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Our team has been doing commissions for quite some time now. But as time passed, our approach and our customers’ expectations evolved. Recently we have come up with a way to handle things in a pretty much new way. We believe you are going to like it!

Commissions Done The Old Way

If you were following us before or have inquired about our painting services in the past, you may know that we have always had a very individual approach to every project. And I mean not only approach to painting and interpretation, but also pricing of our commissions. I mean, there was no standardized price list, but every artist sent their own pricing. While it was good and popular and worked well, it had one downside: It still didn’t use the full potential of what we could offer!

Now that we managed to rework some things, but also when our artists got quite busy with their projects and assignments, we can offer you a totally new approach! We have tested it in a few cases and so far has been even more successful than what we had been doing before. This makes me regret we hadn’t done it earlier…

But what does it mean for you?

Commissions Done The New Way

The change is that we added another option to what we can offer, more standardized pricing. This means that as long as you don’t insist on having a particular artist for your project, we can use our team as a collective. Whoever is available, can do the project, under the guidance of a lead artist. In most cases it’s Ańa, but in certain cases we may discuss somebody else directing the project. This allows us to use our resources better, and this gives you quicker turnaround and better prices.

We have been testing this way of operating and training Ańa in leading artistic direction of our project. It’s what she’s been doing as a master painter and lead artist during our involvement with Mixed Dimensions.

What’s in it for us? We can relieve the painters who are overburdened with commissions and give some more work to these who are available. And what’s in it for you? Quicker turnaround and better prices, often even for the top painters. How? Well, sometimes a painter may have an idle period between projects. Then they may accept a project for less than they usually would. But we cannot guarantee that you’re going to get the painter of your choice (although wee may discuss the direction of your project).

Do you want an example?

Example of a commission handled the new way

Let’s say you want a space marines army painted. Optimally you would like painter A to paint it, but it’s not really a set-in-stone decision. Previously you would only receive prices from our available and interested artists:

Painter A: price XXX, estimated 3 months to complete, can start in 6 months
Painter B: price YYY, estimated 2 months to complete, can start in 1 month
Other painters didn’t provide their offers

Now we can also add the standardized price, for the “team”. Usually it’s lower than individual prices and also usually faster than before. So now you would be getting something like this:

Painter A: price XXX, estimated 3 months to complete, can start in 6 months
Painter B: price YYY, estimated 2 months to complete, can start in 1 month
Our team: price ZZZ, estimated 1 month to complete, can start in 1 week.

So your choice is not limited to one particular painter or a combination of a few, you can also choose the team as a whole. Moreover, you can suggest the artists you would be the most interested in, and maybe we can make it happen. We just cannot guarantee it because the artist may get their own project in the meantime.

When would you choose the team option?

Unless you are going for a showcase quality project, when a particular style is what you really want, the team option may be better for you. You will get your models faster, you will probably get them done cheaper, and still your work will be directed by one of our most experienced painters.

So for armies, warbands, or gaming minis in general, this may be the option for you!

And when would I rather choose a particular painter?

If you want a particular artist to handle your project for any reasons. Because they’ve done a part of it before. Or because you simply like their style and want it for your models. Or maybe they are an artist whose works you want in your collection, then waiting may be a secondary thing and price is something you agree to pay if it is required to get a particular painter to handle your project.

We’re not canceling this option, just adding a new one for those who may wish to use it! And it has proven pretty popular so far! 🙂

Give it a whirl!

Now that we’ve explained this new concept to you all, why don’t you consider it and give it a whirl when you ask for the next project? It may be just the solution you want! And why don’t you let us know what your thoughts on this new concept are. Thanks!

Updates

What a ride it was! (The team is growing)

June 1, 2020 CofC Admin Leave a comment

Despite the global trend of social distancing and isolation, we’re going in the opposite direction – we are socializing and expanding the team!

You may wonder how and why. Well, that’s a story for sure. Let me tell you, briefly.

Three-years-long adventure

For nearly three last years we have been cooperating with Mixed Dimensions, and quite a ride it was! Wow, we have been thrown into the world of international corporations, big businesses, gaming companies and modern technologies. While it was exhausting and kept us busy for most of the time (as you could easily notice by our reduced internet presence), we’ve built a crazy team of artists, and learned a lot.

Production of large-scale statues for Mixed Dimensions

After the project was closed, we were richer in so many ways! We were very experienced about 3d printing. We learned how to cast models – from small miniatures to large statues or terrain pieces. We knew about prototyping, creating master models and master paintjobs for reference for further production. We built efficient processes of painting both individual and unique projects and standardized projects, where one is difficult to tell from another. We had people who could coordinate those tasks, and people who could follow such directions like a charm!

Moving forward

So what do we want to do with the knowledge and skills we acquired? We want to expand the scope of our operations and services we offer.

Prototyping a model for Mixed Dimensions

Soon I will be writing more about these matters, so you can get a glimpse behind the courtains (well, only as much as we can uncover things), but for now let me tell you what it can mean to you.

What’s new?

Previously we were mainly a group of painters, now we have a fully trained teams of modelers and diorama builders.

Example of a diorama designed by Benathai

Previously we had nothing to do with 3d printing or casting models, now we can boast some serious 3d printing and casting expertise.

Previously we mainly focused on individual models, usually display quality ones. Now we can efficiently paint a large coherent project, like an army or collection.

New workflow allows for efficient, coordinated handling of larger and coherent-looking projects

Previously our prices were mainly tailored for high-end collectors, now we can offer much more affordable options, thanks to the optimized workflow.

