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Post by rahway on Oct 7, 2019 20:17:57 GMT
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Post by minuteman on Oct 7, 2019 22:08:33 GMT
Looks like 1805 French in greatcoats meets The Simpsons. Imaginative maybe, but I'm not a fan if this is box 'art'....although I accept that these days with few model shops around box art doesn't necessarily have the power to sell in quite the way it used to.
Incidentally, I may be in a minority but I actually keep some of the box fronts that I consider good, or which simply have a significance to me, in a couple of ring binders. I have some old Airfix Napoleonic boxes with the original price labels on from the 1970s.....from the days when a few tens of pennies would buy you a small British square or a French column for the wargaming table.
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Post by rbhjr on Oct 8, 2019 0:24:13 GMT
Looks like 1805 French in greatcoats meets The Simpsons. Imaginative maybe, but I'm not a fan if this is box 'art'....although I accept that these days with few model shops around box art doesn't necessarily have the power to sell in quite the way it used to. Incidentally, I may be in a minority but I actually keep some of the box fronts that I consider good, or which simply have a significance to me, in a couple of ring binders. I have some old Airfix Napoleonic boxes with the original price labels on from the 1970s.....from the days when a few tens of pennies would buy you a small British square or a French column for the wargaming table. I have almost all of the Hat figure boxes I’ve ever bought collapsed flat and stacked. I hope to soon have so many 1/32 restock French lights and new Austrians that I can no longer keep collecting the boxes! Lol
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Post by Ironsides on Oct 8, 2019 8:38:35 GMT
Obviously a misunderstanding the box was meant to be based on Homer I cant wait to see what the next box will look like... Napoleon Bone a part
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2019 22:00:54 GMT
I have five scrap books filled with cut out box art from sets collected over time--most in the past ten years.
I hope to add some of these new boxes to them. I like the idea and the humour of these limited run boxes. Well done Hat!
James
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Post by minuteman on Oct 10, 2019 7:31:49 GMT
I have five scrap books filled with cut out box art from sets collected over time--most in the past ten years. I hope to add some of these new boxes to them. I like the idea and the humour of these limited run boxes. Well done Hat! James Come to think of it, these limited editions might be quite collectable one day? And, still on The Simpsons theme, I have only just realised that Marge generally 'wears' a French Imperial Guard Chasseur 'bearskin' (without decorations)...
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Box art
Oct 10, 2019 15:46:38 GMT
via mobile
Post by waynew on Oct 10, 2019 15:46:38 GMT
I thought it was a fun idea - which I thought was the whole purpose of a hobby - fun. The historical knowledge I've gained and/or complimented from my "little guys" to me was always "Icing on the cake" to the fun of collecting. With all the complaints on these fun boxes I have to wonder if I've been wrong all these years...
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Post by Chris D on Oct 10, 2019 20:52:44 GMT
I have always been a fan of the box art as it is a useful guide to painting the subject matter.
The recent trend to cartoon style art work, in my opinion is a retrograde step and does nothing to enhance the company image.
Who ever is responsible should seek alternative employment.
A, disappointed.
C M Dodson
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2019 21:45:35 GMT
To respectfully present a different view Chris—and I respect and admire your beautifully-presented figures and brilliant games immensely—I try to paint figures as accurately as possible (given the limitations of my capabilities and definitive knowledge of the uniforms) which is why I would never rely on the box artwork. Checking and comparing between various books, complemented with on-line sources, is the approach for mine.
Box artwork can certainly provide some inspiration. I would not like to see the style of these few, limited-release boxes become the new norm, but for some of the re-releases they are a fun addition. I'll get 'one of each' of those for which I already have sufficient figures--for the collecting aspect!
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Post by Chris D on Oct 11, 2019 5:52:37 GMT
I have always been a fan of the box art as it is a useful guide to painting the subject matter.
The recent trend to cartoon style art work, in my opinion is a retrograde step and does nothing to enhance the company image.
A, disappointed.
C M Dodson
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Post by Chris D on Oct 11, 2019 6:03:41 GMT
Hi James,
You are correct in stating that correct referencing and not box art is the key to accuracy.
