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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Bravo Six on November 06, 2019, 03:14:07 AM
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So I've been back into gaming for almost 2 years now and in most respects I've been fairly proficient. I plan, build and paint terrain like nobody's business and my collection of completed terrain is growing. However, when it comes to figure painting, this is where I stumble a bit. I prep tons of minis (file mold lines, clean flash), base and prime a good amount of figures, but when I sit down to paint...... I can't seem to get past painting the flesh and hair. I seem to hit a wall and can't get much further to complete clothing, weapons, etc., and I'm not sure why.
Has anyone else experienced this? And if so, how did you get past it?
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It motivates me if I concentrate on completing one picturesque unit as a reminder of my goals. And, as every gamer knows, a bit every day, however small, is the secret.
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One way that works well for me when I don't feel to paint and it seems the same models are on my table since forever, it's to say myself something like "ok, I'll sit and paint just the *insert whatever here* ". It could be just the leather straps, or the red parts of a uniform, or just the guns, whatever.
This leads to two things: by doing this every evening the models will be eventually completed at one point, AND, very often once I've completed the part I committed to paint, I feel to do one more small commitment, and maybe a third one, etc. Some times I will do just one, some time I will end painting for more than an hour.
I think that usually when I don't feel to paint is because I focus on the mountain instead of the small steps I have to do to get to the top.
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One way that works well for me when I don't feel to paint and it seems the same models are on my table since forever, it's to say myself something like "ok, I'll sit and paint just the *insert whatever here* ". It could be just the leather straps, or the red parts of a uniform, or just the guns, whatever.
This leads to two things: by doing this every evening the models will be eventually completed at one point, AND, very often once I've completed the part I committed to paint, I feel to do one more small commitment, and maybe a third one, etc. Some times I will do just one, some time I will end painting for more than an hour.
I think that usually when I don't feel to paint is because I focus on the mountain instead of the small steps I have to do to get to the top.
Yep, this exactly. So I have about 80 Russian figures to do for a Chain of Command platoon and supports. I got them along fairly quickly to being uniform base coloured and highlighted (airbrush & wash), stuck to bases and textured, helmet etc.. then hit a wall, so I have to focus on doing one batch colour at a time, and sometimes that get's finished and I decide another one won't take long, and so progress after a spectacular burst of activity, is steady.
The other thing is go paint something else, a cow, a shed, a cameraman.. anything different, just to get your mojo back, and the satisfaction of having finished something.
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Kind of in the same "room" with you Bravo six. And, alas, I haven't found the Escape button yet. I've actually the last several years prepped thousands of figures but finished painting probably less than a hundred, have four regiments of cavalry half finished, infantry units needing done for a game this month (and they ain't getting' done but the game may go on with out them with older painted figures). I guess in my case it is too many distractions and a huge one is my growing collection of movies that I enjoy watching, just too easy to watch the movie versus do all those other things I want or need to do. What I know will drive me forward at some point is the great pleasure I get from sitting back to admire a finished unit all based and seal coated - and it doesn't matter that I'm not a great painter. It is the simple act of accomplishment. It's just life.
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I find that limiting myself is the key.
I will only prep 40 or so miniatures and will then paint them until they are finished.
If I experience painting fatigue, I will finish those figures and then jump into another genre for a bit.
Having two to three areas of interest seems to help.
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What often blocks me is deciding on colours. Therefore I find painting uniformed troops much easier than ‘civilians’
Given the huge number of painting guides produced by GW, FoW etc its perhaps quite common that gamers like some instructions to follow. I know that there are people with much better artistic skills who will have no trouble coming up with sets of colours to paint figures, and perhaps don’t even spend conscious effort thinking about this.
So, my suggestion is to have a plan of colours decided for your figures - perhaps do this during the prepping stage. Then once you have done the flesh you know that next you are going to do blue jackets (or whatever).
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A very common curse...
Have you over faced yourself with so many different genres, units etc?
I am lucky that over the years, I have in the past been able to pretty much buy whatever took my fancy at the time. The problem then was that every time I wanted to sit down to paint.....I struggled to decide WHICH I really wanted to paint first. Thinking I should concentrate I’d doing the BEST looking or most interesting (to me at that point) I would then spend too long deciding, so much do I would loose the mojo I had sat down with.
I would then go to shows, see yet more shiny bling, buy it and add yet more “Decision” to the pile.
