The counts are in for the 2021 Painting Campaign.
While I did not proclaim a figure count goal for 2021, I expected a total of near 900 figures would be a reasonable objective. With an expectation for a steady diet of remote games (right!) and no new projects on the horizon (wrong!), I set my sights on a slightly lower total than the previous years.
What I did not expect was an explosion of remote gaming and two new projects. Of the two new projects begun in 2021, the War of the Roses project wrapped up by year-end and the Sumerian project is making good progress. As seen from the following charts, both War of The Roses and Sumerians made up a big chunk of 2021 output.
On to the numbers.
The totals for 2021 were 1,103 painted figures amassing 4,297 Painting Points. Much better than expected and certainly a nice sum. Now, if I could only restrict new projects and new purchases so that I can make dent in The Lead Pile.
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| Figure 1 |
When looking at painting production by era, Figure 1 confirms that WotR and Sumerian projects did, indeed, represent most of my painting output. There were some Hittites in the Biblical grouping as well. ACW was up there in figure count too but at 10mm, the figures do not count much in either time spent or painting points.
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| Figure 2 |
Breaking painting totals down by scale, Figure 2 illustrates that 25/28mm projects dominated my efforts. Surprisingly, 15/18mm figures saw very little activity in 2021. Something I need to correct for 2022 to bring about more balance.  |
| Figure 3 |
On a Painting Point basis, Figure 3 demonstrates the usefulness of translating actual figures counts to Painting Points. Both the WotR and Sumerian projects see their weight expand at the expense of the smaller (in size) projects. With a translation from Actual to Painting Points, the WotR project's effort increases from about 28% of total effort up to 37% of total effort.
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| Figure 4 |
Converting the figure counts from Actuals to Painting Points (see Figure 4), the 25/28mm projects expand their percentage of effort (84.2%) while the 10mm ACW projects gets squeezed due to the heavier weighting of 25/28mm figures over 10mm figures.
With no new projects planned for 2022, what can I expect on the painting front? I have many projects that may contend for my time at the painting desk but laying down a few priorities may help maintain some focus. Many of these projects already are in a gameable state with the exception of the Sumerian project which needs more units to field two playable armies. Getting close but not quite yet on that one. Where should I spend my painting efforts in 2022?
- Finish enough Sumerians to field two armies.
- Build a SYW French army in 18mm to complement my Prussian and Austrian armies.
- Expand the Biblical armies with additions to Hittites, Egyptians, and Babylonians.
- Expand the Samurai armies to include foot and mounted Samurai bowmen.
- Given the figure size mix from 2021, try to paint more 15/18mm figures than 25/28mm figures.
If all goes well with the above list, perhaps 2022 is the year I begin a Trojan War project or expand the Franco-Austrian War project into the Franco-Prussian War by beginning a Prussian army? Time will tell. Since figures for both the Trojans and Prussians are already languishing in The Lead Pile, try to resist starting a new project requiring new figures. We will see how that goes.
What are your painting plans for 2022?
An impressive output Jon for most gamers I would have thought, but even more so with the amount of games played. How do the painting points work out of interest?
ReplyDeleteAs for my painting plans, aside from decorating parts of the house, the aim is to try and 'finish' various projects to a point that I can field two sides for solo games. Alongside this some for of Ancients or Medieval forces would be nice too. Time will tell!
Steve, the scoring system used is from the analog Hobbies Painting Challenge. Scoring details can be found at,
Deletehttp://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-twelfth-annual-analogue-hobbies.html.
Decorating the house is a task I try to avoid. I have many projects that could use some augmentation, too, if only to reduce The Lead Pile.
Very impressive. I hope that this gives me inspiration to pick up the paint brushes again.
ReplyDeleteI hope this provides inspiration too!
DeleteYour heavy gaming schedule makes it amazing that you got any painting done at all, especially as hosting remote games is quite an investment in time.
ReplyDeleteYour Wars of the Roses project must surely be claimed the success of the year, going from zero to fully functioning.
Norm, I was surprised too that painting production did not suffer too much. Of course, I did retire so that freed up some time for more hobby work.
DeleteHosting games, especially remotely, does consume a lot of time in preparation and presentation.
Yes, I declare the WotR project a victory. Still a few bits to work on for this interesting period but the foundation for most battles has been laid.
A very impressive output, especially considering most are 28mm. Look forward to seeing more if your biblical stuff
ReplyDeleteThank you, Neil! I ought to focus on more 15/18mm in 2022 but the 25/28s are easier to paint as my eyes age.
DeleteI'm astonished that you get both these numbers, and high-quality painting and basing. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Markus! We will see if I can maintain this in 2022.
DeleteI'd certainly call that a banner year for painting, Jon, especially considering the amount of gaming that took place.
ReplyDelete2021 did not make the Top 10 in productivity but it was #11 which was very good. With the number of games, surprising I got anything accomplished.
DeleteWowsa: with an impressive painting count like that, your "lead mountain" must be Everest-Like to have not been reduced to a mole hill by now.
ReplyDeleteI was doubly impressed to see how many 25/28mm figs you completed (one would have thought that with those numbers you were painting in smaller scales).
I can't say that I have any specific painting goals in mind, as far as figures. I tend to think more in terms of projects. Right now, I'm working on painting kriegspiel blocks--a very different kind of exercise!
Thank you, Ed! I am afraid my Lead Mountain has deep crevices into which figures fall and are never seen again. One day, I would like to make some headway but not today...
