5th Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge Awards

Well, it’s been a very busy week! All the votes are in for Challengers’ Choice and Peoples Choice. Sarah has made her selection for Sarah’s Choice and I’ve done the same for the Judges selection. Finally, we’ve made the prize draws for the six points thresholds. Whew!

Okay, on to the awards!

Challengers’ Choice (35 Euro Gift Certificate from Tsuba Miniatures)

Honourable Mention goes to:

- Anne’s body of work over the Challenge

- DaveD’s Sudanese project

The Challengers’ Choice goes to: MartinN’s Greyscale Viet Minh

Peoples’ Choice (35 Euro Gift Certificate from Barrage Miniatures)

Honourable Mention goes to:

- AdamC’s very impressive body of work over the Challenge

- MarkO’s incredible force of Austrian Napoleonics

The Peoples’ Choice goes to MartinC’s fantastic and incredibly imaginative flying carpet force

Judge’s Choice (20 Euro Amazon Gift Certificate)

The Honourable Mentions:

- MichaelA’s collective submissions – masterful work sir!

- AlanD’s collective work, especially impressive with his mind-boggling freehand brushwork on his shields and carpets.

The Judge’s Choice goes to MartinN’s Collective Submissions – Thank you Nick for treating us to your stunning brushwork!

Sarah’s Choice (20 GBP Amazon Gift Certificate)

From Lady Sarah:

The "Sarah's Choice" award began after the first Challenge had started because I whined to Curt that there were no "lady figures" being painted. Curt, being curt, said to me that maybe I could start painting (?!) or issue a specific challenge. Well, a challenge was definitely the easier choice.

Over the three months of the Challenge, I regularly popped in to check out what was happening and to see what kept Curt’s attention every night until the wee hours of the morning. Hmm, I just had a thought: Is Curt an espresso addict because of the Challenge, or does the Challenge exist because he's already an espresso addict?  (BTW Miles, thank you very much for the coffee beans).

I am always astonished at the volume, quality and range of submissions. You guys and gals have tremendous talent and a repartee through the comments. I love the community you have created.

I have spent the last 3-4 evenings zooming thru all the submissions , (I really should have made notes to begin with!) and I am overwhelmed. Not only have I made my Sarah's Choice selections, but I have also submitted my votes for People's Choice.

Sarah's Choice, with honourable mentions first:

PhilH's  'er Madge

Phil has captured Madge's Stylish Frumpy look wonderfully. I aspire to be this grand looking when I am an octogenarian out trampling thru the woods with my Hunter Wellies and the dogs. ( no shotgun for me) Heck, I aspire to this now!

ByronM's Steampunk Tinker Belle

Byron has some mad painting skills as evidenced in all his submissions. But Tinker Belle caught my fancy. Now if I get Curt to paint me the SteamPunk Mary Poppins......

And the award for Sarah’s Choice goes to MichaelA for his ‘Adele Blanc-Sec’

What could be better than an intrepid heroine flying over the streets of Paris on a pterodactyl? And that this wonderful figure was created out of bits and bobs by Michael. Salut!

To all the participants, you all are terrifically creative painters and I look forward to seeing what your minds and brushes come up with for the next Challenge.

Oh, and I am still waiting for someone to do "Josephine in her Rose Garden at MalMaison”.

Well done Sarah! Okay, following are the Point Threshold prizes. These are a random draw awarded to participants who broke through the six points barriers over the course of the Challenge:

Threshold I / 500 points: IannickM

($20 Gift Certificate from J&M Miniatures)

also, AlanD

($20 GBP Gift Certificate from Westfalia Miniatures)

Threshold II / 750 points: SeanS

($25 Gift Certificate from SG2 Creations)

Threshold III / 1000 points: SanderS

(30 GBP Gift Certificate from Westfalia Miniatures)

Threshold IV / 1500 points: AaronH

(35 Euro Gift Certificate from Barrage Miniatures)

Threshold V / 2000 points: AdamC

(one pack of each code from Orinoco Miniatures' Chaco Wars range, plus each pack of the British Legion in the Liberation Wars range)

Threshold VI / 2500 points: TamsinP

(35 Euro Gift Certificate from Barrage Miniatures)

Also, I think it only proper to give some prizes to our Titans who dominated the points standings:

3^rd in the Points Standings (tie) Millsy and Miles ($25 Gift Certificates each from Fife & Drum Miniatures PLUS a pack each of the Retreat from Moscow set from Murawski Miniatures)

2^nd in the Points Standings MarkO ($50 Gift Certificate from Fife & Drum Miniatures

1^st in the Points Standings DaveD ($100 Gift Certificate from Fife & Drum Miniatures)

Finally, I’d like to give a ‘New to the Hobby’ award to Evan & GrantH to thank them for their infectious enthusiasm and for reminding us all what it was like to start out in this funny little hobby of ours.  Boys, I’m going to get you into Napoleonics. You’ll get a complete command set from Murawski Miniatures and a 20 Euro Gift certificate from Barrage Miniatures. Enjoy!

Congratulations to all the prize winners!  Thank you for participating in the Challenge and sharing your wonderful work. Please contact me to work out the details of getting your awards.

We also have a few loose ends regarding a few of the Side Challenges and Paint Duels.

Space Ships!

I was asked to provide Tamsin’s title for her victory in the Space Race. I think ‘Domina Prima of Sector Challengux' fits nicely.  We all bow to your terrible splendour Ms. P... :)

Pulp Trio

Though he did not class his Dr. Who and Crooked Dice figures as Pulp, I believe that Simon should triumph in the Pulp race.  Simon, drop me a note and we’ll discuss your figure from me.

10mm Smaller

Tamsin, Alan and I participated in the 10mm and Smaller duel and Ms. P bested us handily with her excellent ACW submissions. Alan and I have discussed the matter and we have decided to collaborate on a command stand for one of Tamsin’s armies. I’ll follow up on the progress of that in a future post. Congratulations Tamsin!

Well, that’s it folks and what a ride it’s been!  I’d like to thank all our Challenge Sponsors for their generous support of the event.  I've listed all the sponsors on the right sidebar, so if you have a free moment please visit their sites and see if something strikes your fancy.  As I often say, the Challenge doesn’t need prizes to be a success, but it sure adds a nice bit of sparkle to the proceedings. Thank you!

Finally, and I can't say this enough, I want to thank all the participants from the bottom of my heart for their humour, vigour and generous good will during the three months of the Challenge –this event wouldn’t exist without your efforts. Bravo to you all!

Until next time.

Curt Out.