Maximum skill level achieved ?

[alexz3]

Hi guys,

I have picked up painting minis 2-3 months ago after a 20+ years pause from my old Warhammer times.

I've been painting mostly Star Wars imperial assault minis and Silver Tower as well.

I've read so many threads, viewed all kinds of possible Youtube tutorials for new techniques, wet blending, etc... but right now I feel like for the time I spend on 1 mini, I won't ever get a better result. Most of the time its fine for me, as I usually spend 3-4 hours total on a figurine and my schedule won't allow for more (between kids / wife / work), but sometimes I wish I was able to do better blending, skin tones, etc.

How can you know if you have reach your maximum painting level for the time allocated ?

Did you guys ever reach such a time when you knew you couldn't do any better given your constraints ?

Here are my recent minis finished, and I don't know if I could have made them better unless I spent another 10 hours on wet bending a coat, which no one besides myself will ever care about. When I am able to do an eye, blending, patch symbol etc and I am happy about it, my wife looks at me like I am completely crazy...

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[Ghool]

What's more important to you:
Having painted models on the table?
Making people gasp and faint when you show them a miniature?

Answer those questions and you'll come to realize it's entirely personal preference. Paint to the level you want to, and spend the amount of time you want to.
No one else is going to force you to do better except you.

I will say though, that as you paint more you get much faster. At this point, I can pop out a top-shelf paint job (at least IMHO) in a few hours. Practice will always make you better, faster, stronger!
So, reaching a plateau isn't really a thing - you can always improve in one area or another.

None of these models took me no more than 10 hours, with most not taking more than 2.

 

[alexz3]

I guess I am fine with tabletop standards, just having painted figurines to play these games - which will happen in a few years until my kids are a bit older.

That is impressive for 2 hours -ish. They look so ... nice and clean

 

[Ghool]

I guess I am fine with tabletop standards, just having painted figurines to play these games - which will happen in a few years until my kids are a bit older.

That is impressive for 2 hours -ish. They look so ... nice and clean

I've been at this for over 30 years and I paint at least 4 hours a day.
With practice will come speed, and 'cleanliness'.

 

[alexz3]

Wow. I paint maybe 2-3 hours per WEEK :thinking:

When I am allowed to paint that is.

And I have been at this for 3-4 month tops since my 20+ years pause.

 

[Naukhel]

I think Ghool covered it pretty well. Plateaus are things, and sometimes it can take ages to move beyond them.
Other people just jump.

 

[KruleBear]

And if you hit a plateau and still want to improve, I suggest taking a painting class. Even though I don't paint as often as I like and the instructors were way above my current skill level, I learned some very usefull things at the Adepticon paint classes that should help me up my game in the future.

 

[alexz3]

not many painting classes in Luxembourg

I'll be doing some ATST from Imperial Assault, mostly dry brushing, my favorite technique

 

[MAXXxxx]

Lux? then you just need a way to travel to one of Jarhead's beginner Workshops. He has them around Europe (mostly in germany)
They cost about 150 euro for the weekend but it's worth every cent.
The only expensive part is the travel + hotel + taking time off from work (for friday/monday)

In the 2 days you'll leap in quality (and speed too as the wet-in-wet method is quite fast).

Also the time you have is not that bad. About the same or more than I have / week.