When did Warhammer Painters get SO GOOD?! | Golden Demon Then vs. Now

[@MickBeard]

I just got back into painting after a 30+ year break and i'm still in shock at how different everything is now. I won Golden Demons in '89 (Single Miniature) and '90 (Diorama) and this video made me very nostalgic. They were great times, and you never knew what your chances of winning were until you got to the actual event and saw the other entries.

[@Dracobyte]

So glad you are back!

[@TheRocco1971]

Hi Mick, Tim Prow here, it certainly was a different time back then :)

[@MickBeard]

@@TheRocco1971 Hey Tim! Wasn't it just :)

[@anthonymech3706]

Keep Golden Daemon open format. It's not just a painting competition but a celebration and an inspiration for all hobbyists!

[@GrayBeard0111]

Yea if anything just create a different category. But I agree with what you said.

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

@@anthonymech3706 yup!

[@ricebrown1]

Entering Golden Demon with a Golden Demon finalist pin? Now that's soldiering!

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

Yeah!

[@Zaphodox]

Very meta!

[@NeoHellPoet]

Personally, I adore the current state of Golden Demon entries. You basically demonstrated that thinking outside the box and creating something byond a fancy paintjob for a mini has been part of Golden Demon since day 1. The cool dioramas and scenes are also attractive to none painters. I can show the mirrored vampire or the Tyranid getting slammed into water to anyone and they'll think it's amazing. A perfectly painted mini in a void is cool, but anyone who isn't a painter can't really appreciate the the work that went into it. But most importantly, you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned creativity. Technical perfection is great, but give any person enough time and they can get to a very, very high level of technical proficiency. Simply painting a mini is also "just" building on top of someone else's creative work. The sculptor made the model, the lines and the details, all the elements that make it truly cool. The paint brings it to life but it's still effectively half a piece of art. The dioramas are truly transformative. It's something truly new. It's more than just impressive and aspirational, it's legitimately inspiring. It makes me want to really go all out and try something new and crazy rather than just slowly learning new techniques and honing my own painting skills. I fully expected to see the early winners and smugly declare myself capable of winning back then, but that's just not the case. The best works were so much more than just technically competent and just having modern skill couldn't match the beauty and storytelling on display.

[@ClintOrris]

As a non-painter, non-artist. The dioramas are everything I hate about it. They are boring and predictable. I had never seen any of them in this video, and had nothing but boredom looking at them. No imagination. It felt like every art school kid trying to be witty I have ever met. And guess what? In the world of AI, it's even more boring. Give me something really creative and unique, without having to distract me with all the extra. If you are relying on a diorama, it means you aren't that creative to begin with. That's the difference between real creativity and someone who just needs to smoother you with fluff. I deal with it a LOT in engineering, and it is always the art school kids.

[@Rock-pq6so]

I started pinning warhammer about a year ago, I was drawn to the fact that I needed some sort of hobby in my life because I wasn't getting anywhere in life. Is stuck in a rut I saw warhammer as a means to expand my creative ideas. I started painting, And videos like this showing me the difference between somebody who' Who's been competing at a painting competition for years and the differences between their work and mine always helps me go forward. I'm not ready for golden demon but I will be soon.

[@karstedt9987]

You're right about the progress of some of the winners could be it's own video, especially the ones that have been around along time, seeing the year on year changes, or the new ones who have just started at crazy high levels. Great little look back at how far the craft has come, we probably can't even imagine what it'll be like in another 30 years.

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

I'm a massive Kitbasher, but Something I'd love to see is a "Spec Mini" category where only one mini can be entered (eg: "Space Marine Scout"). They could pick one of the Minis of the Month and say "no conversions, must be on the normal base, only basing materials/technicals may be added. It'd be fascinating to see what people could come up with.

[@maggiekelner9715]

I see where folks are coming from with wanting the focus to be on JUST the painting quality, but I really REALLY like how things are developing. Honestly, one of my biggest critiques in the world of minis in general is that it feels like many folks don’t quite know how to compose a “scene”, pretty much making the equivalent of a single character standing in the void every time. I may just be biased towards dioramas though…

[@Anchises]

It's a question of purpose. Don't forget that these are, in the end, meant to be playing pieces for a game. Modern GD style has turned that into a fine art sculpture exercise, which is fine, but not really in line with the origins of the form.

