looking for my muse

Creatively, I’m in a bit of a funk right now.

April was a really good month for being arty and exploring new ideas. In that month alone, I:

• Created and framed a book ‘sculpture’;
• Started (and made good progress on) a Triptych in oils;
• Designed three really cool website samples;
• Sculpted & kit-bashed 3 gribbly alien Enslavers;
• Began sculpting some even more gribbly Krynoids.

So a productive (if geeky!) month.

Now I’m feeling a bit listless. Have I shot my creative wad, so to speak? Did I craft too much, too soon?

Am I metaphorically rolling on my side and lighting a cigarette?

It’s not too bad I guess, I have still been painting my little Games Workshop models. The approach has been more ‘batch painting’ than getting a master crafted finish on each one, however. Still, progress of sorts.

I haven’t been able to get to finish my Triptych, it’s still as I left it when last I posted:

Truth be told, I’m vain and paranoid (an attractive combination…really) and need constant re-assurance that what I do is good, or even okay. Or even slightly less than rubbish.

The reaction to my paintings (which are intended for a babies’ nursery) has been so far… underwhelming.

But really, what do I expect? People are seeing unfinished work. The people who’ve seen them so far are my friends, who I would want to be honest with me.

I think the feeling is that the style is too grown-up, slightly too dark to be fun and jolly for a baby.

I get that. I really do. I’ve always gone for the twist. I seek the darker seam in any material, and I guess that then filters back into my own work.

So that leaves me with something of a painter’s block. I desperately want to get these paintings finished, but I have little creative drive to get my oil paints back out of their box and finish some paintings that will attract at best indifference, at worst horror and a ritual bonfire at the hand of the recipients.

Wanted

Missing muse.

Failing that, your tips. What do you do when your creative spark deserts you?

Mawloc

This beastie is a really big bugger. Huge, in fact. Took a while to paint but am very pleased with the end result.

I’ve got lots more pictures, right this way…

Touren Heavy

A conversion using a spare Minotaur from making my Razorgor, and some leftover Tau bits’n’bobs.

Very pleased with the over all look, and the paintjob.

Sergeant Stepney

Painted for my friend Joe as part of his Christmas present.  He’s Red/Green colour blind, so I believe this should at least look yellow!

Kitty Fantástico!

Okay, okay, as has been pointed out (a lot!) I’m a miserable bastard and a real energy sapper.

So, to restore balance to the universe, here’s a lovely model I’m rather pleased with. I painted it for one of my best friends, a Buffy fan who not only finds Willow really adorable, but kind-of names herself after Willow and Tara’s cat!

The miniature is ‘Witch Hazel‘ from Hasslefree, and is, as always with Hasslefree, a wonderful sculpt. Colours and costume are painted as faithfully as possible to Willow in the later series of Buffy.

All I have to do is give it back to her (it’s been on my desk for months!).

McTerminator Marine

For my Scottish friend Colin for Christmas. The facial resemblance and hair are quite him, and the tartan is based on the tartan from his family.

Mystic Panda