I sometimes find myself puzzling over which unit to push into the painting queue next. Not that I lack choice. The problem is that I have too much choice. With one or two projects from which to choose, finding something to paint is easy. A dozen or more projects on tap poses some bigger issues. When I reach such indecision, I often prep three dozen French or Austrian infantry for the 1859 project and push them straight away onto the workbench. Simple but colorful uniform buys time while I contemplate what next.
This week saw one of those times. Rather than waste valuable painting time wondering what to paint next; pondering all of the useful possibilities; and going through The Lead Pile in search of just the right unit; I dove into work on a regiment of French line. These Frenchmen are from Lancashire Games. As I say every time I paint a few, the French and Austrian infantry for this period are my favorite Lancashire figures. Really great figures.
Now that this unit is finished, did the time spent working up another French regiment clear my head for what to paint next? I think so! In addition to clearing out the figure bins of more skirmisher figures from an assortment of projects (like I did recently for Cretan bowmen), expect more Hittites to enter into the painting fray.
Does indecision on what to paint next ever grip anyone else? I would enjoy reading your thoughts.
On the cycling front, weekly mileage remains at a little over 200 miles with each day averaging about 33 miles. At this pace, August will come in with roughly the same totals as July. Weather has been pleasant but cycling is not without hazard. Witnessing a crash unfold is a rare event. This past weekend, that rare event came to pass.
As I entered Riverfront Park, I saw a cyclist approach the street from the park. Making the transition from park pedestrian/cycle path to the street, he failed to notice a missing pylon from one piece of road furniture barring vehicles from the path. The event unfolded in slow motion for me as the cyclist's rear wheel clipped the offending pylon bracket. His back wheel slide out from under and he went crashing to the ground, landing in the street. He appeared uninjured. Perhaps his dignity suffered a bruise or two? Ouch! After confirming all was OK, I continued on. One must remain ever vigilant.
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| The Victim |
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| The Perp |
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| The Fall |
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| The Crash |
Ouch. So easily done. Hope he was ok.
ReplyDeleteNice looking French infantry Jonathan.
Ouch, indeed! The cyclist was fine but with a few scrapes. After a few minutes to recollect himself, he was back on his way. Glad you like the French!
DeleteYou're doing great mileage Jonathan. The weather has been far too hot here for the past 4-5 days to do anything really. I did manage a cycle ride to Bath and back which was lovely and at around 22 miles, just right given risks from Covid which still lurk.
ReplyDeleteAs for the French, another lovely unit. I have several projects on the go and I never find a problem with what to paint, rather it's a cse of getting free time in the kitchen to paint that's the issue. When my wife returns to work in early September and our daughter to Uni (assuming both happen) then I should have more time which will be nice.
Good to read that you have been out on your bike given the current situation. Good job!
DeleteFinding time and space to paint is a much different situation than choosing what to paint. With time/space restrictions, you likely have a detailed plan once you can hit the painting table. My painting desk is a dedicated space allowing me to pop down for a quick painting session whenever time and urge allows.
You’re certainly well organised Jon! They look good figures to paint and churn out.
ReplyDeleteI had started cycling to the pool (round trip of about 9 miles) but as Steve said, it’s been a bit too hot in England lately and the pool I use haven’t opened up their showers yet and I do to want to jump in the pool all sweaty!
By the way that book ought to be near you by now. They said 5-10 working days when I posted it on Monday 3 August.
That should read It DONT want to jump in the pool all sweaty’ 😁
DeleteGlad you approve of the paintwork!
DeleteGood to see you getting exercise on the bike too. While it has been hot here, i have been able to switch over to early morning workouts rather than afternoon rides. That way, I can avoid the heat of the day. It always amazes me how much the temperature can sap energy and strength from a body. Much more refreshing to cycle when it is cooler.
I am looking forward to the book. Our postal system is not running so efficiently at present. Hard to gauge when something might arrive.
What a great idea to break through the painting indecision thing. I think for me, maybe doing a vehicle would do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteNorm, for me it is always good to have a unit or two primered and ready to paint when indecision hits. Keeping some French or Austrians ready to go gets me through any indecision and wastage of time.
DeleteHi Jonathan- You've done a splendid job of painting up the French Regiments- just great! I hope I can do half as good with my 18mm Imaginations Regiments. Cheers. KEV.
ReplyDeleteThank you, KEV! The work on your alt-Mex-Am War figures looks good to me!
DeleteAbsolutely I have the occasional bout of analysis paralysis. And I agree that the best way to push through and get things done is to grab something and get it done.
