Side projects: Hermano

If you've been paying attention to the NaMoPaiMo Facebook page at all, you know there is a secondary painting challenge happening this month.

Inspired by Christine Sutcliffe's three time NaMoPaiMo finisher Max...

and organized by Lynne Penner and her team of Wrestling dolls, 

Minis Painting Minis has become an event in and of itself.

photo by Harriotte Preston

I tried to resist. 

photo by Sondra Householder

But the pictures kept coming.

photo by Jackie Rossi

Before I knew it, Jose and I were sucked in.

It's been two years since I joined Maggie's Monthly Micro Mini club, and the tiny horses have really piled up.

Still, I knew exactly which one we were going to paint. This little Albus was gifted to me by Hanna Bear after NaMoPaiMo 2017. That - plus the fact that he was mostly prepped - made him the obvious and perfect choice.

Jose finished the prepping,

took a selfie with his model... 

and started to paint. He used my notes from Maggie Bennett's 2019 BreyerWest Paint a Micro Mini workshop to create this bay acrylic basecoat.

It looked great from a distance, but up close, the work was streaky and patchy. 

Jose was feeling pretty frustrated, so he found himself a mentor. 

Bob Ross advised him to switch to Pan Pastels, and today Jose was able to say, "I did it!" 

Here's a better look at his horse, who is now named Hermano. 

There are a few minor prepping issues (too much Coronu, Jose!) and a little bit of grain, but on the whole, I am quite satisfied with this first real foray into micro scale painting. Good job, guys!

Thank you to everyone who peer pressured me into joining Team Minis Painting Minis and to Lindsay Diamond for sending Bob Ross this way. This has been a fun addition to February, and I can't wait to see what Jose will paint next.