"The Secret to Getting More Painting Done Is..." Topic

Well?

I thought YOU had the answer!

An obsessive personality disorder.

commiting to run convention games with minis you dont have painted yet.
ymmv

Have your television cable disconnected, or move your painting table to where you can see (listen) to the TV while you paint.

Take a little time out of each day to paint or prep some figures to paint at a future time-15 miutes or 30 minutes can work. You shall reap the rewards in the end.

Find a time which you like to devote to painting-like early Sat morning when all is quiet. Then try and make it consistent part of your weekly schedule. It could be late at night for you.

Keep an area for yourself. If you have to put it all away all the time it will be an obstacle. I just sit and paint.

Make sure you always have clean brushes and plenty of paint.

Buy yourself a new model or set of models to keep things exciting.

Keep various projects available so when you are tired of one you can switch to another.

Make sure your seat(chair) is comfortable and the lighting is good.

At times I've forced myself to at least do 1 color a day on unit I'm working on (Battery, battalion or cav regt)

I paint after working out (daily). Since I need the time to cool down anyway and recover, I try to get at least one coat of paint on all the models on the board (I tend to paint five or six different type of minis to avoid boredom). Plus, I need to have music/radio on as well.

Erik

PS: The "working out" part is mandatory for me. I'm morbidly obese and diabetic, in my late 40s. The only way for me to keep off the insulin is to keep exercising. I'm by no means an athelete!

Erik

I can tell you a sure-fire way not to get any painting done: Have another child at age 40.

I agree with the above comments about painting something every day, even if it is only for a few minutes. I think that it gets you into a rythm and also keeps your projects fresh in your mind. Also, a little diversity helps. Have a couple of things to work on that are in various stages. I have a set of rules that I am casually writing, I am sculpting, I have an army that I am painting and I am getting the paperwork and terrain ready for a convention game. I bounce back and forth between these and it seems to keep it from becoming a chore.

Allen

Lower your standards?

Al | ravenfeastsmeadhall.blogspot.com

1 hour per night.

"The Secret to Getting More Painting Done is…"

… to use a roller brush. Can cover a lot of area quickly that way. ;-)

Split the task into small blocks of work. Maybe 8 basic figures at once and then hide the rest out of site.

Give yourself a treat by doing a special figure (commander / magic user etc) after each block as a break.

Keep those figures painted visible as a reminder that you can get through it.

…just do it.

Avoid distractions, and chores……

Play more games and listen to wargaming & history podcasts while you paint.

Pay someone else to do it?

Conversely, getting paid for it. :)

Getting paid for it works for me. I got more than 200 minis painted last year.

1) Less TV
2) Find a way to share the time with your Spouse/kids/Significant other
3) Set goals, make a schedule, and stick to it.
4) Game! Nothing fires up my painting enthusiasm more than a great game.

Actually, more TV. Watching sports or series show after show on Netflix while talking to the family. The last part of multitasking is assembling/painting minis and/or terrain. It takes me maybe 25% longer to do it this way than dedicated work on minis/terrain, but: (1) I don't get fatigued as fast, and (2) I can spend a lot more time doing it this way.

I agree with RavenscraftCybernetics…commit to running a convention game….sheesh…I told myself, nay, promised myself last year after doing just that, that I would never do that to myself again….at least I lasted a year on that promise…but dang it, I'm doing it again this year!!

Painting everyday even if only for a few minutes

Stop wasting time on internet forums and go paint.

"Take a little time out of each day to paint or prep some figures to paint at a future time-15 miutes or 30 minutes can work."

CHECK….I carry a box of unpainted figures in the car to clean and prep while waiting to pick up the wife from work.

"Keep an area for yourself. If you have to put it all away all the time it will be an obstacle. I just sit and paint."

CHECK….this is very true.

"Make sure you always have clean brushes and plenty of paint."

CHECK….I have TOO much paint.

"Keep various projects available so when you are tired of one you can switch to another."

CHECK…just started this practice. When you say "I can't paint another fracking red coat…time to paint some camo!!"

"Make sure ………. the lighting is good.

" CHECK…I have a halogen desk lamp now.

"Split the task into small blocks of work. Maybe 8 basic figures at once and then hide the rest out of site."

CHECK…I found 12 is my max.

"Keep those figures painted visible as a reminder that you can get through it. "

CHECK….I recommend your prototype…also keep you on track for matching the figure.

"Paint something every day, even if it is only for a few minutes. "

CHECK.. sometimes, if you are waiting for the family to go to a movie or something…paint something small….like all bayonets!

"Nothing fires up my painting enthusiasm more than a great game."

Agreed

I listen to talk radio or audiobooks. Listening the "the Landscape Turned Red" while painting ACW is nice. I found that when I watch TV and paint…all I do is watch TV.

Oh…and the most useful tip…..stay off the internet.

Learn to love Austrians and white spray cans. Or Brunswickers and black paint.

Seriously the only way I can keep going is to paint something, get it on the table and enjoy pushing them about- then I get all inpired to get more painted.

