There could be some whining, complaining, and hobby hysterics in this post. So you’ve been warned! My motivation to work on the competition piece really started to wane this week and just kept going down with each day. It didn’t help that I worked on some boring parts of the mini and felt uncertain how to proceed with certain things. Overall, I made decent progress this week but disaster nearly struck yesterday. I was trying to shade the inside of the cape so there is a smooth transition with the shadows and somehow, I moved around some wet paint (probably due to not being patient enough) and that messed up a bit of everything in there. Unfortunately, I can’t get the smooth transition I was hoping for which is the first flaw in this paint job that I’ve created. This is not ideal considering it is a competition piece and it caused me a great deal of frustration too. After some panic and swearing, I think I got things mostly smoothed out and it looks alright. Its not what I wanted but at least the deficiency is in a place that I can’t even show you in photos. Here’s a look at where the mini stands.
On a positive note, the scale armor does look quite nice and while the weathered ribbons are unfinished, I think they’re on the right track. Unfortunately, I need to paint the back of the cape next which is going to be tedious. Painting capes is one of the worst parts of Warhammer minis and they takes a lot of patience which I don’t always have. Normally, I would say this is a bad thing but I need some paint and supplies so I’m forcing myself to take a break because I need one on this project to keep doing my best on it. I have less than two months to finish it but I won’t get this done in any way I’m satisfied with if I don’t take a little bit of a break and get my motivation back I’m afraid.
One thing I did think about is that I’m trying to do something really tough here. I want to compete in a painting genre that I don’t spend all of my hobby time in. I only paint Warhammer stuff for the odd display project. Most of the people who enter in these things only paint displays pieces all year. So that means they’re more used to the crazy sub-assemblies, staying patient, and achieving maximum results. I’m asking a lot of myself to try and match their level considering I paint gaming 50% or more of the time. Of course, I don’t expect to win this painting competition or even be in the top three so I don’t think I have unrealistic expectations but I’m even more humbled to realize what a tall task I’m taking on. Hopefully painting something else for a couple of days will help me keep a more level head and achieve better results going forward. I can’t have too many more mistakes or I won’t bother entering this piece in the competition. I don’t want the judges to point out several issues I already know exist if you know what I mean.
I do have a few other random tidbits to share that are a bit more positive. I am really itching to get a game in soon. Unfortunately, I have to paint a closet in my room so that the organizers can be installed this week so I won’t be able to game for a while yet. I think painting something for gaming purposes might help me scratch that itch for a bit and then I can get back to work on this display project.
I went ahead and bought Arkham Horror Card Game Edge of the Earth Investigator cards which should arrive later this weekend. I know I need some cards to spice things up since I beat Dunwich Legacy not to long ago and I’m really excited to see what this new expansion is like. I won’t write up a review but if I have some time, I’ll briefly share what I think about the expansion. I plan on getting the Edge of the Earth Campaign expansion soon as well so I have some new content to play through and not just new cards for my investigator decks. The setting is the Arctic which should be great fun!
Finally, I also re-subscribed to Disney Plus and got halfway through Loki this week. Expect some kind of review of it and other Marvel and Star Wars content in the coming weeks as I get time. Loki is a curious show so I imagine I’ll have something interesting to say about it next update, in fact.
Kuribo's Painting 
It’s looking great and as you said mistakes in hard to see places are the best kind! I can vouch for breaks and switching projects when motivation drops, it’s extremely refreshing and allows you to come back with a new way to look at the project. I really quite enjoyed Loki, definitely out of the usual marvel realm!
LikeLiked by 4 people
All too true, mate! I can only hope that the judges can’t spot it! 🙂 Its only been a day and a half of a break so far but I would definitely say that its helping and I’m starting to look forward to getting back to this project so that is good news indeed. Loki is very unusual but I am liking it so far. I’m curious to see how I feel about I watch the final three episodes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The competitive world is just that, competitive but if you don’t throw your hat in the ring then you will never know how well you might have done. Take a break as you say and come back fresh and fighting. Sometimes you have to lose in order to learn how to win. To me what you have done looks great but I understand it’s how you feel about it that counts. Hang on in there! 🙂
LikeLiked by 4 people
I agree with your sentiment whole heartedly, mate. That is the main thing that is driving me forward, in fact. I don’t know how often an opportunity like this will come along so I feel it would be a shame to miss it. I do think the break is already helping me recharge my batteries so to speak so there is some reason for hope 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the spirit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your metallics are brilliant, those scales look incredible. Adversity builds character, I admire your determination.
I am quite happy to hear you have Disney+ again and will be doing some reviews. It will be great to hear your thoughts.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I like how the scales came out too. They’re one of the better things I’ve painted on this one so far, I’d say.
