-Allan shows off a completed Raskhal, but he doesn’t paint one. He demonstrates his techniques on three Aurloks that he sculpted for Alkemy, which he is one of the creator-owners of (Kraken Editions). However, I didn’t feel cheated because the techniques demonstrated were those he used to paint Raskhal, and he sculpted the Aurloks he’s painting anyway!
-In the interview video, Allan talks about his table height, preferred paints (mostly Citadel, with a couple of P3s and a skin mix he likes), lighting and positioning of lighting, and his preferred paintbrushes (Raphaël and Isabey, which are available at DickBlick.com for North American buyers).
-Camera is steady, with the perspective of the painter. The camera is not over his shoulder or from the sides. You see the item being painted, well-lit, in the center of the screen. There are also shots of the painter mixing on the pallet, with colors and percentages of paint and dilution flashed on the screen.
-Before and after shots of each stage.
-Voices are clear, although the narrator seems to be at a loss for words sometimes. It might help if the painter and producer(s) discuss things before, during (with cameras off), and after. This will aid the tutorial’s flow and keep the narrative cohesive.
-Support from Miniature Mentor is great. I had trouble with 2 of the 5 and they got back to me in less than 24 hrs to resolve the issue. It is resolved to my satisfaction.

Again, I recommend these tutorials. I plan on purchasing the upcoming Jen Haley one once it’s released, and may get some of the others as well.

For me, seeing the paint go on is tens times better than a still picture-based tutorial online or in a book or magazine. Allan’s tutorial, however, may be a bit daunting for an abject beginner. If you’re an experienced painter who’s ready to “go to the next level,” meaning you’re familiar with assembly/prep, priming, diluting paints, and other basics of miniatures painting, this tutorial definitely has something for you. I think of it as a honing or improving of your technique. Others who might not like this tutorial are those who don’t like this style of painting. I’m a fan of Allan C.’s work so I just had to check this out.

So far, Allan prefers Citadel paints, uses a coat of white primer, and his technique is time-intensive due to multiple thin coats that have the viscosity of washes (not recommended if you’re painting an entire army).

The tutorials are available as both downloads or on DVDs, paid for via PayPal (shipping charges apply for DVDs; PayPal’s fees apply). This particular tutorial was $25 USD and took about an hour to download, 5 files total (MP4 format). I’m watching it using the recommended VLC Media Player since I had some difficulty seeing anything using QuickTime.

Recommended for fans of the “French Style,” Allan C., or anyone looking to get past that hump in their miniatures painting.