What Constitutes "Average"?

I started a thread on Librarium Online forums, one of my regular hangouts, "What are considered average painting skills?" to get an idea of what the larger community considers to be an average quality figure. By this, I mean the average paint job, not necessarily the average figure you see at your Local Game Store (LGS). I got thinking about this question after one of the posters there started a poll asking people to rate his painting skills and after a trip to the LA Battle Bunker where my wife came away appalled at the level of quality exhibited by the figures on the gaming tables. Here's my definition:

My Definition

• Figure, or all figures in unit, are neatly assembled and affixed to bases.
• Figure/unit is distinguishable as to what it is at the basic unit type level, not WYSIWYG.
• Colors selection as appropriate with at least 3 colors used. In some cases, a figure (Necrons, skeletons, etc) could be fine with less than 3, but for most of my figures, I'd have a hard timing sticking to only 3 colors.
• Basic application of basecoating (stays between the lines) and either shading and/or highlighting.
• Finished bases (could be simply flocked, could be mix of sand, grass, and other stuff).
• Unit cohesion (figures actually look like they belong to the same squad, army, etc).

As I've noted in other articles, you can actually meet this definition partway through the painting process. Minimum tabletop quality is probably one step below this (for me, as I don't like to play with primed figures).

Getting to "Above Average"

So what are some easy things you can do to take your figure to the next level?

Here are two examples of average Ork Boyz that have a little something extra that makes people want to take a second look: the freehand checkers, blue face paint, and other markings are what steps it up. Definately not award winners, but they stand out in the sea of 1,000 green Orks. Other things you can do is extra crispness in the edging, drilling out gun barrels, basic layering of colors, blood effects, weathering, additional work put into bases, etc. As a note, this doesn't have to take a lot of effort. During the Block 2 judging for the Endgame's 40K Finish-an-Army Challenge, I got high marks for my basing, which consisted of sand (washed and highlighted) and some static grass, because it went beyond the basic flocking.

Hurting the Average Figure

If that helps bump a figure to above average, what takes an otherwise average figure down a peg? Mostly, it's either poorly applied technique or ommission of some basics. Case in point, blood effects. Slapping red paint all over your figure doesn't make a figure look like he's been in the midst of the fighting, it makes him look like he fell down in a paint factory. Other things:

• No shading or highlighting. This just makes the figures look very flat.
• Poor color blocking. Put your colors where you want them, and touch up when you screw up! My 6-year olds can almost do this, I'd expect anyone 10 and older to be able to do the same.
• Poorly thought out blood effects. In most cases, less is more. Think about how things really bleed and where. Consider the color of dried blood vs. fresh blood.
• Wild color schemes. By all means, think outside the box when it comes time to painting figures. If you want flourescent Wood Elves, have at it, but be mindful that a lot of people won't really like it. That being said, I have seen a number of wild schemes but were well executed, that really stood out.
• Over-reaching on technique. Everyone has to learn, but some try advanced techniques and simply miss. The most glaring example I see is extreme highlighting, where the highlights are very thick, uneven lines. I guess my advice there is understand the intended effect of a technique before you apply paint to figure, otherwise your figure will look a little cartoony.

So how do you learn? I highly encourage people to use test figures, to try out new techniques.

What Other People Said

A couple of other people responded:

My personal definition of "average" is somewhat easier than most: Armor, Flesh, and Cloth are different enough to be noticed, units (preferrably the army, but I accept unit-by-unit) follow the same scheme, and the colors somewhat belong together (purple and orange space marines hurt the eyes unless you're a truly talented painter. Purple and orange CARNIFEXES make you reach for the goggles).
-- PsyBomb

If i was to say what an average paint job is, i would say it is the use of 3 colours and a highlight an above average would use the same type of colours and whatever, but shows better use of techniques to help shade and everything.
-- Acez

would say that Acez' interpretation of average is what I'd call tabletop standard. I'd say average is most of the detail picked out and highlighted once possibly twice or washed. It should also be neatly painted, and preferably at least have a painted base, if not flocked/sanded.
-- ArtificiallyEnhanced

3 colors or more, with most surfaces shaded or highlighted, a unifying theme through the unit/army, and attention paid to realism.

I don't expect people to paint everything in NMM, or to use inks or washes or glazes. I don't require incredible blending jobs that go through every color of rainbow and end at white. It doesn't bother me if models are unbased, or just have black bases (black sometimes 'pops' colors). Of course, if somebody does these things to good effect, I will rate their skills higher.
-- CaptainSarathai

To me average painting is:

The ability to paint a figure fairly neat applying colors where they need to go. It is clean and precise but not inventive. It is based but done so without too much effort. By all standards it looks pretty decent from afar and not too hard on the eyes close up.

To me - when you get to above average and beyond you see more risk taking in the figure. You are bolder in your color choices. You have blends. Your bases are a little more thought out and creative.
-- slorak

So there you go. To be sure, the definition of "average" is quite subjective, but there seems to be quite a bit of agreement around the basic requirements. Hopefully you can use this to take a look at your figures and take them to the next level.

Notes

Last updated	2/15/09
Author	Michael Kan
Pre-requisites	None
Related Articles	Using Test Figures