How to stay focused...!

[prominentdementia]

Hey guys I\'m a new member I\'ve been lurking here for ages though (6 years),I\'ve noticed over the past few years, actually a lot longer than I thought somewhat like, 6 years since beginning my miniature crusade, I have yet to finish anything worthy. Mostly because I have been off and on painting, mainly off. And I have huge problems finishing what I start, lately I\'ve started painting an Alchemists of Dirz Neuromancer, Vicar of Dirz, random Space Marines, Razheem the Insane, and a CSM Terminator Champion. I just can\'t decide and I move from one thing to the next and I find it so difficult to finish one mini. I mean everytime I start painting I find something new which I never finish, I have Battle for Macragge, Battle for Skull Pass, I started a Rackham Goblin of No-dan-kar army, I\'ve almost finished collecting a nicely sized Alchemists of Dirz army, picked up random models from Reaper, GW, Rackham and PP. I\'ve finished about 13 miniatures out of hundreds sitting around. Anyone please help me out on ways to train myself to finish something, and I know this problem isn\'t just me.

 

[breadhead]

Welcome to the boards

I used to be exactly the same, especially when I was actually gaming 40k.

Do you actually game with your mini\'s?
If so then it might be worth entering into a tournament or something that requires a fully painted army to compete in. Set yourself a firm deadline to actually finish something by.

If you are just painting single figures try entering a contest somewhere. Again this should give you a firm deadline to finish by.

If that doesn\'t appeal then your going to have to create the deadlines for yourself! Say to yourself \"I want this model finished in a fortnight.\" and then do it. If you have some new models you are looking forward to buy, perhaps only allow yourself to buy them once you\'ve painted a certain amount of your existing figures?

The other thing is that (as with so much in life) Mini painting about forming habits. If you get in the habit of not painting and not finishing things you\'ll stay in it. So to train yourself out of it start small.
Try painting for 15 minutes a night. Can\'t be too hard to find 15 minutes, and then slowly build it up.
Don\'t move on to a new figure until you\'ve finished the old one, (unless it goes really pear shaped and needs to be stripped!).

I think I should try and take some of my own advice, i\'ve been doing this for many years (like you off and on, more off) and I have a pathetically small collection of finished mini\'s lol

 

[krom1415]

I\'m the same, haven\'t finished anything since April :no:
My advice get a mini your not worried about doing an average job on. Clear the table and force yourself to only paint that one to completion, it wont look great but will give you a boost to do better on the others.

Good luck, I\'m doing the above as we speak

 

[Killing With A Smile]

You need motives!!!

Im a 40k gamer and a WFB gamer and i lose all my inspiration if im not battling. BUT if i know i have a battle coming up it really inspires me to paint up my army. So maybe try and organise a battle in your local GW store perhaps or with a friend?

And do block painting, for example, your battle for macragge, spray all your marines and then do all the red parts of each model, then all the blue parts of each model etc, that way you can paint a squad of 10 marines in a few hours. They wont be the best painted, but painted nonetheless

 

[PlaneCrazy]

I\'m the same way, on again off again, and half painted models aplenty! I think that for me, since I don\'t game anymore I may start drawing the model. Then I can choose my paint scheme for the drawing and do it, and hopefully try to use it as inspiration for what the final product will be. I hope that gives ya some ideas! (If it makes sense even, its 3 AM right now lol)

 

[Beelzebrush]

Entering competitions is quite a good way to keep focused (unless your name\'s Lono lol)... having a deadline and having to choose a mini and plan it for a particular theme is generally a good way to inspire yourself and finish... seems to work for me anyway...

Also, I tend to only buy miniatures that I know I\'m going to paint... consequently, I (thankfully) don\'t have a mountain of unpainted lead everywhere :innocent:

 

[philologus]

Divide your minis into categories. It seems like you have some army projects going. So decide which models will be in the \"army\" category. These will get painted to a lower, more manageable style. The \"pursuit of perfection\" category should be reserved for those you really want to stand out as single figs. I also have in between categories for other minis. These categories should fit your moods. For instance, sometimes I just want the cathartic sensation of applying paint to a model. This is when I pick up army category stuff and go to town. Other times I\'m in the mood to be very detailed, so I grab perfection category stuff. Also what was said about devoting 15 minutes every day helps. It is very easy for the 15 minutes to turn into hours on its own. If you can just sit down for that quarter hour, magic will happen.

