As a not awesome painter, I will admit that the introduction of washes was a boon. However, I learned through trial and error that it is not so simple as slapping Devlan Mud all over a model and expecting grand results. So I decided to make this post to help people who are just starting out in painting or who haven't yet learned how to use washes to their best effect.
A small anecdote: when I was an undergrad many years ago, I took Art 101 because I thought it would be fun. I got a C - which is annoying because it dragged down my GPA for a class I didn't need. So, I am not a great artist. But I did pay attention on the more science-based aspects of the course (I just did not implement them well), such as color theory, tone, etc. Also, I have learned how to paint within my limitations. Even if I learned how to blend paints well (I don't see that happening, too impatient) I just cant "see" how to highlight a model. This is where washes have helped me greatly - it gives me information about what areas of the model should be highlighted. There is still some judgement needed, especially on large flat areas (for this I suggest looking at really well painted models and studying the placement of shades) - this is something I struggle with.
Any painter should learn a few things about color theory. I am no expert, so don't take anything I say here as gospel. Basics: there are cool and warm tones of most colors. For instance, and orangey red is warm, while a blue red is cool. Yellow with a grey base is cool, while a brown base is warm. The important thing about tone: using a cool toned wash on a warm toned color (and vice versa) may make your model look dirty, and not necessarily in a good way. Another thing about color theory, colors have opposites, which when you are talking in strict terms, means that if you mix green with red, blue with orange, purple with yellow, you get black. With paint, you more often get an off shade of black brown. But color opposites can be useful when looking at washes, as you can use an opposite color to get a different shading effect than if you just chose a brown or black wash. Thanks to Ratty on the Wyrd forum by the way for pointing this out - I had learned it in that art class, but hadn't thought to apply it in this way to mini painting.
I am currently using the no longer current GW washes. When these run out, I will likely move to Secret Weapon or Vallejo washes, but I haven't used these brands yet. So the rundown on washes I currently use, and what colors I tend to use them on:
Badab Black: pretty much anything, except yellow or orange! Depends on the effect I want. Vallejo has a soft grey wash that I want to get next time I order from an online retailer, as it is not carried locally - I think this will be neat on white, but we'll see.
Devlan Mud (dark brown): I tend to use this on brown, green, red (when I want to keep a warmer tone).
Ogryn Flesh (medium reddish brown): Use this as a first wash on flesh, pinks, reds, browns, dirty grays, purple, pink. I also use this to warm up something that I used Devlan Mud on already.
Gryphonne Sepia (tan): This is a pretty light wash color, but can be useful if you are painting a warmer white/beige tones, and is also useful for paler flesh. Can also be used on yellows and oranges. Possibly even pastel greens and blues, but I have not tried it on these colors, so it may not work as expected.
The following are more situational, and I tend to use these as glazes as much as washes (I use them as a second wash over items that had a first wash of brown or black, to bring the main (related) color back out.
Baal Red: Good for oranges, pinks, and even greens.Mostly used as a glaze though.
Leviathan Purple: Doesn't do a whole lot for shading, unless the base is lighter. It is useful on yellow though! (Again, thanks to Ratty for this tip) I also use this over greys, you can see this in my Tina crew, where I used it for the fur trims, or over a light blue. Also I use this on reds occasionally.
Asurmen Blue: This particular shade of blue I have found to be quite potent - be careful if you are using it over a first highlight as it can really obliterate the work you put in. This does deepen existing blues, which is nice if you start with a blue gray, as it makes it more blue. I have not tried this over orange yet, but should work similarly to the way purple on yellow works. Can also be used on greens or purples to shade a bit and alter the base tone.
Thraka Green: This works well over lighter, olive greens, which is what I did with the Ophelia crew. It doesn't do much for anything deeper than a mid tone though. Again, try using it over red instead of black and see what you think. Also can be used over grey and brown to give a mossy look, nice for woods and stones.
Now to the important stuff. Washes should NOT be viewed as a quick and easy way to finish a model. They are tools and are best used with precision, as you would any paint. Using the guide above, and your own experimentation, determine what wash will best serve your needs for various areas of the model. Washes are not generally one shade fits all, and if you try to use them this way, your model will often end up looking dirty and sloppy.
What washes do: I mentioned above that the first wash gives me insight into what areas of the model need more attention, which is why I wash after completing the base colorings. I need help in order to see what the model wants. Washes can provide an uneven shading, as they tend to sit in the crevices. This does not mean that if you just use the biggest brush you have to dab it all over that it will seek the recesses out. I will discuss this further in a moment. Washes can bring back a color and deepen/enhance/alter tone, as described above, this is often called a glaze. Washes can be used to fix minor mistakes, such as excessive highlighting. It won't completely cover them, but a few washes can deepen the base enough to where they are less noticeable. Washes can provide some "faux blending" by softening the distinction between highlights/base colors, but they will not provide the same effect as if you did a proper blend in the first place.
What Washes Don't Do: They won't save a sloppy paint job. They won't provide the sort of natural effect that an expertly blended paint job will convey. They won't turn your model into a prize-winning masterpiece without a high level of skill.
Viscosity. Think about how water forms droplets on a window - it doesn't move as a sheet, it forms droplets that run along the path of least resistance, or where pushed by force. All fluids are viscous to some extent. What this means is, you need to tell your wash where to go. If you just slop a wash all over a painted mini, you will inevitably get staining where you don't want it, where it chose to pool rather than where you wanted it to pool. In general, you want it to gather in the recesses (if being used for shading, I'll talk a bit about other uses next).
What this means - you need to use a properly sized brush to guide the wash into the recesses and thin it out over the flat areas. It is just like painting, except you want it to gather in certain places. Good painters will tell you to only use the tip of the brushes when applying paints, a rule that I often break when highlighting btw, but this is how you ought to use the brush. Washes are different. When working with textured areas, it is often easier to use the flat side of the brush (the bristles still, not the handle) to push the wash into recesses. Using just the tip, it will often suck up some of the wash, which is counterproductive if you want it to stay on the model. If any pools occur on an area where you don't want them, you need to spread them out immediately, as it only takes a few seconds for the wash to start drying and leave a stain. For this reason, it is best to work small areas at a time and move around the model in an organized manner.
