Spotlight on painting with Ry
As we start to really gear up to SHO in just 3 weeks time (eek!) I am have been chatting to our painting workshop coaches, and this blog post is a chat I had with Ry Carpenter. As I am going through these interviews I am reminded of just how fortunate we are to have such positive, proactive people like Ry not only as part of Southern Hemisphere Open but also as a leader in the gaming community.
You are teaching painting workshops at SHO, what do you love about painting and what do you love about teaching painting?
For me, the love of painting comes from bringing the universe to life! My hobby is about reflecting the fantastic stories and lore, and they don’t quite do it justice if they’re not painted. Quite a few years ago I played my first game with 2 fully painted armies, on a great board with a good friend and it made me realise that this is how it’s supposed to be done! I want to share what I’ve learnt to give people the skills to achieve their own goals and maximise the joy and fulfilment their hobby can give.
Tell me a bit about yourself, who are you outside of gaming?
I work for Games Workshop, so my life is basically talking people about Warhammer! My favourite thing is how passionate we all are about the hobby we all share, and it’s this excitement that very often fuels my own hobby. I mainly spend my time building and painting with the aim of a massive themed battle once it’s all prepared. A big thing I think is important is to share what we love with others, and seek to grow our local community. The hobby brings people together to share in an abundance of fun, so why not get as many people involved as we can?
What made you pick the workshop topics that you did?
Working with Ghislaine, Dean and Ayden we all discussed what we wanted to tackle. Ghislaine and I wanted to cover basics, Ayden went with the more advanced skills and Dean tackled the high end techniques. Our goal was to be able to help anyone at any level to improve their painting skills in some way! Awesome, it sounds like between the four of you, you really have it all covered (well not it all, there are only 3 days!)
There are so many painting workshops this year at SHO, how do hobbyists pick which one to attend?
I think it’s all about being clear with what you’d like to achieve. Each workshop focusses on an different area/skill so you have to know where you are at and where you want to go, and from that you should be able to pick a session.
What will people learn during the workshops?
Hopefully a lot! Each session has a goal, but throughout them we’d love participants to ask as many questions as they like. That way we can share as much information as possible, and tackle any issues that may come up. We’ll all be looking to make painting the most rewarding experience we can, so don’t hold back as we’d love to see everyone improving!
Who are they suited to?
The sessions I’m running are Citadel Paint System, Building & Converting and Speed Painting. I believe there’ll be something for everyone in these sessions, but they are mainly focussed on hobbyists who want to master the basics in these areas.
Are there transferable skills between gaming systems?
A miniature is a miniature, so definitely the skills can cross over!
How important do you think it is to get a good foundation in painting and modelling?
Vital, knowing how to paint neatly is crucial to a good paint job, and knowing how to organise you pose, colours and finishing touches will allow you to paint to any level. On some level, we do tabletop games because we think miniatures are cool, and I think we owe it to ourselves and our fellow hobbyists to paint them! It makes games look better and makes the hard work rewarding for everyone.
How did you choose who ran what workshops?
We all got to choose want we wanted to do! I think Ghislaine and I brainstormed 6 ideas and then divided them out, while Dean was given free reign to share his passion and talent in whatever sessions he chose.
What excites you most about these sessions?
Meeting you all [the SHO attendees] and getting to talk about building and painting miniatures for 4 hours! You all have so many good ideas and I love getting to help make them a reality. Nothing is more satisfying than breaking down the barriers that people have and seeing them succeed.
What will a hobbyist get out of these workshops?
A ton of guidance, coaching, troubleshooting and (most importantly) key skills! [and fun! attendees will have fun too!] They also get miniatures and brushes/tools as well! Spending 4 hours with a small group of fellow hobbyists will be great for getting to know the wider community too.
Anything else you want to add?
I’m honestly really excited to see you all and get stuck into the sessions! They’re great for demystifying a lot of what painting is about and helping you to achieve the results you want. Nothing is impossible if you ask the right people!
For more information about the painting workshops and painting competition at SHO you can check out the website, a full list of painting workshops and descriptions of the workshops is available here and tickets for the painting workshops are available via Humanitix