I am well on schedule--ahead of it, really--and even if I don't win any of the gubbins they're giving away, at least I'll have a completed army to use. That makes me a winner, anyway!
This morning I was browsing through some of the forum entries, and I came across this post from a fellow painting some very nice unnamed blue marines. He really is skilled, and his shade of blue reminded me of my abandoned Emperor's Spears project.
I didn't stop making blue marines for any particular reason, but rather for many big and little reasons piled on top of each other: school, work, kids, sleep. Those are all pretty legitimate reasons to set the toys aside for a while.
But upon introspection, I think one of the most-powerful reasons behind giving up the Emperor's Spears ghost is that I never was really happy with the painting.
I am a fairly decent "dirty painter." My orks look good, and I think these Plague Marines I've been working on for the Independent Characters look pretty all right, also.
But I never was happy with my attempts at the "clean" look of a water-based marines force and I think, more than the real world excuses, that was the real reason to shelf/re-purpose/trade-away/feed-to-the-kids those models. I know I could have gotten better with practice. I know I could always strip and repaint.
All those things I know have me feeling a little guilty today.
Maybe I'll return to them when the Plague Marines are done.
It might be nice to paint some good guys, for once.*
*Orks aren't good or bad. They are just awesome.