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At the beginning of the year, I challenged myself to paint a model a week for 2013. I'm not too hard on myself, so the exact ratio doesn't really matter as much as the total at the end of the year.

Why? I have always been more of an hobbyist than a gamer. But for some reason, 2011 was an awful year if I look at the production side: I painted 2, maybe 3 models. Sure, lots of stuff was done for our club, and we ran a mini-convention, yaddi yaddi yadda. However, in the end, it was still a failure on my part, as lead, plastic and resin piled on my painting desk. To jump start my production, I jumped on numerous online painting challenges in 2012, started attending a weekly painting night, and in the end I was able to get to 50 models during the year. To keep that momentum going, I took the resolution to paint at least 52 models during 2013, with the generic motto of a model per week.

I only recently changed from lurker to active member on Dakka, so here is my actual progress. This will be a big post, but other updates should be easier to digest.

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January (3 models painted, total is now 3/52)

Heartsworn Fighter [SDE]


Herne [from the Warmachine mercenary duo Herne & Jones]


Ember Mage [SDE]



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February (3 models painted, total is now 6/52)

Gel Wizard [Endless]


Chipmunk Weapon Team [Brushfire]


Elf Ranger [SDE]



March (9 models painted, total is now 15/52)

Mouse Conscript [Brushfire]


Lord of the Feast [Hordes]


Mice Lancers x3 [Brushfire]


Dominion of Canada Hunstan Class Tank Destroyers x3 [Dystopian Wars]


Mouse Conscript (with bow) [Brushfire]



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April (2 models painted, total is now 17/52)

Capybara capitan [Brushfire]


Dark-tusks standard bearer [Chronopia]

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And that's it. Sorry for the giant first post. I'm at 17 models done, and we're on week 18, so that's not too bad. April's models took lots of time, as I wanted to take them to showcase level. I hope it shows a bit, especially on the metallics (which sadly I have problem taking good pictures of). For May, I'll probably have some Trollbloods to add to this list.

All comments and/or criticisms are welcome.

Everything looks great! I really enjoyed your SDE stuff!

Keep motivated man!

Keep up the good work!

It's great to see models from so many different ranges.

Good luck on your project! It's an effective method, I use a similar one to keep active and keep myself from working through my backlog of unpainted plastic and metal.
Good work so far, you chose some great mini's to paint. Barnyard animals with machine guns. ^.^

Thanks everyone.

As the saying goes, "variety is the spice of life". I have models from various other companies in my queue, to continue on that trend. Nemesis' orphans, goblin pirates, MERCS, custom models, etc. I can't stand painting the same thing over and over again. To give you an idea, it took me over 5 years to get up to 50pts of Trollbloods painted for Hordes. 50pts isn't that many models...

The coming pictures are not of a model, but it still is a completed piece. It's also the main reason why no models have been finished for two months.

It's a custom board for the game Endless: Fantasy Tactics, by On the Lamb Games. A pretty cool mix of old console Tactical RPG and miniatures. The board was done while waiting for the models, which were kickstarted, and should be in the mail soon.

I now have a lot of catch up to do! On to painting models, not foam.


Final - Front view


Final - Left view


Final - Right view


Final - Platform close-up


Final - Crystals close-up


Final - Bridge close-up

WWeeej, i recognized the board as something like Fire Emblem

Good work, the gems water and paths look nice. Way nice.

Good god you just triggered something in my brain. I've got some kind of warm fuzzy feeling as well as.. sadness? Man super final fantasy tactics nostalgia trip right now. That board is excellent! Your models are really nice too, but that board... Filled with win!

Wow your thread has a capybara! This alone is reason to subscribe. I also love your mice and just the general wide variety of minis I don't normally see..

A first time terrain commission took all the free time I had in the past months, and I haven't been able to finish a mini since April, until now. That contract is behind me now, and I'm back to painting for a while.

August (1 model painted, total is now 18/52)

Mantis (Faction: Orphans; Game: Nemesis; Publisher: Zenit Miniatures)




That means that I am FAR BEHIND in my time. Luckily, I have a Dystopian Legions starter that I want to paint at a tabletop level that might give me a boost, as well as a bunch of Trollbloods. It won't be easy, as I have another terrain commission coming. Starting those was not planned at all when I started this challenge, and it will be a good way to see if I can get a bit quicker with the brush in the few months left.


Here are a couple of pics from the commission I did. It's a demo board for Brushfire, inspired by a Northen France look.

Those two were really quick to paint, and a lot of fun. They are for a friend, so I probably won't have to paint others of that faction in the near future. However, I do have two starters for other factions on my painting table coming soon, and they look fun to paint too.

Varbres (Faction: Vaettir; Game: Relics; Publisher: Tor Gaming)


September: 2 model painted, total is now 20/52

I quite like the terrain, and those little demon/imp things are very nice as well. Pretty much everything about them, its hard to pinpoint a specific thing I like without listing basically everything Good colors for sure, we'll leave it at that. Keep them coming

Good luck with the personal contest! I tend to set goals for a particular unit or army but I've never planned that far ahead.

 warboss wrote:
Good luck with the personal contest! I tend to set goals for a particular unit or army but I've never planned that far ahead.

After a whole bunch of failed army projects, I know I'm too flighty for that. That why I set a yearly goal, but not game/faction limited. Just on my table right now, I have models for 5 different games, and at least for 2-3 other lines waiting for assembly. I know myself well enough now to paint a bit of everything, except if an event is coming. Else I get bored quickly and completely stop painting for a while.

The quality you are putting out with the quantity is very good. Great job, keep it up and I hope you succeed at your goal.

