Artistic endeavors and musings it says in ABOUT this blog - so here's one to respond to a kind post at Dakkadakka (the best Warhammer 40000 forum in the inter webs)
To understand Blanche is to understand a difference between a creator artist and a sublime illustrator. It's a fairly evolved thing to grasp for most gaming obsessed minds. Both have a great importance for successful sic-fi/fantasy world, but obviously you need a Blanche to create the world that a Dainton can paint in stunning detail. This is my personal opinion anyway. Abnett has then gone and written about what others have ignored, in brilliantly imaginative detail and without any remorse on his loved heroes.
In life as in the hobby I've been interested in defying the norm and creating and making stuff.
I have somewhat successfully ignored the labels we like to stamp on hobbyists (gamer vs. painter vs. cheesy this or that vs. GD winner vs. fluff head vs....) From the past I have several third place tournament finishes and 7th place from the UK GT finals in circa 2003, when it was the cheesiest circuit on the planet that involved a few 150 heats of which a 150player final was put togther. I enjoy the fact I went in with a beautifully modeled and very different list and gave those who've dedicated their hobby to the dice gods a good run for their money. I've also been to the Golden Demons once and it went all right.
BUT, Neither one is for me.
What I love is a good group of friends who want to create beautiful miniatures, great stories and memorable games. Those three can well combine for a tournament, but they are rare gems and I can only recall two out of a dozen or so. More often it's a gaming group getting together. That I miss dearly after moving away from mine a few years ago - so the blog and dakka are place holders for when I hopefully find a few folks who share the motivation.
I'm some what troubled by the word "like minded" when talking about friends. I have had the utmost fortune to have friends who are not likeminded and create great moments together. I find like minded collectives often quite restrictive and sometimes really elitist. As an example, the +I+munda movement that in large part was kicked off by few of my friends and me getting together to play a campaign followed up and aligned with John Blanche sharing his Inquisitor themed models in the White Dwarf. It has grown into a select and connected group who've done fantastic work and gaming without any of my involvement. Though I am happy to call them my friends.
But somehow it got framed as the "golden age" of the hobby. When pretty much everyone in the group is missing out on playing army scale for example. Truth is that this is the golden age of the hobby because Games Workshop has created such a brilliant canvas and improved it's offering so dramatically and all different scenes and pockets of the hobby have benefitted tremendously.
One hobby, all are equal.
ReplyDeleteWhich post on Dakkadakka are you referring to?
ReplyDeleteWhile I find myself agreeing to most of the points you make, I'm a bit at a loss as to what your deeper point is here.
hello jimmy - i missed the deeper point as well but no sweat - a good crowd at todays inq meeting and friendships deepened and new ones forged - mi ambition is to paint and convert enough individuals to field an army - bi that tyme we may see you over here migs .....
ReplyDeleteNo deeper point. Bit of random reflection and personal opinion that might make people think what they really like about the most, whether they label themselves or others in strict camps and if invention or image making are one and the same or not.
ReplyDeletelabel for me is ' to excited about new models ' and no shortage of ideas - seeing others extend and develope them is both an honour and a joy .....
ReplyDeleteI see.
ReplyDeleteOn the arts topic, I must say that I very much agree with migsula's point, but seeing as I am trying to follow the fine school of Blanchitsu with my efforts recently, you could call me biased.
As for hobbyism, I would probably say my main concern these days is converting models, a sencond is painting and a third is meeting - as you put it - like-minded individuals ;)
Like JB, I am also regularly excited about new models... and regularly spend too much money on actually buying most of them (I need more space here).
Currently, what really excites me is the Realm of Chaos idea that I read about on Tears of Isstvan. I immediately went to ebay to buy the books, and I'm currently in the process of converting my warband. I realize I will probably never ever use it in an actual game, couldn't care less though.
I'm going to put up a blog to document my progress soon, at least that's the plan...