The Art of Playing

I recently had an opportunity to speak with Hank Edley from AdeptiCon – “For Gamers By Gamers”. Here is what he had to say about this year’s conference and AdeptiCon itself.

Q. Describe AdeptiCon for those who are not familiar with it?

A. It is the largest club-run mini war game convention in the country. We recently finished our 6th year and have increased our attendance from 100 people our first year to 800 currently. It is mainly a convention for adults who haven’t stopped playing with toy soldiers. It is highly detailed and teaches how to paint, sculpt and have fun competing at the same time. We work closely with Games Workshop in creating highly competitive tournaments where attendees can show off their work.

Q. How long have you been involved with AdeptiCon and what is your role?

A. This is my 5th year operationally but I attended the first year and wanted to become involved which led me to marketing and sponsorship opportunities. This is a volunteer-driven event that requires thousands of hours of time. In fact, planning for the 2009 event has already begun.

Q. What first attracted you to AdeptiCon?

A. As like most Americans, I do have a competitive streak; it’s the nature of the game. I have a lot of friends in the tournament circuit and this has given me a great venue for social networking.

Q. How important is the artistic portion? Is it more the painting and creating the pieces or the game playing?

A. The artistic portion is very important as is the sportsmanship of the game. Gamers are scored on how creative their pieces are and the painting contest is judged solely on artistic merit. There are also scores for sportsmanship during the games and how well you play with others.

Q. Do you buy your pieces already painted or do you paint them yourself?

A. Yes, I do paint my own but I have also contracted pieces out to elite painters. With young children and a demanding job I don’t have as much time to dedicate but I do paint a good chunk of my own stuff.

Q. Is there a required skill level to attend the conference or can beginners join as well?

A. Beginners are more than welcome. We offer intro to painting courses and there are always people willing to teach. As with other hobbies, we are seeing the pressures of quick entertainment such as video games and internet, but this is a hobby that teaches good skill sets.

Q. How important is lighting when creating your pieces?

A. Very, very important! Light sourcing for competitive painters is critical. You are using a base color and need proper lighting to highlight this color for better matching. On the competitive side you can spend hundreds of hours on one figure, without good lighting your eyes get tired and fatigued. Having good lighting helps when painting for long periods of time.

Q. Anything else that you would like our readers to know?

A. We have a significant amount of crossover with other hobbies that people may not think of. We frequently use craft paint and include stamping to sewing with many pieces. What makes your pieces successful is good lighting, good magnification, talent and steady hand!
For more information, please visit their website http://www.adepticon.org/

- Danielle