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Hello, i have exams soon but i really want to pait up some models. I was going to finish all my work. Then that leaves me with maybe 2/3 hours free time. Which i may use every other day to paint.

Now, i'm no painter myself. All previous efforts have been horrible. But i want to give it another ago, leaving the models with a good effort of a paint job on it. How long does it take to paint models?

So lets say a normal space marine, an hour? A terminator, 90 minutes? A tank, perhaps 2 hours?

ugh really depends on how you want it to look

I mean, honestly if you don't have a lot of time and want to get them done quickly, you could prime, basecoat, maybe do an additional colour to help it pop, wash it and call it done. Some people do that for horde armies in batches of like 5 to 10 or so. You could probably do most of that in an hour I'd suspect especially once you get going.

Otherwise you could break up your project and do it in stages, so you get the nice minis you desire, but might take longer to get to the end stage. Meaning, one paint session, prime and maybe start on basecoating 5 units. Next, once its all dry, finish basecoating, do the first wash. Stop let it dry. Next session, apply first highlight etc - rinse and repeat.

Anyway, hope this is somewhat helpful anyway. I find I spend roughly an average of 4 hours per mini, typically, and a lot longer for vehicles, characters. But there are no doubt faster painters out there (like paradigm!)

It certainly depends to what standard its being painted to. As a beginner, you should allot time to practice, not necessarily accomplish a model's completion. Speed comes from proficiency, so practice the basics and your time will be well spent.

There is no definitive answer here. The types of model, how much practice you have and thus how efficiently you paint, the techniques you're employing all factor in.

However, 2-3 hours every couple of days will be plenty to get a force up and running. If you're willing to sit down and 'assembly line' batch paint (repeating the same step on a series of models before going on to the next step, eg all the armour, then armour highlights, then metals, then guns, then eyes ect on a handful of models at a time) you could easily have the makings of a 40k army done in a month or so if you just keep at it. The trick to that is not getting bogged down and bored, so make sure when you're doing batch painting to have something to 'distract' you as you're painting. A TV show you know well so you don't need to actively watch, music, podcasts, whatever works for you.

Alternatively, you can paint a model at a time, and 2-3 hours is still ample time to get good results. Look into washes and drybrushing, many dismiss these as beginner techniques but even at a high level they can be very useful once you get good at them. Using mainly those two methods, you can get through basic models pretty damn fast even doing them one by one. These Skitarii and Crimson Fists took no more than 45 minutes a model, using mostly washes, drybrushes and a hairdryer on hand to speed the process up.


Up that time to 90 minutes a model, take a bit more time on the details and you can get stuff like this with largely the same techniques:


Obviously, those results won't come straight away, there's years of practice and literally hundreds of models in the learning process to reach that point, but fast, effective paintjobs are most certainly achievable if you apply yourself. If, when you're starting out, you're taking longer to get nice minis, or have to do one over multiple sittings, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, the result is more important than the time you spend on it, so all I really have to say is just go for it! See what you can do, commit to learning and above all, enjoy yourself!

 Paradigm wrote:
There is no definitive answer here. The types of model, how much practice you have and thus how efficiently you paint, the techniques you're employing all factor in.

However, 2-3 hours every couple of days will be plenty to get a force up and running. If you're willing to sit down and 'assembly line' batch paint (repeating the same step on a series of models before going on to the next step, eg all the armour, then armour highlights, then metals, then guns, then eyes ect on a handful of models at a time) you could easily have the makings of a 40k army done in a month or so if you just keep at it. The trick to that is not getting bogged down and bored, so make sure when you're doing batch painting to have something to 'distract' you as you're painting. A TV show you know well so you don't need to actively watch, music, podcasts, whatever works for you.

Alternatively, you can paint a model at a time, and 2-3 hours is still ample time to get good results. Look into washes and drybrushing, many dismiss these as beginner techniques but even at a high level they can be very useful once you get good at them. Using mainly those two methods, you can get through basic models pretty damn fast even doing them one by one. These Skitarii and Crimson Fists took no more than 45 minutes a model, using mostly washes, drybrushes and a hairdryer on hand to speed the process up.

Spoiler:

Up that time to 90 minutes a model, take a bit more time on the details and you can get stuff like this with largely the same techniques:

Spoiler:

Obviously, those results won't come straight away, there's years of practice and literally hundreds of models in the learning process to reach that point, but fast, effective paintjobs are most certainly achievable if you apply yourself. If, when you're starting out, you're taking longer to get nice minis, or have to do one over multiple sittings, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, the result is more important than the time you spend on it, so all I really have to say is just go for it! See what you can do, commit to learning and above all, enjoy yourself!

