This weeks 28mm figure is from Reaper and goes by the name of Oriana, Grey Maiden. Despite the colour in her title I went for green as the dominant colour and in so doing ended up with a figure I really do not like.
In truth I did not like my colour choice right from the start and should have stripped it down and started over but, for no other reason than laziness, I couldn’t be arsed to do so. Interestingly I feel the same way about another figure I have started that is sat on the side of my desk. I’m not entirely sure why this is but I am very much inclined to blame it on Covid and the lockdown. I’m not looking to make excuses but I have pretty much been nowhere and done nothing since early March and mentally I think it is now taking its toll. I’m not concerned about going out just cannot be arsed to do so. Where is there to go when everything is shut down anyway?
More and more the least little thing is now becoming an effort and I am sorry to say that I fear the same can now be said for modelling and painting. I’m loath to take a break from painting or from the blog as I worry I wont start up again if I do. The thing is I usually do some research and look at images of other peoples work all of which helps to determine what I do. This however requires effort that I am not putting in and the results as far as I am concerned speak for themselves. Hopefully the forced break induced by Christmas and family in attendance will provide the opportunity to rekindle my enthusiasm, that and the dawning of 2021.
Apologies for the miserable post!
TIM
The Imperfect Modeller 
Sorry to hear you are down in the dumps Tim, I think we all go through phases of “cant be arsed!” (if it wasn’t fore the fact that the bank would probably take my house off of me, I wouldn’t be arsed to go to work at ali ! 😁).
I love the colours you’ve used on the fig, especially the turquoise, but have to say that i don’t particularly like the figure itself, nowt to do with your painting which is top notch as always but the actual sculpt is disappointing, especially for Reaper who’s are usually so good.
Well I think I just failed miserably at cheering you up! So I’ll leave you with my favourite joke….
A scouser goes in a cruise, but a month into it the ship sinks and he is washed up on a desert island. After walking down the beach for a while he spots a body washed up in the sand, running over her rolls the body over only to discover that it is Megan Fox! A brief session of mouth to mouth and she comes around.
“What happened?” she asks and the chap fills her in on their situation, “Are there any more survivors?” she asks next, “No it looks like it’s just the two of us” he replies, “we’d better find food and shelter” he adds.
Anyway, after a couple of months they have settled into a daily routine and though hope of rescue seems remote they are managing to survive reasonable well, so Megan approaches the chap and asks, “We’ve been here a while now and you’ve never tried anything on with me, why is that?”. “Oh I didn’t what to take advantage of our situation, and make you do anything you weren’t happy with” he replies. “Well, I’m a woman and I have needs like anyone else, so would you mind if we started having regular sex?” Megan asks, “No! that would be great” the enthusiastic reply comes. So begins an idyllic existence for the chap till one morning Megan awakes to find him missing, she finds him down on the beach starring wistfully out to sea.
“Are you OK, is something wrong?” she asked concerned.
“It’s nothing” he replies with a heavy sigh.
“No, come on, we have to live together on this island, if there is something I can do, tell me and I’ll do it” she says.
“Well…there is one thing…if you wouldn’t mind” he says.
“Anything!” cries the girl.
“Well would you mind cutting your hair short?”.
“Of course” if will make you happy, anything else?”.
“Well you know that trunk of clothes we found washed up?”
“Yes”
“Well could you put on a pair of trousers and a shirt?”
“Yes I don’t see why not”.
“Oh and the hair you cut off, could you glue at little to your top lip?”
“You mean like a moustache?” she asks frowning.
“Yep that’s it, just like that”, comes his reply brightening up as he speaks.
“Errrr…OK she agrees, if that’s what you’d like?”.
“Oh it is!, and can you talk in a deep Scouse accent at all?”
“Errrrrrr…..I’ll try”, says Megan dubiously, “Is that everything?”.
“Oh one more, could you take a walk around the island, and pretend you don’t know me?”.
