Changing Gear for a Bit

Thanks to all who commented on my previous post... some interesting viewpoints. It's all a question of personal taste, in the end, and no one approach is right or wrong.

Meanwhile...

Over recent days, I have been reflecting on the past six months of painting output...

It began with the Successors project, and after a short interlude in the 18h century with the Oldenburg Regt for the Pils-Holstein collection, continued with the Napoleonics (French in bicornes).

Recently, however, it has started to stall a bit...

Now, there are a couple of reasons for this, perhaps; mitigating circumstances, if you like 

- namely, the recent deterioration of my cancer prognosis (bad news, but them's the breaks, as they say), 

and the recent arrival on the scene of a new relationship (good news).

But, notwithstanding those things, I was also mindful that I'd turned my 'hobby' into a bit of a painting slog... a feeling that has been heightened by the lack of even a feint chance of getting any games just now, and for the foreseeable.
It doesn't take long for us to start asking: So, what's all this painting for?

To the rescue (and they don't know it yet)... the members of the Virtual Wargames Club. 

You see... each week, members send me pictures of what they've been up to hobby-wise, and I have the immense pleasure of preparing the weekly show n tell presentations for our meetings. 

I am constantly amazed and inspired, every week, by the inventiveness and the broad range of periods people play. Most of all, I am buoyed by the level of enjoyment people can derive from even the most modest collections, projects, and games.

This got me thinking...

The upshot is that I decided I needed a new injection of something fresh, alongside the Napoleonics but very different in style and approach, to offset the slog with some escapist fun. After all, it's a hobby. Right?!

I wanted something skirmish-y. But not a traditional skirmish of a few figures per side. Grand skirmish, I suppose you might call it.

I wanted something outside of my normal realm (so not one of the mainstream periods).

I wanted something which would allow my imagination to roam a bit wild.

I wanted something which would allow me to add ad-hoc units as and when I fancied painting them.

I wanted some hardware... not just figures.

In short, something very different than I have done in the past. 

At the same time, Steve, my chief wargaming buddy and confidante, was also having similar thoughts.

And so a fresh project is gestating, and we're almost ready to bring it into the world. 

More news on this soon...

A Question of Style

At a recent meeting of The Virtual Wargaming Club, we discussed style and design. 

The club meetings always have a broad mix of periods and scales, but also a huge variation in styles. The design approaches are indeed eclectic. 

It got me thinking. Many people have a design style that they use for all their wargaming projects. 

Yet, I tend to decide on a 'look', a presentation style, that's particular to each specific project. 

No more is this evident than in the look of the terrain, and in particular the colour of rivers. By way of example, here are a few of my projects to illustrate what I mean.

Now, don't let's get too bogged down in the true 'realistic' colour of water, or how rivers 'should' be presented... (I suppose being 'bogged down' should in fact be reserved for marshes anyway). 

When starting a new project, do you decide on a deliberate 'design style'? 

Or do you just do it in your 'usual way.'? 

Food for thought...