We're Back From Kontrast 2025 With Some Medals!
We’re back from Warsaw with some serious hardware, and we couldn’t be more proud of our painters.
Kontrast 2025 proved once again why it’s become one of Europe’s premier miniature painting competitions.
For those unfamiliar with this event, Kontrast is Poland’s largest miniature painting festival, held annually in Warsaw. What makes it special is its open judging system – works are evaluated individually based on skill, imagination, and creative potential rather than competing directly against each other. This means every piece has a fair shot at recognition based purely on its artistic merit.
This year, our studio brought home two gold medals and a distinction, with our painters showcasing the range and quality that sets Minis For War apart.
Our Award-Winning Kontrast 2025 Entries
Ula's Golden Touch: Hannah Sharp from LimboDivision209
Ula Bancer (kurokatze_ on Instagram) struck gold in the Standard category for figures above 54mm with her awesome interpretation of LimboDivision209’s “Hannah Sharp” This model gave Ula the perfect canvas to showcase her skills with larger scale work, where every detail matters even more.
“The whole concept was about capturing that cyberpunk vibe,” Ula explains. “I went with saturated colors and designed the weapon inspired by Cyberpunk Edgerunners. Having played Cyberpunk 2077, the model reminded me of the Moxy gang with their bright, bold clothing – that’s where the pink elements and latex came from. The skin painting was incredibly satisfying to work on. The tribal tattoos were actually suggested by someone who commented on my Instagram story, and I loved the idea immediately.”
Ula – Senior Artist
“The whole concept was about capturing that cyberpunk vibe,”
“I went with saturated colors and designed the weapon inspired by Cyberpunk Edgerunners. Having played Cyberpunk 2077, the model reminded me of the Moxy gang with their bright, bold clothing – that’s where the pink elements and latex came from. The skin painting was incredibly satisfying to work on.”
“The tribal tattoos were actually suggested by someone who commented on my Instagram story, and I loved the idea immediately.”
Paulina's Custom 3D Printed Elf Bust
Paulina Kondzior (heroichues.studio on Instagram) took home gold in the same category with her custom elf bust – a piece that showed off both her painting skills and creative vision. Working with a custom model means there’s no reference point, no “official” color scheme to fall back on. It’s all about the painter’s interpretation and artistic choices.
“I focused on working with light and shadow to create the right ambient feel,”
“The color palette is much calmer than our usual work – more my personal style. I wanted the warm light hitting the figure from the left to be the star of the show. I put more detail on the lit side because that’s how human vision works – what’s brighter gets more attention, while shadowed areas can be more subtle.”
“I used an airbrush for the color sketch to place the color points, then did everything else with brushes. The challenge was that I don’t usually do these kinds of projects. When painting armies, you can’t play with directional light because the figures need to look good from every angle.”
Paulina – Senior Artist
“I focused on working with light and shadow to create the right ambient feel,”
“The color palette is much calmer than our usual work – more my personal style. I wanted the warm light hitting the figure from the left to be the star of the show. I put more detail on the lit side because that’s how human vision works – what’s brighter gets more attention, while shadowed areas can be more subtle.”
“I used an airbrush for the color sketch to place the color points, then did everything else with brushes. The challenge was that I don’t usually do these kinds of projects. When painting armies, you can’t play with directional light because the figures need to look good from every angle.”
Kacper's Genestealer Cults Mini Diorama
Kacper Łukaszuk earned a well-deserved distinction in the Regiment category with his Genestealer Cults mini diorama.
The mini diorama format allowed Kacper to show off terrain work alongside his miniature painting. It’s one thing to paint individual models well, but creating a cohesive scene that draws the viewer in? That takes planning, vision, and solid execution across multiple elements.
Why These Results Matter?
Each award represents hundreds of hours of work, continuous skill development, and the kind of attention to detail that separates professional work from hobby painting.
When you commission an army from us, you’re getting painters who compete at the highest levels in Europe.
More importantly, these results show the breadth of what our team can handle. From display pieces to bigger dioramas, we’ve got painters who excel across different scales, styles, and approaches.
Kontrast 2025 was another reminder of why we love what we do. Seeing our work recognized alongside Europe’s best painters, and meeting the community that keeps pushing this craft forward – that’s what makes events like this worth the trip to Warsaw.
Already looking forward to next year’s competition. But first, we’ve got armies to paint.