2021 By the Numbers

 My Hobby 2021 

Like most people, now seems a good time to have a bit of summary of my hobby progress in 2021.

First and last figures of 2021.
Citadel 90s Beastman Champion and Citadel 80s Gollum

This year I have painted over 250 figures and scenic items. The most productive year for a while. Painting a couple of armies seems to have helped. And kept the blog going for a year. 

Painting Output

Top Three Miniatures of the Year

My favourite figure of the year is the halfling ranger captain. What I am pleased about is how well the small conversions (backpack and spear) went and the overall visuals of the figure. Doesn't necessary stand out as much as some of the other figures i have painted this year but the aim was to be precise with the painting. He was also  painted up as my Golden Gobbo entry  and consequently it make me push my painting skills on a bit. 

Next up, I will have to put in my Ent in the top 3 this year. It is by far the most complicated miniature I have attempted to sculpt. A very challenging but ultimately rewarding project. As expected it gives a good perspective into the sculpting skills that required to produce a whole figure. I learnt a lot whilst sculpting this figure  and read a lot of good advice on blogs and forums. 

I plan to have a go at sculpting some more figures this year. Something like a troll which is more humanoid but still a bit flexibility on the proportions etc.  I don't see me attempting any humans etc. any time in the near future as sculpting on a smaller scale for human sized 28mm  figures is just too damn small without better magnification.   

And finally one of the Warmonger elves I painted in the middle of the year. I really like the sculpting on this figure and from a painting perspective I was pleased about the colour blends on the hair and flowers. It was the first time recently that the blending went well in these areas. 

Favourite Unit

Easy choice for this one, my Giant Killers of Hambrook, the Halfling archers. I really enjoyed painting these guys. In fact the whole halfling army was really entertaining, resurrecting them from their poorly painted hell. Up until the hounds I haven't bought any extra figures for this army. It has just been about reclaiming my existing figures. I still have about a dozen to send through the paint stripper. Need to add a baggage train though. 

Lone Wolf Collection 

Painting Through the Years

2021 was the year that I finally got round to finishing my Lone Wolf figures. So while there are still a few gaps in the collection this does for the moment feel like mission completed. 

Machineries of Destruction

At the beginning of 2021, my Chaos army received an unexpected boost in the form a Chaos dwarf contingent including a Chaos Dwarf Mortar and Chaos Dwarf Swivel Guns. This is a good example of one my projects going sideways after picking up a few new shiny old figures. I didn't have any plans for a Chaos dwarf contingent until after picking up a swivel gun crew. But ended up as being a really interesting little side project and development of my sculpting skills. 

I decided to scratch build  a gun to go with them after not being able to get an official one on eBay.  And if you have got one swivel gun then you might as well have three. Once I finished the swivel guns, this led onto the mortar.  

And this was also my first outing using the Citadel technical paints in the form of Nikhilakh oxide. These paints have really come on in the last few years and make achieving these specialist effects very easy. The different types  of paints is one the changes that have occurred since getting back into painting. 

Films & Shows

2021 was the year I got back into the cinema and to a wargames show.

I will avoid spoiler alerts on this one but Spiderman - No Way Home is one the best Marvel Superhero movies and my favourite film of the year. A very satisfying story that fits the Marvel universe and tidies together a number of different elements. 

Dune, Bond and Suicide Squad were also good movies. 

Biggest let down was the Green Knight, I obviously missed the point after reading a number of good reviews about it as it didn't seem to go anywhere for me and was just a series of random episodes without any point. Nothing wrong with the actors just the story. 

A number of great films to look forward in 2022 to including Avatar and the new Fantastic Beasts. Plus of course who will be the next Bond and the new Doctor Who...

Salute 2021

It was great to get back to Salute, well it might not have been a normal year. It was the first time back a wargames show  and a good time was had by all. I was finally able to see (& buy) some of the miniatures that I have been looking at on the internet. 

Duel

My duel mini-projects has helped me to finish some of those figures that lurk around the paint bench. So one final duel to end the year.

Happy new Year 

Rob