Painting Competition Displays - Another Prototype Mockup

The vast majority of the painting competitions take your entry and put it into a display case. It doesn't come back into your hands till the show is over and of course you can't make sure that its really properly displayed. But for the most part that doesn't matter, a judge (or two or three) is going to pickup your entry to make their decision so we really don't need any fancy displays. However, at least in the US, the historical painting competitions are all about the display, showing off your figures to their best advantage and creating a cohesive display. While the individual figures are still going to be judged there is an award for the best display plus it can really focus the attention on your own pieces in a room filled with hundreds of miniatures.

I was working on a concept for a competition entry and I needed a way put the mini in some kind of context for the viewer. So I was doodling around with a paint scheme and trying to figure out a way to show off the mini in context for viewer. The mini needed to be easily removable for judging and transportable to boot. Then this little concept hit me:

So I finished my chores off today and decided to see if this concept is going to work or not. So here we go:

 A repeat picture, my classic mockup materials

Laying out the pattern

First cuts, looks good so far.

Starting to assemble the pieces

Two more of the set of four

The initial assembly is complete. Everything looks to be coming together

Here is one of the cubes I use for my display bases. Here we see the display base in the cut out in the bigger display.

Adding in the background pieces. With these in place I can paint in some backdrop scenery or make some 3D additions.

This is the complete setup

How the four pieces look like from above. I could but this in a little spinner and let folks rotate it. But primarily I'm thinking that this will be how I transport it. Maybe rare earth magnets in the sides to help hold things together for transport.

What I'm really thinking of for display purposes. The background displays will really put the mini in context for the viewer.

And the remains of the construction.

I pretty happy with how this came out. Now I just need to figure out how to make it out of something a lot sturdier. I may be spending a lot of time with my hobby chop saw and some hard wood.

Science Fiction Diorama - Base Mockup

Its been a while since I have posted anything that I have actually worked on. I have taken to carrying around a little notebook that I can jot down my thoughts in so I don't forget them. This has been working out fairly well and today I decided to see if one of my ideas was going to work or not. I had this vision of a little sci/fi diorama featuring British troops from the Colonial Period (Zulu War kind of feeling) trying to ambush a "patrol" of aliens. All the minis are going to come right out of the Reaper Miniatures Chronoscope line and I had them already in the pile of unpainted lead.

I grabbed my favorite material for creating a mock up and off I went.

Matt Board, Ruler, Mechanical Pencil, some Titebond Glue sitting where I won't spill it.

The Sketchbook I have been carrying around

Deep into construction at this point

Coming together

"The Interior", I think I'm going to work in two windows instead of one.

The interior with a floor now!

On the outside the stairs in the alley

Street side which mostly features the sidewalk and a bit of the street

I think this will be the main viewing angle

So how the miniatures in the alley might fit. Some conversion work is going to be required

Two in the alley and one inside

The aliens make their appearance. You can see the alien shadows on the wall. When I paint this I'm going to try out a lower light coming from directly down the street so that the aliens will be casing shadows in front of them. That's what the British officer will be watching, timing his moment to strike.

Another view with all the minis in the scene

At the moment I'm pretty happy with how things worked out with this mockup. I can see some places I will need to make adjustments and where some conversion work will be required. I think its going to work out pretty good. The story seems pretty solid at this point.

Hanger 18 Bawidamann Pinup Kickstarter Home Stretch

Well this one wraps up tomorrow 5/22. They have hit all their stretch goals and are rapidly closing in on their surprise goal. I expect them to hit that pretty quickly, they were within $500 last time I checked.

They also received the painted copy of the Zombie Hunter, I have a swiped a copy to post here, but you can see this one and more pics out on their kickstarter site. 

Hanger 18 Kickstarter

Genghis Con XXXV Favorite Entries

I finally got a disk with the entries from the Genghis Con XXXV painting competition. I thought I would post up a few of my favorites. This were all taken by Doug Sundseth. Unfortunately I don't remember most of the entrants names and I don't have the paperwork on the entries. If you see one of yours just let me know.

Photographs Copyright 2014 Douglas Sundseth. Used by arrangement.

Best in Show - Ian Markon

Ian Markon

Alice - Phil Esterle

Michael Proctor

Phil Esterle

Phil Esterle

Wolfen - Sindjinn

Trick or Treaters - Heidi Jugovic

Adventuring Party - Heidi Jugovic