How long have you been painting?

Seralkith · Post by **Seralkith** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:29 am

I'm curious as to how long D.net members have been painting Warhammer, and/or how many minis they have painted. Do you paint/ draw art outside of the hobby?

I myself have doing this for around 4 years. I've about 100 finished miniatures. As you might tell from that I'm slow and haven't been very steady. I always feel a little frustrated to know that some people do entire armies in a month, pulling off even better results. I suppose that such speed comes with familiarity.

I also do a bit of graphite drawings and have done a few acrylic and water colours.

Lion of flanders · Post by **Lion of flanders** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 3:49 am

I've been in "the hobby" (miniature wargames) since 'round about 1980.

I have painted thousands of figures generally improving with age

I don't really do any other artsy stuff.

Mmckeddie · Post by **Mmckeddie** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:01 am

I started in 2002 and have painted probably around 800 models (out of the 2000 I own). Hopefully close the gap a little this year.

Not really into other art, though I like carpentry and have made a couple of nice things.

Ekalb · Post by **Ekalb** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:05 am

If you count repaints, like my high elves, easily in the higher end of the hundreds. One thousand might be pushing it. I have been painting for about... 12 years. the first models I ever painted were the old lizards out of the starter box. I also do all kinds of other art, with drawing being my most popular.

Post by **Layne** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:43 am

Hmmm... been painting Warhammer gear for about three years. painted 150-odd Empire soldiers, about 110 Dark Elves, and now 60 or so Goblins - but those are progressing slowly because I've been doing greenstuff up the zimmitorz. My Empire army wasn't much converted really, the Dark Elves I started getting adventurous, and now these gobbos are just absurd.

No other skills have I of an artistic nature, though I do a good deal of writing words and music.

Georc · Post by **Georc** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:26 pm

I´m in Hobby since 10 years, means 10 years painting.
In the beginning I painted hundreds of miniatures and I was able to paint armys. Meanwhile with becoming a lot better in painting I did mostly unique pieces for competitions. But this have changed since the beginning of this year. I returned to the game, played nearly every week one game and my motivation to create an army is back. So I started to create my temple of Khaine army and my ranks fill. Hopefully I get the army done until summer for my first tounaments. And be sure the quality will be as usual

Important thing to say, Quality has nothing to do with time you put into it. I know ppl who spend 20 hours in a miniature and in the end it´s still ugly. Others paint a golden demon miniature in 10 hours. It´s all a matter of experience and patience. Try to learn where you can and practice as much as possible. So you will become fast and good.

To answer the last question
Beside the hobby I don´t do something artistic.

Kind Regards GeOrc

Amaya · Post by **Amaya** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:22 pm

I think I've been into the hobby for around nine years. When I first started I remember a staff member saying that "eventualy you will be able to control your wrist" or something like that...well...I belive he was right.

Over the years my attention to detail has got better as I learn more control over the brush...evreything such as colour theory people are taught at school, so that was in place before I started.

In my first few years I painted hundreds of minis, but in the last few years I think I have only done a hundred, if even that.

As an archaeologists the closest thing I get to art is drawing section plans...which are never very artistic.

Xtickx · Post by **Xtickx** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:53 am

Started out during the late 80's mainly painting ral partha figures, only 4 years ago did I actually get into playing warhammer 40k, and 2 years ago for fantasy. I now own 3 40k armies, 1 fantasy and 1 lord of the rings.. and apart from my 1st army , the majority of the others are still unfinished....

Lion of flanders · Post by **Lion of flanders** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:21 am

GeOrc wrote:So I started to create my temple of Khaine army and my ranks fill.

Now that I can't wait to see.

GeOrc wrote:Important thing to say, Quality has nothing to do with time you put into it. I know ppl who spend 20 hours in a miniature and in the end it´s still ugly. Others paint a golden demon miniature in 10 hours. It´s all a matter of experience and patience. Try to learn where you can and practice as much as possible. So you will become fast and good.

Well Said.

Mordru · Post by **Mordru** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:32 pm

Since 1996 when a good friend introduced me to WFB. I have painted an awful lot of figures since then, sold off and acquired new armies, repainted some things. I can definitely see a ton of progress since I first started and am still improving. I just do not have as much time to paint and model as I would like. I have hundreds and hundreds of painted figures now and I will not admit how many unpainted figures there are in my collection. Other than singing in the shower, this is the only thing "artistic" that dabble in.

Uman · Post by **Uman** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:34 am

I got into the hobby in the mid-90's with 40K Orks and soon after with Dark Elves when they first came out in '95/'96.... My painting was very ordinary for a fair while, but now that I paint more than I play, it's pretty good (I think!)

U

Post by **Kinslayer** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:26 am

Painting miniatures is the only Arty thing I do (apart from writing and the odd messy sketch). I've been doing it almost 9 years now, started painting space marines back then and then orks, then moved to fantasy. I would say I have improved, though I am not great even now. Lately I have not been playing the game and just painting the odd display model. I'm still improving today after a decade!

