The Second Semi-Annual Great Champions Challenge Figure Contest!

[proditor]

The Second Semi-Annual Great Champions Challenge Figure Contest!

Over on HC Realms I help run a contest to celebrate the fine and noble art of modding figures, so I figured why should clixers have all the fun? I asked Steve Long if this was okay, and he said it sounded like a hoot. I'm attaching the standard disclaimer that this is not sponsored or affiliated with Hero Games in any way, and is in fact, my own little piece of insanity. ;)

This contest is meant to be a competition between mods, more so than a competition between people - please keep that in mind. To compare people, we'd all have to do the same mod and I don't think anyone is interested in that sort of competition. This is for fun and to encourage modeling and modelers who hang out here on the Champions Boards. The prizes are for the most part worthless, but fun to get and they make for interesting decorations and conversation pieces - play them in a game and freak people out. "This is my Golden Foxbat that I received for . . . "

(Entry deadline for this 2nd contest is July 5th – 07/05/2005 Midnight EST.)

Please submit a picture or two (or twelve, but put them on your own page) of your mod below in this thread, (most people like to see a back and front for judging purposes). Also if you are doing an obscure character, a reference picture also helps for judging purposes, but is not required. (Although it is HIGHLY Recommended)

Entry parameters:

1) One figure per person per category.
2) There are 2 categories this time around, one is Painted Figures, the other is Mods. All figures must be relatively “new to the web”. Any figure posted and linked to this site or any other modeling site prior to May 24th, is ineligible. We’re looking for some new stuff here, not prior material.
3) One modeler per figure, so no collaborations please.
4) Mods must be "Modified". In other words, no taking pictures of a Heroclix Blob and saying it's Inquisition in his work out leotard. ;) There must be a clean new paint job and if you like, some physical modification.
5) Mods should be associated with the Champions Universe. This includes Dark Champions as well, so the BMK is fair game. Basically, the figure should reflect the "superheroic" genre or some fanatastic element of the Hero Universe. Aliens from Star Hero? Just fine. A no name guy with a gun who is labelled as flunky number 3? Amusing, but no. If you aren't sure that your idea is suitable, just ask.
6) Deadline for entries is –(July 5th – 07/05/2005 Midnight EST)– your mod must be posted with links to pictures, as a reply to this post, by that time. That basically gives everyone three weeks and 3 weekends. The 24th is a Sunday, so late that night, EST, I’ll start the voting.
7) After the 5th, each applicant, or person who submitted, will cast their votes for the best 5 mods. You may not vote for your own, and you can not vote if you do not have an entry in the contest. You will have to vote for rankings of 1-5, points will be awarded for each slot (5 pts for first, 4 for 2nd etc). *Important: If you do not vote or your vote does not contain 5 placements, your entry will be removed from the contest. You will be given an ID number after PMing your vote, (more instructions as voting grows near), all votes will be posted publicly but with the ID number not your name. There will be a completely OPEN vote where anyone registered on the Hero Boards can chime in. This will serve two purposes. First, It will count as one extra vote for the main contest. Example: We have 7 entrants. That means we will have 8 votes tallied for 1st through 3rd. 7 Modders and the Board concensus. Second, it will be sole determinant of the Honorable Mention category. If the winner of this category also places in standard voting, then the Honorable mention will move down the list of winners until we get to someone who has not placed. Some may not be keen on the restricted voting, and I doubt that the Hero Boards would "load" the ballots, but I just saw it happen on another board, so I'm sticking with a voting system that has been pretty ironclad up till now.

There will be 2 trophies for 1st and 2nd place in the Mods category and 1 for best Painted in the Painted Figures category. There will also be a prize for "Honorable Mention" which might be from either category.

*I will be posting the full voting results, by order if nothing else, at the close of the contest.*

Any ties will result in awarding the highest possible prize to both and bumping the next tier of prizes in exchange – for example, we might have two second place mods, but if we do there will be no third place awarded.

