Switch Theme:

Batches or Individuals?  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


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.




Made in us
Terrifying Wraith






So after starting some work on my Grey Knights. I got to thinking do othee hobbyist paint their units as a whole unit moving one step at a time on each model. Or do they go through all steps and complete one model before moving in to the next.

I have found I keep better attention painting each model individually and also have less paint issues with drying etc.

What do you guys do!?

 
   
Made in se
Pulsating Possessed Space Marine of Slaanesh




I only paint one model at the time now.
Batch painting is really soul-draining for me.

For me its important to have the ending in sight. For example for a table top miniature i can set a limit on maybe 2-3 hours each.

When batch painting i feel like there is no know end in sight and the figures can stand in the shelf for weeks half painted.

And i also get very distracted with new shiny figures sometimes and then it feels nicer to not have anything half painted to worry about.

But there are some people who prefer batch painting.

But i think similar to you.
   
Made in us
Psychic Novitiate selected by a Gatherer





Wisco

On bigger groups, such as Tyranid, batch painting is the way to go. On more elite armies, you can give individual treatment to everyone. Like with my Grey Knights I give each the character level of detail because I won't be painting for the rest of my life if I do.

- ripjaw

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/27 01:47:39


My Armies
T9A Dwarves - 5-6K
T9A Ogres - 5-6K
T9A WoDG - 4K
A lot of Orks (WAAAGH! Ripjaw)
A lot of khorne marines and daemons (The Prophets of The Red River)
around 2500 points of Grey Knights (The 3rd Brotherhood "The Heralds of the Emperor Resplendent") 
   
Made in us
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain






A Protoss colony world

I batch paint, but I'm a slow painter and tend to paint in fits and starts. LIke I'll do several steps on some guys in a day, then they'll sit for over a week without being touched. It's still more efficient to paint batches, at least for small things like infantry. Vehicles I do one at a time.

My armies (re-counted and updated on 11/1/23, including modeled wargear options):
Dark Angels: ~15000 Astra Militarum: ~1200 | Adeptus Custodes: ~1900 | Imperial Knights: ~2000 | Sisters of Battle: ~3500 | Leagues of Votann: ~1200 | Tyranids: ~2600 | Stormcast Eternals: ~5000
Check out my P&M Blogs: ZergSmasher's P&M Blog | Imperial Knights blog | Board Games blog | Total models painted in 2023: 40 | Total models painted in 2024: 7 | Current main painting project: Dark Angels
 Mr_Rose wrote:
Who doesn’t love crazy mutant squawk-puppies? Eh? Nobody, that’s who.
 
   
Made in ca
Trustworthy Shas'vre




DFW area Texas - Rarely

It depends upon the complexity of the model.

Basic infantry - 10 models (guardsmen, necron warriors)
More detailed infantry - 5 models (marines)
Bikes - 3 models
Bulky models - 1 or 2 (dreds or crisissuits)
vehicles - 1 or 2 (land speeders are in batches of 2, anything bigger is solo)

HQ choices with minor details - 1 or 2 (ethereal, tyranid)
Complex hq - 1 model (chapter master, necron lord with gear).

I find more models than above, and I get burned out.

Also, I have two things going at once - so I if I am in a productive mood, I can work on one while another is dry.

For example, I am working on 8 tau drones, and 3 marine bikes right now.

DavePak
"Remember, in life, the only thing you absolutely control is your own attitude - do not squander that power."
Fully Painted armies:
TAU: 10k Nids: 9600 Marines: 4000 Crons: 7600
Actor, Gamer, Comic, Corporate Nerd
 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

Small batches. I generally work 2-4 guys across the bench at any one time. To many it crushes my will to live, but more then one means I can actually cut down the Pile of Shame.

   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut






Batch paint guardsmen. Vehicles and characters get individual attention.

