Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

When I first started in this hobby I used to take a unit of 30 ork boys and paint them by painting all of one color on each model before moving to the next until all my models were done. It was somewhat faster because I did not have t continuously keep switching brushes, painting techniques, and when I put an unfinished unit on the board then at least they all had green skin and silver weapons. However, there are some major drawbacks to this way of painting.

Firstly, It tempts you to put unfinished models on the board. GW had this 3 color minimum in our heads for so long it is hard not to think that if they are good enough they are good enough. At the same time some of the models I had in that particular army were fully painted up using 13 or more paints and with shading, highlights, textures, and layers. so beside those models that I actually took my time with the three color minimum brought my army down as a whole. In my opinion unfinished models are one of the ugliest things that you can put on a table. I hate it when others do it and I no longer do it because for me in a game where the rules are all made up and the points don't matter I would rather build a great scene and create a story with my minis.

Second, It makes it unlikely you will finish them. There are three colors on them. Why do more? I have so many more models that are primed black and need of some paint why not start on them? Inevitably I tend to buy more models and start to put them together as I am painting , or not, one of the units that is simply primed black so I never get back to the original unit that only has the three color minimum. I have 30 ork boys in front of me or even just 10 marines. And I know that there are so many colors, layers, washes ect. to paint on them and it seems like it will take forever because it is so boring to sit down for an hour or two at a time ad just paint 30 pistols and 30 swords silver, or even 10 bolters. There are other things that I would like to get too because I have purchased too much because I want to get it all on the field and it all just winds up looking half assed anyway. It leaves me feeling overwhelmed and is in no way enjoyable. It is simply a grind and for me personally I hate a grind.

Recently I have began painting my models one at a time. I find this to be a much more effective way of creating an army. Each model has its own sense of individuality while still fitting into the army and making it look like they all belong together. I have found that I enjoy painting this way more because I am not doing one thing on every single model. Instead of finishing all of one color on every model I have when I sit down to paint I have finished one model and i simply have 9 more to go. This way I cannot use any units until every model in the unit is complete and my army looks better on the tabletop as a whole.

I guess my question really is do people find the same issues with painting "mass produced" models as me or do people enjoy the grind and find it more effective to "mass produce"?

I find my happy medium at around 5-7 infantry models, 3-5 larger models (ogryns, crisis suits, etc.), or 1 very large model (leman russ, riptide, etc.) or more detailed character.

Larger batches than that and it becomes a chore. Less than that and I spend more time than necessary. I can, for example, paint 3 crisis suits in about 4 hours. If I do them one at a time it takes 2 hours per suit so 6 hours per unit. I tried painting 6 at once before and I got really bored after the first couple colours. I had 18 to paint for the core of a Farsight Enclave army.

Even with my guard infantry where I may need to finish 30+ models I still do them in batches of 5-7. I just find it more manageable and enjoyable.

For basing and decals I generally triple the size of the batches.

Because my friends and I have a firm rule of finished models only (consistency is key, not quality, and of course must be based) I feel a bit like it's a grind when building the initial core 1500pts. Once that's over with I switch to a unit by unit basis as I want to swap or add things to the list. Eventually I end up like my guard with a few thousand points fully painted. I'm in it for the long game though. If it takes me 2 years to build up a decent sized army (say 3000pts or so) then it takes me 2 years. I have other armies to fall back on if the game goes above what I have finished (my friends and I also don't allow allies except under specific circumstances and only with opponents permission so that isn't really an option for me).

I agree about basing and decals and I may ride batches of 5 for my next unit of boys just to see how it goes.

I do both, and I do both often. I generally prefer to paint one at a time, but it really depends on the project.

Even if I have thirty to paint, however, I often will paint one area to completion on about four to eight at a time before going on to the next group. In very large numbers, the assembly line tends to lose its value (you get a little less careful, I think).

Although I will usually go through all of them at once with the first base coat- when being very careful isn't all that useful.

rothrich wrote:
I agree about basing and decals and I may ride batches of 5 for my next unit of boys just to see how it goes.