Ooh, they do look good. But i don't think i am capable of producing something of that quality, perhaps half haha. Thanks for your reply, i'll give it a go!

Depends on the model.

My speed painted stuff is usually in the realm of 25-40 minutes including assembly. The stuff in this gallery is all speed painted.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-59981-44149_Speedpaint.html

This sort of dude I spent a bit more time on, but the scheme is pretty simply, I think it was about 2 or 3 hours.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-59981-47462_Space%20Hulk.html

This guy isn't painted much better than the Stealer, but the model has a lot more detail so it probably took me in the realm of 4-5 hours.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/725301-zael_wip_3.html?m=2

I don't spend as much time on my Space Wolves, this guy is probably about 3 hours to do.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/719703-.html?m=2

Batch painting doesn't speed me up at all. It just makes the "chunks" more manageable, but the time saving is negligible. It's most of benefit when I'm using techniques that involve a longer drying time.

i spend around 8-10 hours on single dude, but thats because i'm aiming for show standard perfection. it depends what you want. my opinion is that you paint til YOU are finished, not what other people say you should do

Unless you need the models in some timeframe, dont worry about timing. Enjoy the process. I took a month painting a squad of vanguard veteran, a few hours a night. Slowly enjoying the process. As long as you're happy with the end results. More hours normally = a more polished model

Bluedorian wrote:
Unless you need the models in some timeframe, dont worry about timing. Enjoy the process. I took a month painting a squad of vanguard veteran, a few hours a night. Slowly enjoying the process. As long as you're happy with the end results. More hours normally = a more polished model

I disagree entirely! I think it's really smart to know how long it takes you to paint a model and by extension how long it's going to take you to paint a whole army. It stops you doing silly things like starting a new army when you won't have time to get anywhere with it.

The reason I know how long it takes me to paint my models is because if I embark on a project without a realistic idea of the effort that will be involved, I'll often end up quitting before I see the end of it.

I think it's worth even going a step further and timing how long it takes you to do specific tasks, it helps you prioritise by figuring out what takes you the most time, where you might be able to take shortcuts and so on.

If you aren't concerned about actually painting a force to play games with and just want a model here or there to put on the display shelf, then it's a slightly different matter and I agree with you that time isn't that important. If it takes you a day or a week or a month or a year to paint a model, it doesn't matter if it's just a one off display piece. But in the context of a whole army, waaaaay too many people start the hobby then quit 10% of the way in because they had no consideration of the time it would take.

Depends on the model, how enthusiastic you feel painting it, how you're going to paint it, how well you want to paint it, what you are using to paint it and how skilled you are at the techniques you're going to use to paint it.

I agree with the others it's a good thing to have a time frame in mind, but not to treat it as a deadline and of course to never stop trying new things and practicing because in the end that'll get you the results you want and over time you'll get quicker at it too. But by knowing how long it takes you to paint to a certain level you can plan ahead, if you make everything the same level of quality they'll likely take the same amount of time for similar sized models, things like characters are often done to a higher level or have a lot more detail put onto them so will often enough will take you more time to complete than other models in your army.

Timing also helps you if you want to paint a squad as a production line as you have an idea how to set it up to get it going so by the time you're done with one stage you're ready to start with the next or know when to take a break from it all too, Likewise at times it'll help you realise things about your army, say you want a horde army but want to paint them to a decent level and only want to play with painted stuff; realising how long it could take could tell you that either your first game is months off or that you may have to compromise and play with it as you paint and field some unpainted things for a while.

 bobjim12 wrote:
How long does it take to paint models?

The correct answer is "as long as it takes". If you're doing a quick base + wash + drybrush method with a simple paint scheme and assembly line painting several models at a time you can get your average down below an hour per model with decent quality. If you're painting to contest standards you might spend weeks on a single 28mm infantry model. Personally I take about 1-2 hours for an infantry model (not counting idle time waiting for paint to dry or removing mold lines/fixing warped parts/etc), and easily 20+ hours over a month or two (long drying times!) for vehicle models. And I know I'm not painting at the same level of skill or time investment as some people.

