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Time again to pick your favourites from the entries into the Unofficial Monthly Painting Challenge. This month, the theme was 'Everyday Heroes, a chance to give the regular Joes of everyone's army/squads a go in the spotlight. The standard 5 model limit was lifted to 10, for those wanting to do more complete squads.

There are some fantastic entries, but as usual, there's now a chance to pick your favourites by voting in the poll above. You can cast as many votes as you like, based on technical skill, creativity, effort, improvement or interpretation of the theme or anything else that catches your eye! Without further ado, the entries:


Nevelon: Ultramarines Tactical Squad


Whittlesey40k: Space Crusaders


Reavsie: Chaos Space Marines



Buttery Commissar: Sparrow's Circus


ZergSmasher: Chaos Cultists


methebest: Keisotsu


Kustomer D: Tau Commando


Llamahead: Halfling Militias


ZoBo: Grot Gunners


Gohkm: Swordsman


Kryatos: Death Guard Tactical Support Squad


ssisal: Drop Pod, Wolves and Termagants



Jadenim: Fire Warriors


Gulgog TufToof: Tankbusta


Januine: Mad Larkin


kb_lock: Imperial Guard Snipers


sockwithaticket: Republic Commando Assault Trooper


Midget Gems: Kaptin Baseball Bat Boy


feltmonkey: C3-PO and R2-D2



Keezus: Inquisitor Enforcer


Moolet: The Victorious Grot



KINGPIN54: Servitor


Nordicus: Screamers of Tzneentch


King Pariah: The Memorial


albinoork: Stormcast Liberator


eedden: Sister Repentia


Paradigm: Freeguild Guard


ChaosDad: InquisitorialTrooper



El Torminator: Stormtroopers



Guildenstern: Giant Rats


Red_Thirst: Blood Angel


piratepizzadog: Ogryn


jah-joshua: Blood Bowl Goblin


Wilson: Son of Horus Space Marines


vejut: Sniper and Hound


sevren: Warbringers Vanguard Veteran

I think King Pariah is the hidden gem this month.

Phew! An hour later and I've voted for all photos I was able to in the Dakka gallery and cast my votes above. Too tired to post details sorry.

Well done everyone.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I think King Pariah is the hidden gem this month.

Second that, a really interesting concept and a neat take on the theme.

Great work guys, some really strong entries came in on the last day. Congrats to the 36 who completed this months challenge.

A few entries are hard to see, if your struggling with getting good photos of your work these articles may help in the future.

Lots of detail on Camera Settings
http://taleofpainters.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/tutorial-beginners-guide-to-miniature.html

Good General Guide
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Debunking_the_Myths_of_Miniature_Photography

Photos with a Phone Camera
http://taleofpainters.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/tutorial-how-to-photograph-miniatures.html

Stand out entries to me this month were
Zobo's Rebel Grots, they look very good in the rock firing position, the dio has come together very well.
Kryatos: Death Guard, the weathering looks great.
Jan, a repeat of what I said at the time I think one of your best pieces so far.
Moolet, great interpetation of the theme and a link to a previous entry, I'm cheering for the little snotling that could
Para, you seem able to turn your hand to any models and make the come alive, this group looks like it has certainly been in the wars.
Jah-josh, your painting is rather good, I'll be looking at the model in detail since I wanted to start adding some purple to my Ork Skin.

Special mention to feltmonkey for persevering after the initial R2D2 had to be redone.

Thanks for any votes, see you on the next challenge.

Wow, so hard to narrow it down to 5 votes this month! Some really great entries on show! I did manage to keep it down to 5, though, so here they are:
Buttery Commissar: The circus performers are very characterful and memorable models, and your painting on them is really great!
Kustomer D: That Tau on Steroids is a great concept and you executed it masterfully!
Januine: There are no words...
kb_lock: When I first saw your entry posted in the main contest thread, it actually did take me by surprise as I scrolled down across the pictures. Well done!
feltmonkey: A better example of everyday heroes you will never see. Your paintjob on them is great, well worth getting that second R2 model after the unfortunate mishap with the first one.

Everyone can walk away proud no matter how many votes they get this month, there were far too many good entries to vote for! Special shout out as always to Paradigm for running these contests and continuing to help us inspire one another with our painting. Looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with for June!

ZergSmasher - I completely agree I had a nightmare choosing these. In the end I got it down to ten votes but even then it was gut-wrenching to cut some of these out.

For some of us it is a triumph just to complete a model and take some some poor pics on our crappy phones - thanks Midget Gems, my next job is working through those links you posted to improve my dreadful photography so you can all appreciate the true horror of my painting "skills".