When I used to paint 20-30 models at a time I wouldn't finish them in one sitting and would look at the half finished models later and go "I still have 30 models to finish". It was demoralizing and easy to put off because there was still so much to do.
When I paint in smaller batches I can finish a batch in one sitting (2-4 hours) and when I look at it later I can say "good, finished 3 of 6 batches, only 15 models to go". I have finished models (minus bases and decals) to keep my spirits up to finish the rest.

Personally I love painting almost more than playing. I usually have to take a break every couple hours but I find it's generally best for me to tackle it one unit at a time, saving the squad leader for last. That way I have a bit of a treat at the end after all the tedium, something I can spend a bit of extra time on.

I go back and forth sometimes. I will usually take a whole unit and go through and do all the base coating. Then wash everything. Then when I'm going through doing highlights, sometimes I just decide to finish one. So, that guy gets done and out of the assembly line. Kind of breaks the monotony from time to time. I usually will do Sergeants or unit command models like this once the base coats and first washes are done.

I base coat, wash and dry brush the entire unit. From there, I do 1-3 at a time, normally just one. I actually do enjoy painting more than playing, so for me, there's no real rush.

I batch paint, I have a good system. For my latest group of 60 (ish) Termagants, they were all primed together. Break for a few days, then basecoat them all. Again, break for a few days. ...and so on. I have limited painting time, so batches save me time overall, and lets things dry properly as well.

And upon the final step, I suddenly have a massive influx of finished models which feels great!

I paint one at time.... One/ two models a day..
The reson I like this is that each model gets painting attention. What I mean is that every model has something diffrent than the next. The only Time I batch paint is if I am in a rush for a tourney ect. The only thing I don't like about one at a time is that it takes me long..

Machine painting all the way for me. Stick as many on a paint stick as I can fit and just go down the line one color at a time.

Since I'm not a player of the games I get the privilege of skipping the tedious rank and file painting you guys toil with

One sweet model at a time

As a new painter (I have a grand total of only 15 models under my belt...all tac marines) I've tried both methods and I'm starting to appreciate single model painting.

Batch painting, for me, leads to a "hurry up and get the next X models done so I can move onto the next step" and as a result my quality drops off. Also, trying new painting techniques or figuring out what looks good and what doesn't is hard for me to do on an assembly line. Cleanup is a nightmare in batch painting...I can't keep track of all the little things I need to touch up on each model.

In single model painting I get a nice kick of excitement when I finish a model, makes me want to do another. I'll call it a "snowball effect." In batch painting I don't get that rush until I'm done with the unit (which takes 20+ hours atm) and by then I'm just sick of it and need a break to nurse my cramped shoulders and repetative motion injuries.

Because I don't mix colors (I loath doing so at my current skill level) so maintaining consistency across unit types when doing single model painting still relatively easy.

That being said, I clean mold lines/flashing and prime in batches still. Just seems natural to me.

I agree with most posters, playing orks I started in batch of 30 models, doing single colours or washes. while it is majorly faster, i get sloppy, I stop paying attention and I rush. I am eager to get my force on the board though and I hate playing with half painted models.

But I just explain and apologise to my opponent and there always ok I have now reduced to 5 for troops and single for anything larger

I have also started airbrushing which is a lot of fun, so single for experiments!

Squads leaders / commanders etc. I paint one at a time. Squaddies I'll paint in batches. Similar situation for vehicles. For example, first I hit all the shoulder pads with a thin layer. By the time I finish the last guy, the first one is ready for his second coat. Rinse and repeat for weapons / small details etc.

As others have stated, once you hit the grove you really need to take your time not to rush so you don't stray too far from the lines. Little mistakes don't matter all that much, as once you give them a few washes the mistakes sort of blend into the shadows anyway.

It's really surprising how quickly you can push out squaddies in the 'assembly line'

Honestly, what ever i feel like on the day, sometimes i like to paint one guy at a time, other times i paint a horde in a batch. If your not in the mood to batch paint you won’t enjoy and it will show on the models.

I paint a unit at a time(minus squad leaders).

So I just finished doing 9 tac marines, and now I'm working on the Sargent. After that I will do my terminators at once.

Similar to lettuceman, I do a whole unit, minus the squad leader, who I do last to ensure he's different than the others and with slightly superior detail.