ReplyDeleteI've also learned when not to push. I find my painting tends to move through cycles, where one project takes centre stage before being supplanted by another. Setting hard targets can work in the short term, but over the long term, it makes things feel too much like work - and I have enough deadlines in my actual work that I'm not looking for more from my hobby.
Having something like the FP units (quite snazzy, btw), that you can fall back on, sounds like a great option. 6mm is often that for me, but even there, there's times I need to move away for a while.
Hi Markus! Thanks for your detailed response.
DeleteMy painting moves through cycles same as you. Sometimes one project takes precedence, other times another. Sometimes, a smattering of different projects hits the painting table in quick succession. As for long run painting as a chore, I see your point. We don't want our hobby to begin to feel like work. For me, short term goals typically feature work on specific projects or unit goals. Longer term goals usually are content with a total number of figures to get across the painting desk. Whatever works for you is the proper direction.
Absolutely, not in any sense trying to advocate for "the best way". One of the things I find so interesting about the hobby is how different everyone's experience is of it, and how people come to an approach that works best for them.
DeleteIndeed. Everyone has an approach tailored to his own situation and goals.
DeleteWith about as many projects on the go I too frequently find I have no idea where to head next. Having a game or event helps keep me focused, but those opportunities are few and far between so I find I flit about like a hobby butterfly with no direction far too often to the point of just feeling so frustrated that I do nothing instead. Not ideal with a massive backlog. LOL Sometimes to help reinvigorate myself, I'll grab a random Fantasy/DnD mini from my unpainted collection (Beastmen of late are good examples) just to paint "anything" in the hopes that it helps me find focus better on a project that actually deserves my hobby attentions.
ReplyDeleteAs always sir, your ability to paint massed amounts of small men to make a grandiose unit is impressive.
Must add, whilst I was never a distance cyclist, I never got my driving license until my mid-20's and preferred to cycle on my mountain bike wherever I needed to go. I preferred the wider tyres and better grip than racing bikes and the ability to hop over obstacles that might otherwise have caused me to crash. Not that my journeys were free from accidents(!) - from a bus sideswiping me to almost being crushed under a 2.5 ton pickup and both dislocating my shoulder and jaw in one setting I can say I have had my fair amount of disasters! :) Here's to hoping your good self won't have to experience one any time soon!
Dai, looks like we suffer from similar occasional bouts of painting paralysis and indecision. We both have arrived at similar treatments. I have enjoyed your Beastmen of late. Nice work!
DeleteAs for cycling, I have had a few very close encounters and a mishap or two but nothing of the magnitude of dislocating both jaw and shoulder. Ouch!
When out on the road daily, one learns to take nothing for granted and remain ever vigilant. You never know when a vehicle has you in its sights as an acquired target.
Thanks for the enjoyable comment!
Just goes to show that going outside is fraught with perils; best to be avoided all together. 😀
ReplyDeleteGreat job on French line as usual. Looking splendid.
As for paint paralysis; I’m usually focused on one genre at a time so the decision on what to do is already made. If painting miniatures seems daunting then I usually switch to terrain, but in the same genre. I’m also in the habit of putting two and only two projects on the desk at once and won’t start another one till one of those is completed. Sometimes that means I’m painting something that I’m not terribly excited about at the time but since the main goal is getting stuff done, the system works for me. 😀
Glad you like the Frenchmen, Stew!
DeleteStew, successfully avoiding injury and death out on the bike makes you appreciate life. In these situations, one must be able to assess risk properly and act accordingly.
Your approach to painting paralysis/indecision is a good one. That is, is when you encounter a roadblock, quickly find another path from which to forge on.
You make an interesting point about losing interest on a unit/figure that is currently in work but pushing on regardless. Sometimes, that is tough to do but get are rewarded when finished. there are times when my favorite parts of painting a unit is when I begin and when I finish. The work in between those start/stop lines can be a chore.
Fantastic work as always Jonathan :D
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind!
DeleteGreat looking fellows in rouge pantaloons. Ouch on the crash you caught, a few years ago I lost my back tyre on some wet leave on a bend and ended up leaking claret all the way home.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Paul! I am very fond of the French pantaloon rouge too. Great cycling story! At least you were not leaking blood all of the way back home!
DeleteLovely work, and I can see that it would be nice to have a go-to project like this that you can return to. I catalogued all of my remaining projects a couple of months ago and was genuinely appalled at how many I have left to go. Even if I live to a hundred and eighty I doubt I'll see them through.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lawrence!
DeleteCataloging my remaining figures in The Lead Pile would lead to depression, for sure. If I made the calculations, I would need to live to the age of 180 too. I often thing that a wargamer needs two lifetimes: one to paint and one to play. Still, the journey is a fun one.
