For any of the hosts who are curious, the science of stress actually splits stress into multiple types. One type is known as eustress, which is where a person placed under an optimal amount of stress actually performs better. Then there is distress, which is where the pressure is too overwhelming and actually hinders productivity.
Just wanted to make a point about the importance of a healthy community. I got in my own head and felt my blood angels looked rubbish and it was getting me down and couldn’t face carrying on painting them. But I asked for advice on another RU-vidrs live stream and discord and it really helped with my confidence in carrying on. Community is really importing to me. Without it painting minis can be an isolating and sometimes disheartening without the support from others.
Creative productivity can really benefit from placing constraints on a project. I've learnt this from my day job in graphic design. Whether it's time, tools, planning a deliberately simple brief etc. Sticking to these contraints for a project keeps you efficient and on task. Of course, unpredictable results can happen but that's the point, you learn from that. Also, having a project planned this way helps with peer envy as you are acutely aware of your goal and can resist comparing. I've been using this thinking to get through my Leviathan nids... slay the grey
I use Molotow One4All Graffti Pen refills as a primer. You can use it unthinned through an airbrush, it sticks to anything, dries pretty much instantly and doesnt reactivate if you are brushing on base coats. I find Vallejo Surface Primer to be gumny and clogs my brush unless its thinned significantly, takes an age to dry as well
Been into the hobby/lore since about 99, only made a few friends in the sphere of 40k, not as into lore or painting as me lol I don't have social media other than RU-vid/Snapchat and listening to you guys fills a gap in the hobby for me, so casual, so funny I've been listening for a week or so from #1 and you guys are amazing, keep it up, there's nothing quite like you lot ESSEX RULES
Just wanted to thank you guys because man did I NEED this episode. I'd become way to results focused and this really made me stop and question why. Think id forgotten that this was a hobby and that I was supposed to just enjoy the process. Had one of my best hobby sessions in months following this episode because I just enjoyed what I was doing, not the progress I made. Its not about the destination but the miniature friends we make along the way 😂
I certainly know folks who approach painting and hobbying in a way that is clearly stressful for them. If it ain't working then reconsider your approach. It is genuinely fun when you figure out how to have fun with it.
For primers: I've found a few different automotive brands that work really, really well on minis - certainly indistinguishable to my eye to GW or army painter sprays. My current go to brand is Hycote. I don't use one of their primers, but a satin black spray paint and it goes on as smooth and even as any of the miniatures specific cans I own, and is definitely as durable. By contrast, I've never had a good experience with any of the airbrush primers I own, both vallejo and pro acryl - they never seem to bond to the miniatures for me and just seem to rub off.
I guess after watch regularly for a month or so I do owe you a sub. Primer - Maybe "car primer" in the UK is trash, but over here there are a selection of brands that are recommended above GW (and not just because of the price). Listening to you talk about them sounds a lot like "paint myths" rather than "paint facts" as well. Speed and Painting - there seems to be a disconnect here. Just because you have infinite time to finish a model, doesn't mean you painted it fast because you got it done in 8 hours over a day or two. Enjoyment and Painting - I paint a lot, I have a lot of progects on the go and paint the one that I'm inspired (for one reason or another) to get painted. The key for me, is having a standard of painting I'm happy to accept for a given model. Sometimes I want to hit a higher standard than my usual, sometimes I'm happier with a bit lower, mostly I paint to the same kind of average standard. Don't worry about the model being "finished", but rather it being "done". "Done" means you are willing to not work on the model further. :)
Brilliant chat as always. I gave George's suggestion of painting under just lamp light a go, no ceiling light. Not for me sadly. Felt like I was being interrogated for crimes against painting 😂 PS. Found some shallow tupperware in TK Maxx this weekend. Result.
You guys weren't lying about going outside of comfort zones, Bieltanuary has got me feeling like it's day 1 of painting again having only ever painted Marines/CSM or Orks before, levelling up in 2024!
Tried only having my painting light on (the one from the siege shop) with no room light. Instant difference. Colours are definitely clearer but I feel zoned in and focused. GREAT HOBBY HACK! Love the podcast! Thank you.
Was myself that left the review, deadott. Honestly you guys brought a new light to the hobby for me. I have projects for speed painting my marines atm and im going a bit more indepth on my nids. I threw my purple tau in the discord. The siege discord is great for feeback and general ideas for creativity and would recommend anybody listening to join in.
On the subject of getting stressed and juggling time with the painting this is why for the longest time I was essentially part time with this Hobby. I used to only paint my minis in the garden when the weather was nice and being in the UK basically limited this to about 4 months a year if that and I found on the run up to summer approaching I would start to think about what army/armies I would want to last me until the following year because I know I wouldn’t be in the creative mindset side of the hobby in winter with how busy I get for work and general winter blues etc. I found it a good balance between having a time of year when you are building/painting and another time of year when you are gaming.
Love the podcast guys. I am a player first, hobbyist second so definitely fall into the camp of needing to do things quickly (to a certain standard). I got back into the hobby about 3 years ago but have already had a few units that have been legendsed by GW (one owned for less than a year) so that has unlocked a new fear about not getting things ready for the tabletop. RE: primer- personal anecdote I have only had one spray go on too thickly and it was chaos black not the halfords paints I use. Admittedly it only happened a couple of times but I've been happy with my alternative spray cans.