It always helps of course if you have the promise of a game, especially where escalation and one upmanship with your mates may prompt you to complete something.
If you do play a lot, adopt the simple rule with your peers that nothing can be on the table UNLESS fully painted. That certainly helps.
For me though, a recent house move and a constraint on available hobby funds, has made me look to sell off some half done genres or projects, thus reducing the decision mountain and I have found renewed interest in a couple of projects, that I always REALLY wanted to do.
BTW I like you, have always loved the modelling side / scenery building as I think of it as my better talent than painting.....but ultimately, you are just providing the battleground for everyone else to enjoy. To play, you NEED the painted armies.
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The battle fields in my imagination and plans are wide and sweeping with hordes of figures in vast units rampaging en mass.
The reality is a little more prosaic. Sure I have the figures and they are ranked up and organised to within an inch of their little metal lives. But they seem to be allergic to a paintbrush.
I find that I need a sense of accomplishment to motivate myself to paint. I also find this much eaiser to achieve with larger unique models rather than the rank and file troop. I have also learned that the thing that motivates me is a deadline. Arranging a game with others and needing to have something finished is a great way to get me to my painting desk. I believe many of my opponents think my aftershave is Eu De La Dullcoat as everything I put on the table still has that wiff of barely dried 2am varnish.
I have also learned that one of the reasons this motivate me is that its great for my sense of accomplishment to have other people pass comment on my efforts. Yes, i might be seeking validation from others, but it is true it works.
This is also a double edged sword as people do not comment if all you have done is a base coat and a dip on a standard rank and file unit of 10 dwarf infantry. Present them with a flying steam powered boat complete with rigging, and moving propellers and oars and you get a suitable amount of "Oooo!".
I think I may need help.
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Thank you gents for all your responses and insights. They're very much appreciated. I see that I'm not alone in this curse, but then again, I didn't figure I was.
BTW I like you...
I like you too Digits lol
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I have had this curse for so many Years now.
Collecting way too many different ranges and scales makes it hard to decide on what to do first.Then like others i keep on buying new stuff that catches my eye.
I think i have painted one 15mm miniature in say six or more Years.Not good going by anyway.
Spent today cleaning mould lines off figures and terrain and glueing it all together.Not sure when i will put paint on any of it though ;).
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I have to do the "just paint the pouches tonight" on days I cant get going. I experienced such burnout a few years ago I went 2 years without painting. I am desperately trying to avoid that happening again. I have several projects around so if I stare at the models that in the paint pile and don't see any that speak to me, I can build or prep or paint some terrain.
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The way to eat an elephant is one bite at at time.
Set yourself a goal of just painting for 20 or 30 minutes a day. Don't focus on how many minis you have to paint or how much work there is until you have finished. Just set time limit every day. And before you know it you are done!
That is what works for me. Some days I don't have any inspiration at all. So I tell myself "just paint red today". So I end up painting some red trousers on minis for one project and a red pouch on another and some hats for a third. But I spend 30 minutes painting and achieved my goal.
Doing these small things really add up and you end up with more things done than you do when you sit around looking and despairing at all the stuff you have to do. I have tried that too. It was not very productive.
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One thing that might be worth trying is to paint the armour and clothing quickly and simply first, and then paint the hair and flesh.
It depends on the period, of course, but one simple approach to clothing is just to paint everything in base colours over a black undercoat, drybrush a 'universal' highlight (e.g. Vallejo silver-grey) over it and then slop on a wash to tone the drybrushing down a bit. If you don't mind dark or dull clothing, you can even just paint everything grey, drybrush it white or silver-grey, then add different colours with washes (or GW contrast paints). Or just drybrush mid-grey and then white over the black undercoat (brown or grey would work too) and 'tint' with washes to add colour. These techniques are extremely fast and "automatic" - you don't need to concentrate to do them.
If there's only some metal armour, you can paint it next (steel, brown or black wash, silver highlights if required); if there's a lot, it's probably best done before the clothing stage. And then you've got all the boring bits out of the way and can concentrate on the faces and hair.
Depending on period and mood, you can rationalise all of that still further - perhaps grey undercoat, white drybrush, metals, brown wash over the whole thing and then a wash or two for colour on other items of clothing. And then take as long as you like on the fun parts like the faces, shields, tattoos, warpaint or whatever.
