Not going to lie, it’s been a bit of a rough day on the hobby front. I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the right headspace or if I tried to move too quickly, but somewhere along the line I made a mistake.

When it came time to shade the black areas, I let the washes pool more than they should have. Instead of adding depth, it left behind a rough, uneven texture that completely spoiled the finish. Once I’d noticed it, that was it — every model suddenly had the same glaring issue, and it took the enjoyment right out of the session.

Rather than trying to power through and polish a turd, I decided to stop and reset. The models have gone into a pot of IPA to strip them back and start fresh. It’s always a bit demoralising to undo progress, but I’ve learned the hard way that forcing things when you’re already frustrated only leads to more mistakes.

If there’s a lesson here, it’s a familiar one: slow down, keep an eye on the fundamentals, and don’t be afraid to walk away when something isn’t working. Hobby time is meant to be enjoyable, not a battle of wills. A clean slate and a better headspace will do far more for these models than trying to salvage a bad step ever could.

They’ll be back on the bench soon — and when they are, they’ll be better for it.