Gotta love how, only a couple of weeks back, you guys announce the month names for your “calendar”, and James hasn’t even gotten through the first one before changing them.
If you thought Mauganuary was annoying, wait till you hear about Ulthranuary. 😁 Edit: personally I make myself slow down. Listen to my audiobook. Sip a coffee. Chill. Congratulate myself for finishing a leg, look at the army etc. makes me enjoy it
For me, I think the 'need for speed' largely stems from two factors. First is that I do have limited time to paint, but plenty to paint. Second, it's really important for me to have the hobby feel like a hobby and not have it feel like work, and I feel like a key part of that is to have quick progression with acceptable results. I'd rather slap some contrast/speed paints on a model and then fix it up to a pretty good standard, then spend much more time doing blends and glazes because after the third of ten models it will feel like I'm forcing myself to paint. Also, I only feel stressed about models I haven't painted 🤷♂. Especially characters or large centerpieces that I know are going to be large time sinks.
I started painting last year with the citadel starter set of paints. I think it really helped me with colour mixing for highlights and not being overwhelmed with color choice. I've only now just started branching out into a larger palette. What do you s think of paint starter sets?
I frequently see content creators and higher level painters using rattle can primer instead of airbrushing surface primer, even though they will use an airbrush at some point in their process. Why is this? I have seen comments from individuals saying the airbrush primer rubs off really easy. I almost exclusively prime with an air brush and have never experienced this issue, and just get a way smoother and detailed model. I will note that I only get to paint in small bursts so I might prime black one night, do zenithal the next night, and start painting in the third so maybe it’s related to cure time?
Fun Fact: This comes from Ken Schlotfeld, the owner of Badger Airbrushes, those little brushes that come with airbrushes were thought up by a saleperson as a gimmicky add-on. Also if you used them in your Badger Airbrush they will void your warranty, the only thing you should be putting in the nozzle of your airbrush is the needle.
autotek matt black spray, i`d rate it as consistent as GW or Colourforge, as a rattle can, for nearly half the price, but its gotten harder to get in my area
RE: Speed, there's more motivations than that. Yes, some people want games... But man, I don't enjoy having spent 3 hours glazing a sword to get it neat. I don't see progress overall. If I could do a step in 5 minutes, then I'd hate doing it over an hour. It's definitely affected my painting style choices too, glazing is something reserved for rare situations and I find myself using oil paints in a more sketching style now, often with exaggerated OSL. Not to say I intentionally do a shabby job or I don't put effort in, but rather effort in different places. And not exaggerated OSL to mask work, but rather again, just what I've found worked its way into my style.
I only recently changed the name of my account so hearing the new one made me do a double take when I realized it was me. The Tyranid-lizard connection was in the hobby section of the 3rd edition codex.
I'm no phycologist but listening to James talking about his Knight army makes me think that either he's a super busy person or he likes giving himself the extra challenge of completing jobs in shorter timescales?
I think I posted this in the comments of the last video, but I prefer to use the back of my hobby knife for mold-line removal. I feel like I have a lot more control and am far less likely to gouge chunks out of the mini. I guess that puts me in the minority, but I've accidentally destroyed too many minis to scrape mold-lines with a sharp blade.
Vallejo primer is alright, but Bader primer is thoroughly enjoyable. Like a heretic, I even brush it on if I'm just painting a single model. Works really well. wouldn't want to bother setting up an airbrush or spending 3 minutes shaking a can for a single model, it's brushed on and nearly dry by then.
How do you boys approach army basing? I spend an awful lot of time designing and painting a colour scheme, but always end up getting disappointed by by army bases. I especially struggle when it comes to xenos bases, sometimes fitting into a fallen city or forest doesnt make too much sense for eldar or necrons!
Hey guys! Love your content and banter! I'm curious about how you guys remove mold lines from ribbed sections on the models? Like fingers, or unarmored parts on space marines. I am building Kreig, and they all have those ribbed tube sections on their gas masks. Thank you!
On the topic of motivation and stress: are any of yall neurodivergent? I am autistic and have ADHD, and I feel like my brain is a downright demotivational zone. I'll be excited to paint a new model or miniature, sit down, and my brain will actually yell at me: What are you doing? YOU CAN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW! I have to practically argue with myself that nothing is stopping me from doing it, and I'll lose the argument most of the time. I enjoy painting and have time to do it, but even on days when I "feel like" painting, I often can't and I don't know how to get past this.
I paint kinda every night after cleaning up the kitchen and kitchen table. It's my little ritual before I put a hobby related podcast like this one and paint ONE colour on every model on the unit or army I'm going over. No messing around. Tonight for example only metallics on six bold boys from my kruelboys army, last week I did all the skins and shields. I find it kinda boring but I hate even more having things done on some models and not on another. I spend three evenings doing hobgrots cloth but now they are done once and for all. I have an abandoned stormcast army because some units are close to finished, some models have no metallic, some may have been inked some not... It's a nightmare to finish 😅