Paint+Take 2018

First Place 2017, by Nik Top.

Ever looked at all those awesome figures online or in the gaming magazines and wanted to learn how to paint them for yourself? Well your luck is in - Paint+Take returns for 2018!  The rules of Paint+Take are simple - if you paint it, you can take it. We provide the miniatures, brushes and paints, plus a handy place mat (because we get in trouble when you paint on the actual tables...) with basic painting instructions on it. There are a whole plethora of Reaper Bones miniatures to choose from, and each table is provided with a choice of eleven paints including two metallics.

Painting Classes:
Want to learn more advanced techniques? There will be two hour long painting workshops run in the very same venue by a large man with a beard.
Learn to paint Skin and Fur: 1000-1100
Learn to paint Armour and Cloth: 1300-1400

Second Place 2017, Pete Spiller

Painting Contest:
The traditional GeekFest Paint+Take Painting Contest also returns with first, second and third prizes for best figure painted at GeekFest. There are also a number of 'Cool paint job' awards - these don't go to the best painted figures but to the ones with the coolest ideas.
Entry is simple - just paint a figure in the Paint+Take building, leave your name, a contact number AND the miniature with the organisers and come back at 1615 when the winners will be announced and showered with prizes!
This year's contest is divided into:
Junior (under 16)
Open (over 16)

Photo Booth:
The Paint+Take Photo Booth returns! Once you've finished painting your amazing mini, why not take a photo in our amazing photo booth and share it online? The photo booth has been designed to offer a range of spectacular backdrops and uses LED lighting.

Gladys; (2017 demo)

Gauntfield; (2017 demo)

Blue Wizard; (2017 demo)

Contest reminder

Here we are, nearly Chirstmas, but more importantly, very nearly GeekFest 2017!
In case you hadn't noticed, or you need a gentle reminder, we're running a bunch of awesome contests, including:

• Cake decoration!
• Figure painting!
• Film making!
• Story writing!
• Lego building!

and many more! Check out the contests page from the menu or this very handy link, and get to work on your entries!

Paint+Take at GeekFest 2017

It is with great joy and almost unnerving pride that we announce that Paint+Take will return to GeekFest2017!

Miniature Painting (sometimes called Figure Painting) is a popular hobby, and growing more popular every day. Whether you use your figures for wargames such as Warmachine, Bolt Action or Infinity, or RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, or you just like to display them as tangible icons of your awesome skills, nothing brings a miniature to life like a great paint job.
Have you always wanted to try your hand at the hobby, but never worked up the courage to jump in? Do you not want to spend money on paints and brushes without trying the hobby out first? Then come to Paint+Take!
There will be a range of Sci-Fi and Fantasy figures from Reaper to choose from, along with brushes and paints. The rules are simple: you can take what you paint, so come along and have a play, get some paint on your fingers, make a mess, have fun!

But wait, there's more! Over the two days on GeekFest, we'll be running painting classes for some more advanced techniques, such as washing, dry brushing and highlighting. These classes are intended to improve the skills inexperienced painters and help them learn useful techniques.

Day One	14th January 2017
1100-1230	Skin and Fur
1330-1500	Armour and Cloth
Day Two	15th January 2017
1100-1230	Armour and Cloth
1330-1500	Skin and Fur

But wait, there's EVEN more! We are also running a figure painting contest. You can find the rules over on the Contests page. Judging will take place Sunday afternoon, and the winners will be announced at the Paint+Take venue about 1600.

GeekFest 2017 contests announced.

The contests from GeekFest 2017 have now been announced and can be viewed here!

New contests this year include:

• Geeky Art
• Geeky Handicraft
• Geeky Writing
• Videogame Design

Please note that entry due dates have not been finalised at this time, however we wanted to give plenty of warning so people could start work on entries nice and early. Please stay tuned for deadline and prize announcements.

Paint+Take contest

Up for grabs: Fanticide Fae army!

Here at GeekFest we realise that walking around all day with a painted miniature from the Paint+Take room in your pocket is not practical. Which is why we're providing a display case for you to leave them while they dry. As an extra incentive to use the case, there'll also be a Paint+Take prize offered.
So long as your figure is still in the case by 1630, you are eligible. The winner will be announced then and showered with fantastic prizes from Eureka Miniatures. Just not literally. Cause, you know, that'd hurt.