[@BittermanAndy]

@@Anchises did you even look at the late 80s / early 90s examples? They were NOT "playing pieces for a game". Never have been. These are works of art, that take the gaming pieces and place them into a context that has nothing at all to do with gaming.

[@Red2Productions]

An amazing trip down memory lane with some excellent analysis!

[@MasterShake9000]

1993 was when 2nd Ed 40k was released. Makes sense that the 94 Golden Demon would reflect 2nd’s shift from “grittier” to cleaner and bolder looks and why 40k entries would reflect that in particular. Regarding the shift in the early 2000s, you had the Grimdark shift of 40k with 3rd Ed in 1998 and 6th Ed WHFB in 2000 or 2001, but I’m kinda wondering if what you’re noticing is the influence of Cool Mini Or Not. It debuted in 2001 IIRC, and I remember it quickly becoming a major source of inspiration and can only imagine the competition it inspired for top level gamers. Early 2010s I feel is when I first heard about pinwashes, filters, and all these advanced techniques that military modelers had been doing first showing up on the radar of 40k players.

[@StorminWolf]

CMON and Reckham and Warmachine came in the very late 90s and 2000s massively on to the scene

[@MasterShake9000]

@ Yeah, Rackham and that era was probably the first I as an American started hearing about advanced painters from Europe that were producing all these mind-blowing results. I also remember when Warmachine was (lovingly) teased for the number of buckles per model and now even GW drenches their minis in details, lol.

[@p.a.u.l.555]

I love the 80s & 90s golden demons entries, I remember seeing them in White Dwarf mag...brings back memories... have a great weekend Louise, take care 😊

[@ucrpoyntevents7747]

Thanks for the positivity and enthusiasm; your vibes are uplifting, and mine have been stuck somewhere closer to the 41st millennium lately

[@JimCrimmins]

Loved this walk through Golden Demon history.. Excellent idea and video..

[@lillrichter]

Damn what trip down memory lane! 😂 Thank you for a great video.

[@rswack3378]

I would love to see a speed painting competition category. Like everyone gets 2 hours, the same brushes, paints , and selection of minis.

[@mat5977]

That would be a nice way to compare based on skill only.

[@stickspt3639]

It’s wild how much has changed and impacted the hobby! Feels like the internet and social media really pushed learning from others. Consequently the time and effort creatives previously spent figuring out the ‘basics’ could now be spent figuring out how to push the known boundaries. From this, a sub industry of paid painting tutorials sprang up on places like Patreon and Discord. Paints themselves improved and the range of other mediums and materials hugely expanded. I think technology also had a big impact. Digital cameras allowed instant review of results and access to reference images, lighting and magnifiers made it easier to paint details, airbrushes became common and 3D modelling and printing added a whole new toolset. 100% agree the trend lead time has shortened. Maybe you could interview contestants at the next GD and ask for their predictions?

[@stevebarnett-f5o]

I can only dream of painting to these levels, great vid as always.

[@roguehobbies]

It was a super fun video to make tbh :D

[@TPathuis]

So impressed about the amount of time you must've spent in researching this, AND present it in an enjoyable and easy to watch video!

[@roguehobbies]

It was honestly really really good fun, Ive wanted to make this video for so long

[@Anchises]

@@roguehobbies It's a great example of what makes your channel stand out from the masses of other Warhammer/gaming channels. Really loved this!

[@setra23]

I don't think it's just top tier painters that have taken a massive step in skill. The level of your basic "battle ready" painter has had a massive step forward. The armies that the people in work warhammer club are painting their first minis at a level I could have only dreamed of painting when I started 20 years ago. The Big Cough saw a huge leap in the amount and quality of youtube vids that have given painters of every level a huge resource.

[@DisgruntledDoomer]

Is it really just about guides and inspiration? The paints, brushes, etc. have stayed the same?

[@Anchises]

@@DisgruntledDoomer Many of the 80s minis were probably painted with enamels.

[@Lessons_from_the_front]

@@Anchises We were using acrylics by the time Golden Demon came along, but those have actually changed quite radically. The quality and range of points available is much better than it was. Fundamentally I think this is the effect of competition.

[@thesigmaritepainter7803]

Amazing video which is an great celebration of the hobby!

[@sebastianvigil7018]

I love your videos, I feel really inspired and proud for my first miniatures painting, thank you and sorry for my bad english.

[@roguehobbies]

Your English is very good!!

