Enjoy the process. Advice for army painters.

Everything I’m about to write is based on my own experience. So if you don’t think it applies to you, cool. I’m going to use a lot of language like “you should” and “do this’. I might even combine the two at some point. This is just some advice and thoughts I have that might help others if I put them down so it can be read, other than by telepaths. (I have more aluminum foil on the next grocery order.) 

Slow down.

I mean it. Sometimes you just gotta focus on the process, not the outcome. I’m currently doing this with the Trench Crusade plastics that came out. Just taking my time. I’ve painted a lot of models to a tabletop standard, it’s the life of a commission painter. I’ve probably painted more Battletech than most Battletech players. When you are painting with a purpose the act of painting sometimes slips through the cracks. Take a second to think about what you want, cause you might need to change it. Often, especially when just starting out, we want a painted miniature. This is the goal of a majority of the hobby. You want your game piece to be in a state that is “acceptable”. Change your want to be the act of painting.

I’ve been burnt out in the past on the “work” of painting. So much that it’s caused artist block and every now and again even caused me to put down the brush for months on end. One of the steps to avoid burning out is to slow down, to chill out and paint for painting's sake. Delve into the act of creation and remind ourselves that this can help with stress. It can be an escape. 

I’m tempted to tell you to not even post the finished piece online. But that would be evidence of me not taking my own advice. 

There are three main "Aspects of Painting Miniatures”. Something that I’ve made up, but will continue to try to make a thing. Utility, Craft, and Artistry. You can get worn out of any of these three aspects. It helps to indulge in the aspects you're not used to. If I’m painting display minis for a long time, I gotta tackle some of my pile of shame and just get some models done. This is delving into Utility. On the other side of the coin, if I'm just doing tabletop forever it's helpful to take my time and just enjoy painting models. Focusing on Craft and Artistry. Inside all of us there is still the same flame of someone a little younger (or a lot younger) who just wants to put newspaper down on the kitchen table, crack open some Testors paint, and ruin some models. Indulge that lil’ artist. Stoke the flame of creation and enjoy the process. 

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