If you are using a wash as a glaze, you want to instead make sure that it is spread evenly across the model in a thin layer. Because washes leave a much thinner layer of pigment than paint, you can wash an area multiple times without obscuring details, so as with paint, it is best to use thin layers and build up to the desired tone (wait, I don't do this with paint - but I do with washes!). You want to make sure each wash coat is dry before starting another.
One last thing - it is important to use the proper size brush for the area you are covering and apply washes precisely where you want them, especially when using multiple colors of wash - where two washes meet you want to avoid overlap generally.
So that is my experience with washes. I use them quite a lot - they have helped me have much nicer looking minis I think. But you must use them wisely, not sloppily. I guess, a sloppily washed mini is better than one with no shading or highlighting, but not by much. They are so quick and easy to use, though, that expending a small amount of extra effort is really not asking too much. The most important thing about using washes, or any other painting technique, is to be ready to experiment. Because washes are so thin, it is not too awful when you make a mistake or something doesn't turn out as expected. Just apply a thin layer of paint over it and try again. Note, it is best to try new things on areas that can take a little extra paint, not the finest of details.
As always, questions and comments are appreciated.
Monday, August 20, 2012
How to Become a Mediocre Painter
One of the earlier posts offered up an example of some of the truly horrible paintjobs I am guilty of. I have gotten better. However, the other day while I was set up to do demos at the LGS, someone looked at my models an commented "Wow, these are beautiful" to which I thought "Are you drunk?" On second thought, they were probably talking about the models themselves, not my painting.
Before I forget, I have finished several crews recently, so the page for my finished crews has just been updated.
I have absolutely no business offering painting tips, by the way. I am not great at painting, rather I have developed a systems that works for me with the end result being models I am not ashamed to put on the table. I wouldn't dream of entering them in any competitions though.
So, if you are struggling to get past the stage of painting where you manage to "paint between the lines" as it were, then maybe this will help. Just don't expect anything spectacular - if that is the level you aspire to, then practice, and read tips from people who are actually good painters. If you happen to be one of these good painters, you may want to just stop reading this post now, so you don't get annoyed at all my lazy shortcuts.
I will detail the basic steps I go through. I have a few pictures to help illustrate, but my photography skills aren't great either, so....
Step 0: First thing - clean any mold lines or flash of the model please. I am crazed about mold lines. The best paint job ever will be ruined if the model has mold lines showing all over. Next, you want to spray on a base coat. I used to always use black, but I really hate painting certain colors over black (particularly red and yellow), so now I usually use white or gray, but it depends what I want the end product to look like. If you want lots of bright colors, I would go white, which is what I have done for this marionette. Army Painter has a nice line of spray colors that I have just recently used for Warhammer - where you have dozens of minis with a predominant color. This may be worthwhile depending on what models you are doing, how many, and if there is one color that will make up the bulk of the model's coverage.
Step 1: Put down your base colors. Keep it neat, but don't go nuts fixing every little mistake if it is something that will likely get painted over later. I was particularly fond of the GW Foundation paint range as it suits this method of painting - I have not tried any of their new paints and doubt that I will once I need to refill, as I also picked up an Army Painter paint set last Christmas that I like very much; however, they have adjusted the range somewhat, so not sure how the colors I have (which are cleverly named things like Yellow and Blue) correlate to the newer ones. But if you were asking me where to start, I would suggest picking up an Army Painter starter set. About five years ago I splurged and got a Vallejo set with like 70+ paints, but they have not aged well, which could be my fault for not using them often enough and not storing them properly, but still, I can't recommend them as they have caused me a great deal of frustration, though many other people swear by this line. Please don't use the kind of cheap paints you buy at large chain retailers - I did this for many years, and my results were pretty much not good. Some people have better results with cheap paint, but I would strongly advise against using these if you can afford a nice starter paint set at your LGS (which you should be able to find for about $40). Brushes, however, I almost always buy these on sale at the craft store. Go for Red Sable, not synthetic, and try to get a nicer brand, but don't go crazy. Get a variety of sizes, and make sure they are for acrylic paints. A proper brush cleaning solution is a wise idea also.
So, this is the easy step. Here is the marionette with the basic colors:
Step 2: Washes. I am actually going to write my next post specifically about washes, so won't go into super detail here. I will caution you: don't think that you can just slap a brown or black wash all over the model willy nilly and expect good things. They don't work that way. I will go into much greater detail on this tomorrow. I am using GW's old wash line - as these run out I will likely replace them with Secret Weapon washes. On this model, I used Badab Black wash on the blue, purple and red areas, Devlan Mud (dark brown) on the green, Ogryn Flesh (medium reddish brown) on the flesh toned face and the brown wood, and Leviathan Purple on the yellow (thanks to Ratty for a suggestion on the forums a while ago for this one).
Then, I did a second wash to bring the colors back up a bit - green wash on the green, blue wash on the blue, purple on purple, red on red. I left the yellow alone, though GW's new paint line does have a yellow glaze that I might pick up for this sort of use. Be careful to avoid any pooling where you do not want it, as it will leave a stain. Washes don't naturally run exactly where you may want them, you need to guide them there. Be careful if you are using multiple wash colors to keep them where they should be - it's just like painting, be neat.
Really, with a little tidying up in spots, you could probably just say done after this step if all you want is a painted mini. The photo makes it look like there is a little more contrast than what you see in person, btw.
Step 3: Highlight. The good thing about using this method is you can often get away with using the base color as the highlight color, as the wash will deepen the tone on all areas of the model. Since this model is small and lots of texture, I am only using a single highlight. For larger models with larger flattish areas, you will probably want to do two or more highlights. I may do another post next time I paint a model like that.
For now, go back and pick out any areas that need a little pick me up. Raised areas are usually where you want to hit, but also try and think about how the fabric or whatever would react in real life, where it would be shaded and where it would be reflective. If you make a mistake, like I often do, and go a little overboard on the highlights, you can use another wash coat to dull it a little bit, then try again (I call this the magic eraser way of using washes). Be very careful in this step - since you are almost done you don't want to make mistakes. This is especially true if you have mixed colors, as it can be really difficult to match a color that has been covered in layers of washes.
