I Need Your Help CMON:Painting Inspiration

[SirJD]

Well CMON, I need your help,
In the past year I have only finished 1 miniature for my own collection, the reason being I start painting a miniature, half complete it, then decide its not good enough and start on a new one, I have at least 15-18 miniatures sitting on my shelf that are half started (e.g. I have around 2k points worth of dwarfs that I bought last year to start a WH army and I haven’t finished one, although I have 8-9 half painted). I don’t have this problem painting on commission though, I just painting without thinking really, but when it comes to my own I seem to question everything I paint, leaving me very un-inspired. So, that’s my problem, I was wondering if anyone here on CMON has ever had this problem or any ideas on how I can get my inspiration back? Or whether I should book that psychologist appointment now?

Thanks in advance
SirJD

 

[Ritual]

Yeah, I have that problem too, to a certain extent at least. I have way too many half-painted minis. I don\'t think there\'s any problem in having a bunch on the go at the same time, but if you\'ve got to the point where you basically can\'t finish anything then it\'s a problem.

I think it\'s hard to progress as a painter if you never finish stuff, so I suggest you pick a few that are closest to being finished and just grit your teeth, stop questioning yourself and just finish them! Let the things you\'ve already painted on them be and just focus on finishing them. Then, when you\'re done with them you can look at them closely and identify the things you\'re happy with and the things you\'re unhappy with. And next time you paint a mini you take these points into consideration. I think it\'s generally a good idea to get things done (even if you have doubts about some things you\'ve painted) and then learn from it what works and what doesn\'t.

Hope this is of some help to you!

 

[Necrontyrtitan]

I had that problem too...I\'ll either paint a fair amount, then decide its not good enough and strip it, or, like the Sword Brethren I have on my shelf at the moment, paint just the head, and leave it for a month.

I think the trick is when you\'re painting, keep a good supply of ideas around (CMON pics, artwork, color palletes), dont have a huge amount of models waiting to be painted..its really daunting...
and always remember...

*If you\'ve done it once, you can do it again*

Finish the model, and if you don\'t like it, strip it! Just by doing it, you\'ve learnt new tricks and techniques, and even if you move onto another model, you can apply those same lessons learnt.

 

[matty1001]

This used to happen to me, i used to paint for gameplay, quick drybrush and some strips for my nids, i could do 1 in 10mins. Then i switched to a more \'competition\' level and learnt new skills and techniques. Problem was these took alot longer and i was getting bored and putting stuff down, then feeling a bit rubbish because i wasn\'t churning out TT standard.
So then i started setting targets, e.g. il paint this Wolf Guard model in a weekend, so when it came to sunday i was rushing areas, but it meant i had a finished model, something to be proud of.
Now im only just starting to stick to what im doing and repaint areas and take alot more time perfecting things.

So i say set targets and stick to them. Maybe paint all the flesh in an hour, or do all the armour in one night. You may not be painting to a top level, but that will evolve over time. Plus you will have alot more minis to be proud of!

*EDIT* And don\'t go back to change things! I would go back and change one bit, then another etc etc. Get sick and chuck it. Snirk the Goblin, which iv just finished is the first model i have EVER redid areas on once i had declared it finished.

 

[Jericho]

My advice is to come up with some sort of deadline structure. So take your Dwarfs for example. Arrange a game, not too big at first (because that can mean building 50+ models in a row, which is VERY tedious for most of us gamers), and try to get a certain number of units finished before that date. Then arrange another game a few weeks down the road and try to have another couple new things done.

I think it\'s easier to stay excited about an army if you\'re using it and having fun with your buddies along the way. The thing that finally got me wanting to build/paint some of my Warmachine figs was borrowing a friend\'s Khador and actually smashing some heads around for an evening or two.

I still haven\'t got a ton of work done, I had a mini I wanted to give away for Christmas to do, then I was out of the country for a week and a half, and my first day back was the beginning of the new University term.

I\'m now a week into classes, and have a paper due tomorrow morning and a novel to read by Tuesday morning. And somewhere in between I managed to sneak in a few hours to build and prime ~500 pts of Warmachine and finish all the bases and metallics on the infantry. Way better than my usual rate of completion, and all because I played the game a bit to get my imagination going.

Sadly that meant my Tau army lost its spot on my priority list, but I think I\'ll be switching back and forth all the time

You can also reward yourself for painting something you\'re not really looking forward to by saying \"I can paint that awesome (insert name here) once I\'m done with the next squad I need for my army.\"

Using my Khador as an example, that\'s saying \"I won\'t paint my Warcaster until the rank and file Widowmakers are done.\" Good motivation to get the basic stuff done!

 

[SirJD]

WOW!
I needed some advice and I got bucket loads. Thanks for all your help everyone, I will apply everything you have all said from now on. I will probably use your idea first Jericho and start on my dwarf army (look out for WIP’s soon)

Thanks again guys, you gave me my inspiration again
SirJD

 

[freakinacage]

i have finished one model in the last 18 months and have started about 50. you do the maths!! and it\'s been like that for some while. life tends to get in the way sadly.

 

[Talion]

I got 4 sitting on my desk at the moment.

The problem I find is painting alone. Start off good lose some inspiration then stop.

I also get sidetracked very easily. My other half bought me a 360 for Christmas, I haven\'t picked up a paintbrush since yet.

But I go through fits and starts, I\'ll sit down and watch something like LOTR, and get all in the fantasy mood and have a good few days of painting, where if I\'m lucky finish a mini. I\'ve been painting for almost 20 years and only have about 40 minis to show for it (mind you I\'ve thrown a lot out, as my paintings progressed)

 

[treide]

I am at the other extreme. I don\'t feel like I can start painting another mini until I finish the one I am currently painting. That way you have incentive - your reward for finishing is the opportunity to start a new mini and apply your honed skills. I also alternate between types of minis so I don\'t get bored doing just one thing.

 

[Arma]

Same problem too.

My 2 cents (or 2 Yen maybe?), like some people said - SET GOALS, this is important. For example, I have to paint a mini for a comp in Japan in 2 weeks. I\'m painting a farseer and today my job is \"Green basecoat\".

If you break things down into managable tasks I find it much easier to get things done (this isn\'t just mini painting but a lot of things in my life).

Next is don\'t leave unfinished are primed mini\'s close by.. you want 1 mini on the table, and that\'s the on you\'ll be working on. Resist the urge to open a new blister/box/whatever and start preping it. I feel like I have far too much to paint now heh.

Keep WIPs, post here, ask for advice... and be patient!

GL, I\'ll be posting my Farseer WIPs I hope at the end of the day (now that I\'ve bound myself to posting WIP pics I think I have to )

 

[SirJD]

thanks for all the help guys,
i have started on my dwarf army, painting 500 points at a time and packing the rest in a box. Still working out afew details (bases etc) but its coming along nicely. I wont be able to post WIP\'s this month due to broadband DL limit, but i should have some next month

thanks again for all the help,
SirJD

 

[Arma]

oh the irony! I screwed my Farseer up and now it\'s in the good ole brake fluid bath! oh well..

GL Man!