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So with all that's going on the world, and being forced to self isolate for the foreseeable future due to being in a high risk group, I've been off now for 3 weeks and I've barely done anything hobby wise. Before all this started I actually managed to get some painting done and felt rather productive. Seemed I'd climbed that "wall" that was blocking my creativity. Well it looks like I'm back to where I was months ago. Aside from prepping and priming a few groups of figures, I've been very unproductive. Like some LAFers have already said, the whole Corona thing has taken the wind out of my sails.
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I am in the same boat. I am dabbling at best and getting nowhere fast. Too much time on my hands and lacking motivation.
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I figured I wasn't alone. :)
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Had a couple of barren months myself, up until this weekend .... ease yourself back in gently, have a bit of hobby time even if you aren’t painting...tidy your hobby space, base/prime something, even try a bit of putty work if you don’t normally.
Just do something and finish it...doesn’t have to be painting.
Next time, just focus on painting ONE figure, no distractions, if you are used to having a TV on...leave it off....just focus on that one figure and get it done.
Next time work on 2 or 3 figures ...and repeat....
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Thanks for that Akula. Some good ideas there.
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My best painting month in quite awhile was February. Therapy was correcting my back/neck/arm pain and I was able to sit and paint again. Then came the virus lock down, complete isolation on my part and a return of my issues. I paint as much as I can, read or use the computer for as long as I can, then watch movies or listen to podcasts. I still have most of the typical household work so that fills the day.
I find my motivation in painting at the completion of the current group. I used to paint large units for a specific projects but not now. I can't paint long enough at a single sitting to finish anything anyway so I don't try to. I jump between genres and paint only a few figures at at time to keep it fresh.
Reorganizing your hoard as Akula suggested can help. Gets you motivated to paint, straightens out your space and may help you identify some figures to sell. I did just that last week and sold some figures to a gaming friend as he wanted something new to paint.
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Thanks syrinx. Sorry to hear about your painful back/neck/arm pain. That can't be easy to live with, let alone do much hobby wise.
I jump between genres and paint only a few figures at at time to keep it fresh.
That's usually where I am. I've been staring at the same Darkest Africa figures on my hobby desk for weeks now. Maybe putting them away for a bit and bringing out something new, may help to motivate.
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Thanks syrinx. Sorry to hear about your painful back/neck/arm pain. That can't be easy to live with, let alone do much hobby wise.
Thanks. Its tolerable when I am good but ... ::)
Paint something silly, build some terrain or paint a background for pictures. Try switching it up and see how that goes.
Good luck.
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Thanks. Its tolerable when I am good but ...
Well then...... try being good. ;D
Paint something silly, build some terrain or paint a background for pictures. Try switching it up and see how that goes.
Good luck.
Thanks buddy. I appreciate that. And everyone else's feedback. This place is always inspiring.
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Interesting thread!
I’ve been jumping around eras and not finishing anything. I made a concerted decision to focus on EIR and Celts in 28mm.
What’s really helped motivate me is the ease of use of GW’s new Contrast Paints.
What used to be several steps is now one. I’ve been experimenting in making my own colours for more historical shades too.
I moved to the dining room table, as well (little basement corner as the kids are taking more room as they grow).
Perhaps it’s a combination of things but I really look forward to painting now. I find myself using effort to do other things to keep away from painting and getting other chores done.
A good audiobook helps too.
Maybe try a new painting routine/technique and see if that helps.
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I find that if I paint a piece of terrain that I can get back into painting. It's simple but requires some artistry.
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I've been procrastinating, and combined with a ton of home improvement stuff that my partner has decided has to be done now... much less productive than I hoped. I'm more tired from a day of sanding, gardening or scrubbing, and I have less energy at night to focus.
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Oh! Maybe time of day will help!
I'm liking painting in the morning with natural sunlight.
Come evening it getting late, I'm getting tired, etc.
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Shahbahraz.
Good God Man Do Not Waste Brownie Point's!
DIY on Demand = good book's.(everyone who's married to a Yorkshire lass knows good books are small and exclusive by appointment only and only then with an entrance exam pass rate of 99% ;))
The knack of painting after graft is not to get bathed and changed straight away(unless your absolutely grafted.) Just a a quick hands and face wash. Put an hour in before you finish for the day . You've got to treat it as the last chore before you finish for the day. Because once your showered , fed and sat down. Your painting table is going to seem half a world away and your paintbrushes as heavy as lump hammers.