My models have what some would call a high contrast, cartoony style. I personally like this, which is good because I can paint this way. I don't blend colors well, which you need to do if you want a more natural looking effect. So it is a matter of taste - if you don't like this look, then try to find a method that gets you the result you enjoy.
The finished marionette:
Adding Step 3.5: Details. If you struggle with having sufficient brush control to pick out really small details (for example, the stitching on the wicked dolls, or eyes - I suck at painting eyes!), you need to make a decision weighing the added impact of a well executed detail vs. the likelihood you will screw things up trying to achieve that detail. In the case of eyes, I have just stopped trying. It has never turned out well for me, so usually I just wash and highlight the faces, and maybe use a colored wash on lips or eyes to give them some definition. With the wicked dolls, I decided to not pick out the stitching at this time - I have in the past used a pin to apply paint to really small details, but in this case I just wanted to get them finished so I could work on other things. I figure, I can always go back later and try to finish these little things, but if I am not feeling confident about something, I generally think it is better left alone for the time being. It's your choice though.
Step 4 & 5: Varnish & Base. I have been using a brush on varnish lately, but spray varnish is fine, just be careful and make sure to test it on something before you spray your model, every time.You can varnish before you base, or after. It depends. I like to do one coat before the base, as it makes it a little bit easier to fix any mishaps (though not always) that may occur when basing. For these models, I tried an experiment. I filled in the base with modelling putty (before painting began) and then painted it brown, the lips of my models' bases are color matched to their faction. Then, I used a trendy nail polish designed to give a "crackle" effect. The idea I had in mind was peeling paint laquer on a wood floor. The results were mixed, but oh well. I often use resin bases, but these I usually need to order and I didn't have any on hand for these models.
That is pretty much it. I have pictures of my recent models on the Finished Crew Pictures page. And I will try to do the in depth discussion on washes tomorrow.
Before I forget, I have finished several crews recently, so the page for my finished crews has just been updated.
I have absolutely no business offering painting tips, by the way. I am not great at painting, rather I have developed a systems that works for me with the end result being models I am not ashamed to put on the table. I wouldn't dream of entering them in any competitions though.
So, if you are struggling to get past the stage of painting where you manage to "paint between the lines" as it were, then maybe this will help. Just don't expect anything spectacular - if that is the level you aspire to, then practice, and read tips from people who are actually good painters. If you happen to be one of these good painters, you may want to just stop reading this post now, so you don't get annoyed at all my lazy shortcuts.
I will detail the basic steps I go through. I have a few pictures to help illustrate, but my photography skills aren't great either, so....
Step 0: First thing - clean any mold lines or flash of the model please. I am crazed about mold lines. The best paint job ever will be ruined if the model has mold lines showing all over. Next, you want to spray on a base coat. I used to always use black, but I really hate painting certain colors over black (particularly red and yellow), so now I usually use white or gray, but it depends what I want the end product to look like. If you want lots of bright colors, I would go white, which is what I have done for this marionette. Army Painter has a nice line of spray colors that I have just recently used for Warhammer - where you have dozens of minis with a predominant color. This may be worthwhile depending on what models you are doing, how many, and if there is one color that will make up the bulk of the model's coverage.
Step 1: Put down your base colors. Keep it neat, but don't go nuts fixing every little mistake if it is something that will likely get painted over later. I was particularly fond of the GW Foundation paint range as it suits this method of painting - I have not tried any of their new paints and doubt that I will once I need to refill, as I also picked up an Army Painter paint set last Christmas that I like very much; however, they have adjusted the range somewhat, so not sure how the colors I have (which are cleverly named things like Yellow and Blue) correlate to the newer ones. But if you were asking me where to start, I would suggest picking up an Army Painter starter set. About five years ago I splurged and got a Vallejo set with like 70+ paints, but they have not aged well, which could be my fault for not using them often enough and not storing them properly, but still, I can't recommend them as they have caused me a great deal of frustration, though many other people swear by this line. Please don't use the kind of cheap paints you buy at large chain retailers - I did this for many years, and my results were pretty much not good. Some people have better results with cheap paint, but I would strongly advise against using these if you can afford a nice starter paint set at your LGS (which you should be able to find for about $40). Brushes, however, I almost always buy these on sale at the craft store. Go for Red Sable, not synthetic, and try to get a nicer brand, but don't go crazy. Get a variety of sizes, and make sure they are for acrylic paints. A proper brush cleaning solution is a wise idea also.
So, this is the easy step. Here is the marionette with the basic colors:
Step 2: Washes. I am actually going to write my next post specifically about washes, so won't go into super detail here. I will caution you: don't think that you can just slap a brown or black wash all over the model willy nilly and expect good things. They don't work that way. I will go into much greater detail on this tomorrow. I am using GW's old wash line - as these run out I will likely replace them with Secret Weapon washes. On this model, I used Badab Black wash on the blue, purple and red areas, Devlan Mud (dark brown) on the green, Ogryn Flesh (medium reddish brown) on the flesh toned face and the brown wood, and Leviathan Purple on the yellow (thanks to Ratty for a suggestion on the forums a while ago for this one).
Then, I did a second wash to bring the colors back up a bit - green wash on the green, blue wash on the blue, purple on purple, red on red. I left the yellow alone, though GW's new paint line does have a yellow glaze that I might pick up for this sort of use. Be careful to avoid any pooling where you do not want it, as it will leave a stain. Washes don't naturally run exactly where you may want them, you need to guide them there. Be careful if you are using multiple wash colors to keep them where they should be - it's just like painting, be neat.
Step 3: Highlight. The good thing about using this method is you can often get away with using the base color as the highlight color, as the wash will deepen the tone on all areas of the model. Since this model is small and lots of texture, I am only using a single highlight. For larger models with larger flattish areas, you will probably want to do two or more highlights. I may do another post next time I paint a model like that.