First prize Mod -Foxbat OOP Champions mini primed and painted in gold paint
Second prize Mod - Random Heritage OOP Champions mini primed and painted in silver paint
First prize Painted Figure- Random Heritage OOP Champions mini primed and painted in Gold paint
Honorable Mention – Bronze colored Random Heritage OOP Champions mini.

But in addition to these wonderful prizes, there is so much more you get! You'll win the adoration of your friends for you will be "The Grand High ModGod of the Hero Boards!" (And woe betide any mere mortal that dares to even look upon your magnificence after that!!)- at least until I run another contest.

Good luck to all, I've always enjoyed running these on HC Realms and seeing what everyone else has managed to put together. And heck, I've already seen the spectacular work most of you churn out in your spare time, so share and get some adulation for it!

[Lethosos]

Clarification:

Do we have to do specifics (ie. pre-listed Heroes/Villans/Mooks?) Or is it open, as in pretty much anything as long as it's superhero-based and not a blalant copy of anything copywriteable?

[proditor]

It has to be from something that has been published by Hero Games.

For example, a while ago I made a Commando Rubberbando, who was shown on the cover of CU and was written up in Digital Hero. He's just fine.

But my minis of Britannic and Donnybrook are not since they just sprung from my head. (I'm hoping they will be published, but they haven't yet, so they wouldn't be legal).

[Lethosos]

Hrmmm... *gets an evil idea*

Naaaah. Too late to get that character write up into Digital Hero. :D Don't want to unsurp J's position for writing interesting characters anyways.

[Blue]

Coolness. Now I'll have to check through my box of clix (and clix parts) for inspiration.

[teh bunneh]

Competition threatens to be fierce this year! And for those of you who haven't entered before, let's see those mods!

Bill.
(And for those of you who entered last time... I fully expect to be impressed!) :bounce:

[proditor]

Bump.

Let's start seeing some work. ;)

[hooligan x]

Still waiting on the camera...

[proditor]

Hmmmmm.....

Do we need to start thinking extension?

The contest is currently scheduled to end in roughly two and a half weeks. If everyone is on track but just proceeding judiciously, NM me, I'll just get back to looking for a new apartment. ;)

[teh bunneh]

I've just finished a new fig, but since I took the Golden Foxbat last time, I don't think I should be qualified to run again. I'll try to take a pic of her later this week, though. :bounce:

I really hope that others will enter -- Blue, Redmenace, Mags, Hooligan... let's see 'em, folks! :D

Bill.

[Blue]

I work quickly (though sloppily). I just haven't had the chance to research which mini I'd like to try. I've had a full work schedule, been creating a website for a friend's business, and getting all my computer graphics into a portfolio.

I might get to work on this Friday, after I see Batman Begins.

[Redmenace]

I'll try to get one in but I'm finishing up on 4 for another party. I'd say there is a fifty fifty chance I'll be entering.

It would be a shame if Bill didn't enter.

[Blue]

I thought "What? Bill's not entering?", Then I reread his post.

Of COURSE you should enter, Bill. They don't forbid a team from the superbowl because they won last year. They don't forbid an oscar winner from taking a second one home. Now get in there and mod!

[hooligan x]

Still waiting for camera...

[proditor]

Ya know, I just realized it would actually be doing me a favor to postpone the deadline by say a week. I'm going to be moving in the beginning of July as well as starting the cool job. So why don't we just extend it to July 12th and hopefully we can have more people enter as well. :D

EDIT: And yes, Bill should enter. :)

[teh bunneh]

OK, as long as other people enter too. :) Maybe this will spur some of the creative juices...

Beware her, for she is the Empress of a Billion Dimensions, the Queen of Time, her Regal and Most Royal Majesty, Istvatha V'han!

I used an IndyClix Yukio, cut off her funky 'do and made the hood with putty. I cut off her hands and replaced them with some other hands I had lying around. And that's about it. She was pretty close to perfect when I found her (Credit Where Credit is Due: I think it was Redmenace who pointed the figure out on an earlier thread).