[@herculeholmes504]

21:53 That eldar by David Soper, that was THE miniature that inspired me to start painting.

[@ScottMaurer-g2b]

one thing you have to note about many of the earlier pieces is that while the level of execution was generally lower, it was still quite high even by modern standards. However, they were painted to be viewed in person, in hand NOT under a camera for instagram. so you'll see glossy finished and different surface treatments that do not translate to pictures well. the super matte, microscopically smooth style developed because of digital photography and the internet. This has been the real revolution in miniature painting, digital photography and sites like CMON pushed forward the standard far more than any GD ever did.

[@MickBeard]

Exactly this. When we used to take photos of our creations, we had to wait for a week for the photos to be developed and hope for the best! Also the photos were just for our personal records as there wasn't anywhere really to show them off anyway.

[@Anchises]

This also explains why things like painted light sources and NMM became huge. I don't think NMM looks that much better than metallic paint IN PERSON, because the shimmer and reflection of the metallic paint is evident as you hold and turn a model. But NMM looks much better in photos where the light is inherently 'fixed'. Same with painted light sources like lantern reflections etc. I suspect the elaborate painted backdrops are also far less impressive in person than they are from the fixed photo angle. I think the 'instagram' mindset has also significantly affected model sculpture itself. Modern GW stuff seems so complex, fragile and not pleasing to hold or move compared to chunky old metal 80s minis. They look great in photos though, which is what matters from a sales POV these days.

[@nikroth]

I love the video idea, I loved the video ! Thank you !

[@chrislee7704]

These are the kind of videos the people need

[@acefromspace5843]

Great summary Louise! Love your vids as always

[@roguehobbies]

Thanks so much 😁

[@jerrytoppins]

I love your bright content. Thanks for a pleasant trip.❤

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

So here are my recommendations regarding painting channels (besides Duncan Rhodes, Vince Venturella, Squidmar Miniatures and obviously Louise / Rogue Hobbies): - Pregunta al Enfermo (I am from Mexico) - Dana Howl - TableTopReady - JuanHidalgo Miniatures (he is from the Vasque Country region in Spain, though his videos are on English) - Lyla Mev - Goobertown Hobbies - Brushstroke Painting Guides - Cult of Painting

[@jesse89jensen]

I really appreciate it

[@Dracobyte]

Also Ninjon, Trovarion Miniatures, Miniac, EonsofBattle, Zumikito Minuatures and Broadsword Wargaming.

[@akamucrimsidae]

Don't forget Angel Giraldez!

[@MightyGachiman]

Half of these are grifters, the other half are shilling corpo trash every minute of the video. Two out of these are genuinely good hobbyists

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

@MightyGachiman which ones do You consider them grifters?

[@andywardle2988]

Great video Louise! It’s crazy how long this show has gone on for. I hope it keeps going 🙏

[@StorminWolf]

Wh40k 2nd edition came out in late 1993, so 1994 was the year where all those miniatures had that influence. 1997 Confrontation from Rackham was released by former french GW employees, so after that we got an influx of the french/spanish style.

[@davidmarksberry5970]

Happy new year to you Louise! Thanks for another fun video. Whatever the subject, it's your genuine enthusiasm that carries it for me. I look forward to what's next.

[@AdhemHotep]

Watching your videos has really made me want to start getting into the hobby again. Love the warhammer 40k universe but haven't touched the table top game since 4th addition.

[@thegingerspacemarine]

The new wave of creativity is the best thing for the hobby. It takes things back to the roots of hobbying as a whole. For years it had seemed like we sort of lost our souls as a hobby space as things became "who can paint the same model as everyone else the best (in non metallic metal)". Now the need to show all encompassing skill and creativity has returned and it gives me hope for the future

[@harlequinCT]

Happy New Year to you! This video is spot on but it's the whole community, not just Golden Demon. I've recently returned to the hobby after a 20 year hiatus to have a career and family and everyone has levelled up beyond belief. Its insane how good all the posts online i'm seeing are. I've been really left behind and got a lot of catching up to do!

[@BittermanAndy]

I remember looking at the winners at my first GD in 1991, and thinking "I will NEVER be that good". Now, I look back at those old entries and think: hmm, me today, if I could time travel back to that event... I might now have a chance. But now I'm looking at the winners today, and I know (for certain!) that I will NEVER be that good. The standard is just incredible these days. Fantastic video, thanks so much for putting it together.