FIRST PRIZE:
1 Magnificent hard-cover copy of the Fanticide rulebook with activation and event card deck.
1 Spectacular and awesome Fanticide starter army
1 Black and sinister Coal Creek laptop bag

SECOND PRIZE:
1 Spectacular and awesome Fanticide starter army
1 Black and sinister Coal Creek laptop bag

THIRD PRIZE

1 Magnificent hard-cover copy of the Fanticide rulebook with activation and event card deck.
1 Black and sinister Coal Creek laptop bag

GeekFest 2016 Contests Confirmed

At an extraordinary meeting of the GeekFest committee today, the following contests were confirmed for GeekFest 2016:

• Cosplay
• Steampunk Costume
• Geeky Cake Decoration
• Film
• Children's Colouring in

Details of these magnificent contests and their glorious shining prizes appear on this very website.

The cake is not a lie.

At GeekFest 2016, this meme is a lie.

We are in the preliminary stages of organising GeekFest 2016, and I just thought you'd like to know a few things:

• There will be a grand costume ball after wards (but you already knew that from previous posts)
• We'd like to include a contest for geeky crafts. Mostly for making geeky cakes.
• It may be possible to bribe the judges of said cakes with said cakes...

Those interested in geeky cake are advised to check out Cakewrecks.com's Sunday Sweets feature, especially the ones with geeky themes.

Like this one.

Minecraft sessions and contests

Workshop! - Minecraft for Parents - 10:30 to 11:00 (Masonic Lodge)

An introduction to understanding what your child is so obsessed by Minecraft and could the game possibly be doing them good?

MINECRAFT JUNIORS (under 16s) 

Mechanics' Institute Hall

Build Contest for Under 16s - 10:30 to 12:30

All the bricks, none of the time! What can you build us in just 15 minutes?

'Grand Design' - All Day from 10:00 to 5:30

Swap computers for paper and draw or describe you're ultimate dream Minecraft build!

Minecraft Fan-Art - All Day from 10:00 to 5:30

Show off your love for Minecraft - Do you just adore Creepers, Porkchops or maybe the elusive Enderman? Let us know in art, drawings or comic form

Minecraft Juniors Showcase and judging from 1:00 to 2:00

Don't forget to pop in to admire the best of our build contest entries as voted by our judges and see what other's where able to build in only 15 minutes!

MINECRAFT OPEN (All ages)

Minecraft Build Contest - All Age  - from 2:00 to 4:30

All the bricks, none of the time! What can you build us in just 15 minutes?

'Grand Design' - All Day from 10:00 to 5:30

Swap computers for paper and draw or describe you're ultimate dream Minecraft build!

Minecraft Fan-Art - All Day from 10:00 to 5:30

Show off your love for Minecraft - Do you just adore Creepers, Porkchops or maybe the elusive Enderman? Let us know in art, drawings or comic form

Minecraft Open Showcase and Judging -  5:30 to 6:00

The Best of the Best -  drop in to see the very best of the day's contest entries as voted by our judges and you!

Note: not actual computer used at GeekFest.

*Important Note about Computers: 

We will only have a limited number of computers available on the day but will do our best to give as many children a turn as possible.
Remember that the best prizes will be for the paper based fan-art and design contests that everyone can take part in!

Computer tokens will be handed out on the day, they will be limited to the number of computers and sessions and are likely to run out fast!
Each session runs for 15 minutes so if given a token please ensure they return at the allocated time 5 minutes early.
if your child can not make it to their session please let us know and we may be able to arrange a swap.

Please remember that no food or drinks will be allowed in the computer area.
We also ask that hands are clean if using the computers. Public toilets are available at the railway station diagonally opposite the Mechanics Institute for all your filth removal needs.

Facebook Contest

Take a photo of GeekFest and upload to the Coal Creek facebook. The photo to get the most likes by the 27th of January wins four train tickets and a free pass to GeekFest 2016.
Huzzah!