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Perhaps its my local community, but this last week I was a little disappointed by the general reaction I got when I showed them the models I have been working on. Most of these models (Guardsmen) have between 8-12 hours of work into each of them. I'm no demon winning artist, but I would say my work is at least above table top quality. Wherever I go I am in awe & wonder when I see beautiful miniatures. I never touch, I just like to admire the details & love people put into their models. Everyone in my local area seems to just be focused on "playing". Don't get me wrong I enjoy playing as well, but I feel that the modeling/painting aspect of the hobby is overlooked. Looks like I will have to share my passion for this part of the hobby with the dakka community. I would attach pictures, but I need to create a light box first.

It's as simple as gently curving a blank white sheet of paper while outside in the sun for the most basic "light box". Really all it has to do is be clear so you can show off your work right.

 n0t_u wrote:
It's as simple as gently curving a blank white sheet of paper while outside in the sun for the most basic "light box". Really all it has to do is be clear so you can show off your work right.

I'm surprised I didn't consider that. That is essentially a lightbox in its simplest form. I have something a little more complicated in mind. Found this guide online & its inspired me to make one. Plus it gives me a excuse to go to Office Max/Home Depot

http://jasontomczak.com/2007/12/a-quick-easy-white-box-light-box-for-product-photography/

I happen to agree with "painting more than playing" I too love to paint, kit bash and work on my armies for hours. I admire other people's armies when I see them. I get in a game here and there but find myself painting a lot more.

I was always more about playing, but I've lost touch with my principle rival and the closest two proper gaming stores are an hour away in either direction.

So now, I focus on painting and modeling. I'm not going to force myself to paint 60 of the same troop just because its tactically viable, and if I want to cut my dreadnought off at the 'waist' and give him armored core style quad-legs, by god i'm gonna do it Who cares if someone doesn't want to play with it, the situation just doesn't come up much

Not that I have a problem with anyone who is game-centric. Not at all. Especially if they're willing to put the minimum tourney style 3 colors down. More detail is better, but as long as I'm not facing down sprue or primer, two painted armies facing off is the pinnacle of the hobby.

I'm in the same boat as you, OP, when it comes to having to share with dakka. Not that I mind, there are some pretty darn cool folks here! I especially like bouncing back and forth between the painting blogs people keep in their sigs, any time I see one I have to check it. Sometimes I'm not interested, sometimes you make forum buddies with like minded individuals. Dakka may not substitute for a local club full of like-minded enthusiasts, but its a darn nice little corner of the interwebs

I myself prefer painting over playing as well. I try to paint my mini's as best as I possibly can, and hate fielding any unpainted or unfinished models, as I feel it substracts from the 'cool-factor' of the game.

And I can relate to being disappointed by reactions to your painting, especially when you're proud of your models and the only reaction you get is something like 'cool bro'. But in the end you're not painting for kudo's from your friends so its not that important.

I agree, I paint WAY more than I play (which is almost never). The owner of the FLGS I support is always trying to get me to come in and play a game, but I just don't have that much desire. I buy the Codex and rule books, and I try to stay current with how the game is going, but at the end of the day I'd rather paint an awesome looking model than pack all my stuff up and trek down to the store to play.
I have 3 WIP armies, C:SM (Raptors chapter), Dark Angels, and a small CSM warband, plus a handful of Warmachine models (mostly Khador)... without devoting my free time to playing, I also have the luxury of painting models I just find interesting, instead of models I "need" for an army.

For me it really depends on the miniature. Some miniatures that I have collected over the years have been changed in their rules that they are just not viable anymore in games so I spend many a evening repainting them to a style that I like which may or may not be my armies color scheme and put them on display.

I wish I could put as much effort into my actual gaming models but alas Id never get the half of them done if I did D:

Never played the game myself, though it seems fun. For myself I just can't find the interest (nor the time) to be painting rank and file troops, its more fun to do single display pieces to a higher standard, and I plan to fill up a cabinet with cool stuff as time goes on

Ain't no shame not playin' the game

I'm in the same boat myself - I've never played the game, and I really don't have the desire to do so, but I can sit and kitbash/convert/paint for hours on end. For me, it's far more satisfying to slowly grow an army bit by bit, only buying models when I have some spare cash and painting them to a higher standard (Well... as high as I can go at least ), than just splurging out a massive wedge of cash simply to get the game winning army or latest plastic crack GW throws out (Although I'm not bashing GW - IMHO, this months release is pretty epic!). To this day, I still have absolutely no idea how to play the game or even how many points I have collected (Although on that last point I am curious to know, but seeing as I don't own a codex I guess I'll never find out ). I like the idea of having a legitimate army that I can use in a game, and that's what I aim for, but I doubt I'll ever play a game.