 

[krom1415]

I was certain I would paint all the mini\'s I bought Beelzebrush lol it just didnt work out that way.
I like the comp idea, yes that helps

 

[Crackpot]

First rule:
DON\'T start a new mini unless the last is finished!

Second rule:
Set yourself deadlines. Either set your own deadlines or take part in some (online?) competition.

Third rule:
Divide the mini in parts you can handle...
1. day the face and hands
2. day the hair and the shoes
3. day the clothes
4. day the armor platings
5. day the weapon and shield
6. day the base... FINISH!
AND you have one day of for this week! lol
(well just an example...)

Optional rule:
Only buy a new mini if you have finished painting the last mini...
This rule is optional, because I can\'t withstand this rule for myself...

 

[airhead]

Originally posted by Beelzebrush...I tend to only buy miniatures that I know I\'m going to paint... consequently, I (thankfully) don\'t have a mountain of unpainted lead everywhere :innocent:

FREAK. That is just not right. You do realize that as long as you have unpaited minis, you cannot die.

 

[prominentdementia]

! Thanks for all the tips guys, I myself am not a gamer I just paint and collect and don\'t know of any online competitions but I\'m going to organize and start something only to finish it. If you guys can send me in the direction for a competition I\'d be thankful. ^^ When I can find my camera I\'ll start a WIP thread.

 

[Baz]

It might sound a bit dumb but pack everything away.

Nothing puts me off finishing a mini than having it sitting around. I must just get bored of looking at it.

Another trick I use is having a WIP case. I only keep 25 minis in there at a time and it\'s a 1 out one in rule.

 

[demonherald]

Hi and Welcome...I was pointed in the direction of the Wyrd site... wyrd They do allsorts of themed comps..Iron painter is currently running but too late for that but the Rotten Harvest is accepting entries so have a look...

regards motivation I am firmly in the clean up put everything away and just keep 1 mini out camp... it\'s amazing what a difference it can make...Also posting on this site can spur you to get fiished especially in the WIP section where we will all pester you to finish.....

 

[TokenArtGuy]

I\'ve also been an on/off mostly off sort of painter too. My 40K buddy has recently gotten me inspired enough to paint again. One thing that I\'ve found helps a lot is to have all of your painting supplies and WIP models in an easily accessible place. Nothing turns me off more than difficult to reach painting supplies and a workspace without room to paint at. Having someone around to talk with, keep you on topic, and get inspired by also helps me a lot as it keeps my mind from wandering off into lala land.

I just started a WIP on an army project that I began working on two weeks ago in hopes that it will keep me motivated. Maybe that would help you stay focused as well.

Good luck!

 

[COG]

ok i have to toss in my 2 cents
i use media to get me motivated
i\'ll play dawn of war (40k game) if im painting 40k stuff or i\'ll watch lord of the rings for lotr characters and so on.
works well for gw stuff, but if im doing other minis fantasy stuff i try movies like legend or 3 musketteers and such. it wastes a couple hours but inspires me to paint more details for longer.
:beer:

 

[prominentdementia]

Thanks for the welcome guys and advice...now I really want to watch Robin Hood: Men in Tights... I\'ve almost finished a mini though because of what you guys have said lol, pictures will be up sometime tonight hopefully, and I can start a WIP.

 

[COG]

oi not sure i would like the mini thats being inspired my robin hood men in tights , but you get the idea.
oh and yeah congrats to the forum:beer:

 

[prominentdementia]

Heh not inspired, but I love that movie.

 

[Baz]

You could try having a movie on in the background. One you\'ve seen a lot or has little plot so it doesn\'t distract you much. Judge Dredd springs to mind.

 

[lizcam]

enter a contest. No. Really. Even if you don\'t win having to do something for the contest gets you motivated.

Also, post WIPs here. That keeps me going.

I also won\'t start a new contest unless I finish a mini just for the fun of it.

Also, have a fight with your spouse (or whoever) I\'ve found that really gets me going. I can sit and sulk and paint. Only drawback is if I\'m really mad I get sloppy. ;-)