Hitting a bit of a wall, painting wise

[Bravo Six]

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?

[FierceKitty]

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.

[Gabbi]

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.

[Shahbahraz]

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.   

[FifteensAway]

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.

[Etrangere1]

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.

[fred]

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).

[Digits]

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.

[Brandlin]

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.

[Bravo Six]

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 

[manic _miner]

 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 .

[Borderguy190]

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.

[Dr. Zombie]

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.

[Hobgoblin]

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.

[Bravo Six]

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.