[@paulalbietz9719]

Really nice video. Great history of high level painting. Thanks for the effort of putting that together. Paul

[@Dethectic]

KZbin content creators definitely has a hand in enhancing the skill of miniature painting today. I only got into the hobby 6 years ago, and I only painted my first mini after watching hours of painting tutorials. It was already tabletop ready. Looking at how incredible today's top miniature paintings has become, I doubt I'll ever be able to catch up.. wish I started sooner.

[@Pork-Pie-Pete81]

I remember you talking about this video on Juggz. I was really looking forward to this, and I wasn't disappointed. It's a really interesting topic. You're totally right about individual painting journeys being a video of their own. I would love to see Richard Grey's journey. Whilst I'm aware of the recent controversies around Golden Demon, my opinion is that it has always striven to deliver the peak of artistic perfection from talented painters. However, I do feel that they do not encompass as broad a variety of styles. There are a lot of artists who are phenomenal painter's, yet they refuse to follow the current meta and continue to go unrecognised. It is my wish that the criteria or at least the categories would allow these artists a chance to show their unique talent. Thank you for the vid.

[@sebastiendesautels8567]

What an amazing video! I love the way you presented this!

[@TheNeoanomally]

This was fun. Thank you for the time you put into this video

[@himawaricopter]

Happy new year! I'm really new to the hobby but having so much fun already thanks to channels like yours! I drybrushed a zenithal yesterday sloppily but I was so happy with the results anyway😂

[@blizzyblake]

Great vid! Loved the +1 lvl to my history knowledge! Really cool to see how far it's come. Thanks for doing all the research and brining this awesomeness to us! Also, the 1st and last miniature was cool to see. Id watch a while video of just that. Cheers!

[@Stioffain]

A great video, on an interesting on which I have chatted with fellow painters about. It's amazing to see the progression and styles. I personally like what we're seeing now.

[@BraveSirRobin-p5y]

Insane video premiere yesterday Louise!

[@Cadiastand-upcomedy]

0:50 Alternate title: everyone at Golden Demon got high

[@laurabrand3007]

loved this one, so interesting to see the changes over time, even by the same painters!

[@ClockworkEngineer]

I'm always amazed when my earliest interactions with this hobby actually lined up with the first days. Eg, I was aware of the first Golden Daemon, but not that it was the first. I thought it had been around for ages.

[@williamsmith9615]

I think the changes are due to how everything has changed since the 80’s. More detailed models, social media allowing for showing off and challenging each other. Our quality and choice of paint and modeling tool have also improved. Great video. Keep up the hard work.

[@gunm808]

the number of social media tutorials, the expansion of the hobby, and the pandemic have gotten a lot more ppl up to brush on painting minis!

[@capnskustomworks]

What cool history to see!!! Painting and entering the pin is absolutely priceless, I love it! 🥰🥰🥰

[@colbybastian17]

This is both beautiful and fascinating, and also more than a little intimidating and discouraging. It's hard to imagine that work someone at home is able to produce because there are so many resources available would have been a star winner of competitions passed, and is now just another piece, standard fare. Hopefully, we can find encouragement in that, rather than comparison, when we look back and see how incredible what so many people are able to produce truly is

[@punkypink83]

I looked at Andy Wardle's 2015 entry and the heat discolouration on the muzzle of the gun caught my eye because it really wowed me. Shows how good you have to be to even enter the contest in the last decade or so.

[@miketwodtwo5140]

I’ve grown up through all the eras. I paint more for games but the pushing of the envelope of what can be done is amazing. It also alters my nary painting as I work out how to incorporate certain things into fast army painting. Will I bee golden demon level no. Do I enjoy improving and challenging my painting approach. Great video.

[@dominikheinrici5228]

Happy New Year, Louise!

[@roguehobbies]

Happy new year! 🎊

[@johnnnysilverhand9819]

Jennifer Haley was my favorite Golden Daemon winner to date. She painted the most attractive female faces ever, even to date. I hope she’s still around

[@Lessons_from_the_front]

That is a fun look. I think Golden Demon IS a painting competition. That is something that has definitely changed, the hobby has always been about the miniatures but now there are a lot more people who basically aren't interested in the play element at all. I think what some of the detractors want is better fulfilled by 'best army' at playing competitions, but that is not what GD ever was.

