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Hey guys and gals, I did a quick search and couldnt find a thread where we all share what gets us motivated.

Hopefully with enough contribution, this can be a place where those that can't find the motivation to paint or sculpt or whatever else can come and try someone else's method to give them that drive again.

So post up whatever makes you tick...or paint, or pin!

Since I cant start this and expect others to contribute if I dont here is my "technique":

Step 1) Read fluff/lore on what it is I wish to paint.
Step 2) *If step one doesnt do it for me* Watch an intense movie/.TV show. It does not necessarily need to be brutal, but bonus points if it is.
Step 3) *while painting* Metal music. This (for me) must be brual. The more the better...you know, blood for the Blood God and all that ...No TV or movies, it tends to be distracting for me.


Looking forward to seeing what everybody else does, and possibly trying it in the future!

--James

Generally, I find my hobbying comes into two categories: what I want to do, and what I have to do.

For the former, the project is generally enough. I know where I'm going with it, I can see the process and the end result in my head, and that keeps me going until what's in my mind and what's the desk match (or are at least close). Recent examples include this and this, both of which went from concept to completion in a day of hobby frenzy.

The other type is things like line painting a hundred Guardsmen in a weekend, at which point all I do is stick on some good music or a boxed set of old sitcoms (Dad's Army, Red Dwarf, Only Fools are the best as I know them so well), grit my teeth and get it done. There is an inherent satisfaction that comes with progress, be it on a mini, a squad or an army.

Looking at pictures of miniatures on CMON or entire armies on all kinds of sites will usually make me work on projects.

My buddies asking to come over and work on stuff (I have an excellent hobby space that can accommodate several people) will present opportunities for me to do things I didn't plan on. Usually I get a lot done these nights because we hang out for the entire evening.

Reading Black Library novels gets me pumped to work on my models/armies.

Generally reading various things on Dakka and viewing the accompanying pictures (mostly in the P&M area) generally makes me feel bad about not doing anything, that I finally get my ass off the computer and go paint some stuff.

my motivation is to rub it in peoples faces :p. When I first joined this site I was insulted and belittled with my painting/sculpting skills and had like 50 posts removed for going against the grain. So now I post knowing I will get 1 or 2 responses from people with less then 500 posts saying it is good and if it is bad the people will come to insult if it is good they move on :p.

So post if you get no responses your doing good man

Guilt mostly. Guilt in that I probably don't update my P&M blog on here as much as I'd like to.
That's not to say that I'm not motivated naturally to do it, my efforts will only show when I finally get around to making updates or deciding to finally finish off the last things on a model because I don't want to let people down who discover it and wait for the finished product.

I really enjoy the hobby, just finding enough time on some days to do a little bit here and there can be frustrating, so having enough time and a vision in my mind of the finished product is my motivation.

The pride of being one of only 2 people in my area that always plays with a fully painted army.

League points.

relaxation and stress relief. nothing better for me than sitting down, firing up netflix and painting for a couple of hours after work.

Generally speaking PBR does it for me. I made my wazdakka ten sheets to he wind...lol

For me it's having a couple of really big projects (my custom steel legion army, infinity table, & blood bowl pitch) & multiple small side projects (various necromunda/gorkamorka gangs & Malifaux crews) that enable me to break up the monotony & keep me from getting bored/burnt out. Then I go back & forth in chunks for each project with specific goals in mind for the big ones & just whatever happens for the side projects.

Its simply reading people's blogs that works for me. There is inspiration flowing out of the most humble blogs

Dozens of tiny grey people staring at me and the poster on my wall that says "I may be insane, but at least I'm not a puddle!"

Guilt, and the idea waiting to be finished.

Speaking of, I got some LoER terrain to do still...

I love to model over painting (although my painting skills are improving ao this is starting to change.

But usually as mentioned before my motivation falls into 2 needs; What I WANT to be modelling and what I NEED to finish and these are two entirely different motivators

What I want to model:
This usually involves no other motivation other than the mad frenzy I get into when I have an idea and I want to do it.

What I need to model and paint:
Painting seems to automatically fall into the 'need' catagory for me as modelling is just da best!
Im either motivated by the guilt and self hatred of leaving most of my models either 90% done or just unpainted in general. At first I had just wanted an army to play with, so I got to the modelling, but now as ive started to play games I have no excuse to make more units without finishing up the others.

Then the other motivation is telling myself I can model a new unit once I complete an unfinished unit, this is pretty motivating.