“Right OK”, she says and after getting ready she sets off around the island.
About and hour later Megan has circumnavigated the isle and is strolling down the beach toward her companion who is still starring out toward the ocean…
“Errrr, alright mate!” she calls out in her best broad Liverpudlian tones.
The Scouser leaps to his feet and with a huge grin rushes over calling, “Oh alright mate, hey guess who I’m shagging!!!”.
I hope that cheered you up it took ages to type in! 😊
Cheers Roger.
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Thanks Roger, I think! Just one of those weeks which was followed by another of those weeks and in the end nothing was going right at all. We’ve all been there, I know I have before, and I am now slowly bouncing back so no alarm bells going off just yet! 😊 I must say the joke was a good tonic. I did wonder what the punch line was going to be and when it came it did take me by surprise! 😆😆 Well done on all that typing.
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I’ll echo Rogers comments, the paint job is excellent. I’m loving the greens on the armour. It might be the contrast of the green vs some of the other colours used that is putting you off. The mini is also slightly off. Is it me if does the helmet have Cyberman vibes 😁.
You are also the 3rd hobbiest this week Ive seen post something similar. I think enforced lockdowns are taking a toll and there is a bit of hobby burnout going round. My biggest hobby break ended up being around 5 years. Sometimes it’s good to have a break. I got into some terrible habits in that time however, got married etc 😉. I’m just glad I never sold anything so was able to pick up where I left off.
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Spot on about the helmet, very Cyberman. Oddly I am encouraged by your remark about other hobbyists, something in knowing I am not alone. I think the lockdown is very much at the center of it all but heaven help me that I should take a break and get married again! 🙂
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Yep once is definitely enough!
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I think the colour choices are great TIM, gives a very spring/ Summer colour scheme for an Elf.
Sorry to hear the current situation is bringing you down so much, The winter months can do that normally with the shorter amount of sunlight ( my wife and her family suffer with that terribly) but all the added worries are not helping.
Hope the break over Christmas is what is needed, and wish you a safe and very Merry Christmas
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Thanks Dave. As I have just said in reply to Roger just one of those weeks which was followed by another one of those weeks which led to nothing going right! Such things happen and will doubtless do so again but I am bouncing back so no need for concern. The cut throat razor is safetly locked away! 😊 The pressure of a son with Cystic Fibrosis a daughter doing A levels and 94 year old father and an 89 year old mother during the current situation ineveitably has its moments!
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Hobby slumps are pretty normal in my experience – especially to be expected given the shot-show of a year we’ve had! Foe what it’s worth, I like the green 😊
Take it easy mate, be kind to yourself.
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Cheers Alex, wise words beyond your years mate. It is as you say a slump and I am optimistic that things are on the up. 🙂
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Well, if makes you feel better, the colour scheme for that mini is complete sh1te! 😉 Haha, no it isn’t – I really like it, more colours I can never get to look right but you can (regardless of what you think of the figure)!
I know what you mean about motivation, I’ve stalled a bit of late and I’m waiting for some proper daylight to take some photos of the latest stuff I’ve painted, rather than the monotonous grey days we’ve been having. If I’m not painting I tend to catch up on my reading/research so at least I’m making progress somewhere along the way.
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Cheers John. I think you have given me a great idea there. Spending some time on research (and seeking some inspiration and goodies to buy!) genuinely sounds like the way to go. In fairness it is an important part of the hobby and often neglected. It will break the routine whilst being productive so thanks for that focus. 🙂
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I for one like the green, but to be honest slumps due the weird situation we are all in is to be expected especially with worrying about your family on top of everything else.
