It has been a while since I gave a proper update on my miniature painting progress. One could argue that this is still not a proper update, but we’ll give it a shot.
The Pile of Opportunity
In miniature painting circles, we speak of the “Pile of Shame”: The stack of unpainted models waiting to be assembled and/or painted. I try to keep it positive and go with “Opportunity” instead of “Shame”, but it is the same thing. The running joke that goes along with this is that a miniature painter will die if he paints the last unpainted miniature. Like most of my ilk, there is little danger of that happening soon. However, I have been on a quest to paint more models than I am adding.
The Process
In 2022, I started tracking how many models I manage to paint and how many I purchase. The goal: Paint one model per day of the year. Now, I’m no master and I have a lot of “hoard-type miniatures” that allow me to batch paint. With a little planning, a dozen models can be painted quite quickly to a decent tabletop quality. Line them up, paint all the boots. Go back to the first one and paint all the pants. Rinse and repeat through each model. Even if they are different poses, if the color scheme is the same, it is very quick to paint large groups. It can also get monotonous, so occasionally take one special model and treat it as such.
Miniature Counting
So, how am I doing? Not too bad. For over two years, I have actually managed to paint more than I bring into the collection. 2024 will be tough, though, as I expect quite a few to show up on my doorstep and I’m off to a slower start.
- 2022: 367 painted, failed to count the new minis coming in the door
- 2023: 509 painted, 298 new minis
- 2024: 64 through today, only 19 new minis
If I manage 365 painted this year, I’ll be happy. Knowing what I have en route this year tells me I will likely have at least 300 new minis coming. I’m making progress. The good news? I’m painting much better than I was a couple of years ago. When I slow down and focus, I get some nice paint jobs. Nowhere near the level of some of my favorite painters, but they embarrass my older work. That’s a good thing!
By the way, that image up top includes models painted over two years ago. I have not stopped to take pictures of newer stuff since last ReaperCon.
