Hi all,

This is an opened thread as we may all have our own way managing that.

Question is, when painting for long in time (days, weeks monthes ... not paint session time), how do you procede to keep motivated ?
Is painting same strips, repetidly for days and weeks OK for you ? (up to which limit)
Alterning different troops strip to get a fresh air bowl ?
Wanting to see a finished result soon (with few strips each time) or sustaining effort up to dedicating to a full pack repetitive painting for days or weeks with no diversion ?

My context is I can paint only few times a week, sessions are about 1 or 2 hours each, so painting large volume of strips on the same scheme is sometimes lowering motivation as finished result is long to be appreciated. I believe the maximum I may sustain is painting about ~14 strips of the same unit without changing scheme. In example, I did that for some napoleonic prussians, starting past week end, with basing to be completed by this sunday I believe.
I also tried preparing and managing in parallel different smaller number of strips but I feel sometimes that in fact I will not switch to those I prepared but rather I will go for other ones. Therefore I have strips, under-coated and ready to paint, sometimes started, but I'm not motivated anymore to move on those ones.

So, as an opened thread, what is your context (hours your may dedicate), and how do you manage motivation from "the loneliness of the  long distance painter" standpoint ?
 

Cheers,

Philemon.

I paint my 6mm figures about 4 units at a time. Each unit is attached to a tongue depressor/lollipop/ popsickle stick Painting sessions tend to be about an hour in length, during which I listen to a podcast, some music, or a Radio programme. Once the batch is finished then I paint something a little different. It may be Cavalry if I have just finished Infantry, or buildings or ( heaven forbid!!), figures that are not 6mm in scale.

Variety, plus keeping it interesting and entertaining are the key I think.

Hello Philemon!

Since you have already established your limit of 14 I would work with that.

First set up your painting into manageable groups. Infantry two battalions (12 strips), cavalry probably two regiments (6 strips), artillery two batteries with limbers if you use them, four if you don't. Once you have organized your figures into these groups only put the first three (one of each if possible) on your painting table. Put the others away out of sight. 

Now start to paint whichever of the three groups you like. Next time choose to continue with the same group or start one of the other two. This gives you the option to paint any group you want when you sit down. When one group is finished bring out a new group. So you always have three groups on the go. 

At first it goes slow but once you get going you end up finishing a group almost every week which gives you great satisfaction and always gives you lots of options whenever you sit down to paint. If you have room you can also add another group or two to mix it up even further. It also stills you gives you the option to paint some groups start to finish if you want.

It gives me the feeling that I'm in control and can paint whatever I want whenever I want and I'm not a slave trying to paint this massive project in one go.

Best regards,

Glenn  

Thanks for sharing.
Regarding context I forget to mention something important.
Do you have a dedicated place/room on which anything is in place ?
I believe that helps as well.
On my side, we have very few space, and also my wife and I, hate chaos.
That means up to 15minutes to prepare a clean and safe painting space with all paints, tools, and minis ready for painting session. Same to be done in reverse order as session ends (except on week ends).

On your side, do you have a dedicated or fast to set up place for painting sessions ? I believe having such is helping as well in terms of motivation as when you want to go for painting it's matter of just sitting on a chair... ? I believe yes, as sometimes I don't even start a session because of that half+ hour borring time is wasting part of the pleasure you would have in painting, especially after a hard day. What do you think and what is your experience on those matters ?

I totally join you about context when painting. I also paint with music or podcasts. It helps me to concentrate and feel good as painting.

So far, I guess a set of best practices would be :

1. be focus on small /identified objectives units and eventually go from one to antoher in parallel
2. feel good as painting with "bubble" ambiance (ie. podcast, music, ...)
3. Try to rationalize your set-up/close-up time of your painting sessions (?).

What do you think about it ?

This week, I primed some french old guard ( FR grenadiers + FR elite hussards (perfect for chasseurs de la garde or ADCs)). In fact i prepared two full packs. I will try painting them in parallel such as one 6 strips of Grenadiers, 2 strips of cavalry at a time, just to see.

 

Yes, I have a dedicated space that is permantly set up like a workstation that is never closed. To start I just sit down and paint and listen/watch Utube. When I'm finished everything is left where it is. So I just clean my brushes and go. 

I have also had the problem of painting in comunal living areas (in my case a coffee table). I've solved in in the following way. I obtained several modular shelving units (in this case 600 by 300) and built a storage unit for them.

Each shelf contains all the tools/paints etc for that project. A painting/modeling session starts by taking the shelf to the location where you wish to work. When finished just pick it up and put it away.

The other plus with this is that when the mojo is waning for a project, I can just pick up another. Currently on the shelving I have 6mm Napoleonics, 6mm moderns (for modern spearhead), 6mm 15th centry (H&R based for DBX), a 3mm repacement project for my 6mm WW2/modern armies and 28mm steampunk skirmish.

Space and light are certainly the key to stay motivated. Hopefully 6mm baccus are very quick to paint. ?I really prefer to paint the same kind of unit at the same time as it's more efficient. The best for me it's between 150 and 200 figurs at the same time. I need less than 10 hours for 200 figurines.   Unfortunately for now I do not have enough stock so I must mixt the figurines but I try to paint the same colors for all. 

Since September I was able to paint more than 2300 figurines. I have tried various sizes from 20mm to 6mm but for me the best is 6mm. Since October I only painted Napoleonic to be able to refight one great battle; Eylau, on the same time I work on the battelfield  with February as target it's a great motivation.  My only concern is supply .....

Background music and tea help. I can do larger or smaller numbers depending on how fiddly the bits being painted are before I get bored. I also find that doing large areas of ~"easy" bits like sheild backgrounds I can do a lot of individuals as it takes less focus and the results appear fairly fast, while fiddoing about with horse harness or sword baldricks is a real faff.

Hi,
@rbatch - I did that ta a time, meaning having dedicated boxes / shelves so that setting up a sessions was rationalized. My issue is that I do some other stuff than 6 to 28 mm wargaming miniatures (collection and zinnfiguren - oil and/or acrylic - plastic modeling (1/700 navy or 1/75 planes mostly), wood modeling (ships), painting (oil or water color),...). Then, issue is that you cannot dedicate a box to a section (too much shared material). Probably I would need to rationalize as I have to make choices to what is priority #1. Something I probably lost focusing on in the past years...
@onyrevient - Wow....
I love what seems to be french dragoons at front rank of your second picture.
Also, I would dream to be able to let such stuff in place. Packing it up at end of session is an issue.
I believe it's one key in loss of motivation, because seing your pictures, how bad could have been the day, as soon you see them waiting for you... then you go.
Regarding your Eylau project, and all the underlying work it ilmplies, another "Wow !" (if I may).
Which grand-tactical rules are you planning to use ?

Long ago I had a blog, I stopped contributing to it as lacking time, as kids were growing up, and space (and time) were proportionnaly more and more constrained.

Perhaps will I wake it up after 8+ years.

Thanks for sharing.

Philemon/Bruno.
 

thank philemon, not dragoons but Cuirassier. I will play my own rules based on Polemos_Napoleonic, Grande armée and la Garde. 

Like you, no time for a blog, I would like but not. Unfortunately forum disappear and there is only facebook now, another disaster ...