All My Paints Are Dry!

Back in the Saddle - Hobby Pledge

     It has been ages (approximately two years) since anything has been posted up here.  It's a shame.  I really enjoyed blogging my hobby through the years and I feel it's time for a return to form.  There came a time where I thought to myself "if I died tomorrow, who would paint all these stupid miniatures?  Not my three year old, that's for sure.  Besides I've seen him color... I can't let that happen to my beloved minis."

     With the image of my child's seemingly fever dream inspired scribblings being applied to my most precious resin figures, I made a vow then and there:  I will paint something.  More than that, really, as I've decided to make steady progress, blocking out time and keeping myself honest.

Canoness from a Sisters of Battle army I'm working on (Warhammer 40k)

Realistic Goals

     Now I'm certainly no stranger to the hobby game.  I've painted my fair share of the minis so I've learned a thing or two.  Like the Sun Tzu of painting (hyperbole fully engaged here) I arise from the wreckage of projects past, wisen and worn by time and countless samey metal models.  I know the taste of sweet victory but more importantly I have supped enormously at the table of defeat.  I've got to tone this down. A bit.

     Returning to Sun Tzu (briefly, I promise), and his oft quoted statement of knowing thy enemy, the same holds true when trying to establish a hobby pledge or goal or what-have-you.  The enemy, as in most goals you might have in life, is typically yourself.  Know your weaknesses and play to your strengths.  Here are the elements of my plan:

• Mix it up - For me this means a variety of models to break the chain of monotony.  I have a breadth of models in my inventory now, and not being afraid to shift gears completely will keep me mentally engaged.  Getting bored of painting usually has more to do with the process than it ever is about the outcome.  We all typically revel in the product of the process, sometimes obsessively so.  When you're batch painting Orks though, the light at the end of that tunnel can seem very dim indeed.  Variety  will correct this and it also neatly brings me to my next point.

• Small Batch - I used to paint batches of ten.  I then reduced that to five.  I might even further reduce that (at least temporarily) yet further still.  What small batch or single model painting loses me in efficiency it gains back in focus.  It's easy to be excited about the next model when it's only a single night's session away.  It's almost like (and I hate to use this analogy) chain smoking.  I'll be "riding the buzz" of completed models, pressing me onward to initially completing squads to eventually completing armies.

• Scheduled Sessions - Model painting certainly isn't my only hobby.  Primarily I'm a PC gamer at heart.  Often times in the past I would choose spending time in a video game over painting quite readily.  Who can blame me, really?  Video games offer typically instant satisfaction.  Painting is no doubt a hobby that requires more patience but does not only offer a healthy dose of satisfaction and accomplishment at the end of a model, but also the physical manifestation of your dedication.  To ensure that I'm not placing my hobbies in competition with each other, I've decided to dedicate portions of a few nights a week to hobby progress.  That means those times not scheduled as such can be turned over to video games, the odd video program, or more hobby (should I choose).  Don't force yourself to constantly have multiple hobbies duke it out for attention during your free time.

War Jacks from a Cryx starter set (Warmachine)

Going Forward

     I hope that I can use this blog to keep myself honest, post what progress I've made on a weekly basis, and perhaps spark some conversation with people stopping by.  I'll be streaming on Twitch from time to time, I'll be sure to post that here when I do.  I sincerely enjoy sharing my knowledge of the miniatures painting hobby with newcomers so feel free to ask me any questions concerning the hobby you'd like.  I'll try my best to answer in a timely manner, pointing you in the right direction.

Pictures of my Progress

     I've babbled on at length, time to get to the point and show what I've achieved in the last week.  I've completed two models from the table top game called Infinity (think Xcom + Ghost in the Shell) by the company Corvus Belli.  I've had these models assembled and primed for about 4 years now so it was about time I put paint on them.  I hope you enjoy them.

More to come...