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I am an employee that works remotely in front of a screen all day, games in front of a screen all day, etc. Surely painting #warhammer must be a healthy alternative so I can get away from screens more, right?

This is for the sake of physical not mental health, i.e. for the good of my eyes (and I suppose sleep quality) primarily.

Would you all say
painting 10% of the time and being in front of a screen 90%
is greater > than
Being in front of the screen 100% of the time?

The answer to this might sincerely get me painting again, so, I have to ask! Thoughts?

Do whatever makes you happy. In the end happiness is important for your mental health, if painting a few hours allows you to escape the endless office treadmill, go for it.
If painting feels like a chore and you enjoy video games, play video games.

The pandemic and working remotely made my try out solo board games, something I had never considered before.

Turns out it's pretty cool! (my recommendations are Aeon's End (!!!), Machina Arcana, Under Falling Skies, Mage Knight)

Don't know about 'surely,' but my eyes tend to focus differently on models than screens. (I suspect my blinking pattern is different as well- I tend to blink less when staring at a screen, which isn't great).

Now mind you, if you're painting with inadequate lighting, that can be poor for your eyes as well.

Really, going out and getting some natural light (and getting your eyes to focus on objects off in the distance) is probably better than doing either or both 100% of the time.

 Jidmah wrote:
Do whatever makes you happy. In the end happiness is important for your mental health, if painting a few hours allows you to escape the endless office treadmill, go for it.
If painting feels like a chore and you enjoy video games, play video games.

My bad I made this somewhat in haste; I just edited it to say the following:

"This is for the sake of physical not mental health, i.e. for the good of my eyes (and I suppose sleep quality) primarily."

Which is to say, my mental health right now is fine! I just thought I'd put the above ideas to the test a bit.

I don't think it is that much different. You still sit to do it. Now lifting or doing sports in general, that is really good and healthy. A good run in the morning early one, when no one is out, clears the heads like probably few other things.

But if it helps and works for you, then why not paint?

Voss wrote:
Don't know about 'surely,' but my eyes tend to focus differently on models than screens. (I suspect my blinking pattern is different as well- I tend to blink less when staring at a screen, which isn't great).

Now mind you, if you're painting with inadequate lighting, that can be poor for your eyes as well.

Really, going out and getting some natural light (and getting your eyes to focus on objects off in the distance) is probably better than doing either or both 100% of the time.

I'm actually thinking of getting one of these quite imminently to paint outside (and inside) with:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M14EZHF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_4XMHP32DBDMB5GM9326B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Ironic you should say so because it's kind of the main reason why I made this thread now as opposed to later.

It’s much more of a mindful/meditative pass time, so probably better for your mental health as it allows you to think about things passively versus being on high alert for being shot at or having a zombie jumping out at you.

 Horla wrote:
It’s much more of a mindful/meditative pass time, so probably better for your mental health as it allows you to think about things passively versus being on high alert for being shot at or having a zombie jumping out at you.

That's actually a fantastic point I should have included. I was so wound up thinking about physical health. I suppose though for someone who also tends to play WoW pretty casually, I didn't feel like I need it for that much, but still, it would be better for that too.

But I am still curious about the above questions in earlier posts!

Health-wise, probably not. You still strain your eyes and painting kinda forces a hunched position if you don't have a dedicated space.

It's good to get away from screens and do a crafty hobby.

Then again, reading works too.

I'd Still say go outside for a walk/run/cycle/swim or lift some weights or do a gym class. Getting the blood pumping is just as important for your mental.and physical health.

The main detrimental effects of "screens" is the focal length and lighting.

Your eye focal muscles don't get the exercise of varying focus length if you spend all day staring at a computer.
I don't think painting really improves this, although it tends to vary focal length a little more than a screen but not a lot.

Screen lighting is generally a problem because the high blue light interferes with your brains inbuilt sense of time. Sunlight is very blue so your brain still thinks it's daytime and it confuses it into not sleeping.
Painting isn't any better here either; I paint under a bright light that's meant to match the sun anyway.

It needs to be said that not spending 100% of your time in front of a screen is better than 100%??

As my mother used to say to us as kids after hours & hours of hearing Mario etc music/sound effects - "Go outside & run around a bit!"