Other motivators include; adding a little music, setting aside a day and interspersing a little TV or other things to break the monotomy up.

I like listening to podcasts and watching TV shows. However, I feel daft/like I'm wasting time sitting there just doing that (this is particularly the case for podcasts). So every time I pop on an episode of something I get my paints out.

It does help if I have a particularly good/fun idea to be working on.

The only time I really struggle to motivate myself to paint is if the model is boring. So my DIY take on Death Company gets painted a lot quicker than a tactical marine.

I'm like sockwithaticket above, I like to listen to podcasts or just watch a tv show while painting.

Looking at other people's work, other people's comments, and really cool model all keep me motivated as well.

I think for me my motivation for painting comes from the satisfaction of seeing the finished product. So all the hours I put in to my models and seeing them on the table, its just really satisfying to see

My other motivation is my display cabinet, if my models arein my display cabinet and aren't painted then it makes me push to finish them so I have a real nice display of my models

There is also the usual, reading blogs, finding pictures on google of amazing conversions and awesome painted armies !

What usually motivates me is the desire to get a new unit on the board to play (my gaming club requires models be painted to play..."better than basecoat" is the rule). Something new to try out in a game. Or another unit of what I already have ready.

I am doing Tyranids now, and I love the models, and that's what's keeping me going now. But whenever the gas runs out in the "I love these models" tank, I'm mostly motivated by getting a new unit table-ready for the fun it adds to the game.

I like to keep it fresh.

That means painting bits of different armies, ie not doing 50 guardsmen at a time. I'll alternate between 10-20 guardsmen/ork boyz, a one off model like a character, a vehicle, and an elite squad of 5 or so. That being said, it's important to make good notes as to your "recipe" if you want consistency. I'll mix it up by throwing in a modeling project or basing minis.

As far as the act of painting, I try to paint daily, whether it be for a half an hour or 3. I have a dedicated "hobby table" right next to my computer. I'll throw on a battle report, and listen to it while I paint next to the monitor. If something particularly interesting is happening, I'll look up. It also gives me an excuse to "rest" my eyes from focusing on such a short distance. It also gets me excited to play!

The need to pay bills keeps me motivated.

For me playing games is the best motivator... After we've gamed and I look over my grey plastic I always feel a strong desire to get painting.

Haha its so much fun to read all your posts. I agree with almost every thing above!

It's sometimes guild feeling on keeping promises to others. But mostly its because I just really love doing it... Painting, modeling, building and playing. Its a great outlet for all my creativity. All though I must confess that it has been a while since I painted miniatures or played my last game. I'm so buzzy with building the fenrisean battle boards it is taking up so much of my time I seem to forget about my older projects.

Also the beauty of the hobby is that you can leave it for a time and come back when you've found the motivation (or time) again. Its not like kids, family, friends or pets you have to take care of.

Also what gets me motivated is reading and viewing blogs and threads from others or receiving c&c from others. It can really boast morale to press on and do just some what more than I would normally do. But also waking up in the middle of the night with a vision on how to do things even better is so extreemly motivating.

And during the translike state I'm in when I hobby I like to listen to all sorts of music; from Bach (clasic) to Headhunters (Hardstyle) or from El ninīo (metal) to Armin van buren (trance). Even early medival scores or ambient music will pass by. But no tv or shows because the are to distracting.

The thing that is holding me back right now is not having my hobby room. I'm currrently building 2 extra rooms (where the biggest will be my Mancave/hobby/game room) and a walk-in-closet what used to be an empty attic. And when done (probably early jan) I'll be able to leave my work as is, having every thing at hand, and not having to worry my girlfriend getting fed-up with all the "junk" (read precious tools and materials) taking up space on all tables in our house. (I too think its getting a little out of hand ) Can't wait to finish working on that so I can spend all my spare time on my hobby!

I don't need much of a motivator, since I can never wait to have free time to work on my next miniature When I sit on the patio with my wife, I bring a couple of miniatures and clean off flash and mould lines hahaha.

New releases help (ooooooo I MUST HAVE THAT), and seeing myself improve also is a big thing for me.

Three things:

1: Reading up about the army, thinking about how I will replicate rank markings or unit symbols

2: The tournament is when?! I'd better get cracking!

3: Winning 3 best painted army awards out of the last 5 tournaments I've entered makes me want to beat my last standard and up my game.*

* yes yes, a "humblebrag" but false modesty is no modesty