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So, Dakka, what motivates you to paint? The reason I'm asking is because I have a High Elf army I need to paint (AND some WWII tanks, AND some tyranids, AND some khador stuff...) and could use a little motivation. While on the topic of painting, how do you guys speed paint, if you do that is. By this I mean, what methods do you use?

Thanks a lot Dakka!

Variety keeps me motivated. Mixing it up, for me, means that I never get tired of doing the same thing, and by not painting the same thing too many times in a row, my project stays fresh.

Also, only build what you're going to paint right then. There is no worse feeling than seeing dozens and dozens of unpainted models. It makes the task feel impossible.

ArmorOfContempt wrote:Variety keeps me motivated. Mixing it up, for me, means that I never get tired of doing the same thing, and by not painting the same thing too many times in a row, my project stays fresh.

Also, only build what you're going to paint right then. There is no worse feeling than seeing dozens and dozens of unpainted models. It makes the task feel impossible.

This x 1000

I built almost all of my ork boyz, than I didn't want to paint any of them because their was SO MUCH!!!

Heartbreaks. Seriously.

Same thing that motivates me to do anything, boobs! Paint some Hasslefree and you'll get your mojo back!

When I was gaming my motivation was building up my army. I would do one company at a time as well as one tank or APC so every week my army was that much bigger. Now that I don't game anymore I can take my time and have something unique.

The only speed in my panting is the spraying basecoat, after that the process slows down as i cant help but want to put detail in the minaitures.
Also, having the number of marines to paint go from 2 to suddenly there being 15, it does seem daunting since i need to base and spray them all still. The motivation to get through them at all is the space marine novels and the ideas of useing and painting these units i make from my head and the novels. Ah how the fluff will always keep me hooked on Warhammer40k...

I build and paint a unit at a time.

I don't build the entire army and then go "damn!, now I have to paint them all."

I've started a WHFB elf army. The ONLY way I'm going to get the 140 odd infantry figures done is unit by unit.

For me it is tournaments. I always want to take a painted army to a tournament so I have to cram and get it done most of the time

chromedog wrote:I build and paint a unit at a time.

I don't build the entire army and then go "damn!, now I have to paint them all."

I've started a WHFB elf army. The ONLY way I'm going to get the 140 odd infantry figures done is unit by unit.

See, I tried that, and it just makes me get bored.

First up I did a box of Hormagaunts, and by the end of it, I didn't want to even look at them. Because I did the whole unit, I batch painted them, and the end result was worse. Then I tried this again with a unit of warriors - same result. Then a unif of Termagants. I got as far as getting the skin painted and carapace done black on 10 before I gave up. I was put off painting all my Tyranids. Then I picked upa a Zoanthrope as a 'break' and had a blast. Then I did 5 Gargoyles - one at a time though, and again, had a blast. Now I'm working on a single Hive Guard, and while doing that, finishing up my Termagants - again, one at a time. The end result is better and I stay enthusiastic because I've got quite a few different things to paint. It also doesn't take much longer than batch painting a whole unit.

I even break it up painting a few skeletons for my Vampires. I need variety when painting, or I get bogged down with apathy and stop painting.

I hate playing with Unpainted Armies, it sucks all reality from the battle.

Tournaments is my bg motivator. Otherwise It's just when I;m in the mood otherwise It becomes a choir. Like I forced myself to try and paint my guardsmen today and I just gave up after basecoating 10 guys armour and washing it and painting a plasma gun and 2 meltas. It just get's boring, so I do other stuff.


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Just what ever you do, don;t force yourself to do it, this your hobby and it's supposed to be fun, when you force yourself to paint it becomes a choir and it isn;t fun, so how can it be your fun hobby?

Im going through a similar task at the moment. I find a teammate helps, my buddy comes and paints his army so we have some competition and motivate each other, some good music and a comfortable working station.

As for tyranids speed (kindof) painting, find a colour scheme where you can apply washes, I apply a wash to the entire body, then paint claws bleached bone then apply a devlan mud wash. Got 30 termagants to this stage in about 4 Hours. I can then justify spending more time on the carapaces making them pop and adding details to eyes and guns and basing.

If assembly line style gets you down try this method. Break up your units in to smaller chunks. Eg 30 termagants in to 6 groups of 5. Paint group 1 and 2's claws, then go back and paint group 1's carapace then group 3's claws, group 2's carapace then group 1 apply wash to the claws (or whatever appropriate step). It breaks up the monotony and once you complete group 1 then it motivates you to complete the next step. Like a Domino technique i guess.

I tend to bounce between different types of model too sometimes if i find my attention dwindling, struggling with 30 termagants? go paint some Monstrous scything talons on a Trygon (but dont take on too many tasks at once) always leave it manageable. In the long run if you dedicate more time and effort on the special characters/MC's that people pay attention to you will be alot happier as it will bring the level of the rest of your army up by default as these are the models people will most often pick up and look at.

TL;DR - we'll there's your reason why you're struggling to paint!

For all the Warhammer Groupies and hoes of course!

Seriously, unpainted minis look like Green Armymen to me. Painted models look cool, I'm far too old to hold this opinion of course but too old to change my ways now.

Upcoming games.

When I used to play at least once per week, I'd always want to have something new finished by the next Friday night, even if that only meant finishing one space marine, or basecoating a new unit before I used it to avoid the dreaded silver-grey factor.

Now I rarely play, and so it's much harder to motivate myself in between fulltime work, study, family life, TV and movies to watch, books and magazines to read, wasting time on internet forums, PC games, console games, WoW... often, painting loses out in the competition of how I spend my time. It's far easier to spend money on even more figures, paints, modelling tools, etc, than it is to actually paint them...

up comming games, and strange things happen when i play with my army unpainted... they die a lot and very quickly with bad shots and lousy saves, but once there painted and based? they seem to fight and fight well! :3

Playing with only painted minis, either in tournaments or not, is great motivation to actually paint stuff you want to use.

Self-loathing. Like any of my hobbies, painting tends to fall by the wayside almost immediately after any burst of productivity, as I tend to get drained quite easily. I enjoy seeing the results, however, and I'm quite enamored with the idea of having a bunch of painted models to display - of course, there's only one way that going to happen.

After flopping around aimlessly for a while (can't really say "drifting," as I'm usually glued to the couch), there inevitably comes a time when I pass by my workbench, feel ashamed, and think "Hey, self, stop being such a useless little and get something done! You want this, after all. Stupid git..." Usually takes about two or three of those to finish up a painting project (I'm a very slow painter), whether that's a fancier nob/HQ or a few boys.

Every once in a while, I set up my armies on a big enough table and take a picture. I do this to see progress, and to actually see a whole force painted is a sight to behold.

Drinking while painting is a great motivator. I like consuming great amounts of the ale while painting. Just easier that way.

Good lookin' minis. Was originally so I could make fun of my friends and their unpainted armies, but now that I changed locations, it's more of a stress reliever when I'm not too tired.

and such things as my new airbrush.

I do love me some fluorescent minis...

Work at it everyday!set goals.