Monday 22 March 2021

Curt's AHPC XI WrapUp & The Vaccination Challenge



It never ceases to amaze me. 

I'm not an especially prolific painter by any measure, but I'm always struck by the amount of stuff that I still manage to get done during the three months of the Challenge.  Sure, the figures are amazingly disjointed, as if they were painted by some crazy person, but I do love to get things off the desk and into the cabinets. 

This shot will be laughable seen next to the titans of the Challenge roster (I'm looking at you Miles, Martin and Noel), but it's mine, so I'm pleased enough. :)




As to the figures I particularly enjoyed working on:

Arkham Coppers and 'Ginger' Brede


Dark Denizens of Breugel-Bosch


Renaissance Knights


I apologize if I was somewhat detached this year, it was a very busy winter for me as my work was in the middle of a consolidation to a new location, onboarding new staff and learning a new software environment. It's all 'new' y'know. Anyway, all this silly work stuff impinged on the very important world of hobbying, and staying on top of the Challenge. Thankfully I had an ace crew to make sure everything stayed on the rails. Thanks again gang!

Thank you for dropping in to see what I did this winter! I had a wonderful time, got to 'meet' new people and managed to get some stuff done. A big WIN on all accounts!

_____________________


As a final note, I'm playing with the idea of running a stripped-down 'Vaccination Challenge'. Basically it would be a new Challenge built within the Quarantine Challenge blog. The rules will be that you can post until you get vaccinated, then you get one last post as your farewell. I'm hoping, crossed fingers, that by late summer there will be no one left on the roster to post. :) 

Let me know if you're interested and I'll put you on the roster. 

Let's have some fun while we see Covid off.

So say we all.


- Curt Actual, Out.


55 comments:

  1. A very nice finished miniatures collection mate. I also find it really satisfying to put some painted figures into the case.
    I would love to get involved in the Vaccination Challenge. After a particularly busy summer here I am finally managing to scrape in a bit more painting and this would be a nice encouragement.

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    1. Thanks John. Yes, now is the part where we have to find spots to store all this stuff! :)

      I'll mark you down for the VC.

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  2. An amazing collection of minis. The Dark Denizens are absolutely stunning.

    I'm definitely onboard for the vaccine challenge, though I may slow down my pace a little.

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  3. Curt, pace is relative. I paint quickly because the when I paint slower they don't look any better and I have fewer of them. Yours are better than mine but I have many.
    I may get them all out this year to photograph. As for the vaccination challenge, I had mine a month ago - the only thing my government got right in the last 12 months.

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    1. Thank you Martin. Yes, I assumed we would have quite a few that will have had their jab already. Good to hear you're one of them.

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  4. That's a respectable collection of figures is a relatively short time, work or no work! I looked at my accumulation yesterday and my immediate reaction was "Is that it?". Still, much better than without the push of the Challenge, so thanks both to you and your lieutenants.

    Unable to enter a Vaccination Challenge because I had mine back in April – lucky I suppose. However, I'll look in and hope the numbers dwindle very quickly. Good luck.

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  5. An excellent collection of figures Curt. Very well done that man!
    Fortunately I've also had a Covid jab which means I'll be unable to take part as well. I think you'll find most Challengers in the UK have had a jab apart from the younger members of our little club.

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    1. True, are there any younger members

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    2. I’m such a spring chicken that I’ve not had my jab yet! So I’m in for the challenge as the supply arguments seem to be slowing things down a fair bit.....

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  6. Some real beauties there, Curt - as always, your achievement, large or not quite so large, is inspiring - to me, at any rate. Makes me want to figure out how I can continue the same sort of motivation in my "everyday" painting routine. Like Martin, I want to get as much done as I can, but then I'm always looking at yours, as well as some of the other top-notch challengers, and thinking "you know what, spend a little more time on this bunch - get them as good as may be."
    As for a Vaccination Challenge: as Ray says, because the UK vax programme is age-driven, as is our hobby, chances are most Challengers will already have had their first dose. You could maybe relate it to the second, follow-up jab, (mine will be early June, for e.g.)

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    1. Thanks Noel, you're very kind. I think you may be surprised at how many we have in the VC, Noel. The UK is definitely an outlier.

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  7. Well, I can post till at least november then here in Belgium...

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    1. Haha! Well, I hope its sooner than that, but let's get you in the Challenge to help you pass the time.

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  8. The quality of your figures removes the need to paint a lot of figures! You have outdone yourself in that regard yet again! I guess I am one of the "younger" members of the club as I have not had my jab yet and nor is the situation over here likely to change as our government has managed to bungle up the vaccination progress big time, so I am in for the Vac Challenge!

    "nothing but the rain sir!"

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    1. You're too kind, sir. *flutters fan* ;)

      You're in the VC, Sander. I'll send a blog invite soon.

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  9. Very nice set of figures. I think the beauty of the challenge being the length it is means that there is time for ebb and flow within it when life gets in the way. I like the zweihanders, a great mix of useful figures and a way to get markers on the table without them looking like markers.

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    1. Thanks Jamie, that was precisely what I was trying to achieve.

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  10. Great collection, Curt.

    As for the Vaccination Challenge, would you drop out after the first or second dose of the vaccine? If the former, then I can't participate as I had my first jab last weekend.

