Craftsman or collector?

Erm.... this post has been sitting in m drafts for a couple of weeks now....trying to crystalise my thoughts into something coherent, actually thats the case with most of my posts. Have an idea but sitting down and translating it to the written word laced with pictures usually proves to be the stumbling block. However, this post was somewhat helped by this post. which sums up one facet of what i had been contemplating lately i.e one of the issues i have with the hobby is that i flit around too much, tempted by the next thing, idea in my head leading me to never actually finishing anything (hence title of blog, tales of the impatient. 

Latest projects on the go

But then this brought me onto thinking about what am i trying to achieve with my hobby whilst evaluating my collection.  20 odd years ago.. (wow...it has been that long!!) my collection began with what i liked the look of. Of course this was based on the pictures of perfectly painted up minis on the boxes and in White Dwarf, but there was a bit of a gulf from that and what i was able to recreate (well my sister at the time of my first minis!) 20 years on this is still very much true. However now with increased buying power from employment and being a pseudo adult, less time in general for anything and more stuff than ever to paint, i find my skills plateauing... but for what reason? and is that what i want? Of course not, i want to paint like the best of them, but with that takes, time, practice and to a certain extent a more extensive set up, some of which i feel less inclined to invest in as channels funds away from more precious precious minis... But is that wise, and again is that really what i want?

pushing the boundaries,

From behind as well...

 Maybe its the Chinese in me that i have a thing for massed uniformity but looking at golden demon and entries on the various forums esp Platoon Britannica, i find my self wondering if i should slow down, spend more time on single minis and techniques to get beyond the plateau. But then what about the massed ranks of armies that look so cool, especially when there is symmetry involved?!?! what about having all the options for a game i rarely play? what about trying to adhere to fluff from an imaginary world when building a force? Yer see, here in lies my dilemma, i think i am slightly hobby OCD and have far too many conflicting neuroses to focus when it comes to the hobby. So the short of it i want to be both...alas i will probably end up either...actually i will have a large collection it will just look rubbish which will fuel my buying habits to buy more stuff thinking one day i will have time to recreate what has been driving me in this hobby for all these years... GW are cunning aren't they....My only hope is if i can dig some time out somewhere as that will be the only time i will be able to dedicate improving. otherwise i will be stuck adding to the collection. as for painting services. Whilst they can "paint my world" as BTP put it,i think that takes some of the fun out of it... that and they take further funds away from more mini purchases...so another dead end

As it is, at the moment my aim will be to improve the general level & speed of painting so i can create a good looking force of decent standard. learning to master the airbrush is definitely key to this. Will then move on to seeing if i can create a great looking one....But interlaced will be side projects of single minis to try and push the boundaries a little.... wow that almost sounds like a plan...

Wraithcannons

Suncannon & Scattershield

Anyway in other news, with the arrival of the Imperial knight, thought i should really finish off Wraithknight before i even consider a purchase... (since i didn't decide to stop buyin cool stuff :P) Seeing as he has been sitting around for a bit its only fair. It's all the options that have been delaying progress, well that and all the little details i want to add. Still not really sure how i keep them swapable as don't think even magnets will be strong enough and pinning isn't feasible as its ball and socket joints... anyway blutack for now. N.B there is some minor conversion on the arms, have gone for underslung guns rather than on the back of the forearm mounting. Again prefer the look, but pics of all the options and a "studio" pic with the family

Must say sword and shield combo looks pretty dapper...

and think this is one of my best thought out posts...! hmmm, i must be tired... nighty night!