I never had a office job or come to think of it one that was completely indoors . lol So I can totally get the difficulty in motivating once the heavy lifting is done and your fed and clean and sat aching from the day.
There's a couple of simple motivational tricks for painting when your over faced by the enormity of the task ahead.
The first is to totally clear your painting area.No half finished projects . Nothing but your equipment(paints brushes etc.)
The stuff you've undercoat for a project gets divied into elements/ unit's and everything is put in a box.
You never spend time looking through that full box . You simply open take out the top/first unit your touch .and close the box quickly.(the quicker the better)
Then as mentioned by others break the unit down to groups of around five figures. Only one group on the painting table at a time.put the rest out of sight.( your chore doesn't look so big if there's only five tiny figures on the whole painting table.)
Now theres normally an element of a unit your quite like painting (mg group,command group, hero,etc) this is the last section/ group of figures of a unit you paint. It acts as a goal/ reward for painting the unit.( if you do the bit enjoy first the rest becomes a grind.)
If your stumbling block is skin and hair then don't paint them first.
As quickly as you can paint on the base colours for clothing.(it doesn't matter if you normally paint faces first or get flesh colour on the clothing as you go .you can always touch up tge clothing base colours as you get to them properly.)
Then a base colour for shoes and boots. Do these as quickly as you can.
Once these are done tackle the 'brick wall' of painting.( in this case flesh and hair painting)
As you hit you'll suddenly have a different visual cue as it won't just be a vast area of primed figure with just it's head painted . It'll be a figure of coloured areas that just need a quick touch here and touch there.
Once You've battled through 'five' put them to aside .But somewhere you can see them.And battle the next 'five' an so on finishing with the figures you were looking forward to.
Before you know it you'll have a finished group/ unit off to the side of your painting area. Then you do another speed grab from the project box for the next unit.
Then carry on painting and placing the painted figures together where you can see them and keep the unpainted out of sight. Sooner or later that project box will be empty when you go back to get another unit.
This method distances you from the visual enormity of the task.( which is a mental stumbling block in it's self.) And rewards you with the fruits of your labour as a visual motivation.
The task never looks daunting because theres only ever five figure visually in play on your painting table.
Once You've battled through that first five and they're sat there the next five are a little easier. The more you have finished the more you can see are finished. The less of a chore the five on your painting table seem and infact become.
It works well when I've a commercial projects. The key is NOT to dwell on or in the project box.(Straight in - Straight out- lid on- next.) It's simply only ever five figure reguardless of how many you get through in a day/session Or even How many are in the project box.
That box will be empty sooner than you think and a lot easier than you thought if you dwell on its contents.
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I've been procrastinating,
I must get round to that ...
and combined with a ton of home improvement stuff that my partner has decided has to be done now... much less productive than I hoped. I'm more tired from a day of sanding, gardening or scrubbing, and I have less energy at night to focus.
That's cool, it's all something you've done. Don't matter if it's cooking a meal, running the Hoover round, doing some DIY, painting a model … or even being honest and deciding you just need a rest day. It's in the bank and you can feel good. It's a long old race and you don't need to sprint forward miles every day, just allow yourself whatever you need to keep ticking over.
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Thanks lads. Brilliant input. I appreciate it immensely.
Tin Shed Gamer, I really like those ideas! I'm open to try anything these days and it's only through trial and error I'll find my mojo I suppose.
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Thanks lads. Brilliant input. I appreciate it immensely.
Great....now get on with your homework...
...we expect to see one figure...doesn’t matter what...in whatever state of painting you like, by the end of the weekend.
;)
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Yep. +100 Tin Shed Gamer
I have a desk in our family room, with all my stuff next to it on and in a two drawer filing cabinet, so all my painting stuff is ready to hand. But I have also colonised the dining room with the table covered in unfinished bits of terrain. So I have been putting in a fair amount of effort on those.
At the moment I'm basically running two parallel projects, 15mm Vikings, and 28mm !745 forces for Sharp Practice from the Flags of War Kickstarter. I have all the 1745 stuff undercoated, on individual penny bases, sabots sanded and undercoated. I am just awaiting another pack of highlanders and some dragoons to complete my starter forces. Once they arrive they will be prepped and then the whole lot will see some serious brushwork.
The Vikings are being done in small batches as the mood takes me, but I find at the moment, it's easier to do the mindless stuff - railway track and some more dirt roads.
