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Hi everyone! Happy New Year! I’m very proud to have been asked to become a regular member of Tale of Painters in 2016. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my work and have found it a great motivator to do some hobby. I’m delighted to share with you my first contribution to the regular ToP tradition of recapping the year and making hobby resolutions for the new year. Read on to view the projects I’ve completed in 2016, and my plans for 2017.

Models painted in 2016


I had a very productive painting year in 2015, painting over 250 models! I had hoped to be as productive in 2016, but I am now in my final year of my doctorate and so work and study time has hindered my productivity hobby-wise. However, I still had a fantastic year of hobby in 2016, painting lots of models and having several excellent hobby highlights. In 2016 I have painted a total of 107 models! It doesn’t seem like a lot when I think back, as I have been a little more sporadic with painting this year due to being busy with work and study, however adding all of the individual models painted up is an eye opener! I have thoroughly enjoyed painting everything I have painted in 2016, I have painted something from all three of Games Workshop’s game systems. 

Here are the models I’ve painted in 2016:


January – Archaon Everchosen



February – Fyreslayers Auric Hearthguard



February – Fyreslayers Grimwrath Bezerker

February – Fyreslayers Vulkite Bezerkers

February – Fyreslayers Auric Runemaster 


 

March – Fyreslayers Auric Runefather on Magmadroth

March – Fyreslayers Auric Runesmiter and Auric Runeson

April – Fyreslayers Hearthguard Bezerkers


April – Fyreslayers Battlesmith

April – Fyreslayers Hearthguard Bezerkers

April – Fyreslayers Vulkite Bezerkers


May – Stormcast Eternals Liberators

May – Stormcast Eternals Knight-Questor

June – Stormcast Eternals Liberators

June – Stormcast Eternals Knight-Heraldor

July – Stormcast Eternals Lord-Celestant on Stardrake

July – Stormcast Eternals Knight-Vexillor

July – Stormcast Eternals Lord-Celestant on Dracoth

July – Stormcast Eternals Dracothian Guard Fulminators


August – Stormcast Eternals Dracothian Guard Tempestors

August – Stormcast Eternals Liberators

September – Stormcast Eternals Lord-Celestant

September – Ironjawz Brutes

October – Ironjawz Ardboys

October – Ironjawz Megaboss

November – Genestealer Cults Goliath Rockgrinder

December – Ironjawz Brutes


December – Blood Bowl Human Team

December – Gandalf the Grey


December – Thorin’s Company Bombur

December – Radagast the Brown

December – Beorn the Bear

December – Thorin’s Company Bilbo Baggins

December – Thorin’s Company Balin

Hobby Highlights


I have been very happy with all of my finished painting projects in 2016. I have started three Age of Sigmar armies; Fyreslayers, Stormcast Eternals and Ironjawz. I have completed my Fyreslayers army, and have a couple of additions to add to my Stormcast Eternals and Ironjawz. I returned to Warhammer 40,000 for the first time in over a year painting my Genestealer Cult Goliath Rockgrinder, it was great to paint something so different to what I have been used to. At the end of the year, I returned to my first love in miniature painting, The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game, this game got me into miniature painting and I’m delighted with the new releases from Games Workshop and Forgeworld and I’m really excited to get back into it. 

I was also very lucky in 2016 to have my miniatures featured in several issues of White Dwarf and Warhammer Visions, including a 12 page feature of my Seraphon collection in Warhammer Visions which was a huge honour. I was also invited in the summer to display my Fyreslayers and Ogors in the special exhibition at Warhammer World for three months, which again was a fantastic opportunity.

I attended four Warhammer Age of Sigmar gaming events this year; the Rise of the Seraphon Campaign Weekend at Warhammer World, Clash of Empires Throne of Skulls at Warhammer World, an independent event ‘Alliance’, and the Warlords Matched Play event at Warhammer World. I thoroughly enjoyed all the events, and was delighted to pick up two best army nominations at two of the events. Gaming has been very sporadic for me in 2016, due to being very busy most of my available time has been spent painting, which I must admit I prefer mostly. However, I’d love to play some more games in 2017, and attend another event. I’d love to attend my first ever Hobbit SBG event, but I should maybe learn to play the game first!

My proudest hobby highlight of 2016, though, has to be winning six finalist pins at two Golden Demon events in the year. I received a finalist pin for all of my entries. It was a huge honour and delight to receive finalist pins, and praise from judge Darren Latham.

Hobby Resolutions for 2017


2017 is going to be a busy year for me in my work-life, I am entering into the final months of my doctorate and I’m in the middle of research and writing my thesis. I’m hoping to keep up the hobby though in order to keep that work/life balance. I find having time off work to be very productive hobby times, for example over Christmas and New Year I’ve been very productive hobby-wise, so I will try take advantage of these times.

For 2017, I intend to paint more models for The Hobbit SBG, soon to be re-branded as Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game, and I’m so excited for all the new releases coming in the year. My partner and I intend on painting models to use in the scenarios in the two Hobbit books, so I’m excited for this!

I bought myself a Sylvaneth army in the summer that I haven’t touched yet, I’d love to start painting this army and get a few games with them, as gaming has been very sporadic this year too.

I’d like to finish the models I’ve got for my Ironjawz; the Weirdnob Shaman, Warchanter, three Gore-Gruntas, ten Brutes and a Maw-Krusha. I would be happy to call the army complete once I’ve finished these.

I’d also like to finish the models I’ve got for my Stormcast Eternals too; Paladins, Judicators, Prosecutors, Lord-Relictor, Knight Venator, Knight Azyros, Lord Castellant, and the Celestant Prime. It’s a lot, but I’d like to hopefully get some of them completed.

I’m not sure how much of the above I will get done in 2017, and I’m also very guilty of being distracted by new models, so we will see!

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my work in 2016 and I’m excited to continue sharing my work with you in 2017! Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!

What are your hobby resolutions for 2017? Share them with us in the comments!