How to acquire Painting Zen

[WorkingStiff]

Is there any mental method for painting miniatures? Seens like I try too hard, and don\'t get the nice finish on the minis like the pro\'s do. I get really bummed when I see mini\'s that some people paint in 6 hours are light years better than mine that\' I\'ve painted over twice that amount of time. My painting has improved considerably in the last 2-3 years. I\'ve studied and practiced the techniques, and have painted hundreds on minis, but I seem to be stuck on a artistic plateau.

So what do I need to do? Practice painting a few strokes and stop often so I don\'t rush? Deep breathing exercises? Hum a mantra?
Burn incense? Do exercises that will train me to mantipulate the brush better? Pray for a talent infusion?

 

[BloodiedFangs]

deal with the devil. works every time . and you\'d be amazed at his low low prices. just dial 666 for speed service

but really, practice, read lots of literature about it (it really does help), and actually try what you get told about (tho you can make value judgements). and above all listen to what veteran painters say (or at least the good ones). part of that speed is acquired skill

in addition, paint somewhere comfortable and relaxing, it\'ll make things much easier. put on a few good tunes and chill, and you\'ll get in the mood real fast. and from there, once you\'re in the mood, relaxed and enjoying yourself, and picking up some skills, you\'ll just find you work faster and faster . so not really a simple answer, just the normal one, but hey, its the best i can do (now you just gotta wait for someone to tell me how wrong i am )

 

[Avelorn]

post in wip thread or such to gain valuable critcism. Really pull your stops out and try to make every detail of the mini to perfection. Undertaking projects that seems greater than one can handle is a natural way of improving.

You learn to paint fast and good in time. It\'s also about focusing on the parts of the mini that really stands out. Like the face.

 

[Corvus]

I have to agree: come here more often and ask for advice. Also, participate in painting competitions so that you can see your minis next to the ones of the masters, and ask your fellow competitors for advice.

And welcome to the forums BTW

 

[Mosch]

With all due respect, I don\'t really feel that the WIP-Thread is useful for novice painters like myself. The general feeling I get when I post in there is that the really great pieces drown out my lesser ones. Its mostly \"Whoa, that\'s a great Golden Demon worthy mini\" (and make no mistake, I am guilty of that too), but I don\'t really feel \"at home\" there. That may be a warped view, but that what it seems like to me.

As for improvement, remember that the pros have an array of expertise that helps them. Great photos of expertly painted miniatures seem to raise the \"artistic value\" tenfold. So is the fact that all the techniques are used with great skill: blacklining, blending and so on come together to form a superb miniature. Mine look like crap too, but just keep on painting, maybe somewhen you\'ll be struck with a ray of light I know I hope I am (what a sentence....)

 

[Modderrhu]

Hm, well, we do all know how to gain skill, don\'t we? Practise, experiment, listen to the gods... Skill and technique come with time, but perhaps there\'s a missing (and controversial) element - talent. It\'s a raw deal, if you\'ve not got the talent, then you will never be able to compete with those who do. We have to recognise and accept our personal shortcomings.

Similarly, a lot of people have artistic training, degrees in fine arts and such. They are going to have a better feel for what will and won\'t work. They are going to have a whole range of techniques and experiences to draw on.

So if you can\'t paint like Jakob Nielsen, GeOrc, Alexi_Z or Jennifer Haley, that\'s not failure.

Agreed with Mosch on the WIP thread too. Everyone wants to know how a GD worthy mini is painted, whereas most of us can basecoat, wash, drybrush then flock our way into a 5. You\'d probably get more out of it if you started your own WIP thread for your little project.

Anyhow, welcome to the forums, WorkingStiff. You\'ve actually come to the right place.

 

[Drake Farstrider]

1st off welcome to the forums WorkingStiff.

The one thing that is almost if not more important than practice is to have fun.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

I think you CAN improve. What you are doing right here is key. Being willing to say I dont know is the beginning of knowlege. It sounds like you really WANT it also. That\'s another important one. When I started I didnt know how to do anything but I REALLY wanted it. I too went through ALOT of frustration. I was trying to paint a scene of an orchard one time on canvas. I couldent get it right and finally, in frustration I ripped the canvas off the easel and hurled it into the orchard. It took me a LONG time to learn to paint (been at it for over 25 years and still learning). It will probably come to you in small steps (that\'s how it happens for me). It can be a drag to hear this but remember that it takes time, practice and help from others. Dont burden yourself with trying to be a pro in a day. Finally, do what YOU ENJOY. There is a balance to be struck with that one. Learning to take advice and submitting to what someone tells you and following your own interests. DONT GIVE UP.
Good luck.

 

[Einion]

Excellent points from BloodiedFangs, I concur with all of them... except the deal with the devil part, he\'s a welcher and you just can\'t trust him so I\'d go with lots of practice every time Although hands-on experience is vital to improvement I would still advise reading everything you can get your hands on about painting, you never know when some titbit might be exactly what you need on some future project - be it colour theory from the Handprint site, a mix from an oil-painting book or a technique from a good mini-painter\'s site - I\'m still using little tips I picked up more than 20 years ago when I was in art school.

Modderrhu\'s point about talent is worth noting too: we all know it, although it\'s not often acknowledged publicly, but some of us will never get to a certain standard and I think it\'s important to have realistic expectations to prevent becoming disillusioned. Part of this is setting yourself incremental goals so maybe concentrate on blending for a few figures, drybrushing if you want to use it on the next few, then washes/magic washes and glazing, and so on. When you feel you\'re beginning to have a good grasp of them all bring it all together on a single project, see how it turns out.