I’m glad to hear some people, including yourself, are excited to hear what I have to say. I think in some ways swapping opinions is the most fun part of watching them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Painting looks really good to me, Jeff, especially those scales! 🙂 Taking breaks in between painting this mini is not a bad thing (and I agree with the guys above).
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, John! I am pleased with that part of the mini too 🙂 The break is already paying dividends so its good to follow both my gut and the recommendation from all of you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your progress so far looks great, a mistake on the inside of the cape is better than one on the outside, as when it’s stuck to the base it will be hard to look up, and will also create shadows.
I know a lot of the British Competition painters and some of them will take a whole year on a single model, so having a break for fun is a good idea, don’t burn yourself out trying to slog through.
Recommend a larger brush to paint the closet, just ask John ! LOL
Hope the card expansion brings you much enjoyment, and shall be interesting to read your thoughts on all the shows you are watching
LikeLiked by 4 people
Your description of the mistake is what I’m hoping for too. It is pretty tough to see so we’ll have to hope the judges miss it 🙂 I know what you mean about competition painters taking a long time to paint something. I don’t know if I can ever be as patient as they are. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket!
I’m not going to use a typical mini brush for the closet, I think I’ll go for a nice drybrush instead 😉
Thanks for your support and kind words as always!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ditto to all said above. Don’t get burned out, it’s a hobby, and that means it’s your escape route from daily life. Keep that route alive! Good luck.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I agree with you, Mark. I’m hoping this break will leave me feeling refreshed for this project. We shall see!
LikeLiked by 1 person
All is I can recommend is to take a deep breath, stretch and focus on your strengths vs what others have done.
Disney+ is a hole that is easily to be sucked down into, so tread lightly 😁
LikeLiked by 2 people
That is good advice! I usually don’t like to take breaks on projects but in this case, it is the only way. Disney Plus is probably my favorite of the streaming services. I’ve got three-four TV shows and movies to watch so I’m going to be busy! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The armour is looking fantastic so far, but definitely take a break if you feel you need one.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Dave! I think a break will lead to better results so I’m happy to take one. It can’t hurt to get a gaming piece or two along the way 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed with the others – it’s looking very nice indeed so far, but don’t be afraid to take a break to recharge when needed. Loki is typical Marvel fare – I enjoyed it, but don’t think too hard about various things presented onscreen…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, mate! The break has been doing me some good and with all the painting in the closet I’m doing, I don’t think I’d be able to do much on this mini right now anyway so maybe it was all meant to be. Your assessment of Loki seems pretty spot-on to me. Maybe I don’t have to review it after all 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
A Norse Frost Giant/Trickster God/Mage/Assassin as seen in Avengers, etc in hand to hand combat with puny humans!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that just about sums it up, mate! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mate at least the error isn’t visible but I can imagine you freaked out a little hehe. It’s looking grand though. The scale armour is very cool indeed.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It was not a good evening when it all went down, that’s for sure haha. Thanks for the kind words as well, mate! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s looking great so far to my eye, and sounds like a good idea trying to paint something else for a day or so.
I started to watch lokki but did not get very far for some reason, I hope you enjoy it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, mate! You definitely have to pace yourself on bigger projects but I don’t have to tell you with what you’re working on! 🙂 Loki starts pretty slow and I wasn’t sure if I would like it initially so I can understand why it might not have grabbed you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your ‘adding a flaw’ is my ‘dream of ever getting such a result’! I tend to agree with Azazel here – don’t be afraid to take a break if you need it to keep your motivation up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You all are spot-on and the break has been really useful so far. Sometimes you have to on these bigger projects or you’ll lose your sanity! 🙂
LikeLike
To me it looks outstanding so far, but I know you have way higher standards when it comes to painting 🙂 So I can understand your frustration with a paint job I’d be over the moon with. But seriously, the NMM you’ve done is just superb. Take a bit of a break and come back to it, you might see it differently.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Haha, cheers, mate! 🙂 The break is helping so far and once this closet is done, hopefully I’ll be able to get a bit more painting done too. Thanks for your kind words as always!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, go paint something that you don’t care how it looks as a palette cleanser before going back to the serious not fun pressure job. 😀😀
I too find myself itching to play something with no time available to March. Rough spot to be in for both of us. It is what it is.
I love Disney plus. I spend most of it watching Bluey with the kids these days (check it out if so inclined, it’s cute). One of these nights I’m gonna check out Bobba Fet. 😀
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ll at least have something done to show off this weekend which is nice. You have my sympathies on a lack of gaming. We’ll try and get through this difficult period together!
Bluey? I’ve never heard of it! I’ll have to see what it is now because I feel out of the loop 🙂 Boba Fett is on my list too so I’m sure I’ll be getting around to it sooner or later.
