A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: PICKLE BALL AND A COMPLETED JACKSON…ALMOST.

Figure painting is something that I have a love/hate relationship with, so today I took some advice from a friend and simplified every step to make the little fella easier to complete.

22nd August 2025

A busy day that began with an hour playing pickle ball. We’d wanted to have a go at this hybrid racket/paddle sport for a while, so decided that today was the day to take the plunge. We booked a court for an hour this morning and then spent our time getting to grips with the way the paddles worked and how the balls moved around the court. It was such fun! And though exhausting at first, we enjoyed it so much, we are going again next week!

Along with trying to get fit, I’ve spent today finishing off the Jackson by completing the stowage and painting the superb figure that’s part of the kit.

Figure painting is something that I have a love/hate relationship with, so today I took some advice from a friend and simplified every step to make the little fella easier to complete. Using a basecoat of black and then white, overpainted with thin layers of colour seemed to do the trick, letting me paint the standing crew figure in only a few hours.

As it stands, the model is now almost complete with only some touching up to carry out and then the addition of an aerial. Though we are at the football tomorrow, that might be done in the morning, meaning I can get this very quick build (just over a week) written up and handed over by my deadline on Tuesday.

So that’s it for today. I’m now of out to watch some football and then meet up with some friends who have a gig in town. I’d like to wish you all a lovely evening and I will see you again tomorrow.