Wednesday Night at our FLGS was at first nothing more than a few broke, bored and nothing better to do guys hanging out at our store. However we had noticed that a lot of new players were coming into the store, buying armies, but like a lot of people out there, they were not getting any painting done (and then we looked inward at ourselves and found, we were not either.)
So then we decided it was time to perhaps, since Saturday was our 40k night, to make Wednesday our paint night, and have everyone come up to the store and paint. It proved a LARGE success, so much so that for a time not only were loads of people coming up to paint their models on a weeknight, and give and get tips on how to do so, but it made Wednesday night a -second- 40k night. We were stoked, it was great! A large rising in new players kept coming....
And then... we stopped painting... we just played... People took the hobby back to their basement or bedroom, and no longer came to the store to paint just to play.
It was not long before Wednesday night was simply a night to come game, and then slowly that has even faded. We might see a few people up there now, and personally, I hold myself responsible as one of those who should have, and could have, kept painting up at the store. To encourage new players to paint and to model.
Last week I decided I was going to paint some models at the store, to get back revved up into the mode of which I have been lacking for over a year now. As I sat down worked, and talked with my friends it reminded me why it was so enjoyable before, and why is was such a huge success at the start.
With just playing games, we had taken away part of the social aspect of the hobby, the sitting around a table, talking about the lore of the universe, and painting our models.
This is what I now am striving to bring back, so for those of you in Michigan, who might have their Wednesday night's free:
Come Join us at Evolution Games for Wednesday Night Paint Night. Grab a few models to paint, your brushes and paint and sit down and enjoy yourself. Visit with me and the other DFG guys, who I am also calling on to do this.
Come one, come all and paint well.....
Until next time, burn some heretics, kill some mutants, and do it as always...
FOR THE EMPEROR!
