# Soo.... WHo's the best?



## Hudson (Jun 3, 2008)

ok well i know we have some amazing painters and modellers here. BUT! who's the best? who out of all these members does heresy think is the cream of the crop, the dogs danglies the.... you get the point.

Nominations?

oh this isn't an official "i'm the best" thread i'm just curious


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## wombat_tree (Nov 30, 2008)

Just of the top of my head, moo is a very good painter, I don't know if he'd be the best we have but he would be up pretty high up on the list.


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## Al3X (Nov 7, 2010)

xenobiotic, his blood angel successors project log is amazing I haven't seen anything like it before


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Crap there are a ton of great painters some people better at somethings then others and are you including the folks who are mainly here to pimp their commission sites are actual posters?

Wraithlord is a great painter, Moo is amazing, Xeno is great, LTP has the force with her, DarkTower is great. I mean there is almost to many to try and pick out one. It also is based on what you like. I hate NMM so painters who over use it are meh but others love it.


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## Dagmire (Oct 9, 2008)

Darktower is amazing!


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## The Sullen One (Nov 9, 2008)

Odinsgrandson, Varakir, the list goes on.

Can we nominate people for the accolade of worst painter? If so, then I nominate... myself!:laugh:


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

I'll throw Svartmetal's name in the hat for modeler. He does an exceptional job planning, designing, and executing conversion work and sculpting. And he does a LOT of it. 

I am continually inspired by his conversion/greenstuff work.

Cheers,
Kreuger


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## wombat_tree (Nov 30, 2008)

Kreuger said:


> I'll throw Svartmetal's name in the hat for modeler. He does an exceptional job planning, designing, and executing conversion work and sculpting. And he does a LOT of it.
> 
> I am continually inspired by his conversion/greenstuff work.


Seconded, as far as painting is concerned he could definitely improve, but, damn can that man sculpt.


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## fatmantis (Jun 26, 2009)

djon24 is does great work and is also very good at helping noobs!


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## Hudson (Jun 3, 2008)

hmm wonder if one of the mods will let us have an actual "Heresy online best painter 2011" award that'd be cool. 

but yea djinn atm just asking out of everyone here who is the top guy/gal but nothing looks unanimous atm which is quite cool


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## Cypher871 (Aug 2, 2009)

You will also need to decide whether you are asking about the best painter, the best modeler or a combination of both, as you did state in your OP _"painters and modelers"_.

Most, if not all are better at one aspect than the other. :grin:


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

There are too many to name. There's a lot of talented modelers/painters on this forum, some who come out with brilliant and inspired army projects, some who build/paint gorgeous centerpiece models, and others who fall somewhere in the middle of the two. I'm jealous of anyone who can stay that motivated for so long.


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## LTP (Apr 15, 2009)

moo..  but there a plenty of awesome painters on here. They actually did a voting thing a while back with catagories for painting and modelling etc.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

fatmantis said:


> djon24 is does great work and is also very good at helping noobs!


I feel like a mustard now


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

Ive seen some beautiful work on here but can't name one on paticular


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

I think the whole concept of who is better is a very personal choice as everyone likes different things, some people like NMM other's don't etc. For example i really like darktower's blending and artistic view on things, but i really like demi_morgana's rusting and weathering effect, or LTP's progress through painting is phenomenal. Not really sure it's something you could easily vote upon really. I like painters/modellers different aspects


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Damn moo your spider sense go tingly or something lol.


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## lav25gunner (Dec 13, 2008)

I want a paint off!! Winner gets the glory, losers have to wear a dress and post the pictures! heh heh
First we need to decide the contestants.
Second we unanimously vote on a single model/character for painting.
Third we vote on the best model.
Fourth losers post their pics.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Moo for everything, LTP for that titan, Wraithlord for his TS, Sigur for his discworld minis, odinsgarden for everything... Damn, I could go on forever.