I painted her like she looks on the cover of CKC -- the regal red gown and pale yellow hood. I personally like the expression on her face -- it looks like she's smirking down at some soon-to-be-defeated hero. :bounce:

Bill.

[Blue]

OK, as long as other people enter too. :) Maybe this will spur some of the creative juices...Spur? :jawdrop: :shock:
I think I'll just hang up my brushes now! ;)

[Redmenace]

Ah wonderful Bill, another excellent piece. As Blue said, well done base as well.

Out of curiosity, when you gm are all the minis on the table as good as the ones you've displayed?

[Blue]

Well. Not sure how much time I'll have to do something I'm truly proud of. So I'm posting the one that I know is about halfway to where I want it.

I've already repainted this 3 times today and can't get the damn thing right.

It's my ham-fisted attempt at the Harbinger of Justice.

(Also, I really need to go read the article on photographing minis)

[Redmenace]

The last one is illuminated well enough, you might try putting a lighter piece of paper beneath the fig to bounce light up and illuminate the under side. Looks good. If you don't mind, may I ask what you made him from?

[Blue]

Thanks. I'll try again when my camera battery recharges.

The body is Heroclix "Hush", and the hat is...well... mostly greenstuff. I tried the only hat I could find with any general shape (the Joker's panama hat) and tried to sculpt it through heat and an exacto, but that didn't work well. It wound up looking like a cowboy hat. So I tried touching it up with greenstuff.

[teh bunneh]

Ah wonderful Bill, another excellent piece. As Blue said, well done base as well.

Out of curiosity, when you gm are all the minis on the table as good as the ones you've displayed?

Thanks, everyone. Now get painting! :bounce:

RM: Yes and no. Nearly every figure I paint, I paint with the expectation that it will go on the gaming table. Very rarely do I paint for display (Harbinger is one example, Istvatha is another). I've used Grond, Durak, Blue Jay, and the others in my games. But I don't always spend tons of time and effort on each fig -- for example, I've got a bunch of civilians/bystanders that each took me maybe half an hour to paint, and they don't look anywhere near as good as some of the ones I've posted here.

I'm just finishing up a DH article on how to build cool bases for your figs. I hope there's some interest in that. :)

Bill.

[teh bunneh]

I've already repainted this 3 times today and can't get the damn thing right.

It's my ham-fisted attempt at the Harbinger of Justice.

(Also, I really need to go read the article on photographing minis)

Awesome job, Blue! I'm going to see if I can't find a "Hush" figure now. :bounce:

What problems are you having with the painting, if I may ask?

Bill.

[Blue]

Skill. If you would gladly lend me a cup of skill, I'll pay you back Tuesday.

Primarily it's my ability to F-up one color while applying another. I'm better with minis with lots of painting surface and little detail; Kind of how I pick my metal minis (The more detail the less likely I am to buy it).

But the biggest issue is contrast. In order to highligh the detail, I used a slightly lighter shade of black in places, but when I photo'd it, the first time those places came out gray! Then I toned them down further and the only highlights are caused by the flash. So I straddle the line between having a mini that looks good in person or one that photographs well.

I've actually got a mini I'd rather try, but I'm having trouble finding the pieces that I *know* I have around here somewhere.

[teh bunneh]

Skill. If you would gladly lend me a cup of skill, I'll pay you back Tuesday.

Primarily it's my ability to F-up one color while applying another. I'm better with minis with lots of painting surface and little detail; Kind of how I pick my metal minis (The more detail the less likely I am to buy it).

But the biggest issue is contrast. In order to highligh the detail, I used a slightly lighter shade of black in places, but when I photo'd it, the first time those places came out gray! Then I toned them down further and the only highlights are caused by the flash. So I straddle the line between having a mini that looks good in person or one that photographs well.