For now, go back and pick out any areas that need a little pick me up. Raised areas are usually where you want to hit, but also try and think about how the fabric or whatever would react in real life, where it would be shaded and where it would be reflective. If you make a mistake, like I often do, and go a little overboard on the highlights, you can use another wash coat to dull it a little bit, then try again (I call this the magic eraser way of using washes). Be very careful in this step - since you are almost done you don't want to make mistakes. This is especially true if you have mixed colors, as it can be really difficult to match a color that has been covered in layers of washes.
My models have what some would call a high contrast, cartoony style. I personally like this, which is good because I can paint this way. I don't blend colors well, which you need to do if you want a more natural looking effect. So it is a matter of taste - if you don't like this look, then try to find a method that gets you the result you enjoy.
The finished marionette:
Adding Step 3.5: Details. If you struggle with having sufficient brush control to pick out really small details (for example, the stitching on the wicked dolls, or eyes - I suck at painting eyes!), you need to make a decision weighing the added impact of a well executed detail vs. the likelihood you will screw things up trying to achieve that detail. In the case of eyes, I have just stopped trying. It has never turned out well for me, so usually I just wash and highlight the faces, and maybe use a colored wash on lips or eyes to give them some definition. With the wicked dolls, I decided to not pick out the stitching at this time - I have in the past used a pin to apply paint to really small details, but in this case I just wanted to get them finished so I could work on other things. I figure, I can always go back later and try to finish these little things, but if I am not feeling confident about something, I generally think it is better left alone for the time being. It's your choice though.
Step 4 & 5: Varnish & Base. I have been using a brush on varnish lately, but spray varnish is fine, just be careful and make sure to test it on something before you spray your model, every time.You can varnish before you base, or after. It depends. I like to do one coat before the base, as it makes it a little bit easier to fix any mishaps (though not always) that may occur when basing. For these models, I tried an experiment. I filled in the base with modelling putty (before painting began) and then painted it brown, the lips of my models' bases are color matched to their faction. Then, I used a trendy nail polish designed to give a "crackle" effect. The idea I had in mind was peeling paint laquer on a wood floor. The results were mixed, but oh well. I often use resin bases, but these I usually need to order and I didn't have any on hand for these models.
That is pretty much it. I have pictures of my recent models on the Finished Crew Pictures page. And I will try to do the in depth discussion on washes tomorrow.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Addendum to the Angry Nerd Post
I wanted to add a few things, but decided to make a new post so anyone checking this semi-regularly would not miss it. First, I want to clarify that none of the types I spoke of were reflective of any one individual or event. I have been lurking on gaming forums and blogs for quite some time and these are an amalgam of instances I have noted recurring often. If someone thinks I was directing a comment at them particularly, please make yourself a nice cup of chamomile tea and listen to Carly Simon before getting all offended. Second, I wanted to be clear - I am not saying that people should not be upset when things don't turn out the way they would like. It is okay to feel disappointed and hurt when your expectations are unmet. However, there is something to be said for behaving in a dignified manner. And I must admit, much of what was written is in fact directed at a specific person - my teenage self. I was a tremendous asshole when I was younger. For all you who rage and ramble, bite and bait - I have been there, done that, and probably was far more horrible and grotesque in the act. This sort of thing is unsustainable - if you do not learn to quell the fires raging inside, you will be consumed by them. But doing so requires sacrifice, and worse. It is easy to forget that youth should be both pitied and exalted for dancing upon the edge of the knife.
I will offer a quote here, from a critical essay written by T. S. Eliot on the subject of Shakespeare's Hamlet. "The intense feeling, ecstatic or terrible, without an object or exceeding its object, is something which every person of sensibility has known; it is doubtless a subject of study for pathologists. It often occurs in adolescence: the ordinary person puts these feelings to sleep, or trims down his feelings to fit the business world; the artist keeps them alive by is ability to intensify the world to his emotions. The Hamlet of Laforgue is an adolescent; the Hamlet of Shakespeare is not, he has not that explanation or excuse."
I will offer my thoughts on one more type, which was omitted from the first post - the opinionated, know-it-all blogging gamer lady. Lived experience, age, should provide an ever-growing repository of understanding, of compassion and acceptance of the foibles of men (and women). Yet you use this gain as a means of forgetting, a way to abolish the memories of a youth spent raging and railing. You divorce yourself from truth, deny the legitimacy of young emotion, forgetting a time when passion trumped reason, and depth of care was measured by magnitude of response. Wisdom should mean appreciating such fervor, not dispensing stupid platitudes about the superiority of learned apathy. You grow old and forget the horror of becoming Prufrock, as you too measure out your life in coffee spoons.
I will offer a quote here, from a critical essay written by T. S. Eliot on the subject of Shakespeare's Hamlet. "The intense feeling, ecstatic or terrible, without an object or exceeding its object, is something which every person of sensibility has known; it is doubtless a subject of study for pathologists. It often occurs in adolescence: the ordinary person puts these feelings to sleep, or trims down his feelings to fit the business world; the artist keeps them alive by is ability to intensify the world to his emotions. The Hamlet of Laforgue is an adolescent; the Hamlet of Shakespeare is not, he has not that explanation or excuse."
I will offer my thoughts on one more type, which was omitted from the first post - the opinionated, know-it-all blogging gamer lady. Lived experience, age, should provide an ever-growing repository of understanding, of compassion and acceptance of the foibles of men (and women). Yet you use this gain as a means of forgetting, a way to abolish the memories of a youth spent raging and railing. You divorce yourself from truth, deny the legitimacy of young emotion, forgetting a time when passion trumped reason, and depth of care was measured by magnitude of response. Wisdom should mean appreciating such fervor, not dispensing stupid platitudes about the superiority of learned apathy. You grow old and forget the horror of becoming Prufrock, as you too measure out your life in coffee spoons.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Entering the Hobby, and Why I Don't Hate GW
While I eagerly await any news from what delights this GenCon brings, I will while away the time with another post. This is about my 20-year relationship with the miniature gaming hobby - which, by the way, is the longest relationship I have had. Really, aside from reading, this is the one constant thread in my interests over the years. I wrote a different version of this elsewhere a while ago, and will no doubt revisit this topic in the future.
