well thank you

I actually feel a little better going into this weekend. That one newer friend that I think I mentioned vanishing about a month ago for self-doubt and personal reasons has started messaging me again, trying to send good vibes my way because they'd seen my status and inferred I've not been doing so hot. Also, my sweet girl kinda called me out on my bull****, forcing me to accept her desire to get me some fancy new computer parts for a bit of an upgrade (which to be fair is about due here at the 2-year mark). This in addition to sending me a catgirl/boy set and an adorable little Eevee plush (along with something a bit lewder )

Also I find myself developing more around that one character I mentioned a while back, the eternally-pregnant Lady of Ash. Well, truth be told right now I find myself reading up about Apollo since the naming and theming is stemming from there, but the developing is coming along at the same time. I've been hearing from another friend about single-player RPG-like systems they've been mashing together for story writing and I'm thinking of using some of that to get some more solid details set in stone about this character.

[slig voice]Hi![/slig voice]


Fate/Kaleid
As you can tell by the name, it's a Fate/Stay Night spin off. Though it takes a bit of a turn into Magical Girl Show for the first few seasons before it decides to be Fate again.


It's still pretty much Modern Take of Cultural Mythology. It's just the culture in question is Pop Culture and they're superheroing all over everything.
Which is a substantial departure from the Weatherlight's approach being more grounded and less explicitly about people with superpowers going around righting wrong.
Biggest problem it has really boils down to the fact that they imbued absolutely no depth into any of the run up to this and dragged a ton of characters with razor thin motivation into plots that are no better for their inclusion in them.


So, in other news though, going back to the esoteric talk of painting:
Someone else around the store finally actually could talk about painting with me. Everyone else that frequents the place doesn't really understand any degree of nuance or technique involved, since they either buy the models painted or they are… unconcerned with the technical aspects.
But in any condition, it was actually really satisfying to be able to genuinely talk shop, in a way I’m not sure I can quantify, but it meant a lot more than I thought it would. He was also pretty damn impressed with my brush control, I think genuinely he was surprised at the level of quality considering how short a time I’ve been working. His only real criticism was in dealing with the metallics, but that’s no small part a shortage of materials, so I take no ownership over that foible.
I turned over the second batch of my current commission, putting the numbers 22/42 I’ll post a picture of the one I think turned out best out of the most recent batch. That said, I was somewhat… a lot bothered by the fact that the guy I’m doing this work for tried to “grime” up and weather the models, because consequently he ruined the paintjob on like half the ones I already turned over. (Rule 1, don’t do that kind of crap on more than one to test if you’re not sure what you’re doing) Suffice to say, that bugged the actual hell out of me, but at the end of the day, they’re his models. Also, his slapdash attempt at fixing them looks like ass, I’m fairly annoyed, but he’s determined he really shouldn’t have done that.
Beyond that, the rate I ended up charging for the work I’m doing on the miniatures ends up coming out to .92 cents, but I’m also effectively getting paid in experience and reputation, so… I set that rate myself, not like I can gripe about it.
However, the flip side to that is now that I’ve delivered positive results, he wants me to paint a $65 figure, and he has 2. My payment for that is the second model, so that’s a pretty substantial value demand increase. (Actually, it’s damaged, so the real value is closer to like $40, but whatever, it’s still a huge turn on that.)
I have 1 more commission confirmed, and then 1 guy interested in having me paint his army, but he’s not provided any actual commitment, only the nebulous “when I get paid” he’s interested. I have a friend of mine also interested in me painting one of his, but that’s low key also me wanting to paint one of his pieces. I’m being mildly insidious with that, under the assumption once I turn in mind blowing work, it’ll bother him the rest of his stuff doesn’t look as good.

The best of that last batch.
Apologies for the fuzzy quality, but I work with what I got

Jeez, I'm impressed! I tried my hand at a few minis years ago I'm sure you recall, and I just don't fully get the artistic technique that goes into painting in the first place, not to mention the fine brushstrokes that are kind of difficult for me. I wouldn't say I'm impaired but I am hella clumsy and it's not easy for me to make the little movements needed. Seeing the work you've got here, it's no wonder you've got so many commissions lined up so quickly!

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In some small personal news, my sweet girl called me out on my bull**** and forced me to accept her graciousness, not just searching for a new graphics card to upgrade my computer but buying it herself to gift me (and by the sound of it possibly a bigger hard drive as well but I wasn't clear on that)

I should probably post photos of my own painting efforts. I can make things look good with the blending and such, but trying to slip up and put the a color on a part that's not supposed to be that color always gets me. It's like ... sure the scabbard's steel-grey too I guess.

Very nice work, Barinellos. As I said, I don't personally have the knowledge or even necessarily the nomenclature to comment on the technical aspects of your work, but they look very cool to me!


Honestly, learning to accept generosity from others is a hard thing to do for a lot of people, myself included. But I hope you enjoy her gift(s)!

If the people at the bottom of the hierarchy start feeling they deserve things then the whole things fall apart. Reject good things! Maintain the social order!
:Jpg of recruitment poster goes here. Maintain Order- Know Your Place:

...I may have come from a bad family.

Uuuugh...
Well, I wouldn't advocate anyone repeat my weekend. A double dose of thirteen hour shifts where equipment breaks.
And I had an unmistakably messed up dream last night to add to the pile.
Tomorrow I'm off at least, but by Gods I'm going to try to finish my painting project so I can move on to the next one.

On the positive, I feel like I've managed to crest the hill in my current deck building projects for Warhammer 40k. For the most part at least.

Sorry to hear that. I hate long days like that, and I am glad that they are (hopefully) mostly behind me. I used to teach a night class once a week, on Wednesdays, which meant that I would have a 14 hour day every week, and right in the middle of the week, too. It wasn't great. Better than when I was working at the hotel, though, that's for sure.

Good luck with the painting!

I honestly don't know where to actually put this, but I couldn't not share it.
https://youtu.be/MaiUUitZbns

That's amazing. As someone who has written a parody of that song, I have to respect the craftsmanship of this much, much better parody. Admittedly, some of them came down to pronunciation, but that's sort of all rhyming, when you get down to it.

Thanks for sharing, Barinellos! I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Happy Birthday, Aaarrrgh! I hope it is an amazing day filled with happiness, joy, and various other good things!

Happy Birthday, Aaarrrgh!

Great Celebrations upon you, Aaarrrgh!

Happy Birthday!