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## Sigur (Dec 9, 2010)

moo said:


> I think the whole concept of who is better is a very personal choice as everyone likes different things, some people like NMM other's don't etc. For example i really like darktower's blending and artistic view on things, but i really like demi_morgana's rusting and weathering effect, or LTP's progress through painting is phenomenal. Not really sure it's something you could easily vote upon really. I like painters/modellers different aspects



This is exactly what this thread needed and basically where the thread rightfully ends. The concept of "one best painter" is a question that is even more nonsensical than all these "what's the best troops choice/tank/whatever?" questions on tactics forums.

There are way different things, aspects, styles, preferrances, tastes and so on.


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## Orochi (Jan 28, 2009)

I'll be honest, I don't think there's a painter/modeller on here that I haven't/couldn't learn something off.

So I hope you all bare that in mind


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

I get the most joy watching two camps of painters, the first camp is teh WOW camp, by that i mean painters who blow my mind,usually serious amounts of free hand or a use of colour and paint that i have not seen before, the second camp are the "improver's", they may not be gifted but they stick at it and are willing to learn and keep trying and over time they improve, i wish i had the internet and forums like this back in the 90s would have made life so much easier, back then they used to lie in the heavy metal articles about how they had painted the models.


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## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

bitsandkits said:


> i wish i had the internet and forums like this back in the 90s would have made life so much easier, back then they used to lie in the heavy metal articles about how they had painted the models.


And pester your betters in the local gaming shops, I did a lot of that back in the day.


As to the OPs question, I'm with moo and sigur.

Theres's so many flavours to choose from and they really don't directly compete.


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

in terms of pure painting ability, Moo, sigur, Odin'sgrandson, ragnar and darktower all blow me away.

However I get similar or more enjoyment from watching people running amazing project logs and putting together fantastic units.

Kobrakai, Xeno, Midge, aquatic foible, vash, wraithlord, damned fist, svartmetal, troybuckle, gareth, reaper, LTP, Mrchaos, stella, unforgiven, djinn and plenty more have given me mountains of inspiration to keep trying to improve.


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

bitsandkits said:


> i wish i had the internet and forums like this back in the 90s would have made life so much easier, back then they used to lie in the heavy metal articles about how they had painted the models.


Lol i often think that too, but dude you're showing your age a little with that comment  hehe :grin:





djinn24 said:


> Damn moo your spider sense go tingly or something lol.



My spider sense has been tingling for ages (paint deprivation), just decided to get off my backside and do voice it a little  lol


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## Hudson (Jun 3, 2008)

lav25gunner said:


> I want a paint off!! Winner gets the glory, losers have to wear a dress and post the pictures! heh heh
> First we need to decide the contestants.
> Second we unanimously vote on a single model/character for painting.
> Third we vote on the best model.
> Fourth losers post their pics.


lol yea paint off paint off paint off

haha na, as people have said it's very opinionated topic as to whos the best as each has a different style so it would be near impossible to give a real winner, although moo and sigur can safely say they both wear the joint crown it seems


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

bitsandkits said:


> I get the most joy watching two camps of painters, the first camp is teh WOW camp, by that i mean painters who blow my mind,usually serious amounts of free hand or a use of colour and paint that i have not seen before, the second camp are the "improver's", they may not be gifted but they stick at it and are willing to learn and keep trying and over time they improve, i wish i had the internet and forums like this back in the 90s would have made life so much easier, back then they used to lie in the heavy metal articles about how they had painted the models.


I like to consider myself an improver and out of most the folks on here Ive learned many tricks that have made me a better painter. My soulless project is so far been a hug collaboration of all the things Ive learned over the time of me painting. I never was a great artist. Much of the work I see these guys on here turn out just makes me wanna work harder and harder and strive to become even better at what I do. I want to win a slayer sword one day and most of what I have accomplished so far has a great deal to do with everyone on here.


