Whose standard?
What's the objective?
Yes I admire masterful work, but I can't and don't aspire, however I like ro think I am always improving. I can list my other delusions later.
I recall when my son found my old 25 mm D&D models, that I'd purchased and used back in 1980. It began his interest in wargaming and renewed mine circa 1999.
Armed with my first attempts in acrylics, I took my Brettonian Knight into the local store to show it off and the store manager though it was quite a good effort for my 9 year old son. No I didn't correct him rather I slunk out of the store tail between my legs.
And yeah that coloured my opinion. Did I want to spend hours painting to Golden Daemon standards or did I want to roll dice and crush my enemies?
In effect what is the hobby to you, why are you painting up models?
What drew you into the hobby and what is still driving you today?
I Wargame; therefore I paint!, but also:
- I also make and paint scenery, because what I envisage isn't there. In addition initially I couldn't afford to buy the models and the scenery when I started out.
- I research, boy do I research, my wife often says you're not painting you're on the PC.
Well I need to know the right colour for the regiment as determined by historical record or SciFi fluff. What colours would the houses, trees, fields be etc etc.
- I research the order of battle.
- I also write rules and scenarios.
There is so much more to the hobby than painting a figure in fact it is probably of minor importance but it has come to dominate. You don't need an exquisitely painted model to play a Wargame a block of wood will do the same function, indeed a friend of mine had a very capable Warmaster Wood Elves army I often fought against that was just the bases with typed script on them, it beat my adequately painted army often. In fact because creating a new unit was so simple he could revise his army quickly and at minimal cost.
For me the joy of the hobby is a damn good game and as such I can make do with no scenery and incorrect models.
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| Escape the dice, concept board 2008, went to shows as Achtung Dice! a participation game 2009 |
The point is there was no real scenery, all models and scenery were proxy, rules were scribbled down and changed as the game played out.
We actually had a blast and the game went on to win awards at shows.
However it makes the point.
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| 2009 board design try out for Hands Up! a 2010 demo Rapid Fire game. |
2010
Here's another play test layout again with club members again great fun.
Models to hand and printed out map (stylised) of the area we were to build, with what models we had available to play.
Which brings me to magnifying glasses should you use them or not?
I used to think so, then realised if I can't see that detail without serious magnification, why am I even painting it? Yes I will use them to ensure the brush goes where I want it, but I've found a good quality 'BRIGHT' light is better, a day light bulb even more so. I get my best painting done in my conservatory in the afternoon when the sun is shining in.
Also check to see if you need glasses, seriously. Back in 2002 I realised I couldn't read the green print on the black background in my gaming magazine a stupid colour combo to be honest, but I got my eyes checked out and understood why my painting was off.
I use varifocals which do weird stuff when you are painting models as you have to look through the bottom of them (try looking along your nose to paint), in addition the focus is for reading distance. So and I recommend this more than a magnifier get a pair of painting glasses, tell the optician what you want them for show him your painting position, I pretend I'm painting a model, he can then build a lens that focuses where you paint. This is then normal 20:20 vision as designed by nature for your eyes, do use a magnifier for fine details if you feel you have to in order to place the brush, but as stated a bright light and good vision is all you need.
To summarise I like to play on a well planned table with gorgeous scenery that make you think tactically, with table top quality models, but am equally happy with a sketched out map and counters.
As I said I Wargame; therefore I paint, but it is at times an evil necessity.
Talking tables let's go back to that 2010 game as a finished project. Hands Up!
To blow my own trumpet I made the board using Chris Hall's design from the earlier picture
And the 2009 game Achtung Dice!, (the provisional name was Escape the Dice.)
Rules Mark and Tim Foulds, Tony Baker, Russ Sandy, Trev Crook, Denis Jackman and others too many to mention helped play test and do all the scenery and model paining.
Here's another play test layout again with club members again great fun.
Models to hand and printed out map (stylised) of the area we were to build, with what models we had available to play.
But to get back on track, I paint my models and scenery because I want to own it, feel it's mine. Even when I buy pre-loved models I'll touch up and re-base to make them my toys.
No they won't win awards but they are my 'preciouses'!
So how do I paint? Well enough, some people will comment on how well, maybe those people are very polite, but if I'm happy then who cares. I'd rather play than paint, but even I will spend ages on a model because I feel it deserves it and more importantly I want to.
What I paint on a model depends on scale and I've certainly learnt through painting 6 and 10 mm models that highlighting certain details, popping if you will is key to getting a good looking unit or model on the table and it differs for each model, unit or scale.
Oh and believe me a quality wash also hides a lot of errors and sins. So wash and go back to touch up a few lost colours to bring the 'pop' back and away you go.
Currently I'll undercoat mostly black or a dark brown (Horses) and on occasion the finished product might determine the undercoat. Bone=skeleton, Goblin(ish) green = Orcs and goblins and in all instance a dark wash gives you the black line detail and sometimes I will dry brush or blob touch up to pop .
After undercoating I'll then dry brush with a key colour or just a light grey. this allows me to see the model's detail, then I paint. For example if there is a lot of chain or plate mail I'll do that first over the whole model using Boltgun for 28mm and Mithril silver for smaller scales as smaller scales need brighter colours.
How you start, the order you go in depends on the model and to a degree your ability. I always end up touching up over-painted areas and the next time I'm painting that model or uniform I'll approach from the learned direction. In my opinion there is no right or wrong way, just 'your' way, the point is that your models are on table 'painted' sooner rather than later, you're having fun gaming and feel encouraged to get the next lot painted ready to play.
