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.

I'm an "artist" by trade, (oil paintings on canvas, pottery and the likes). After about 5 years of flirting with painting miniatures, I have gotten somewhat serious. As soon as I took the time to do it right, I found myself to be "good". Or at least good enough for a high table top standard. There are some models I plan on spending the extra time on to take them to the next level, but nothing crazy.

I want to learning edge highlighting soon even after 10 years

I learned the first time I photographed a model years ago that tabletop ready (which can look great on the table) can show you just how terrible you are. I learned how to paint well when I bought a starter box of Classic Battletech with 30 of the worst-cast plastic minis I've ever seen. Since I didn't care, I experimented, and learned how to inkwash, drybrush, line, camouflage, etc. This was YEARS after having collected and painted 2500 pts of Eldar.

Up until that point, I just painted flat colors, albeit very crisp flat colors, but know that just looks like basecoating to me. The key really was having a handful of 30 models I could experiment and do whatever on, that I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT. (that made the difference). If I was painting my first Eldar 40k army, I painted to match the existing models, and was careful to match them, and afraid to experiment and make a lumpy modeled mistake.

So take it from me - buy some models you don't care about and go nuts with paint - you'll learn a lot! Heck, paint over it all with spray primer a few times, just learn how to paint and layer washes, inks, drybrushing - and experiment to find a painting style you like before you attack your whole army.

Note: I consider myself a "skilled" painter - I have had 2 models win best painted model at our local Tournament, my Space Marine Captain Lysander, and my Eldar Vyper Squadron. Also note I typically spend hours on one model - the Eldar Guardian in my profile picture probably has 4-5 hours of work on him, this was however an experimental day where I painted 2 models one Sunday all day, trying to come up with a finished look I like, and ending up with my best painted models yet. I'm to the point where I use all sorts of techniques to achieve the effect I want, and will readily experiment to try to achieve the results I imagine I want.

For me I went through two battle for skull pass boxes and some lotr stuff before I got to what I like to call good now.

I think I'm above average/good TT quality, and some people say I'm better than that, which just shows that this quality of "goodness" is entirely subjective... It has a lot to do with our perception of our own abilities.

As far as how long it took me to get good? Well, I got my 1st minis in 1985, and I thought they were great when I'd finished them. Then I saw what my friends were doing and realised maybe I wasn't as good as I thought. So I picked up some tips from them (highlighting, drybrushing etc) and thought my next efforts were the mut's nuts. And it has been ever thus, which IMHO is proably the best way to be - if you're happy with what you're doing, great, but it's better to always aspire to do better - 'cos you probably will!

I'd say its been a solid 12 years. Like everyone I still have room to grow, but I'm finally happy with the way my models look.

Adam LongWalker wrote:40+ years. Always learn about the new techniques in the hobby and adapt them to my own purposes.

I primarily paint Inlay style.

I am not familiar with what that is.

I've been painting for ten years and I don't consider myself "good." Its honestly a matter of perspective. It didn't take long before I found myself to be acceptable where I wasn't ashamed to put something on the table; maybe a unit or two. If you really want to excell at painting you should never look at something youve done and think it can't be improved. A wise man used to end his show with "may you never be satisfied"( that was bob ross btw).Nearly ever mini ive painted is, in someway, better than the last. the important thing is not to get discouraged. Websites like CMoN have set a standard that is too high for basic tabletop gameplay and imao discourage some people for painting at all.

Just my two cents.
Adam

Well, I started with painting model planes about 20 years ago. I'll let you know if I ever get good. Just not a natural painter, I guess.

I started painting way back in 1983/84 and I only started highlighting about 5 years ago! The reason was I could never get the highlight to look right to my eyes. It was only after reading various posts on Dakka that I realised that I needed to step back from the model( a case of not being able to see the wood from the trees). I highlight now with some confidence although still have a touch like an elephant when it comes to doing it! I'm at the age where I paint for myself; I have my 'style' and I try new things out now and again. For too many years I used to get downhearted at not being able to get anywhere near the top painting levels and I actually stopped for couple of years for that reason.
The most valuable tip I have is simple; Learn to paint models to a neat and tidy level. If you can do this that is half the battle and it is up you where you go from there.

Im still not good yet and i have been painting for two years. Some things I can do really well and then I try to paint something else or a different effect and it comes out horrid.

It took me about 5 months to get to a good tabletop standard...granted I had just dropped out of college with no job prospects...so I had LOADS of painting time.

been painting off and on for about 10 years. Started getting paid for it after about the 4th miniature.
Started getting paid well after about the 25th.
Sold my first army in my second year.
Haven't painted a miniature for myself in 3 years

My 1st attempt at highlighting, about September '11

I've gone from "utterly horrible" (those orks should be hiddem away in a shame box) to "really good" in about one year. In the beginning I wondered why people would need more then ten pots of paint and why anyone could bother painting three seperate layers on the same part of a mini.....

Now I have 60+ pots of paint, I do commission work and my minis look good (i think )

Thats were I'm now:

Hmm well it is an interesting question, I personally think you can always learn new tricks it has taken me years to get to where i am today.
and i am still learning all the time.
i have gone from this


To this which has won me my local hero painting competition


In about 13 years with a major break inbetween, its all about practice and like others have said not being afraid to try new things.
Remember youtube is your friend, check out awesome paint job's channel on youtube this guy has been a great help to me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/awesomepaintjob/videos

I started with Skaven. Basic stuff, basecoat, wash, drybrush. Got pretty good with it after a couple hundred models...

When I started Brettonia, I switched over to a layering/final glaze technique. It looks loads better. Now drybrushing is reserved for heavily textured areas.

As I continued into the Dark Elves, I avoided doing any drybrushing at all, and while the results are better still, doing individual models takes FOR-EV-ER.

So when I started my Dwarves, drybrushing made a significant comeback. Only for armor and beards, granted, but that covers a good chunk of the models. Goes a LOT faster, giving me more time to pay attention to the rest of the model.

I'm still not sure I'm really good at it. Pretty good, sure.