a mentor via the internet, someone I'd never have the chance talk to regularly in real life, as I live in the US and he's in the UK. But I still want the chance to see and talk to real people. Does anyone else share my frustration? What, if anything, are you doing about it? I've been running a painting workshop at my LGS since November of last year. That's helping a lot, since I'm building a "crew" of people who regularly attend. That's my answer to what to do about my "painting loneliness". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintrix Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 One of the frustrating things for me, in painting, is the lack of people to "hang out" with. I love to paint minis, but doing it by yourself all the time gets very dull. Oh, do I hear you. I painted by myself in almost complete isolation, physical and creative, for the first two-three years. Even now I don't get to work with people as much as I'd like, since there's rarely anyone in the immediate area. My 'regular' group is two hours away by train and if I get out there once a month they're shocked. In addtion, I know I get better when I have people to talk to about paiting. The online painting thing has helped me immensly. My work improved almost overnight, and by leaps and bounds, when I discovered what was available on the Internet. Not only did I finally get solutions for problems (the stuff every beginner can find in several FAQs), but just seeing the range of miniatures, colors, and ideas outside the GW universe...ah, that was really what convinced me to hand off my soul to the Dark Painting Gawds. I've found I work hardest, and best, in response to challenges and critiques--anything from seeing the Latest Confrontation Wonder, to Anne Foerster goading me for avoiding certain colors or techniques. Last year's Emperor's Champion sprang from her teasing me that I Couldn't Paint Red and Didn't Do Detail Work. What would I do without friends? But I still want the chance to see and talk to real people. Does anyone else share my frustration? What, if anything, are you doing about it? Right now, between message boards, conventions, the 'local' group, and the infrequent teaching at my place/painter friend visiting, I do get the minimum of painting contact I seem to need. Not as much as I'd like, of course. Where are you geographically? I had been under the impression you were in the UK for some reason. Don't know why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errex Posted May 31, 2004 Share Posted May 31, 2004 Yep. Happens to me too. Nothing much I can do, really. Painting people here in Mexico is rare. Gamers, we get a lot, but not many seem inclined to spend more than an hour on a mini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errex Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 One would think so, Uh?. There could be a small core of dedicated hobbyists, but due to the rather high level of insecurity (and I don't mean self esteem issues, but real life threats to bodily integrity), people that can afford this hobby here is rather weary of contact with strangers. Perhaps something could be set up with the involvement of shopowners, but my NSFLGS management is rather hard to deal with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Froggy the Great Posted June 1, 2004 Moderator Share Posted June 1, 2004 Ack. What happens to mini-gamers over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodnik Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 I'd have to second everything that Jen was sayin'. I had about 5 minis under my belt 'til about a year ago. I drybrushed exclusively until December of last year. I started learnin' how to thin my paint in February. My work has improved EXPONENTIALLY since then. What I did: I sought out people that were willing to mentor me and had the same responses to friendly challenges that I do. I do almost all of my "collaborative work" online, via email and website. Although I do talk to my painting associates on the phone sometimes, most of our correspondence is online. This works wonders if you find someone willing to become a part of such a relationship. One of these days I might start a workshop....when I feel I'm good enough to teach a bit that is.. Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neyuttad Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Yes, I know what you mean. So incidentally, anyone near Los Angeles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errex Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintminion Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 My 'regular' group is two hours away by train and if I get out there once a month they're shocked. Yep, we IMMPS would be shocked, but happy to see Jennifer more often. We've tried to get her to move out here, but it hasn't worked yet. I know that although I leaped in results after coming into the online painting community through mini-painter, I leaped ahead again by deflating Anne's tires and forcing her to teach me at my kitchen table for a few days. I do not reccommend this method of getting someone to teach you, but I do think that interacting with other painters is very helpful. It's great also to get feedback and see what everyone's doing in our "group" the IMMPS, and just having one day set aside to be with my fellow IMMPS keeps me sane most weeks. We tend to keep each other on track and pushing our skills. Painting friends issuing challenges can be dangerous..the challenges, not normally the friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TaleSpinner Posted June 2, 2004 Moderator Share Posted June 2, 2004 IMMPS ????????? Please define. TS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Landt Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Here you go TS. IMMPS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerridwyn1st Posted June 2, 2004 Author Share Posted June 2, 2004 One of the frustrating things for me, in painting, is the lack of people to "hang out" with. I love to paint minis, but doing it by yourself all the time gets very dull. Oh, do I hear you. I painted by myself in almost complete isolation, physical and creative, for the first two-three years. Even now I don't get to work with people as much as I'd like, since there's rarely anyone in the immediate area. My 'regular' group is two