LikeLike
I think it comes along nicely. At least the frontal part of the robe looks very smooth. Great off-white. The NMM is also looking good, however, I would modulate the shadows on the scale a tad to not make it look too uniform (depends where the light comes from). If the mistake is not visible you may be fine. Otherwise just repaint it and try the blend again.
I am still on the fence what concerns Disney+ Coll stuff on there, but I already have Netflix. Amazon prime is also something to consider for Picard etc. I just don’t really need three subscriptions ;).
LikeLiked by 3 people
That is a good thought on the scales. I will see if I can’t address that in the near future. Unfortunately, the parts that I was trying to blend are really far back on the inside of the cape and it might have been mission impossible from the start now that I think about it. I’ll certainly see what I can do with it though!
Disney+ has quite a lot of things if you like Marvel and/or Star Wars. That is mostly what attracts me to it though truthfully, I think my wife is subscribed to nearly every TV service known to man so apparently some people do need three (or more!) 🙂
LikeLike
As with miniatures it is never a question of need, but more if one should. Does it spark happiness 😁?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, I only paint for Slaanesh so if I’m not in pain while painting, its no good! 😉
LikeLike
Looking good Jeff, and you’re right, the scale looks superb. A change of pace may help you find the motivation and you can always start deckbuilding when your new investigators arrive – I’m looking forward to your thoughts on them.
Welcome to Disney+ the channel that has taken my daughter away from us, hurrah!
I enjoyed Loki, way better than WandaVision, which was pants!
I’m way behind on stuff on there, as I’m still trawling through The Walking Dead – 1 episode ever two days, slow or what!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you, Justin! I will do some kind of write up on Arkham. I find that I enjoy writing about it and some people are finding the articles that I write too which is a pleasant surprise.
How dare you accuse WandaVision of being pants! I think it might be my favorite of the Disney+ Marvel shows! 🙂 I may have to unveil some kind of ranking in my next update just to put this matter to bed haha 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol! It was pants – it was full of Americanisms that was lost on us ordinary folk… oh! It was very predictable And nothing happened until the final episode.
It’s right at the bottom of my Rankings I’m afraid, nicely tucked up never to resurface😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Call American pop culture pants if you want but we’re like pests (rats, cockroaches, etc.) that you can’t get away from and we’ll permeate your culture whether you like it or not! 😉 It is fair that WandaVision was a bit predictable. I think waiting until the final episode for any real conflict or action did hurt the show and was my biggest criticism of it to be fair.
Whenever your birthday rolls around, I’m going to buy WandaVision for you on Blu-Ray (assuming it comes out)! That way you can learn to love the ways of the former colonists 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Ha! Ha! I like the comparison and certainly, the American culture has grown on me over the years!
I’ve always found Americans to have an odd sense of humour though. When I had the good fortune of mixing with your ‘fly-boys’ out on ops, they used to crack themselves up at everything we said, high-fiving all the time, we found it highly amusing, as we were just using good ole sarcasm!
(26th October, thanks 😉)
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you’re watching the NFL, you’re seeing American culture on a regular basis, mate, and not always the best of it! 😉
That is interesting on sense of humor. Americans tend to use in your face sarcasm in pop culture but I really prefer dry and clever sarcasm and irony. That is actually one reason why I enjoyed watching the Premier League. I found a great podcast full of English wit and learned why no soccer teams want to play in Stoke on a rainy night or how Roberto Martinez could be called “Spanish Bob” haha! I’d like to think that if I moved to your country, I’d fit in pretty well over there and know a bit about the geography and accents 🙂
Since you’ve got an October birthday like me, I should be able to remember when that special time comes around 😀
LikeLike
Dry wit, clever sarcasm, and irony… hey, that’s me!
Having travelled a fair bit it is interesting what different cultures find funny. Some though, you can’t get the slightest reaction from, no matter how hard you try, and then something obscure happens and they’re rolling around the floor – each to their own, eh!
Sounds like you’ll fit right in my old mukka! You’d just need to remember things like a bonnet is what you open to stare at your engine, and the other end there’s a boot not a trunk!
October, a good month. My wife was also born in this great month, as was my best mate… you have to be special to have a birthday in October!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And you’re humble about it too, I see 😉 You’re spot-on about different cultures and that’s what makes it fun to learn about other countries I think. I do know about bonnets and boots! Boot sales really threw me for a loop when I heard about them. I was like, “What in the world are British people doing sell boots to each other!?” 🙂 Now I understand they’re basically a yard sale/garage sale as we call them in the US.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol! You’re practically a native now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the progress – though I’m late to the game here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s no prize for being first as the old axiom goes. Thanks for the kind words as always, Mark!
LikeLiked by 1 person