Two things prompted me to think about this: (1) recently, I was told that because I have never played, nor have any particular knowledge of, RPG's that I have somehow messed with the order of the universe. I know pretty much nothing about how RPGs are run, what people do there. I don't see myself getting into it either, mainly because I am a tactile person, I like holding my minis, I like painting and collecting my minis. And the RPG thing just seems very social, which freaks me out a bit. I'll get to (2) in a bit.
My younger brother received the Heroquest game and a few expansions for Christmas one year, probably 1990 or 91. My brother got much more cool toys than me - so even though I am a few years older, I stole his toys a lot over the years (and dismantled several of his Lego creations to make my own, sorry about that). This game was somehow affiliated with GW, and inside the box was a tiny advert for Warhammer and 40K. My boyfriend at that time was British, and had played Warhammer in its earlier incarnation with friends there before moving to the States. So I came to understand that models were put on a table and stuff got blown up with magic and such. This was not too exciting. But those space marines, and the promise of a future ruled by "grim darkness" and war, that sounded awesome. Trying to find the minis became a challenge, which is it's own tale. I think I managed to order/buy Rogue Trader from the Waldenbooks in the mall eventually.
Point is, I didn't learn about the hobby from friends or enter into it as a natural progression from RPGs. It was luck and advertising that got me into it.
(2) The second point which prompted me to write this, I am meeting a number of people who are starting their adventures in miniature gaming with a game system that is produced by someone other than Games Workshop. This is just crazy to me - it's like skipping beer and pot and jumping straight into smack.
I think it is great, and really shows that the hobby is diversifying rapidly, but at the same time, it creates differences in the understanding of how things work. Particularly in regards to how customers are treated by various gaming companies. For any of you that have played GW games for more than a few years, I am sure you can agree that the way the company functions has, um, evolved over the years. Back when I got into this in like 1992, I was on a road trip and decided to make a detour of several hours to hit the GW store in Arlington, VA (there were only a few in the States at that time, mostly centered around their HQ in Baltimore/Glen Burnie). I was thoroughly let down as the store had a really pathetic selection in stock (in retrospect, they were probably just about to shift to 2nd edition). So I wrote GW a letter, letting them know what a disappointed teenager I was. And their response? They sent me a $20 gift certificate to use through their mail order. Seriously - can you imagine that these days? I loved GW, up until several events signaled a change in their operating practice - particularly the closing of their forum and the descent into suckiness of White Dwarf.
Luckily, I had a serious stash of minis to work through. I moved to Orlando, FL for a while and met some of the nicest gamers ever at Rhubarb Games (sadly they have closed) and at about the same time, new Eldar and Dark Angels codexes were released, so I started purchasing stuff for a while. Then I moved away and again put new GW purchases on hold. About a year and a half after I moved, I received a random email from Rhubarb announcing Malifaux and its exceeding awesomeness. I was hooked immediately, and so put the pointy ears and the power armor away for many years.
Two different themes here at this point, I will resolve them individually. First, it is hard to understand the frustrations of non-GW veterans when reacting to the customer interactions and general information relay of other companies. Because everything they do is so much more involved, faster and generally more gracious. Waiting less than a year for an update or a model fix or an FAQ? That's nothing, as I am sure any of you who played Dark Eldar since 3rd edition can agree. And at least Wyrd, and maybe PP too (I have no idea about them), has the guts to maintain a forum where people can discuss, and criticize, their game and business practices. GW hasn't done that for what, 10 years now? So, when I see people getting upset at Wyrd for not doing this or that at the beck and call of some of its customers, I get annoyed. So do others obviously, because I guess we have learned patience from having seen much worse.
Second thing, though, I have decided I am not really mad at GW anymore. I am willing to give them some of my money, luckily not so much as the bulk of my main armies have already been purchased. (***oh how this statement was proven false***). They lost a lot of business from me, because I am a collector, not the type to finish one army and then stop. If they hadn't made me mad, I would probably have about 6 40K and at least 3 WFB armies at this point, instead of 2 and the beginnings of 2. (**now that is more like 5 and 3**)
I never quit GW, I just needed a break. I didn't hate them, they just disappointed me. And they do make some really nice models. And Eldar were my first love, which just doesn't leave you. And because I have met some nice people in the area who play GW games exclusively.
That said, I will be picking up the new 6th edition box next month (I hope). I will finish painting my Ravenwing, probably strip my plastic troops just to get them uniform (and because I am a much better painter now). I will get the last few Eldar boxes I need to feel complete there and finish painting up the machines and possibly strip and repaint the troops. I really like some of the High Elf models, so will probably get that going. And I have always wanted a Lizardmen army, but that would be well down the road.
So for any locals, you may see me showing up at DL without my Malifaux stuff on occasion. Please be nice.
Two things prompted me to think about this: (1) recently, I was told that because I have never played, nor have any particular knowledge of, RPG's that I have somehow messed with the order of the universe. I know pretty much nothing about how RPGs are run, what people do there. I don't see myself getting into it either, mainly because I am a tactile person, I like holding my minis, I like painting and collecting my minis. And the RPG thing just seems very social, which freaks me out a bit. I'll get to (2) in a bit.
My younger brother received the Heroquest game and a few expansions for Christmas one year, probably 1990 or 91. My brother got much more cool toys than me - so even though I am a few years older, I stole his toys a lot over the years (and dismantled several of his Lego creations to make my own, sorry about that). This game was somehow affiliated with GW, and inside the box was a tiny advert for Warhammer and 40K. My boyfriend at that time was British, and had played Warhammer in its earlier incarnation with friends there before moving to the States. So I came to understand that models were put on a table and stuff got blown up with magic and such. This was not too exciting. But those space marines, and the promise of a future ruled by "grim darkness" and war, that sounded awesome. Trying to find the minis became a challenge, which is it's own tale. I think I managed to order/buy Rogue Trader from the Waldenbooks in the mall eventually.
Point is, I didn't learn about the hobby from friends or enter into it as a natural progression from RPGs. It was luck and advertising that got me into it.