Think the same applies now that we're adults.
So run about outside? Paint a mini? etc etc etc? Doesn't matter, get away from that screen!

Id say do whatever works for you.

But in essense you are subsititing one sitting activity with another sitting activity...

One could argue pros and cons of hobbying as a creative and stress relief medium but I dont think thats what you are pondering.

That said gettinh away from a screen can only be good for you. Also can paint standing up...

 Netsurfer733 wrote:

 Jidmah wrote:
Do whatever makes you happy. In the end happiness is important for your mental health, if painting a few hours allows you to escape the endless office treadmill, go for it.
If painting feels like a chore and you enjoy video games, play video games.

My bad I made this somewhat in haste; I just edited it to say the following:

"This is for the sake of physical not mental health, i.e. for the good of my eyes (and I suppose sleep quality) primarily."

Which is to say, my mental health right now is fine! I just thought I'd put the above ideas to the test a bit.

I understand, by mental health I didn't want to imply you're going insane by any stretch. I'm just in a similar position of doing all my work remote, my hobbies have moved to roll20 and TTS, I meet friends in online calls and my wife and I often play video games together. I've never, ever before in my life felt like I'm spending too much time on my PC, but recently I just get sick of sitting in my office room and have to get up and do something else. Painting annoys me to no end, so it didn't do the trick for me, however playing a video game that I can immerse myself into does, as it feels like "leaving the room".
Personally, I have ordered some of the orkenburg terrain pieces, gluing them together while listening to music is more relaxing than meditation to me. And when this pandemic is over, I will have a whole table full of ork terrain.

I think from a pure physical health point of view, you still get the blue light exposure if you use proper lighting when painting and at least my eyes tend to tire more quickly when painting than when looking at a decent screen in a room with good lighting. But everyone is different in that regard I guess.
I'm also definitely sure that sitting back in an office chair is more healthy than hunching over a miniature

Painting might be many things to many people, but unless you are able to paint outside in your garden or something I doubt "healthy" is one of them.

Depends on your body.

For me, i get more physical pain by sitting and painting, then sitting and staring at a screen.

Painting minis is probably better for mental health than playing video games (but that really depends on what your playing) but I'm unsure of any physical health benefits as your still being very sedimentary. Could also be slightly worse as you need to hold still more with painting where as you can be a bit more relaxed with your body posture when gaming.

The mental health side of things can also vary from person to person as painting. For me it was the case that painting could feel extremely tedious when the ADHD is being more pronounced while at other times painting could be a bit relaxing (usually depending on what the earlier part of my day was like).

Ehh, if it's physical health you're after, I'd say neither is good in large doses. Probably mini painting might be better *if you maintain good posture*. Trouble is many people really don't do that. You need to adjust your chair and desk and hold things at the correct height, and even then still take regular breaks to get up(you should be doing the same with video games).

I might even suggest a standing desk for painting if it's physical health you're after.

Nope. With painting, just like gaming, you need to look after yourself with your posture, setup, equipment, still take regular breaks, you're still dealing with eye strain, etc. Both hobbies need virtually identical accommodations & come with virtually identical pitfalls.

LOTS of advice about online screen time - take regular breaks, good posture, etc. If you're on all day, painting probably beats videogames, but going for a walk beats both.

Painting is creative and expressive in a way I haven’t seen computer games develop into. There’s a freedom that you don’t get within in the confines of a games code. It might not be art but it is artistic.

I am concerned however that the game is adopting some of the worst aspects of the gaming industry with regards to pay to play

mrFickle wrote:
Painting is creative and expressive in a way I haven’t seen computer games develop into. There’s a freedom that you don’t get within in the confines of a games code. It might not be art but it is artistic.

I guess you haven’t spent a few hours (or days…) in Minecraft, trying to create the likes of Castle Ravenloft.

 Stormonu wrote:

mrFickle wrote:
Painting is creative and expressive in a way I haven’t seen computer games develop into. There’s a freedom that you don’t get within in the confines of a games code. It might not be art but it is artistic.

I guess you haven’t spent a few hours (or days…) in Minecraft, trying to create the likes of Castle Ravenloft.

Nope I haven’t, you are quite right and you make a good point