So before I show you what I have been working on today I wanted to muse about blogging and the internet. I am at heart a shy guy, don't get me wrong when I am in my comfort zone (work, wargame's, sports teams) I am as talkative as the next guy but put me in a crowd of strangers I find the nearest corner and watch the world go by. This blog and the internet in general has let me get to know people remotely and made it so when I show up at events I feel relaxed.
The Internet was made our hobby into one big wargames club, I have friend's who I may never meet in person but I follow their efforts to build new armies and try new games I interact with guys all over the world and closer to home I make connections that lead to meetings and friendships. As a guy with no club I am slowly building a group of friend who I can get my wargames fix with. Do not get me wrong the internet is not all good like any aspect of life you have people who just want to make trouble, but it's easy to block them or ignore them. Also the internet can be a cruel reality you may think you are the best painter ever but once you search through the internet you find you may not be as good as you think.
What is all this ramble getting too, well with all these blogger give aways going on I had a look at when my blog started and found it was June 6th three years ago along with this year being my 40th one on this earth I have decided to clear my lead pile with a huge give away, I will be posting soon about my planned give away but just to let you know I will have some thing for all painter/gamers 6mm, 10mm, 15mm, 28mm and large scale.
So if you are still with me thank you for sticking at it below are the latest figures crossing my painting table, I have the next 3 BB Orcs, a unit of F&IW french/Canadian light troops and a unit of Zulu War British I found in the loft last month these are acting as practice figures for the Zulu war project Dad and I are starting and when complete will be sold to fund said project.
The Internet was made our hobby into one big wargames club, I have friend's who I may never meet in person but I follow their efforts to build new armies and try new games I interact with guys all over the world and closer to home I make connections that lead to meetings and friendships. As a guy with no club I am slowly building a group of friend who I can get my wargames fix with. Do not get me wrong the internet is not all good like any aspect of life you have people who just want to make trouble, but it's easy to block them or ignore them. Also the internet can be a cruel reality you may think you are the best painter ever but once you search through the internet you find you may not be as good as you think.
What is all this ramble getting too, well with all these blogger give aways going on I had a look at when my blog started and found it was June 6th three years ago along with this year being my 40th one on this earth I have decided to clear my lead pile with a huge give away, I will be posting soon about my planned give away but just to let you know I will have some thing for all painter/gamers 6mm, 10mm, 15mm, 28mm and large scale.
So if you are still with me thank you for sticking at it below are the latest figures crossing my painting table, I have the next 3 BB Orcs, a unit of F&IW french/Canadian light troops and a unit of Zulu War British I found in the loft last month these are acting as practice figures for the Zulu war project Dad and I are starting and when complete will be sold to fund said project.
Well you may not be the best painter out there, but I think it's fair to say your in the bracket of the top boys.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy your blog and wish I was half as talented
ian
Finding out you aren't the best painter ever isn't necessarily a bad thing ;) Neither your painting nor mine are at all poor, but motivation to improve is helpful. Motivation to actually sit and paint is also helpful, which is where keeping a blog comes in...
ReplyDeletePS: put some green on those nice Habitants' bases, it looks like they're fighting from a vacant lot in St. Hubert.
I'll heartily second your comments about the blogosphere and developing friendships. It's especially relevant for those of us in (comparatively) remote parts of the world who don't have access to large gaming communities locally.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I certainly think you're a very capable painter and thoroughly enjoy looking at your work mate. Regardless of how good anyone is they key is that they enjoy themselves doing it.
Cheers,
Millsy
I'm rather like you James. If I know people (even if only through the interwebbythingummy), I have no trouble chatting with them when we meet for the first time in person. However, if there is a crowd and I don't know (or recognise!) people, I tend to hover quietly on the fringes or just stick with the people I do know (and recognise!).
ReplyDeleteAs for your painting standard, you are up there in the top ranks I'd say. The thing to remember is that you are turning out hugely-above-average wargaming figures in a short time, whereas the "top" painters are painting individual masterpieces that each take a long time to do. Both require different approaches and techniques that don't easily transfer between the two.
The blogosphere is great for meeting like-minded folk and also for spurring us on to keep painting and to improve the painting that we do. I'm certain that if I wasn't posting pics of my painted figures on the web I would not put in the effort that I do to make them look good (and would probably churn them out much faster as a result!).
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Blogs are a fantastic wargaming tool, I've met so many new wargamer friends via my blog. We've had several down at Reject HQ and will continue to invite bloggers down to our little corner of the world.
ReplyDeleteAs for your painting James, I'm sure any of us would love to have our armies painted by your good self!
Way to go James! Don't give the Hussites away though!
ReplyDeleteYou're in the top 1% of damn fine painters out here and as you said so much good people and bloggers to talk to and meet along the way!
ReplyDeleteTo echo the others James I would say you are a top painter. Like you I find the internet has been a great way to form hobby bonds, particularly as I'm 40 miles from the nearest club myself.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the latest efforts rolling off the painting table and damned fine they are too. I wholeheartedly endorse your comments as well. Sometimes working is isolation, as I do most of the time, I miss the feedback and encouragement that comes from being a member of a club. That was one of the reasons for stating the blog and you my good man were the first to actively encourage it - I can't thank you enough. Here I am two and bit years down the line totally immersed in the hobby with a group of friends from all round the world that support and nature all my weird and wonderful ideas - oh yes and sometimes give away free stuff!
ReplyDelete