Closing Awards for AHPC X

Well, here we are at the close of our tenth edition of the Painting Challenge and what a  wonderful ride it's been. All the votes have been taken in for 'Challengers' Choice', Sarah has made her selection for 'Sarah’s Choice', and I’ve done the same for the 'Snow Lord's Choice'. Whew! It has been a busy day, so please get yourself a can/glass/bottle/keg of your favourite beverage and settle in for a read.

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The Challengers' Choice

We had 27 nominations for Challengers' Choice with 77 people casting their votes. Every year it's such a treat to take in the gallery as it provides such a wonderful retrospective of the Challenge. Below you will find the top selections taken from all the worthy nominations.

Honourable Mentions 

Nick for his excellent WWII German Armour: Cats both Big and Small.

Christopher for his wonderful body of work.

Darrell's impressive Reconquista project

Third Runner Up for Challengers' Choice  

Nick, for his beautifully rendered sepia tone French paratroopers in Indochina

Second Runners Up for Challengers' Choice  

It's a tie! 

First, we have Tamsin's excellent body of work. Here is a small selection of her fine efforts:

...and also tied for 2nd runner up is Curt's Siege of Malta project:

The Challengers' Choice

The first place for Challengers' Choice goes to Sidney for his stunning 'Regiment duc de Luxembourg' from his delightful Laarden project! Bravo and well done Mr. Roundwood!

Sidney, for your prize you get a one-year's subscription to Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy, congratulations!

For those interested in seeing the voting results for Challengers' Choice, they can be viewed here.

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Snow Lord's Choice

I spent a delightful evening going through my short list for Snow Lord's Choice. Making the final decision was not easy, but I'm happy with my choice.

Honourable Mentions go to:

Bark's dramatic and wonderfully realized 'Elendil, Isildur and Sauron'

Byron's rather disturbing, but beautifully painted 'Sunstalker'

The Snow Lord's Choice for AHPC X goes to:

Nick's body of work. Absolutely stunning stuff, Nick. Witnessing your amazing brushwork always provides a sense of unworthiness mixed with inspiration. :) Well done.

Nick, for your prize you get a $50 CAD gift certificate from Northern Lights Terrain.

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Sarah’s Choice 

From Sarah: 

🎈Lady Sarah’s Balloon Service Presents The Most Coveted Sarah’s Choice Award🎈

Well, this has been a tremendous series of adventures around Challenge Island, sending the Balloon Service even beyond the Island itself and onto different continents and even alternate dimensions.

The Balloon Service “rose” to the challenge and soon discovered that Lady Sarah can handle multiple destination requests, seating capacity needs, constantly updating in-flight entertainment all the while keeping the Snowlord’s espresso cup full. It was a very good thing that this was not an alcohol-free challenge. 🥂

The entrants this year have been a remarkable tour through history; real, alternative, speculative and fantastical.

We’ve seen Angry Geisha’s (JezT), Sci Fi WRENS (SebastianR), Plague Doctors (RobertH), Fertility Goddesses (EvanH) and I think the whole range of ladies from Bad Squiddo, Spectre and Mansions of Madness/Chulthu/Pulp Figures. Even RayR has stepped up with his Moll Cutpurse and Mrs Nightingale (he’s come along way since the first Sarah’s Choice and the She-Bear incident).

Honourable Mentions:

I especially want to recognize Tamsin for her amazing collection of Pulp Figures, the fashionably dressed Flappers, creative prose and of course her role as Senior Flight Attendant and honorary member of the Balloon Service.

PeterD has also given us a lovely variety of female characters but I do believe that his lovely wife Lynn has had much input to their sartorial splendour. Thanks Lynn!

The Balloon Service was very busy in its’ “to-ing and fro-ing” around Challenge Island, consequently, the custom built Sarah’s Balloon and Pumping Station by Teemu is just the thing after the rigours of the Challenge. Especially as the station goes to “11” and I’m sure the balloons’ basket still has leftover fizzy beverages which need to be imbibed.

Runner Up #3

Samuli’s Dashing, Heroic and Lucky Pilot Olivia

What a dynamic and characterful figure, Olivia certainly looks the part of a veteran Great War Pilot. As Curt has the game “Death May Die”, I’m sure I will drafted into playing and look forward to playing Olivia.

Runner Up #2

JamieM Pilots Raven Skye and Betty Owens and Aeronefs

Fierce and stylish Victorian Sci Fi Lady pilots, they certainly look the business and definitely capable of navigating the aeronefs through perilous skies.

Sarah’s Choice Challenge X

NoelW Lady Sarah and Snowy (the Pekingese!?)

The yellow gown is lovely and suits the commanding pose of the figure. Absolutely this painted figure can be used in a wide variety of scenarios spanning a couple of centuries.

And it is quite obvious that THIS is exactly how I dress when I promenade with our own doggos Oscar&Felix.

Seriously though, all of Noels’ posts have been delightful and a very welcome diversion from the world as it is. 

For you prize Noel, I'm delighted to award you gift certificate from BigRedBat.

Thanks everyone for making such great figures, I wish I could bestow prizes and accolades to each and every one of you.

Be safe, be kind and pay it forward.

Sarah

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Congratulations to all the prize winners and thank you for sharing your wonderful work with us. Please contact me to work out the details for getting your rewards. 

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The 10th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge has now concluded.  I’d like to thank our Challenge Sponsors for their wonderfully generous support. As I say every year, the Challenge doesn’t need prizes to be a success, but it sure adds a bit of gloss to the show. :) Hats off to our wonderful sponsors!

Finally, again, I want to thank you lot, the Challenge's participants and our brilliant minions. This funny little community would be nothing without the labour, the humour and good-natured support of all of you. It's you who make the Painting Challenge what it is.

In closing, I won't say goodbye, but simply see you later. For those who need a little distraction over the coming months, the fun continues with the Quarantine Challenge. Otherwise, enjoy the coming spring and summer, be safe, be excellent to one another and I'll see you back here next November.

- Curt