Hobby Report - First and Best (so far)! [Group/Open]

[Loxosceles]

I haven't got any photos of things I painted when I first got into the hobby, but I stopped trying for about fifteen years, until the first Bones kickstarter launched. 

I've got some... disadvantages... when it comes to painting. My eyesight is about as bad as it can get while still existing. I don't have anywhere near the time I'd like to paint as often as I'd like to for practice and growth, so I often find I am re-learning things every time I don't get to try for a month or more. 

But that Bones kickstarter, and Bones in general, provided minis that are inexpensive enough that I didn't feel like I was ruining them by trying. It's made a monumental difference in ability. I'm probably never going to be able to paint things as well as some of the folks here- the talent, creativity, and dedication of some of the Reaper forum regulars is amazing, but I'm not embarrassed to put something I painted on a table anymore. Which I tend to regard as a really great thing, not everyone will be good at this, but everyone can be better than they are when they start. I'm always impressed by those of you who can paint something that's professional quality... but there's a lot of room for satisfaction for everyone who may never get there, too. 

These aren't my first minis... or my last... but last year I grabbed a couple Bones models so I could re-paint a couple of them from the first Kickstarter, for comparison. To take a look at my progress against something other than the front page of cool mini or not's entrants. 

[ub3r_n3rd]

Awesome works! Thanks for sharing, both of you and for keeping this thread alive.

[korimar]

My first figures were Grenadier's Adventuring Party set.  I know I received them for my 11th birthday, February 1983.  I started painting them soon after.  My painting has always run in spurts.  I just started painting again this summer since stopping in February 2016.  Ral Partha's Town Guardsmen are my most recent. 

 

 

I forgot that I obtained a second set of adventurers when I got back into painting in 2015, after a 15 year absence.  So, they are kind of a median example now.

 

Edited August 2, 2017 by korimar

[Arc 724]

Korimar, wow night and day. Well done.

[Lucian523]

This is a pretty cool thread, this upcoming September will be the one year mark for my mini painting.

The male knight on the left is one of my very early minis, he has no shading what so ever.

The female knight is the most recent I think it's mini # 28, though I'm still struggling with certain things, photography included lol.

[ub3r_n3rd]

Lucian, great improvement!

 

Glad you like the thread

[Thes Hunter]

Here's two of my first minis:

 

Now samples of my more recent:

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Thes Hunter

[ub3r_n3rd]

Wow, thes!! Amazing!

[Zink]

Thes, your first mini was my main character on horseback then. I still have him too. Really like that demon.

[Pochi]

Ok, you asked for it. I started painting minis in early 2015.

 

These are the very first things I ever painted. There is another rat and another beetle somewhere around here.

 

Here are a couple more photos of my earlier efforts. (2015)

 

 

 

This is the first one I was super proud of and I did a WIP here on the forums with her.

 

And these are my most recent finished minis this year.

 

 

My photography skills have improved as well!

[ub3r_n3rd]

Wow! Vast improvement, Pochi!!

[Glitterwolf]

Everyone improved a lot!

Great to see!

[Zink]

I really like the lady with the staff. You have every right to be proud of her.

[DaemonDoesMinis]

I've only been painting for 4 months. But this forum has really been a source of inspiration and encouragement. And threads like this really contribute to that! I know i would have still liked painting mini's but i dont know if i'd be as enthusiastic about it  if i hadnt stumbled on to ya'll as quick as i did. So not alot of progress to show but Barden Barrelstrap and Arthan Nightblade were my first two minis 4 months ago.

 

Highlighting and patience are still my goal when it comes to the hobby. Always trying to cram alot of progress in a small amount of time... and my head is always running away with ideas when ever i sit down to do more. With that in mind while still works in progress I like these next two because i can see the beginings of actual technique in them. The spots on the barbed devil were intentional... if not totally as planned. And the teifling is for another d&d player whos insistance on black on black has forced me to think outside the usual parameters i've used... and of course to come here for advice :)

 

[Zink]

I just read your advice thread before seeing this. The tiefling turned out great. I know I have a lot of trouble highlighting black. Like the belly on that devil too.