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

Hudson said:


> hmm wonder if one of the mods will let us have an actual "Heresy online best painter 2011" award that'd be cool.
> 
> but yea djinn atm just asking out of everyone here who is the top guy/gal but nothing looks unanimous atm which is quite cool


We did do some awards last year for this very thing .... >>> Award thread <<<

As you see LTP got the gong as it were.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

I would love to see a painting deathmatch with a bracket like system .


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

Sounds like fun ^^ i'd join in since i'm all settled here now after the office and apartment move. I should have more time to get back into my painting and spamming this and CofC forums lol.

Oh and plus Humakt answered the question really since there was already a vote ^^ problem solved.


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

djinn24 said:


> I would love to see a painting deathmatch with a bracket like system .


That would be awesome fun. If we could make it themed so it was marked on conversion/modelling, painting and achieving the theme that might lessen the depression if you pulled Moo or DT in the first round


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

I'm rubbish at converting stuff  and if you stipulated a time frame then i would struggle as i paint very slowly. ^^ My kryptonite has always been time.


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

My issue is I just never have time so it take me weeks to paint something since I get maybe 2 hours a night.


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## LTP (Apr 15, 2009)

Lol a painting deathmatch would suck. I think you would find that some of the quality might actually drop from the added pressure. 

Like moo said there are many painters with different styles and techniques etc so there are plenty of people to get ideas and inspiration from.


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

I think the most_ influential_ has probably been xenobiotic. I think he has pretty much set the new norm for how to organize a project log thread.

But yeah there are awards/badges for exceptional painters and such. 

I dont suppose there is considered a best in the world? maybe someone who has won the most awards or something?


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

unxpekted22 said:


> I dont suppose there is considered a best in the world? maybe someone who has won the most awards or something?


I think it'd be extremely hard to find 'the best', but one of the most well known is Natalya Melnik. She's won a crap load of awards and has her own DVD tutorial thing for sale on CMON.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

You also have Ana at CofC









or Jen Haley who also has 2 Slayer Swords.









or Rusto at CMON









Or Yellow One:









Yuri Chinenov - I had a chance to meet this guy, nice as hell and an AMAZING painter. This model looks 10 times better in real life. Pics do no justice.









Aaron Lovejoy- aaaaaaaamazing work. The pic does not catch all the little details that he did on the model.









and Natalya's tutorial series is no where near the best out there. Its a lot of watching her paint for 4 hours. Useful if you don;t need anyone actually telling you how they are doing stuff.


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

djinn24 said:


> and Natalya's tutorial series is no where near the best out there. Its a lot of watching her paint for 4 hours. Useful if you don;t need anyone actually telling you how they are doing stuff.


I've heard similar things, and likewise some mediocre comments about Jen Haley's monochrome tutorials, but I haven't watched either. They are both incredible painters though, and I only said most popular as I tend to see Alexiz's name chucked around more often than anyone else.

Just looking through CMON and other painting forums, the number of insanely good painters is outstanding....it'd be difficult to pick 'the best' even if i was only looking from my own POV.

p.s thank you for posting that Rusto model, i've never seen it before and it's freaking amazing :biggrin:


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

um those last two people, I dont even know which positive things to say about those models. Its crazy how I wouldnt have even been able to imagine those two without seeing them. I think its safe to say that harlequin is a dark eldar one haha. Has anyone made tutorial on heresy on how to make your swords looks like that? the shiny blue shaded look. I suppose I'll go take a look.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Those last two where Golden Demon winners at Gamesday Baltimore. I was able to talk with the guy who did the Falcon and he was nice as hell and gave me some pointers. The Avatar should have won the Slayer Sword.


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

oh wow I didnt even see the falcon and avatar before for some reason. Make my last comment , the last four instead of two haha.


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## normtheunsavoury (Mar 20, 2008)

Djinn, I just don't have the words to express how amazingly awesome those paint jobs are, that level of skill is inhuman!
Outstanding, simply outstanding!


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

Personally i think the avatar is ok, not in my opinion a slayer sword winner. But i've seen better from others such as this one from Bohun on CofC again it's personal preference.