However, my thoughts are that when seen on a shelf these images are not conducive to promoting an image that HAT has spent many years achieving.
Whilst ultimately the product is excellent, you never get a second chance to make a first impression in the retail world.
Perhaps I am old fashioned.
Best wishes,
Chris
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Post by bongman on Oct 11, 2019 7:09:59 GMT
From the photographs, those are restock boxes. They would be confusing to the new customer. How many new customers vs old customers?
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Post by waynew on Oct 11, 2019 14:45:53 GMT
Are there still not illustrations of the figures on the back? As for painting guides - I painted all my French wrong way back in the day using the pictures on the box art. I remember buying Funcken and repainting close to a thousand figures I had done the facings and turn backs wrong on. So I enjoy box art for its aesthetic qualities (perhaps why I don't mind the cartoon style so much) but go to my references for accuracy.
Granted, accuracy of box art has improved over the years, but from my observation of the new (and temporary, remember) art - they still provide what looks to me to be a fairly accurate guide for a novice painter to follow - even with their styles. JMO
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Post by minuteman on Oct 11, 2019 21:30:34 GMT
Hi James, You are correct in stating that correct referencing and not box art is the key to accuracy. However, my thoughts are that when seen on a shelf these images are not conducive to promoting an image that HAT has spent many years achieving. Whilst ultimately the product is excellent, you never get a second chance to make a first impression in the retail world. Perhaps I am old fashioned. Best wishes, Chris On balance I think I am like Mr Dodson in believing that the box art is an integral part of the product, ie: a serious (not toy) product deserves corresponding (serious and historically accurate) box art to promote it. I'm not anxious to own any of the limited edition HaT boxes, and if I were coming new to the hobby I wouldn't 'get it' I don't think. Widening the subject to include the box art that Airfix and others have produced over the years for aircraft, ships etc kits as well as land-based military subjects, it is clear that at best box art really can be classed as true works of art.
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Post by rahway on Oct 12, 2019 5:46:35 GMT
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Post by richard on Oct 14, 2019 20:35:02 GMT
I don't mind some 'fun' box art images for re-stocks. It's something a bit different and might catch the eye of children if they're in the model shop with their family (especially the Simpson's art work). I would't choose to have this style for new releases however.
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Post by davidmac on Oct 29, 2019 2:34:43 GMT
I'd buy a box or two of the Spanish Line Infantry if they actually looked like the box art!
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Post by stevo0113 on Oct 29, 2019 7:47:41 GMT
Imagine that an army of Simpsons in old guard uniforms with Bart as Napoleon I would buy them as well just for the novelty value.
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Post by waynew on Oct 29, 2019 15:54:53 GMT
Imagine that an army of Simpsons in old guard uniforms with Bart as Napoleon I would buy them as well just for the novelty value. I agree; but imagine the screaming of the pedants over such a set because it got in the way of producing "Pommeranian Piccolo Players" they absolutely have to have yesterday. If there's this much screaming over box art. But I'd love the set, too.
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Post by Graeme on Nov 3, 2019 2:42:31 GMT
I may have to get a set of the cubist infantry and, I'm not really interested in the boxes except for storage but I will keep that one.
Right now I'm eagerly awaiting trhe conspiracy theories to surface as to why the Grenadier on the Abbey Road box has bare feet.
These boxes are a bit of fun for restocks, I think that's OK; most people who are buying these already know what's in the box.
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bessiere
Aedile
Painting my way from Vienna to Moscow
Posts: 70
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Post by bessiere on Nov 13, 2019 19:25:29 GMT
while browsing online these boxes certainly do stick out - the reason behind advertising. while we all wish every box came with a superbly life-like and historically accurate scene on the front original art is expensive to create. I don't see the harm in a few boxes of restocks done this way however done on every box it would likely backfire.
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Post by rahway on Jan 21, 2020 1:12:36 GMT
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Post by davidmac on Jan 21, 2020 15:13:07 GMT
I thought the nesting dolls were for the Russian troops?
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Post by cooey2ph on Mar 7, 2020 15:18:39 GMT
why???
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Post by davidmac on Mar 13, 2020 2:52:51 GMT
Nesting dolls (Matryoshkas) are a traditional Russian thing:
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