[@gregpower308]

I’m old enough to remember the beginnings of GD. Colin Dixon (RIP) was my go to inspiration back then and it was crazy to see how his work grew and developed. His shield and banner work was amazing.

[@ADVBCAT]

Great video, glad you kept it positive!

[@otterblau5253]

I just wanted to say that you and peachy tips have really inspired a love of painting for me. I might never go for a golden demon, but my resolution for 2025 is to enter the armies on parade with my local Warhammer store. Probably a kill team and a diorama

[@KRQuinn-1960]

Always love your videos..interesting and upbeat! This one was great, I’m old enough to remember most of this (especially 80s music..but not Warhammer..lol) and thank you for sharing the GD site!

[@thomasgueguen1121]

Such a good content, you rule !

[@dylanmcgregor6496]

I was a 90's player and I definitely recognize it as my painting style. This was also a time when a lot of new paints and better brushes started to make their way to the game shops and RC/Train hobby stores from both Citadel and Reaper. I think better hobby materials definitely helped push the creativity of the GD as well. This video was a road-trip :)

[@whalopaints]

the GD compendium is run by matt from cult of paint, he's a tech wizard lol.

[@SimonProctor]

Having access to a huge amount of different people making videos showing you different techniques really helps. When I started painting you basically had a few articles. Maybe one a month in white dwarf and the journal. Plus the options for paints and brushes were not as big. Lots of oil paints, acrylics weren't easy. :)

[@SimonProctor]

Now I am going to go and field old while watching a video that is discussing the 80's as history...

[@SimonProctor]

Also ... Really it's the judges who decide. If the judges start giving simple bright paint jobs the top prizes? That's the way the meta goes, it's subjective in the end.

[@FacemeltsWasteland]

So nice to see some of those older entries i remember studying in white dwarf back in the late 80s / 90s white dwarf

[@hanskneesun123]

I always assumed that the quality improved when the mini's became less mini, the industry figured out how to cast larger and higher quality figures but also paints have come a long way since then, also we didn't have airbrushing in the 80's (we did but it wasn't widely accessable).

[@popburnsy3207]

Kitbashing is part of the hobby. I like seeing things put together in new and innovative ways. It's a core part of the hobby to my mind. Dioaramas are a nice addition, there's definitely something fun about an interestingly composed scene

[@velwein]

We're almost circling back to the 80's with the over the top scenes, just with the new color pattern / painting trends.

[@adedimberline]

That first and last bit at the end was a cracking idea.

[@roguehobbies]

I reckon I could make a whole video about it

[@adedimberline]

@ ……..*in Palpatine* dew it!!

[@jurriaandejongh8677]

Great one Louise!

[@cml4914]

I'd like the next meta to reward looser, more expressive styles (although I know that's unlikely)

[@hughmac7423]

Happy New Year to you too.

[@dcaffran]

It's in the last years of the 90's (I'd argue from 97 onwards) when realism starts to be a goal. The colours schemes from GW themselves were shifting. The orc miniatures released for Idol of Gork were painted in a slightly more subdued way, differentiating them from those painted by the 'Eavy Metal team for 4th edition. The High Elves that were resculpted for 5th edition and Drong's Grudge already weren't part of the red era. Their bows and bolt throwers had a light wood texture painted on. In 98 3rd edition 40k was released and the minis featured in the new rulebook were mostly new paint jobs, no red era, with weapons painted with metals, browns, blacks, and featuring a lot of paintjobs that didn't come from the 'Eavy Metal team, so they didn't follow a unified artistic direction. Also some of theme weren't too complicated, so they felt more achievable. All this reflected on Golden Demon. I think Jakob Nielsen's Tyrion is far from a multicolour paintjob and much more closer to the realistic/grimdark style. Also, Dante and Tycho were NMM in the mid 90's, but I think none of us dared to try it. However, I think this recap is too focused in the Warhammer scene, when the wargaming hobby has always been bigger and all the big hits are an influence to each other. Hobbyists that enjoyed Warhammer and hobbyists of historical model kits, busts, etc, seemed to be two separate ecosystems, but I think is in the early 00's when traditional techniques used in those historical pieces start to be applied to wargaming models. This is the moment that saw the rise of the French school of mini painters, Confrontation and a ton of NMM and weathering. And after that, Infinity, Ángel Giraldez and continuing the trend of incorporating traditional techniques, the airbrush. Sorry about the wall of text. Greetings from Spain!

