(Or another thought from the new boy)

For most of us starting out in the world of figure modelling/painting, all the constructive critique, help and advice given by members here is a Godsend but I think there must come a time when the enthusiasm for a subject being worked on wanes to a level whereby any further correction or alteration is pointless. No-matter how good the advice being given, if your heart isn't in it the results will be poor.
I'd suggest it would be better to shelve that project and practice the new stuff you're learning on the latest subject you're all fired up about.
When the enthusiasm's overflowing, all the hints, tips and suggestions being given for things to do to get you to improve become much easier and that feeling that you're making progress, however small, is the spur to do more.
Let's face it, as beginners everything we do is a practice piece really so once the urge starts to flag, move on to the next thing that excites you and so on, each time being mindful of the new advice you're getting.
Sure, you're going to end up with a lot of part finished projects but you can always go back later if you feel like it or strip them down at some point and start again.
There may be some "Newbies" who give up because they think they have to work on one piece until they finish it or get it right, just becoming more and more disheartened with each session at the bench. Yes we want to learn but this is one area where learning should be fun. I might never worry the judges at Euro but I'd like to think that one day I could produce something worth entering at least. I just don't intend giving myself ulcers getting there.

Richard.

Discover women and drink. It will save you a fortune

For me figure painting is rehabilitation after that.
Roger.

Richard, good words. I've been getting slowly disheartened with my current project.
Various difficulties and road blocks, feel like throwing it in the bin.
I'm not actually that far from finishing if I keep my head down but I might need to branch away for a couple of weeks or so. Problem is I'm worried I won't pick it back up and all efforts will be wasted.
Perhaps I should work on its base that might bring me back on track.
Cheers Karl.

Just about sums up my MO.......I take the view with my efforts that there are no poorly painted figures just unfinished figures......helps with me

Not sure that advice versus enthusiasm is the right way to put it but you make some good points Richard.

I see what you're saying but there is a lot to recommend forcing yourself to finish if necessary, because not finishing stuff can definitely become a habit.

While you don't want to be stressing yourself out about work done for a hobby - kind of defeats the purpose - progression does require some discipline, to require yourself to work on the less-fun portions of a figure: areas that don't have much detail that are boring to paint, anything in a colour you don't like, something that you find difficult to paint (like a face).

If you routinely do the parts of early projects that are of immediate interest or the most fun you run the risk of getting disproportionately good at those, while simultaneously lagging behind on doing the harder bits; this may further discourage someone from completing those areas on subsequent projects.

And completed projects have a definite value, particularly early on; not just the satisfaction that finishing gives, but they provide you with concrete examples that you can refer back to that track your progress as you get better.

Well worst case scenario if you do put it aside and don't complete it, you could consider all the work done up to this point as practice. To a degree it is.

Might work, that's not an uncommon trick to try to revive interest (used it myself more than a few times in previous years!)

Einion

Hmmm! I have returned to the hobby after a long time. I have a stack of kits boats, aricraft, Sci-fi, armour etc all over the place and it does make good insulation as well . Will I get around to building them? Yes at some point.

However figures is, at the moment, my passion.

I ahve a couple of Verlinden figures I have built, part painted, stripped, primed, painted, stripped and now currently in their box wating to be primed again.

I am currently working on two kits a Scale 75 Templar Knight and a Victory Models 1815 Grenadier.
I have have enough paints to open a small shop, I have bought a fair few books to do with painting again over the years and more recently.

I have cocked up the Knight so much that I feel really disheartened about it, but I am determind to finish it if only as a practice piece. The Grenadier I have stripped at least twice and now painting him again and so far it is ok BUT I still really struggle with painting the face, even though I have the Andrea paint by numbers set (think I might try oils).

I am enthusiastic, I love the hobby and really want to paint something I am chuffed with and stick up on here but at the moment I need to practise more and admire and try to work out how others get such brillent effects with faces, cloth metals etc.

Yep I ahve bought a couple more kits but also managing to hold off buying any more till I get these two part right and have another go at the Verlinden ones. After all I have been painting those Verlinden ones for the past 20+ years so disheartened I might be but still going to keep going.

The trouble is you can become a bit disheartened when you see the incredible standard displayed on this site but it does pay to stick at it I feel now that I have progressed through looking and listening to other posters on this site unless you are incredibly gifted you are not going to be at the standard of some of the guys on here straight away but to be fair they also had to start somewhere...what attracts me to this hobby is that there is always room for improvement in my work and in some respects it's not arriving but the getting there that I love about it....

Also you can find some figures are'nt worth carrying on with sometimes...they may look ok with the box art painted by a pro but in reality and I find this with verlinden they can be a bit disappointing when you have them in front of you...just an opinion

Hi Richard,

you make some quite interesting points. I don't think it is only beginners who treat everything as a practice piece; I try something different on most of my pieces, not always succesfully mind!