This obviously means you have to paint a lot which is all part of the necessary development for most people. Also, don\'t be tempted to repaint every mistake, sometimes it\'s worth having something that you\'re not happy with on an otherwise well-painted mini that\'s a concrete \'I\'ll do better next time\' example for future reference.

Einion

 

[Broke n English]

Artistic plateau eh....

...I\'ve got a plot there,had it a while! lol I just keep practising and every now and then I see some improvement Welcome to the forums!

 

[EricJ]

first off, welcome to the forums, taking an active role here (in the submissions and painting and conversions forums at least) was a HUGE help to me in developing. Being willing to accept critique of your work is also huge without taking it personally

You also speak of the time taken, and honestly I don\'t think that accomplished painters paint faster per say, but I\'ve found that as I\'ve improved I both paint more intensively, less breaks when i\'m on a project, and I have a clearer idea of what my final goal is, so I paint straight towards it and often get it first try, which of course speeds things up a lot. While at the same time the techniques used usually actually take LONGER to get right. Over all I would say it results in painting in less time, however I wouldn\'t say it\'s painting quicker.

#1 though is keep an open mind, practice, and challenge yourself to do what you don\'t think you can.

 

[WorkingStiff]

Thanks for the encouragement , everyone.
I appreciate all the comments. I guess I should just set small goals to push the envelope and keep plugging along. Man , I just wish I could spend a few hours with some of the great painters on this site. I\'d like to watch how they paint in person. Of course, I don\'t know how well they could paint if I\'m going \"Howja do that?\" every 2 minitues. I\'d probately end up with a paintbrush stuck in my mouth

Thanks again--It\'s good to know a painter can come here for therapy when they get the artistic bends..........

 

[Mosch]

Orginal gepostet von WorkingStiff
I\'d probately end up with a paintbrush stuck in my mouth

Yeah right, in your mouth.... *cough*

However, you\'re on to something there! Now to pester our painting gods to make videos of them painting

 

[stef686]

I\'ve considered making video tutorials for my website, and have always thought its kind of \"the next step\" if you will for internet painting tutorials. Obviously I\'m not up there with the best of them on this site, but stuff like that would be cool to see. (dont actually have a video camera which is why I havent already lol)

Welcome to CMON anyway

 

[Chrispy]

Haaa.. so, grasshoppa:
The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.
If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.
I\'m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you\'re not in this world to live up to mine. (With apoligies to the late Bruce Lee)

I hate to say it takes practice, but it does... soon, you\'ll know how a brush feels in your hand, and you\'ll be able to \"zoom in\" and block everything else out. Tackling realistic, but challenging gaols is a good way to get expirence faster, like doing a large scale mini, trying out a new technique, or just making something look different than what you normally do. Just set out to challenge yourself. You will always win over yourself, because you know your own insecurities and pitfalls in painting, as well as in life... so only YOU can adjust them! (that one was mine!)
Hope this helps!

 

[EricJ]

Originally posted by WorkingStiff
Of course, I don\'t know how well they could paint if I\'m going \"Howja do that?\" every 2 minitues. I\'d probately end up with a paintbrush stuck in my mouth

LOL, you should actually see me painting, I often use 2 brushes at once, and one is usually sticking out of my mouth for safe keeping as I switch back and forth. So if I stuck one in your mouth, it might just be my attempt to be helpfull

 

[Frustrated Father]

Don\'t let Eric lie to you like that, that\'s not a paint brush.



I\'ll jump in and say welcome to the forums as well. The peeps above have covered it all pretty much but I find that I usually like to do some \'homework\' before I start on a miniature if am looking for inspiration, by looking at stuff here, and then maybe contacting them about a color reciepe (did that to EricJ the first time I saw a SoB of his).

And read ... damn odd, but yeah, it helps.

 

[Naukhel]

We have seen words of practice, we have seen words of relaxing, of reading, of exercises for the hands, and we have seen words of plateaus and orchards and other landmarks that may or may not be in your vicinity....

Here\'s my $.02 worth on the subject of improving your painting skills, and no, I\'m not going to repeat what everyone\'s been saying to date. (Unlike many, I read the whole thread before replying, so I am certain that I am correct that I am not repeating something that\'s been said before).

Paint minis that you like to paint.
If you like painting space marines because they\'re the most fun for you, paint space marines.
If you like painting orcs, or dragons, or whatever, paint those.
Buy SEVERAL of the same figure, and experiment with the colours. Let your hands get familiar with how to hold the same figure at the same stage, several times.
Once you find brushes you\'re comfortable holding, stick to that brand/size/thickness as much as possible. The same for paints you use.

I like painting female minis far more than I like painting male minis. I have half a dozen of one particular female mini (A certain Reaper swordswoman/swashbuckler) that I\'m currently working on my third version of.

Go to your store. Look at each mini available. Wait for inspiration to strike you when you look at something.

You can plug away at a mini you hate for 6 weeks, and then leave it unpainted for years because you\'re so sick of it, or you can work on something that moves you to creativity.

 

[Modderrhu]

Originally posted by WorkingStiff
I\'d probately end up with a paintbrush stuck in my mouth

It\'s ok to use the word \'arse\' here, WorkingStiff. So it\'s also alright to realise you would and say you would end up with a paint brush crammed up your arse. Really, we don\'t mind, in fact we can empathise competely. :innocent:

 

[WorkingStiff]

Originally posted by Modderrhu

Originally posted by WorkingStiff
I\'d probately end up with a paintbrush stuck in my mouth

It\'s ok to use the word \'arse\' here, WorkingStiff. So it\'s also alright to realise you would and say you would end up with a paint brush crammed up your arse. Really, we don\'t mind, in fact we can empathise competely. :innocent:

But then I\'d still be asking the guy, \"Howja do that?\"---