Hobby Mojo

[nozza_uk]

Didn't do any gaming in January as my opponents either had holidays, work or Covid at some point. So I spent my hobby time getting on with painting and managed to paint 52 figures.

After such a good start I now feel completely unmotivated to pick up a paint brush.

Is it just me or does anyone else find that their hobby mojo rises and falls?

[manic _miner]

 I think it is something which we all go through from time to time.

 Been making up plastic figures mostly,from various game ranges at the moment.The Last argument of Kings being the most recent lot.

 At least you have got some figures painted which is more than me .

[NotifyGrout]

I feel you. I was doing really well with those old Warzone models but lately I've felt like I don't have the time to set aside to paint. When that happens, I try to work on things like prep and assembly, or I read up on rules, or I work on scenarios, or I blather on about stuff tangential to the topic in places like this

If all else fails, I switch to a video game for a while. Eventually I will get tired of the less physically tangible achievements and go back to minis.

[has.been]

A wise friend told me years ago, 'Some days
the paint won't flow. When that happens do
not try & force it, just do something else'

I read a book, watch a film, listen to some music or
even just start sorting through the Lead Mountain.
The urge to paint/model always comes back. It
sometimes takes a while, but it does return.
Not often doing the same thing, but it is always
something that I want to do.

[Codsticker]

I agree with has.been. Sometimes I don't feel like painting so I tidy up my workspace or take an inventory of stuff I have done or stuff that is in my pile of shame (that quite often inspires me to paint). I also like to make terrain so sometimes I will do that instead, even if it is just building something simple or experimenting with a new technique.

[Grumpy Gnome]

My thoughts echo those of has.been and codsticker.

[Tactalvanic]

My thoughts echo Grumpy Gnome, Codsticker and  has.been - well put.

as with all things it comes and goes, but will always come back.

been sorting through old stuff, the mountain etc, because work been so draining again.

Even been watching episodes of "the old country" with Jack Hargreaves on the you tube... seriously did not realise how much of that I watched when I was a kid, lots of memories of things past at moment.

[Major_Gilbear]

Same here - if you don't feel like painting, there's lots of other hobby stuff you can do instead - cleaning mouldlines, assembling or priming figures, putty work, scenery, basing, tidying up, etc. Even if none of that catches your fancy either, just do something else you enjoy and circle back from time to time to see if you suddenly feel like picking it up again. As the others said, it'll come back to you!

[zemjw]

Another approach is to give yourself a time limit. "I'm not feeling it, but I'll splash something simple on a couple of figures then go do something else".

If the two figures are a chore and you're not happy, stop and switch. Today is not a painting day, but at least you moved a project on, even if just a little bit.

However, sometimes just getting started lures the mojo back, and two figures becomes three, then four...

[nozza_uk]

Thanks for all the replies.

Glad it's not just me that goes through this.

I do have time to paint, I just don't have the urge. As some have suggested, I spent some time instead re-reading rules and developing scenarios (whether they get played is another question  ). Also, delved back into Stellaris which might be a mistake!

[Johnp4000]

Nozza, I find it a funny part of the hobby that some people I know paint hundreds of figures but rarely game! I find painting boring, however the incentive was an upcoming game, I used to belong to a small gaming group and never had a problem painting. When that group moved on, without the prospect of a game, I just find painting a chore.
Personally I would rather now, play something like Stellaris, instant gaming satisfaction rather than spend endless hours painting figures that might just sit in a box.

[Doug ex-em4]

If I’m not in a painting mood, I like to plan scenarios and games that may or may not get played. Then I’ll write a preamble up as a story with photos and test the patience of fellow LAFers by posting it all here, usually on the Pulp board. Invariably, I’ll find I’m a figure or two short for what is planned and before you know it, I’m painting them and a few others as well.

Doug

[Inkpaduta]

Most definitely. After painting a bunch of figures or getting a line of figures done I can burn out.
All I want to do is set up games and play. It has been a month or more since I painted and now
I am getting the itch to buy some more figures and start painting.

[Elbows]

It's a hobby, not a job.

When I don't feel like painting (which can happen for months at a time), I do peripheral stuff.  I organize my painting desk, I sell off old unwanted models, I take inventory of stuff, plan projects, clean up my spray paint cans and inventory them....etc.

Basically I do all kinds of "upkeep" stuff that makes it easier when I do get back to painting.  I also do a lot of game design so I split my hobby time between my computer and notebooks...and then my painting desk.  If I don't want to paint, I go and work on a game.  If I get tired of working on a game, I go and paint, etc.

[Codsticker]

It's a hobby, not a job.

Bingo!