I do find that I get to a stage where the figure is finished but not quite as I would like it to be but I have to stop putting paint on as it will start to get worse. I would suggest that you try to finish a figure even if you are none to happy with it because your next one will be better as will the next and you will be able to look at them and see how you have progressed.

Having said that I do have some partially finished figures that I put to one side as I wasn't in the right frame of mind to finish them but I do go back and finish them as and when I see fit. I have been working on Seil's Black Prince on and off for the last 3 years but it's nearly finished and I'm hoping to have it at the BMSS show on Saturday.

Seeing great pieces can be disheartening but they can also be inspiring and even if you never reach perfection you can have a lot of fun trying to get there!

Seeing great pieces can be disheartening but they can also be inspiring and even if you never reach perfection you can have a lot of fun trying to get there![/quote.

Absolutely Jon you put it much better than I did

I usually like to have 3-4 works on the go so I can put one down and turn to another sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees when you only work on one or two figures and end up getting past the stage of enjoying it thats just an IMO of course.

Steve

Yeah I know that some don't like the Verlinden figures but I like the ones I have, they are not as good as the other but hey I bought them when I was about 15 - 17 which was *cough cough* a few years ago.

I don't get disheartened by looking at the fantastic figures on this site simply because I know they had to start somewhere, they have put more hours in than me but I will get there, eventually .

There are some interesting points of view being raised here.
I'm another that never gets disheartened by seeing someone elses work that's far better than mine, I admire the skill of the artist and it forces me to raise my own game. I may joke about putting the brushes away but in all honesty it just makes me more determined to improve.
I agree that you sometimes have to force yourself to do parts you don't really enjoy (or you'll never improve them) but sometimes it's just the whole thing. Not only related to figures, it's happened to me before with AFV's (which I'm not too bad at) The desire just goes for some reason and the project get's shelved
I have a few Verlinden figures and I find them to be a real mixed bag to be honest. Many of their 1/35 range are actually far closer to 1/32 54mm and the sculpting of some figures can be a let down. I think they went through a period of churning out quantity and forgot about quality. I also never realised until a few weeks ago that they produced some white metal figures with little ceramic bases. I bought a few in an ebay auction and only saw they were metal when they arrived. Have to say they do look to be well cast though.

Richard.

Personally, I have come to realise that far more questions are asked in private (PM's) than in the open forum of late. Is this because we find it difficult to accept our limitations some times. I admit I have done it for fear of being thought less of.
I have learned a huge amount from the members of this forum, received genuine support, criticism and praise. These are the ingredients to improving and for me at least, the reason I show my work and take the time to listen to what is said.
I find it hardest to listen when I am having a problem with a figure/bust, but have learned that this is when to stop and move to another project, having made a promise to myself to come back and finish it when I can hear again.
As a youngster, I was taught this 'if you want to be the best, then first find the best, watch, listen and learn' and that has always held me in good stead with painting, as well as life.

Ron

I often pm but mainly because I don't want to embarrass folks I don't know very well by asking them something they may not want to answer and would feel pressured in public over. My W.I.P.s are stuck up not for a group hug and mutual admiration but as subjects for criticism and comment, of course I'll take more notice of some peoples comments etc as I've seen their work and it's a style I want to emulate,others because while I don't like the style I recognise the skill. I've had some excellent feedback in private and in public and certainly my work has improved beyond recognition in the 12 months or so I've been a member it still falls short of those I regard as the true greats but if it was easy everybody would do it
Steve

I'm the first to admit that I have developed a rather bad habit in recent years of losing interest in a project and starting a new one before I finish the old one, simply because I get disheartened or disappointed with my efforts. I am my own worse critic and in this respect I set a high standard for myself.

The difference is that I will almost always, strip the old figure back to white metal/ resin and start again from scratch rather than just leave it half finished. I have a small box (my box of shame) which contains about half a dozen figures that i will never finish, but this compares to several dozen finished figures in my display cabinet. In most cases, these figures have something worong with them that no amount of painting can cure, and I lack the patience or skill to repair.

The simple truth is this; I've learned more from my failures than my successes. Every failed figure has taught me something new and I've used it to improve. Planet Figure provides you with a great opportunity to open yourself up to scrutiny by some of the world's best figure modellers and learn what it is that you're doing wrong and what you're doing right. Asking for advice and acting upon that advice is the best way to turn all the collective wisdom here on Planet Figure into a positive influence for your hobby. In my own case, I'm happy to give credit to the collective membership of Planet Figure for helping me improve as a figure modeller, and I'm happy to play my small part in helping others improve too.

You're right Tony, you learn more from your defeat than from victory. You don't get better until you identify your mistakes and figure out how to rectify the problem.
I do wish that questions and answers were asked/answered in the public forum... maybe more than one person had the same question or someone might bring something up you hadn't noticed and bang... you learn something else you weren't even looking for.

The key word for this whole process is COMMUNITY

Colin