Staying focused

[Rdrunner]

Hey everyone,

I\'ve been working on a single mini for the past two months. It\'s a complicated figure with alot of different parts, and I\'ve been working through it in \"shifts\" (i.e., finish the main body, then work on the right arm, then the left, then various attachments, etc). The project has been alot of fun, and I\'ve enjoyed my time on it....

but....

...now that I\'m nearing the end, it\'s getting hard to muster the same enthusiasm to finish the remaining parts. I\'ve spent alot of time looking at this guy, and I really want to be done with him. But if I rush the final sections, I\'d take away from the work I\'ve already done. As a result, he\'s now sat idly on my desk for the past week, giving me reproachful looks for not finishing him up.

I\'m wondering this has happened to any of you before. If it has, what have you done to get over the mental block and finish the mini while doing it justice? I\'ve put so much effort and so many hours into this mini that I\'d hate for him to wind up in the purgatory that is my \"to be completed\" pile...

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Roadrunner

 

[Shadzar]

My Logan Grimnar in my gallery has been about the same. I haven\'t touched him in about 2 years. I am just painting and prepping other minis until the bug bite me in the butt, to pull Logan out again and finish him up, when I can think of what left to finish him with.

Put a dust cover over it while you wait, and grab another mini to work/piddle on and try a different set of colors, or something simple; and before you know it you should be back around to the real project...unles you get stuck on what to do with the base like I am.

lol Just don\'t put the brushes down for too long, so you don\'t get rusty.

Go back and work on another in the \"to be\" pile, while you wait for inspiration on this one, to help change it up a bit to get over the block.

 

[jahminis]

i\'ve had the same problem quite a few times...

the only incentive that works for me is the paycheck at the end of the tunnel...

the others end up in the \"to be completed\" line of shame...

good luck...

is it a Rackham mini???

cheers
jah

 

[Aliengod3]

Happens to me all the time. Painting can be a very mental challenge. Find motivation by knowing the mini will be finished soon and think about how elated you will be seeing it fully finished.

 

[jarhead]

Me too, me too... know this all to well too. I don\'t think it is good to drain in your thoughts about you have to finish him up or don\'t atm.

I\'ve learned for myself to deal with these good days, bad days, half days, small days, big days of creativity flow just by hearing what the muse says... when the muse whispers gently in your ear and swears that it ain\'t the right moment to finish it up, then it shall be so... in my eyes... the right moment always comes...

I don\'t take a picture from my WIP section lol

Keep on happy painting!
Regards
jar

 

[Einion]

I think everyone\'s been there! Many of us have been there, bought the t-shirt.

Other than deliberately putting it out of sight and starting on something else it\'s hard to force yourself to be interested in something. Working on a new project - particularly if it\'s painting, but not necessarily - can reinvigorate one\'s interest in a remaining project sometimes.

The other thing you could try (not being sarcastic) is to put aside a block of hours with one intent: to finish off every remaining element and assemble/base; if you rush and end up ruining it it\'s a mistake you\'ll be unlikely to make a second time...
:bouncy:

Einion

 

[Corvus]

I just had the same experience with a Rackham mini. But you know what\'s so strange about this? The last remaining work in which you usually loose your enthusiasm takes only a few hours to complete.

So when that feeling sets in I know I\'m only a few hours away from completion.

The solution for me is usually to start working on the next figure I want to paint and finish the previous figure in between.

 

[Rdrunner]

Wow, thanks for the really thoughtful responses everyone. It\'s a big help just to hear that this is a common problem among even some the best painters around here. I will try your suggestions and see if I can get him finished up in the next week.

@ Jah - you\'re exactly right. It\'s an R mini with 6 different attachments, not counting the base work.

 

[freakinacage]

pffft, i don\'t even remember the last mini i finished!

 

[ScottRadom]

Wellllll...... I tend to put them in a box and forget about \'em. Everyone once in a while after I\'ve done something horrible in life I open the \"box of shame\" and pick something up and finish it to rebuild karma.

Sometimes leaving something for a day or a coupe years then picking it up gets me going. I had an incomplete Orc for an army project that was started about 4 years ago. It inspired me to repaint it just to gauge my improvement. I might go take a look in the box tonight!

 

[jarhead]

Orginal gepostet von ScottRadom
Wellllll...... I tend to put them in a box and forget about \'em. Everyone once in a while after I\'ve done something horrible in life I open the \"box of shame\" and pick something up and finish it to rebuild karma.

That sounds great... i mean just from the sound and feeling in it... works that way too at my point i guess...

Wonderful words found for that crazy weird thing called motivation

Regards
jar

 

[Trovarion]

what is a finished mini ???

 

[ScottRadom]

Originally posted by jarhead

Orginal gepostet von ScottRadom
Wellllll...... I tend to put them in a box and forget about \'em. Everyone once in a while after I\'ve done something horrible in life I open the \"box of shame\" and pick something up and finish it to rebuild karma.

That sounds great... i mean just from the sound and feeling in it... works that way too at my point i guess...

Wonderful words found for that crazy weird thing called motivation

Regards
jar

Since this thread popped up I\'ve pulled out and finished off a couple! Felt GREAT!!!

...course since there was room to close the lid again I had to add a couple to the box....

 

[Rdrunner]

Thought I\'d pop back in with a big thanks to everyone who posted here. The project\'s done and I couldn\'t be happier. In the end, I started painting up another mini while thinking about how great it would be to finish the current one. Lo and behold, after about a day the muse returned, so I set aside 3 hours over the weekend to finish. Ended up taking just a little bit longer, but it\'s done now and I like the result:

I know this isn\'t the thread for it, but if you feel moved to I would welcome any comments or criticism on this mini. I haven\'t posted anything in the discussion column for awhile, and am curious what other painters think I could improve upon.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/228402

Cheers, and thanks again!

Roadrunner

 

[ScottRadom]

That\'s some straight up beautiful work! Very nice indeed!

 

[SkelettetS]

wow great job well done!

i always try to at least build and prepare the base before i start painting, turns out i usually become tired to death of the minis just in time it\'s finished and the base still undone.

 

[Trevor]

Nice work, looks good