"Field of Dead....projects." Topic

My painting table is littered with dead projects. As I lose interest or even just get distracted by new shiny figures my older figures get pushed out of the way. I never put them away as that is giving up on a project. It's a sickness.

I'll get back to them…I swear it,

Xin/Jeff

Suddenly my painting table doesn't look so bad 😄

You're giving my chaos a run for the money!

Sorry to hear about your affliction. You might try goal-oriented project therapy, sometimes called GOPT.

First, set a moderately achievable goal, like running a game at a convention 3 to 6 months from now.

That gives you four projects: writing (blurb for the convention book, operations orders for the players, play aids, etc.); preparing the table (e.g., ground cloth, buildings, hills, trees); organizing the troops; and painting the troops.

The activities needed for completing the projects is the therapy.

After a while, you'll have fewer unpainted figures and find that you're playing more games.

Note that shopping for figures is not part of GOPT. GOPT helps you deal with what you have, and to feel positive about it.

Failed projects? I see a group a figures at differnt stages of the painting process waiting to jump back into the que.

I have groups of figures like this. They'll get paint if I have some color left over from another project, maybe if I not really in the mood to start something detailed I'll do some basic work on a group.

After a few months/years you'll find there's 20 figures ready to be based and sealcoated Or when you regain interest you're that much closer to completion.

I feel ya, brother!

For the past two years I've been in clean up mode. Going through my collections and giving them a good solid sort out. I did my WW2 micro armor last year. This year it's been my backlog of 6mm terrain. I;ve been able to keep relatively disciplined for about 2 years now, and it really feels great.

However, the club have an upcoming 28mm Border Reivers project – they bought the old Vendel line and we're going to paint up small forces for Pikeman's Lament. So that will sidetrack me for a month….

Man, that is so "the island of misfit toys", send in the elf and reindeer to help out.

Not surprised you're having trouble finding the enthusiasm painting when you're faced with that chaos. All that does is remind you of stalled projects as soon as you see it.

Get boxes organise what's what and neatly stack them. Clear the decks and just have one or two projects out at a time.

Painting discipline is just as important a skill as blending and washing.

I often get figures out and then end up putting them back into storage. I don't count that as giving up,why would I ? After all they will still all get done.

I started cleaning the painting table. But it will take some time. As I pick things out to sort and store, I remember why I wanted to paint them. LOL. Must stay focused…must stay focused…squirrel!

Xin

My painting area is on the dining room table, so I can converse with SWMBO while we craft (she knits there, too). So, also, it moves. That helps me keep it contained.

Of course, I have another movable table with bits on it too. I really should work it back down to a single area.

FTR, all my materials are stored in the "craft room", which is storage for all craft materials. And my finished minis and terrain are stored in the "dollie room".

Tin Hat's suggestion that you clean the table is well taken. Do that first.