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  11. Nice haul of figures Curt, looks like you've had a productive few months. Thanks again for running this event, its not only reduced the lead pile it has helped all of us get through a very rough winter.

    As for the Vaccination Challenge, I'd love to take part but I'd only be in if for a couple of weeks at most. My second jab is scheduled for the 10th April. I work for a charity providing Domiciliary Care and we were prioritised as front line staff by our local authority. Happy to have had my shots early because my wife is classed as critically extremely vulnerable (or 'Critically Endangered' as I like to call her!) and my biggest worry has been bringing COVID home from work.

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  12. Great looking final haul Curt! And excellent photos as always -- getting decent pictures is almost as hard as doing the painting it seems 😅

    I'll unfortunately have to take a pass on the vaccination challenge -- had my first jab on Saturday but also distracted by moving house (again) -- hopefully this one is the last move!

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  13. An excellent haul of splendidly painted figures as always! Sorry can't join the vaccine challenge as I'm booked in for mine on Thursday!
    Best Iain

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  14. Enjoyed following your progress Curt! Like me you might not be the fastest painter about, but I'm always struck by the sheer ingenuity of your work as well as the broad array of topics you seem able to juggle at once.

    As for the Vaccination Challenge I find it a rather charming idea. Given the complete incompetence of my government I'd probably be one of the last ones to post.

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    1. Thank you Nick, you're very kind.

      I'll mark you down for the VC. It will be a 'race' to see who's last. :)

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  15. I'm in for the Vaccination Challenge, it should keep be motivated painting small soldiers and other things instead of painting walls inside our house.

    Thank you Curt and minions for running this marvelous three month period!

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    1. Great to hear, I'll send you a blog invite soon.

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  16. A most impressive tally Curt and the quality is (as always) superb.

    Hopefully I get my shot from the VA next week (maybe) so might not be able to participate in the Quarantine Challenge, though I do love the idea

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    1. Thank you Miles. I'll send you a blog invite and see if you can get one entry in before your shot.

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  17. You had a great Challenge Curt, well done. I’m be all in for the Vax challenge except I had my jab yesterday. The magic age was down to 58 this morning, so I expect you’ll be stuck shortly too.

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    1. Thanks Peter. Great to hear you got your shot. I suspect I'll be a while yet being younger (if not more handsome) than your good self.

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    2. I don't recall seeing this on the list of possible side effects (missing out on the VC Challenge).

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  18. Great output dude, well done!

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  19. Well done Curt to paint so much and still cope with all the work challenges. Thanks for running the challenge. Not only is your painting amazing, but the interesting posts and your photography are also excellent.

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    1. Thank you Jonathan, you're very kind. :)

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  20. Really great painting Curt, and thanks again for organising! I'll post my wrap up photo later in the week.
    But very much up for the vaccine challenge! As I'm in my early 30s and living in Germany I'll be posting in there for a long time to come! :D

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    1. Sure thing Edward, I'll jot you down for the VC.

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  21. A great collection of miniatures Curt, love the mix of periods and scales. Rohirrim steal the show for me like you, thats an epic scene in the book.

    I get my first vaccine this coming Thursday so unless your including the second vaccine I'll not be able to participate. Pity, it would have a good motivator.

    Thanks again to yourself, the Minions and everyone who took part in this year's Challenge. Looking forward to painting with you all next year.

    Cheers, Ross




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  22. Great Stuff Curt I hope my participation in the "Vaccination Challenge" will be brief.

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  23. A fine collection you managed there Curt! I think my little bunch relates to your production as yours does to that of the top dogs ;-).
    At 53 but being in a Risk group I should get my vaccine sometime in April, but I doubt whether by then it has been decided if this is a regional, federal or communal competence, where, how, and when who will be called up, and which vaccine he or she is going to get, so I have a hunch that June may be a bit optimistic to have everyone vaccinated, as is the plan. So, as long as I remain at risk I'll be in the Vaccination Challenge ;-)

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    1. Thanks Martijn! I'm delighted to have you along for the VC, but I hope you have to bow out soon. :)

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  24. Love your paint style Curt, great stuff. As for the quarantine Challenge I am up to bat on Friday so there will be no entries for me 😁
    Regards KenR

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    1. Ah, great to hear Ken. We'll catch you next year for the regular programming. Thanks for the kind words. :)

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  25. Oh dear only one post then in new challenge as already vaconated

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  26. Fantastic looking collection of scales and periods Curt! Thank you again for running a superb challenge!

    I'm in the same boat as Nick in which our government managed to completely faceplant on vaccinations so I imagine I'll be eligible to post for quite some time and so will jump in.

    Christopher

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  27. Marvellous work mate. I think your LotR stuff is my favourite but it is all wonderful. I've been seriously tempted by them for a long time myself.

    I'll have to give the VC a miss. As a firefighter I qualify for an early jab so will hopefully be getting my first one in the next month or so.

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    1. Thanks Millsy! Oh come on, I'm getting mine in a month or so too - join in the fun. :)

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  28. What a wonderfully eclectic collection for the challenge. That Malta project is coming along nicely and the zweihander tokens are fantastic.

    Thanks for running the show once more, it’s always a highlight of my hobby year.

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    1. Cheers Phil and thanks again for serving as a Minion for this year's fun.

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