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Hey everyone,
Recently I haven't been able to paint much only a few models here and there. I have to paint about 6 crisis suits, a hammerhead, 20ish drones and 20ish firewarriors as well as 90 plus Skaven models.
I just am not motivated to sit down and paint big batches of models.

I find myself only being able to paint 1 model at a time and then I just feel like stopping.

Does anyone feel the same way sometimes? How do you get motivated to paint? Throw on a movie or music or make time in your schedule every week to paint?

Once I have a scheme I like I can happily smash the models out in lots of 5-10. My main problem is getting a scheme I like. I find it best to do things in lots, so clean mould lines of a bunch of models, then (part) assemble a bunch of models, then prime a bunch, then basecoat a bunch, etc.

Poscasts are generally my go-to entertainment, for example the TGS podcast and Friendzone, both by Polaris members. Daily Show, Colbert Report and Real Time are also good, amusing, informative and don't need to watch. Sometimes i'll listen to music but that's pretty rare.

Do you enjoy painting? If you don't, that could be a problem ; p

I usually get urges toward painting certain models, rather than sit down and say "I'm paintin this one, dammit!" I let my mind casually decide what it wants to paint, and that's what I work on. I also watch reruns of Batman, Xmen, Superman...w/e. All from the 90s. It helps quite a bit.

Look around the forums, or do a search on "motivation to paint' or just "motivation" - this challenge is a common one - and you will find a lot of good advice.

What I do (and many others) break the work into more managable chunks - that way its not "I have to paint an entire army" its "I just have to paint this squad".

You get incremental gains, and can change things up - for example, don't paint two broadsides in a row, mix in a squad of 10 firewarriors inbetween.

For example, something like this;
2 Crisis suits
Hammerhead
10 skaven (or 5).
2 Crisis suits
10 firewarriors
10 skaven

etc.

This gives you accomplishments along the way.

Also, my friends and I all share a "November Goals" emails for example, where we tell others what we want to work on for the month (be realistic) and then once we get stuff done, we put up posts and pics.
Not everyone gets everything done..heck, I think we only get about half....but by telling others you get more motivated as you said you would....and you get encouragement from others as you complete things.
At the beginning of a month, we post up our new list.

Some people watch movies, some listen to pod casts, what ever to help pass the time while painting.

but I would say the most important thing (like doing any large task or project) is to break it into manageable chunks that are not as intimidating.

Do you enjoy painting? If you don't, that could be a problem ; p

Ya I do enjoy painting but when it comes to the skaven clanrats it is just repetitive, I like doing single models and spend my time on the larger ones but hate doing infantry.

I think doing manageable chunks is a good idea too and that is what I do when I paint Skaven is do 10 at a time, but even then I think I get unmotivated because once those ten are finished I look over at the 90 others I have to paint that are the exact same haha
But I do do primer, base layers, wash, details and highlights in that order assembly line but then it gets boring sometimes :p

I think I might just be thinking "I want this army done in the next X amount of time" then get unmotivated when it doesn't happen

*good music
*comfortable chair/desk
*realistic targets
*stop when you're tired

I find that I don't enjoy painting when it's all too large a task, but if I sit down with 5 models, and decide to do just two colours on those models, then I'll get something done. If I look at the entirety of the task then I'm overwhelmed!!
Also, get your friends around, get them to help you, or to paint their own models while you paint too. A bit of banter makes time fly!

Paint with a friend too, if you can. You motivate each other. Forgot that. I used to do that when I could.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Paint with a friend too, if you can. You motivate each other. Forgot that. I used to do that when I could.

^ Very much this. My best painting days are when my brother and I get together to paint.

Secondly I find that having multiple things to paint helps. Currently I have 30 Warriors of Chaos, a slaughterbrute, a dakka jet, some sanguinary gaurd and a whole slew of characters. When I get tired of one I move to the next. If keeps it fresh and always exciting when stuff gets finished and new gets moved onto the board.

Painting with a friend certainly helps. I also hit a slump and didn't have anyone to paint with for quite some time.

If you blue-tact a finished models in your car or in your office for you to stare at it, and for people to occasionally ask what it is. I noticed that really helped me.

Makes you want to finish out that squad/army.

I think doing manageable chunks is a good idea too and that is what I do when I paint Skaven is do 10 at a time, but even then I think I get unmotivated because once those ten are finished I look over at the 90 others I have to paint that are the exact same haha
But I do do primer, base layers, wash, details and highlights in that order assembly line but then it gets boring sometimes :p

This is pat of the issue. Don't look at the rest. Look at the next 10. Or even better, next is not the skaven, but 10 firewarriors, or a broadside.

Don't even have them out where you can see them. Have your next project out. When you are done with your current group of 10, put them in an area where you CAN see them....I have my current month's progress out where I can see it - it adds to the sense of satisfaction.

I totally get this, I can't paint more than 10 infantry at a time - oh, sure I CAN, but it burns me out. I did 20 guardsmen (tau human auxaliareis) a while ago...by the time they were done, I did not want to look at another for a year.
However, now, I just do 10, and they are done - I feel a sense of accomplishment and am not quite burned out.
Then I paint something else. For bigger models its less (termies bout 5, crisis suits about 2-3 maybe, or a single commander, for broadsides I did two at once...it was rough....my next two will be one at a time).

I know these sound like small things, but they work (I have painted about 12,000 of models in the last two years).