I have an issue with painting a Rhino tank that I have. I am painting most of the tank Mithril Silver, but most of it is quite streaky and inconsistent, all this means is I just have to go over the parts that aren't so silver right? Is it bad to just keep slapping paint on top over and over again till its right?

No that's fine. Generally the advice is that two (or more) thin coats are better than one thick coat. If you keep 'slapping it on' straight out of the pot though you may end up masking some of the detail of the model though, so watch out for that...

If you have a local GW near you, take a visit and tell the staff you are starting to get in to painting and ask them if they can show you how to paint a space marine in 15 minutes.

The finish won't be perfect, but hopefully it will give you an idea of what can be accomplished quickly, and in what areas you might want to spend a little more time/detail.

It takes me a long, long time... But I only get 60-90 mins a session. So, a week to do a single miniature.

 bobjim12 wrote:
I have an issue with painting a Rhino tank that I have. I am painting most of the tank Mithril Silver, but most of it is quite streaky and inconsistent, all this means is I just have to go over the parts that aren't so silver right? Is it bad to just keep slapping paint on top over and over again till its right?

It depends what you mean by streaky and inconsistent. If the paint is thick and rough, and the streakiness has texture to it, going over it again and again won't help, it'll just make it look more chunky.

If it's streaky simply because it's too thin, that's fine. Multiple thin layers is the way to go, that way the streakiness of one layer is hidden by the next until you get a smooth coat.

You can also try using a different colour underneath the mithril which can reduce the streakiness of the appearance.

I would echo "as long as it takes" or my limiting factor "as long as your patience will allow".

How well you filed and prepared the model will have some impact.

Assembled or in component parts for painting.

The level you intend to be "good enough" display / competition piece or "tabletop standard".

Number of washes you intend on applying.

How fancy a base you are making for the model (if it has one).

Your own skill level.

The only thing I can say with certainty is you will get more done faster with practice.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

nareik wrote:
You can also try using a different colour underneath the mithril which can reduce the streakiness of the appearance.

This is key!
I found applying a close match non-metallic colour first then the metallic give a much more even look.
I treat metallics as semi-transparent so you either block-paint prior or apply many layers to even it out.

I'm pretty slow.

45 minutes:



~2 hrs (ea)



6-8 hrs.



Sometimes I end up spending way more hours (20+)

I'll echo what everyone has already said. It comes down to what you are happy with. If want models that are painted and good enough for the table top, then you can batch paint a bunch to a decent standard in no time. Prime models, do the base coats, wash, a little dry bushing and you're done. This method is very effective for painting horde armies like Orks or Nids. If you want to go that extra mile to have stunning showcase quality stuff be prepared to spend lots of extra time per model, and learn lots of different techniques.

I will also say that painting is like exercising a muscle. Once you find a preferred method of painting and color scheme, you'll pick up speed out of habit since you are so used to the steps.

I didn't know how to paint 6 yrs ago when I started playing. I tried and looking back at my first army it looks pretty basic, but it was quick, easy, and got a massive force on the table in a month. Most of the teqniques I learned were from YouTube, and painting tutorials here on the forums. The most important thing for beginning painters is don't get discouraged. If you mess up, throw the model in a bucket of simple green, scrub it, rinse it, once it's dry, try again.

I've gotten a Space Marine done with adequate quality down to 6 hours. I used to take 8+.

 bobjim12 wrote:
Hello, i have exams soon but i really want to pait up some models. I was going to finish all my work. Then that leaves me with maybe 2/3 hours free time. Which i may use every other day to paint.

Now, i'm no painter myself. All previous efforts have been horrible. But i want to give it another ago, leaving the models with a good effort of a paint job on it. How long does it take to paint models?

So lets say a normal space marine, an hour? A terminator, 90 minutes? A tank, perhaps 2 hours?

Depends what you paint for.

I paint as a release, so it could take me 100 hours to paint one model, and it doesn't matter. I am interested to know how quickly I could paint if I was trying to speed paint something, so I will have to test and see how long it takes.

It also depends on your style, do you use washes? Multiple washes? Each one of those has a 40 minute drying time (give or take depending on your environment) so you're looking at a minimum of 90 minutes there. Are you batch painting? Do you use an airbrush? Will you use an oil wash at the end? Transfers? Assembly? Quality level? Battle damage?

Slow, but I bastch paint so speed is deceptive. Ages to paint various parts on mass but when assembled, alot faster when you have 5 marines built up in one go.m