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Welcome all to the 132nd round of the Dakka Painting challenge. For the unfamiliar, this is a friendly painting competition open to members of all skill levels and experience, whether your entry is your first or you thousand-and-first time painting miniatures. Each month, finished entries are collected into a thread where the community can vote on their favorite pieces, and those votes go towards an annual overall League that runs for 12 rounds.

This topic this month is the Finish It! We will lift the “must start primed/basecoated” limit so people can wrap up projects and clear out stuff from the back of the bench. Or use the time to start and finish the last few models for a project. If you don’t have something that fits, you can also go with minis putting in the final shots into their target, swordsmen delivering a coup de grace, Mortal Kombat fighters performing fatalities, ending duels, climatic battles, or singing nordic psalms.


How To Enter

- You may enter up to 5 MODELS as a SINGLE ENTRY, and are permitted one entry per member per month. If you enter multiple models, they should ideally be related in some way, such as part of the same squad, unit or scene if you are doing a diorama
- You may enter at any time during the month, up to the last minute. We do encourage people to enter early, as to be part of the community, but if you can’t start until the 11th hour, that’s OK.
- You MUST post a 'proof' picture of your entry in the thread of the state it was in before you started working on it; this must be either unassembled, unpainted, primed or coated a single colour. Entries that do not submit a valid Proof Picture will not be eligible for voting. We are waiving the normal start conditions this month; feel free to use it to wrap up half done minis. But please be sure to post a start picture so we know how much you’ve done.
- After this, you may post WIP pictures in this thread and your own if you wish, and on completing the entry, you may post up to 6 final pictures IN THIS THREAD that will then be used for voting. Please note that pictures in a montage or collage picture will be considered individual images for this purpose, so while these types of presentation are certainly acceptable, please keep the image limit in mind when compiling them. For example, a collage of 5 images and one separate image would count as your 6 picture allowance.


So What Do I Win?
- Points... and points mean... bragging rights for the next month! Following the vote, points will be awarded to every entrant. This year, the Points you receive will be equal to the Percentage of Votes your entry receives in the final Voting thread; if you get 10%, you get 10 points, if you get 6% you get 6 points, so on and so forth.

These points will be used to form a league table, which will be updated month on month as the results come in.

How Long Do I Have?
This challenge begins 1st of February and will end at midnight EST on February 28th. After this, I shall compile the finished entries into a new thread, and voting will run for 5 days.

This is probably my best shot at finishing Kaboom Girl. I entered her before and the proof shows how far I got before I ran out of steam and switched to another model. I can't even remember how long ago that was.

I do know that not another drop of paint got on the model in the meantime, even though I like the model and want to see it finish. But so far apparently not badly enough. I'll gladly take any extra motivation I can get. Let's hope things go better this time around.

I’ll enter what I’ve recently started painting… the big guy for FEC!

Of the various half-done minis lying around, this one's the best combination of interesting and still near the start of painting:



I put her together back in July 2024 because I don't particularly like the official Jump Lord and wanted to try to do better, but since I don't need a Jump Lord on the tabletop (since I don't like the current Raptors much either, although the upcoming replacements look more promising) there wasn't much pressure to paint her, compared to minis I needed done for games, or other projects with more interesting colours than 'another chaos one'. So let's finish her off now.

2 fold entry:



I’ve got a tank and some mostly done assault intercessors that need to be finished. They are actually the secondary part.
My primary focus is the Nids. These are the last built/primed/planned tyranids in the pile of shame. I think I’ve got a handful of vintage GSC stuff, maybe a gaunt or two left. I should really dig into it and check. But for the active planned part of the army? This is it. They were started as a 2020 covid project and grew into a healthy swarm. But now it’s time to wrap them up, put them on the back burner, and make room for the Necrons on the bench.

Neurotyrant and buddies, 3 Zoes, and 10 devilgaunts.

Best 5 of what gets finished will be entered.

Ere we go, ere we go, ere we go...

Not quite older than me; some of the first models I ever owned, back in the (gulp) late 80s. They have been stripped, reprimed and begun once more. Waagh, and so forth. 5 will be for this, but I'll probably do all 10.

 inmygravenimage wrote:
Ere we go, ere we go, ere we go...

Not quite older than me; some of the first models I ever owned, back in the (gulp) late 80s. They have been stripped, reprimed and begun once more. Waagh, and so forth. 5 will be for this, but I'll probably do all 10.

That is some vintage RT Ork lead. I’ve got some of their buddies in a box somewhere, and even a few painted on the shelf. I really should do them up as a painting project some day. Fun batch of guys.

So this fella has been sat half-finished for an embarrassing amount of time. I figure this is the motivation to get it done:

I’m hoping to get these boys finished this month, they have been languishing in a sorry state on the shelf for too long!

I'm going with the "minis putting in the final shots into their target" interpretation:

Various half-painted Adeptus Mechanicus models have been sitting on my painting table for far to long. Finish it!

I was toy-bashing those cheap toys I got on clearance. And need to finish them, otherwise they will never get done.

Came up with some lore for them too.
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/813720.page#11802483

3 finished, 3 needs more painting.



And 4 more, just finished putting in the wires.





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 Geifer wrote:
This is probably my best shot at finishing Kaboom Girl. I entered her before and the proof shows how far I got before I ran out of steam and switched to another model. I can't even remember how long ago that was.

I do know that not another drop of paint got on the model in the meantime, even though I like the model and want to see it finish. But so far apparently not badly enough. I'll gladly take any extra motivation I can get. Let's hope things go better this time around.

