Lockdown Hobby: Recovering your Mojo: Modelling
Welcome back to the Lockdown Hobby Series! This instalment is going to be all about what I see as the primary 'pillar' of the Hobby. Building and painting models.
As routines get disrupted, staying motivated, and building and painting models can become challenging. Thankfully, I have put together a few of my top tips to help keep your productivity on track! All of the suggestions I'll be sharing have worked for myself (and many others I'm sure) on many occasions.
Tip 1 - Mix It Up: Paint Different Models.
There is little better than a fully painted army. The sight of a finished force on the tabletop is fulfilling and definitely hard to beat. Sometimes though, painting unit after unit can feel tiresome. If you find yourself feeling this way, mid army completion, don't be afraid to mix it up!
Most of us have, let's say, a 'substantial' backlog of minis - coined as a 'pile of shame' among many Hobbyists. However, no matter the size of your pile, having one offers great opportunities when it comes to mixing it up. Chances are you have something else already readily available to paint. So if you're feeling lacklustre with your current project, why not mix it up and paint something new? They say a change is as good as a rest, so put that into practice. After all, it doesn't matter what you're painting at any given moment, it all counts!
I started this lockdown period with a plan to get an entire Ultramarine Army finished. An ambitious one, I know. Especially since I've never been much of an army painter. Nevertheless, mixing it up and painting another miniature from my pile, kept me motivated.
OK, it was a bit ambitous.
Two weeks into the plan, I had managed to paint a handful of models. But it was still progress made. I moved onto some Ultramarine Scouts, as the camo cloaks promised something a bit different from suit after suit of power armour, and then after a squad or two of those, I switched to a different kind of miniature entirely.
Macragge's finest could wait for another day.
Remember, progress is progress be it a handful of models, or a platoon.
Miniatures of choice? Star Wars.
I decided to mix it up and paint Imperial Assault models from my existing pile. The great thing about painting a miniature based on a franchise like Star Wars is that colour schemes are a walk in the park. A quick Google search to find movie-accurate pictures and I was off. Imperial Assault is quite an old game now and can be tricky to get hold of, so if you're looking to paint Star Wars miniatures, Star Wars: Legion is a great alternative.
Thanks to my productivity, Skywalker and R2 are greatly outnumbered. Use the Force Luke!
Since putting this top tip into practice, I can honestly say, my productivity has doubled (at the very least) - I ploughed through Stormtroopers, Weeqay Pirates, Luke Skywalker (with a cheeky bit of OSL*) and R2D2 amongst others. So, if you start to feel obliged to paint a model, move onto something else. Choose a model with different colours, choose a different faction or even a model from a different manufacturer. The Hobby is meant to be fun. Keep it that way!
Tip 2 - Geeks, Assemble: Your Models!
If you really can't bring yourself to pick up a paintbrush, no matter, that's OKAY too. You're not alone. The good news is you can still be productive, and I'm sure you have plenty of models waiting to be built, right?
One of the great things about assembling a miniature is that it's easy to do while doing something else. Check out the Genestealer Cult Goliath just below. Although I would advocate that you pay full attention while you are holding a Hobby Knife. Gluing and assembling a model is certainly something that you can achieve, without giving it too much attention.
Stuck together while watching Star Trek Deep Space Nine, maybe I should call it Defiant…
Turning the TV on or putting a Movie you've seen before on in the background, while you are painting or assembling is a great start, and can help you stay motivated for longer. You can still give your miniatures the attention they deserve, allowing your brain to be elsewhere by glancing up at the TV intermittently. I've binged watched a fair few Netflix series while on epic painting and building sessions.
It is not just the TV that you can use as a minor distraction. Listening to music, an audiobook or a podcast is also a great way to entertain yourself and keep your ears open. I myself find that my favourite tunes make a great backdrop to a painting session.
Tip 3 - Watch and Learn.
If there's a physical reason why you can't pick up a miniature or kit, maybe you have broken your arm, well, you can always be productive by immersing yourself in some research.
The internet is a fantastic place to gain inspiration for your cause. Both Pinterest and Instagram are great platforms for motivation as is a dedicated website such as Cool Mini or Not or Putty and Paint. By simply searching the name of a mini in your backlog, you can see how others have painted it. You can also use the internet to search for inspiration as to what to paint next. We are always sharing pictures from the community on our Instagram, not only to help spark ideas for others but to celebrate and showcase the fantastic achievements of fellow gamers.
If you aren't much of a researcher, then you can explore YouTube and Twitch - they're also handy platforms for motivation. There are plenty of YouTube channels (I’ve listed a few favourites below) that you can watch to brush up on your techniques. And, on Twitch, you can watch videos and live shows by professionals from around the world, sharing best practice advice and tips on how to tackle your next project.
Be sure to also check out the Wayland Games painting and building blog articles - it’s full of tips, tricks and techniques you can use on your models too.
Recommended Model Painting Channels:
Vince Venturella (Hobby Cheating video series) - Venturella has done LOADS of videos on all sorts of different techniques, with a sedate and professional delivery. You are sure to learn a lot from these videos.
Darren Latham Miniature Painting - Sadly Darren isn’t making any more videos but if you want to learn from one of the very best this channel is a great option, full of masterclass tutorials.
Duncan Rhodes Painting Academy - There are not many that haven't heard of Duncan Rhodes. Formerly the face of Warhammer TV Painting tutorials (another great source of tips and tricks), you can now watch Duncan on his very own channel dedicated to providing a range of tutorial and technique videos.
These are just a few of the MANY Youtube painting channels out there - get searching!
Hopefully, some of these top tips will help you recover your Hobby mojo, get you motivated and boost your productivity. Be sure to let us know how you get on via our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Keep an eye out for the next article where I'll be looking at the second pillar: Gaming.
*Object Source Lighting for those not in the know.
