"Spanish Sword and Buckler/Rodeleros" Topic

To be honest I have also found it very difficult to paint of late. I have discussed my mental health issues briefly on my blog before. Of late, things have become about as difficult as they I have ever experienced. My will to paint is diminished, my personal morale floundering. I will spare you the details; suffice to say that it's heartbreaking not to be able to spend time on the hobby I love due to being overcome by hyper anxiety and a host of other issues. Anxiety, at it's worst, seems to take over all aspects of ones life.

For these reasons I am quite proud to have been able produced anything at all on the painting front. I reckon this unit of Spanish Sword and Buckler/Rodeleros have come out well enough. Though not actually a unit as such, as four bases from each rank will actually be forming the front ranks of a very large pike block, they could be used as a unit in rules like Swordpoint where, for reasons unknown, the Spanish Sword and Buckler are Open Order units are separated from their respective pike blocks. I'm sure that will get sorted out once the Italian Wars Swordpoint supplement comes out. If it's anything as good as the Swordpoint Hundred Years War Supplement (the best Swordpoint supplement so far by quite some way IMHO) then it will be quite a treat.

All the miniatures are from The Assault Group and are from the Spanish Trastamara range, sculpted by the brilliantly talented Nick Collier.

For many more images of the unit and the single bases from various angles (and the usual gumph!), please feel free to pop over to my Just Add Water Blog here:
justaddwater-bedford.blogspot.com/2022/02/spanish-sword-and-bucklerrodeleros-army.html

Sneak peak of single bases:

Cheers

Not to make light of your mental health issues for one moment, but if it's any encouragement your painting on a bad day is a hundred times better than anything I've ever produced on my best day. Hang in there, and wishing you all the best.

Wow. Those are beautiful. Most of us can't even dream of doing that kind of work. I wish you well.

Lovely job of painting!

Grelber

Beautiful work you should be proud of. I fully appreciate the issues you are dealing with. I often suffer through bouts of ennui, and general feeling blue.

Great work! I sympathize with your health issues. Since 019 I have had severe issues of my own. Most recently I have vision problems that impact my painting. I hope your issue can be resolved to your satisfaction.

Beautiful work

Best wishes on the mental health front. Sometimes painting is the thing that calms me down

Thank you for all the kind words and encouragement guys, both for my mental health issues and the brushwork.

I'm touched by some of the comments and can certainly
empathize with anyone going through similar problems or other medical issues.

Painting, until a couple of months ago was my way of going Zen. I really knew I was in trouble when the brushwork stated to feel "painful". I knew it wasn't just a dip in my mojo and much more a "losing interest" due to anxiety and depression etc.

Appreciated all.

Absolutely top stuff Darrell, in basing and painting, beautiful painting on the armour too, i really like it.
Keep your chin up Darrell, i have suffered the same symptoms you mention, certainly in the last couple of years, those Demons just creep up on you out the blue.
Keep painting, it is a great escape from it all!

Great paint jobs!! Looks like painting is helping you to get on track again!!

Your painting is just sublime. I myself am a pretty decent painter, but your painting is on an entirely different level. I really enjoy it. Museum quality and more. I hope you can get back into your groove. Many of us appreciate your painting. Best wishes!

@ chrisminiaturefigs
@ mumbasa
@ Legionarius

Thank you all for the very encouraging words. It really means a lot to me, especially at times like this.

Very, very much appreciated all.

Just Add Water Wargaming and Painting Blog:
link

You are not alone suffering Anxiety/Depression(?). It does indeed make living very, very difficult.
Be encouraged! Anyone who can paint as well as these figures demonstrate is very talented and you should be proud of these!

Thanks Herkeybird.

I've got a long way to go with the Spanish- two 64 figure units of pike to do so, those combined with my Early Byzantine project should keep me busy.

It's quite a lot more than classical Anxiety and Depression, which was in fact a mis-diagnosis for over two decades! Thankfully i was able to see an excellent psychiatrist who has put me on the right path therapy wise.

My Just Add Water Miniature Painting Blog:
justaddwater-bedford.blogspot.com

… have come out well enough.

A masterpiece of understatement :-)
These are brilliant, works of beauty.

I have the same minis from TAG, ready to be painted and looking reproachfully in my direction from the cabinet. However, times are not the best. I now understand what Tolkien meant when he let Bilbo say "I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread". Painting helps, and seeing these is inspiring. Perhaps I will push up one of these Trastamara units to the front of my queue.
Stay painting and carry on…

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through hard times too Puster.

Manny illnesses, be it physical or mental, has#ve profound effects on the body that make things seems endless.

I'm fighting my way through things which is the main thing. Doing the work, mentally and trying to move back towards a more holistic self. sounds a bit "woo" but it all makes sense, at least at my end :)

My Just Add Water Miniature Painting Blog:
justaddwater-bedford.blogspot.com

The figures are fabulous and i look forward to you work.

Be well.

I am looking forward to see many more of your minis :-)

@Louie N
@Puste

Thanks guys. Currently trying to push my way through six Mounted Arquebusiers. They're going to need glossing which adds a week onto the production line as it takes at least seven days for the gloss to go off completely. It's annoying but necessary :)

Just Add Water Wargaming and Painting Blog:
link