So hobby progress is happening, it just so happens I haven't actually painted a figure in a while.
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...we expect to see one figure...doesn’t matter what...in whatever state of painting you like, by the end of the weekend.
Thanks AKULA. No pressure. ::)
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A bunch of LAF'ers chanting "paint paint paint " really isn't pressure. We are just cheering you on. lol
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I guess that's one way to look at it. ::)
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Better late than never I suppose. Decided to put my 28mm stuff away for a while and have since been bitten by the 20mm moderns bug once again. Spent the week working on some "freedom fighters" for my Red Star Rising project (Red Dawn meets Twilight 2000). Figures are LibMins 20mm.
These were sat based and primed in my 20mm kit box, so saved me a bit of time. Currently just finishing up bases.
(https://i.imgur.com/vM6tAOS.jpg)
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Good work mate
Thanks AKULA. No pressure. ::)
Well, it wasn’t like I was going to pop round to your house with a baseball bat if you didn’t... ;)
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As long as you maintain social distance, I'm ok with that ;)
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Hitting that wall again. Been in isolation since mid March and don't have much to show for it. :-I Even the Sarge isn't motivating me as much these days.
(https://i.imgur.com/410BsMo.jpg)
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I have been cycling between larger units (more of a speed paining look) and small groups of various genres from pulp to western. Helps keep it fresh for me. But if the brushes are not working... watch some movies or read about your favorite time frame or genre. Might not help the painting mojo but at least you will enjoy it. :)
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I'm just looking to get my painting mojo back. I have been reading, researching, project planning, priming, building small blocks of test terrain, but the painting drive is sorely lacking.
I've just packed away my micro armor stuff and am going to take your advice and focus on something different, and more "fresh". The micro armor has been on the bench for over a month now, so I think it's time.
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You have my sympathies, Todd. Over the years I have suffered from this kind of thing big time, I know what you are going through.
All I can do is rather pathetically and unhelpfully say "hang in there." Right now I am more motivated than I've ever been, and am really enjoying my time at the paint station. Now my problem is getting back to the level I was at before my medical "event." I have physical issues rather than motivational ones. Though to be honest, I find these a lot easier to deal with. But that doesn't mean I'm suggesting that you have a medical emergency of your own to get your mojo back. Please don't do that! :)
You could always enter the next LPL. That did wonders for me last time I tried that.
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Thanks Plynkes! I'm glad to hear you're back at it. I really love your work and it's pretty inspiring. I'm sure you'll be back up to snuff in no time. It really IS like riding a bike. ;)
But that doesn't mean I'm suggesting that you have a medical emergency of your own to get your mojo back. Please don't do that!
I'll definitely heed your advice on that one!
I think rebooting my old forum has been rather time consuming for the past couple of months, and though that focus was more "technical" the subject matter of the forum has kept me inspired. So there's that....
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What size (and type) brush do you guys use for slopping on your basecoats? I use a W&N "Cottman Series" either 0 or 00 for all my brushwork. I'm assuming this is part of the reason why I'm such a slow painter.
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What size (and type) brush do you guys use for slopping on your basecoats? I use a W&N "Cottman Series" either 0 or 00 for all my brushwork. I'm assuming this is part of the reason why I'm such a slow painter.
Ha! the last base figure was done with a size 9, ok, so the highlights were a zero.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N236MhlDC5Q/Xvp8wTmecuI/AAAAAAAAE0g/ckWshbnJAVUSMHw2otJ-nv-Zo_YMfSsmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/r3.png)
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"Alright, Bravo Six, you've been moaning over this painting issue for months now. So, here's the deal, if you haven't finished 100 figures by the end of August you have to send 200 PAINTED figures as a gift to the LAFer of your choice - and you don't get to replace the figures! And then you have to paint 200 figures by the end of September or gift 300 PAINTED figures! If you make the 100 for August, you only have to do 100 for September, and so on and so forth. Now, snap out of it and get on with it, recruit. And photos for proof!"
Sergeant Kick Butt >:(
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Thanks Sarge. I think...... :D
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What size (and type) brush do you guys use for slopping on your basecoats? I use a W&N "Cottman Series" either 0 or 00 for all my brushwork. I'm assuming this is part of the reason why I'm such a slow painter.
I usually use a W&N Series 7 size 1. Larger models I might start with a 2. Mid tones or highlights I would use a 0.