In the Australian miniature painting scene, the Single Miniature category at ArcOpen is emerging as a canvas for boundless creativity and imagination. This category, catering to Human-sized fantasy/futuristic miniatures, is a beacon for talent, drawing the attention of a wide field of participants.
The anticipation surrounding the judging of this year's ArcOpen for the single miniature category was palpable with an extremely strong field of 85 individual miniatures representing many diverse and different SciFi and Fantasy realms made this category the most hotly contested. Thanks to our sponsor Addikted to Ink we were able to display all of the entries in glass display cabinets for this year’s event.
One of the painters I talked to at Crimson Brush in January expressed their excitement telling me that they and many of the other participants at that event, were eager to launch into plans and projects focusing on painting single miniatures just for this category at ArcOpen. So by having categories we are certainly seeing participants taking up the challenge of our event.
For our Judges it meant that this category required a big chunk of the morning as they viewed and considered every entry to ascertain what the artist was hoping to achieve and ultimately how well the were able to execute that.
So here we are following an amazing gathering to take a closer look at those miniatures that achieved Gold Medals in the Single Miniature Category at ArcOpen 2024, we unveil the miniature masterpieces that captured the discerning eyes of our esteemed judges — Victoria Lamb, Peter Overton, and Jared Clifford.
Gold Medal Winners: A Triumph of Singular Brilliance
LiamHowell- Noise Marine: Not only did this miniature earn one of only three gold medals at this year’s ArcOpen it was also awarded the title of the Best Arc40k miniature for the best in show among all the Warhammer 40,000 miniatures presented.
With some exquisite detailing and limited palette together with ultra-smooth blending that brought this miniature to life.
David Colwell - Castellan Crowe: An array of textures and techniques across the model as well as the detailed base earned David a well deserved Gold Medal with this miniature. Ultra smooth transitions and precision in the execution of the Non-metallic-metallics were among the multitude of reasons why this superb model was among the best.
Ben Layton - Obiwan: it’s hard not to be drawn into the narrative Ben has created with his Obiwan striding across the sands of Tatooine. Evocative story telling through an impressively executed base backed up with some amazing attention to detail in his painting of Obiwan all hero-Ed Ben secure a well deserved Gold Medal.
These Gold Medal-winning miniatures represent the epitome of excellence in the Single Miniature category.
Each entry not only adhered to the guidelines of the category but transcended them, offering a unique and compelling narrative through masterful painting skills and craftsmanship in their basing choices.
A Glimpse into the Future
As we celebrate these three Gold Medal achievements, keep an eye out for upcoming articles showcasing the Silver and Bronze Medal miniatures. The showcasing of all the miniature artistry continues, and ArcOpen stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of participants to push boundaries and redefine the limits of imagination in the Single Miniature Category.
In the coming weeks, stay tuned for a gallery featuring detailed images of each Medal-achieving miniature. We'll explore the nuances of these exceptional creations, offering a closer look at the techniques, styles, and stories that earned them the highest honors in their category.
A comprehensive update on the website will follow, featuring galleries of all the photographed miniatures - we’ve more than 4,000 images to curate to select the best. We hope that it will be a celebration of the collective talent that defined the ArcOpen 2024 experience.
Special Thanks need to go out to our imaging team for 2024 - Rory Beeforth and Imsay (Imran Asssad) - taking all of the amazing photography that allows us to present people’s display pieces in the most amazing ways possible. Also, huge thanks to Rob for treating every miniature with care as he wrangled them between photography station and into the Displays.
We would also like to thank our sponsors for making this year’s event easier to run and rewarding not just for our champions but the widest group of participants. They include Addikted to Ink, Let’s Play Games, Artis Opus, Taro Model Maker, and Stone Beard Miniatures.