DeleteYour year was a good one for productivity. I think you also can be proud of the quality of the units you have added. Hopefully as you identify 'needs' to finish a project, you complete the requirements. I know it will be fun to follow!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joe! Great to have you following along as I meander along this painting journey.
DeleteNot only am I envious of your output Johnathan but Im also jealous of your ability to create great digital presentations.
ReplyDeleteRobbie, on the graphics, 80% of the effort is getting the data into the correct form.
DeleteA terrific effort considering all the remote gaming you did Jonathan, as others have noted. The WotR and biblical armies were both very impressively and rapidly executed given they were unplanned at the start of the year.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lawrence! I figured gaming would put a bigger damper on painting. Sometimes it did. When I had three or four games in a week, I barely had time to pick up the brush. It is nice to have more time at the workbench as I mis the relaxation a good painting session provides.
DeleteStarting and finishing the planned six Battles in the WotR project in 2021 provided a good flourish to finish the year. The Sumerians are close to game-ready but not quite.
An impressive achievement Jon - I look forward to seeing your WotR figures on a gaming table soon! Like Ed, I have no specific plans - maybe I will end up doing some GNW Russians, as many have suggested - I am not convinced I really want to commit to another large scale collection - I think I am tending more towards the skirmish level gaming of Border Reivers, Sharpe Practice and (hopefully) the Pulp Project I have been working on for the last six months or so.....
ReplyDeleteBetter than I expected, Keith. Better than expected.
DeleteI look forward to fielding the WotR figures in battle too. Maybe soon. After playing Richard's "Battle Commander' rules for a year, I have my own ideas on what I wish in a game.
No more large projects? I cannot believe it! While skirmish gaming seems to present the path of least resistance to the younger generation of gamers, for our generation, collecting and fighting Big Battles still holds its appeal.
I am awaiting to see the direction you take your Pulp project.
Haha.....maybe the Pulp Collection will end up being a large project!?
DeletePerhaps it will!
DeleteAs always Jon, your ability to paint so much at such a high standard is jaw dropping imo
ReplyDeleteHere’s hoping 2022 is just as productive!
For myself, I hope to get my ww2 projects finished along with my Burrows and Badgers collection. Outside of those, not buy a single mini and add some buildings to my meager lot
Thank you so much, Dai!
DeleteI look forward to following your 2022 project developments. Your Burrows and Badgers project is a real joy to watch evolve.
That is a good total Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteMy own projects have been defined but I really need to rein in production in the light of diminishing storage space…or I could sell something, but I have never been good at letting my children go….
Good totals for me, Mark, but not for you! You are a painting machine.
DeleteStorage space can become an issue and while I may have boxes stacked almost to the ceiling in the game room of painted armies, these could easily be relocated to an adjoining storage room to clear the game room clutter. I could do that but I enjoy seeing boxes stacked to the ceiling.
Very impressive output Jonathan! I could never hope to match those numbers!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
And I could never hope to match your quality.
DeleteWow! Over 1000 miniatures is very impressive.
ReplyDeleteDidn’t you have over 1000 miniatures last year too? How do you even have a lead pile?
I like how converting things to paint points puts every project in its place. 😀
As you know: my plan is to paint 100 miniatures first. Which now seems kinda paltry next to your output. 😀😀
Yes, I did have over 1,000 painted figures in 2020. 1,456 if we are counting. I tend to average about 1,000 figures per year shifting from the Lead Pile to the painted side of the ledger. My Lead Pile never seems to shrink. I know, I need to work on that.
DeleteWith all of the demands on your time, if you finish 100 figures, you should celebrate.
1,000 figres is impressive - I have no idea what I painted - considerably less than that I expect. But, most of my last two years have been spent painting 54mm Toy Soldiers for clients, so little of my own stuff has been finished.
ReplyDeleteAs I am now almost retired I am trying to paint for 1 hour a day. I am still painting some 54mm Napoleonics for a friend but the rest is my own stuff.
I have resolved to cut down the leas pile this year and plan to paint:
15mm Pony Wars
20mm Sudan
40mm AWI
enough of each to get them on the table in a game. No doubt I will be sidetracked...
Hi Mike! Painting a little, often is the way forward to building big armies for me. With so many games in the last twelve months, painting session frequency has drifted lower.
DeleteYour Top 3 periods look interesting to me and will be following your progress. Getting sidetracked is part of the adventure!
There are nearly 2500 figures in the lead/plastic pile for those 3 projects so if I can get someway through them this year that will create a sizeable dent in the unpainted figure pile.
DeleteI wish you well in tackling your Lead Pile in 2022. Inventorying my unpainted lead is a project I have yet to tackle. Not sure I have the stomach for it.
DeleteImpressive tally and assessment, Jonathan. Both the Trojan War and FPW sound like great projects. BTW, I added some Perry FPW French Chasseurs a Pied to an order of Scots Covenanters.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you keeping the Perry Brothers in business, Dean!
DeleteWith as quickly as you muster troops for the table, I would be surprised if your figure counts are not large too.
That is a fantastic work rate, I'm surprised you find time to game!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised too!
DeleteOutstanding painting and record numbers of games, a banner year!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Indeed! 2021 set a high bar for 2022. I will be lucky to top either category in 2022.
DeleteA scary amount of figures Jon , slightly in awe !
ReplyDeleteIf you counted figures, you might be right up there too.
Delete