"Anticipatory Kakorrhaphophobic Performance Inhibition Syndro" Topic

Kakorrhaphophobia is a real thing. Look it up. Such a wonderfully overwrought way to say such common, pedestrian condition – "I'm afraid of screwing up."

The rest of this bit, when applied to miniatures, specifcally painting them, yields "I have a really nice quality miniature. I don't feel my painting skill is worthy of it. So I fret and delay painting it."

Fear of failure is normal. Fear of not being good enough for something is normal. It only becomes a "phobia" when that fear overly affects your behaviour in a detrimental way. In our case, leaving a mini on the table waaaaaaaaaaaaay too long because you are afraid to start.

I've done this. Multiple times. And while I am not a great painter, I'm OK. And the idea of a paintjob not being worthy of a miniature is a little ridiculous.

Anybody else?

Yes.
Never!
Yeah, but not enough to be a freakin' "syndrome"…

[edit] Special Bonus! The whole phrase didn't fit in the title. I had to truncate it!

I have a save the best miniatures for last syndrome. Best is a relative term. Maybe a great sculpt or the most desirable manufacturer I've purchased or the best uniform. At the last one I think it becomes a fear of screwing up. But in order to play you eventually have to paint them.

Honestly, no. A great mini is a joy to paint, even if when I'm done, it's not a worthy paint job. Inspires me for the next one.

Nah. Perhaps "the valor of ignorance" is the relevant phrase?

Just once. I bought some very nice Essex 25 mm figures and was never able to bring myself to paint them. Other Essex figures were not so good, and I painted them. No problems with Foundry, Reaper, Perry, or Dark Fable, all of which are great sculpts.

Grelber

Yeah, but not enough to be a freakin' "syndrome"…

About sounds it up. I might be a little hesitant to put brush to a particularly nice mine, particularly one that's going to be a centrepiece of a force, but it's never had any practical effect beyond saving it for last.

Not for wargames figures. But with larger scale figures (54mm+) I certainly do.

Y,BNEtbaFS!

Once I prime and pick up a brush, it ceases to be much of an issue.
I remind myself that I'm an AL,GEtGW* painter, and thats my goal.

*Arm's Length, Good Enough to Game With.

Just a tad here methinks, but fully intend to paint my first Zvezda samurai unit soon. Pretty sure I'm going to take a stab at using black primer, white dry brush then finish paint. So put me down as Ybnetbafs.

I'm with pzivh43. I love it and dive into it. There are painters far better and far worse than me, even in my close circle of gamers, and comparisons never become invidious (as long as we're throwing around overwrought words).

Painting miniatures is somewhat like sex: when it's good, it's just fantastic, and even when it's not so good, it's still pretty good.

If it's just one figure, I would send it off to a good pro-painter and be done with it. But if you do it yourself just remember it is only paint. Strip it and try it again, if the outcome is not to your liking then send it off to be painted.