hours away by train and if I get out there once a month they're shocked. In addtion, I know I get better when I have people to talk to about paiting. The online painting thing has helped me immensly. My work improved almost overnight, and by leaps and bounds, when I discovered what was available on the Internet. Not only did I finally get solutions for problems (the stuff every beginner can find in several FAQs), but just seeing the range of miniatures, colors, and ideas outside the GW universe...ah, that was really what convinced me to hand off my soul to the Dark Painting Gawds. I've found I work hardest, and best, in response to challenges and critiques--anything from seeing the Latest Confrontation Wonder, to Anne Foerster goading me for avoiding certain colors or techniques. Last year's Emperor's Champion sprang from her teasing me that I Couldn't Paint Red and Didn't Do Detail Work. What would I do without friends? But I still want the chance to see and talk to real people. Does anyone else share my frustration? What, if anything, are you doing about it? Right now, between message boards, conventions, the 'local' group, and the infrequent teaching at my place/painter friend visiting, I do get the minimum of painting contact I seem to need. Not as much as I'd like, of course. Where are you geographically? I had been under the impression you were in the UK for some reason. Don't know why. First off, Jen, your Emperor's Champion is FANTASTIC. Bet it would have rocked even without the marble base. Though I have to admit, it's a brilliant choice for basing the mini. Beautiful and simple at the same time, with colors that offset the mini spectacularly. Wow, that sound SO much like what I've been through! (Minus the Golden Demons, of course.) I've been painting about two and a half years now. I was pretty much stagnant until September of last year, when a friend/client clued me into CMON. I also started "surfing" myself and entered the VIC 9 showcase. I saw where Mike Dodds (AKA Dragonsreach) was working on the same piece, and contacted him via CMON. Mike's been my mentor since about October of last year. That may be where you get the idea that I'm in England, since he's from there and sometimes a little "English" slips into my usage. I'm in Jacksonville, FL. Mike encoraged me to enter in the Golden Demons in Atlanta this year, and held my hand while I prepared my piece. The result is the Lucrezia Belladona on CMON, my best work to date. I also corresponded with Thierry Husser. One look at his first auction piece, and I was hooked. I bugged him SO much that eventually he sent me to the Confrontation board to ask my questions, so everyone could benefit. The result of that is the chart that I put on my website of the colors Thierry listed to get the NMM effects he creates. With Thierry's tutalage, my NMM has progressed exponentiallly. I also spent about six months working on the face technique you elaborated on your website. That may sound like a lot, but the combination of the right equipment, brush technique, and paint viscosity takes some time and practice. The technique I have now is the result of having the chance to correspond with some of the best painters on the planet, and I'm really greatful. The people I've mentioned by name here are not the only people who have helped me, they've just suffered through more of my attention than the rest. I've started my own painting group so I can inflict, ur, teach, this stuff to others. BTW, Jen, bet you'd like to have a dollar for every time someone looked at one of your pieces and said, "More work than I want to do!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Rider Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Now that I live in Palatine I may start showing up there. If that's ok with the peeps there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonsreach Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 I saw where Mike Dodds (AKA Dragonsreach) was working on the same piece, and contacted him via CMON. Mike's been my mentor since about October of last year. That may be where you get the idea that I'm in England, since he's from there and sometimes a little "English" slips into my usage. I'm in Jacksonville, FL. Mike encoraged me to enter in the Golden Demons in Atlanta this year, and held my hand while I prepared my piece. The result is the Lucrezia Belladona on CMON, my best work to date. Ok since my name(s) have been bandied about I thought I'd join in. I normally paint alone (Billy No-Mates), but I have done a number of painting classes /demonstrations for my local GW. I too have found that with the development of the internet, websites like this and Coolmini, that my painting has improved somewhat over the last couple of years. I was adopted by Cerridwyn1st (Mel) as her mentor, and am rather honoured by that. I have been able to share what little information I have gleaned over the years, which has been and is a pleasure. I only wish that when I first started Painting (in my teens, Late 60's early 70's) the internet had been available! Basically I'm going to lay the blame at Jen Haley's feet, I was searching for Painting websites and found "Paintrix.com" and her wonderful Fiannas. From there two things happened: 1) I was directed to Coolmini 2) I was Hooked on the "French company" Now I'll be honest I wasn't that impressed with Reaper mini's from the past, but.......I was browsing (ok, ok so I was spending) through my local "Forbidden Planet" and found 'Judas Bloodspire'. Now I'm as hooked as the rest of you. It's just a pity for me that they are not as easily available in my locality as they are in the USA. (But my bank manager is very pleased) If anyone's interested that haven't seen my work please visit Coolminiornot where my alias is Dragonsreach. If my information is correct Jen Haley will be gracing the UK's shores in October, visiting the GW Gamesday. Jen, I hope to meet you then. Ok, for the moment, Toodles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerridwyn1st Posted June 2, 2004 Author Share Posted June 2, 2004 That was a heck of a first post, Mike. Welcome aboard! I'm still getting a kick out of running around, pointing to your name in the May White Dwarf, and saying, "That's my mentor!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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