Many of us struggle to stay motivated when we are working through a painting project. When there’s a whole army to paint, things can get a little monotonous and boring, which can make it hard to actually finish. You can get awesome games on the table, you just need to put in the work.
Do the Hard Part First
I’ve found in most projects, there’s that one unit that you really don’t want to do, whether that be a large infantry unit, an imposing cavalry squadron, or the elite unit that you really really want to look good. If you keep putting painting these figures until you’re already well into the project, it will be harder to convince yourself to muster up the courage to paint them. That’s why I try to tackle those scary or difficult parts toward the beginning of the project, while the creative juices are still going strong.
Break it Up
A very easy way to get overwhelmed is to try to take a huge project on all at once. I like to break up each army and paint them seperately if I’m doing both sides. Then I break it up further into sections of the army, i.e. if it is a musket era army, do the right flank first and so on.
Even within those small group I divide it up in to groups of figures that I want to paint together in an assembly line fashion. For me, these groups are usually a unit in whatever game I’m playing. Now all you have to worry about it how you’re going to paint the next unit, versus being overwhelmed by the entire army. Check out my article on my 6mm World War 2 armies, which I broke up that way https://brushesbayonets.com/6mm-world-war-2-army-showcase/
Paint at your Level
This one might sound a little lazy, but it can be helpful. If your focus is always trying technical, new painting techniques, then progress is going to be very slow. You will paint at a much faster rate if you paint with methods you’re comfortable with. This is not to say you shouldn’t take the time to improve your painting skills, it will just slow your progress. Here is an example of when I painted slowly to focus on end result versus fast progress https://brushesbayonets.com/spanish-succession-french-painting-guide/
Set a Deadline
This one is a little controversial, but it’s something that has always worked for me. It keeps me accountable when I’ve told people I’m gonna run a game on specific date or at an upcoming convention. I realize it could be stressful to many, but it helps me keep a good pace. I would recommend giving yourself plenty of time, because life will inevitably get in the way.
Get Excited About the Game
I like to get excited about my project, and I do that by researching the history or lore of the project I’m working on. A great book or movie gets me really inspired to get things rolling on the painting bench.
Conclusion
These are some of the many ways you can stay motivated to paint and keep the process enjoyable. I hope this can be helpful to some of you who are stuck with a pile of unpainted minis taunting you.
Thanks for reading, let me know your feedback as it means the world to me. Stay tuned, we’ve got more quality, entertaining wargaming content coming your way. Please tell EVERYONE you know about the blog.
Make sure to stay informed with email notifications when there is a new blog post by filling out this form.
or consider supporting the blog at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=48406313
Until next time- Joshua, The Napoleon of the West