In the end I voted for the ones that grabbed me. This could be down to painting skill, composition, inspiring idea, a twist on the usual or even just completing a project due to adversity or sheer volume.

Well done to everyone who entered and kudos to those that managed to finish.

 Jadenim wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I think King Pariah is the hidden gem this month.

Second that, a really interesting concept and a neat take on the theme.

Thank you both!

Great entries all round as always. A big fan of Private Stabby and Larkin's marble floor!

(Para, not a big deal, but my Space Marines are Stark Crusaders, not Space Crusaders)

I also found it difficult to narrow down what I wanted to vote for. There are some really great entries!

I particularly like:

Januine's Mad Larkin, a really atmospheric piece. The composition is excellent, and I really like the height of the wall behind the figure.

jah-joshua's Blood Bowl goblin. Clearly the work of a someone who can really paint. The pinkish bits of skin really make the miniature pop.

Paradigm's battered squad. Again, really atmospheric.

Kustomer D's Tau guy: It's been said many times before that yellow is pretty hard to paint well, and this is just a flawless job. Great paintjob all round.

Midget Gems' Baseball Orc: Not just for the humour and the vibrant colours, but the little touch of varnishing the bat, adding a little touch of realism.

There are so many more great entries, I could go on about all of them, but it's pretty late!

Thanks for the votes and comments, guys.
He was a real nice mini to paint.agains, yellow is a bi#$@
Took some time and practice to get it the way it is.

Seems like Jan does it again - but hell yeah, it s one hell of a nice job again.

Damn, I totally forgot to check in and vote this month! Looking, I don't think it'd have changed any results, but still, shout outs from me to Kustomer D, Jan, kb_lock, Moolet and Jah for smashing entries, and to ZoBo, who gets a special mention as that's definitely my favourite this month!

Anyway, the winners as they stand:

In joint 3rd,

Buttery Commissar with the colourful characters of Sparrow's Circus

The two Sparrows, father and daughter magicians:



Jake the (ex) lion tamer, his dogs and Wolfboy:


Tiny the strongman and Soni:



And ZoBo's gunners of the Grot Revolutionary Committee!













In second place, kb_lock's cunning Imperial Snipers:








And taking the win this month, Januine's stunning rendition of 'Mad Larkin' of the Tanith First and Only:





Congratulations to all, see you next month!

woo! thanks guys ...there were sooo many great entries, I'm surprised I even made top 10!...I think I wound up voting for at least half the entries - it was too hard to narrow it down any further!

Jan - I think you were a safe bet for first before the voting even started ...just a total knockout all-round really...brilliant

KB - Pvt. Stabby is just brilliant mate...love it!

Buttery - more than happy to share third with you man! I have to say yours was probably the most unique entry, with all those great oddball characters...nice work

...and I have to give some honourable mentions to some of my other personal favourites: MidgetGems, feltmonkey, Moolet, Paradigm and jah-joshua - I really loved all your entries, great work!

Aaah i almost got it, just few votes and i would be the first ahah just joking, congratulation to all!

P.S. damn Moolet and Jan, your grots are just too perfect

well done all, i will be submitting proofs for the next one as soon as i can get some photos taken, see you all soon.

Great stuff guys

Congrats to BC, ZoBo, Kb and Jan worthy winners, it was a real tough fight for 3rd place.

Thanks for the mention feltmonkey and ZoBo, much appreciated

Congratulations to the winners, and to everyone who took part!

Thanks to everyone who voted for me, and for the mentions in this thread. I reckon I was getting votes via a combination of sympathy and the power of Star Wars.

Well done, guys.

Thx so much to everyone who tookthe time to vote and a big hand to Para once again for getting this comp up and keeping it going. Some really awesome entries this month. Soz I didnt have time ot sit down and go through all my favs - this past month has been a bit nuts to say the least!!! Well done all and see you for the next one

Wow, thanks guys, it is an honour to get any votes, let alone finish with more than much more talented painters than I.

Congrats Jan, my work looks like the diet version of yours, but I absolutely love what you manage to produce.

Congratulations, too, to everyone else who entered. My new years resolution was to enter every month, and I have achieved that (I think) - it's been a pleasure to do it with all of you and see your progress along with my own.

Congrats to Januine, Buttery, kb_lock, and ZoBo for placing this month! Well deserved indeed! Thanks also to whoever the 7 people were who liked my Cultists, I had loads of fun painting them so I'm glad you liked them! As most of you have probably seen I'm kicking it up a notch for June, so I'll see you all in that competition thread!