(2) The second point which prompted me to write this, I am meeting a number of people who are starting their adventures in miniature gaming with a game system that is produced by someone other than Games Workshop. This is just crazy to me - it's like skipping beer and pot and jumping straight into smack.
I think it is great, and really shows that the hobby is diversifying rapidly, but at the same time, it creates differences in the understanding of how things work. Particularly in regards to how customers are treated by various gaming companies. For any of you that have played GW games for more than a few years, I am sure you can agree that the way the company functions has, um, evolved over the years. Back when I got into this in like 1992, I was on a road trip and decided to make a detour of several hours to hit the GW store in Arlington, VA (there were only a few in the States at that time, mostly centered around their HQ in Baltimore/Glen Burnie). I was thoroughly let down as the store had a really pathetic selection in stock (in retrospect, they were probably just about to shift to 2nd edition). So I wrote GW a letter, letting them know what a disappointed teenager I was. And their response? They sent me a $20 gift certificate to use through their mail order. Seriously - can you imagine that these days? I loved GW, up until several events signaled a change in their operating practice - particularly the closing of their forum and the descent into suckiness of White Dwarf.
Luckily, I had a serious stash of minis to work through. I moved to Orlando, FL for a while and met some of the nicest gamers ever at Rhubarb Games (sadly they have closed) and at about the same time, new Eldar and Dark Angels codexes were released, so I started purchasing stuff for a while. Then I moved away and again put new GW purchases on hold. About a year and a half after I moved, I received a random email from Rhubarb announcing Malifaux and its exceeding awesomeness. I was hooked immediately, and so put the pointy ears and the power armor away for many years.
Two different themes here at this point, I will resolve them individually. First, it is hard to understand the frustrations of non-GW veterans when reacting to the customer interactions and general information relay of other companies. Because everything they do is so much more involved, faster and generally more gracious. Waiting less than a year for an update or a model fix or an FAQ? That's nothing, as I am sure any of you who played Dark Eldar since 3rd edition can agree. And at least Wyrd, and maybe PP too (I have no idea about them), has the guts to maintain a forum where people can discuss, and criticize, their game and business practices. GW hasn't done that for what, 10 years now? So, when I see people getting upset at Wyrd for not doing this or that at the beck and call of some of its customers, I get annoyed. So do others obviously, because I guess we have learned patience from having seen much worse.
Second thing, though, I have decided I am not really mad at GW anymore. I am willing to give them some of my money, luckily not so much as the bulk of my main armies have already been purchased. (***oh how this statement was proven false***). They lost a lot of business from me, because I am a collector, not the type to finish one army and then stop. If they hadn't made me mad, I would probably have about 6 40K and at least 3 WFB armies at this point, instead of 2 and the beginnings of 2. (**now that is more like 5 and 3**)
I never quit GW, I just needed a break. I didn't hate them, they just disappointed me. And they do make some really nice models. And Eldar were my first love, which just doesn't leave you. And because I have met some nice people in the area who play GW games exclusively.
That said, I will be picking up the new 6th edition box next month (I hope). I will finish painting my Ravenwing, probably strip my plastic troops just to get them uniform (and because I am a much better painter now). I will get the last few Eldar boxes I need to feel complete there and finish painting up the machines and possibly strip and repaint the troops. I really like some of the High Elf models, so will probably get that going. And I have always wanted a Lizardmen army, but that would be well down the road.
So for any locals, you may see me showing up at DL without my Malifaux stuff on occasion. Please be nice.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
The Lonesome Death of the Angry Nerd
I mentioned this in my last post, but wanted to look at an aspect of gamers which I find perplexing in more detail. Specifically, the enormous emotional investments some make in what should be a hobby. Yes, it is a hobby that requires a tremendous outlay of time and money, as well as developing social connections. But it is just a hobby - and really, if this is your only hobby, you need to expand your horizons a bit. I say that with love. Because if you are pouring all of your available discretionary energy into just one thing, you are bound to get your heart broken sooner or later. And it will make you a more interesting person, rather than a one note tune, if your list of interests doesn't end after 1. - Wargaming.
In browsing various forums over the years, I've seen repeated incarnations of a few flavors of the angry gamer nerd stereotype. Going to look at a few in depth - hope nobody takes this personally.
"I'm right, and you're just an idiot Fanboy"
I was going to do a whole separate blog post on my issues with the "fanboy" epithet, but then it kind of blew over and I moved on without having written on the subject. So, to sum up my main thoughts: I don't care if you call yourself a fanboy, but I really get annoyed when calling someone a name becomes an argumentative tactic. Anyone who does this, you need to grow up. Calling people names to make your point is what you do in grade school. Assuming you are old enough to drive a car legally, you should have developed a much more sophisticated rhetorical repertoire. If you haven't, then I have no time for you. And if you ever happen to actually meet me and try and engage me in some sort of name-calling hissy fit, it will end with you sobbing in a corner, I promise.
What I find so incredibly weird about people who engage in this sort of dialogue, though, is that they will spend months and even years on forums dedicated to some game/company towards which they feel such obvious disdain. The world is so full of choices, and yet, they can find nothing better to do but hang around someplace and spout their disgust at this and that. If it is so awful, move on. No need to stay and attack everyone who disagrees with you. You're the idiot who can't seem to find something more enjoyable to do with your time.
I get that there are valid criticisms to be made, and there is an appropriate way to engage in debate. I have no issue with this. But if finding fault becomes your singular occupation with the hobby, then something has gone wrong for you, and for your own sake, you should figure it out and fix it. My main problem with these sorts of criticism is that I just don't care about a lot of the issues. Few things are so annoying as to get me pissed off, and if something does get me angry to that point, I have options on other ways to invest my time and money. Case in point, when I finally got fed up with GW a few years back, I didn't waste time ranting on the internet. I just quit giving them my money and gave it to Wyrd instead. Corporations don't care how mad you are - they care about profit, and I denied them any from me for several years.