Another lovely unit, very impressive. The saying that you never forget how to ride a bike, was proved wrong for me last year in Vietnam, never again.
ReplyDeleteThanks, George! You should share your Vietnam cycling story.
DeleteOuch indeed, It is strange that descriptions of falls from bikes, grazes or whatever always make me wince...maybe it takes me back to those days of my youth and grazed knees from falling of bikes...who knows, I really wish I could find a 28mm manufacturer that I like that makes figures for 1859, it is a conflict that has fascinated me for 35 years.
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DeleteWatching this mishap unfold before my eyes made me wince too. As for 1859 in 28mm, what about Mirliton or commissioning your own figures?
Unlike most commentators, I have the opposite problem, plenty of time and motivation but a lack of lead to paint! That's the main reason I have resorted to making buildings recently. I did try suggesting a few things for my up coming birthday but apparently I was too late and my present is already arranged - BUGGER! I hope you guys appreciate how fortunate you are to have mounds of figures stashed away ready for when the mood takes you!
ReplyDeleteKeith, your situation does not make sense to me but I commend the control you exhibit over your Lead Pile. Your resolve is an inspiration for many, I am sure.
DeleteI cannot stomach seeing a fellow gamer with time and motivation to paint but no figures. Send out a Wish List and I will see what I can scrounge!
Thank God the cyclist was uninjured! Your dedication to cycling is as admirable as your painting productivity, Jon. I always smile when when I see another unit of your French for this era. As for painting motivation (or, deciding what to paint next), that is seldom a problem form me. However, the Pandemic having prevented FTF gaming for almost 8 months now does effect my usual driver, which is planned games, convention and otherwise. Thus far, that has had little impact upon productivity given the increased availability of painting time resulting from cancelled vacation travel, etc!
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DeleteYes, the cyclist, despite a few scrapes, was uninjured and was back on his bike after a few minutes to gather himself.
I know much of your painting mojo comes from preparing for games that you host so it is good to see that your pay ting production has not fallen off given the situation.
I imagine we have all had cancelled vacation and travel plans. We had two international trips planned this spring and both were cancelled. Since then, we have made no more plans until the situation improves. Looking forward to the day we can once again travel. It may be awhile. My painting has increased too.
Another lovely addition to your 1859 collection...
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that I can make my own toy soldiers means I will always have lead to paint... Hurrah!
As I am capable of falling off an exercise bike... I don’t think I will ever be seen cycling the roads of Nottinghamshire...
All the best. Aly
Thank you, Aly! You will never run out of toy soldiers, for sure. As for falling off an exercise bike, I have accomplished that feat at least once...
DeleteGreat looking French line infantry and good to see the other cyclist was okay. I have in the past defaulted to painting something from the Italian wars but as I haven't been painting recently ( but I have been preparing and priming so still hobby time) I haven't pushed it and last night started some ECW horse following on from my games of FK &P, I like to stay focused but don't want to force myself to do something as it is a hobby not a job! Plus if I'm doing hobby related stuff it's all good!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks, Iain!
DeletePlaying a game is a good motivator to paint. Good to see that your recent ECW battle provided some inspiration at the painting desk. I look forward to seeing your next regiment of horse.
Quality as usual Johnathan. That many options would cause me to have a headache though and given the weather recently I would struggle to paint that many figures. Perhaps when things cool down. As for cycling,my bikes sit in the garage covered in dust. I think its the fact I live amongst a lot of hills and my posterior is too delicate to handle the pain.
ReplyDeleteRobbie, it is great to hear from you! Perhaps when the weather cool you will return to the painting desk. You were on a painting tear recently so a bit of a rest is OK.
DeleteAs for cycling, the terrain is hilly here too. Your bum would adapt with time in the saddle. It is the first 1,000 miles each season that are the hardest.
Beautiful units as usual, yes there is always a challenge to figure out what to do. Like many of us I have several projects bubbling along at the same time so it is never really a big problem. My secret is always paint next what you fancy 🙂 as for the cyclist ouch ! Still managing my 100 plus miles per week which is enough for me 🚴🏻♂️
ReplyDeleteThank you, Matt! Sound advice on painting what fancies you. I do much the same but averaging about one unit per week, I need to think ahead a bit. Sometimes I get bogged down when accounting for lead time.
DeleteAveraging 100 miles per week is outstanding! My weekly mileage has increased mainly due to increasing each route by about 8-10 miles per day. That, and having good weather.
Beautifully painted Frenchmen, Jonathan. And the stop action images of the, luckily not serious, bike crash is amazing too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dean! I should have asked the fallen cyclist if he needed footage for a claim against the city.
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