I must credit Andreas Johansson with the title for this post. Andreas sometimes pops in to leave a comment and his thread of the same name on the SoA forum inspired me to take on his terminology in my painting wrap up for the first half of 2025. I know there is still part of the 30th remaining but I have essentially closed out the Painting Log for June.
What is Saturnine Orogeny? Andreas defines it as a combination of "saturine" which alchemists associated lead to the planet Saturn, so an old meaning of "saturnine" is "of or relating to lead or lead poisoning." "Orogeny" means "mountain-building."Since my goal is to reduce the size of The Lead Pile, I really ought to focus on mountain erosion than building but I will stick with Andreas' terminology.
In the first half of 2025, I managed to see 429 figures muster out from the painting desk while only purchasing 101 figures. Without checking, I reckon almost all of the new figures brought in were to supply the 15mm FPW project with cavalry and commanders from 19th Century Miniatures. Even given the figures purchased, the size of The Lead Pile fell by over 300 figures in the first half of 2025. Good start to the year!
The leading pie chart illustrates that SYW dominated production, but Biblicals slotted into second place. These two periods accounted for nearly 60% of all painting efforts. Still, at least eight different periods saw some additions so variety was quite balanced.
I’m always amazed by your painting output set against a background of how much remote gaming that you get involved with.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Norm! Three games are on the schedule for this week with games on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The week will be busy.
DeleteInteresting post Jon, and you have done well in the first half of the year, good total and great lead reduction and as Norm says and all the games you manage to get in as well, kudos sir!
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated, Donnie! I do what I can to make some progress.
DeleteLike Norm, always amazed at output......unlike Norm I attribute it to overworked elves and/or witchcraft...☺
ReplyDeleteI am deferring my expedition to the Mountains of Unfinished Projects until retirement.......so a full survey is lacking. The maps do show "here be monsters and other strange things.."
As of today, this year so far, I have painted 26 mounted, 108 foot, 3 guns and 9 crew and a dog....☺
Neil
You managed to keep yourself busy at the painting desk as well! Great totals for the YTD.
DeleteCongratulations, 300 figures in these parts is considered an army. Plus we have seen the quality. I will report back as to how many painted here. My wife always said subtracting is actually adding a negative number to the positive number, So adding in this case the number is -300. Math teachers.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Notice that in my little "Reducing The Lead Pile" widget in the right sidebar that Net Change is a negative number demonstrating a reduction in the size of the Pile. Math teachers, indeed!
DeleteI'm not sure of the numbers, but I managed quite a few figures, mainly because of the Painting Challenge, and all in 25mm too!
ReplyDeleteYes, you did! You have been a painting machine with your Retreat From Moscow project.
DeleteSadly, between increasing hand shake/twitch, slow but ever ongoing deterioration of eyes, and an excess of figures compared to storage & game capacity, painting, while continuing, is a small fraction of my hobby these days.
ReplyDeleteHappily, I'm still slowly adding to my 3 digit collection of molds so periodic same day recruitment is easy.
Wargaming has a lifecycle of activities. If passed the painting and accumulation stages, many more facets to enjoy. I can foresee figure painting winding down at some point but not quite yet! Besides, I have far too much unpainted lead to lay down the brushes.
DeleteThat is a great result Jonathan, and even more in that you painted over 300 more than you purchased. Nowadays I find I'm gaining a lot of satisfaction from finally being able to throw away empty boxes that have been storing figures for years, without unduly adding to them.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to work through at least a small portion of The Lead Pile without adding to it so that I reach the point of eliminating boxes. Reducing even one box does produce satisfaction as you say. I have so many to get through, though.
DeleteMy painting output has remained quite steady though the lead pile has only slightly reduced. If I get enthusiastic about a period/game the output goes up, my FPW is a prime example
ReplyDeleteNeil, you have been on fire with your work on your FPW collection. Keep at it!
DeleteWell, as far as output, I can say that my current project, of about 30, 28mm figures, has been ongoing on for something like four weeks, and counting. So, to see results similar to yours, any tracking system I would use would need to be graduated in geologic timespans.
ReplyDeleteYou’re funny, Ed! I read a recent post from another wargamer suggesting he paints at glacial speed. At least it’s not sub-glacial speed!
DeleteWell my painting output pales to yours, but so far it's been a decent year I think although my posting is lagging as usual!
ReplyDeleteChristopher, my quality pales to yours!
DeleteCos I am such a sad tragic, I just went and counted, Jon, using my blog updates as a guide! Infantry total is pretty much 500...BUT, 470 of them are 10mm EIR and their enemies! Also did around 10 command figures 4 scorpions and 2 onagers.
ReplyDelete28mm only about 30 infantry, 11 gun crew...three guns, 7 or 8 vehicles, a Napoleonic rocket frame and crew...plus a fair bit of 28mm scenery!
Even if 10mm dominates, that is a GREAT result for a half year of efforts!
DeleteGreat result Jonathan, especially considering your quality.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that you have stuck to your plan and not purchased too much new stuff.
Thanks, Ben!
DeleteJonathan, you can be sure a post of yours analysing the progress you're making will being me out of "commenting retirement". Quite amazing progress and I love the title "Saturnine Orogeny" - especially considering the title of my blog.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you bring pulled out of commenting retirement, Richard! Now, why would you retire from commenting?
DeleteTongue in cheek Jonathan :) - as I have not been reading blogs or hence commenting / posting much at all over the last two months as other things have taken priority.
DeleteQuite some output Jonathan. I no longer count but rejoice that things get painted.
ReplyDeleteWe should all rejoice every time something gets painted!
DeleteGood output, unusually because of my Jamaican sojurn I'm a little ahead for once at over 300 28mm but I'm making up for it by slowing right down !
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Your stint in Jamaica produced spectacular results!
DeleteReally good output for half a year, with the important fact that output is actually reducing the lead pile. Of course, not knowing what number you started with for the lead mountain means we don't know if the -300 is a significant reduction. 😜😁
ReplyDeleteOverall I'd say my lead mountain has grown as I've gotten more Quar troop boxes but haven't touched them yet. But luckily there's not a ton that come in the box, though I don't have anything like your output. Wish I did! 😁
Reducing The Lead Pile but slowly. I may have more unpainted figures than you can imagine.
DeleteYou have been very productive again Jonathan. My own has dropped well behind the historical trend, although that reduction us intentional.
ReplyDeleteMark, your production has dropped by choice, and you continue to churn out amazing terrain pieces.
DeleteCongrats on your painting output, as ever I don't know how you do it all!
ReplyDeleteHowever, the fact that you got the lead pile down by 300 makes me think of advertising where they say 'save £300' (or $) and I immediately think 'so the full price is gonna be 2000 or more'.... Is your total lead pile number strictly classified information?
The total count in the Lead Pile is unknown even to me! The numbers are uncountable.
Deletemaybe it's best if you don't actually try to make a definitive count... (!)
DeleteA count is really not possible and probably a bit embarrassing.
DeleteGreat post title Jon and thanks for the explanation as to what it actually means:). As always I'm amazed at your painting output! My painting as always has been patchy, with a very stop start approach for a variety of reasons. Compared to last year I feel I have made more progress, but the recent heatwaves have curtailed all activity:(.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve, and you are welcome! Perhaps, once your heatwave breaks, you will be back at the workbench?
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