Is there a secret?

[Perbius]

Hello CMOM!

So I know that most if not all of the collective "us" in this world-spanning miniature painting community have families and jobs where we schedule painting here and there when time permits due to our full and busy lives. So the question for me is how the hell can I paint faster without losing quality...and maybe improve if possible.

The thing is, I look at all the WIP's from folks like AndyG and 10ball and Canny and so many many others with busy busy lives and I'm in total friggen AWE at how they can blast out one amazing mini after another all on scratch built plinths in what seems like just a couple days...of course I'm totally exaggerating but I guess what I'm saying is that I paint super slow it seems and need some pointers about how to paint more quickly.

I was reading Wapell's blog and it appears as if he can bust out an entire squad to a high standard in like 18 seconds...but he described this mysterious "shaded basecoat" technique that accelerates his painting. Are there any secrets to painting more quickly? A secret "system" I'm not aware of??

What typically happens with me is that I get started on a mini, spend a few days prepping and sanding and filling and filing etc, and then start painting, and after about a couple of weeks, I'm literally tired of painting it. I invariably rush to finish with the quality of the work diminishing over time. I try to have another model or two in the back burner just to deal with the burn-out.

Sorry for this long winded question but looking for nuggets of wisdom.

 

[gohkm]

One of the tricks accessible with an airbrush is something called pre-shading. This creates a model where the basecoat and shadows are ready for highlighting. Simply prime the model either zenithal or black, then with an airbrush, apply a *thin* basecoat by spraying across the model in a zig-zag fashion.

This allows the paint to collect on raised surfaces while leaving the shadows dark. Think of it as drybrushing with an airbrush. The paint must be thin. Too thick a coat and you'll ruin the prep.

This done, just go to town by reclaiming midtones and highlights.

 

[Zab]

I have Wappels vids and have tried his techniques. Its hard to learn (harder for those with experience as you have to let go and try things that aren't in your wheelhouse or let go of techniques you are used to) but can give you nice results for table top. here is a marine i did in 90 min using James' SBT: http://www.coolminiornot.com/366379 Contrast is key to any 28mm technique. Powders, wet blending, 2BB and such are all great things to learn that can speed painting up, but speed comes with practice and trail and error. Also my WWWD vignette was done in under 5 hours using James' and other techniques. the scuplts can help or hinder too. hope that helps!

 

[Perbius]

Thanks Gohkm: Definitely started doing the AB zenithal pre-highlighting last summer and it really really helps with visualizing shading and highlighting indeed...and in that regard, has left me less lost and sitting there pondering where shades and hightlights should go.

And thanks Zab: 90 mins start to finish!? Sheesh...it takes 90 minutes for me to do the first thin base coat But i agree with you...I really do like Wappel's work, but I think the SBT is tailored to busting out high table standard batches of mini's. I've looked at some of his GD and CB winning mini's and I kinda find it hard to believe that he uses SBT on competition level mini's...just my theory, I'm probably wrong about that. And No kidding about the sculpts...I feel like killing myself after prepping "finecast", so much so that I loose all excitement painting it.

About things that seem to help speed things up for me:
- I used to be totally concerned about ratios and additives. After much trial and error and practice practice practice, I find that properly loading the brush with the right consistency paint for whatever application (whether a glaze, a base, or a wash) simply comes with, we all know it...PRACTICE.
- A big-ass wet palette has helped me...I tend to make a mess of things.
- And a biggie for me is visualizing the outcome in my mind beforehand. Being lost wondering about what color paint or the location of a highlight especially with NMM seems to bog me down more times that I'd like.

All the comments and suggestions are welcome and very appreciated.

 

[Zab]

Keep in mind that the SBT is something you can refine as much you like so i doubt his competition pieces get done in one sitting. He's also been painting for decades longer than just the minis he does now. His firm foundation in classic painting styles really gives him a perspective many mini painters lack

 

[Dragonsreach]

Perbius, I've been painting off and on since the 70's and there is only one thing I've learned is the taking huge amounts of time over preparation and painting isn't conducive to relaxation.
Be relaxed about your approach and don't obsess, if possible.

Firstly this is not a race, but equally it's not a Herculean task. So let's consider a mini from scratch straight out the pack, first question you should ask yourself how good it the cast, does it need holes filling, are their huge amounts of flash to remove?
If the answer to both is No, look at the moulding lines are they huge? If not then 10-20 minutes should be all you need to ease them away with careful use of a scalpel or 800 grit paper.
Now if the model needs pinning together then hand drilling can be a pain ( sometimes literally!) so a Dremel or equivalent will become your best friend for the task.
The other above have recommended some options for priming so I won't repeat, but the basic initial painting, the parts that I use to set a mini up, which is the face and flesh usually take me about one to two hours dependant on how much is on show. Now that is because I've developed a formulaic skin tone which works for me (ok I do have options for variations).

One thing we've not asked is what's your preferred genre of figure?, GW, Historicals ,large scale Anime?
Give us a an idea and we may be able to make better suggestions.

 

[ten ball]

I paint slow also, 1 hour decent painting is worth 4 hours rushing and slapping it on. As DR says relax and enjoy the process.
After years of painting I can sense my mood now and know when its 'base time' or 'prep time' or 'detailed blending' etc don't force it.

 

[SkelettetS]

agree, although im a slow painter myself.... there's really no rush needed if youre not painting for a living or need to finish that army until a tornament next month. just relax and enjoy/despair

 

[Perbius]

Hahaha Skellette...despair at times indeed...redoing a helmet 10x not my idea of fun.

