Sunday, June 3, 2012

May Mini Madness: Recap

The final product: 31 days, 34 minis completed.

 I'm not going to lie. It was kinda refreshing to not have to worry about painting a mini last night, although I kept eying my painting table trying to decide what I'd do next.

The challenge has been quite rewarding on a number of different levels. Perhaps one of the most significant benefits is that I've managed to complete a ton of minis that would otherwise be clutter in my bits boxes. Finally having finished so many models that had been carefully painted then left incomplete in favor of other projects is a great feeling.

It's also given me a chance to flex some of my speedpainting skills as well as cement several army paint schemes that have only existed on paper before this, such as my green Eldar, and yellow Dark Elves. It also forced me to step up and paint a few limited edition models that I've avoided for fear of messing up a rare mini (the commissar & GK termi in particular).

My wife pointed out another benefit as well. While tending to this month-long project I didn't buy any more minis (I did buy one actually, but it only cost $2). By pouring my attention into the figures that I already owned, it kept me from spending my cash on minis that might ultimately end up in my lengthy "to do" pile. As it is, I've barely put a dent in it, but you gotta start somewhere.

The downsides have been relatively few:
* I stayed up later, and got less sleep many nights, although this didn't really impact how much time I spent with my wife, or working.
* I did end up spending many more hours at the office though, taking pictures in the studio, editing the shots and updating the calendar. I spent most of my breaks & lunch hours on it as well.
* Work always came first, but there were a few long long days that made it really hard to paint. Hours at a newspaper are many and varied, so balancing everything was a bit of a hassle.

It's been a good month of painting, and like I said yesterday, I haven't burnt out. Now it's time to re-direct, paint, and plan for next year's challenge. I'm not a fast painter by any means, so if I can accomplish it I'm sure others can as well. So if this inspires you to take on the challenge, all the better, and best of luck!

~Muninn

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