I've just noticed that the new Youngs bust of a native american indian,the one with the bird on his head,has been painted by Kirill,which is nice but you don't get to see it in it's unpainted state.Young Miniatures have done this before with a Roman bust.Like most other figure manufactures i'd like to see them unpainted.It's a bugbear of mine,as i wouldn't buy a figure or bust unless it was shown unpainted,so that you can see where you might add your style to them.

Good point, Brian I too am not influenced by box art (actually prefer not to see it) but I suppose that if the manufacturer
goes to the expense of commissioning it, I guess they feel it worthwhile in boosting sales. After all, adding the personal
touch to a figure may not be important to some painters Personally I always go a bit further and introduce an alteration
to the piece as well as creating an individual colour scheme.

Mike

Hi Mike and Brian,

Interesting comment about box art and here is my two pence worth from the other side of the fence.

A few years ago I released a number of bust without box art just black and white pictures and they didnt sell. A few years later once I have painted version I re-released them with the new box art and they sold very well.

Also I have always allowed people to see the casting, at shows remember them, or sent pictures of the the casting if asked.

Happy modelling

I am undecided over this, I like to see painted versions of models but it is then difficult for me not to slavishly copy the box art. This matters not a great deal with a historical uniform but when there is more scope for artistic licence I find box art distracting.

Bill

I should have put the point better i think.What i meant was,the box art is a must when it comes to selling your wares,but if you go on to the manufactures site there should be different views of the figure/bust including an unpainted version.Youngs in particular have recently brought out 3 busts which have been painted by Kiril,and are painted in his extreme lighting of these busts,you just don't know what's underneath all that paint.
I've attached 3 busts as an example which are all beautifully painted,but it's difficult to see what us mere mortals make of them in an unpainted or more normal style of painting.
Brian

I wouldn't put digital colouring into a competition class.