Also, the way criticism is framed matters. There is never a reason for allowing your opinions about some game/company to devolve into personal attacks against some other gamer. There may be many worse things to call a person than "fanboy", but this is specifically used to say "You can't see the truth because you are blinded by your devotion. Therefore, I must be right and you must be wrong." Which is stupid. First, there are differences of fact, which are decided by presenting the best well-supported by evidence argument. Then, there are differences of taste, opinion, aesthetics. There can be no right or wrong here. I like chocolate, but that doesn't mean you are wrong for preferring vanilla. It's just dumb; anyone who cannot admit that views different from their own are valid, is just petty and sad.
One more thing here - if you are in your early twenties, you are probably not absolutely right about most things. Sorry, but the one thing you will certainly learn as you get older is that you know a lot less than you thought you did when you were younger. So if you're young and angry, take a breather. Patience is not a virtue, it is a learned survival skill. Save the anger for things that matter, like people starving or dying in the streets and the fact that the education you've invested tens of thousands of dollars in will likely only get you a slightly better than minimum wage job once you're done with school.
"I quit" (throws minis into a flaming bin in epic youtube video)
A confession, the terms Nerdrage and Ragequit are fairly recent additions to my lexical understanding - I tended to ignore slang, even when I was a teenager, and the profusion of words not properly defined in a standard dictionary are just one thing I do not care to expend time in learning. However, having watched a few of these episodes play out recently, I wanted to probe the phenomena.
Having studied media for a time, I get the motivations behind creating a spectacle. We are all, in the end, just minute specks in a chaotic world. It is nice to feel that we can somehow defy our destiny and make a grand statement for which we will be remembered. Staging a ragequit on a gaming forum does not qualify. I mean, really, you're competing against people who set themselves on fire and stand down heavily armoured enforcers to make a statement about something important. Throwing a fit worthy of a teenage girl who has just been stood up for the prom in a relatively less populated corner of the internet is just not on par with such noble defiance.
I get that people are pissed off when things don't go their way. I get wanting to quit something and feeling bitter because you feel jilted by some company/game/group and wanting to express your outrage. But I would urge anyone contemplating this sort of feat to consider the aftermath - because there won't be one. For a few days or weeks, people will talk about you. Some will miss you for about five minutes, more will mock your pathetic display of indignance. And then you are forgotten, and nobody cares why you left, or that you were ever there. If you still feel the need to stage some righteous final stand, by all means go ahead. Just give me a heads up, please, so I can get my popcorn.
"I love this game. But I don't like this about it. Or this. Or that. Or these. Or that. And don't forget ..."
Yes, you get these people everywhere. And in general, I don't care. If you are so dedicatedly dismayed by the various aspects of a world around you that does not meet your expectations, I pity you. What annoys me is when this sort of disgruntled faux constructive critique pervades my leisure time reading venues. Because it is boring and predictable, and I am quite certain I am not alone in this observation. At least the Ragers provide some mildly amusing entertainment. But the grousers, Yawn.
In some educational text I read at some point, there was a discussion of the ratio of good/bad feedback teachers should strive to maintain. the reason is obvious - children who hear nothing but negative feedback will just stop trying, while obviously, some criticism is needed to help them grow and not keep doing things incorrectly. The minimum ratio was 3:1, 5:1 is better, optimal you should be trying for 9:1 or better. The point I am making with this, forums aren't really any different. You should be aiming for at least 5 positive things to every one negative. If you fall short of that, you are probably contributing to an unhealthy environment. At best, people just ignore you. Worse, they think you are a whiny loser.
My reason for posting this: please be aware that you are a member of the gaming community. Like any citizen, we each have a responsibility to make this hobby a better place. I have met far more nice and helpful gamers than the types listed here. I remember forum members and game store denizens whom I have not seen or heard from in years, but I recall them by name because of their excellent contributions to creating an awesome environment. The boring, insulting, rude, obnoxious ones - after a few weeks, forgotten.
So in closing, remember what somebody's grandma said: "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."
Anyway, that's it for now. I have a week or so before classes start again, so will try to post a bit more before things get hectic again.
In browsing various forums over the years, I've seen repeated incarnations of a few flavors of the angry gamer nerd stereotype. Going to look at a few in depth - hope nobody takes this personally.
"I'm right, and you're just an idiot Fanboy"
I was going to do a whole separate blog post on my issues with the "fanboy" epithet, but then it kind of blew over and I moved on without having written on the subject. So, to sum up my main thoughts: I don't care if you call yourself a fanboy, but I really get annoyed when calling someone a name becomes an argumentative tactic. Anyone who does this, you need to grow up. Calling people names to make your point is what you do in grade school. Assuming you are old enough to drive a car legally, you should have developed a much more sophisticated rhetorical repertoire. If you haven't, then I have no time for you. And if you ever happen to actually meet me and try and engage me in some sort of name-calling hissy fit, it will end with you sobbing in a corner, I promise.
What I find so incredibly weird about people who engage in this sort of dialogue, though, is that they will spend months and even years on forums dedicated to some game/company towards which they feel such obvious disdain. The world is so full of choices, and yet, they can find nothing better to do but hang around someplace and spout their disgust at this and that. If it is so awful, move on. No need to stay and attack everyone who disagrees with you. You're the idiot who can't seem to find something more enjoyable to do with your time.
I get that there are valid criticisms to be made, and there is an appropriate way to engage in debate. I have no issue with this. But if finding fault becomes your singular occupation with the hobby, then something has gone wrong for you, and for your own sake, you should figure it out and fix it. My main problem with these sorts of criticism is that I just don't care about a lot of the issues. Few things are so annoying as to get me pissed off, and if something does get me angry to that point, I have options on other ways to invest my time and money. Case in point, when I finally got fed up with GW a few years back, I didn't waste time ranting on the internet. I just quit giving them my money and gave it to Wyrd instead. Corporations don't care how mad you are - they care about profit, and I denied them any from me for several years.
