Stuff what I been painting

So we’re in the process of buying a new house and as a consequence, things on the painting front have really slowed down. Especially as I’ve packed all my stuff into boxes ready for the big move. We still don’t have a move date….

Anyway, I’ve managed to complete the sum total of 3 models in the past 3 months. Two rock kami’s and Waku the Soul Collector. All for Bushido.

The stats haven’t changed much although I did add two more models to the pile during the period thanks to being at UKGE. Having said that, I’m still up on the year despite the slow progress.

I’ve also not added in my old stuff that I found yet. I’ll do that once we’ve moved house.

With all of my painting stuff packed away, I had to find other hobby stuff to do. So my son and I decided to give Moonstone (the multi award winning game) a go.

So I ordered the rulebook and cards and got to work with some PVA, scissors and the free downloads to create the ‘models’. And with all my terrain packed away, I went old school and used cups and other household items for terrain. Just like being back in the 1980’s.

My goblin warband took on my son’s Leshavalt in an entertaining game. It was close and my son was winning right up until my last activation when Vicious Syd won the day for me.

It’s been a bad first three months of the year for modelling and painting. I don’t think I even picked up a paint brush in January – I just wasn’t feeling it. Added to work being very busy and other stuff, time for hobby just wasn’t there. I did however manage to get something done in February and March, not much but three models have been completed. And on the positive side, I’ve not had time to buy or add anything further to the pile, so at the very least, my collection of unpainted miniatures has reduced in number!

So in February, I finished off Minarai for Bushido

In March, I completed Eldest Brother, also for Bushido. I’m quite pleased with this one.

I also completed an Opel Command Truck. This is 15mm and could be used for Flames of War if having such a command truck were an option. In reality I wanted to try out some enamel washes for panel lining and then some enamel weathering effects. Looks fine from a metre away but I need to work on the technique to have it stand up to close inspection.

As always, here are the stats of the pile. I’m also moving house and I’ve found more unpainted models in a box. The question is, should I add these to the stats below or studiously ignore them for the time being?

Despite the run up to Christmas being busy and the festive period being one of over indulgence, I did manage to finish off some models. Here’s what I achieved.

First up, some 3D printed terrain pieces. Both of these are scanned images from real statues somewhere in the world (the first is from a temple in Bali). And no, I didn’t scan them myself, although a trip to Bali would be nice.

I finally got around to finishing off some rat swarms for Bushido. These are also 3D printed. These are all painted with speed paints to continue my experiment with them.

And last up some 3D printed portals for my son’s Kinshi Temple Bushido faction. They use these to leap around the battlefield to get into very annoying places.

So a final look at the numbers over the year, and those models finished in December dragged me into the position of painting more miniatures than I acquired through the year, with 73 completed and only 66 added. Looking back on 2023, my overall output in 2024 reduced but I was a lot more restrained on the purchase front! My aim for 2025 is to continue the trend of reducing the pile, so let’s see how that goes.

It’s been a month of Bushido (like most of 2024). I’ve managed quite a lot of scatter terrain, including some rice bales, temple statues and a spherical prayer stone.

I also finished of Rokuro, an angry Tengu who fights for my Bushido faction.

So a reasonably productive month (for me at least) and some good steps toward reducing the pile of shame. However, while I’ve been very reserved this year, adding just over 40 models to the pile and therefore on course to actually reduce the pile, November saw a deviation from my good behaviour. I managed to pick up an Ebay auction for a future project that I’m planning that added a handful. And then my son and I visited Warlord for their tour (which was great) and they give you a number of free minis as part of that. So overall, the pile has grown in November and also grown during 2024. I need to paint hard in December!

A couple of months of finishing stuff that had been on the painting table for some time but just not quite over the line. So good to clear some stuff off the desk to create some working space!

We start with some Bushido models. The Two Lone Swordsmen and an MDF sum ring

Then we have a 3D printed Goblin Loony for Blood Bowl (painted up to match the colour scheme of my Ork team from earlier in this project).

I got stuck into some FoW models. In particular 4 8.8cm AA Flak teams and 6 8.8cm Anti Tank gun teams (although only 4 are pictured). Because you can never have enough high end anti tank gun options when you’re the Germans.

So that’s 14 models completed in the period. I did add 7 new models, mostly 3D prints that need to be worked on, but that’s a reduction in the pile over the two months. And, for 2024, the pile is down 8 overall! Progress is being made.

Slow months for painting for various reasons. Let’s start with the numbers. I added 11 new models to the pile in June, mostly 3d prints but only completed 5 models. August was a complete wash out.

But what was completed? In June, I knocked out The Wanyudo and an MDF Japanese peasant hut.

In July, I completed The Grey Pilgrim and Fuwa Kaidan and her pot that she spawns from.

Just a few updates for May.

First up, three kami for Bushido. In order, the Kami of Sapping Silt, Kami of Blighted Earth and Kami of Choking Fog.

And to prove that I’ve painted something other than Bushido models, I’ve finally finished off four stands of German 105mm Howitzers for Flames of War. I’ve modeled these to be behind a wooden emplacement which is just cocktail sticks cut to the right size and then glued together. This was also the first FoW models that I’ve tried an enamel pin wash on. Works very well and I’ll be repeating for future models.

Not the most productive month for getting things completed but there is a lot in progress at the moment. I’ve added the same number of models to the pile that I’ve painted, so a break even month.

2024 started well, with a lot finished in Jan and then work happened. And then life also happened and things somewhat went of the rails. But, things are starting to level out now and hopefully, I can get back to a bit more hobby.

But to quickly cover the past 4 months, in January I had a terrain month painting up some Japanese graves, a cooking station, a washing station, some objective markers, some lanterns, a pond and a well.

February I managed a couple of fire kami painted in about 10 minutes

March I managed Ikiryo. The flowers are not free hand, just nail art transfers but they work rather well.

April was a month of nothing finished. So, after 4 months of 2024, here are the scores on the doors.

Still just ahead on the year in reducing the pile of shame but April did see 13 models get added (Salute was to blame!).