How do you stay motivated??

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.

**Galador**

Ok, so I'm in the middle of converting a little over 12,000 pts of Dark Eldar (about 10k of it OOP models) from my old Dark Angels Green/Liche Purple paint scheme to a new Scab Reb/Necron Abyss paint scheme. Now when I first got all of them, I of course enjoyed myself painting them, as they were new additions to my army at the time, and it was great fun.

However, now its the issue of I just have SO MUCH to paint, I seem to be hitting painting roadblocks. I look at my boxes and army transports of Dark Eldar and cringe, knowing the weeks, possibly months of work I have ahead of me. I am trying to get the majority of them repainted before I deployed in about a month, and I just dont see it happening with the lag I seem to have in my system towards painting like a factory worker (I.E. same thing over and over again hundreds of times for the Warriors). The only plus I have is that least everything has been stripped and reprimed, so I have about a third of the work done there!!

What would you do in my situation to stay motivated and keep painting, or to try and remotivate yourself into painting??? What do you do now to motivate yourself to take on a big project? or even to do a small project, or any project at all???

Thanks for any input, and here's to hoping I can keep trudging along!!!

**MarbosMiyagi**

I like to look at armies that are better painted then mine. Also I listen to podcasts, or for a big project find a good tv show on netflix and chew through it while I paint (working on top gear at the moment actually) Even if it's something I've seen before it is better then silence for me. 12k is awesome, makes me feel bad about dragging my feet on a platoon of guardsmen. Good luck boss!

**lionfire**

Go to youtube.com/awesomepaintjob and get inspired. Other than that I take focus on one model at a time and do it to completion before moving on. I can't do the thing where you paint the armor on 10 guys, then you do the black parts, then the faces, then the, etc. etc. I do them one at a time and when I'm done the sense of accomplishment motivates me to go to the next.

**Funk3140**

lionfire wrote:Go to youtube.com/awesomepaintjob and get inspired. Other than that I take focus on one model at a time and do it to completion before moving on. I can't do the thing where you paint the armor on 10 guys, then you do the black parts, then the faces, then the, etc. etc. I do them one at a time and when I'm done the sense of accomplishment motivates me to go to the next.

I can understand but think of the accomplishment when you just finished 10 guys?

**theQuanz**

I love listening to Chemical Brothers, (my GW Always played it when I used to hang out there as my home away from home)...background shows help too (Tron Legacy right now at the moment for me)...checking out wickedly painted armies too, or going onto bitz retailers/forgeworld and looking at things I want to do in the future, and breaking down the mass in little time goals, certain units/models by this date.

**Anvildude**

I don't set deadlines for myself. My army's a work in progress, and it'll probably be a WIP for as long as I'm playing it. I know that, I accept that. I try and make sure each and every model is an individual (and I'm playing Orks!) when modelling. Then, when the model's finished, I start painting. I don't force myself to do it- if I get a model done per session, then that's great! Do one model at a time, take your time, make sure it's done as well as I want it to be done, and take some pride in my work. It's surprising how much you can do if you just paint in your spare time. Helps if you have a transportable painting kit, so you can just whip out the brushes anytime you have a spare half-hour or fifteen minutes, and access to some rinsewater.

**Osyr**

I give every model a different greenstuff hat, teamforess style. It helps keep the guardsmen interesting and individually unique.

**Aerethan**

Alot of blow and speed metal music in the background.

On a more serious note, I tend to paint in phases. One day it'll be for a particular unit, the next day it'll be a different one. So my armies have all units in various stages of paint as I hop from one to the next. If I get burnt out on spearmen, I paint some cavalry or work on my dragon a bit. This may be less useful if you are painting marines that all look pretty much the same and use the same limited palette.

**HadoukenAvenger**

Get completely smashed on vodka crank up some thrash metal. Headbang on the edge of your desk until you pass out. When you wake up, MOTIVATION!

**Rifos**

Reward based painting. I like to buy a random HQ model when I fully paint a squad

**DaNewBoy**

My motivation is that when I finish painting everything, I won't have to paint anymore. This is possibly not even true, but I ignore that and tough though it.

I hate spending hours painting and only having 3 or so models to show for it. I have school, and a job, and a girlfriend who expects me to stop what I'm doing to hear her stupid MFing problems everything she has one. I don't have a "ok today is a good day to paint 20 full models" day. So I just 2 here 3 there and hope one day I'll get to play my Orks before the new edition comes out or the world ends in nuclear war. Thats my motivation.

