Golden Demon is the most prestigious miniature painting competition in the world. Every single event is inundated with hundreds – if not thousands – of world-class entries, ranging from individual models to entire squads and dioramas. This weekend’s event at AdeptiCon was the first Golden Demon to grace the United States in over a decade, and a legion of astonishingly talented hobbyists celebrated its return with some mind-blowingly beautiful miniatures.
There could only be a few winners despite a very strong field indeed. Presented for you now are those champions of paint and brush, their work immortalised in the halls of hobby greatness.
Single Miniature
Loyalist Space Marines dominated the Warhammer 40,000 single miniature podium, with Robin McLeod winning the top prize for his exquisite Kor’sarro Khan. Steven Garcia and Alexandre Dos Santos rose to second and third respectively, with equally impressive Astartes officers – Lazarus, of the Dark Angels, and an Iron Warriors Warsmith converted from Helbrecht!
Squad
Andy Wardle continued the Imperial theme with his gold-winning Living Saint and entourage, using rich non-metallic gold for their armour. He’s joined by Nikolas Mortensen’s gritty Black Templars Primaris Crusader squad, and Matthew Avis’ savage Blood Angels.
Vehicle
John Margiotta took the top spot with his grimy Death Guard Leviathan Dreadnought, mud-smeared and exhibiting the early stages of Nurgle’s corrosion. He’s joined by Will Hahn, who produced a fantastic Morvenn Vahl with an astonishing freehanded shield, and Alexis L’Huillier, with an Imperial Fists Contemptor Dreadnought captured mid-salvo.
Large Model
James Cordwell’s gold-winning Illuminor Szeras really demonstrates the eerie terror of the Necron threat. It pipped Martyn Evans’ warp-wracked Mortarion into second place, and Sam Lenz’ brutal Ghazghull Thraka into third.
Single Miniature
Who says you have to paint a mighty hero to win? Gavin Garza’s vibrant take on the Skink champion Huachi was the best Warhammer Age of Sigmar single miniature, coming ahead of Katarzyna Gorska’s shimmering Prince Sigvald and Robin McLeod’s lurid Ghulgoch.
Unit
Robin McLeod wins another well-deserved gold, this time for his macabre Crimson Court, four blood-sucking hoodlums you simply wouldn’t wish to meet in a dark alley. Mamikon Khatchikian came second with his converted throng of Chaos Warriors, with Anthony Wang finishing third with an ectoplasmic Sepulchral Guard.
Large Miniature
There’s more than a touch of Tzeentch about Alexis L’Huillier’s winning Mindstealer Sphiranx, which transitions gorgeously from hot pink to a cooler blue. David Paz brings a very different energy with his Mangler Squigs, followed by Sam Lenz’s magnificent Great Unclean One.
James Cordwell’s phantasmagoric King of the Dead was the best entrant for the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, followed by Federico Rovida’s Aragorn striking a pose in Rohan, and Matt Cexwish’s galloping Radagast the Brown.
Diorama
The ven Denst duo purge a vampire and his Dire Wolves in some forgotten, frost-slicked forest in Golden Demon legend Andy Wardle’s winning diorama. Meanwhile, the Ultramarines bring the Emperor’s justice (via bolt rifle) to some especially filthy traitors in a classic skirmish by David Paz, and Mamikon Khacthikian assembles a coalition of the Imperium’s most faithful warriors to beat back a daemonic incursion.
Duel
It’s a classic slice of Horus Heresy history in the Duel category, as Leman Russ launches himself at a scowling Lion El'Jonson in Steven Garcia’s phenomenal piece. Sanguinius then clashes with a colossal Daemon of Khorne – based on Karazai – in Ben Komets’ stunning second place duel, as a Boingrot Bounder jousts with Druanti the Arch-Revenant in Andy Wardle’s third-place finish.
Small-scale
James Cordwell bags an almighty third gold for his crystal-crisp Aeronautica Imperialis effort, a blissful blue-grey Thunderbolt Fighter. Sam Lenz’s hulking Warmaster Titan is only “small-scale” for a certain value of small, and it glows with malevolent energy, while in third place, Mamikon Khatchikian’s Xiphon Interceptor seems to be coming in for a crash-landing.
Youngbloods
The standout entry in this category for younger painters was Luca Franzoni’s awesome Gordrakk, Fist of Gork, with his loyal(ish) steed Bigteef stunningly rendered in turquoise.
Silver goes to Gavin Grenier, for his heroic Stormcast Eternal.
Open Competition
As for the Open Competition, anything goes – including entries from Warhammer staff. Erik Swinson won first prize with a dimly-lit rendition of the Blood Angels’ sinister Chief Librarian Mephiston, really capturing the Chapter’s conflict between their noble and bloodthirsty natures. Chris Borer came in second with a crisp, pre-Heresy World Eaters Contemptor Dreadnought that looks just as savage without Khorne’s corruption, and John Margiotta took bronze with a charming trio of Grot Tanks.
Slayer Sword Winner – Gavin Garza
Let’s take another look at Gavin Garza’s all-conquering Skink hero. Its vivid colours and sumptuous technique go to show that size doesn’t matter – more or less any model can win on the day, provided it’s painted with enough passion, skill, and sheer je ne sais quoi.*
The judges agreed, saying: “The painting is literally perfect. Immaculate technique and a joy to look at.” Can’t really argue with an endorsement like that. Well done Gavin!
Incredible stuff all around. Thanks to every entrant, and congratulations to all the winners. That’s it for Golden Demon US for the time being – but hobbyists in the UK don’t have to wait for their time in the sun.
Golden Demon returns to its Warhammer World home this 1st and 2nd of October. The categories are the same as at the AdeptiCon event, so there’s plenty of time to get started on your future award-winner – will the Parasite of Mortrex fly you to victory, or have a conclave of Warlocks divined your course to glory?
* Or as the greenskins would say, “dat speshul sumfink”.