Well, darn

No takers on the Dark Elves. I've reposted at a lower price, but I think I'll focus more on trying to get something else finished and up for auction. I have some dragons from the Bones 3 kickstarter. Maybe a big model will be more enticing than a bunch of small ones?

Plan Enacted

Two things that I actually managed to do!

I finished the #$@%! Dark Elves!!

And I posted an eBay auction for them! All part of my attempt to raise some money for Garycon costs.

I have...

Hola! I haven't been posting much because, frankly, I haven't been painting much. I am working to change that, though. One way to self-motivate is financial.

Just about the only con I attend is Garycon in March. I always have a great time, but it is too far to drive and Lake Geneva is far enough from the Milwaukee airport that I usually need to rent a car. I can generally split this and the hotel room's cost with a local friend who also flies out to attend, but it's still several hundred dollars altogether. I am working hard to reduce my overall debt, so slapping it all on a credit card is not my preferred method.

In an effort to defray the costs, I am going to try to paint up some of my old and new minis and sell them fairly cheaply on eBay. Just tabletop quality. But people have been known to pay a few bucks to get a pack of orcs for their table. It will also motivate me a bit to sit and paint.

Last night I pulled the last couple GW Dark Elves out of a drawer and started working on them. I got through one spearman, but there is still a crossbowman left. Once those are painted, based, and sealed I will list the regiment (complete with standard bearer, musician, and hero) for auction. I see this as a test case. It also will help me get into the habit again (I hope). Like the original purpose of this blog, it helps me to have specific goals.

I doubt I'll paint my way to paying for all of Garycon with sales, but if I can put a dent in the bill, I'll call it a win. 

They're HEEERE!

My Kickstarter rewards from Reaper arrived in today's mail. I have developed quite a pile of these now, since so many from the previous Bones Kickstarter are still unpainted in my basement!

Reaper Bones 3

I got word from Reaper that they finally have all the Kickstarter minis from China. That means they'll be shipping rewards soon. Looks like I need to get back at the ol' painting table.

One of the troubles I've had with the Bones minis is the hydrophobic nature of the plastic. this, coupled with its dislike of some primers, has made the painting slower than it should be. Fortunately, I found a post where it mentioned that Army Painter spray primer works well. So I tried it on a Bones chimera and sure enough! A nice even basecoat.

Onwards!

Painting Club

I went to the minis painting club's meeting this month. I haven't been in a while. I worked on a couple more Reaper Bones (some bugbears and a gnoll). The going is slow, but I am painting a bit more regularly.

Of course, I might have gotten through more painting if I hadn't left my glasses at home...

Pics, just to prove it happened.

Here are the Minas Tirith spearmen and the Bones Bugbear. Not much to look at, but it felt good to finish a mini again.

Some progress!

I wanted to post before I spaced out again, but actually worked on some minis last night! (yay)

I finished (more or less) a Reaper Bones Bugbear and three LOTR Minas Tirith spearmen.

I was waiting to snap pix after I got the bases done. Hopefully tonight or tomorrow.

I also fiddled a bit with a Reaper Orcus model I've had half painted for ages (mostly while waiting for paint to dry on the others).

I don't know that it inspired a new campaign or anything, but damn it felt good to actually work on something and make progress!

Seeking inspiration through little green men.

Not that kind:

This kind!

As I've mentioned in a separate blog, my gaming motivation has been low for a while now. I've tried to jumpstart my creative energies by reading fantasy and science fiction, not to mention gaming books. I've started writing adventures and campaign ideas only to stop partway through. None of it has really gained traction.

So now I'm thinking of trying a different tack. Instead of what I have usually done –looking for minis to fit an adventure or campaign I'm writing– I'm going to paint the minis to spur the ideas. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? So how much can I get out of a three-dimensional visual?

So my very simple goal is to put paint to a mini every week. I have a bin full of Reaper Bones that are collecting dust. I don't even care if my rusty paint skills turn out something ugly. At least I'll have done something!

It's worth a try, right?