Painting put off

[Colonel Kilgore]

I am a great believer (if not always a consistent follower) of the "30 minutes a day and stretch" principle. However, I'm a little jaded this week, having based around 150 German paras at its start and then trying to take a little time off for half-term, but the next batch are now waiting to be painted. A job for the weekend.

The "project" concept can be a two-edged sword. I find it very motivating having something to aim for, and I'm keen to get all my Crete figures and remaining terrain bits done, but I have over-reached myself this time and it can feel like a weight dragging me down at times!

@Sean: are you still up for doing some figures for Crete (maybe have done so already?!), or do I detect a slight backlog?

Simon

[martin goddard]

Don't forget Simon that i am promising JU52 and Gliders.
Thought it best wait to paint them until the night before.


martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

Don't forget Simon that i am promising JU52 and Gliders.
Thought it best wait to paint them until the night before.


martin

Why change a plan that has always worked so far? I believe your British paras for Arnhem were also painted the day before?

Simon

[martin goddard]

Better never than late?


martin

[Colonel Kilgore]

I admire your adhesion to historical "just-in-time" delivery principles, Martin.

Simon

[Leman (Andy)]

I was relieved to read your post Simon, as I too sometimes feel like i've bitten off more than I can chew, which does feel like a weight. Very anti-social I know, but now that I am solo gaming a lot of that weight has evaporated and I can be a true butterfly, eg I've just completed some figures for an ACW project, but have set up a SYW game, so have decided to pause the ACW stuff and do a couple of Prussian units and some guns, including some Austrian artillery rebasing. No sense of guilt as I am not tied to producing something for an impending club game.

[Noggin]

Livin' the life bro

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

We've all been there Leman. I'm trying the gradual approach to MexRev as I've often fallen foul of buying up all I think I'll need in advance and then been put off by the lead mountain. I find that I see my projects completed in my mind's eye which makes it even harder to do the real world graft to make it happen, particularly if you're efforts seem to fall short of that expectation.

[Westie]

I was relieved to read your post Simon, as I too sometimes feel like i've bitten off more than I can chew, which does feel like a weight. Very anti-social I know, but now that I am solo gaming a lot of that weight has evaporated and I can be a true butterfly, eg I've just completed some figures for an ACW project, but have set up a SYW game, so have decided to pause the ACW stuff and do a couple of Prussian units and some guns, including some Austrian artillery rebasing. No sense of guilt as I am not tied to producing something for an impending club game.

Good for you, Andy. After all, we should only be doing this to enjoy ourselves.

[Leman (Andy)]

Rather than seeing the project complete imagine what you can do with what you already have. I was surprised to find how much painted stuff I had left over when I set up my current SYW game, but then realised that the two Prussian cuirassier units needed for the scenario were in fact the only ones I had ready painted. So, another couple of those to do for future scenarios. [ I'll not mention the five Austrian cuirassier units, none of which were needed!]

Andy

[Sean Clark]

@Simon

All painting of historical figures has stopped 
And I have not purchased anything since first lockdown 
So my Crete contribution remains a figment of my imagination 
My hobby motivation is at an all time low 

I thrive off the knowledge of upcoming events, games days and the weekender. With no club and no events, I have ground to a halt. I tend to paint to enable me to play games locally or at events. I'm not sure I've ever painted just for the sake of painting figures for a collection. And my doldrums have meant that with nothing on the horizon I've just stopped.

Hopefully, with the news yesterday, I can see me having a dig around in the to do pile and to think about future projects. Since  I started the rebuilding of my collection, I've found motivation hard anyway, as I get little interest from other club members in joing me in a project. This typically means I have to collect both sides, build scenery for both sides and then convey it all to my club if someone wants to play. Previousley this has been ok as my enthusiasm has carried me through.

With no inclination to paint or build, then it seems a gargantuan task to start now. Like we said previosuley, 30 minutes a day can reap great rewards. But even this seems a bridge too far at the moment. I tried painting some Highlanders for Washingtons Army the other day and after 20 mintues gave up 

Maybe I need to read a book and not force the issue. But even painting a dozen figures holds little appeal at the moment.

Sorry for rambling, but this forum is a good place to get things off your chest.

[Colonel Kilgore]

Sean,

Very sorry to hear that, but completely understandable. Other than starting with something as "simple" as Highlanders, of course - that way madness lies, surely!

I find that books can be great for inspiration, and it's probably important not to try to force things until you've got your mojo back.

But be quick - only 118 days to go

Best of luck, and it's nice to see you back on the Forum as a first tentative step.

Simon

[Sean Clark]

Never been away, just posting less frequently.