81 replies to this topic

[MonkeySloth]

Hey all, as I mentioned in the Halloween discussion thread I wanted to do a thread once this most recent contest was over so I get people's thoughts on the contests I've ran this year so I can make improvements for next year.

First off I think the Halloween contest went great and I personally liked the scoring system we used this time around much better then the other voting system, thanks to Lastman for helping come up with it as well, so did several of my judges. I would expect that we'll use a variation of this for the next painting excuses contests.

With the Painting Excuses contests I've felt that an open Fantasy and open Non-fantasy have worked quite well and I don't for see any reasons to drop those but have liked having a third category that makes each contest a little different and I'm leaning more and more towards the thematic scenic bases like we just did with the Halloween contests.

I'm looking at starting the next contest either after Christmas or after new years, let me know what works best, so any feedback before then on what you want out of that third category or comments on any other aspects of these contests is most welcome.

[Girot]

I'd be willing/able to participate after New Years.

[Kuro Cleanbrush]

Anytime around Christmas/New Year's works great for me; I'll look forward to the contest!

Also, I've definitely liked the category groupings for the past couple of contests.

[Adrift]

MonkeySloth, I think the scoring system you and Lastman came up with is fantastic. It really helped me to take my final scores, and your comments as a means for improving overall. I've never done a diorama before, and I found the feedback to be very informative. I also found the feedback on the individual mini "base" to be very informative.

Overall, I can't rave enough about how this whole process is going! I think that adding a thematic and creativity components really pushes people to participate, and having it weighted higher than painting or skill level is a wonderful way to encourage all levels of painters to get involved. I'd love to see these two elements be the focal points for all future contests as well for the reasons cited above.

[ObsidianCrane]

As a person who just doesn't want to mess with basing too much (dropping some rocks on and some grass is about the limit of my interest in it because my minis need to be practical gaming items) I'd like to see something that places limited or no emphasis on basing.

Regardless I would need a pre-Christmas start or late January finish for the next competition because I'll be AFPB ;) around Christmas.

[Corporea]

After Chirstmas/New Years would work perfectly! I always need excuses to paint and having a deadline really helps motivate me. The Halloween contest was a fantastic learning experience, and I agree the scoring system is a really good idea to make miniature painting inclusive, not exclusive. We need more of that!

[Inarah]

I liked being able to get some feedback about my entries.
I liked that there were multiple categories.
I don't think categories should be the same every time, they could be themed.
I liked that there was a theme and adherence to it affected your score.
I felt the time allotted for painting was a bit short, especially the Excuses one where we had less than a month.
I would prefer not to start another contest until at least mid-January

[MonkeySloth]

As a person who just doesn't want to mess with basing too much (dropping some rocks on and some grass is about the limit of my interest in it because my minis need to be practical gaming items) I'd like to see something that places limited or no emphasis on basing.

That's why I like having generic "fantasy" and "Non-fantasy" categories, so people can just paint for fun and there being no theme. These may get merged into two but I know Kit has given me allowance for more then three categories if we can get enough entries submitted for each.

I don't think categories should be the same every time, they could be themed.

Suggestions on categories? Anyone is welcome to offer them.

I'm thinking of the theme for the next contest will be Winter Wonderland as it needs to be generic enough that it will work on a single base.

I felt the time allotted for painting was a bit short, especially the Excuses one where we had less than a month.

If we don't have a diorama category how long do people prefer? The Painting Excuses have been around 3 weeks each, I wanted to do the second one longer but was worried about school started up for people so I figured I'd end it on Labor Day. 4 weeks enough time? 5? I really don't want to do 2 months every time as I feel there's a bit of steam lost at the start because of that.

I assume that people prefer these to end on a Monday so you have a weekend to work on them but it doesn't really matter what day of the week it starts correct?

I appreciate all the honest feedback, I want to make these contests something that everyone feel welcome to enter and get excited about and to do that I need to know where I've missed the mark and what I've done right.

[Adrift]

I think 4 weeks is a reasonable amount of time to be able to finish a diorama. A diorama is a lot more intense of a project than just a simple mini with some basing, so 4 weeks sounds reasonable to me.

[Inarah]

For contest work I like at least 6 weeks for a single figure, to be able to put forth "best" effort. For a diorama, 8 weeks. That's just so much more involved. I think you'll get better participation if there's more time allowed, too. For folks with jobs and families who are lucky if they get an hour or two a week to paint, 4 weeks is just not enough time to do a decent contest-quality job.

If you're going to do a 'winter' themed contest, I want to see actual winter-themed entries, not just figures on a snow base. :)

[MonkeySloth]

Still want to here more from people on categories and time frames but I was curious if people would want, and be willing to if you're the winner, having us post why the 1st place entries won? Maybe not for just the straight up painting categories but the themed ones where we look more for creativity and such?

If you're going to do a 'winter' themed contest, I want to see actual winter-themed entries, not just figures on a snow base. :)

I agree. I figure if I let people know ahead of time what I'm thinking for a theme we can work out the kinks in it and get a good definition as to what the theme should be.

[Girot]

I don't know if any of you are on DeviantART but I participated in an "endurance contest" for miniatures painting one:

Week 1 = one mini
Week 2 = 2+ minis of the same size or bigger
Week 3 = 2x number of minis of the preceding size or bigger
Week 4 = 2x minis of the preceding size or bigger

(I won't bother mentioning the bonus round I didn't participate in.)

three weeks to do ONE mini? i'm good with that.

CATEGORIES (for winter?):
#1) Holiday Sophie (sophie haters can bite me)
#2) Winter Wonderland? (..... the word "wonder" varies depending on who you are talking to)
#3) Winter/Arctic Miniature (with or without scenic base)
#4) Winter Holiday (to be PC and accepting of ALL entries without fear of retribution from eachother. i feel that fostering an environment of ACCEPTING DIVERSITY instead of exclusionary diversity could send an appropriately positive message for the season)

[Girot]

Then of course there is the ARCTIC SLAUGHERHOUSE category! Bloody snow cones for all!!! MUAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAAAHAHAAA!!!

[Darkmeer]

I enjoyed the contest (despite not asking for more feedback). I took the full time to paint due to parental, work, and other insanities in my life. Basing is my weakest area, especially since I've not really done much of it at all.

I like themes. Whatever the nearest holiday is I have a lot of fun with things.

I'm good for another contest in the early part of next year.

[ObsidianCrane]

Winter is a strange thing; when most Americans and Europeans read the word they have a strong association with snow. For me winter means "not much rain". The closest I've been to snow is it being on Mt Fuji as we passed it on the train from Osaka to Tokyo. ;)

I would rather themes based around miniature groups like; Blade Sisters, Rise of the Runelords (or other Pathfinder AP), Tomb of the Mummy King and so on. Certainly once the Bones KS arrives comps based on the KS groupings such as "Mind Your Manors" would be good (no need for the comp to be limited to the Bones minis just themed on the category).

As to time frames I could paint a mini in a day, longer times means I can change my mind more and procrastinate. :)

However I do need time to order minis (sometimes) and it takes 3 weeks potentially for a model to reach me. This means I'd rather see 6 weeks or so for the comp: 1-2 weeks to decide if I will enter/find out about it, 2-3 weeks for the model to arrive and 1-3 weeks to get it painted.

Again once the Bones KS arrives if the model is in it (and I haven't painted it yet) that will be less of an issue.