Picking Up Where I Left Off
The Squig Rider is finally finished.
After slowly working my way through the three goblins on foot, I finally got around to finishing the last model in the group. But it didn't happen straight away.
I actually took about a week away from the hobby.
Work had been particularly tiring, and by the end of the day I just didn't have the energy to sit down at the painting desk. Rather than forcing myself to paint when I wasn't enjoying it, I decided to leave the hobby alone for a few days.
When I eventually picked up the brush again, it was like nothing had changed.
Jumping In and Out
I think this is one of the things I enjoy about miniature painting. It doesn't require you to be constantly involved.
Sometimes I can spend hours at the painting desk, completely absorbed in a project. Other times, work and exhaustion mean the brushes stay untouched for days.
I think most hobbyists experience this.
Life gets busy, priorities change, and sometimes you simply don't have the energy to paint. I've definitely been feeling that recently with work taking more out of me than usual.
But when I finally had some free time and the inspiration to paint again, it was like nothing had changed.
The Squig Rider was already halfway through the paint job, and I didn't need to spend time figuring out where I was up to. I picked up the brush and went straight back into it.
That was a nice reminder that a hobby doesn't have to be something you constantly maintain. It can be something you step away from and return to whenever you have the time and motivation.
Finishing the Squig Rider
Once I was back at the desk, there wasn't actually a huge amount left to do.
For the goblin, I focused on adding some final highlights, tidying up a few areas and working on the non-metallic metal (NMM) on the scythe.
I've been wanting to improve my NMM, so having another opportunity to work on it was useful. I'm still not completely convinced I've mastered the technique, and every time I try something slightly different, I try to find the method that clicks, but I think the scythe is a definite improvement over some of my earlier attempts.
Making the Squig Stand Apart
I wanted the Squig and goblin to feel like two separate figures rather than one large figure.
For the goblin, I went for a smoother approach with the highlights and transitions. With the Squig, I wanted something much more striking.
I used counter shading following the natural shape of the sculpt, allowing the direction and form of the Squig to influence where the lighter and darker areas fell.
I also pushed the highlights further than I did on the goblin.
The result is a stronger contrast across the Squig, which helps separate it visually from its rider. The goblin has a more controlled and refined finish, while the Squig is much more exaggerated.
I'm really happy with the difference this creates, and it's an approach I'd like to experiment with more on future models.
A Hobby Without a Schedule
Finishing the Squig Rider has also made me think about how I approach the hobby.
I don't think miniature painting needs to have a strict schedule. I touched on this in my last Goblin article, Small Steps, Finished Models. There are times when I can make a lot of progress and other times when I barely touch a brush.
The important part is enjoying it when I do.
My recent short painting sessions helped me finish the three foot goblins, and then a week away didn't stop me from finishing the Squig Rider. Both approaches worked because they suited what I had available at the time.
Sometimes that means twenty minutes after work.
Sometimes it means taking a week off.
And sometimes, when the motivation comes back, you suddenly find yourself sitting down and painting for longer than you expected.
One Project Finished
With the Squig Rider now finished, the entire group is finally complete.
It's been a good little project for me. I've experimented with NMM, worked on different approaches to highlighting and, perhaps most importantly, found that I don't need to worry about maintaining constant momentum. Now with the announcement of the Night Goblins Blood Bowl team, I am looking forward to painting more Night Goblins and squigs.
For now, I'm happy to call the goblins finished and move on to whatever catches my interest next.
On to the next.
And remember: Always Paint Your Way
