IP 6: Rd SIX: THE FINAL!!

[Wren]

Well I think this is a pretty damn iron-filled round on the part of both the finalists! I thought both the entries were ambitious and full of theme when I looked at them prior to reading this thread, and all the moreso given what the painters have been suffering through. I've been in a final round of IP, and I don't know that I'd have managed to get anything done if I'd suffered from a back issue or a cold, so hats off to you both!

And hats off just for the entries. I really like that they each highlight a different aspect of vertigo, with PM's highlighting the dictionary definition and Bex's tying in more to the fear of heights from the movie. I think it's also very interesting/fun that the gender of the painters is fairly evident from their pieces. I don't envy the judges their work on this final round of judging. Though if I remember correctly all previous entrants can judge, so I'd better sit down after I get some food and wake up a bit and have a closer look myself...

Bex exercising between painting sessions has become a must for me now.. I start my painting sessions out pretty much like a gym session with a ful muscle warm up and take regular breaks to do windmillsand back stretches as well as have a small set of dumbells near my desk ...

DH, might I suggest a new tutorial for the next issue of Wyrd magazine or to post up somewhere? A workout for painters to keep backs hale and hearty. I mean this as a serious suggestion. Someone on CMON forums posted a few months back about having started to do a few strength exercises that really help him at the painting table, Bex mentioned some arm exercises, and you sound like you have a whole routine. I have exercises for my arthritis problems from a physiotherapist, though they don't help as much with the pain I get from painting as I'd like. I think the younger folks need to hear about the idea of taking breaks and stretching if they want to keep doing this hobby when they're less young. I know a few people who have problems that seriously cut into the time they can spend at a painting table.

[PaintMinion]

Wren, the stretching breaks for painters is definitely a good idea for an article! DH, go for it! I just know to stretch arms, back and wrists every once in awhile since I lost my "stamina" for the painting table, but if you could find us some specific good stretches or info to help us all, I think it's well worth while. Maybe a physical therapist out there can set us straight as well?

Oh, and all I have to say is - thanks to all the heavenly powers for Musinex DM and Tylenol.

[Bexley]

DH, might I suggest a new tutorial for the next issue of Wyrd magazine or to post up somewhere? A workout for painters to keep backs hale and hearty. I mean this as a serious suggestion. Someone on CMON forums posted a few months back about having started to do a few strength exercises that really help him at the painting table, Bex mentioned some arm exercises, and you sound like you have a whole routine. I have exercises for my arthritis problems from a physiotherapist, though they don't help as much with the pain I get from painting as I'd like. I think the younger folks need to hear about the idea of taking breaks and stretching if they want to keep doing this hobby when they're less young. I know a few people who have problems that seriously cut into the time they can spend at a painting table.

Here's something: Soft Tissues for Hobby Painters

For my own contribution, I do several sets of these as well as the reverse variety (same exercise, but palms face up) three days a week. (Well, I did. I cut back once school started, as cranking the hand wheels on a Bridgeport several hours a day five days a week is more than enough forearm exercise.) Two things to note are: 1) if you don't do a lot of physical work, it won't be surprising if 5lbs (or less) is enough weight. Without the rest of your arm muscles joining in, forearm muscles can't lift a lot. 2) You will be able to do significantly more curls than reverse curls at first.

[PaintMinion]

Bex, that's a great article, how did I miss that one? Thanks for the link.

[supervike]

The final is here and gone!

Next up judging!

[Wren]

Great link Bex! I'll definitely have to try that broom stretch for the erector muscles. I've been doing the forearm exercises you linked to for a while, guess I need to step it up cause I'm only at 3 lbs. It's really helped with some wrist problems I'd had for years.

My biggest painting problem is near the center of my back, about where a bra strap closes. My PT recommended rows. I do standing, seated, bent over, all kinds of rows, but I haven't noticed much improvement. :-< I'm starting to think it's probably permanent joint damage more than muscle stuff I can fix. A better painting chair and trying to mix positions between leaning forward and leaning backwards has helped a bit.

[Wren]

The GUEST JUDGE scores will be averaged from all the folks who'd like to vote. I'll give more details on how to do that as we progress....

Did we get more details and I just missed it?

[Bexley]

Great link Bex! I'll definitely have to try that broom stretch for the erector muscles. I've been doing the forearm exercises you linked to for a while, guess I need to step it up cause I'm only at 3 lbs. It's really helped with some wrist problems I'd had for years.

Heh. Yeah, I swung a hammer for a living when I started doing them, and still could only just do five pounds on the curls, and had to go buy smaller weights to be able to do the palms-down variety. I believe it's because forearms mainly control the wrists, and are rarely lifting any real weight without the help of the rest of your arm. After a year, though, I could do twenty pounds each way. Until I got tennis elbow from making tables at FFG. That took about six months to heal to a point where I could even exercise my arm again. And then, I was back to barely doing five.

[supervike]

Did we get more details and I just missed it?

Nope, here are the details.


Interested in judging for the final round of the IRON PAINTER?


Your voice shall be heard. All you have to do is send me (supervike) a pm with your scoring on it.


Here is the criteria.

Theme (score 0-5)

Technique (score 0-5)

Overall Aesthetic (score 0-10)

Comments are more than welcomed, but not necessary.

What I will do for the 'final guest judge' spot is to combine all the guest ballots together, and the average score will be used for the final tally.

Random judges will be awarded small tokens of gratitude!

Please have the ballots in ASAP, but no later than FRIDAY the 29th by 12 noon (central time)