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

my head hurts from looking at all of these pictures in one night. :wacko:


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## LTP (Apr 15, 2009)

moo said:


> Personally i think the avatar is ok, not in my opinion a slayer sword winner. But i've seen better from others such as this one from Bohun on CofC again it's personal preference.


wow that is just god damn beautiful. Makes me wanna paint right now haha


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

I know his pieces inspire and motivate me so much  he actually combines NMM with metallics, i love the finished effect.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

The one from Gamesday looked a LOT better in person and GW did a shitty job of photographing the models from that entire Con. Little things like the steam rising up from the ground where it was walking did it for me. He did win Best Forgeworld of Show on top of the Demon.


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Some seriously fantastic stuff....


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## Vinci76 (Sep 12, 2008)

My Mum says im the best...

ive just finished painting her bathroom and she thinks its fantastic.


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Vinci76 said:


> My Mum says im the best...
> 
> ive just finished painting her bathroom and she thinks its fantastic.


:laugh::rofl: Nice!


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## StalkerZero (Oct 3, 2010)

Some of the models in this thread absolutely blow my mind. And doubly so because they blow the mind of some of Heresy's best painters who I respect very deeply. 

It does set a rough precedent for those of us who are terrible at painting but honestly looking through works like these is nothing short of awe inspiring.

The one thing I have noticed about Heresy is the easiest way to earn insane rep is to paint like a pro and paint often. But honestly, it's well deserved when given.

Sometimes, I try to peak in to new painters/aspiring painters threads just to toss out a compliment and some +rep so they don't get too discouraged seeing your guys' models.


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## LTP (Apr 15, 2009)

StalkerZero said:


> Some of the models in this thread absolutely blow my mind. And doubly so because they blow the mind of some of Heresy's best painters who I respect very deeply.
> 
> It does set a rough precedent for those of us who are terrible at painting but honestly looking through works like these is nothing short of awe inspiring.
> 
> ...



Same. I know when I joined Heresy I was striving to be just as good as some of the painters on here, infact moo pretty much helped me progress with my NMM etc lol. 

It's nice to see new styles coming through and I think with the community we have here there arn't many newbs who get discouraged.


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

LTP said:


> Same. I know when I joined Heresy I was striving to be just as good as some of the painters on here, infact moo pretty much helped me progress with my NMM etc lol.
> 
> It's nice to see new styles coming through and I think with the community we have here there arn't many newbs who get discouraged.


Well painting just requires a lot of practice, some patience and just talking to people and showing other's your work and asking for critique. You learn a lot by listening to others. You don't have to be super talented just enjoy it  it's taken me a few years to get to a decent level.

Plus LTP doesn't need my advice anymore ^^ so the student surpasses the teacher. Means I did a good job for what little i did, she just spent a huge amount of time to learn and practice and now she's learning to do NMM her own style in her own way which is what painting is about. 5% listening 95% personal style and patience to practice. :victory:


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

moo said:


> Well painting just requires a lot of practice, some patience and just talking to people and showing other's your work and asking for critique. You learn a lot by listening to others. You don't have to be super talented just enjoy it  it's taken me a few years to get to a decent level.
> 
> Plus LTP doesn't need my advice anymore ^^ so the student surpasses the teacher. Means I did a good job for what little i did, she just spent a huge amount of time to learn and practice and now she's learning to do NMM her own style in her own way which is what painting is about. 5% listening 95% personal style and patience to practice. :victory:


I agree there really is no wrong or right way to do it you just develop your own lil style with it my wife is always pushing me to do better and better with every model i paint. You just have to free your mind(i know that sounds cheesy) and do what ever you want with the paint . Practuce is the key and don't ever beat yourself up over a model that didnt turn out the way you were hoping or if you start seeing your own mistakes otherwise you will go insane. A masterpiece will never be a masterpiece to the painter because all we ever see is our flaws.


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