Getting past fear of failure?

Scherdy

Scherdy

New member
I keep staring at this pile of metal of plastic I have and have had the hardest time getting started!

Do you guys have any things you do to get motivated or inspired to actually put brush to model when you find yourself reading/researching about your projects more than actually working on them? \"I\'ll watch a few more tutorials, read another article, find the perfect brush...\"

I know to improve I have to be willing to make a mess of my blending, shading and highlighting and having it turn out gawdawful before it looks great but I\'ve never had such a tough time beginning like I have lately.

I blame most of you for setting the bar so high ;)

So what should I do? Turn on the movie Rudy while I work? Get out the brushes and turn on the Rocky training theme music?

I guess you can apply this to pretty much everything in life (dating, career, anything new), but for me right now it\'s really got me petrified to paint! I really want to paint, but I\'ll procrastinate it until it\'s time to go to bed and think....I\'ll really get after it tomorrow!

What have you done when you seem to be stuck in neutral and just not getting closer to your goal?

Just suck it up and go make some mistakes eh?
 
M

matty1001

New member
Set up a timer with an alarm to go off after 10/15mins and begin painting.

If when the alarm goes off you aren\'t enjoying it stop, and if you are...keep going.

(99% of the time I tend to keep going)

Peace and love...
 
BarstoolProphet

BarstoolProphet

New member
There\'s only one place to start in any painting venture, and it can be a hard one to over-come.

Thus, some time back, I provided this helpful video to help people along.

Here it is, again, to help you get started.

 
Scherdy

Scherdy

New member
That is glorious! It\'s sad how simple it can be I suppose :)

You should make a whole series of them for different applications and market them to the correct audience as motivational videos.

Although, I bet you had to edit out the part where you took that brush and started clubbing the desk in front of you with it while making ape noises. :D
 
J

JojoTheFlamingMonkey

New member
I think part of your problem is that you\'re afraid of failure. Don\'t be. There is no such thing as failure in this hobby, or life for that matter, except for the expectations you place on yourself. You eventually want to paint something to rival the best that\'s seen on this site? I have news for you: You\'re going to turn out some awful shite before that happens. Take a look at the top list of painters. Impressive work, no? I can guarantee that every single painter on that list at some point was equal to or worse than you in terms of abilities. Everyone has to pay their dues, one way or another.

In terms of practical advice, one thing I would advise is to put that massive pile of miniatures in a box and look at it as seldom as you have to. Pull out a few miniatures that you actually want to paint and have an inclination to paint sometime in the near future. I find this a lot more productive than 50 figures sitting on my desk.

An exercise I like to often try is to paint something quickly and to a standard far lesser than my best knowing full well that I\'m giving it less than my all. I find it helps keep my perfectionism at bay for a few weeks.

As a dyed in the wool perfectionist, I really feel your pain. If you\'re anything like me, it will be a constant struggle.
 
Aliengod3

Aliengod3

New member
I only way I get myself to paint to si not think about. I just have to sit down, grab my brush, grab my model and start doing some work. The more I think the less I paint so I try not to think.
 
K

Kalidane

New member
I spent 1/2 the weekend collecting all my boxes and blisters and minis into larger boxes and stowed them in a wardrobe and garage.

As soon as I buy the plywood to make a portable paintstation and bang it together I\'ll grab a single mini and commence work.

The worst that could happen is the house is tidy and a car now lives outdoors... the upside is less opportunity to prevaricate and the chance to paint near the fire.
 
B

Beelzebrush

New member
Originally posted by Scherdy

Do you guys have any things you do to get motivated or inspired to actually put brush to model when you find yourself reading/researching about your projects more than actually working on them? \"I\'ll watch a few more tutorials, read another article, find the perfect brush...\"
Click to expand...


I\'d say that that this is the root of your problem. Whilst it\'s useful to read about techniques and absorb how-to-do\'s and research other peoples work... it\'s also a good way of getting really bogged down and confused... and most likely unmotivated to go-for-it. The best thing to do is to work around the techniques you\'ve seen and make your own way with it rather than following it verbatim. You need to find your own technique over and above anything else. Just use the other stuff for reference and don\'t rely on it utterly.
 
alextheartist

alextheartist

New member
Sometimes it gets me down, especially if I am painting for something, like a competition.. But then i rmember that people like Scott Radom are worse than me and that makes it all right lol

Seriously though, just pick up the brush and paint something fun that you enjoy, dont worry about what it looks like at the end, you can always strip it and start again..
 
tooshy

tooshy

New member
I so know how you feel. I regularly get \'bogged\' down with the same thoughts and feelings.

I have a stupid amount of lead (and now resin) and I get caught up in the fact that I don\'t want to do any crappy paintjobs \'cos \"I love them all and they are too nice to experiment on\". But then again, if I think about buying some so-so minis, I will then lack the motivation to paint them :no: Therein lies the problem.

I hate the idea of creating a mini that is less than perfect (my interpretation of what perfect is) and so........I end up painting none :rolleyes:

I guess you need to just get on with it - which is what I am told (and tell myself) each time..... Do! or Do not! :D
 
G

generulpoleaxe

New member
Originally posted by Aliengod3
I know this sounds cheesy but...

You only fail at painting when you do not paint.
Click to expand...

you can\'t fail if you don\'t even attempt something!
failure is just just the road to mastery, without failure you cannot succeed as you do not learn from mistakes made.
 
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