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I think the word slump sums it up perfectly Steve. 🙂
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One truth that I’ve had to accept with painting (begrudgingly) is that sometimes an idea or a vision for a mini just doesn’t come together the way that I hope. I feel that might be what happened here and then it can cause frustration to really boil over or for you to not feel good about your painting afterwards. I’ve certainly had my fair share of minis that I thought would be amazing and then I sat down to paint them and it didn’t turn out the way I hoped or expected. Taking a break could help but also I’d say it could be worth looking at things that get you inspired whether it is watching a Western movie and then going and painting a cowboy mini or seeing other people’s work that you like and seeing how that inspires you. That usually helps me or I go paint something I know that I can knock out of the park (to use a baseball analogy) and get my confidence back quickly. I would definitely stay away from that mini you don’t want to paint as that may only frustrate you further at this point. Hopefully at least a little of this rings true and helps get you unstuck, mate! I hope you feel better soon!
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There are ups and downs in all our lives whether it is family, work or hobbies and good days and bad days go with that. Generally breaking the cycle is the way forward. The routine changes which Christmas and the New Year bring will enforce that and before you know it I will be chomping at the bit again. A short break is needed to recharge the old batteries. It’s not a confidence thing more a case of being tired and needing a rest and a change of scene. All will be good in no time at all and thanks for the thoughtful words, appreciate it. 🙂
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I’m glad to hear that you’ve got a plan for moving forward and I hope the festive period helps recharge your batteries as well! 🙂
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I read your post this morning TIM and rather like the elf, the shin pads impractical look nice to my eye, the the lighter lines over the green. I have however waited untill this evening to reply in the assumption that some great words of wisdom would come to mind during the day that would really help you in your current mindset.
Unfortunately no such wise words came to me… But I did really think about it and people always say its the thought that counts!
Hope your ok man, its a hard time for everyone at present so try to not be so hard on yourself.
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Cheers mate, the thought really does count for a lot and I appreciate it very much. One bad week followed buy another one coupled with everything that is going on is a recipe for negativity but I am not suicidal yet! Like everyone else I expect I just can’t wait for the end of the year. Nothing will change instantly of course but there is room for optimism. Good days and bad days but things will get better for sure. 🙂
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Same, I’m very hopeful for 2021, it will not change over night but it should be a better year!
Take care and try to enjoy xmass as much as possible.
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You too. 🙂
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I think that you’re a bit harsh on yourself here; I recognise that your standards are rather higher than mine but I’d be proud to produce such a result. The turquoise armour does a look a bit weird but in a setting where magic is the norm then I guess it’s no big deal. I love that the sculptor has captured Oriana on her way to the beach for a bit of surfing.
Look after your mental health; good luck.
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Haha, love the surfing reference! Hopefully after a couple of lousy weeks this one will see an improvement. I’m not typically that down but then again I’m not typically locked down. Some might argue I should be though! 😉
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I’m with you TIM, I’m not thrilled by the miniature nor the colors. I guess it’s just that I always think of elves as Mirkwood type elves – the colors of nature and that shade of green just doesn’t show up in nature enough.
As for the hobby blues, I here ya. I’ve been in a slump myself lately. What I’ve been doing is sitting down each evening to review what I wanted to get accomplished and then set out a new list of goals for the ‘morrow. It doesn’t always work, but it does give me time to celebrate the little victories as I cross them off my list!
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I think your on the money with the figure Eric, it’s not the paint job but the colour I went with just isn’t doing it for me. Only myself to blame of course for being lazy and not stripping it back. Slumps in themselves aren’t unusual but I am finding they are coming along more often. I wouldn’t say I am not dealing with it but I am not enjoying it that’s for sure. I’m not a great fan of the UK wet winter weather and shorter days but chuck in the covid restrictions and it is proving more of a challenge. One way or another I will see it through. 🙂
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Man I feel ya TIM. It’s easy to get down normally at this time of year with diminished sunlight and the holidays – add in today’s COVID world and it’s tougher. Plus it’s been like a 9 month prison sentence in so many ways. For me, I’ve been able to get a little gaming in remotely but you had your modeling club and shows like Telford stolen from you. That is hard. The good news is that we are closer to returning to normal than we are to the beginning of this nightmare. I’m sure that you can take solace in the love of family – even if remotely – and in that none of us have yet been driven to felonies (I hope). As for the figure, I liked the paint job that you attempted on a truly horrible figure. The shield does look like a surfboard! If I had the figure, I think it would serve as a statue on a diorama of an elven city. That way you could make it all copper and oxidized and it would work well as monument. Keep going dude, you are NOT alone!
