Review: Painting Buddha - Season 1.1:Target Identified | Tale of two painters

Alllriiiiight!!! So we start directly with an insider you will understand if you have watched the first three DVDs with Ben Komets :) After watching the 6 DVDs I was completely smashed and to be honest: I had some difficulties to find a way how to describe this set and writing a review about it. Not because it is bad, on the opposite, but because it has many different things to see AND you have two different painters who have a somewhat different approach to painting those two wonderful miniatures I already wrote about.

So where to start? Perhaps some general stuff first...
The set is completely in English with subtitles in English, German and Spanish. You get a DVD set from two painters with pretty different approaches how to paint exactly the same miniatures. Ben does everything "by hand" where Rafael starts with using an airbrush.

The menus are in English and describe the parts which are painted of the miniature (not the techniques though).
Both painters are setup straight in front of the camera and Zaphod does some Q&A while they are painting. These comments from the OFF are sometimes pretty funny e.d. that is where the ALRIIIIIIGHT!!! comes from :) Maybe here is some space to optimize so that the painters are watching a bit more into the camera and not to the side where Zaphod and/or the self-monitor is placed. Telepromter effect you know? And one odd thing I noticed: The aspect ratio of the filmed material seems to be a bit off on my TV. Some parts of the screen is cut off, I tried to fix it with on-board possibilities of my TV but nothing worked. On my PC everything works fine.

The DVDs

While the two paint, the setup switches between a palette view (GREAT feature as you can see how the paint is mixed and how those two use the palette to prepare their paints) and the painting view where you see the painter and/or the palette in small windows in the main frame. At first you really have to get used to this but after the first minutes this is a pretty nice feature I hadn't seen before.

The DVDs are roughly separated into chapters in which special parts of the miniature (and the base) are painted. Here I have some criticism to place (even if small): I would have preferred a hint on the techniques or even a separation into techniques in the menu. Especially since Ben has an awesome technique for his NMM and transitions. Also the techniques Rafael does with his airbrush are pretty cool. I won't go too much into detail because you really get an overdose of information if you watch these DVDs one after another and I have problems to explain everything. Unlike my other reviews this time I really am nearly speechless and my brain is shortly before critical overload.

Luckily Ichiban Painting did a video review shortly so I suggest you look at that review for some deeper insight, because he states much of the things I would have to say about the DVDs. And you have some video footage of the set to get a better picture of it.
Since I only ordered the "budget" box including the base, I can't say anything about the t-shirts and stuff :)

Conclusio

To be honest I can't say which painting style I like more both are awesome and I think you should try to get the techniques you like most from both of them (or you get pummeled by the walking stick!). This set clearly targets intermediate to advanced painters. As a beginner I sometimes had problems to catch up (but lucky me has watched enough painting tuts to get through this) and I really worry about trying to paint those two miniatures.
Another thing is that the stuff is only on DVD. I don't know if producing a Bluray is more expensive. But it would really upvalue the footage even more. Most of the stuff in the web is now High Definition and painting sets should go the road of HD content too. Again nothing bad (you could see it as a compliment: I want to see this stuff even sharper)  but as worldwide known we Germans are masters of complaining :D

Nonetheless this set is really a must have! For 42€ you not only get the DVDs but also the appropriate miniatures. Compare this to the sets of Natalya or Jennifer or even with the stuff from Miniature Mentor and you clearly see the winner here. Even if you aren't an experienced painter the stuff shown is awesome. And I would suggest you get the base too. Otherwise two complete DVDs are lost because they show how the base is painted. I really hope the guys do another season. They will have already a customer here!

[UPDATE: Shipping costs]
A short update because I forgot something important for me: If you buy the DVD set you are faced with rather high shipping cost of ~10€ (depending where you live).  As someone who buys via internet alot, I am used to realistic costs and this was WAY over the top. Therefore I asked Michael about this and he promised me that they will look into this and adapt the shipping cost accordingly in the next season.
But even with these high shipping costs the package is worth it and you get lots for your money.


So long,
Paradox0n

P.S.: I tried to take pictures posted already on Masterminis and hope Zaphod won't sue me know :)