Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

We all get it painting and assembling. I was wondering how my fellow dakkites deal with the back breaking, neck throbbing, hand killing!!! Pains you get while doing our hobby.
Basically Im hoping to learn some cool ideas on how to get the pain to go bye bye

Sit up and position elbows on the table for further support. Being hunched over has led to many a backache.

A comfortable chair went a long way to alleviate this.

Sitting straight really goes along ways.

I tend to lay on a sun chair on the back patio, keeps me propped up and my legs level with my butt, just the way that makes me feel calm.

I use a wooden kitchen chair, and however its not the best for the butt, its back support is unmatched lol. I think my main problem is I end up grinding on the paint jobs. For example I just spent the last 2 days painting my battlewagon. Its almost dont, the hardest parts are done. Let me tell ya, weathering ALL of those seems/rivets/random bitz of metal can kill ya lol

Take lots of breaks (use them to change the water used to clean your brushes), get up and walk around.

I usually play a movie on the computer or the television. Listen to that while I paint. Between the two I kind of get in a zone and ignore the discomfort.

That said, I have chronic neck pain so I am used to that. Icy-hot goes a long way. As for the hand pain, I picked up these brushes that have gel molding where your fingers grip them, and they are incredibly comfortable. I think they were like 3 or 4 bucks a pop at Jo-Anne's Fabrics.

After painting for a while I just go and lie down and watch TV or get on the phone for half an hour. Alternately, I stop hunching over, lean back in my chair, and skulk around the internet for a while. I had really bad back pain for a week and carpal tunnel too when I was working on some Catachans. Just take breaks and you should be okay.

I like having the table quite high - chest height or higher, so I'm not looking down.

Pain? Really? Maybe I'm not doing it right or something Seriously, though, I tend to only do hobby stuff for an hour or hour-and-a-half at a go and no longer, so getting uncomfortable is rarely an issue. For longer stretches, I'd think you'd want to invest in a better workstation that's more ergonomic.

After a few hours of painting my hands can start to hurt. I paint in an office chair and spend most of the time comfortably leaned back. I just take a day off when the pain starts to set in. That's always enough to get me back to normal.

I use a combination of methods - a 'office' chair with arms as low as it'll go to keep the back straight and shoulders relaxed.
Good lighting, I've got a tall lamp with a daylight bulb, to avoid eyestrain
Background stuff - tele or DVD, gives something in the backround to avoid boredom and also means I'm looking up regularly from the mini rather than staying in one position all the time

And finally, to avoid hand strain I perform a regular hand stretching exercise that involves putting down the mini I'm painting and picking up a glass or other container containing a beverage of my choice

DRUGS.

I just suck it up. Pain don't hurt.

When I start getting a stiff shoulder it's time to take break. If I'm getting really tired I just start some coffee or walk around for bit. I try to keep good posture and my knees bent. If I'm tired enough to start going outside of the lines it's time to stop for the night.

When I was on pain killers for my wisdom teeth I got nearly an entire army painted in a span of a week. Of course I don't really remember what I was doing during that time, but it was cool to have an army done at least.

Well i use one of those hot pouches made specifically for back ache.A hot cloth will do in a pinch.

KingCracker wrote:We all get it painting and assembling. I was wondering how my fellow dakkites deal with the back breaking, neck throbbing, hand killing!!! Pains you get while doing our hobby.
Basically Im hoping to learn some cool ideas on how to get the pain to go bye bye

Er...do something else. I generally don't paint more than 30-45 minutes at a time, and have taken to painting in between getting home from work and walking the ferocious RustyTiger (TM) while waiting for the temp to drop below 94.

I'm also in the camp of those easily distracted. NEver had a problem with it.

Though I get a sore hand from writing. Sucks to have a wrist injury that buggered your tendons on your dominant hand!

Every half hour I take a short break to get a drink, check mail or whatever. It works sometimes.

I hump logs and use a chainsaw all day, so i find sitting down a treat. cant say i get any aches or just not worth worrying about.

I would suggest changing position as when your legs go to sleep, etc, its mighty uncomfortable. And just what other people have said, take a break, etc

Sit up straight, use a table the right size for you AND the chair, and take frequent breaks.
Also, keep ventilated. GW paints STINK after a while.

The most comfortable painting I've had is while using and old drafting eisel tilted so it was level. It sat about mid chest height when combined with the chair I had. Virtually no bending over required which meant no sore back or neck.

I keep some icyhot roll-on handy. It works wonders. That and a few beers.

Beer might work. Besides I havnt had one in awhile anyways, and my buddy is getting married soon, so I KNOW Im going to consume my body weight in the stuff.
I think really my problem is, I CANT paint in 30-45 min intervals. I just GO! and keep going until my brain says "hey... dumbass, you spine is so twisted, Im loosing blood, and you knees are so locked up that when we stand, we are falling over" I need an alarm or something lol

My painting chair.

Hand exercises, back stretches, Aleve and caffeine in the form of sun tea! Also, I get up and browse DakkaDakka between coats (i.e. I take a break every 20-30 minutes).

You forgot the quotes.

"hand exercises"

I can only paint for about half an hour at a time, then my fingers cramp up.

I actually don't get fatigue, more like laziness. You just see the sea of plastic and just go,

"I think I'll watch a movie..."

But really? I guess just take a break from it and get back into when your hand feels better/fatigue wears off. No point forcing it, because then you rush and then get frustrated and then BLAM. You've thrown your models across the room.

malfred wrote:You forgot the quotes.

"hand exercises"

That's great, I missed that completely. I was being serious.

GoFenris wrote:

Where can one get one of those?

I can't say that I experience any physical pain when I paint and model, but I do get burnt out.

Pictures of other peoples models and armies plus the eye candy GW publishes usually gets me reved to go again.