Argg! Painters Block!

[MPJ]

Havn\'t picked up a paint brush (at least a mini sized one) in almost a year now and I\'ve got painters block! I\'ve spent the last 4 nights \'tidying\' my painting area but now it\'s spotless. Went down there a bit ago and looked at my minis for over an hour and still couldn\'t decide one to start painting (never mind the dozens of half painted minis). Surely to God there is a pill I can take or something?

I suppose people could post their techniques for breaking \'painters block\'. :drunk:

 

[DaN]

You know, I reckon there\'s been LOADS of these threads lol

How about finding a mini you just absolutely LOVE, or just using some crappy ones to practice a technique you haven\'t tried yet ... ?

 

[BarstoolProphet]

I would suggest looking at art related to the genre of minis you usually like to paint. Science-fiction, fantasy, steampunk, or whatever else. You may see a colour combination that makes you want to try to duplicate it, or an entire picture that you\'d like to try to make into a diorama.

Music can also be an excellent motivator. Put on your favourite playlist and see if anything gets stirred up.

 

[Shadzar]

when that happened to me i started prepping minis. either taking them off sprues and sorting bits for 40k ones to make whole models, assembly of those i could, even base-coating ones that needed it anyway before they could get painted.

also some times i pick the most interesting mini i can find, maybe a crappy one and start painting it in a way i would never paint. bright colors for something. aweful colors for skin, etc. just to put paint to mini. i found it helps sometimes just painting something then i get back in the mood to paint.

also a change of genre might help. if you paint SF maybe try a fantasy, or something that you don\'t normally paint.

 

[Friar]

I agree with Shad when I get painters block I start priming (I use brush on when it\'s winter) Base coating, doin up bases and other preping that should be enough to drive you to want to paint. I fit isn\'t I just grab a mini and just paint I find it an easy way to get the wheels turning, I usually go for somethin obvious ork skin, leather, just to get me painting without having to worry bout being inspired or terribly creative.

 

[olliekickflip]

I usaually change it up a bit...switch to building custom bases, or paint an army (you know the kind that doesn\'t matter if you stay in the lines). Sometimes I just force myself to sit down and start painting something...anything. All of a sudden, I am a painting freak yet again! Or just fall head over heals for someone who shares the same painting passion that you have and that pretty much takes care of it...then you just push each other and motivate each other...of course I have never heard of that actually happening

 

[Antnol]

I know who...um...what ollie is talking about. I sometimes have to force myself to just sit down and paint. I am having a problem right now from getting away from a certain manufacturer. Not to worry though.....now where did I set those GD entries....

In all seriousness I will pick one out that I dont care for very much and just throw some paint on it and the next thing I know I am spending way too much time than needed on the next couple after that. I really wish there was a pill but it really comes down to just doing it.

 

[JakeSh]

I\'m in the \"get that half done crap off my desk so I don\'t have to look at it any longer\" phase. I just finished a RT-era Space Marine that has been chillin\' for like 2 years, now I\'m on another Marine from last summer. After that I may finish up a squat, then back to my Dire Troll Mauler Extreme. After that I\'ll start some thing new, get 1/2 done, then drop my brushes for a few months again. No wonder nothing gets done.

 

[Shadzar]

oh. i just remembered my first CMoN mini i haven\'t finished thanks to this thread. now i am inspired by it to find and finish painting that amazon girl.

maybe reading some painting articles will inspire to pick up brush again as this thread inspired me to find that mini.

 

[Dragonsreach]

There is a way round this. Ask your wife to go into the basement for an hour or so and select one or even two unpainted mini that you will then Have to paint.
Make sure that she nags you to finish them. (Then Show Us)

Once you are past the Initial Blockage, the creative constipation will evaporate and you\'ll be back painting like a lunatic.

 

[Selya]

Do something silly. Pick an expendable mini (or one that you\'ll be able to strip easily) and paint it in a truly stupid way.
Is it a GW Khorne general covered in spikes and skulls? Paint it canary yellow.
Is it a Vampire? Paint it neon blue and pink. You get it.

This way you\'ll remember the way you usedto paint and the unusual colours will keep you from getting bored. Afterwards you should be ableto do something more usual...

 

[freakinacage]

i live in a big lump of painters block!

just try different techniques on minis that you can strip or just work on one technique - osl/nmm etc until you are really good at it

 

[Wren]

You\'ve overcome my biggest problem area, which is getting my lazy rump into the paint room. And the tidiness will help in the end, but definitely sounds like it\'s time to stop cleaning! Some possible ideas:

Find out if you have a local store with a paint night. If you do, go to it. Hanging out with other mini painting fans and just slapping paint on a mini for a few hours might be a more congenial atmosphere to start back up. Or if you have a child in your life, take this opportunity to show them a little bit about the hobby and sit and paint with them for a few hours.

Work on some terrain, accessories or bases.

Pick something basic and fun with the goal of painting it within a few hours - a wolf or whatever to just basecoat, wash and drybrush up and boom it\'s done.

Paint something for someone else. A mini exchange, something you\'ve always meant to do as a gift for a friend, something Dragonreach told your wife to tell you to paint, whatever. ;-> Knowing that someone else is relying on you for something can sometimes be more motivation than completely self-set goals.

In a similar vein, paint something for a contest with a deadline. April 29 is the deadline for the new Chick Challenge, May 1 is the deadline for the Black Scorpion single fig contest and there are probably some others I\'m forgetting about. PP has one going right now too I think. I can probably find you websites with rules and such if you\'re interested in any of those.

 

[Corvus]

some of the stuff that helps me to keep painting:

I switch between gaming quality and showcase miniatures every now and then. Right now I painted some 40k gaming stuff for the past few months and I\'m finishing this to return to showcase material again.

Go to painting competitions: winning makes me feel good, but losing also gives me a huge motivation boost

Do commission work or paint for eBay: the main motivation here is the money, but it keeps you going paint-wise.

Community activities: whether it\'s painting together with a friend or visiting online forums like these...