Thanks for the suggestions DG and10ball! To answer your question, I started mini-painting last year after I learned to play 40k. So for a few months it's been mostly GW minis...I'm a Tau player and our figures don't move me to paint much if at all. I usually find myself painting one of my buddy's GW minis.

Discovering CMON has totally opened my eyes to what's out there. Im mostly attracted to 28mm fantasy minis and currently have a batch of models that I suppose I'll eventually get too at some point in my lifetime...a lot of Kingdom Death and Mierce stuff. I'm so new to this that I seem to come across new sculpts from studios I've never even heard of every week and find myself wanting to get my hands on yet another model I want to paint.

And indeed, at times painting can be both a relaxing and nearly meditative experience for me...it brings me a lot of satisfaction when I complete a project, or learn something new, or improve on a skill.

 

[AndyG]

Hi perbius.

The enu of painting an ok mini to completion is something we've all felt; ways around it are getting a mini that is wow!! I realy want to paint that! Also getting a mini that isn't to busy with loads and loads of fiddly tiny detail. This makes for something your going to finish and also something that isn't going to be too technically difficult to paint so you can relax enjoy and learn and improve technique upon. Also good quality minis need almost no prep time I tend to stay away from fine cast if I can possibly avoid it because they're sh*te!

Also setting out what you need rather than having a total tip (cough....dragonsreach.....cough) always helps speed things up.
NMM is very much helped by good reference material so having old copies of eavy metal master class or having stored some favourites say by yellow one or Anna or sprocket so you can see we're the high litre and shadows go and basically copy them really really helps. Also get some pics stored of the internet from medieval armour also is a great reference.

but most of all it's just practice practice practice. A good thing to do is produce a WIP on here and then you will get feed back and encouragement. Also if you can go to painting lessons it is a huge help you will find them advertised on here were one of the great mini painters will do a weekends tuition for say 10+ people they are immensely useful.

good luck!

 

[ten ball]

Hi perbius.
..... favourites say by yellow one or Anna or sprocket so you can see we're the high litre ..... 10 ball or AndyG or SkelettetS

 

[AndyG]

Sorry I meant to say highlites but damn auto spell check rubbish interveened!

 

[Dragonsreach]

Also setting out what you need rather than having a total tip (cough....dragonsreach.....cough) always helps speed things up.

My Painting desk is not a Tip! I know where everything is.
(It's in there somewhere)

My desk might seem untidy but my mind is not!

 

[moetle]

My Painting desk is not a Tip! I know where everything is.
(It's in there somewhere)

My desk might seem untidy but my mind is not!

My lady says I keep things in a mess. I call it organized chaos.

To the OP, don't let these guys fool you, they have fairies locked away in their basements, and I hear that tenball guy is a wizard or something.

 

[Webmonkey]

yes there's a secret!!!,... first, you have to sacrifice a goat to the paint gods,.. then you have to face east, while standing on one leg, and simultaniously clucking like a chicken. After which, you get someone to teach you the secret handshake,.. and the next thing you know,.. you're in the free-mason's temple, being taught by members of the illuminati,.... er,.. wait,.. I'm not supposed to be talking about this. Nevermind,... there is no secret group,.. NONE I TELL YOU!!! *looks over shoulder suspiciously*

 

[Zab]

yes there's a secret!!!,... first, you have to sacrifice a goat to the paint gods,.. then you have to face east, while standing on one leg, and simultaniously clucking like a chicken. After which, you get someone to teach you the secret handshake,.. and the next thing you know,.. you're in the free-mason's temple, being taught by members of the illuminati,.... er,.. wait,.. I'm not supposed to be talking about this. Nevermind,... there is no secret group,.. NONE I TELL YOU!!! *looks over shoulder suspiciously*

What?! Is that all? Milosh and AndyG had me convinced that you have to paint naked and wear a big cowboy hat. Damn it. I feel like such a fool. All those awkward looks form my local painting group

 

[Dragonsreach]

My Painting desk is not a Tip! I know where everything is.
(It's in there somewhere)

My desk might seem untidy but my mind is not!

My lady says I keep things in a mess. I call it organized chaos.

To the OP, don't let these guys fool you, they have fairies locked away in their basements, and I hear that tenball guy is a wizard or something.

No. The Real Secret is that I have a Minion Me..........

 

[AndyG]

LMAO!! Cool pic it really is you DR!

 

[BloodFather of Kharnath]

Of all the comments, 10Ball's seems to resonate the most with me. Do not speed through, know how you are feeling before you start slapping the paint. Take your time, but at the same time do not shelf a mini because you're too afraid to proceed. Try new things, worse case scenario strip the section you messed up on and paint again.

But then again, you're talking to the slowest of the slow here. I think I average one mini every 3 months...

 

[Perbius]

This thread has gotten hilarious fast. Clearly Bloodfather, you and I neither have fairies locked away in our basements to do all our mini prepping and point with little fingers where to put NMM highlights, nor are we a part of a secret society of nude cowboy hat wearing painters who spill the blood of innocents into each paint pot as the ultimate glaze medium.

But I'm really taking the suggestions offered by AndyG and the others: the model has to be in good shape and not requiring hours of prep cuz that takes away from the actual joy of painting it...and that it must be at all times a fun and relaxing experience...or else why do it. And certainly, collect a little album of favorite works or reference material that brings inspiration and guidance to our own painting. I took everyone's suggestions and looked at WIP and blogs by Sprockets and skillettes and several others and I almost puked...there's some damn fine work in there.