A video podcast you say?

Hey folks, I was on the Painting with Menoth John Show this weekend.  If you are not familiar with the show, it's a 90 minute cast about painting, warmachine, drinking and shenanigans. The hosts are fantastic guys and it's a lot of fun. It streams on Twitch every Sunday night at 1930 EST.

This show is special as it is what's known as the "Brush head gallery", we spend the time going over submissions from the fan base. The hosts are always positive and encouraging.

So check it out, it's a fun time and you can see models from all degrees of skill, and you even get to see my face and hear my voice (sorry about the last two).

I was on a webcast.

For those of you who don't know Menoth John. He has had a webcast over the last three years. The show is primarily about painting, Warmachine and other twists and turns.

I was invited onto the show last night to discuss lighting and miniature photography.

So have a look and see if you like it.

And of course. Go over to www.flightmedicgaming.com and grab a dice tray or two while you enjoy the show!

The end of the year blog post!

Warning, this post will not contain much in the way of hobby content. It's a reflection of what has been.

First I want to thank you for continuing to read my blog. I get a thrill out of logging onto my computer in the morning and seeing the number jump up on how many views I've had the day before. The blog has had an incredible year, I hit 10,800 views over the last 12 months. That is an amazing number in my book! So thank you from the bottom of my heart. It encouraging to see that people actually read what I type and look at my models. It drives me to do and be better each time.

Looking back over the models I've completed this year it's funny to think that I started in January working on my 9 year old son's Protectorate of Menoth models and finished with a display piece from Khador. It was a long and strange year but fulfilling.

What's next?

In the next year I plan to expand on the blog. I am going to reach out and work on different types of miniatures from different game companies. You will see more GW stuff, Some Infinity models. I am really itching to get a hold of a few Knight Models (the batman stuff) and hopefully some Super Dungeon Explorer.

I will also start doing more product reviews as things come in (but that's a surprise for later).

I am also spinning up an honest to goodness YouTube channel. I am going to focus on beginners. There are so many painters on YouTube and they are fantastic but so few of them actually teach the basics. I expect that to start around February, as it takes time to create, edit and upload.

And finally I ask for your feedback. Please leave comments, let me know what you like and what you don't. Tell me what you want to see in the future. This blog belongs to you, so please let me know how you want me to make it better.

I'd like to give a few shout outs as well.

To Secret Weapons Miniatures, Thank you for the fantastic products you produce. Your weathering powders and Crushed Glass really make the miniature stand out!

To Badger Airbrush Company - I use your Patriot 105 and Renegade Khrome religiously. They are both excellent and continue to impress.

To Vallejo - Your paints rock, and your airbrush thinner is top notch!

To Privateer Press - I love your models they are inspiring to paint (even when I curse the crazy details sometimes). Also the more I use the P3 paint line the more I love it.

To Hanger 18 Miniatures - Thank you again for providing backgrounds for photography. The quality and look are just fantastic.

To Painting with Menoth John - Keep putting out your show. There are many a night (or day) that I have you on in the background while painting. Ya'll are inspiring, in your own sick and twisted (in a good) way.

And last but not least to my Wife and Kids, who put up with the long hours of painting,

So here is to what was an amazing 2015, and to an even better 2016!

And again I thank you, I couldn't do it without you!

See ya next year folks.

It's almost time for Warmachine Weekend!

Well I missed the mark of being fully painted for the big show. I got about 80% of the way there, and you know what? I'm actually proud of that. I have over a hundred models packed and ready to go. For those of you who are Warhammer players you might Pfft at 100 models, I know, I know you did that many Space Marines for breakfast. Warmachine models are different. They are in 30mm heroic scale and each individual model is more detailed. It's much easier to paint a 10 man squad of SM than 10 Iron Fang Pikeman.

So yea I have all my stuff by the door. All the models. The camera, lightbox, tripod. Trays to carry models. My entry into the Painting contest... enough to fill up the trunk.

I plan to take a crazy amount of pictures and will post them up over a week or so when I get back on Monday.

I hope your weekends will be as amazing as I hope mine turns out to be.

Time for a quick side track and talk a bit about inspiration and motivation (with a non-paid shameless plug thrown in).

What gets you going? Why do we sit there for hours and paint? Personally it's about stress relief and the feelings of accomplishment that I get when I finally finish a project. I love to take pictures of the models, to post them on the blog and wright about how I took a clump of white metal, resin, or plastic and turned it into something that might, in the loosest possible terms be deemed "art".

Now I don't know about you, but I can't sit in my painting room and work with nothing in the background. My mind wanders and get distracted. I have found that listening to podcasts or watching YouTube videos helps me tremendously. Listening helps me focus and turns what might have been a 30 minute painting session into something that can last hours, and generally has better results.

So what do I generally listen to?

My go to is Painting with Menoth John. John has a weekly show on twitch.tv that airs in the US at 8pm Eastern. He also makes the show available on his YouTube channel pretty much right after the live show airs.

What make's his show unique and inspiring to me is multi-fold:

1. He is a good painter and has enough skill to make it interesting to watch and learn a few things.

2. His co-host John (yea its not as confusing as you would think). Is a great Ed McMahon to his Johnny Carson. Co-host John does a fantastic job of keeping everyone on topic and has great insights on gaming as well as media.

3. Special guests! John reaches out to both the painting and playing communities and finds guest hosts that are extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. Some guest hosts have included fantastic painters such as Shoshie from Shosie's Magnificent Miniatures, Ashton Holbrook from Red Model Painting, and the list goes on.

4. Alcohol abounds. How can you go wrong with a few camera's a live show and shots?

5. These folks actually listen to the audience. One of the Johns is generally in the show chat and interacts with the audience.

So there ya go. If you are looking for something to paint to/along with. Give them a try. I think you will find them to be worthy of your time.

P.S. Again this was a non-paid shameless plug. I am not affiliated with the show, but did want to spend the time to give them a shout out and a thanks for making my hours of painting more enjoyable.