 
   
Made in gb
Leader of the Sept







Small batches as noted above. Maybe not even a whole squad at a time. I think it may even save paint, especially with any small volume personal mixes being used. Easier to mix up for a few models at 's time rather than just one.

Please excuse any spelling errors. I use a tablet frequently and software keyboards are a pain!

Terranwing - w3;d1;l1
51st Dunedinw2;d0;l0
Cadre Coronal Afterglow w1;d0;l0 
   
Made in ca
Junior Officer with Laspistol





London, Ontario

Personally, I paint for production. I paint a whole squad of goons [Lasgunner, Bolter Marine, that sort of thing] and then I'll paint a big mini, then a single / few important models, then start over.

With Warmachine, for example, I'd paint a squad of Riflemen, then a Warjack [Dreadnought], then a Character, and start over again. Paint a squad of Sentinels, another Jack, then a Character. Then a Warjack, cause I was out of Infantry, and then a couple of unit attachments [characters x 4].

Next project is a Jack, then a couple characters, then Another Jack... then some infantry, Jack, Character, Infantry, Jack, Character... and that should get me where I want to be with 2 options for 75 pt armies [standard size game].
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





I do a series of ten small batches. Usually the first batch is getting basecoats, the last batch is getting details, and the other eight are somewhere in between.

And I tend to vary what's in the batches do they don't get tedious. Painting 60 spearmen in 15 consecutive batches of 4 is a pain. Alternating in a character, a monster, or a couple cavalry breaks up the monotony, while still allowing production-line speed.

(Relatively speaking, anyway. My painting ranges somewhere between slow and glacial...)

CHAOS! PANIC! DISORDER!
My job here is done. 
   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot






I try to start with large(ish) batches, generally 5-10 of basic infantry like Ork Biyz or Guardsmen. But then I have this weird issue where, as models get about 50% complete, I look at a model and see the end in sight; I abandon the other 4-9 and finish the individual guy. Once this phenomenon happens the first time, it generally recurs with increasing frequency.

Revel in the glory of the site's greatest thread or be edetid and baned!
 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Every trip to the FLGS is a rollercoaster of lust and shame.

DQ:90S++G+M+B++I+Pw40k13#+D+A++/sWD331R++T(S)DM+ 
   
Made in au
Grizzled Space Wolves Great Wolf





Depends on the model, I try and paint models in batches large enough that I can get a finished product within a few painting sessions, so usually 2 or 3 at most, sometimes 1 at a time.

Some of my models, however, rely on heavily on washes, I tend to do those in big batches simply because there's a lot of drying time involved so painting them 1 at a time would be silly.
   
Made in gb
Sneaky Kommando






Personally I paint elites HQs heavy support and vehicles one at a time, but troops get batch painted don't be sentimental about the ,prime, block, and wash stage mistakes are easily covered up at this point, then take your time with the mid, glaze, highlight stage, the seal is straight forward enough, takes me roughly 30 hours to paint 11 ork boys above the table top standard.

 
   
Made in no
Mutilatin' Mad Dok





Norway, Tønsberg

I batch paint. Finished assembling 40 hormagaunts yeaterday. I'm planning on assembling my entire swarm box, start collecting box and my trygon before I start painting. I'm gonna prime everything, basecoat everything and then do one step at a time on all the smaller models. The trygon, warriors and hive tyrant will get special treatment.
   
Made in no
Guard Heavy Weapon Crewman




Rogaland, Norway

Batches here, but a mix between medium and small batches.

Medium batches for priming and base (up to 10 minis)

Small batches for detailing (2-3 minis)

All depends on what time I have. Usually only have an hour or two in the evenings when my daughter is off to bed.
Uneasy sleep usually means single minis at a time...