42

Less internet has to be the number one way to get more done.

Take a day off every week. You won't paint much (or anything else) if you get burnt out. But don't take my word for it. link Sharpen the saw.

Ignore them in hopes they'll paint themselves.

Cancelling cable and selling your tv will net you 8.2 years of life and put $133 USDk in your bank account! link

What I would do with $133 USDk …

Clear your painting area. Hundreds of unpainted figures lying around just distract you. Put everything you're not working on in a box out of sight.

-don't buy any more miniatures UNTIL you paint ALL that you already have….(RIIIIIIIGGGGHHHHHTTT!)

-Sell/give away any that you don't ALREADY have painted..(or at least primed?)…RIIIIIIIGGGHHHHHTTTTT!

-only buy/get the number of figures, each time you do buy, that you can paint in the time you have before you purchase any others…

Oh….NEVERMIND! I've tried to stop buying miniatures that I know I'm probably never going to finish painting, let alone get to GAME with….(or even display)…and when my 'lead collection(s)' reach critical mass…I start giving/selling/trading DOWN…(less figures for more)…on a 3-1 basis to others….

It's a good thing I don't collect 'chocolate'….
Sgt DWW-btod

Just sit your butt down in the chair and do it. I have that problem, too.

Open the paint first?

Mind you I am not one to talk being in really bad slump at present (6 years)…..

Just sitting down and painting.

korsun

YOU HAVE IT!

IT WORKS!

EUUUUREKA!

Try to paint a little every day, even if it's only 15 minutes.

I knew I was doing something wrong!

Desire. It also helps to detach the mind while painting very repetative paint schemes. Sometimes batch painting, sometimes painting one figure at a time, sometimes using a lot of very short sessions as opposed to a very long one. Whatever seems right at the time. Being goal oriented and not distracted by all the other stuff helps maintain morale. Celebrate what you are able to accomplish…however little.

WIP method: Works in Progress. Paint whatever models you are in the mood for, when you are in the mood. Prime when you feel like it; paint uniform buttons when you are in the mood for it; paint faces when you are in the mood for it; paint terrain pieces when that is your fancy.

With WIP, you will have many different models, in various stages of completion, but you will finish something, sometime. I combine this approach with Assembly-Line Painting (ALP), using block painting techniques, followed by The Dip/Magic Wash. With ALP, you will finish large quantities of figures at once. It can take a while to finish a group/unit of figures, but when they are finished, it will be a large number of figures, all at once. Combine the WIP with ALP, and you will have a lot of figures, in various stages of completion; and when you finish a group, it may be large, or small, but it will be a group.

If doing modern military figures, in a particular shade of uniform, where everyone is basically the same uniform, and color, then spray paint the figures in that color. After that, just paint the parts that differ, apply a wash, dull coat, and done. Details, such as rank patches, can be added before the wash, and dull coat.

To speed things up even more, use a clear plastic base: Hot Glue the figure to the base, before applying the final dull coat; the dull coat will create a translucent effect on the clear plastic base, making it virtually disappear when plopped down on the table, allowing the surface beneath to show through -- no more figures lugging around clumps of dirt/rocks/foliage with them, wherever they go. Cheers!

Besides quitting your job?

I find that the biggest obstacle for me is actually my wife. I have to spread my time pretty evenly in order to keep everybody happy, and it's hard to paint a unit in only 1-hour bites. So I guess the answer is to spend a lot of time with the wife and family 5 nights a week, and save 2 nights for myself to obsessively paint.

Actually, I have a pretty good set up. First and foremost, I enjoy painting, maybe even more than I enjoy playing. That's an important factor. I have a room dedicated to painting, with a big, spacious desk, comfortable chair, and good lights. I have a bookshelf stocked full of reference material. I try to buy only the best paints, brushes and other supplies because I've found that it really makes things easier and gives me better results. When I sit down to paint, I like to put some nice music on (period-specific, if possible). When painting, I tend to get bored painting the same figures over and over, so my method is to grab 6-8 figures of the unit I'm working on. Then I paint a couple of different figures, then it's 6-8 more of the first figures again. This way, it keeps it interesting and fresh.

I forgot the most effective technique. Every two weeks, some of the gaming gang get together for "projects night." We paint, build terrain, etc. while talking about military history, wives, kids and other destructive forces of nature.

I get a LOT done during these sessions. First, it's dedicated hobby time. Second, we keep each other on task and third, it keeps you honest about what you are suppose to be working on…."hey…it doesn't look like those 25mm Orcs are going to work in our 15mm Vietnam campaign next month!!"

Also, you get feed back on your paint job and tips. "What the hell is this thing strap to his leg?….What color is it suppose to be??"

Give it a shot.

Know your limitations and stop trying to match what you see on the tinterweb.

The secret is not getting married and not having kids, oh and not having a full time job…………. since I've got all three I'm doomed.

Well…another project night with the guys….I expect it will help me finish several more figures tonight!

Win the lottery and employ a full-time painter.

It's a myth