Special units, like command squads or a character + honour guard are all done one at a time for sure. They're unique sculpts from each other and thus should be treated as heroes in my book and given appropriate attention.

Matters what I'm painting. I normally do 1 box of X at a time, as it seems more efficient with airbrushing doing it this way.

Depends on the model.

But overall, I would say it almost breaks down to a "unit" at a time.

HQ - A single model at a time usually because they deserve special detail or I want a better base etc.

Troops / most infantry - 10 or 12 at a time, no more, or I get burn out.

Big infantry - I will do 40mm bases about 5 at a time.

60mm bases - (mc's broadsides, dreds, etc.) usually do a single at at time to prevent burn out.

Bikes or jet bikes - about 3 at a time....I did 4 tetras at once, and that was too many. Normal bikes 2-3, tomb blades, tetras or attack bikes - 2 max.

Vehicles - 1 at a time.

I prefer to paint single models, ideally large vehicles, I could paint those forever and be happy. However when I do have to paint troops I do the same as this:

SBG wrote:
I batch paint, I have a good system. For my latest group of 60 (ish) Termagants, they were all primed together. Break for a few days, then basecoat them all. Again, break for a few days. ...and so on. I have limited painting time, so batches save me time overall, and lets things dry properly as well.

And upon the final step, I suddenly have a massive influx of finished models which feels great!

I try to keep things like guns detached so I can bulk spray those another colour from the body to reduce my workload. Recently I've been doing Marines in batches of 100, tough work but gets it done quickly.

I think setting a day aside, where you are mentally prepared to paint a crap ton of models works best. Then I usually like to do 10 at a time. I will be posting pics of my Dwarfs, where I am doing this to get a painted army, no distractions and working on other projects

One color at a time typically.

Doing 10 gargoyles right now, and I do each 'stage' one after one before moving on. I think its faster.

We have two armies, Orks and Tyranids. Why! Why! Why!

With tyranids, for example Gargoyles, we've moved to a quicker technique and paint 10 at a time. Undercoat bone, sepia wash, pink wings, two colour on the claws, then move on to the carapace. That's the fun bit, and you can get a unit finished in a couple of days. Curtis and I share the work and it's fun.

But Ork boys... we use moredakka's scheme, and doing the washes is fun, but painting those leather straps is murder, because if you get a line out, it looks awful. For that reason, on the tricky bits, I do seven at a time - because that's as much as I can physically take without going insane, then I know that in three days, I'll pretty much have one squad ready.

The upside is that when, say, we add a single zoanthrope to the nid army it feels ridiculously quick and easy.

I do batch painting generally, but I don't like to do more than 5 models at a time! That way I'll get at least those 5 finished in an evening or two, rather than get 30 orks half-finished!!

These days though I like to spend more time on my characters, sergeants, special weapons, and just paint those minis by themselves.

Depends on what i'm painting, but usually mass production for a unit at a time. Vehicles and characters should be painted one at a time in my opinion.

I will complete a first model out of the batch to keep and use as reference. After that I start mass production one color/step at a time.

After I am done with my Scorpions and Vehicules I have 20 Dire Avengers waiting for some mass production work.

Thank god for the airbrush and the hockey stick.

I find painting one at a time to be more relaxing and enjoyable. When I paint in a batch I tend to feel rushed and the product that comes out of it reflects that

I've been painting more one-off figures, lately, and I'll finish one completely before moving on. For repeat models (infantry in unit-based games, e.g. 40k), I stick to small batches, usually 3-5 at a time. I tend to paint in short bursts, so going any larger than that means that I'm unlikely to hit all of the models unless I simplify/subdivide the steps more than I like to.

I've been considering trying to change gears and crank out a tabletop army, assembly line style (have a few small-ish Mantic fantasy forces waiting in the wings). I'm sure it would turn out reasonably well, but it goes against my nature; I'm not especially skilled, but I am rather meticulous - once I'm past basecoating, I tend to labor over each step too much to just jump from model to model. I imagine that if I saw the massed results, I'd find the method more acceptable, but I haven't been able to work up the nerve/energy to take the plunge. I don't really game, so I don't have that pressure spurring me on (I'd want to field a painted army), possibly to my detriment.