Re: Skill. Three things to say about that: Practice, practice, practice. I know it sounds trite, but the more you paint (and the more you stretch your abilities by trying things you haven't done before), the better you'll get. It's a slow process -- just like mastering any difficult skill is. :)

Re: Contrast. Take a look at my Harbinger pic. All the highlighting on him is gray. There is no such thing as "light black," trust me -- it's either black or it's gray. I think the trick is to use several shades of gray on top of the black, going from a very dark (almost black) gray to a much lighter one on the very edges/highlights. Three tones (plus black) will look great. Two tones (plus black) will look pretty good.

Now, let me ask a couple of questions. First, what size brush(es) are you using? Second, what is the consistancy of your paints (really thick, really watery, like whole milk, like melted ice cream, like snot...?). Third, what sort of light are you painting under?

We'll get you to master-class status in no time! You're already most of the way there. :thumbup:

Bill.

[Redmenace]

Thanks, everyone. Now get painting! :bounce:

RM: Yes and no. Nearly every figure I paint, I paint with the expectation that it will go on the gaming table. Very rarely do I paint for display (Harbinger is one example, Istvatha is another). I've used Grond, Durak, Blue Jay, and the others in my games. But I don't always spend tons of time and effort on each fig -- for example, I've got a bunch of civilians/bystanders that each took me maybe half an hour to paint, and they don't look anywhere near as good as some of the ones I've posted here.

I'm just finishing up a DH article on how to build cool bases for your figs. I hope there's some interest in that. :)

Bill.]


I had this mental image of you plopping down that fantastic Grond figure during a game and watching all the players do spit takes.

All of your DH articles have been great and this one definetly covers an area I need help in. All I ask is that you include some of your photos.

[Blue]

Okay, I like this one better.

Again something weird about the photography though; There's actually a much higher contrast between the two halves of the body. One side is much darker, per the description. That doesn't come across in the pic.

But I had a problem. The kind of mangled bat-wing kept falling off :(
So, upon futher review he may have to stand like this, which actually makes him closer to the picture in Vibora Bay, but less like the description.

I give you Therakiel, the Half-way Angel, picture #1.

(I also made a change from the description; I like the feet better with a kind of "gauze wrapped" look)

[Blue]

Therakiel, Pic #2

[Blue]

Therakiel, Pic #3

[hooligan x]

Best pic from the new batch...

[hooligan x]

Did my blurry pic kill the thread? I'll try again. Gigaton attacks!

[hooligan x]

Um, Gigaton can fly, right? Guys?

[aylwin13]

Um, Gigaton can fly, right? Guys?
Yes he can, 15" worth.

Very well done, man. I'll give ya rep after I spread some around. :D

[hooligan x]

2) There are 2 categories this time around, one is Painted Figures, the other is Mod.

So what's the difference between the catergories again? Does the Painted Figure catergory need to be Hero related?

[proditor]

So what's the difference between the catergories again? Does the Painted Figure catergory need to be Hero related?
Yes. The painted figure category is designed for people who have a lot of the older lead/pewter Champions minis and have painted them up all pretty-like. :)

[Redmenace]

For the mod category, the 5th ed. Vibron. There is a pic on pg 215 of CKC.

The body is a Marvel clix Wild Child:
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figuregallery.asp?unitid=6330

The head is from the Marvel Clix Ultimate Electro and lots of putty.
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/heroclix/marvel/figuregallery.asp?unitid=5518

[aylwin13]

Another great piece, red. I can't wait to see the other ones you've been working on. Excellent work.

[Enforcer84]

damn RM, that's cool! Did you have to make the wall too? Or did Wildchild suddenly become a devotee of shadocat?

[proditor]

Ya know, at this rate, I'm just gonna quit modding and outsource. ;)

Excellent entries guys!

Okay, let's see more! :D

[Onyxclaw]

wow, these are nice. Almost makes me want to get some figures just to paint them...I have minis but they're all warhammer.

=P

[Blue]

Damn you guys are good.

[teh bunneh]

For the mod category, the 5th ed. Vibron. There is a pic on pg 215 of CKC.

Lovely job, RM! How'd you do the wall? Putty, or from some terrain set somewhere?

Bill.

