Does your collection/grey army have a focus?

[Filipe]

Hi guys

I was just organizing my gray army, and came to a conclusion, and I would like to know other cases and views. I have figures of all scales and periods! Antiquity, medieval, napoleonic, WW1, WW2, 19th century, modern, busts of all scales, 75mm, 54mm, metal, resin.

Maybe because I love History, but I was thinking that this may get in the way a little, maybe I should give my collection a focus.

How do you do? Only certain themes, periods, only certain scales? For example, only busts, or only vikings, or only german busts, etc. Do you think that this helps?

I'm confused...

 

[megroot]

I made my choice a year ago. Only WW1 and Napoleontic.
Beside that I prefer 75 mm and bust's.
And there you go: incidentely a 54 mm because I'm in love of that figure.

Marc

 

[T-34/85]

Initially I tried that, sticking to just one time frame. I failed miserably right from the start. For me, there is just too many great offerings of all different subjects, historical, sci-fi, civilian, etc. The nice thing about having a taste for almost any subject is that you can learn new techniques, apply different painting schemes, and have fun in finding new challenges. I'm still the proverbial babe in the woods when it comes to this great hobby but I would advise anyone just getting into it to do what you already are doing, don't limit yourself to any one scale or subject, which is still ok if that's what you want to concentrate on. Someone else stated in another thread that everyone has their own road to follow when it comes to this and the fun part is seeing where that road takes you.

Tom

 

[Mirofsoft]

Well, I buy mainly what catch my eyes; any period, any size, any material .. and ... sometime, on second hand market, because the price is very ( very ) low ...
And looking back, sometime I ask myself : ... why did I bought this one ? ... " because it was the top in 1972 ? in 1980 ? ... because it was so cheap ?( second hand) ....

 

[Richie]

Hi Filipe,
When I came into this hobby just over 4 years ago, I came in with a very open mind. I soon decided to concentrate on just one period after about six months. This was for a number of reasons;
My passion for this far out weighed any other period in history and the more I read the more I was galvanised to this. I do like history and most other periods in general.

I felt that I could tackle this area more comfortably with the knowledge I gained. I also saw the scope to make unique pieces that were not about. I also wanted to read more and further my knowledge on the period, hence 60 or so books!

The release of model subjects was so vast and over such a broad spectrum that I could have ended up with a massive grey army, broke and divorced. I have seen numerous pieces that I would have loved to buy, but I stayed disciplined and glad I did.

I am not bothered about scales or whether it is a bust, so long as the model appeals to me in some way. I do not go out, with the attitude buy everything from this period, because there are lots out there that don't hit the mark for me.

I do buy figures from other periods, but this is down to the look or pose. I then convert these into my period in history.

I think I found my own path and this work for me and is my personal choice. It will not work for others and I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. At the end of the day it is how you feel and you may put a different stake in the ground at some point. This could be something like, I don't tackle 54mm anymore due to age.

Only you can answer your own question when it comes down to you! It sounds like the vastness of the grey army is hindering your vision!

cheers
Richie

 

[tonydawe]

In terms of organisation and themes, my Grey Army is all over the place. There's no theme or logic to it. It's random and impulsive and covers all sizes, scales, periods of history and types of kits.

I have a bunch of kits that I purchased during one particularly drunken spending binge on my IPhone in 2013 that I will never, ever build.

Others were purchased because I was seduced by the box art pics and then found out too late that the kits weren't as good as the box art images.

In general, I have two types of kits in my GA. Ones I purchased to build one day, and those I purchased because I wanted to have them (even if I never build them). It's fair to say that I can buy kits faster than I can build them, so the GA keeps getting bigger, no matter how quickly I paint or how many figures I have on the workbench at any given time.

 

[Mark S]

If I had the ability to focus, I wouldn't have a Grey Army at all.

 

[Gra30]

I seem to have built up a collection of painted heads and they go no further than that lol, I think I am like Mark and it is down to focus and just finishing the piece(s )
As many my stash has no structure, the ones I have finished are minimal as can be seen on the front the of these.
My entire finished pieces is just past double figures but my stash is easily in the ...s
Don't tell Cath
I have never painted a piece of my own range but still buy figures, it must be addictive

 

[swralph]

Personally I will paint anything, as I love painting.
I've not painted a figure for a couple of month's as I have been doing a lot of work on my railway(AAARGHHHH people cry)
I will be starting one in the next few day's or so.
All the best.
Ralph.

 

[Oldironsides]

In the past my interest was figures representing the Napoleonic and Victorian era. However latterly my interest has broadened into Steampunk and fantasy figures and busts as I like a challenge and have been using acrylic paints almost exclusively for some 18 months now. Any figure or bust must have the wow factor for me - subject, a great face and pose and certainly those that do turn out better when completed and painted than basic 'up and down' figures or busts with little or no character.

Mark

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

I seem to have built up a collection of painted heads and they go no further than that lol, I think I am like Mark and it is down to focus and just finishing the piece(s )
As many my stash has no structure, the ones I have finished are minimal as can be seen on the front the of these.
My entire finished pieces is just past double figures but my stash is easily in the ...s
Don't tell Cath
I have never painted a piece of my own range but still buy figures, it must be addictive
View attachment 184382 View attachment 184383

I seem to be going the same direction Gra , a lot of heeds and nae bodies by the way how are you holding them onto those bits of wid

 

[Babelfish]

I don't focus on any period, theme or scale. If pressed for a "favourite" I'd probably have to say Vikings / Dark Ages - but it's not an exact science by any means.

Basically if a figure appeals to me I'll buy it (or at least I'll consider buying it), and my grey army contains something from pretty much every era of history from a 54mm Neanderthal (Pegaso) right up to a 1/16 modern private military contractor (New World Models). I've even got half a dozen fantasy pieces floating around somewhere, even though fantasy/sci-fi is probably the genre that interests me least in modelling terms. I just liked those particular figures for whatever reason.

 

[valiant]

I do (and have done) items from different periods, but my main interest is British colonial era, although, like most people, if it lights my candle, Ill give it a go!
I do venture to the "Dark Side" of wargaming, occasionally, so that means I can indulge myself with some "off at a tangent subjects", eg Boxer Rebellion, askaris, FIW, Alamo, etc, but I don't really have a grey army, as such, as I cant reconcile myself to buying stuff that I wont get round to doing (obviously points to the fact Im mean thrifty!!)

Just my two pennyw'th!

Steve

 

[Range Rat]

I prefer busts just simply because my old eyes tend to strain at smaller scales and there so many good ones out there at the moment.

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

(obviously points to the fact Im meanthrifty!!)
Valiant : stoke on Trent , is that in Yorkshire

 

[billyturnip]

(obviously points to the fact Im meanthrifty!!)
Valiant : stoke on Trent , is that in Yorkshire

 

[Funky50]

This is an accumulation of maybe 40 years of painting and my Grey Army outnumbers this by about 10 to 1 my attic looks like General Jumbo's Army

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

New that would wake you up Roger

 

[billyturnip]

New that would wake you up Roger

I was trying to think of a way to define my grey army when you woke me up Ron. The best I could come up with was FLAT!

 

[waterloo1815]

My GGA has a focus - if I like it I buy it!! Although I do stay with a military theme !! Dave