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I've wavered so many times, and changed my armies just as much, that I've begun to think the hobby might not be for me anymore.

I started out liking the painting side of things, but now it just seems so much like a chore and, because of this, I'm hesitant to paint again. Especially with the repetition of most armies (SMs for example). With single models however, I appear to do a better job. My greatest work was an Aun'Va I did back when I was into the Tau (my first army).

I also once the idea of using airbrushing and Blu-Tak together. Although I'm not sure I'd be keen on constantly applying Blu-Tak to certain areas of a model. Using a standard Space Marine as an example, he'd be airbrushed blue all-over. Tehn details would be picked out and airbrushed other colours (gold for the aquilla, etc). Has anyone attempted such an idea like this on infantry-grade models before?

Right now I'm keen on Grey Knights (haven't bought any yet though, just their Codex), but I'm hesitant to paint them as well. To that end I came up with the idea of spraying them Army Painter Platemail, washing them with Quickshade Dark Tone, and then that'd be that. I also had a similar idea for my previous force the Necrons (AP Desert Yellow then QS Strong Tone, for a rising-from-the-sand effect). Outside of any official tournament, it seems that very few would have a problem with this idea.

I don't know what my deal is anymore. The game itself is still fun to me, but not the actual hobby. If I had a very decent amount of cash, I would most definitely get someone to do the work on commission.
So yeah, any thoughts on this subject?
I want to and like to play the actual Warhammer 40k table-top game. I just don't think the hobby and me are compatible anymore. :-(

If you're finding painting hordes of models tiresome but still enjoying actually gaming, perhaps you should try looking into other game systems.

A skirmish game could suit you nicely, having fewer (and often more varied) troops, and wouldn't even have to be to the exclusion of 40k. I often find the cure for lack of mojo is to play/paint a different system for a while and come back when my interest returns.
And as you've already got various hobby paraphernalia in the way of painting and gaming tools, you've got a big chunk of any start up costs already covered. When you're not dealing with GW's prices, a new rulebook (although many systems are free online) and a dozen models ain't expensive. Just find a mate or two to badger into starting with you.

Of course, if you really want to stick within the 40k universe, you could look at the appropriate Specialist Games.

Painting hordes of figures will make anyone burn out, go make some terrain!

Ok I'm biased.

What about Warhammer Fantasy as a potential new game format? Any thoughts??

Sounds like the situation I found myself in.
I agree with MarcoSkoll, in that a skirmish type game would be great for you. Necromunda (and its fan-spawned brother =][=munda) is a great game, where you develop a small warband and claim as much turf as you can!
I am in the process of starting an Inquisitor's warband for exactly the reasons you have given- I enjoy spending time on one model, but repetition burns me out, and still want to play games.
Give it a try, but don't force yourself. Sometimes we need a rest from the hobby. It'll be here when you get back.

I get what you mean. Fortunately (or unfortunately), school usually gets in the way of any modelling/painting whatsoever, and I rarely have time for that stuff. Then again, I rarely have time for that stuff, which makes me rather sad.
Don't worry about taking a small break, you can always come back when you feel like it.

I play three different game systems and alternate among them so as not to "burn out" on any one of them.

Although it's down to two in a few weeks. I'm dropping 40k for a couple of years. I'm tired of the game, its constant rules anomalies, and the apparent d-bags that argue every single minutiae of the game so that a 1000pt game STILL goes on for three hours (or more)

What really keeps me in the hobby is things like my blog (www.averydwarfishblog.blogspot.com)-Check it out! And talking to friends about stratagems, tactics, and looking forward to tournaments.

But to help the OP, find something in the game you play that you are most interested in and focus on that for a few weeks or months .

Poppa

What keeps me into it is my wild imagination, I'm always thinking about what I'm going to get next, as i paint my models as i get them I don't get burnt out on them...i already know i wont win any game i play (dice literally hate me , with what seems to be a seething, burning hatred) so what keeps me giddy about warhamsters is the prospect of using weapons that don't need dice ( S:d weapons in apoc) and testing myself to paint the next guardsman/marine twice as good as the last.
and I REALLY don't recommend fantasy if you hate repetitive painting, my dwarfs are the only army that i play with that has unpainted models, and i only have a 1250 point army of them

I guess what keeps me in the game is also the regret of how much money I have actually spent on it...
if none of what i talked about keeps you interested, then maybe it truly isn't for you, it really isn't for everyone, it wasn't for my brother, although he did show impressive painting capabilities, he just couldn't get into it (he's also the jock/mechanic type, uses muscle instead of intelligence and creativity)

I had to take a 2 year break after 18 months of starting the hobby as I really got fed up of painting the same few models again and again ( I was playing sisters, grey knights and Necrons, talk about limited model choices) then I got bought a Space Marine battleforce and Dark Angels veteran box and started painting them again and I found that by mixing between painting my Dark Angels and Necrons I was able to keep my interest, I also find that if you "reward" yourself by only painting a character model after you've finished a squad of troops that it can give you incentive to get those squads done, mind you my imagination helps me as well as I always have conversion ideas I want to try or a new painting technique that I want to try

@Jordanis, I'm a mechanic type I gots plenty of intelligence and creativity

Personally , I can spend loads of time on the hobby for a while, and then go months, even years without touching a model due to life's unending demands. But I'm ok with that, everything is in a constant state of flux, sometimes this, sometimes that, the only thing that stays the same is " change". So to me excepting change, and understanding that nothing stays the same, but someday I may get time or energy to do something,is the key. I keep coming back to the hobby when I have time, or feel like it. And if I don't, it's probably coz I have something better to do!

What I've started to do is paint my models in batches and tie them together with some sort of narrative.

ATM I'm painting the Company Command Squad for my newly-started guard army so interest is high anyway but when it comes to painting rank and file I'll do things like base 5 of them similarly and model them cohesively as well as paint them some additional details.

It works better on larger models like marines and I find it leads to a better paintjob although in real terms it's little more than getting into a frame of mind.

TL;DR = Narrative helps me paint.