[@nick_alderman]

Great show! - I've been in the hobby since '87 and I miss the old days when anyone could enter and have a chance, nowadays it seems you have to be an outstanding artist at the stellar level. Its no longer "hobby" but actual art. Could be two separate competitions? Pro/amateur maybe?

[@michaelstevens5712]

I love it as it is. It's cool to have a regular outlet for all that wild technique. That said, a single mini no kitbash with a limited base size would be cool to see as an event. Just a single-lap sprint to show technique. Armies on Parade kind of addresses that instinct a little bit by means of scale.

[@Nosh_Feratu]

in recent years the change seems to be the adoption of more painterly 'art' styles, so like in fine Art where you have application-specific styles like pointillism, impressionism or hyper realism this seems to be carrying across and we're seeing different applications executed in specific styles perfectly, more comic-book & cell-shaded styles, illustrative, hyper-real, contextual etc. . .ive watched it evolve since I became interested in 1987 and its been quite a journey. Im still awful at painting tho hahaha! David Sopers work from 1987 to present day is a really great lense to view how things have changed, even in 89 with his Rhino you could see a difference. The Slayer Sword should be about painting ONLY, all the additional creative context setting should be an award in itself, the 'World Building' award or something like that. Great video!!

[@phaton89]

I’m excited to see where people will take Golden Demon next. I think painting and the miniatures needs to stay are the heart of it, but I can’t wait to see what people can push the boundaries on. The next thing for me is seeing someone using lights/lighting in their paint jobs and potentially some kind of mechanics or animatronics.

[@ShaunMacdonaldTQ]

The modern Golden Demon entries are insanely cool. I do hope there is still a category that is only minature + painting though, just because if the competition scope creeps further into resin, sculpting, 3D printing etc it becomes more of a haves vs have-nots issue

[@angelodichello6317]

It's always nice to hear about my favourite competition! But I have to admit I've just bursted in laughter seeing my old Ariel again at the end of the video! Despite my natural dislike for elves I still think I'd like to redo her one day: my love for old miniatures is too strong! Anyway - she was not my first winning entry (I've kept all of them!), it was a Wfrp diorama depicting a game had with my friends!

[@Fidel_L.Bousquet1970]

Cool! I have a chance of winning Golden Demon. I just need a time-travel machine and go back to 1987 😅

[@jaeledwards1367]

It's not just Warhammer painting, which is an interesting thing in itself. Just out of interest I started buying really old "how to" books on historical modeling from the 70s and 80s, and you can see enormous quantum leaps in technique at certain points like when Shep Paine and Francois Verlinden came on the scene in the 80s, and then again in the 2000's when Mig Jiminez and all the Spanish painters turned up. My theory is that this has tended to happen when people who have formal fine arts training become interested in painting minis, and this is bourne out by a friend of mine who took it up over lockdown and became an award-winning mini painter within a year because she was already a professional artist in other mediums and had all the training in colour theory, how paint behaves etc.

[@QalTzeentch]

I'm assuming at about the same time that they started spending the entire year to paint their entry to the next competition. Not that I'm complaining about it though.

[@wolf40k]

It's almost like it's becoming full circle, It seems like The crazy dioramas are coming back, I can see a future of the vibrant colors of the past but painted in the modern style doing the weird and crazy dioramas of the past.

[@evanduty6150]

I'm a car guy and I have to say your wall of color makes me super jelly!

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

Something vital to point out is that in the old days, there was a rule stating that minis *must* be mounted to their gaming bases in certain categories (and indeed there was a requirement that some squads actually be legally playable units). Scenic plinths were often used in photos, but the judging happened with just the bases. (I'm not sure when this rule changed) So for example the incredible Krieg unit we see at 20:09 simply wasn't a thing you could enter in previous years.

[@lamMeTV]

They should add a Tabletop category where the miniature has to be legal to play

[@roguehobbies]

Oooh that's interesting I quite like that

[@AlansWay3DPrinting]

And a one design catagory - something like a single mini (monopose medium sized, not very expensive, non-playable), released a set time (something like 2 months) before the competition in its own category. Like F1 racing or one design boat racing, level the field and judge just the painting.

[@pdubb9754]

Are the people who grumble about the direction Golden Demon entries have taken primarily those hobbyists who are in it for the wargaming? I don't see these amazing painting skills developing among folks unless they devote a lot of time to it, which means less time to roll dice to determine the outcomes of strategic military maneuvers. Is there a schism in the community that is dividing players from painters? These contest winners are breath taking!