Monthly meanderings

Not been the greatest month since last post, life wise that is. I know blogs are supposed to be an opportunity to put it all out there seems a bit weird. So for now i'll stick to what i've been doing and  hobbywise still going strong. Nothing like impending exams to help the mojo flow. So in the mix are Anima tactics, Infinity, Forgeworld and good ol' regular GW.. Sooo let the photos flow. Still haven't got the hang of this formatting on blogger so it will just have to be a mishmash of photos. But from Infinity you will see "Penthesilea", i.e lady on a bike. Couldn't resist any longer and going on my current strategy of one in one out, i.e once have finished something can start something new, i allowed myself to start her, having just done a load of Ulthwe black guardians and also finished "one shot", shown here on the left. Now although she is a fantastic model, those bits ain't half delicate and when cleaning up (of which is minimal) you have to be careful not to remove any detail by accident. Anyway once built have started painting her using Angel Giraldez's step by step guide on facebook as reference. Boy does he make it look easy but i can testify...it ain't. Still a learning process, may actually have to break pen a new airbrush to try some finer techniques. Anyhoo along with the lovely lady, also recently picked up a long coverted Macharius from FW off the charming chap that runs Badass studios.. Have been wanting one for ages but RRP is a bit off putting. Now while still not that cheap and missing a few bits and bobs, its essentially what i have been looking for with the bonus i didn't have to put it together. I say bonus, as had hear it was fiddly, usually i am against such things as i think thats the whole point of the hobby side, making everything for yourself, but when it comes to such a big project, its nice not to worry you'll mess it up. There was a choice of the vanquisher or the vulcan and while had considered the vulcan (came complete as well) ultimately think the vanquisher looks more boss like so had to go with aesthetics. Am happy i did. She is now all primed up ready to go. just need to sort some hatches and crew for her. And you can see below her sitting happily with my Wraithknight who is getting more love in a bid to finish before the new imperial knights start appearing and before i get tempted to bu one of those...
Finallly to finish off the photo descriptions are PIP of wraithblades to finish off wraith figs and Barraroth who is basically done with his repaint. Will get him in the photo studio at some point but happy how he has turned out.

All in all, not bad for me, not bad at all...onward and upward though like a soaring hawk..... :P

2014 Mid January update

Mid January, a few weeks since last update. Probably too late for wishing you all a happy new year, but hope it was a good one. CNY coming up so could wish you all an early one for that, but maybe will have another update around that time. Anyhow, mine was going alright but recent personal news has dampened that somewhat. But dealing with it as we all do.
Otherwise getting a routine going so feels good mojo wise. I hope to finish some things again this year like the Blood Angels of last year. So much so have put made a plan, done an audit of what i have in the plastic pile and broken it down into manageable sub projects... Of course that's all just procrastinating. I'll just end up doing stuff as and when i feel like it :D but aim is to try and not start anything new until i finish the another thing...as it is have started quite a few things...

So on the hobby desk as of late

Drop pod has been languishing around for a while, so was time for more paint.

Central control panel & Wraith seer giving it a good stomp

Recently picked up more jetbikes for a decentish price. I.e less than rrp. These were in better shape (no paint and well built) than the last ebay rescues but lacking in shuricannons. As i have an abundance of these from walkers and wraithlord kits, why not retrofit these onto some standard bikes?.... The bike fleet as it stands on the left

Removal of shuricats firstly ( please note this photo is using one off the less new ones)

Bit of cutting, pinning, an ammo canister from the hvy weapon kits et voila!

Also Barroth is getting a new lick of paint, not sure on the colours thought. Was thinking sky themed colours and also herald of victory hence the lighter palate...but seems a bit too bright

Finally some more work on the Big guy before i even think of building the revenant. Didn't end up altering the pose that much, required too much cutting of an expensive model so removed some peggage, straightened out his leg a bit and ended up him mimicking the wraithseer... except he has nothing to step on at the mo.....maybe some cork will be required. Also the matter of deciding whether to bother magnetising...while it does off the options, i don't play (yet) so not sure... things were so much simpler in the olden days :D





Pictures pending on work on Ulthwe guardians and been finishing the shadow spectres..... been putting those off due to the stupid robes... while nice they are a pain as not always obvious where to stick them to and they do break off easily. Otherwise all go go go! ;) btw have decided Ulthwe is going to be my foot slogging eldar, while Mymearan offshoot is the fast moving mobilised hard hitting force...



But plans for after the eldar....guard seem to be calling..in fact another sentinel recently stepped off the production line.... but to sign off a couple of non GW models have been working on. These will appear in a later post where will showcase my ladies of the miniature world. but The left one is from Infinity Ariadna range by Corvus Belli and the Right is Kujaku Hime of the Anima Tactics game from Cipher studios.

