Assembly April: Monthly Hobby Challenge

Diorama created by Michal Tafil. More of his work can be found at afv-diorama.blogspot.com

Something a bit different this next month for anyone who cares about these things. Not actually a painting challenge this time – the “theme” of April’s hobby challenge is to build or assemble something. For quite a few of you, this is like second nature, for others (aka me) it’s something I rarely get around to doing much of, since I seem to always be trying to finish off the painting of older models, painting one-piece casts, or working on models that have very little assembly/creativity to them, like building a few Space Marines.

Photo from www.scalemodelguide.com. I would have linked to their article, but my browser says "site not secure", so...

Here are some examples:

  • Build a large kit that’s been sitting around, taking up space for ages. That Dreamforge Leviathan, that Baneblade, that Big Bertha, that Promethium Refinery. (Yep, scenery/terrain is fine!)
  • Kitbash or convert a larger model for an army centrepiece or your mantelpiece.
  • Copy I mean be inspired by another hobbyist’s work and create your own version of something you’ve seen online.
  • Kitbash a cool trooper, or hero, or commander.
  • Finally crack open that Start Collecting!/game-with-models/boxed set/ancient blister pack/zip-lock baggie from eBay that has been sitting around forever and assemble (at least some of) the stuff inside.
  • Create a diorama. (Obviously doesn’t need to have all the painting completed or be fully assembled!)

Too many boxed kits. Possibly.

For those of you for which assembling or kitbashing stuff is second nature and also have some time off for Easter that’s not already pre-filled with commitments, you might want to consider a stretch from what you usually do. Or not. Just a thought. 😉

As always, the open and flexible nature of this thing is designed to fit in with a lot of people might be doing or thinking about anyway – and just give that extra boost of motivation.

Me?

I hope to build at least one “inspired by” figure as a hero for one of my armies and also assemble something of decent/centrepiece size that’s either made of resin or plastic that’s been sitting around here for long enough to become annoying. Ideally one each of both resin and plastic, but you know how it goes. But yeah, I’ll personally be happy if I get 2-3 builds done. It’s not supposed to be a chore, after all!

Upcoming Challenges: 

May will be completing Neglected Models again.

June will be finishing Squads/Units again.

July will be paint a centrepiece/cool big thing. Maybe the thing that you assemble in April? 😉

Squaduary 2018 Wrap-Up

Plaguebearers of Nurgle and Wolves

I’d never heard of Squaduary until Westrider mentioned it was a thing in the comments of my post discussing Community Painting Challenges for this year. Since I planned on trying to paint all of my metal Plaguebeaers after finding a stash of 27 of them in my Great Unclean One’s box late last year (with the actual GUO nowhere to be seen), I decided to join in. After all, I planned on painting the things anyway, and so that part was easy – and if the challenge could help to motivate me to get them all done in that time frame, so much the better. So over the course of the month, I managed to get all of the Plaguebearers done, a batch at a time. I’m not sure if Squaduary helped motivate me to get these done, but it certainly didn’t hurt.

I also had a bunch of wolves from various sources that I’d gathered together, and they had been kicking around for ages, getting in the way and generally being annoying. Since models with fur are relatively easy, and Squaduary is a “start-to-finish” type challenge, I decided to try my hand at them as well. Finishing them off a few days ago, after all of the Plaguebearers. For these, I can definitely credit Squaduary for motivating me to get them done.

So my total Squaduary models come to 27 Plaguebearers, plus 9 wolves. 36 models, so not too shabby.

With three (work) days left in February, and half of a Sunday (yes, I’m writing this blog post before the day it goes up and throwing it into the auto-post queue!), It’s time to see what else I can manage to complete for Alex’s Fembruary, and my own Neglected Model February. Now if only I could find my Vallejo Light Grey Wash…