**D.Smith**

Also never keep your pile of boxes in front of you when your painting, it gives you that - "holy **** i have so much to do...." feeling, just keep a single squad out to paint at a time, gives you a mini sense of acheivement when you finish them, then reward with a vehicle or unit you enjoy painting

Dan

**Ifalna**

Keeping a blog is a huge help, when people are watching your progress you push yourself to have progress to show them

Painting with friends is another great help, and I personally reward myself after painting a unit either by having a nice snack, watching a show I want, having a beer etc, or by letting myself paint something for fun.

If you set yourself strict times to paint to and from, it can also be a good way to get the models finished.

**Phayse**

I don't really need motivation for my own stuff. I've spent the last week and a half painting someone elses, so sitting down to do my own with no rules, no barriers and no pressure is fun.

I've interspersed my day to day painting work with stuff to boost my gallery (stupid boy launched before he finished a gallery page!), which breaks it up a little. Familiarity breeds contempt, so having something different to paint every now and again is a real boon.

If you're sick of painting something, go paint something completely different. I've got an awesome job at the start of april doing body armour for a paintball team, which I'm really looking forward to, and will make a nice change from stressing about tiny details such as faces and gems on a mini.

Most importantly, if you start to hate doing something, just stop. Don't force yourself or you'll rush it.

DaNewBoy wrote:and a girlfriend who expects me to stop what I'm doing to hear her stupid MFing problems everything she has one.

That's harsh man! Try not to value toy soldiers over companionship, lest all your future man-treats be self inflicted!!!

**Terraformer**

This is supposed to be fun, painting figures is part of the fun, and you should feel enjoyment while doing it. If you're not, something is wrong

Usually if you feel uninspired or something that should be enjoyable feels depressing or feels like a chore, then you probably have outside issues bothering you.

The best ways to stay motivated at a hobby is to either use your hobby time to instead do something productive to solving your life issues, then return to your hobby when you feel peave of mind, or use your hobby as an escape from life, a meditation of sorts. If it's still uncomfortable, then it's also possible you just don't like painting

**Glyph47**

lionfire wrote:Go to youtube.com/awesomepaintjob and get inspired. Other than that I take focus on one model at a time and do it to completion before moving on. I can't do the thing where you paint the armor on 10 guys, then you do the black parts, then the faces, then the, etc. etc. I do them one at a time and when I'm done the sense of accomplishment motivates me to go to the next.

I totally agree with Lionfire. I find it very hard to do assembly line style painting....I just tried it for the first time on a lot of 20 new wyches...I got the hair, skin, and armor basecoated but couldn't take the same color/part over and over again. I have always painted each mini completely, one at a time. It will take much longer to do it this way but I find that I end up putting off doing the assembly line and end up spending less time painting because I can't fathom doing so much of the same color and what not for so long.

Awesomepaintjob is great for inspiration, Les is amazing at what he does and all of his tutorials I have ever watched are very helpful. As more motivation I tend to set up all of my painted figures right in front of me on my table where I am painting so that I can remember as I'm toiling away what I will actually accomplish. Also a very good playlist of music is a must, or TV like they said.

Cheers.

**Samus_aran115**

Holy cow. 10,000? wow.

Have someone to show them to. If you have friends who are interested in them it helps a lot. Or post them here

**Jackal**

Bottle of JD, about as much trance music as i can find and 40 smokes.
Doesent keep me all that motivated, but it gets me in a mood to paint for a 24 hour shift.

**tantan628**

On my latest projects, it's either been for golden demon (my diorama, not postedon dakka yet) or I've let the people of dakka decide on what I do so they can complain at me if I fall behind (check the link in my sig.)

**Galador**

Samus_aran115 wrote:Holy cow. 10,000? wow.

Have someone to show them to. If you have friends who are interested in them it helps a lot. Or post them here

Yeah, I know, I have way too much Dark Eldar, but they just fit my play style so well, and I like to be solo against a lot of opponents sometimes, so its great to field my own side of an APOC battle whenever I want!!

As far as posting them here on Dakka, I am nowhere near a good enough painter yet to post it up. I do decent with vehicles, but my infantry always seem to suffer from my heavy handed and heavy shaking skills!!

