300 down, heat stops play

So guys this is my 300th post on this blog (I have 6 on the go now so have done more in total), I would love to be able to share pictures of finished painted models but here in Crewe as in most of Britain we have slipped into a summer heat wave. My painting room is so hot that painting (even at my speed) is very hard and use's a lot of paint (as it dries on the pallet) I know I could use a wet pallet but I have tried and just do not enjoy them.
What I guess you are wondering am I going to do with my 300th post, well I thought I would share what and who have been the biggest influences on my hobby life. I guess first and the biggest influence has been my Dad Paul Brewerton it was his love of chess and military models that led to him being dragged down to Akrotiri Wargames Club. It was Dad who was my first DM when I and several of my friends played Tunnels and Trolls and later Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Dad ended up as the chairman for the club and I ran the youth section. The club was the second biggest influence of my young hobby life, being on an RAF camp we had a new influx of gamers all the time and they would stay 2-3 years and leave, this club is where I started painting and where I was introduced to Warhammer. The club members all had good input in my hobby life but a few stand above the rest Singe Frost was a member when I used to beg my Dad to take me along, he had the patience to listen to a young boys non stop questions and to let me move his troops around the table, Singe was to return for another tour when I was a teenager and this time he was the top general I could never beat (I tried in several different games) it was Singe that was my First D&D DM. Singe introduced me to Battletech and several smaller games. Second at the club would have been Wyn Rogers (of Saga/ Gripping beast fame these days) Wyn produced mass's of terrain boards for the club that made our game tables stunning, he was also the first top draw painter I saw, while his style was not to my liking seeing what he could produce pushed me to build my own skills (Wyn was also my Wedding Photographer). I like many gamers drifted away from the hobby while University, work and marriage came along. I guess I must add my long suffering wife to the list of big hobby influences as she has always given me the time and space I wanted to paint and game, Liz maintains she is happy for me to wargame because to date I have not injured my self playing it (Liz has on more than one occasion helped me off a sports field with injury's to various body parts).
Even in my lean periods I could be found painting on and off. The next big influence was Games Workshop it was 12 months working for them that got me fully back into the hobby. I then have WAB to thank for feeding my addiction, when I drifted away from that it was this blog that was my driving force. Coming closer to current days my blog was one of those that drifted without many hits until last year when I joined in the Winter Painting Challenge I guess I have to site Curt as one of my biggest current influences through his challenge I have made not just followers but friends. Bringing you up to today my current influences are the Blogosphere and its many characters, I love the whole scene we are as close as I have found to my first wargames Club. Without upsetting any of you he is a list of bloggers that have influenced me in the last year.
Loki- top man who does not laugh at my bright ideas but reply's with a "great lets get it done"
Fran and Ray (the New Bromantic, no link needed really)- these two never fail to bring a smile to your face and show just what a blog can give you.
Michael- no one else has forced me to buy so many colonial figures :)
Miles- you have my wargames room and table (but I will let you keep it)
Kev&Charlie- made a shy guy feel at home very quickly at Triples
Mike- giving me the support to start down the Viking Studio route
to be honest I could go on and list all you who regularly comment but I guess I will have time at Blog-Con to say these things face to face (although being so shy I probably will not)

Peace James

Painting, better than Prozac

I am lucky in one way that I have a well paid job that does not tax me too much, but on the other had over the last 3 years I have gone through 3 redundancy selections and whenever I see a letter arrive at home from my work my heart drop thinking it will be number 4. I do not like my work, but it gives me the funds to live my life and for that I am happy. Some days even though I try not to the stress of work leaks into my home life, this is not fair on my family and I have a few things I can do that are guaranteed to wipe the stress away. The first is grab my dogs and head out to the local field something about seeing my Scotties bounding through the long grass bouncing like spring lambs just never fails to have me laughing out loud (I am surprised I have not had the men in the padded white van set on me), even at home these little scamps can bring a belly laugh out of me. The other thing sure to wash my worry away is to sit with brush in hand and music in my ears painting wargames figures.

What you laughing at Dad?

 

 

I used to worry about missed spots or slipped colours but I have left that all behind, I paint to relax the bonus is I can play with them when completed. For several years I have been lucky to get one or two games in a year (plans are under way to change this) but I could still be found sitting in my painting room brush in hand. I enjoy being able to pass this joy along to others and this blog has in the last 7-8 months been my avenue for this, I have been helped by you all getting behind many of my ideas with the type of support and enthusiasm I have come to take as given for Wargames Bloggers. I guess what I really want to say is a big thank you to all of you who drop by and read my posts. My efforts over the next months to bring you Blog-Con and after that the Bloggers-for-Charity game is my own way of giving back to you all.

One last point I would like to say is if you are surfing through blogs and read a post you enjoy take the time to comment, it may only take a few minutes of your time to comment “great post” but you may just be giving the author the pat on the back they never knew they needed. If you are wondering what has prompted this odd post I have had one of those days at work and taking my break surfing through some of your latest posts has chilled me out enough not to want to tell people what I really think.

Peace James

Saga and NWF

Been busy working away on various units, finished another point of my Dads Viking Saga force and completed two more of the Foundry NWF highlanders.