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Compared to a great many I have had it easy but knowing others have had it tougher doesn’t make me feel any better. Life is full of ups and downs at the moment, good day followed by bad day seems to be the pattern. Things will get better and I am optimistic for 2021 which is just around the corner. Thankfully, and not for the first time in my life, it is good to have the hobby. 🙂
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This is another of the iconic reaper minis, also one I was interested myself getting.
You really did an awesome paintjob with the glass/bronze-armor including all the crests and reflections. The leather is peckless (is this a word?) and I like her heavy make-up. That said, the woman must be a heavy lifter, wielding that sword, THAT shield and a bow.
Btw. are you cutting your diorama-“stands” yourself?
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Sorry mate I nearly missed this comment! It is iconic but not a favourite of mine to be honest. Not so much the figure but with hindsight I would have chosen an alternative colour scheme. Would love to see what you make of it if you get one in due course. Not sure peckless is a word but it ought to be! The diorama stands are two parts. The figure is fixed to a 25mm square MDF base and the wooden 25mm oak cubes I buy from Ebay. They are inexpensive and come in packs of 50. To my mind they help set the figures off nicely but are no use for gaming. I hear in Germany there is a big lockdown again, hope you are doing well. 🙂
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No worries! Wasn’t your most recent post – which I yet have to read and comment on. 😉 Tbh. I didn’t even notice the huge shield in the promo-pictures and always thought it was somehow part of the helmet. I actually enjoy your bronze-armor though it looks really intriguing especially how you did the the reflection – as a I already said. It’s something that looks really fantasy-esque. The face of the model (not your painting but the expression) isn’t the best though.
That’s interesting, I’ll look into it, when I want to do a diorama one day.
I actually live in one of the more harsher hit cities – that said – it’s mostly homes for the elderly that got hit or especially only one infamous-one and that was no surprise – but it sure helped raise numbers.
Thank you! I myself have been a chicken so I mostly stayed home from January haha, as I read already back then about the Virus on infamous internet forums, so I’m pretty safe myself. I’m rather annoyed that all those politicians who scream for lockdowns now didn’t act in march, when they could’ve locked up everything for 1-2 months (including borders and international travel) to eradicate it but then they mostly ignored it to get to the point where it became endemic now and 1-2 months lockdown won’t do much anymore.
I hope you’ll keep well as well, with the new variant roaming (was it in the south?).
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Most people I know are very much of the same view as you in that they ought to have had greater restrictions from the outset, particularly concerning travel. I don’t like to be overly critical of something so unique but some things seemed pretty obvious even at the time. The new strain they are talking about appears to be mainly in the South East of England at the moment. Fortunately I am in the South West. From what I gather it isn’t more dangerous but just spreads more quickly. Best we all keep or heads down and hope the vaccines are rolled out as quickly as possible. Meanwhile stay safe.
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I completely agree with you. Fun-fact, our institutes even had pandemic-plans worked out a few years, expecting a virus based on Sars1 but they simply chose to ignore all they had come up in spring. Almost criminally incompetent, if you look at the situation now.
Ya, our scientists were also saying that it could even be less lethal and simply more viral. But it could render the vaccine useless. I’m happy every order from the isle I made in the last few weeks has already arrived here though. I couldn’t even begin to think how worried I would be if I didn’t know my miniatures save from the virus!
Nevertheless stay safe and try to enjoy Christmas anyways! 😉
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Some of the decisions that have been made, regardless of country, are more than a little confusing. Still all we can do is keep our heads down for now. You have a good Christmas too.
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