So lately I've looked at my painted figures and came a depressing realization that most of my figures aren't actually finished! Now finished as a word is highly subjective unless one has standards with which to compare a product to in order to determine whether or not it matches those standards and can thus be deemed "finished". This led me to think about what my standards are and where the disconnect lies. Why do I have so many painted figures that I considered unfinished?
Let's explore this today...
So first I decided that I should clearly lay out my standards. What did I expect a finished miniature to look like? I came up with the following;
- Painted to suit the purpose. This means that display figures should be painted to a higher standard than tabletop miniatures.
- Highlighted and shaded. This could be rolled into the first bullet point but all of my miniatures require shading and highlighting and I wanted to make sure I captured this.
- Freehand when appropriate. The only time I would consider freehand inappropriate is on large WFB units where the majority of models won't even be seen. Sorry skavenslaves, not likely to freehand any designs on you.
- Decorated base. This could be something simple like ballast with a quick drybrush and a painted lip, but could, and should, be more elaborate for tournament figures or display models.
So let's take a look at some miniatures in my collection and determine whether they meet the standards or not, shall we?
Take a look at the following miniatures and ask the question ,"Are they finished?"
Yeah, I don't think anyone would say that these miniatures are finished. They don't have any basing materials and, most importantly, the figures obviously haven't been completely painted.
So what about these two figures? Are they "finished"?
Some people would say that yes, they are finished. By my standards though, they are not. They have no freehand details and several spaces exist where that could, and should, be applied. The chaplain for instance could use some text on his scroll and so could the scribe. Also, note the lack of decoration on the base.
So again, are the following two miniatures "finished"?
I think most people would say that these miniatures are completely finished. A lot of attention has been paid to various bits of the miniature. This isn't the standard 3-color minimum paint job. Freehand adorns the miniatures in several places and overall the miniatures are well-executed.
They aren't finished miniatures though, at least by my standards. Look at the base again and notice the distinct lack of basing materials. The base isn't even painted.
So now the last set of models. Are these finished?
For once in my set of examples I present two finished models. The Void Knight has clearly been painted to a standard that makes me happy and includes multiple levels of shading and highlighting. I painted freehand on the shoulder pauldrons as well as the knee. For once the miniature has also been based.
The Blood Raven on the bottom has also been painted to a standard that makes me happy and includes freehand designs on the robes and hood as well as a checkerboard design and other bits and baubles. The basing is nothing spectacular but it has ballast that has been shaded and drybrushed.
The basic standard functions like a road map. It can be referred to in order to determine how far you are from reaching the end of the line, in this case, a finished model. It also lays out directions for reaching the final destination. If corners are cut then it is like the map has been put away or lost and that is usually where any disconnect occurs.
So I encourage everyone to set standards for completed miniatures and then, when working on your armies, make sure each miniature meets your standards and definition of "finished" before you set it down. Don't move the finish line because of laziness, a rush deadline, or to accomodate your fears. All of these things can impede growth as a hobbyist. The only way you become good at something is through practical application of knowledge (i.e. learning and practice).
So before I sound too much like a hypocrite, here is my pledge- I pledge that this year (2012) I will "finish" all of my display models. This includes basing, painting freehand, and otherwise ensuring that the model meets my standards and I can say that I never have to work on that individual model again. You may note that I don't include my armies in this. Well, that is largely due to time constraints. I simply don't have the time to finish all of my Iron Snakes and the Eldar models I have started.
So to close with, I painted a finished figure largely for this blog post and here are some pictures of the "finished" figure- Garrus, veteran sergeant of the 2nd company, Void Knights chapter. This is a slightly converted Forgeworld boarding marine event figure from 2011. I clipped off the helmet crest and simply added one of the glaives from the Blood Angels Sanguinary Guard box to replace the hammer.