I crave your dark tusks standard bearer! If you decide to part with it, or come across another, let me know

 RiTides wrote:
I crave your dark tusks standard bearer! If you decide to part with it, or come across another, let me know

You can still buy some old blisters of Chronopia at Prince august, and this one is still in stock it seems: http://shop.princeaugust.ie/chronopia-eternal-realms-games/dwarven-faction/tg2524-chronopia-dwarf-dark-tusk-standard-bearer-figures/

I have no idea what their speed/service looks like though.

You're a machine Antoine! Nice work man -

I ordered the dark tusks standard bearer thanks!

And subscribed, keep up the awesome work man!

Another long hiatus, and sadly, it wasn't even hobby related this time, or not directly: huge project at work, and then our Club running a tournament. This took all my time until mid-late October, where I was finally able to put brushes to models. Here is the result of that. Pictures had to wait almost a month, but the next batch won't be as late, I promise. Some are even already taken.

October (6 models painted, total is now 26/52)

Half squad of mainstay infantry (Faction: Empire of the Blazing Sun; Game: Dystopian Legion; Publisher: Spartan Games)



Those were done pretty quickly, once I finally settled on a colour scheme. As my army for that game is pretty sizeable. I'll push the details on the steambikes and officers, but grunts will not be painted to the best of my abilities.


Stone Scribe Elder (Faction: Trollbloods; Game: Hordes; Publisher: Privateer Press)



This trollkin has been on my painting table for more than half a year. I always got stock and ended up putting him aside to work on something else. But with all the new project coming in, I had to finish him. More effort were put on him then the DL guys, but not that much. It's really busy, and was a bit hard to work on.


Just looking at the October number, I'm running really late. However, having almost no other big project in November, I'm already at 8 models painted, and I have half a dozen others almost done. Sure, a bunch of them are only quick tabletop quality, but they still count toward my goal, even if I would have liked to push myself a bit more this year. December will need to see a similar frenzy of painting if I want to get to 52, or I will have to work on some smaller scale stuff, to help my speed ratio. We'll see in the next few weeks.

First batch of the November models.

Dire Troll Mauler (Faction: Trollbloods; Game: Hordes; Publisher: Privateer Press)



I'm really happy with that model, but less with the picture. I still need to work on my camera skills and setup. Only thing I would change if I had to go back would be to add another colour on the belly and the inside of the hands, as it would break a bit the monotony of the wall of blue. I'll try it on my next Dire Troll.

DeepRoot Druid (Game: Super dungeon Explore; Publisher: Soda Pop Miniatures)



I love that little guy. I'm proud of the job on the back, but it was too subtle for my camera... His friend the bear is coming soon.

November (2 models painted so far, total is now 28/52)

Here is the rest of the November bunch, for a total of 16 models. That's probably a record for me, outside of smaller scale models.

Corsairs (Faction: Dark Elves; Game: Warhammer Fantasy Battle; Publisher: Games Workshop)


Lokir Fellhearth (Faction: Dark Elves; Game: Warhammer Fantasy Battle; Publisher: Games Workshop)


Dreadball Corporation's Jack - colour scheme test (Game: Dreadball; Publisher: Mantic Games)


Dreadball Referee (Game: Dreadball; Publisher: Mantic Games)


Second half squad of mainstay infantry (Faction: Empire of the Blazing Sun; Game: Dystopian Legion; Publisher: Spartan Games)


November (16 models, total is now 42/52)

I did it, with a extra model on top of it! The last 6 are a bit of a cop out, as Dystopian Wars is so easy and fast to paint compared to 28mm+ stuff, but those still are painted minis, so I do count them. And now the pictures.

Trooper (Faction: Britanan; Game: Relics; Publisher: Tor Gaming)


Mini DeadWood (Publisher: Impact Miniatures)


Kobolds (Game: Super Dungeon Explore; Publisher: Soda Pop Miniatures)


Archer Class Flak Tank (Faction: Britanian Empire; Game: Dystopian Wars; Publisher: Spartan Games)


December (11 models, total is now 53/52)


I hope you enjoyed the ride. Having that public goal really drove me to paint more. I saw an increase in my painting speed this year, and also the quality I can achieve without taking weeks per model as gotten higher.

Seeing the totals I was able to paint in the last two months, it's pretty clear that I can now do more than one a week. However, I do have a bunch of terrain projects for 2014, as well as some models I want to paint at the higher end of my capacities and enter in competitions, so I'm not sure I can achieve that much more. Doubling my goal seems too much, so I'm going to try 3 models per two weeks, for a total of 78 models in 2014.

Well done! Are you going to continue this blog, or start a new one? Rather then add more models to the list, what about doing 12 (one a month) model on a 60mm or larger base or vehicle?

Nice clutch win towards the final hour Was wondering.

whalemusic360 wrote:Well done! Are you going to continue this blog, or start a new one? Rather then add more models to the list, what about doing 12 (one a month) model on a 60mm or larger base or vehicle?

It's a good idea. At first I thought I didn't have enough for something like that, but getting it down to 50mm (most games I play have that as their "big" format), I could manage to get 12+ of those. My Trollbloods in particular would be happy to have some "heavy" reinforcement.

I have some other ideas too, like having a terrain project done per month, or a competition level model painted a month. I'm torn about that last one, as I do want to up my level (I only consider one or two models this year were done at that level), but I also have so much stuff to paint just to play... I need to think about it, and quick to not get behind during the first month!

For the blog posts, I think I will keep them in this thread. It could provide a nice history if I keep working on the challenge over the years.

GrimDork wrote:Nice clutch win towards the final hour Was wondering.

Yeah. At the beginning of November, I really didn't feel like it was going to work out in the end. I was almost ready to go for another Dystopian Wars starter, just to get the challenge done, but I was finally able to finish with only doing a single blister of those. I'm pretty happy about that.

It's always nice to get a project like this done for sure. Congrats