On Sunday, I attended my first miniature painting competition of 2024, well, first for me and in my area.
The South Cheshire Military Modelling Club hosted the event for the 39th time this year. I’m not the most reliable person to provide a detailed report of the show as I tend to chat with people the whole day and forget to take pictures. However, I made an effort this time and captured more photos than usual, even though some may not be the best quality. I’ll try to do better next time.
Several excellent miniatures and models were on display, and I’d like to share a few standout moments. One of the first works that caught my attention was the stunning creation by Adrian Hopwood.
Adrian’s talent is on full display in his work, and he’s someone to check out. You can view his other works on his website, but this piece was extraordinary. Adrian used a Siamese Fighting Fish from Robot Rocket Miniatures as a base and crafted the whole scene around it.
Adrian hand-sculpted almost everything in the diorama. The only exceptions are the male fighting fish and the female fish’s body. The level of detail and the scene’s artistic composition were just mind-blowing. It was one of those pieces where you could spend a long time examining every little aspect and still discover new details. It’s truly stunning, isn’t it?
I also saw some works by Rose Hopwood. She is a rising star in miniature painting. As far as I know, she is not related to Adrian. Rose has been painting for just 18 months, but her skill already shows much promise. If she keeps this up, she could significantly impact the community. It’s always inspiring to see younger artists enter the field. It’s exciting to think about where her talent will take her.
Last but not least, take a look at this incredibly detailed Death Star.I have no idea what scale it is, how the creator constructed it, or even what materials he used for the build, but it looks absolutely amazing.
Every miniature show needs a miniature painting competition. This one was no exception. Local events like this one can’t match international shows like SMC or Euromilitaire. But it still had many beautiful works to admire. These regional events usually focus on scale modelling. But, some entries had exquisite painted figures and busts.
I believe I managed to take photos of all of the entries from the painting competition. Once again, it could be better photography here, but I’m a bit rusty.
As for myself, I entered the ‘Busts and Flats’ category with three of my pieces: Alfonso, Pilot, and Noir. I was thrilled to receive gold medals for all three! It’s always rewarding to see your hard work recognized, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the result.
Miniature painting competition wouldn’t be complete without vendors allowing us a shopping spree. As with most smaller shows, there weren’t many figures available for purchase. However, the painting supplies and tools were well-stocked. That’s a bonus for those looking to add to their collection of paints, brushes, and other essentials.
I must admit, I was tempted to buy a few things, but I managed to resist. At this point, only one specific miniature is on my radar. And I already have enough materials to keep me going for a while. So, staying within my budget wasn’t too difficult this time around.
The club’s displays at the event were mainly scale models. But, I did spot a few figures hidden among them. I’m not well-versed in scale modelling, so I’ll keep my commentary brief. Instead, I’ll leave you with my photos.
Thanks for reading my first show report. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts and if you would like to read more articles like this.