Finally, previously we dealt mainly with private collectors, but now we have experience in working with companies, business partners and institutions. Prototyping, preparing for production, creating anything from single copies to long production runs is now possible!

Statue from Mixed Dimensions, repainted and customized by Kacpero

The team is expanding!

In addition to this, we can announce that our team has expanded, and we would like to introduce three new artists joining our ranks: Amalryk and Thymos.Theos being mainly painters, and Calamity, whose field of expertise is construction of dioramas, scenic bases, conversions and other modeling works. They will get more of an introduction soon (with their bios and galleries), but for now I just wanted to tell you that the family is growing bigger. 🙂

All of them are great artists with a lot of individual style and their own preferences, but they have also been trained by Ańa to work as a team, like a well-oiled machine when needed.

There’s more…

And yes, there’s more to tell you about, but I don’t want to make this one too long. Instead I will just share a few more posts with you, detailing the parts you may be interested in, so stay tuned, keep your fingers crossed for us, and if here is any interesting project you would like to work with us on, just contact us and let’s discuss it. Maybe you find our work style suitable for your needs! 🙂

After all, it’s good to be back home! 😀

Updates

Long time no see… But not anymore!

September 30, 2019 mahon Leave a comment

I was really looking forward to write this post, yet so many things have been going on that I never managed to give it the attention and time it deserved. But now here it is, finally meeting you again and casting some more light on what we have been doing for the last months and what the whole thing with Mixed Dimensions is all about.

New team-up: Mixed Dimensions

As some of you may already know, we got involved in a new and exciting project, in which technology meets art and our hobby. We were unable to tell much about it for some time, but now I can tell a bit more about the whole thing.

The partner we’ve teamed-up with is Mixed Dimensions, a company that combines 3d-printing technologies with painting and traditional modeling in order to create various kinds of collectibles. So while they provided the technological part, we brought the painting and modeling. 🙂

Where did it take us? Oh, first of all we got to work with models in totally new sizes, like 7″ or even 12″ scale. Pretty impressive, I must say, even if they hardly compare to what we usually do.

It’s big, it’s heavy, and you surely don’t have enough space free in your collection. 😉

We’ve taken some of these models to some miniature painting and modeling events, and we still may carry them with us to show you, fellow hobbyists, painters and collectors, that figures can be more than just miniatures! 🙂

9″ pin-up model prepared for Mixed Dimensions the Collection

12″ Blood Demon from Mixed Dimensions the Collection

Our involvement with Mixed Dimensions allowed us to collaborate with as interesting partners and projects as DAZ 3D, Ubisoft or Cryptic Studios, and there’s still more interesting stuff to come, more that we finally may be sharing.

Painting a Star Trek Online model for a Mixed Dimensions customer.

Painting Bella, a model for Mixed Dimensions

If you were following Kacpero’s or Ana’s instagram profiles, you may have noticed some works we’ve prepared in the meantime, but we may be finally revealing them here as well. Well, let’s see before we promise something we cannot fulfill…

Changes, changes, changes…

With the basic work with preparing the team for the new projects, training new artists and preparing for all the new subjects already mostly done, we could finally return to the community and take a look at the website.

We visited a few events and exhibitions, met some old friends and were happy to see that we still enjoyed that part of the miniatures hobby. We decided we will return to visiting and participating in various events, so let’s meet at some events! Don’t hesitate to come and say hi if we meet, the fun is so much better when shared!

We decided to close the forum, as announced in July. As sad as it was, we had to admit we wouldn’t have enough time to make it active enough to justify the amount of work required to keep it updated and maintained. So we re-activated this Chest of Colors facebook group for all of you, who still want to be a part of the community and chat with your fellow hobbyists the way we used to do in the forums. Yes, silly chatter is totally allowed there, as long as it is not (too) offensive for others. 😉

We still need to take proper care about our Facebook fanpage and our other profiles, but there’s only so much one can do, and we have more interesting things to do first.

Cool things to come!

Now that we could finaly reveal the cooperation, we may officially do some cool things together, which is good, because our time for projects which are exclusively Chest of Colors related is more limited now that we need to take care of both them and those which are related to Mixed Dimensions.

One small thing I can spill some beans about is that we may have a contest soon. We are still working on the formula, subject and rules, but one thing is sure – the prizes will be nothing short of cool. 🙂

So who can howl louder? Do you recognize the vampire? And the werewolf?

We will also be posting some more information about various interesting projects we have been working on in the “lost months”. And believe me, there’s much to talk about!

Painting service? Why not!

Having sorted out more urgent matters, which have been keeping us busy, allows us to offer our painting service some more attention again.

We have been noticing an increasing number of inquiries about availability for commissions and special projects, so we would like to make sure they can be answered and taken care of. We should be posting some pictures of our recent paintjobds soon, so please stay tuned.

Commission, result of collaboration with Mixed Dimensions and Daz 3D

I will also make a separate post about all the new options that we’ve prepared with our painting service in mind, but for now it’s just great to share that now we have access to a larger and more versatile team, that can handle really diverse projects – from miniatures to dioramas, from single high-quality models to huge armies, from 3d printing and modeling to painting. But please give us some time to tell you more. 🙂

You all probably know these guys, don’t you?

So, as you can see, we’re not gone, and happy to be finally allowed to show what we’ve been doing for the past months. Keep your fingers crossed for us and wish us luck, as there’s so much great stuff to come! 🙂