I'll say this; if you are being put off painting because it's not good enough then lower the standards you are aspiring too. They probably aren't your standards but the view of that part of the hobby hat thinks painting is the thing rather than the game.
No they won't win awards but they are my 'preciouses'!
So how do I paint? Well enough, some people will comment on how well, maybe those people are very polite, but if I'm happy then who cares. I'd rather play than paint, but even I will spend ages on a model because I feel it deserves it and more importantly I want to.
What I paint on a model depends on scale and I've certainly learnt through painting 6 and 10 mm models that highlighting certain details, popping if you will is key to getting a good looking unit or model on the table and it differs for each model, unit or scale.
Oh and believe me a quality wash also hides a lot of errors and sins. So wash and go back to touch up a few lost colours to bring the 'pop' back and away you go.
Currently I'll undercoat mostly black or a dark brown (Horses) and on occasion the finished product might determine the undercoat. Bone=skeleton, Goblin(ish) green = Orcs and goblins and in all instance a dark wash gives you the black line detail and sometimes I will dry brush or blob touch up to pop .
After undercoating I'll then dry brush with a key colour or just a light grey. this allows me to see the model's detail, then I paint. For example if there is a lot of chain or plate mail I'll do that first over the whole model using Boltgun for 28mm and Mithril silver for smaller scales as smaller scales need brighter colours.
 |
| Baccus Early Imperial Romans, black undercoat, Boltgun dry brush (I subsequently used Mithril). I do flesh first as I always overlap at 6 mm. |
How you start, the order you go in depends on the model and to a degree your ability. I always end up touching up over-painted areas and the next time I'm painting that model or uniform I'll approach from the learned direction. In my opinion there is no right or wrong way, just 'your' way, the point is that your models are on table 'painted' sooner rather than later, you're having fun gaming and feel encouraged to get the next lot painted ready to play.
 |
| Table top quality Early Imperial Romans - Baccus |
For the moment stop listening to the nay-sayers around you. Instead ask yourself; am I happy to play with this on the table, remember when it is three feet away from you, you won't see the scabbard, never mind the dry brushed and inked jewels on the scabbard.
As you grow with painting confidence of course you self critique and ask others how they achieve their results, listen closely to painters that are better than you but not necessarily the best painter in the club, only those who like you are still working towards perfection.
Learn to paint and improve your skills incrementally, the same way that you will eventually layer your paints.
And you know what, if you stop trying to be perfect you'll enjoy the process more, play more games and even improve your painting.
Painters block is the fear of doing it wrong and I get it every time I start a new army or era.
Again some of the painters I admire will do anything except start a new army. They will touch up this, finish off that, doing anything to avoid starting that new army.
As you grow with painting confidence of course you self critique and ask others how they achieve their results, listen closely to painters that are better than you but not necessarily the best painter in the club, only those who like you are still working towards perfection.
Learn to paint and improve your skills incrementally, the same way that you will eventually layer your paints.
 |
| Northstar archer centre flanked by GW Brettonians for Frostgrave |
And you know what, if you stop trying to be perfect you'll enjoy the process more, play more games and even improve your painting.
Painters block is the fear of doing it wrong and I get it every time I start a new army or era.
Again some of the painters I admire will do anything except start a new army. They will touch up this, finish off that, doing anything to avoid starting that new army.
 |
| Bad Squido games, GW and Reaper models for Frostgrave |
Some times less is more the central mage has very little work done on it, a cream dress and thin inked.
I also find my painters block kicks in when I'm not enjoying the process, when I'm struggling often in my case this is when I need new glasses, if I'm really off painting I get an eye test.
Which brings me to magnifying glasses should you use them or not?
I used to think so, then realised if I can't see that detail without serious magnification, why am I even painting it? Yes I will use them to ensure the brush goes where I want it, but I've found a good quality 'BRIGHT' light is better, a day light bulb even more so. I get my best painting done in my conservatory in the afternoon when the sun is shining in.
Also check to see if you need glasses, seriously. Back in 2002 I realised I couldn't read the green print on the black background in my gaming magazine a stupid colour combo to be honest, but I got my eyes checked out and understood why my painting was off.
I use varifocals which do weird stuff when you are painting models as you have to look through the bottom of them (try looking along your nose to paint), in addition the focus is for reading distance. So and I recommend this more than a magnifier get a pair of painting glasses, tell the optician what you want them for show him your painting position, I pretend I'm painting a model, he can then build a lens that focuses where you paint. This is then normal 20:20 vision as designed by nature for your eyes, do use a magnifier for fine details if you feel you have to in order to place the brush, but as stated a bright light and good vision is all you need.
To summarise I like to play on a well planned table with gorgeous scenery that make you think tactically, with table top quality models, but am equally happy with a sketched out map and counters.
As I said I Wargame; therefore I paint, but it is at times an evil necessity.
Talking tables let's go back to that 2010 game as a finished project. Hands Up!
To blow my own trumpet I made the board using Chris Hall's design from the earlier picture
 |
| MadGamers at Bovington Show 2010, Chris Hall, Russ Sandy, Mark Foulds and Trev Crook, Rapid Fire Rules. |
And the 2009 game Achtung Dice!, (the provisional name was Escape the Dice.)
Rules Mark and Tim Foulds, Tony Baker, Russ Sandy, Trev Crook, Denis Jackman and others too many to mention helped play test and do all the scenery and model paining.
 |
| Achtung Dice! a POW escape game Mark and Tim Foulds, Russ Sandy, Tony Baker and Denis Jackman. Rules devised by Mark Foulds |
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