I paint TO play. I love the whole hobby aspect as a whole and I think taking any part away would make it pretty boring. I'll only buy models that I think look good and I try to find ways to use them in game. I might not be great or even good at painting but I have fun and I love finishing squads and seeing them in game painted. At the end of the day the only objective that I really wanna capture is fun. Lol -Feasible

I would say that one pro of not painting minis for an army is that you can do whatever you like with the paint schemes, i.e. not having to follow chapter schemes etc.

Maybe its just me

Right there with you OP.

I find the painting/modeling the be the most relaxing and enjoyable part of the hobby. I like playing, don't get me wrong, but there's just that extra *oomph* or thrill or what have you, when you set down across the table from a well painted army.
My local are all good guys (mostly older gamers), each one knowledgeable and fun to play with, but they all field armies with uniforms from the "Primer Grey" store.

Unfortunately, due to laziness, arthritis and overall apathy towards the finished product, I find myself cranking out more and more "less than table-top" just to get my armies finished...I miss when the local GW used to have painting competitions...

I simply have no time to play, but I can usually find 30 minutes to build a mini, or get some paint put down... I have really started to appreciate those little painting sessions, not that I don't want to play...

Last time I played a game of 40k would have been about 17-18 years ago, when I got the 4th edition.
I used to field unpainted armies, with maybe a space marine or 2 just covered in blood red.

These days, I only paint, i find it a satisfying way to relax at the end of the day.
Saying that, I wouldn't mind trying a game, but a few things stop me.

I don't know the rules.

I don't know anyone that plays.

I don't have an army (nor am I sure I want to pay that sort of money).

At the rate I paint, I'd be lucky to get 1 squad done a month.

well, I'm torn between the two, but I totally see where you are coming from. Since moving country I've found out that, out here, there is nobody to play with! No club, no nothing, just 2 people I luckily picked up . Anyways I vowed to not play a game with unpainted miniatures, and thanks to the fact that I don't play as much anymore, I can really go to town with my painting! Currently I'm painting an Eldar Wraithlord for my new army, and when I step back I can't stop feeling really proud of it. To think a couple of years ago I was splashing colours onto a model and hoping for the best.... now I'm painting to a tabletop level, and that is way more satisfying than any game I've played in my 40k career.

I'm in the same boat as some of you guys, here.

I would rather paint that play an actual game right now.

It's why my Dark Angels are slowly becoming a custom chapter

But I enjoy painting FoW miniatures because it's as simple as an under coat then an over coat then adding little bits so my mind doesn't think "You know what would be good on this Sherman?"... I'll admit that I'm going to paint one of my cars blue with racing stripes though.... because I said I would.

Annoyingly I like modelling more than painting (and then painting more than playing) This has led to me having a lot of converted stuff lying around that I just haven't got round to painting :(

 shamikebab wrote:
Annoyingly I like modelling more than painting (and then painting more than playing) This has led to me having a lot of converted stuff lying around that I just haven't got round to painting :(

You *could* always send them my way

There seem to be many of us who enjoying painting and modelling more than playing. I especially like converting stuff, and painting as well but not as much. Playing the game is a bit meh for me, too many rules, and the gameplay as a whole seems rather silly. :-) I still enjoy it to a certain extent, but nowhere near as much as converting and painting. It's a pity that the two people that I play with don't really care for the modelling and painting part, so most of the time I am playing against unpainted/barely painted armies...

Ditto, Frankly theres better games out there.
But I do love the story, and painting the models. Don't refuse to play, but games are few and far between. While the model collection increases all the time!

I recently got into 40k, and have around 100 models total, 40 of them I've painted so far. I really want my army to be painted prior to playing, but I find I have little interest in actually playing versus painting everything up.

@OP I have a deal for you. I like playing more then I would ever like painting and have over 10k points to paint up or finish. you can do your favorite part and I will do mine. You will be painting for years to come.

I pretty much only paint/build. I play a game here and there but by far the hobbying aspect is why I collect.

Yup, im in the same boat. I have a very stressfull job and painting and converting minis is a great cathartic hobby. Every model in my 2000 point Word Bearer army is converted and kit bashed in some way. Im almost done painting all of them and when i am, ill start on some traitor Guard to accompany them. Allready have some kitbashed to look chaosy. I try to play when i can, but between work and domestic duties thats almost never.

assembling, kitbashing, scratchbuilding, and painting are a LOT of this hobby. I'll never understand people that get into the game that dislike any of those 4 topics i just mentioned.

Ive always had an artistic talent but i could never do it just for the heck of it, i needed a purpose. My purpose for miniatures is i get to play an awesome game and have people gawk at my work while crushing their faces (ok...last part not so much i play orks so i tend to get crushed with the current state of the codex lol)

I still dont have a fully painted list, it'll be some time until i do. Simply because i cannot paint to table-top quality. Even my ork boyz get a decent paintjob....though theres no details like skulls all over them, glowing eyes, worn pants, etc etc thats just too far for a grunt lol