It is with mixed feelings that I welcome you to the conclusion of Last Painter Standing II. I am pleased and honored to declare Adrian Gideon the winner of the contest - and I will miss reading the reports from the many talented Finalists who competed along the way.
The votes have been tallied and verified, and Adrian Gideon has won with a narrow 10% lead over his final competitor... which means that Adrian Gideon is...
The Last Painter Standing!
And now, some words from our winner:
Hello again, everyone!
I want to thank TMP for running this contest, and Iron Wind Metals for sponsoring it.
I want to thank all the painters who participated. TMP's Workbench articles are a valuable resource to me, and reading all the write-ups — while participating myself — made for a much more visceral and inspiring learning experience.
I'm also very pleased that this contest helped bring BattleTech to a wider audience — it's not all videogames, hex-maps, or collectible figures. Many of us cut our teeth on BattleTech before venturing out into the wider miniatures gaming hobby, and brought the aesthetics we learned there back to CBT. If you haven't already, I recommend giving the new ruleset Total Warfare (or the soon-to-be-released introductory box) a chance.
I also want to take a moment to thank the other two artists who made it to the end - fanjoy (his how-to's were some of the first I read when I started painting years ago), and B1BFlyer, who only dropped out because he was called into service (I'd really love to see what he could have done this round!).
I have to say I am truly honored and appreciative to have won LPSII. I had no idea how grueling this contest would be. This round, and in fact this contest, could have gone differently in so many ways, so it's with surprise and humility that I accept this award, and say "thank you," TMP readers.
I hope we all continue to grow in this wide hobby we all enjoy.
On behalf of Iron Wind Metals, I am pleased to award Adrian Gideon the contest first prize - a $300 USD gift certificate.
The photos shown above come from Adrian Gideon and illustrate other examples of his fine work.