Also, the way criticism is framed matters. There is never a reason for allowing your opinions about some game/company to devolve into personal attacks against some other gamer. There may be many worse things to call a person than "fanboy", but this is specifically used to say "You can't see the truth because you are blinded by your devotion. Therefore, I must be right and you must be wrong." Which is stupid. First, there are differences of fact, which are decided by presenting the best well-supported by evidence argument. Then, there are differences of taste, opinion, aesthetics. There can be no right or wrong here. I like chocolate, but that doesn't mean you are wrong for preferring vanilla. It's just dumb; anyone who cannot admit that views different from their own are valid, is just petty and sad.
One more thing here - if you are in your early twenties, you are probably not absolutely right about most things. Sorry, but the one thing you will certainly learn as you get older is that you know a lot less than you thought you did when you were younger. So if you're young and angry, take a breather. Patience is not a virtue, it is a learned survival skill. Save the anger for things that matter, like people starving or dying in the streets and the fact that the education you've invested tens of thousands of dollars in will likely only get you a slightly better than minimum wage job once you're done with school.
"I quit" (throws minis into a flaming bin in epic youtube video)
A confession, the terms Nerdrage and Ragequit are fairly recent additions to my lexical understanding - I tended to ignore slang, even when I was a teenager, and the profusion of words not properly defined in a standard dictionary are just one thing I do not care to expend time in learning. However, having watched a few of these episodes play out recently, I wanted to probe the phenomena.
Having studied media for a time, I get the motivations behind creating a spectacle. We are all, in the end, just minute specks in a chaotic world. It is nice to feel that we can somehow defy our destiny and make a grand statement for which we will be remembered. Staging a ragequit on a gaming forum does not qualify. I mean, really, you're competing against people who set themselves on fire and stand down heavily armoured enforcers to make a statement about something important. Throwing a fit worthy of a teenage girl who has just been stood up for the prom in a relatively less populated corner of the internet is just not on par with such noble defiance.
I get that people are pissed off when things don't go their way. I get wanting to quit something and feeling bitter because you feel jilted by some company/game/group and wanting to express your outrage. But I would urge anyone contemplating this sort of feat to consider the aftermath - because there won't be one. For a few days or weeks, people will talk about you. Some will miss you for about five minutes, more will mock your pathetic display of indignance. And then you are forgotten, and nobody cares why you left, or that you were ever there. If you still feel the need to stage some righteous final stand, by all means go ahead. Just give me a heads up, please, so I can get my popcorn.
"I love this game. But I don't like this about it. Or this. Or that. Or these. Or that. And don't forget ..."
Yes, you get these people everywhere. And in general, I don't care. If you are so dedicatedly dismayed by the various aspects of a world around you that does not meet your expectations, I pity you. What annoys me is when this sort of disgruntled faux constructive critique pervades my leisure time reading venues. Because it is boring and predictable, and I am quite certain I am not alone in this observation. At least the Ragers provide some mildly amusing entertainment. But the grousers, Yawn.
In some educational text I read at some point, there was a discussion of the ratio of good/bad feedback teachers should strive to maintain. the reason is obvious - children who hear nothing but negative feedback will just stop trying, while obviously, some criticism is needed to help them grow and not keep doing things incorrectly. The minimum ratio was 3:1, 5:1 is better, optimal you should be trying for 9:1 or better. The point I am making with this, forums aren't really any different. You should be aiming for at least 5 positive things to every one negative. If you fall short of that, you are probably contributing to an unhealthy environment. At best, people just ignore you. Worse, they think you are a whiny loser.
My reason for posting this: please be aware that you are a member of the gaming community. Like any citizen, we each have a responsibility to make this hobby a better place. I have met far more nice and helpful gamers than the types listed here. I remember forum members and game store denizens whom I have not seen or heard from in years, but I recall them by name because of their excellent contributions to creating an awesome environment. The boring, insulting, rude, obnoxious ones - after a few weeks, forgotten.
So in closing, remember what somebody's grandma said: "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."
Anyway, that's it for now. I have a week or so before classes start again, so will try to post a bit more before things get hectic again.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Busy, busy, busy
I should be used to this by now, as it is how my life goes. Teaching always end up requiring more time than I think it will. Even though I have taught the class before, and had things planned out, it never runs smoothly as one might hope. And then there are farm animals and a household to look after, all while trying to schedule time for demos, gaming and painting. So this blog ended up at the bottom of my list of priorities. Someone who responded to my survey (I have a feeling I know who) suggested I try and just set a goal for posting once a week, which is probably a very good plan.
***edited a bunch of stuff out***
Actually, this kind of leads back to gaming. I've taken a break from posting on the forums of various places lately. Because people have been getting all worked up there too. I just don't get it - if everything is so very awful in this hobby, why not try something else? At first, I wanted to jump into the fracas, but I didn't because I couldn't think of a way to respond that wasn't filled with vitriol. So I just edited what I was reading, but still I would catch a bit of back and forth that in the end, just turned so utterly BORING. I guess people don't get that if you choose to stand and shout incessantly, it all ceases to have any meaning whatsoever. Because most everybody just wishes you would pipe down so we could have some peace and quiet, instead of the nonstop babble. Ugh. I guess people think being exceedingly opinionated about everything makes them more interesting, but really, it just makes you the person who has an issue with everything all the time. And that isn't interesting at all, just a one-dimensional caricature. A bloviating bore. And it's election year, there's enough of that going on already, everywhere else.
***edited a bunch of stuff out***
Actually, this kind of leads back to gaming. I've taken a break from posting on the forums of various places lately. Because people have been getting all worked up there too. I just don't get it - if everything is so very awful in this hobby, why not try something else? At first, I wanted to jump into the fracas, but I didn't because I couldn't think of a way to respond that wasn't filled with vitriol. So I just edited what I was reading, but still I would catch a bit of back and forth that in the end, just turned so utterly BORING. I guess people don't get that if you choose to stand and shout incessantly, it all ceases to have any meaning whatsoever. Because most everybody just wishes you would pipe down so we could have some peace and quiet, instead of the nonstop babble. Ugh. I guess people think being exceedingly opinionated about everything makes them more interesting, but really, it just makes you the person who has an issue with everything all the time. And that isn't interesting at all, just a one-dimensional caricature. A bloviating bore. And it's election year, there's enough of that going on already, everywhere else.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)