Seasons Greetings

Seasons greetings! Hope everyone had a great day with friends and family. This year seems to have flown by and Christmas came around all to quickly! Feeling for doing a review of the year style post but see how it goes.


Anyhoo yesterday was a fine day for hobbying.....No mini's in the haul as basically i get me own stuff anyway and the pile is big enough! But got some nice tools and such.


But as is a special day thought i'd tackle bigger projects yesterday. So was a hobby day Heavy Eldar vehicle style.... Mainly worked on the Lynx and broke out the wraithknight as a tester for this.....

... i only gone and done it.........a Revenant...... again ebay has proved my bane....and was just a cheeky bid to see what it would go for.. alas.....twas the winning bid. Was a bargain though as came pre prepped. Missing the head i would have preferred but i knew what i was getting..... But i really think i have a problem ..... oh wells... hopefully should be slowing down this year on the purchases :D


But this is the Sonic lances version as prefer the look. Now searching for poses for this beast but firstly need a base. Am thinking of a landing pose but heavy landing so thudding into something, make it a bit of a diorama.. something like this on Torg's blog cos this is an awesome version...Not sure i will be ale to replicate and will probably be a while before i start him.

Anyway back to the Wraithknight - Had a spare falcon crewman and reading the fluff thought i'd pop in the Emo steersman and he actually fits there without affecting the head fitting. Added a bit of wiring to his head to signify the psychic links. Then will be going for the bone scheme as with all my other wraith constructs.

Also need to decide on the base, again will have to be built up a bit.

As you can see have been working on this as sub assemblies again. Think this does slow down the building process as tend to pre-paint each bit but a bit helps reach those little details that are out of reach once built. But will work on the legs as don't like the stock pose and the little tabs that come pre-molded look to be purposely removable to allow reposing.


Weapon wise will see how to go about magnetising. But see how it goes, in some senses it was simpler in the old days when there wasn't so much choice... so many options now. But can't really complain as helps make everything a bit more unique


Anyhow to other works, also has been working on the Crimson hunter. A bit of an accident with masking but will be a red white and black scheme on the hunter. Again base needs to be worked upon. but will try and get the scheme right first.

Also work progresses on the Mymearan contingent with some ebay rescue Jetbikes. Aiming for a faded blue grey on the canopies and that's generally the theme i'm going for on all the vehicles, while all the infantry will be white.

Vehicles wise the Warp hunter was the trial scheme and worked on the Lynx yesterday. Coming together now and quicker than i though. Had been putting it off as to date it had been my most expensive miniature purchase. Pictures not really illustrating what have been doing with the divergence scheme though as a bit washed out. The pic of the Lynx doesn't really show off the blue-ish tinge.


But army as is below consisting of:

Farseer
Irrilyth
Shadow spectres
Jetbikes
Wasp walkers
Warp hunter


To come:


wave serpents
Wraithguard
Rangers
Dire avengers
Lynx
Hawks




Speaking of which to the other ulthwe work include the ebay rscue Wave serpents with another new addition from from afore mentioned auction site. Turret being worked on as didn't like the FW turret it came with, but need to knock up a turret base from something. But anyhoo busy busy. No pics of other dire avengers that had been completed for the strike force but will eventually once get the characters done too.

The blog that time forgot

Another post and no excuse for no show, life happens and well... time is finite. A precious commodity that i've dedicated to painting & modelling me figs instead... that's not strictly true, have recently been deriving much enjoyment from blue table painting's bat reps on Youtube, in between starting studies again that is...

woo futures markets and hedging... thrilling... But has made me think about trying a game down either at the local store or dark sphere near work sometime... but will see.

Anyway in hobby life, have been flitting in between projects again while still buying way too much. Eldar still remain very much the focus, but having two flavours on the go is probably not a good idea. Add in Tale of painters Garfy's ultramarines being featured in white dwarf, got a bit of a hankering to getting around to finishing the terminator element of my own first company. What a palavar...and finally with some sad looking sanguinary guard languishing on the workshop table, they needed some love too... So all in all lots going on but no finished products.... nuts. However, thought i'd post up some quick shots of what progress has been made so here goes.