Perfect round for this!
Plan on using pigment powers to dust the ground?


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 Jadenim wrote:
So this fella has been sat half-finished for an embarrassing amount of time. I figure this is the motivation to get it done:

I like your hobby table. Looks like something that I need to make.


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 JordySteve wrote:
I’m hoping to get these boys finished this month, they have been languishing in a sorry state on the shelf for too long!

And they shall languish no more! Emperor wills it.

My entry for the month will be Dragon Ogres. Purchased back in 2024 with the release of TOW, they have sat half finished for a long while. Time to get them going.



And since snapping that build picture yesterday, here they are primed and ready.

 Mothsniper wrote:

 Geifer wrote:
This is probably my best shot at finishing Kaboom Girl. I entered her before and the proof shows how far I got before I ran out of steam and switched to another model. I can't even remember how long ago that was.

I do know that not another drop of paint got on the model in the meantime, even though I like the model and want to see it finish. But so far apparently not badly enough. I'll gladly take any extra motivation I can get. Let's hope things go better this time around.

Perfect round for this!
Plan on using pigment powers to dust the ground?

I have yet to try pigment powders. I've barely even given them any thought in the past. My 40k bases are pretty locked in at this point with bit of drybrushing, stippling and a wash before final highlights.

One big problem with this model is that I couldn't decide on how I want my Genestealers to look for thirty years. That stopped me from painting the ones I got over the years and editions of Space Hulk and was not help when I branched out into Genestealer Cults. Indecision on the color scheme was one big issue that stopped me last time around. And... that hasn't even changed yet. I'm hoping for some fresh ideas after letting the model sit for so long.

Give pigment powders a go (crushed cheap colored chalk, or old pastels) be a fun test.

I find it more difficult to land on the basing theme than on the color scheme. Because there can be a lot more wiggle room within a color scheme. Looks like your base theme is set.
Perhaps this will help you with the color scheme. Consider different color schemes for every squads. Doesn't have to be too different, one color for core, and variations for squads.

As an example: Think of an Eldar army with Aspect warriors. Uniformed army with different colored squads.

Its what I ended up doing with my dwarfs
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/804229.page#11332701
3 different color schemes for 3 different Quarreler units.
It allows me to work squad by squad, not worry about the whole. As long as the bases unify the army it works.

I've got option paralysis! Too many things in too many states of incompleteness

Can we please have (Finish it) Theme every month for next 4 years please.

KidCthulhu wrote:I've got option paralysis! Too many things in too many states of incompleteness

Give us a list/pics and we can help.

Mothsniper wrote:Can we please have (Finish it) Theme every month for next 4 years please.

Best I can do is make it an annual thing once a year. Which is the plan unless it flops badly.

I think it’s a great idea to allocate an annual monthly slot for those projects that take that little bit longer!

I sometimes paint things nobody sees here because they drag on for weeks soooo…

@Mothsniper it’s a precut MDF thing, just clips together and can be flat packed. I didn’t buy it, so couldn’t tell you where it came from, but I’m sure Google will provide!

* laughs in multiple unpainted armies* I’ll find something.

Well, this is serendipitous for me. I wasn't able to offer anything for February's painting round because I promised to finish this monstrosity!



And I need to have this finished in march. So it looks like I already have my model picked for this month. God, please don't let my printers die this month!

 Jadenim wrote:
@Mothsniper it’s a precut MDF thing, just clips together and can be flat packed. I didn’t buy it, so couldn’t tell you where it came from, but I’m sure Google will provide!

That is cool. I have scrap wood and a mini table saw. I like to scratch build and kitbash tools and furniture

I have four potential entries, three of which are left over from previous challenges.

First, a Frostgrave wizard and apprentice, originally started for Sidekicks :


Next, some Dungeon Saga goblins, from the Summer Side Quest:


Then, the final few Catachans, from All Your Base Are Belong To Us:


And finally, what I believe to be the last of my unpainted Beastmen:

I see XvArcanevX is preparing to send Ushoran in battle. I cannot let our lord go alone!
I will try to muster an army (Well a spearhead...) to join him in this battle!


I doubt I will finish them in time but I will try to have at least something finished.

Does a model completed in 90% counts as half - finished? Because I have a locomotive that needs just some final parts and weathering, but I can't get myself to finish it.

 halfling84 wrote:
Does a model completed in 90% counts as half - finished? Because I have a locomotive that needs just some final parts and weathering, but I can't get myself to finish it.

Half finished is just a phrase. The goal is to use the month to get some otherwise stalled project across the finish line. I would hope people choose projects that will make a good use of the month’s time. If all you need to do it put one dot of color on that takes 5 minutes, I’d prefer you choose a better project, but will not say no/disqualify you for it (as that’s getting close to just submitting finished work to vote farm).

Do what you need to do, paint what you want. Work on that pile of shame.

 straken619 wrote:
I see XvArcanevX is preparing to send Ushoran in battle. I cannot let our lord go alone!
I will try to muster an army (Well a spearhead...) to join him in this battle!


I doubt I will finish them in time but I will try to have at least something finished.

He’s been pre-occupied eviscerating some Stormcast but wants me to pass on his gratitude….

Well, here's the first one, though not final pics:

The satin varnish is still a bit shiny, so will hit it with matt.

Happy with how it turned out, and a good proof concept.

Some progress on my Dragon Ogres: