I got 144 miniatures painted in 2014. It is a pretty decent total.
#1 – #3: Ork Deffkoptas
#4 – #6: Goffik Rokkerz, “Mushrööm Klowd”
#7: Blood Axe Human Advisor
#8 – #9: Deathworld Jungle Pods
#10: Deathworld Jungle Spiker
#11: Venus Man-Trap
#12 – #13: Venus Man-Traps
#14: Deathworld Jungle Pod
#15: Deathworld Jungle Pod
#16 – #30: Deathworld Mutant Plants
#31: Venusian Mantrap
#32 – #41 – Deathworld stuff (Sedition Wars technorganic virus things)
#???: nine refurbished Horrorclix miniatures. These could arguably be counted as part of the tally, but I am not going to.
#???: Very, very many jungle terrain bases. Im not going to count these in the tally, but they took ages.
#42: Emerald Isle Judge MacO’Conihoonihan
#43-44: Ork Drummer and Drum Kit
#45-51: Renegade Runtmaster Zodgrod Wortsnagga and Super Runtz/Ninja Goblins
#52: Gretchin Zero (left)
#53: Loor Scout
#54-55: Notorious G.I.T. (centre) and crony (far right).
#???: Carnivorous Sand Clams. Again, I could arguably include these in the total I think, but Im not going to.
#56: shuttle/lander/lighter “Helga”
#57-#68: Campsite
#68-#74: Spine Crystals/Perilium/Kryptonite/Warpstone
#75-#76: Portaloos
#77: Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor Jodorowsky
#78: Tenebrainian Cerebalite
#79: Deadzone Chovar
#80: Yellow Gyrinx
#81: Sensei Ramirez
#82: L’Oreal Wangst – Eldar Outcast
#83: Friskers the Gyrinx
#84: Milo the Space Eunuch
#85: Honoured Imperium Marble Aquila
#86: Ursa Miner Cyber-Slayer
#87: Honoured Imperium Marble Space Marine Statue
#88 – #91: Bouncers
#92 – #97: Skabsquigs Skallywags, Mr Killgore and Swabs
#98 – #100 – Deadzone Marauders
#101 – #106 – More Skabsquigs Skallywags
#107 – #108: Kaptin Fiddy Teef and Mr Scuttle
#109 – #114: Gretchin Skallywags
#115 – #121: Dead Body Objective Markers (Judge Death not included)
#122: Mushrööm Klöwd Tour Bus
#123: Big Billy & Crackers, Troll and Parrot Space Pirates
#124: Ash Wastes Nomad
#125 – #127: Rippy Fish
#128: Ambull
#??? – Battle Systems card terrain. Im not including this in the tally, but considering how much time it took to get it to it modular state, I felt the need to document it. It definitely ate into my painting schedule, although I think that it was worth it considering the gaming opportunities that it provides.
#129: Char’lee Krown, alien plant person
#130 – #133 – Dryanids (space tree people)
#134 – Space Santa
#135 – G.I.N.G.E.R., cyber-gyrinx
#136 – Space Skeleton
#137 – #139: Steev Tylork, Klem Fandangorkk and the NoyzKraft Kustom 200 sound desk
#140 – #141: Brainboyz
#142 – 144: Avaran Treebeast, Yndij Reaver, Convict Grogan Thug for DreadBall Xtreme
Some of the items in the tally are small, quickly painted affairs while others are far more significant in terms of their size and the corresponding resources that they demanded. I figure that those differing subjects balance out in general, so each counts as “one thing” in my total, whether its a tiny cat miniature or a big shuttlecraft.
Although the work that went into preparing the Deathworld jungle was very significant and a number of items from that project feature, I didnt count anything that essentially amounts to an unpainted/prepainted item that was glued to a base and subsequently textured. The jungle was a lot of work and required all my free time for a couple of weeks, but most of the elements do not really constitute painted miniatures. It is a fine line though.
Similarly, the Battle Systems card terrain took ages to punch out and assemble into a modular state. That time was all hobby time that I could have spent painting (and frankly I would have preferred to spend painting) but it doesnt show up here. Work on terrain is definitely worth it of course, but getting the balance right is tricky.
The total output is down ~25% a bit on last year, but I knew that 2013 was exceptional in terms of turnover. I had a slow down, not quite a total slump in output from around August until late November due to a variety of mainly good real life things taking up my time.
Paradoxically some of the extra time that I spent gaming with these and other models ate into time that I could have spent painting, which is a weird conflict of interests. The gaming side of things was busier for me than usual this year, which is great. A few different factors contributed to that (Pulp Alley, getting together with the O’Hammerers, extra enthusiasm from my oldest gaming buddy PB, the trip to BOYL and the games that I played with the guys at that, the Sector Six Crossover project, a few other things). Best of all is that many of those games played had literally been on my to-do list since 1988, so the year was one of the very best in terms of gaming really.
Finally, posts containing my painting tallies for previous years can be seen via the links below. They show changes in painting style and subjects and a slight improvement in photography (I think) in addition to experimentation that didnt always work out, but its all there if any of you fancy taking a look.
Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to comment on my toy soldier-y corner of of the internet over 2014. I have a whole load of other projects in various stages of production that should start to materialise very soon, so hopefully I will get to chat with some of you again in 2015.
Happy New Year!
Filed under: Editorial, Miniatures, Terrain | Tagged: 2014, Year in Review |
sho3box 
Nice work, and when arrayed like this you really noticed that 2014 skewed quite green as well.
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I am a latecomer to the ork bandwagon, having only dabbled with them over the years until 2011 or so. As you rightly point out, I do favour painting them over other models much of the time now.
Its a combination of finding a relatively quick way to get the painting result that I am after, the fun to be had painting their characterful faces and the ability to focus all sorts of pop cultural references (ninjas, pirates, rock musicians etc) through the prism of orkishness and end up with fun miniatures to game with that makes them work for me. I couldnt paint orks all the time – I would need an occasional break – but I probably enjoy the ork hobby process above any other theme at this point.
Thanks for your feedback and for your regular encouraging input through out the year Azazel.
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Good lord man. I myself consider this an excellent year because I painted a whole squad of 15mm and they match, and I painted a couple of vehicles. You, on the other hand, are an animal.
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Raaargh! (thats my animal noise).
Thanks for the input throughout the year NSA. Your 15mms are beautiful, very inspiring to me: I love that bright sci-fi look (and I somehow missed the female bounty hunters post, they are fantastic).
“That” miniature that we traded is on the painting desk and I hope to paint it this evening or tomorrow. It will likely be the first miniature of 2015. Amusingly and absurdly (in)appropriate, just like the source material.
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OMG you’re painting “that” next? I can’t wait. I think he will fit in… most nicely with the galactic oddballs that show up in your games. And speaking of those Khurasan 15 mm bounty hunters, that 28 mm CP models figure you sent me actually reminds me a lot of one of the helmeted ones in that set…
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The CP Model that you mention is sculpted by “PF” over on the Lead Adventure Forum. He has sculpted a lot of the CP Models sci-fi 28mm, including the Alien Federation miniatures which are really fantastic. PF sculpts crisp, fine detail very well.
I think – but I am uncertain – that he has sculpted a few of CP Models 15mm sci-fi too.
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Amazing work. Congratulations on a fine output this year.
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Thank you Daveb. Processing a reasonably healthy number of miniatures to a standard that I am happy with makes the whole hobby “click” for me.
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Very,very impressive sir. The portaloos still make me smile. I will post up a similar thread shortly with my output for the year and have to convert 15mm into 28mm somehow .
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I wouldnt stress too much about the conversion rate, I just use the loose figure as a way of tracking my progress. We all inherently know the value of our output I think and your 15mm British are just lovely.
Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement during the year. And if you like portaloos, then I have a plan in store for 2015 that you might enjoy. Its going to be all cisterns go!