**Arken Vul'tan01**

Look at other people's amazing work!

**funkyRatDemon**

This is how I stay motivated, since I switched to this its been highly effective:
1)Take out 3-4models, and place them directly on your desk before bed.
2) Make sure that these models WILL be painted. It is a chore you have to accomplish today. (No basing, painting only)
3) Place finished models on other side/back of desk once finished.
4) Grab new models for tomorrow.
5) Repeat

This way you can see your progression, and over the course of a week, thats ~21-28models. So effectively 2-3 squads a week. At the end of the week, base. This can count as the days painting quota if need be.

I now have 15 skeletons sitting on my desk, 7 of which are painted. By weeks end I'll have them all made.
Make sure to follow through, excuses break the cycle.

See pics of my Skeleton IG army in sig.

**Perkustin**

Make a P+M blog with pictures. I for one wil follow it and make sure to encourage/nag you!

**Oaka**

While painting, I like to have movies on that are similar to the army I am working on. For example, when I paint Kroot models, I usually watch Last of the Mohicans, Apocalypto, or Avatar. Those movies make me think of how a Kroot army plays on the battlefield, and most of the time, there will be something in the movie (war paint, iconography, etc.) that I will steal and paint onto the model right then and there.

**Element206**

Im running into the same problem as you. Before, I was able to keep myself inspired thinking about how glorious my army would look on the battle field, completely painted and fearsome. That worked for awhile. Then I slowly began infusing the ipod, portable DVD player, t.v., whatever kept me working. Now im at the point where I simply burnt out of painting blood angels. I am currently painting Capt Tycho (who is actually gold and not red so that a nice change), but even with a slightly different variation to the color scheme, I still seem disenchanted. I have painted incessantly and habitually for about 14 months now, sometimes pulling all nighters, setting deadlines for myself, whatever could motivate me. Now im out of tools to motivate and inspire, I am painting, but am starting not to enjoy it. I have 2 other army's that need assembly and painting. I think that switching army's and colors is the answer, but I cant commit to doing that until I finish my BA's. Best of luck finding a remedy to your painting woes.

**Anvildude**

See, that's the thing. This is a game, a Hobby. It's meant to be fun. Making it a job makes it less fun. Don't push yourself, don't make a job out of it. If your FLG won't let you play with unpainted models, despite you obviously actively painting them, then first, it's not very F, and second, find someone or someplace that will allow unpainted or partially painted models, if you want to game.

It should be fun. If it's not, you should probably take a break from it.

**Nightbringer's Chosen**

Ifalna wrote:Keeping a blog is a huge help, when people are watching your progress you push yourself to have progress to show them

Agreed.

Not that I've made a huge amount of progress on my aquatic Tyranids, but every time I think of just putting off the project for a while I think of all the excitement people have shown about it on the blog and I'm eager to do more again.

**scarletsquig**

You're repainting 10k of Old Dark Eldar from green to red?

Sorry, but I think I'd be completely unmotivated to do that too.

Why not buy the new models, and paint them up in your new colour scheme? Would be much more fun than painting over that whole 10k again.

**WillyBRags**

I got 5 boyz painted last night at work...that seems to be where I get most of my painting done now...good old call center on a sunday, nothing beats it...

**Galador**

scarletsquig wrote:You're repainting 10k of Old Dark Eldar from green to red?

Sorry, but I think I'd be completely unmotivated to do that too.

Why not buy the new models, and paint them up in your new colour scheme? Would be much more fun than painting over that whole 10k again.

Because buying 10k of new Dark Eldar would be a few grand that I can't afford right now!

Plus, I don't feel that my old guys that have been so good for me should just be stuck up on the shelf to gather dust. I mean, they are my vets, they have earned their battle scars time and time again, ya know??

Plus, I have 2k of the new ones that I am working on at the same time, but most of those are at least semi painted. I finished up a 10 man squad of my old Warriors so rewarded myself by finishing a 5 man squad of my new Hellions. Worked out well and the hellions are looking pretty good, just like my old vets in their new armor!!

I think I will take the advice and start a blog, but don't laugh too hard at me, my painting is really not that good. I dont want to say bad, because I'm not a 3 year old with a spray gun, but I'm nowhere near some of the people I have seen on here, so please, feel free to comment when I start it (which will probably be tomorrow after I lay everything out and photograph), but don't laugh at me too hard!!