Another thing that helps (as mentioned above) is getting together with friends to paint.
We commonly have "painting days". Where several of the guys get together to hang out and paint. They bring a squad, or a vehicle (what ever is their current "do do" item) the paints they need for just that thing, and we hang out and paint.

we might have music, or a background movie on, but its way to hang out and encourage each other to paint.

Not really to the point, but in terms of going insane painting, I found primers that are fairly close to the major color of the models I am paints (fairly easy as they are Black legion or Whatever Huron's warband is called). That way I'm not obsessing over thoroughly covering every inch of the model behind a (backpack or between shoulders etc). So far it has helped. Getting an airbrush to base coat might also help. That way all you need is some small touches to finish up the infantry, and even on some of the bigger models.

I find for repetitive models, devising a good speed painting technique helps. I'm finishing off the first third of 120 night goblins, and am using army painter dip to achieve satisfactory results in minimal time. I'm probably only spending about 45 minutes on each model, but doing batches of 20.

Skaven infantry would work well with dip too.

I hear you on hating infantry painting too, I reward myself by painting something not crappy in between batches of infantry, so like I only have to paint 3 more firewarriors then I can paint a crisis suit next, this worked to get me through those tiny armour edging lines on my dark eldar at least.

I'll usually have three or four very different projects going at any given time (CSM, Menoth, and Necrons atm), so when I sit down to paint, I can grab whatever style is fitting my mood.

And I'll throw a Banter Batrep on for background. But that helps everything.

I stopped using standard brushing techniques and went to airbrush for batch painting. Brush painting dozens of models gets so monotonous. I only use brushes for cleanup and fine detail work now. I use my airbrush for everything else. Got a squad of 5 GK Purifiers and 5 BT Neophytes done in, like, 2 hours.

Need some suitably inspirational background noise. For example- Pacific Rim music/film

I like to mix a little modelling into it too. I find a break from painting in general is a great way to re-motivate myself.

I'll paint 10 orks or 5 bigger guys, maybe a vehicle.

Then il break out the bits box and coble something together for purely pleasure Perhaps paint it funky style just to break out of the current orks paint scheme.

I'd also recommend trying a new painting technique. Yeh it will take you more time and more effort/concentration, buts a break from what ever paint routine you have going on.

Hmm....I usually put a film which has the same theme as the thing I am trying to paint/build etc or just put some music on. But I suppose the most important thing is, do it in small batches, I usually stick to the following:
3-5 infantry sized
2-3 mounted (divided into mount and rider), medium infantry (ogres etc)
1-2 large infantry/ monster (d.prince etc)
and anything bigger than that I paint on the sprue but I do it whilst I wait for layers/washes on other units to dry.

Alternatively, bribe/beg/abduct friends to help out. This can make it less dull and speed this up. However remember that if you promise to help them in future, add terms and conditions or you will end up helping do a 3000pt skaven slave army in a week.....I've seen things man....so....many...slave thing things

I've found having a game to prepare for to be my best motivator. Can't remember the last time I sat down to paint properly, though now that I have a game on Sunday I find myself painting a 1000 point force in less than a week. We'll see how that goes!

Also moving my paint station in to the living room so I can still talk to my wife has helped a lot.

Something that I have found from experience is to paint an army that fits your painting style or habits, as well as your playing style. What I mean by that is if you like painting individual miniatures and want space to give each model character and uniqueness, collect something like Grey Knights, Imperial Guard Tank Company, Tau (the all battlesuit army for example, I think it's a supplement) or Ogres where you have low numbers of models which allows you to focus on the one-at-a-time process and also gives you a better feel of accomplishment, as your army will only have 20-25 models in it. Having a tight colour scheme for your army helps as well. Another tool you can use for motivation is (if you have the space) have your army assembled and laid out, and pick models from there to paint and put them back when you are done. Allows you to see your progress, and if you want to change you can swap for something else and you are still working on your army.

Personally I put on an audiobook or music as listening material. If I put on something on DVD or the TV I tend to lose focus and start staring at the TV, forgetting that my perfectly mixed wash on my palette is drying out (along with the brush!).

Music motivates me.Heavy metal inspires chaos or Dark Eldar subjects .Alternative music conjures visions of Eldar .Classical and marching music inspires Imperials visions.Orks however are inspired by watching the Three Stooges.

eldar 1 wrote:
Music motivates me.Heavy metal inspires chaos or Dark Eldar subjects .Alternative music conjures visions of Eldar .Classical and marching music inspires Imperials visions.Orks however are inspired by watching the Three Stooges.

I laughed. Have an Exalt.

Don't buy new minis until you paint whatever you have unpainted. I've found that is the only thing that works for me. Too many unpainted minis just gives you that overwhelming feeling of never getting them finished and that tends to eat away your motivation.

Other than that, play the game and enjoy your painted models, it tends to motivate me to see a newly painted squad in action. Also you could house rule to forbid unpainted models, but that might make it even more of a burden, depends on your situation.

Try to allocate time for painting beforehand, like decide that you'll paint for at least an hour before turning on your PS4 or whatever. Just try to think of painting as a pastime and a way to relax. Also try to keep it varied, painting 20 tactical marines in a row can get tedious, so try to break the pattern by painting something else in between (vehicles, HQs, hell why not even minis from another army).

Just my 0.02€.

The Eye of Night,This is the time of year for jovial exchanges .Throw seriousness out the window and laugh .Merry Xmas to you and all your kin.

Choose and act. Give you self the chance to paint for 1 minute and enjoy what happens next

T