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Don’t get bogged down in your work😁
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Your jewel like paint jobs are a real feast for the eyes! Seeing them all en masse like this does demonstrate certain colour themes; the red/black/green of your orks is extremely consistent and all the better for it. I tried to choose a favourite but couldn’t select one – what’s your favourite figure you painted this year?
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I could drone on about the colour themes of my toy soldier output for a very long time axiom: how some of my favourite colours in real life have been influenced by how easily similar paints are to apply to tiny spacemen, about how I favour combining colours in certain ways over technical application of paint, how I like a graphic, linear finish to a more painterly approach… sort of. But thats enough of that for now.
I dont paint armies any more, but I do like to bring the palette through various subsets as I work on sub-projects, the orks being probably the best example. Even thought the orks vary ninjas to rockers to pirates to soldiers to scavengers they all fit with each other I think. I find that really rather satisfying and I am glad that it works from an outside perspective like yours too 🙂
Its impossible for me to pick a favourite I think. Still, Pirate Kaptin Fiddy Teef, Sensei Ramirez and Inquisitor Jodorowsky are solid contenders I think.
Although I see room for improvement in every single model, I also get a different kick out of finishing each of them too. They each a range of reasons why I painted them which makes them almost apples and oranges to compare.
Thanks for the kind feedback and for the ongoing encouragement during the year. I hope that 2015 will be at least as productive for both of us.
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I am impressed. Quality and output are outstanding. I look forward to your work in 2015. Have a good one tonight!
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Thanks for the feedback during the year and for the frankly amazingly detailed miniature history and wildlife lessons on your blog. Lots more of both in 2015 I hope.
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Dude I salute you, outstanding work, I missed a few of them minis so thanks for the recap, love the Irish Judge 😀
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Thanks Jason, I am glad that you enjoyed seeing my toys during the year. 2014 was a pretty good return for you too, all the more so with a new kid. I hope that we both get plenty more done in 2015. Happy New Year!
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Impressive numbers and quality and outstanding fun following the progress son your blog and sharing a bit of it with you.
Here’s to 2015 !
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Right back at you JB. We are both looking for very similar things from the hobby I think, which makes following your output a pleasure.
I am hopeful that we will both have a bumper 2015 hobby year 🙂
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This is really impressive and very inspiring! I’ll be hopefully getting my review of the year out soon.
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Thanks for the kind words Timothy 🙂
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Outstanding work!
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Thank you Jason. Happy New Year.
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Yes, nice work indeed. And 144 ain’t too shabby.
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Thanks ccglazier. 144 is pretty decent and 150 per annum is my ballpark goal. Still, I would like to beat it this year.
Thanks for the feedback.
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Congratulations on a most productive year. After not touching anything fantasy-related for several months, I’m finally getting my ‘sword & sorcery’ mojo back.
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Well I am enthusiastically waiting to see some more of your RT style sci fi, whenever enthusiasm for that rolls around again 🙂
Thanks!
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Quality AND quantity. A mighty combination. Hard to pick a favourite, but Jodorowsky and the tour bus would be near the top of my list.
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Having had a few months from looking at the bus, I played a game with it a few weeks ago. I also did something that I generally never do, I went back and added a little more paint to it. Admittedly, it was just to add a pair of umlauts to the “On Töör” painted on the side of it, but still.
Anyway, taking afresh look at the bus has made me more pleased with it. Its hard to pick a favourite though.
Hopefully you will get to take a closer look at some of these next weekend. Thanks for the feedback.
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Indeed. Nothing like seeing them in the flesh.
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The standard is outstanding, whereas mine are “tabletop quality”. And I like the fact that there are plenty of old models from decades past. I like the Ork Drummer, I may have to steal that idea…
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Help yourself to any ideas coronasan, as long as you put up painted photos 🙂
Although I am susceptible to a bit of miniature nostalgia from time to time, I dont really mind whether my miniatures are new or old. Many people get needlessly hung up on that sort of thing. I just try ot paint miniatures that I want to paint.
Thans for the feedback.
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