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I have been having trouble getting in the mood to paint. I sit at my desk and look at my models and then I find a reason why I can't paint. It's starting to annoy me. Tell me how you guys get in the mood to paint and maybe I can use some of your techniques to get more painting done.

i usually visit my flgs and speak to the guys whilst checking out the latest work.i tend to come back suitably inspired.
failing that the good old dakka gallery can offer a lot.

Well, it's hard to force yourself to paint. Having a clear idea of what you want to do helps, as does having all the proper tools: paints, washes, brushes, etc.

Other than that, put on a movie or TV show, and get to work!

If I need motivation, I look at the Dakka galleries. Then I want to improve my models, or begin some new ones. The most of the good techniques I found at Youtube and here.

I don't get in the mood, I do what you do and prevaricate for ages before actually getting anything done. I'm quite often in the mood when I'm out of the house or away from home (and therefore have no way of actually being able to do anything, convenient eh?).

If you're hoping for some miraculous, pithy answer then you're going to be disappointed. My only tactic is to do small projects at one time and intersperse larger units (ie more than 3 models) with single models to try and forestall the ennui.

Think of the background for the model you want to paint, I think of a short story of that models life, how he became chaos, any recent battles/wounds, Heroic achivements, etc. and then try to picture my model, painting him with nothing but a picture of certain parts (like a rune in his amour or the effects of a recent battle) and see where it goes from there.
For me the fluff makes warhammer far more real and making it more real I end up wanting my models to look more real, enstead of grey/black lumps

=D

All i do is look at my model and imagin how much better it would look with some paint on it

I start with some mood lighting, a few scented candles...

I know what you mean. For me, the biggest deterrent is my poor painting abilities. You could make a rule for yourself that you don't get any new models until X models are painted (or ALL your models).

lessthan1337 wrote:I know what you mean. For me, the biggest deterrent is my poor painting abilities. You could make a rule for yourself that you don't get any new models until X models are painted (or ALL your models).

Ha! If I, or most other painters, abided by that rules we'd buy almost nothing!

Synister_Intent wrote:I have been having trouble getting in the mood to paint. I sit at my desk and look at my models and then I find a reason why I can't paint. It's starting to annoy me. Tell me how you guys get in the mood to paint and maybe I can use some of your techniques to get more painting done.

I am the same way man. trick is not to get too many models at once or the task will seem daunting! For me, I prefer a solitary setting with some light classical music in the background and no word of a lie, the proper incense actually works sometimes, however try not to get those perfumed synthetic brands and actually grab some great yet subtle incense. If incense is not for you I really recommend the music it calms me and helps me to focus on my painting. Also try to avoid distractions like T.V., Video games and your cell phone. Happy painting!


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Synister_Intent wrote:I have been having trouble getting in the mood to paint. I sit at my desk and look at my models and then I find a reason why I can't paint. It's starting to annoy me. Tell me how you guys get in the mood to paint and maybe I can use some of your techniques to get more painting done.

I am the same way man. trick is not to get too many models at once or the task will seem daunting! For me, I prefer a solitary setting with some light classical music in the background and no word of a lie, the proper incense actually works sometimes, however try not to get those perfumed synthetic brands and actually grab some great yet subtle incense. If incense is not for you I really recommend the music it calms me and helps me to focus on my painting. Also try to avoid distractions like T.V., Video games and your cell phone. Happy painting!

i throw some good orky music on my mp3 player (speed metal or punk usually older stukk like the pouges) sit down and just start doign it, tonight i'll be base coating an AoBR ork boys and warboss, but tomorrow i'll be listing to "i'm a man you don't meet everyday" while giving character to the latest member of my little green tide

Turn on some Barry White, light a number of soft, scented candles, scatter rose petals about my desk, and sip on some red wine while scantily clad. That about sets the mood.

Well, I work as a Software Engineer and my days are usually rather busy and stressful. I often see painting as a nice, relaxing end to the day. I like to sit at my painting desk with some music playing (Or maybe some tv shows) and either crack open a soda or make a hot cup of tea. It helps too when you have friends at your local club 'egging' you on to get stuff done too

snake wrote:Turn on some Barry White, light a number of soft, scented candles, scatter rose petals about my desk, and sip on some red wine while scantily clad. That about sets the mood.


Please tell me you do not play sisters of battle or this will hit creepy factor 5 ;p

Synister_Intent wrote:I have been having trouble getting in the mood to paint. I sit at my desk and look at my models ...

Let me stop you there. That exact scenario is what gets me out of the mood to paint! If I see more than 1 unpainted model, I start to get overwhelmed.

I pull my figures out one at a time. The rest are in a cabinet, out of site. I keep my desk area clear/clean/tidy so that I'm not repulsed by it. Another way that I've been re-energized lately is from pod casts concerning Warhammer 40k. I particularly like The Independent Characters and 40k Radio. When I listen to them, I get in the mood to paint again.