On the right is sang guard sqd leader. Wanted to try something different with his helmet and liking the way Iron man's mask opens up, i went for that kind of look, but with the deathmask as the face plate. Think his flesh face needs to be recessed a bit more but quite happy with it and coupled with the reposed legs(don't like the stock poses) should be quite dynamic when finished


Below are pic of me Eldar. In there you still have the unfinished spectres, with Irilyth and the farseer. A Wasp walker in progress, some dire avengers. A second wasp will be added shortly

From the other flavour you have my completed wraithlord from a few years back and new wraithblades. They are being joined by a newly acquired Wraithseer. Now was originally going to try and achieve a two handed pose with his spear but its proing fiddlly and liking the spear to the back hand outstretched look, may need to knock up some sort of psychic manifestation.


But there you have it, the photos that i have managed to get. What hasn't been captured is work on FW avatar, a crimson hunter and a load of black guardians. So haven't been completely been idle!


Till the next post.

Autumnal Liberty

So, free from another stint of exam prep.... I really wish i passed these first time, alas my old brain is not as it was...actually that's a lie, it's never been that good with exams, always missing by a few marks..sigh, but a few weeks til results so no need to think about that now. In addition taking a hiatus from them...well giving myself more time for the next lot as they have to be taken in one go and 3 new subjects is a bit heavy going on top of work.

Lynx undercoated & base shaded!

Anyhoo that should mean more time to do stuff i enjoy (yey!). Having said that have recently been contemplating when is it deemed to much? My burgeoning unfinished pile continues to grow, fueled by the ever present temptations of ebay and a life free from other vices and social obligations owing to afore mentioned studies. This has allowed "shiny new things" syndrome and a lack of self discipline to run riot as i see things i like the idea and look of but having then bought them realise i don't actually have the time do much with them. This coupled with my titular impatience leaves a stream of unfinished projects which do nothing to sate the need for more as the unfinishedness disappoints somewhat but doesn't spur me enough to finish them as i move on to something else... an endless vicious cycle. However, looking at recent buys, have just realised how much i've got so is it enough....? the answer is yes but then if i enjoy it then whats the harm? Hmmm i haven't decided yet but i do need to slow down. But ebay bargains are still my bane. Need to keep the watch list down.

Spray day of recent ebay rescue... ahem

Anyway will continue to redouble efforts to finish things. So this post is dedicated to progress! But sitting down to hobby, you then realise just how much time is needed to be dedicated to building the darn things in the first place and all the prep work involved, so have been alternating between "build" and "paint" days to help this along. But at the moment focus is still on the Eldar. Mymeara is currently gaining a dominance to what i am trying to complete thanks to the spectres. But am working on several units of guardians, jet bikes, a crimson hunter and some characters. Should keep me busy. Mymeara will still be a variant of the FW scheme, Back story for my force that i'm going with is they are a remnant force of Irilyth the phoenix lord when he took a load of the Mymearans to destroy some unknown future threat. Therefore it's a small force. Minimal guardians and everything fast moving/mounted but hard hitting. Should consist of :

Spirit seer in pieces, converted the
spearas not fond of the original

1 Irilyth

1 spirit seer

1 Warlock

10 shadow spectres

5 wraith blades

10 guardians

10 Dire avengers

2 wave serpents

2 falcons

1 warp hunter

1 Lynx

1 Crimson Hunter

5 Hawks

3 Jetbikes

With some paint in progress

Please note that i don't really game so this list may not be legal or that competitive but its of models i like and think will fit in to the theme of fast moving force. Anyhoo below are pics of painting progress. Spectres still taking lots of time to complete. Lots of details and unsmoothness i'm trying to sort out!

Irilyth with his spectre body guard

Illic sans top knot PiP

Just to finish up here are some avengers. They were actually another ebay rescue and realised they were from a warseer member Aryllon. 2 of them were already done and as they were painted quite nice seemed a shame to strip them so painted up the remaining 3 including the exarch in the same manner (albeit changer the head on the exarch). Can you spot which ones are mine (apart from the exarch as have said that's mine already)