It's been a hell of a year for most of us.
Please excuse me for being indulgent but I think the past year merits a little time. The sad passing of two very close dear friends made it all the more traumatic. Heartbreaking.
Then there is my own mental health, never the best in terms of anxiety and depression for the past twenty years. My mental health has spiralled downward since March last year now reaching a point where I cannot even dip the brush in the paint without being overwhelmed with anxiety and panic. I am seeking help as always as I have when needed in the past, but it can be slow in coming and despite the immense efforts of the local Mental Health Services very little is having any impact. I am at an all time low. Even as I type I am consumed with worry and anxiety, so palpable that it not only manifests in the mind, but in my body too.
To top it all off, I am having a recurring problem with my cardio vascular system which will almost certainly require intervention in hospital. As far as Covid goes I am Clinically Extremely Vulnerable which makes the prospect all the more terrifying.
As I said, I am sorry for being so indulgent with my own problems. I feel that if I don't express them then the anxiety just builds. So I am spilling!
So, why a review of what was painted in 2020? I embarked on my "Rule of Threes" (basically not overextending myself beyond three projects at one time). Until recently I think I have had one of my most productive years painting in two decades. Granted unless I embark on a speed painting project I paint fairly slowly but I think you will see from the imaged below that I have managed to get a fair bit of work completed over the last twelve months up to the and of last year. Hopefully I will be able to continue in the same manner for the next year.
Enjoy the pictures. They are all "clickable" so you take take a good look if you so desire.
Yusef ibn Tashfin's Black Guard
Andalusian Noble Cavalry
Spanish Christian Vignette 1
Yusef ibn Tashfin's Command Base
Siege of Shrewsbury Terrain 1
Christian Spanish Vignette 2
Christian Spanish Vignette 3
Yusef inb Tashfin's Hasham Guard Cavalry
Ghuzz horse Archers
Christian Spanish Knights
Then Covid hit and put a spanner in the works for the Reconquista Partizan Game!!
Beja 1
Early Byzantine Dismounted Bucellarri/Extra Heavy Infantry
Early Byzantine Torsion Engine
Early Byzantine Skirmishers
Early Byzantine Army General on Foot Command Base
Malalai of Maiwand
Afghan Tribesmen
Early Byzantine Command Base
Early Byzantine Armoured Infantry
Anglo Danes and Casualty Base
Casualty Base 1
Casualty Base 2
Anglo Danes 1
Anglo Danes 2
Frankish Command Base
Frankish Franks!
Anglo Danes Bordweal!
Anglo Danes 3
Anglo Danes Command Base 1
Anglo Danes Command Base 2
A Few Scenic Snaps of the Anglo Danes
So many splendid figures, evocative vignettes and gorgeous terrain...A feast for our eyes!!
ReplyDeleteSome really beautiful figures and terrain done through the year, I find your Arabs quite inspiring 👍 I think it is fine to indulge a little, this has indeed been a challenging year. Sharing and talking about mental health issues is becoming far more acceptable which is good. If blogging helps then be assured there are people out here who care 🙂
ReplyDeleteI agree with Matt. When you in trouble, don't keep it for yourselves only. This the best way to get help and support from others. As far as I can see, the vaccination is going very quickly and more and more people getting their dose. I believe, that the situation soon will be resolved and we all return to our normality again. I hope that your problems will be solved very soon.
ReplyDeleteBack to your figures and models. I can only say: WOW! It is very inspiring. I love them all!!!
A wonderful year of work. You say you are a slow painter but you can't rush quality and your stuff is top shelf; beautiful work in every aspect.
ReplyDeleteYour mental health is very important and, as others have posted, sharing your struggles is important to getting through them.
Thanks for being so understanding guys. That means much more to me then appreciating the painting. But appreciation of the brushwork is still very much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteLovely work all around - I have set myself to make 2021 (with a little bit of 2020 tailing along) to be a much more productive year than the recent past - and so far so good, knocking on nearly 400 figures seal coated (in 15 mm and my simple game table standard, but a painted figure is a painted figure) this past weekend. I haven't painted that many figures in a whole year for more than a decade, easy figures mostly because for the most part domesticated farm animals (old west game stuff mostly). Target is to get close or above 1,000 by end of December, not counting the 2020 tale (240 figures).
ReplyDeleteAs others, feel free to use your blog for as much self-therapy as you need. Though I'm hoping painting will transform into its own therapy for you. For me, it is a form of 'meditation', once I get going, I just immerse myself in the process and all else goes away. There are few things better than a sense of accomplishment and painted figures give that to me, a feeling I can revisit as often as I like by taking out and enjoying painted figures - whether a figure or unit I just painted or the one I did way back in 1986. Way better than a good game, just the game gives a nice social outlet. That has been missing for a year now.
I will encourage you to hold on in following guidelines for a while more now. The vaccinations are helping but there need to be vastly more of them before we take down our guard. I hope you don't count that as a point to depress but as a point to see hope and lift your spirits. One of my favorite quotes comes from Tolkien: Where there is life, there is hope. Here's to hope. Be well and stay as healthy as you can.
Thanks Curmudgeon in Chief. Appreciated.
DeleteLike you painting is normally a quite Zen activity for me. Until recently I used to do a lot of Yoga and Meditation as well. Unfortunately, neither are working at present. I'd best ;eave it there for now. More in my next post.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a very thoughtful reply.