Also, when I'm watching football or baseball on TV, I have at least one miniature in front of me. Especially a bolter "grunt". I might only get one done in that 2-3 hours, but then I don't feel guilty about watching TV for that long.

Best of luck. Try painting with a gamer buddy for a few hours once a week. You'd be surprised what you can knock out.

Oddly enough...I get most if not all my painting done at work, but I only finish about 5 models a day..while painting orks...but still, and it usually takes a full shift to paint a vehicle...like a trukk, something bigger usually takes longer than one shift sadly

Spite.

Pure, unadulterated spite.

paintedpotato wrote:Spite.

Pure, unadulterated spite.

Promote this man!

I just do some when I feel like painting or building

I started this hobby simply to paint, some times i look at the work load and think &*#$ this. So i found if i just start setting up, with out thinking of what i need to get done, getting water, pulling out paints, getting brushes out, (its a bit of a process for me to set up and probably biggest turn off to painting) etc. Once my table is set up it kinda forces me to paint because now i feel like it's a waste of time not to. Then it doesn't even matter if i came into it with a plan it just happens. It's all down hill from there. Some times just the idea of trying new techniques helps get me going. I love the site but if i hit the galleries to get motivated i just sit there comparing stuff to where im at or vice versa, or just floating around then i lose too much time to paint. It becomes an excuse not to paint i guess. Unless im in the middle of painting and need a suggestion of some sort. Then im so focused already so its just business,.. k babbling now . hope that helps.

If you're anything like me, go to work. The second I can't paint, my brain starts thinking of trying that new weathering technique Cattattafish posted last week...

Music stops me from getting too bored.

A lot of it I find is habitual, if you actually manage to sit down and get something done and enjoy the experience (ie dont come away with a sore back, or paint all over your desk, or a crud looking model) you'll be much more inspired to have another session. Positive reinforcement and all that.

I often find when I paint something the night before and even get it half finished, when I wake up in the morning and review it its like "oooo wow, that came out quite well actually" and I cant wait to get home that day to finish.

How you actually get started is the hard part. I agree with others, have a nice area to paint in, dont overload the desk with unpainted models, it'll just become a chore rather then something enjoyable, I find a nice block of say 5-10 is a good number to start with.
Put ons ome music that suits you, maybe the TV in the background. And give yourself some little rewards, I know that sounds cheesy but I'll get say 10 guys done 50% and then go for a smoke or flick over to the match for 10 mins.
Start off simple too, say get 5 helmets done on the troops, then get their boots done, then say their guns.
You'd be surprised how fast things can tick along.

And remember some days just suck and you simply wont be in the mood, dont worry about it. Good luck!

No magic answer here, but I suffer like you, sometimes I can be itching to finish some models and just lose my motivation! it really sucks, last time I got like it i didn't pick up a brush for nearly 12 months :-( but now I have a couple of things I do to keep me in the mood is this: I go and browse the web looking for awesome pictures of marines in action or nice grim dark 40k images that make me feel like i'm there and I want to emulate it on my models, and the second thing I do is work out my paint scheme in my head with bases, washes, highlights and then go over it again and again while i'm trying to sleep, so when i wake up I can't wait to get that brush on the models and it just comes out naturally as I have been thinking about it all night! :-)

Do something you hate to do and imagine how much more fun it would be to be painting right now. Like shoveling snow.

I tend to prepare my stuff for painting, that will bring me in the mood for painting. If nothing helps get an older metal model - the ones like "Yo dawg, I heard you like molds so I put in a mold in ya mold ... - and after preparing such models painting will be a real pleisure. Not that I really need to get in the mood for it will push your mood for sure or at least it works for me.
Besides that, visit dakka gallery or your LGS.
Funny thread btw.

Well, two things mainly:

1.) It´s a hobby, so I treat it like one.
If I´m in the mood to paint I´ll paint, if not I won´t. That helps to avoid it becoming a chore to do and the "I´d rather be doing X" feeling. Instead I get the "I´d rather be painting" feeling when I´m doing actual chores. That can mean I might paint for only 10-15 minutes, but those are 10-15 minutes I wouldn´t have painted otherwise.

This doesn´t work for everyone, simply because not everyone can paint on a "Do or Don´t" basis, though.

2.) Organisation.
I have my painting supplies easily and quickly accessible while still keeping everything tidy. I also only have the unfinished units or the batch I´m currently working on anywhere where I can see them. Finished minis are placed in such a way that I can see them everytime I want. Unfinished stuff is safely put away out of sight.

Both of these help me not to get overwhelmed by the huge amount of unfinished work. Add in the small accomplishements I feel when I finish a batch/model/unit and see my painted armies grow in my glass cabinet.

happydude wrote:

Please tell me you do not play sisters of battle or this will hit creepy factor 5 ;p

My preciousssss

Actually one thing I have started to do is I have been listening to the 40k Radio show while I paint, it keeps me motivated and within the mindset of the hobby.

I find that listening to music that isn't distracting is the best way. I usually listen to some slow beat techno/dubstep stuff like that. If you can forget it's there, and concentrate on painting... it's working!