Painting

[space marine schnauzer]

When do you know the figure is completed. I work on a group of minis and they don't seem to be done..I keep finding something else

to add on.

 

Michael

[Ironwulf]

I can't recall which artist said it, but I'll quote it as best as I can-- "Art is never finished, merely abandoned." This implies that there is always something else that can be done to a piece.

 

To answer your question though- If you look at the mini, and all of the stuff is painted-- all of the metallic pieces are metallic, and those that aren't supposed to be metallic, are not metallic. Everything has paint on it, in a manner that you find acceptable.-- You just need to find a point in which you very carefully look at the details and say to yourself, "Am I comfortable with stating that this is finished?" If the answer is yes, then you're done. If not, then figure out those things that will make it done.

[henrywalker]

I can't recall which artist said it, but I'll quote it as best as I can-- "Art is never finished, merely abandoned." This implies that there is always something else that can be done to a piece.

 

To answer your question though- If you look at the mini, and all of the stuff is painted-- all of the metallic pieces are metallic, and those that aren't supposed to be metallic, are not metallic. Everything has paint on it, in a manner that you find acceptable.-- You just need to find a point in which you very carefully look at the details and say to yourself, "Am I comfortable with stating that this is finished?" If the answer is yes, then you're done. If not, then figure out those things that will make it done.

 

 

 

"L'arte non è mai finita, solo abbandonato" (Art is never finished, merely abandoned)

 

It is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci

 

 

i agree with the guy above. its finished when your proud of it.

[puck]

I have this problem too, and I completely agree with Mr. Da Vinci. One way I've found to curb my constant additions is to literally give out the additions like purity seals and stuff as awards to your models. I know it sounds a little silly but if for example a unit or model drops a hive tyrant on turn one (my terminators did this in my last game...and then died ignominiously they got the heroic sacrifice censer) give that unit some seals or heraldic shields etc and call them marksmen honors.

 

In this way you never have to restrain yourself from not adding whatever you want to the models and then when you do get to IMO its a pretty cool reminder of battles won and lost with your minis.

[Hemal]

Hold it at arms length, close one eye and look at it, close the other eye and look at it with the one that was previusly closed. Open both eyes. If you are pleased with the look then you are done. I missed a few tricks this way but TBH any models I have painted and thought to myself that I'm pleased with the outcome I've considered finished...

[SCC]

"L'arte non è mai finita, solo abbandonato" (Art is never finished, merely abandoned)

 

It is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci

I know that feeling well and have often spent well in excess of 20 hours on a single trooper, tinkering, tweaking and tailoring to wring that extra 1% of coolness out of a paint job. In fact I did it so much that it took me literally 7 years to paint a total of 11 Marines and 1 Dreadnought for my Brazen Claw army.

 

So when I decided that enough was enough and that I wanted to actually have a playable army that hadn't existed under 3 different rules set without ever playing a game I instituted my '5 Hour Rule' under my new philosophy of 'play, not display'. Now, obviously, if you're trying to win a Daemon then this isn't much use but I've found that setting an arbitrary time limit on each model has really helped me stay focused and concentrate on getting the basic colours down and then highlighting and shading as well as I can within the time limit.

 

The limit changes according to each model of course - the five hour rule applies to rank and file troops and I add 50% for transport and double it for HQs, elites and 'proper' tanks - but it's really helped me to be able to put a mini aside and say 'finished'. And if I'm honest the difference between a 5 hour Tactical Marine and a 25 hour Tactical Marine isn't all that much for me (your mileage may vary mind), especially not on the tabletop.

 

You can see my army by following the link in my sig and even though I know I could create better looking models I doubt I could create (as in actually finish!) a better looking army without having adopted this philosphy. If your goal is a good looking army then imposing limits like this and concentrating on finishing the army/squad/unit/whatever rather than the model can really help actually get a force on the table.

 

On the other hand, if you've got the time, patience and skill to invest why not go all out and create something to wow your Frater here on the B&C? It's your army, it's done when you say it is...

[madscuzzy]

It is usually a lot easier to think or say stuff than do it. The most important thing to understand is to understand yourself. To know when to realize that you have either reached your goals, or when enough is enough, or too much is too much. You need to understand your limits and capabilities. Many people want to do something, and in cases more often than not, can be considered ambitious, because they overestimate their own abilities. Understanding how good you are at the current point in time is a good indicator as to how much you can and/or should do.

 

Not everyone can paint to Golden Demon levels, not to say people don't try. Trying is important, as it helps you improve. In fact, you can learn things from almost anything, provided you are looking in the right places.

 

Painting rank and file, or rather, painting multiple models to a 'decent' level is a skill in itself, where quantity is a quality of its own. Models in armies can look good together, or they can look good individually, but they can also look good individual but bad as a whole. The 3 feet rule has its own advantages, as it looks good from far, but probably not as good up close, as it emphasizes exaggeration rather than details. Looking good up close doesn't mean it will stand out when seen from far and the subtleties get blurred and muddy.

 

One piece of advice is probably to set goals or milestones for yourself. Different stages in painting have different goals. For example, complete the base colour for all models, before moving on to highlights. Use 2 layers of highlight instead of 'wet-blending' everything. Once you have achieved your goals, you can move on to higher more complex goals/milestones. Sure not everything is going to be done, then so be it. Someday you can get there, but in the meantime, you have something to play with, and something to look forward to...^_^

[WingsOfTheFalcon]

My general rule is for table top minis, 'if it looks acceptable from 1m, it's done', for display 'if it looks acceptable from 10cm, it's done'.

 

There is no ultimate arbiter of completion apart from yourself. Considering the number of grey plastic armies I see doing the rounds, even a few colours make a massive difference.

[Valkyrion]

It's not finished until your nice blue model is having its base painted with calthan brown, you sneeze and drag the paint laden brush all up the front of the mini.

 

Alternatively, you can finish your nice old metal daemon prince, attempt to put it away on your shelf and drop it into a thousand pieces.

 

Thats how mine get finished anyway.

[space marine schnauzer]

I think I am going with the the good at 3 meter rule...that the case I'm almost done

[Tanhausen]

I think I am going with the the good at 3 meter rule...that the case I'm almost done

 

Its usually 3 feet or 1 meter... but 3m makes everything much easier :cuss

 

For me, once they hit 3 colours and look clean enough (no thick paint, no flat colours), its good to go.

 

And yes, glueing 20 bikes to their resin bases... to drop the box and see bits all over the place is something I really don't want to repeat. I'm pinning everything from now on...

[space marine schnauzer]

I think I am going with the the good at 3 meter rule...that the case I'm almost done

 

Its usually 3 feet or 1 meter... but 3m makes everything much easier -_-

 

For me, once they hit 3 colours and look clean enough (no thick paint, no flat colours), its good to go.

 

And yes, glueing 20 bikes to their resin bases... to drop the box and see bits all over the place is something I really don't want to repeat. I'm pinning everything from now on...

 

 

I meant 1 meter/3 feet....ten feet away all my painting looks good. :D