[Redmenace]

The wall was from a 99 cent store playset. It was hollow, triangular and had to be cut up to fit the base. The back is filled with putty and sculpted to look like plaster or drywall on that side but that didn't show off the leg and hand well so its painted to match the brick.


I'm painting the four as we speak Aylwin. The layering technique gives beautiful control and end results but it eats up time like you wouldn't believe.
Part of the delay is the metallic finishes, if possible, I'd like to get a blended metal effect that would give Palladin and Sceptre some dark shadows that would really highlight the metal sheen.

[aylwin13]

I'm painting the four as we speak Aylwin. The layering technique gives beautiful control and end results but it eats up time like you wouldn't believe.
Part of the delay is the metallic finishes, if possible, I'd like to get a blended metal effect that would give Palladin and Sceptre some dark shadows that would really highlight the metal sheen.
I hear ya, about the time. I'm definitely from the "take the extra time and don't rush the work" school. As I wait to see the finished product I just remind myself that each day that goes by means that much more quality in the work.

I'm glad you got to make an entry for the contest. I would have felt guilty if you hadn't. Again, great job on Vibron.

[Myrlyn]

Excellent work as always Bill. Once again you're setting the standard for others. ;) I wish I had time to make an entry this time around, but I'm getting married this weekend, and then we move two weeks after we get back from the honeymoon, so everything needs to get packed up. Hopefully I'll be back to making some mods after we get settled in the new place.

Keith

[bubba242]

Hey Guys and Gals,

Not really a champions player ( sorry, horrible to admit ) but I do love the sourcebooks for ideas. Some-one suggested I post some of my mods here.

Bullet
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cmrntwine/detail?.dir=3b2b&.dnm=4b03.jpg&.src=ph

Fiacho
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cmrntwine/detail?.dir=3b2b&.dnm=78fa.jpg&.src=ph

Hideous
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cmrntwine/detail?.dir=3b2b&.dnm=a9e9.jpg&.src=ph

Lady Blue
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cmrntwine/detail?.dir=3b2b&.dnm=7450.jpg&.src=ph

and Mongoose
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cmrntwine/detail?.dir=3b2b&.dnm=c33e.jpg&.src=ph

There are others for other game systems and some customs of my own characters as well. Enjoy!

[proditor]

So which one do you want to enter in the contest Bubba242, because you absolutely should enter. :)

Nice work, but I'll leave off twelling you which is my favorite. Don't want to influence your decision. (And honestly, my say matters less than the other modders, so I'd be steering you wrong.)

[bubba242]

Ummm - oh, no pressure right right - I guess I'll go with Hideous, just because the face turned out so well.

Eep, or mongoose? No Hideous.

[proditor]

Wow, I missed the original deadline completely and if a kind poster hadn't sent me a reminder...well, hopefully I would have remembered before the 12th. ;)

To whit: We currently have

Bubba242's Hideous: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cmrntwine/detail?.dir=3b2b&.dnm=a9e9.jpg&.src=ph

Keyes Bill's Istvatha V'han:http://www.herogames.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16788&stc=1

Blue's Therakiel, the Half-way Angel: http://www.herogames.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16827&stc=1

hooligan X's Gigaton: http://www.herogames.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16878&stc=1

Redmenace's Vibron: http://www.herogames.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=16921&stc=1

Which gives us 5 entrants, all in the Mods category. SO. Ya'll have 6 more days till the 12th, and I'll be busy moving this weekend, so you won't have me looking over your shoulders. ;)

Seriously, if there is anyone else interested in entering, now is most definitely the time! :)

(And hey, that painted fig category is looking WIDE open) ;)

The deadline for entries is July 12th, midnight EST. Voting will begin as soon as I can post after that, and the poll portion of the vote will run for one week.

[hooligan x]

Hey Blue, are you gonna post your secret formula for Therakiel?

[proditor]

Wow...um, deadline is tomorrow and stuff. ;)

Wednesday I'll post the final list and issue the voting instructions.

If I missed anybody's mod, let me know!