"THE PLEDGE January 2020 - A Fresh Start" Topic

Since I completely blew the pledge last year I am in need of a fresh start. Not setting any specific goals, except painting more than I buy, hopefully painting a lot more. Well here goes;

Painted

18 28mm Crusader Era Spearmen
15 28mm WW2 Japanese
12 28mm Dark Age Bowmen
6 28mm Mounted Samurai
8 28mm Mounted Vikings

Bought

35 28mm F&IW figs

Totals
Painted – 59
Bought – 35
YTD +24

Not exactly a rousing start but a positive one none the less. Here is the link to December if you need to refer to it. TMP link

Did alright, didn't buy any figures. At the same time didn't paint many

Painted( 28mm Napoleonics)= 128
bought= none
monthly total= +128
YTD= 128

Couldn't get painting last month though I did at least get a some more plastics assembled. Still buying stuff with a few KS still to arrive so this year will start rough.

Purchased: 47
Painted: 0

There's nothing like a fresh start.
I jumped right in to this year buying 53 Empress USMC and NVA figures. Enthusiastic about this project and a warm day the first week of the year got the figures primed. I also had a few figures almost finished left from last year. In the red to start but until Empress releases more figures I should be able to hold off buying anything for a few months.

Bought = 53
Painted = 36 (AWI 28mm Artillery-5, Warring States Chinese 28mm-12, USMC 28mm-4, NVA 28mm-12, Cars for Mobsters-3)

Monthly profit = -17
Yearly profit = -17

My goal for the year is to paint 500 figures. That being said I am off to a modest start.

Bought 0
Painted
30 Years war art crew
3Cowboys
16 SYW French Inf
Total +25 for the month and +25 YTD

Well, I painted one 28mm human figure, a gunboat, and two 15mm wall sections. On the other hand, I didn't buy anything, I'm selling a few figures, and I got my room cleaned out (sort of) so I can stand to spend time in there painting.

Grelber

For 2020 I've set the same goals I had last year: 350 miniatures. I've started the year tackling my Ground Zero Games 25mm sci fi collection, knocking out 25 guys which is a full platoon of on force and a test figure for my second. I'm almost done with the second platoon but not in time for January's numbers.

25 painted 25mm men

My blog post on my goals for 2020:
2020's Hobby Goals, or: The Road to 350 Redux

Hoping to just keep track of the lead mountain and do something hobby related every day. For January I bought nothing and painted…

35 Pulp Miniatures USMC
4 Renault D2 tanks
3 Char B
1 baggage mule. Everything 25mm (1/56)

So I'm 43 in the black!

Bought -10 Frostgrave Soldiers
Painted – 9 Frostgrave figs and 1 Arthurian = 10
Balance for the year +0

(on order but not arrived – just over 130! Oh dear)

I know this comment might run contra to The Pledge, but I had to share it because it might be something we all feel, maybe?

Last few years, I was motivated to paint miniatures by using a list with The Pledge to count purchases and completions. I wanted to reach 0 minis to paint. Got REALLY close last year (5 figures unpainted). That list kept me rolling for almost 4 years. But then, it became the grind…

This year, though, as I contemplated 2020, the list and Pledge felt too heavy. I wanted to model, expand my 15mm armies, play instead of paint. I only have so much time, being a working Joe. So… now my list is just an inventory list. No pledge. No counts. I'm enjoying painting again! And loving modeling!

I guess the moral of the story is that it's OK to take stock in what motivates one's self and change to make that OK. Don't let what I love turn into what I hate.

Good luck to you Pledgers! Paint well, paint lots, and love what you do! I don't know if/when I'll get back to Pledging, but for now, I'm going to step away from it.

Chgowiz my take away from this is painting (your hobby) should be fun and relaxing. When it becomes a chore or a point of stress it's time to stop. I totally agree.

For me I can't say doing the pledge has reduced my lead pile by any significant amount. What it has done is made me think a little harder about each purchase of figures, plan my projects a little better and got me to paint figures instead of sitting on the couch surfing the same places on the internet.

When we get near the end of the month and I can't get myself to paint another color or don't feel like dealing with that last detail, I don't. Then I go to TMP and boast to the other pledgers how I missed my goal :-)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this we'll keep a spot at the bar for you.

I agree with Dan. It's more about tracking progress while doing the best you can and having fun. I am not sure I would describe it as boasting I missed my goal but I generally do miss my planned target as well. :)

Having seen your tables at local games stores and adepticon, I would say you are doing fine. Have fun!