We all started somewhere...

[Stoof]

I found one of my old Bretonnian Knights at my parents' house yesterday - one of my very earliest painted miniatures.

It got me thinking that we all started somewhere, so if you still have them, show us your hobby roots!

Doesn't have to be any good - nice T H I C K coats of paint, no undercoats, deeply questionable colour schemes...

So here's my offering - Stoof, circa 1996, aged 10 or 11.

Nice thick coat of skull white undercoat, block colours, no washing or shading, no basing as I didn't have any Goblin Green at the time... Beautiful

 

[Tiny]

I sadly have zero minis left from the before times. My mum chucked them all out when I moved out. The cow! Definitely putting her in a home as soon as I can.

 

[Raven Morpheus]

Technically I started way back in the very late 80s/very early 90s, when I was around 13ish. With Prince August figures, an orc or something, painted with Humbrol enamels, I did the same to a box of beakies and some RT assault terminators...

I don't have photos, that was back in the dark ages, we's didn't have cameras m'lord, only potatoes! Nor do I have them with me, back then I had random bits and pieces (mostly due to lack of money), not including the 2nd ed. 40k starter box and Blood Bowl 3rd ed. box set, and most if not all the random figures I had were lost in a house move circa 1996.

I do however have some of the earliest stuff I painted when I started properly collecting and painting stuff, character models, and an army, for 40k, from around 1996 onwards - https://yaktribe.games/community/th...ne-or-a-look-at-some-of-my-older-stuff.11611/

Circa 1996 is when I consider to be my "started somewhere".

Ragnar Blackmane is one of the earliest examples I still have -

 

[Badaab]

probably have some older painted minis around (likely a west end games boba fett and a few space marines), but these represent sort of the same era of my painting journey, early 2000s (started the 'hobby' in around 1995)

Khorne Champion 01 Complete.jpg

• Badaab
• Apr 16, 2023

painted c.2000?

Imperial Missionary 01 Front.jpg

• Badaab
• Apr 16, 2023

painted c.2001?

Ork Nob Front 01 - Copy.jpg

• Badaab
• Apr 16, 2023

painted c.2002?

 

[Stoof]

I feel people are carefully selecting their best early models... Or perhaps it's the difference between starting as a child and starting as a young adult.

 

[Ben_S]

This isn't my first (which would have been Heroquest in the early 90s), but it's one I already had uploaded here. Blood Angel from around 1997 I reckon.

View media item 47091

 

[Raven Morpheus]

I feel people are carefully selecting their best early models... Or perhaps it's the difference between starting as a child and starting as a young adult.

My early stuff that I still have is much of a muchness, so there's no selecting the best early models. Aaand, in my case it's the difference between having parents who weren't well paid, didn't support me in what I wanted to do, and moving out of home and being able to do hobby stuff "properly".

Kids these days who do Warhammer don't know they're born! :shakingfistemoji:

Ironically, I'm now back at "home", caring for my mother, and I'm able to do most of what I want hobby-wise with little to no impediment (not including lack of space, financial constraints and my health issues).

 

[ClockworkOrange]

Alas the Trolls early years have been lost to time, I started collecting with MB’s Heroquest and Space Crusade in the very early 90’s, then collected a Space Marine Salamander Army using Beakies, An Imperial Guard Army and then moved on to Necromunda.

For the Beakies my then brother in law gave me his very well painted for the time Ultramarines. The young Troll then decided to over paint them with one thick coat of green paint….the ex brother in laws face was a picture

Anything before the Guard was given to my nephews when I lost interest for a few years due to the normal reasons. A lot of it then died when one of them went through a Sid from Toy Story phase the little w@nker! I picked through the debris when they in turn moved on and found some old model gems, but nothing of mine seems to have survived!!

I’ve still got the Imperial Guard Army in the family strong box, but I’d got better at painting by then. These two Catachans still live in my figure case. Only the bases have been changed from the original Goblin green to grey a bit later when they did a new duty as Necro Gangers. But I’d guess they were painted in 1994? 30 years ago nearly!

 

[Biggle_Bear]

I likely have the warhammer quest wizard at my brother's house. Paint so thick it turned his beard into a monoblob. When I did it I realized that I can't risk ruining the other 3, so I think the barbarian remains unpainted to this day. If I was to consider paying someone else to paint minis for me it would be that barbarian or my giant. No photos though.

Cap edit: *the Captain takes a deep breath and heads into his temple of doom* will be back in about an hour or so…

Cap edit edit: *the Captain returns from the temple*

Couldn’t find the wizard, so I took some consolation photos

 

[daveh]

i dont have pictures but i remember telling a freind that i wouldnt buy any more figures if the price went above 6 pence per model (so old)

 

[Stoof]

Including the change to decimalisation (and the subsequent shafting of the public with prices), and inflation since, that's around about 50p a model today. Assuming you're in the UK and your pence were written with a 'd'! Not a bad price to aim for for rank-and-file miniatures.

 

[Gunkaiser]

Had to have been towards the end of high school, so maybe 2002-2003?

Fuegan is sporting some of the metallic paint Reaper was selling around then. Wish I still had it for shits and giggles.

 

[CaptainDangerous]

You’ll have to excuse my bad photography:

A dark elf from my first box of minis (holding a random autogun!?!) , the red and black came from a £5 set I sent a postal voucher for!

The big boss man himself (still love this mini)

And two of my first necro minis from the game box, they wear the colours of The Lead Bellies!

P.s. iv updated @Biggle_Bear s post.

 

[daveh]

the models that got me started in fantasy games.
frodo and sam escape from the witch king (complete with paper crown) and the fearsom balrog (fly you fools).
and before any doubters say it , no , these arnt stills from the films

lotr2.jpg

• daveh
• Apr 17, 2023

lotr1.jpg

• daveh
• Apr 17, 2023

 

[Punktaku]

I started with Grenadier and Ral Partha lead models. In sixth grade I was given a package of harpies as my first models ever, because boobies. I painted them with Testors paint using toothpicks. Most of my old models are loooong gone, but I did find some ancient things kicking around from back then…

 

[ClockworkOrange]

Is that the 3rd coat on MY Beakies?!?!?

 

[Punktaku]

Pretty sure that was red spray paint….

 

[ClockworkOrange]

Pretty sure that was red spray paint….

I jest the Blood Angels especially look great! Much better than my efforts back then.

I wish I could find the first Space Crusade Marines I painted, I decided to paint them with a car primer not knowing any better and then they promptly melted and looked like Marines spawned from the warp! A young Clockwork cried!

 

[Punktaku]

Blood Angels?!? Those are my original chapter, the Phoenix Hawks. That’s a fiery bird on their shoulder pads!

 

[ClockworkOrange]

doh! The Troll runs off to hide.