[@greasymullet2002]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Stovaa]

I think two big parts of it are 1) access to an online community not just for tutorials, but to talk to other painters, get tips n grow together. 2) is simpler, better paints and tools. Using some early gw paints, its enough of an achievement just getting coverage, let alone doing nmm/glazing/osl.

[@danajadzia3390]

I started painting WH in 1992(ish) and got out of the hobby after a few years & started again in 2021. I so regret stopping & the 30 years of practice I missed :-(

[@smolwavingsnail9028]

i remember when i was kid i used to dream of winning a golden demon. i won a few juniors competitions at my local GW but unfortunately video games slowly distracted me away from painting and i just stopped doing it eventually. i really want to get back into the hobby but now everything's changed and it seem overwhelming

[@TriloGStudio]

20:27 Gunpla Builders feel the same way. With things like 3d printing out, a lot of entries are 80% diorama and background where the kit is just a small part of the overall piece or is simply out done by the background.

[@heighRick]

Thanks Louise, helps a lot!

[@ieyke]

The switch to Grimdark more realistic gritty paintjobs hits around 2003ish because of the quadruple release of Codex Daemonhunters, Codex Witch Hunters, Codex Chaos Space Marines 3.5E, and Codex Space Marines 4E. Daemonhunters and Witch Hunters were all-out Grimdark horror mode, packed to the gills with nightmarish visions drawn by Adrian Smith and Paul Dainton. Codex Chaos Space Marines 3.5 likewise featured a load of their art, and kicked to the curb all the old minis and derpy paint jobs of Codex CSM 3.0 Codex Space Marines 4E is set AFTER the Battle For Macragge, when Captain Agemman is promoted from 2nd Captain to 1st Captain, and Sicarius is promoted to 2nd Captain. Agemman commemorates the sacrifice of the obliterated 1st Company and his predecessor Captain Invictus, by switching the entire Chapter's colors to darker bleaker colors out of mourning for the lost Veterans. That includes going from bright vibrant primary blue to a darker stormy blue, switching the weapons casings from bright primary red to black, and for the 2nd Company switching from bright primary yellow to gold. It also coincided with the Ultramarines, and Space Marines in general, ramping up the amount of decorative bits and customization on their armor in the model kits, as well as more complex armor markings painted on, and the Ultramarines FINALLY being able to display more and more of their Greco-Roman nature. (These things started with 4th Edition, and got built up and up and up til Space Marines were SUPER FUCKING COOL. ......And then the dumbass Primaris crap ruined EVERYTHING and reset the Marines to being bland generic 2nd edition-level nonsense. That's a HUGE part of why Primaris looks so damn lame and boring.) So yea, the Marines AND Chaos Marines BOTH got switched to darker Grimdark stuff, the popular new Daemonhunters and Witch Hunters followed suit. PLUS the release of the Necrons and Tau, which were released right out the gate as fairly realistic and grounded, and simply had no earlier bright goofy paintjobs. Even the earlier beta Necrons were mostly just silver. All that together FIRMLY shoved 40k into unquestionable Grimdark aesthetics mode.

[@SnakeWorksStudio]

Aha! So your next video needs to be "Painting a mini using ALL the previous trends"

[@That__Guy]

I think having a completely open competition is amazing as long as there is enough categories to get into, but they should also have a super restricted category, where participants are limited to only one stock miniature that is announced beforehand and they can only use material it comes with in the box. No conversions, no plinth, no background, no nothing. So that it is really only about the model painting side.

[@mikewicked.x]

I always loved seeing the Golden Demon entries, but I think it was Victoria Lamb and her OSL that I really thought things went beyond what we usually saw in White Dwarf and from the Eavy Metal crew.

[@JR-je7ce]

2:29 and if you don't like any of that stuff just subscribe anyway because she's a gem

[@aarongray7966]

I would like to see a retro category where the entries are based off the old sculpts, and see what modern painters can do with those!

[@OurCognitiveSurplus]

I feel like my models would have been golden demon contenders 20 years ago and today I can’t even make the final round of a local painting comp. It’s wild.

[@jamescurtis2112]

It was wild to see how the styles of painting have changed over the years. The new style of painting is world building in tiny format. It'll be super interesting to see how technology (3d sculpting & printing) will affect GD into the future & wargaming in general.