Games Workshop’s Golden Demon 2022 Warhammer painting competition took place last weekend, marking the contest’s return after a three-year break due to the global pandemic. Held at Warhammer World between September 29 and October 2, Golden Demon 2022 saw model painters compete in a variety of categories, with one winner taking home the famed ‘Slayer Sword’ top prize.
Warhammer 40k, Age of Sigmar, and Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game saw strong representation throughout the event, along with additional categories for other game systems and non-standard entries such as busts and dioramas.
The 2022 Slayer Sword award for best model overall was awarded to Chris Clayton, who entered a colossal Age of Sigmar Kraken-eater Mega-gargant tearing apart a Kharibdyss monster (it also saw them take home the top award in the Duel category). The model is remarkable not only for the skill displayed in its painting, but also for the scene being semi-submerged in transparent, turbulent waters custom-made from resin.
“If you want to enter Golden Demon, do it for the fun of it, for the enjoyment, and if you have a brilliant idea,” Warhammer Community quotes Clayton as saying.
“Don’t expect to be the best straight out of the gate, just enjoy it… And practice! Practice, practice, practice!”
For Warhammer 40k, the Single Miniature Gold award went to Maxime Penaud for a Nurgle-afflicted Ork. The top prize for Squad entry was taken home by Alfonso Garcia Tovar with an Astra Militarum Catachan squad, each trooper complete with their home planet’s deadly flora. Nurgle returned in the Vehicle category, with David Soper bagging the Gold award for a Nurgle daemon engine. Finally, the Large Model award was given to Alfonso Garcia Tovar with another Nurgle entry, this time with an infected Lord Discordant.
Over in the Warhammer Age of Sigmar categories, Albert Moreto Font won the top Single Miniature award for their Night Goblin Wizard.
The Unit category was won by Eric Gowling with a Slaanesh Daemonette quintet, and the Large Model Gold award was handed out to sword-bearer Chris Clayton, who dominated with a giant green Slann Starmaster .
Lord of the Rings saw representation, with an Elrond winning entry by Sten Frödin showing the half-elf standing ready for battle. Winning the Diorama category was Yohan Leduc with Orion, Master of the Wild Hunt surrounded by beasts in a frozen landscape.
The Small Scale entries saw Dave Perryman take gold for a tiny Eldar Saim-Hann Phoenix Bomber, while, at the other end of the scale, a giant bust of a T’au Fire Warrior took the top award for Warhammer staff member Tom Hughes in the Open Category. The Youngbloods category (for those 15 or under) was won by Frankie Clarke who showed off an exquisitely painted Dragon Emperor of Rhûn.
You can check out pictures of all the winning entries and runners up over on the Warhammer Community site. If you fancy honing your skills at painting and taking part in a future Golden Demon why not take a look at our ultimate guide to painting miniatures.
Source: Wargamer
