All entries must be submitted by 5pm Saturday.  Judging will be at 6pm Saturday.

Rules:

1. All entries must be the work of the person entering. The person entering must personally hand in the miniatures before 1pm on the day of the Expo. Entries must also be collected from the display case before Expo closing. Any entries not collected by the end of the show automatically become the property of the expo.
2. Entrants must have purchased an Expo ticket. 
3. All entries must be accompanied by the provided entry form. This must be filled out correctly and clearly. Competitors will be issued a numbered receipt when they have handed in their miniatures. In order to collect their miniatures at the end of the show, competitors must present this receipt in person.
4. Competitors can only enter categories once; though they may enter as many of the categories as they choose. 
5. Competitors cannot enter a piece that has previously won an award from another competition.
6. While every care possible will be taken with the entries, the miniatures are entirely at the risk of the competitor. The Expo will not be responsible for any damage or loss that might occur while the miniatures are in their care.
7. The Expo has the right to photograph the competition submissions and to publish photographs.
8. The judges’ decisions are final in all cases.

Judging:

Each entry in the competition will be judged based on its own merit irrespective of the other entries and categories. Judges will look at each piece and award entries a gold, silver, or bronze (or possibly no award) based solely on the quality of the entry. For example, in a category with 20 entries, there may be 2 gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze, and 6 entries with no award.

This system enables participants to judge the progress of their work from year to year without regard to what the other competitors may enter. This will also ensure each entry gets recognized for its effort despite being in a category with an abundance of entries.

There will be an overall winner for each category, selected from the models that earned the highest medals.

The title of Best In Show will be awarded to one entry, the best piece in the competition, selected from the overall winners of each of the categories.

Judging Criteria

Use these criteria as a guide to produce the best competition pieces you can bring!
Each entry will be evaluated by the judges on the following criteria.  Both Technical Quality and Artistic Quality will be given equal consideration in determining whether a model achieves a gold, silver, bronze, or no award. 

1) Technical Quality
This includes all the skills used in constructing, painting, basing, and finishing the entry.   An entry should exhibit the best technical work of which the entrant is capable.

Preparation and construction.  Visible mold lines, untrimmed flash, excess glue, grainy primer, and unfilled gaps detract from a model. Conversions and added details should blend convincingly with the original piece. There should be no wobbly parts or loose bits that fall off the entry with normal handling.
Painting.  A model can be painted many ways (from smooth blends to textured brushwork, from bright clean colors to monochrome, from realistic metallics to stylized NMM), but the painting should be competently and consistently executed within the chosen style(s). An entry that catches the eye at a distance should also look good on close examination. All individual figures in a unit should be painted to the same level as the leader.
Presentation.  Groundwork and scenic elements should be given the same attention to detail as the main figure. A well painted model should not be standing on poorly finished terrain. All areas of an entry that are meant to be seen should receive consideration and treatment.

2) Artistic Quality
This includes all the aesthetic and creative decisions made in creating the work.  An entry should demonstrate that the entrant has thought seriously about how best to model it.

Painting.  For example, does the color palette complement the subject of the entry? Do the style of painting and brushwork enhance the form and texture of the model’s surfaces? Does the entry use contrasts of color and value for emphasis?
Composition and design.  For example, does the entry have a focal point? Does it make use of color and form to draw the eye there? Does the posing of the model give it movement and life? Are colors and shapes repeated in a way that creates a sense of unity throughout the work?
Presentation.  For example, if the entry is a unit, do color, basing, pose, and details give it a cohesive feel? Do the groundwork and scenic elements help ‘frame’ a model and give it context, rather than just filling space? Are these elements modeled and painted in a style that is harmonious with the main figure(s)? Does a model intended to be viewed in the round have visual interest from all angles?
General effect.  This is hard to quantify. However, a good model has a certain ‘feel.’  Busts have expressive character and a look of life in their eyes. Weathered models look convincingly dirty or aged.  Fire and light effects seem to really glow. Viewers feel an emotional response to the entry.

Not Included in Judging Criteria
Entries represent a vast range of manufacturers, styles, and genres. Judges are not expected to be familiar with the background or subject matter of so many different models. Therefore:

Conversions of stock models or scratch sculpting of an entry will not be considered, beyond the technical and artistic quality of the work.
Historical accuracy will not be considered.
Adherence to game rules or canon (such as traditional faction colors or unit composition for wargame models) will not be considered.
No preference will be given to models produced or distributed by any specific company.

Categories:

1. Categories:
   1. Single Small Figure: Single figure, 25mm to 40mm scale, on a base no larger than 60mm in diameter, with a total height no more than 75mm. (ex. Solo, warcaster/warlock, single trooper, etc.)
   2. Unit/Group: Unit, squad, or battlegroup (minimum of 2 figures), 25mm to 40mm scale, on bases no larger than 60mm in diameter, with a total height no more than 75mm. Figures may be mounted on a single display base or individually based. Please use minimum standard unit size appropriate to the system. (ex. Trooper unit, warcaster and battlegroup, Guild Ball team, etc.)
   3. Monster/Vehicle: Vehicle, warmachine, or monster, 25 to 40mm scale, on a base no larger than 250mm in diameter, total height no more than 300mm. This category includes vehicles with riders and figures mounted on large animals such as dragons. (ex. Light or heavy warjacks/warbeasts, colossals/gargantuans, battle engines, etc.)

Rules:

Saturday 11am,  2pm, & 5pm, Sunday 2pm

Kids Contest: Sunday 11am

1. All entrants will be provided with a model which they will have up to 3 hours to paint. 
2. Limited to 12 entrants, first come first served.
3. Entry fee of $10. Entrants will be able to keep the model at the end of the competition.
4. Each model will be the same, will be provided fully built, cleaned and primed as necessary. 
5. Entrants will not have any pre-knowledge of the chosen model.
6. Detail paint brushes and a basic paint set will be available for all entrants to share if necessary. Contestants may bring their own tools and paints. 
7. Once Judging is complete, all entrants must retrieve their model by the close of the Expo. Any entries not collected by the end of the show automatically become the property of the Expo.
8. While every care possible will be taken with the entries, the miniatures are entirely at the risk of the competitor. The Expo will not be responsible for any damage or loss that might occur while the miniatures are in their care.
9. The Expo has the right to photograph the competition submissions and to publish photographs.
10. The judges’ decisions are final in all cases.

Judging 

A panel of judges will look at each piece and award a gold, silver, and bronze metal to contestants. Judging will be based entirely on painting per the below:

Painting.  A model can be painted many ways (from smooth blends to textured brushwork, from bright clean colors to monochrome, from realistic metallics to stylized NMM), but the painting should be competently and consistently executed within the chosen style(s). An entry that catches the eye at a distance should also look good on close examination.  For example, does the color palette complement the subject of the entry? Do the style of painting and brushwork enhance the form and texture of the model’s surfaces? Does the entry use contrasts of color and value for emphasis?

Tournament info can be found at this link.  Pre-registration is available.