Workshop Review - Wetzlar, Germany

by Roman aka jar

posted by roman, jarhead, kong



Heyho Jungle visitors,

this review will bring you a little insight on the last painting class from my side of the year 2011, which in fact was a very busy year of painting classes. I am sure 2012 will be interesting too :)

 a test on the group shot, run, run, the timer, faster!! click!

Gratitudes
First of all I want to say big gorilla thanks to Frank and Peter who organised the class. Second gratitude goes to Peter again for his driving skills and my mum for borrowing her car as Raffa was away for a Painters meeting somewhere else in Germany. Another thanks to Frank again for his kind hospitality and the fresh breakfast every morning and my dreaming about a buddhist temple during my hours of sleep on a wonderful couch where a little aquarium was next. Another deep Kong Fu bow to all the Participants of the class for coming over and paying money for it. And again it is a thank you to Peter for bringing his camera, clicking some photos during the class and letting me click some too :)

Big thanks to Christian for helping this event to happen. We did stay in his Country side restaurant where participants had the option to sleep at place and we had wonderful food there I can say from my belly experience.

The class itself wasn't that big as others used to be - we were 13 people and normally the class makes sense for me at 15 people paying for it. With sense I mean getting payed for the work, preparation and all the costs I have. This time there were too less people. Maybe it was because of Christmas coming close, maybe it was because of the decision of the town itself and not many were interested in this region or maybe it was also because Ben and Matt had their Steampunk class on the same weekend. Who knows and in the end who cares. It is not about the money for me. It is about the people interested and if there is a region in Germany where the hobby is not well spread - I got to go there :)

I am very thankful to those who travelled far to come to the class, those who come for the first time and those who did it again - you all have my deepest gratitude. It was my pleasure to meet you and I hope to see some of you again in the future of joyful Miniature Painting. Now to the interesting part: The place we had our stay - the places always transform into a mess of lamps, colours and material when all those figure painters settle in :D

Many thanks to those who brought their figures to create a big miniature table. You will see some of them during the review and I was very happy that Serafin, who won the ULTIMATE PLASTIC KNIGHT CHALLENGE 2011 brought "Kinderaugen". It is just a pleasure for the eyes to see such a creative piece in real. 









Review on the class

Somehow I think that everyone might know what we are doing at a painting class after all the other reviews. We painted demonettes from Games Workshop and I try to explain my way of painting and thinking.

There is not much to tell from me as I think the photos speak for themselves.
We had much important theory on Friday night, everyone prepared his/her miniature and did build up his/her base meanwhile, all going hand in hand with the theory and thoughts I was explaining. Sleep was already highly appreciated on Friday night.





Saturday rolled in fast after too less sleep and it was theory again. Some final base touches, some final preparation on the miniatures and some theory again. Then it was time for dinner :)




















After dinner we started painting.
It was about half past three when I was again finished with some theory about painting and the participants experienced to enjoy colours. I am always really happy to see experienced painters beside some beginners all getting some information from the content of the class and letting it flow inside their own experience made so far. Some Impressions on Saturdays afternoon and night until we went to bed again, way too late again, because of all that theory and painting :D



















Saturday passed and I was really surprised about the group. Usually on Saturday there is a little hole in motivation when first failures occour. I got to say there are no failures - there is just experience and every "failure" is worth more than gold. This time there was no frustration at all - the phase completly was lost in the day - impressive! Maybe it was because of Peter's explanation of using your hands as tools.

Sunday rolled in, where we did stop sketching light and shadow, colour theory and ideas on the miniature for while and focused a bit more on the detail work, but you know still sketching somehow :) - Working on higher contrasts, true metallic metals, colour transitions on the claw and bringing all together now. Some more impressions on Sunday working time. For Peter and me it was a really big pleasure to see your miniatures grow and grow and even you were all a bit tired, to see the fun in your eyes. Thanks for that gift of yours.














Sunday was over too fast like always, but the hectic wasn't that bad. As I told you it is not about finishing your model - it is about learning on it and making failures to gain experience and you all did a wonderful job creating a little piece of your heart. It is so strange for me after I have seen so many demonettes the last years - everyone is unique and maybe I am having problems to remember all names of all the classes - I remember your face in my heart with the model you painted and the path you've walked during the class :)

I was also very happy because this time a little family trip from Berlin was made by a wonderful family who all paint figures together. I hope you will do so more often. For me as a "teacher" it was new to have a 15 year old with me in the class - normally the age starts at 17 +, but the average age is normally at ~25. I was not prepared at all about all the questions a 15 year old can bring with so much energy but I never feared an answer and for his age this guy is talented, hell yeah!

Like you can see on the photos everyone was talented and I am really proud of you to see what progress you all have made with your "testing model" during the class. We had a little final chat about everyone's figure in the end of the class and I managed to make some photos, not the best, but surely better than none. Enjoy:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Keep on happy painting!
I can't remember anyone sad during the class, but one looks like in the photo - maybe it was because of the cold feet - just kidding - it was my pleasure sharing the joy of painting with you and I have learned a lot from you. Thank you for being there!

Best Wishes
Roman

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