OJJ

Courage is not the lack of fear but the ability to face it."
Lt. John B. Putnam Jr. (1921-1944) 
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut



UK

Depends on several factors, but the main one for me is scale: I take ages to paint anything so 28mm and above tend to get painted individually, but that's Ok as I'm in no rush to get them on a gaming table. 25mm and below it goes up, but it depends on the figures and their complexity. I mean, it's easier for me to batch paint ten 15mm dwarves or skeletons than it is for me to paint the same number of say, Napoleonic French Old Guard.

Time is also a factor. I just don't have it anymore.
   
Made in us
Powerful Phoenix Lord





Depends on what I'm painting.

Dungeon crawl figures, I'll do maybe 3-4 per night (same thing with Old West, etc.). If I'm painting 40K and using sprays (say, Space Marines) I can do 5-10 at a time, though I don't love it.

   
Made in us
Nurgle Predator Driver with an Infestation





Eugene, Oregon

Really depends on what I'm painting. Generally batch paint units of 5 or more in the past but as of late I find batch painting to be pretty soul draining. I've always liked painting characters more than infantry too so I find painting one or two models tops at a time to satisfy me most. It allows me to give a high level of detail to each model and not get burnt out on painting entire squads, plus while one layer is drying on one mode, in working on the other. I just tried to batch paint a unit of burgle terminators and it was so heart wrenching that I gave up halfway through and just painted up a daemon prince instead. I will eventually finish them in sure but with the new box set coming in a few weeks, I probably won't get to them for a while as I'll have a bunch of new shiny's to paint up with their exquisite details and will probably put all other projects on hold. That is, if I can find work and/or scrounge up enough dough to buy a box or split one with someone who doesnt want the death Guard stuff or the rule book.

Also if I had an airbrush, I'm sure painting infantry would be a lot less of a hassle/time consuming.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/06/01 07:18:40


Blistered Be.
40k: : 6500
2000(GK allies -Sons of Opet)
3000 Sons of Malice( played as primaris Salamanders)

AoS: 5500 
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





Nottingham

I batch paint, and will often do 2-4 units simultaneously. Normally I'll do the base colours, shades and highlights together (often with the airbrush). After that I'll focus on a single unit until completion, then go on to the next one. I don't think I could do a unit one at a time, starting again after each one would cripple my motivation.

Have a look at my P&M blog - currently working on Sons of Horus

Have a look at my 3d Printed Mierce Miniatures

Previous projects
30k Iron Warriors (11k+)
Full first company Crimson Fists
Zone Mortalis (unfinished)
Classic high elf bloodbowl team 
   
Made in gb
Agile Revenant Titan






 KommissarKiln wrote:
I try to start with large(ish) batches, generally 5-10 of basic infantry like Ork Biyz or Guardsmen. But then I have this weird issue where, as models get about 50% complete, I look at a model and see the end in sight; I abandon the other 4-9 and finish the individual guy. Once this phenomenon happens the first time, it generally recurs with increasing frequency.


This is how batches go with me.

I've actually moved to painting more INQ28 style warbands, and painting each model individually has been a real breath of fresh air compared to grinding out the same scheme repeatedly. Definitely a more fun way to paint for me

Check out may pan-Eldar projects http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/702683.page

Also my Rogue Trader-esque spaceport factions http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/709686.page

Oh, and I've come up with a semi-expanded Shadow War idea and need some feedback! https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/726439.page

Lastly I contribute to a blog too! http://objectivesecured.blogspot.co.uk/ Check it out! It's not just me  
   
Made in fi
Locked in the Tower of Amareo





I have so big pile of unpainted models I need to paint fast if I want them done one day So batch painting. Currently working on about 30 sons of horus models. Vehicles I usually do on 2-3 batch but mostly cause I never have more than that same vehicles.

2024 painted/bought: 109/109 
   
Made in us
Terrifying Wraith






Yea I just finished paying up a Justicar. Then realized I jave to paint 4 psycannon marines so I'm going to try and batch paint those 4 see how it goes. Not sure I have the fortitude to push through that but I'm going to try.

 
   
 
Forum Index » Painting & Modeling
Go to: