questioning photoshop retouching pictures

[KnightOverlord]

In an earlier live I was a Photoshop expert at retouching before most even knew what that was. I know for a fact I could take a picture of a miniature unpainted and post one with a beautiful paint job. The question is do you think people tweak their miniatures before they post. I have seen a few that are getting very high scores that look like they had some Photoshop done to it. I know it's unethical but we do not live in a very ethical society so what is your take on weather it can be done and whether it is being done.

Michael Knight

 

[Zab]

Cheating here to get scores seems like a waste on a painting site. Most of us are honest painterly painters. I try to get my pics as close to what I see as possible with camera settings and lighting before processing. A) It's honest and B) it saves me time in PS. I mainly use PS for removing dust or random cat hairs. Damn cats!!!!

 

[KnightOverlord]

I believe that most are honest. This is a system where people get scores so if one doesnt like their scores they may turn to cheating just to get the trophy of higher scores. Back in the day I purchased a bunch of minis from anyone from france. I own 6 by allen C and his,paint jobs are better than his pix. I also own a couple by Cyril and they are wonderful. In 2001 I was fascinated by the techniques that they usd to make their minis look so different from artists in the US. So yes their are painteres that really live up to their painting.

What I am talking about is people wanting better scores. Back in the day I never scored better thant 8.2 and below. So say some kid paints somethng and gets a five, he doesnt want his,friend to see it so he smoothes out the paint job and changes colors. Whats to say what is too much tweeking.

I brought this up because I saw a mini painted by what obviously looks like an airbrush and that is,the same look one could get by tweeking the mini. I looks like they changed the background and changed lighting. So what is too much.

Personally I have never been abil to take a pix of a mini that didn't make the paint job look like shit. I really should learn how to do that.

 

[Dragonsreach]

There have been a few, some have been called on it, one who had a good reputation at the time as a commission painter showed himself up when a charity mini picture looked nothing like the real thing in my hand.
It's no longer as prevalent as it used to be but some people still "Over Tweak"

 

[KnightOverlord]

Thanks Dragon and Zeb. Its funny I was a photoshop guru type at one time but all my pix suck so it either means macro pix are harder that I thouht oor my paint job is not as good looking in a close up. My eyes as I get older ore not as good for mini painting as it was in the late 90's.

Michael

 

[Big_Bunny]

I don't care.

If people are doing that just to get a high score on an anonymous mini painting site than a) they must live pretty sad lives; and b) they are only cheating themselves.

Edit: if people are doing it and then selling the miniatures, yes that is unethical and should be called out and shamed.