Why just front pics of figures?

Perusing The Stuff of legends and later the Collecting Citadel Miniatures Wiki, it has occurred to me, why no pics of the backsides of figures? Booty fetish aside, ;) I'm just as interested in the details on the rear as on the fore, especially impedimenta - important with overloaded figures from Marauder and etc. - and the fineness of mail.

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Based on the above page in White Dwarf and the army list for Karasashalla's Reavers, I accumulated 40 of the pseudo-hoplite Dark Elf warriors. I plan on adding/modifying helmet crests, replacing the kopides and the odd straight-edged sword with brass spears, possibly adding scabbards and some Boeotian shields, in addition to the round ones, with a variety of Gorgoneion imagery. Until I saw front and back pics on an eBay listing, after having placed the initial orders with several sellers, had no idea that these warriors were crossbowmen too. Nice of Marauder to offer the equivalent of muskets slung and at the ready, though not sure how the crossbows are slung, as I can't see strapping, unlike with the quivers. Would've preferred the crossbows to be separate, allowing easier conversion, but will now have to work around it, especially if adding a baldric and scabbard.
 

zoggin-eck

Member
Great point! Lots of models have extra gear you'd never know until you own the model.

I always try to take photos of models from behind, too. There are usually fun pouches, weapons and so on that I really enjoy painting. Besides, it's what you see when playing the game anyway!
 

ardyer

Member
I think that was an endemic problem at the time. There is a picture of a converted chaos marine in Lost and the Damned, from the front only, that I've beenlucky enough to see in person. The back of the model has twice the detail as the front!
 

Aiteal

Member
Marauder ads were masterful mini porn, even the shields were stuck on at an angle so you could see the design rather than in the position the shield would actually be attached. I suppose by the stage they were released the majority of articles in WD were showcases for new products, so marauder had to up their game.
 

Asslessman

Member
There's also the fact that some models were painted on the front side only at some point (Mike McVey did that)...
 
zoggin-eck":204k2o5w said:
Great point! Lots of models have extra gear you'd never know until you own the model.

I always try to take photos of models from behind, too. There are usually fun pouches, weapons and so on that I really enjoy painting. Besides, it's what you see when playing the game anyway!
Any chance you could upload some of those pics onto the CCM Wiki or related site?

When I was a White Dwarf reader, began noticing the assembled plastic figures would only be shown at an angle from the front, as even painted, based on purchased Black Orcs and Empire infantry, there would be soft details on the sides - a fault of the mold design.

Just noticed that not only the crossbows, but all the gear on the Dark Elves is attached to the figures without any strapping. :? Maybe I should add some with putty... :|
 
ardyer":16uh31rp said:
I think that was an endemic problem at the time. There is a picture of a converted chaos marine in Lost and the Damned, from the front only, that I've beenlucky enough to see in person. The back of the model has twice the detail as the front!
Understandable since magazines have limited space, even for adverts, so back pics would be an issue, even with line drawings, but no excuses in digital age of cheap photography.
 

Asslessman

Member
Condottiero Magno":11qta3p1 said:
Asslessman":11qta3p1 said:
There's also the fact that some models were painted on the front side only at some point (Mike McVey did that)...
Why? Painting both ends shouldn't take longer than one.

Not really at high level, I don't remember who posetd them but and guy form teh Studio posted some pictures of orcs basecoated everywhere but with fancy blendings, shading and highlights on the front only and those were painted by Mike McVey I'm pretty sure.
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Condottiero Magno":1z03fkil said:
Nice of Marauder to offer the equivalent of muskets slung and at the ready, though not sure how the crossbows are slung, as I can't see strapping, unlike with the quivers. Would've preferred the crossbows to be separate, allowing easier conversion, but will now have to work around it, especially if adding a baldric and scabbard.

I think the front of the mini carries most of the information for visually identifying the character - so it's why portraits are usually of the front of a person. However I agree that the arms, armaments and accoutrements should be listed with a model and a manufacturer of wargaming peices selling to wargamers should try their best to accurately describe the model.

As for the floating crossbows, perhaps dark elves invented velcro?
 
Condottiero Magno":3oty3n0y said:
Asslessman":3oty3n0y said:
There's also the fact that some models were painted on the front side only at some point (Mike McVey did that)...
Why? Painting both ends shouldn't take longer than one.

Putting all the work into the front of a model that will only ever be seen from the front in ads etc is always going to be quicker than labouring over the rear of a model that isn't going to be seen.

They also put more work into front rank models of units and left rear rank somewhat plainer as they weren't the focus of the shot. Got to cut corners when you have a small team of low paid staff who have to churn out a lot of painted models.
 
Asslessman":21ayygxk said:
Condottiero Magno":21ayygxk said:
Asslessman":21ayygxk said:
There's also the fact that some models were painted on the front side only at some point (Mike McVey did that)...
Why? Painting both ends shouldn't take longer than one.

Not really at high level, I don't remember who posetd them but and guy form teh Studio posted some pictures of orcs basecoated everywhere but with fancy blendings, shading and highlights on the front only and those were painted by Mike McVey I'm pretty sure.
Detailing on the front and not so much on the back isn't as jarring as one side left blank, as ranked up, no one would notice.
 
Zhu Bajie":ck6a9m7g said:
Condottiero Magno":ck6a9m7g said:
Nice of Marauder to offer the equivalent of muskets slung and at the ready, though not sure how the crossbows are slung, as I can't see strapping, unlike with the quivers. Would've preferred the crossbows to be separate, allowing easier conversion, but will now have to work around it, especially if adding a baldric and scabbard.

I think the front of the mini carries most of the information for visually identifying the character - so it's why portraits are usually of the front of a person. However I agree that the arms, armaments and accoutrements should be listed with a model and a manufacturer of wargaming peices selling to wargamers should try their best to accurately describe the model.

As for the floating crossbows, perhaps dark elves invented velcro?
Not just Dark Elves, but strapping is inconsistently added on past and present GW sculpts and multi-part plastics, along with apathetic assemblers, result in some bizarre combinations - not just weird anatomy.
 
stone cold lead":5fmxwvyi said:
Condottiero Magno":5fmxwvyi said:
Asslessman":5fmxwvyi said:
There's also the fact that some models were painted on the front side only at some point (Mike McVey did that)...
Why? Painting both ends shouldn't take longer than one.

Putting all the work into the front of a model that will only ever be seen from the front in ads etc is always going to be quicker than labouring over the rear of a model that isn't going to be seen.
Not if one were unlucky with the dice, shown in some of the battle reports. :lol:
stone cold lead":5fmxwvyi said:
They also put more work into front rank models of units and left rear rank somewhat plainer as they weren't the focus of the shot. Got to cut corners when you have a small team of low paid staff who have to churn out a lot of painted models.
How about the backsides of the rearmost figures? With what appeared in later WD issues, especially with the multi-part plastics, the plainer versions look detailed in comparison.
 
Always bugged me too....
 

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