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Before someone gets snarky, yes this is a serious question.

I love looking at warhammer 40k as a hobby normally I never take much scrutiny to how long it takes me to complete a model but one thing is for sure... I feel like I am taking too long to get models completed even simple ork boyz sometimes could take me 2-4 hours. I am honing my detail skills on HQ and elites that deserve it like Mega nobz... but i still feel like maybe I don't have a good grasp of how to pain quickly... any suggestions?

No need to paint quickly if you want it done well. There are short cuts though; such as spraying them a base colour and dipping for examples.

But if it seems too much for one sitting it is best to break it up over time.

Try getting a few models from the same squad then painting each one in stages rather than as individual. Paint all the skin for the squad at the same time for example.

Take a look at http://www.thearmypainter.com/ . You don't need to use their products, or literally follow their program - but the basic plan will speed up your painting. Base coat the entire figure in color. Paint the main areas of the figure in a single color. Top with a wash/dip.

this is the method i use for orks. it looks great and you can batch paint like a god

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5mcpGhUJzM

While I've been painting minis for roughly 3 years (I've got a lot of actual art training though well before this...), I've gone from painting my showcase level in about 6 hrs, to about 2-3 hrs due to just flat out practice...

I paint roughly 4-5hrs a day and have been for the last 1.5 years (I had considerably less time before that), and I swear that just practice has made me faster...

I really think that folks that are really good at speed painting just have tons of practice at it and probably tons of regular painting experience.

step 1 - get an airbrush.
step 2 - profit!

Seriously, my airbrush has sped up my painting by at least 50%... so much faster and easier to do large surfaces now.

Airbrush, airbrush, airbrush. On marines airbrush X10. On vehicles airbrush x100.

If you are at a point in life where you can and should trade time for money, get yourself an airbrush.

Easy space marine highlighting: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/810/313003.page

Some easy grey knight hilighting: http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Zenithal_Airbrushing,_OSL_and_Snow_and_Ice_Tutorial,_subject_-_Grey_Knight

Regular color schemes will be sped up by at least 50%. Color schemes designed specifically to be used with the airbrush 100%. Vehicles by 200%.

Airbrush. Just do it.

Just practice. Even airbrushing the base coats, I still take 2 hours per mini. I've not really got much faster over the years.

winterdyne wrote:Just practice. Even airbrushing the base coats, I still take 2 hours per mini. I've not really got much faster over the years.

yea, it takes me 2 hours to do basecoats via airbrush... but thats over 5 minis, while a normal painted guy would take me 2 hours by itself.

It sounds like you are painting one mini at at time. Paint the unit all at once using an assembly line process.

For instance, paint all the skin on the unit first. Then the clothes, then the boots and leather, then weapons then details. The key is to do the whole unit, not a single model at a time.