Update: the printed version is no longer available.
Finally the printed Vignette28 Photo Book – Vol. 1 is available via print on demand service provider blurb.
Thank you to all contributors for participating and your support. The impact of print is even bigger than I would have imagined. I’m so happy how this turned out. This is 68 pages of pure Vignette28.
The divine machine hungers for life. It gives and takes. Whatever you desire is within your reach. If you pay the price. Cordula Druquard, Chief Interrogator of House Druquard, does have what it needs to pay. Money is the least of her concerns. Without hesitation she’ll sacrifice what is necessary. The divine machine hungers for life.
Download the Vignette28 PhotoBook Vol.1 as pdf. It’s available on the 28 Creatives Community. Packed with intense atmosphere created by awesome contributors.
I’m so impressed by the entries, the support, the smooth process. For me that was a completely new experience. Thanks to this volume I was able to learn so much. But in the end it was not possible without the contributors and their amazing works. There’s nothing more to say for the pdf. Go, check yourself.
If you are interested in the printed version you have to be a bit more patient. Because I am only beginning with this task. Anyhow my deepest hopes are that people will want the printed version. Why? Some of the entries of the photo book I knew from Instagram on my mobile device. Yet when I first opened them on a big monitor I was blown away be their impact, by their intense atmosphere. And I know that this impact is multiplied when you have a print in your hands. The weight of the book will boost that even more. And I hope I can convince you of the subtle power of printed media.
Download the PDF on 28 Creatives. 28 Creatives is a space for all those who enjoy the Grimdark side of miniature wargames and art. A place for players, painters, artists, makers and creators to connect, share and discover more about this vibrant community; its styles and all its many aspects.
28 has become a catch-all label to identify elements of miniature wargames, narrative campaigns and art that is firmly grounded in a dark and gritty setting; and it has grown to encompass a variety of aesthetics, even spawning its own rules systems and games.
Come and join.
Thank you for your interest in the Vignette28 Photo Book – Vol.1.
In the meantime the entry deadline is over. In the end it’s three dozen contributors. Thank you to all contributors!
In the next couple of months I’ll work on the layout in sync with the contributors. After that I’ll run some test prints and test some fulfillment service providers to give those of you who want to have the full impact of hi-res photo prints the best possible outcome.
As I have announced on different media the photo book will be available in two formats:
You should have received an eMail with information on what’s next. My system tells me that all eMails were sent successfully, which means you should check your SPAM folder if you haven’t received an eMail.
… enjoy the #vignette28 on Instagram. If you want to know more about the initiative I also would like you to read my take on the Vignette28.
What is Vignette28 you might ask. Vignette is a term which appears in multiple disciplines (check Wikipedia to see in how many). Our definition is mostly inspired by the meaning for literature. And we postfixed the term with 28 as a substitute for all scale models and miniatures. Here’s how Just Makes Stuff defined it:
A small, pleasing picture or view.
An evocative, description, account, episode.
Just Makes Stuff
A single image that communicates the mood and atmosphere of an event or moment.
On IG we tag our posts with #vignette28
Why did you join our hobby in the first place? Isn’t it the lore, the stories, the imagination, the distraction, the creativity? We are convinced that most of you have a story in mind when watching your work. A background for the unit, a context for the building, a setting for the kitbash.
And you have the means to tell it. You just have to make yourself aware of the story.
The questions start high level and then will steadily narrow down the focus. For some it might be helpful to write down the answers. I myself often use mind maps. It helps me to be creatively focused.
Of course this questionnaire is only scratching the surface and there could be hundreds of more questions. The intent however is to make you consciously think about the story you can tell. To name what is already there.
You don’t need professional photo equipment in order to create a story telling picture with your miniature. Today a smartphone and one or two apps is almost everything you need – besides the work you have created anyhow. Within this blog I explain my approach while on Instagram there’s awesome content creators who share insights in how they achieve Vignette28.
You can work with your own printed, standard paper sized backdrops. You can work with unfolded pizza boxes. I recently painted a cardboard box black on the inside. Paint your own backdrop. Work with real sand as the ground your miniature is standing on or create a small terrain piece. You can use snow or small rocks. Soil, dried grass or lichen. Create a small, temporary landscape, again the size of a standard paper.
Some apps even make it possible to include moving clouds, fog or fires in your photo. Of course you also can go outside and put your miniature on the street and make use of the real landscape as backdrop.
You can download landscapes from stock photo services (like Pixabay). I’m sure eventually I’ll make a Vignette28 with this photo.
There’s some technical details which make it easier to achieve a story telling aspect (like going down on eye-level with a miniature). But they are not the only or even necessary means to work with. Don’t restrict your creativity because others tell you how they achieve theirs. Everybody has their own way.
The NOT list is my personal view, it’s my subjective opinion. I myself wasn’t able to combine showcasing and story telling within the same photo. Of course I can put my own style in my showcasing photos. But the intense visual stories I was telling so far were those where I restrained myself from the showcasing aspect.
You know what Vignette28 is. Bring the story to your conscious self. It is already there. You just have to find a way to make yourself aware of it. Maybe the questionnaire helps. And then create the setting of the scene. Make use of stock photos, of software. You don’t need to show how well you painted and it is ok to edit the photo. It’s all about the story. You can create Vignette28!