22over7 · Post by **22over7** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:37 am

I started painting minis in 1988. Initially just buying things I liked, taking ages over them. After about five years I then started painting for gaming. Undead, Skaven and Eldar (epic).

I dropped out of the hobby for 15yrs returning a couple of months ago, primarily for the gaming, but am really enjoying the modelling and painting side too (I'd have to, the time you have to spend modelling and painting in the early stages dwarfs the table top time!).

I used to be pretty competent with a pencil but since school have only done the odd sketch (the "real" world taking up too much of my time).

I would therefore be in the high hundreds (possibly even over a thousand) for models and hopefully getting back up to speed, but am a bit dissappointed with the quality of the results so far.

My eyesight's not what it used to be and my hand isn't as steady but I think I am more patient.

Elric of grans · Post by **Elric of grans** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:41 am

I have only been in Warhammer for a year now. Before this, I have spent the past five or six years on garage kits (resin figures), and I used to make aeroplanes as a kid. Between the aeroplanes and the garage kits I had a period of time where I tried things like oil on canvas and water colours, so I have been painting in one form or another for probably 20 years or so.

Despite the number, I am not very good, and found adjusting to miniatures quite difficult at first, but the experience has helped. I am the only person around who fields entirely painted armies because I know how to do what I want and can do it relatively quickly. I do tend to give a lot of blank looks to people when they ask me questions though:
``Is that Gnarled Oaken Treeman Brown you used on that?''
``Er... what? It is eight parts tan to three parts black.''

Iyagd · Post by **Iyagd** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:11 pm

I've been painting since 1996 when 4th edition Dark Elf Army Book been released. My first minis were plastic one pose warriors, then old RBT crew and so on. Then I also painted Warhammer Empire, Dogs Of War minis, Wh40K Imperial Guard, Chaos, Orks and Dark Eldar. Sadly, I've never finished full army, there were always too many minis to paint and too less time. All in all I think I painted over 200 minis. But I'm still painting.

Mordru · Post by **Mordru** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:36 am

Iyagd

There is no such thing as a "finished" army. It is the WFB equivalent of the holy grail, often sought but ever elusive and legendary.

Mr. anderson · Post by **Mr. anderson** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:02 am

There is no such thing as a "finished" army

Actually... there is. I've had one once. I planned it all out - 1500 points of tau exactly, I sat down and painted the army. Two months later the entire army was painted, based and ready to go. I sold it off though because I got bored of playing it...

I've been painting for about 4 years I reckon. A couple of hundred minis. My painting style has drastically changed a couple of times, but as far as I can judge the quality of my own painting, I rather like the way my minis look now, though I'm still trying to improve my skills (first and foremost the speed at which I paint). I'm currently working on a commission of a 2000 points high elf army, maybe I'll be able to post some pics of them soon.

HUZZAH!

Dictator · Post by **Dictator** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:01 pm

As for me I finished the army once but then bought more models. I've never been finished since. There always seems to be another unit to add to the laundry list I already have.

Painting started when I was in first grade on a few airplane models. I started Warhammer with another friend in 1997. I had the Bretonnians and he the lizardmen. My armies grew from brets, to empire, to O&G, to DE, to Lizardmen, to VC. Now I just don't know where to put the hundreds of models.

I know that I get better with the painting and conversion work everytime I touch the tools. At the same time, I know I probably won't be the best. The part I like the most is me just sitting there with the world gone and me focusing on the task at hand. As long as the wife doesn't mind my addiction to the game then I'll be alright :lol:

I'm sure ya'll feel the same way too. I'll change the wording of the first question posted from: How many and what to just a simple reason; why did you do it?

Kheel · Post by **Kheel** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:00 pm

Since 1994, started off playing Skaven - bought a half painted army and finished it up. Looked weird in the end, half the army was table top finished, while the rest looked like rubish (since I started to ruin it with my "nub" skills)
Since that I tend to buy armies that are already painted and goes in line with the rest of what I already have, or if I need a few minor tweaks.
I started to paint serious around 2000, not making much progress. Me being one of those who'd rather play than paint.
Plus I can hardly find any time to paint since it is so time consuming

Rabidnid · Post by **Rabidnid** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:51 pm

I started painting in 1991, 15 mm ancients and 6 mm micro armour. I hate to think how many thousands of figures were involve and painted.

Warhammer started in 2002 with Tyranids. My vision is so bad now that I can hardly see the models and so fine detail is beyond me. DE was my first WHFB army in December 2006 and I have about 1600 points on the way to about 2500.

This will be my last army I think and the end of my painting once I have it finished.

Serventsmithy · Post by **Serventsmithy** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:56 pm

i started painting in 1990 and have painted 1500 points in every army at least once:) once i started getting better proberly around 1998 my paiting as really slowed down as im a bit of a prefectionist atm

i have to force myself to paint armys to lower then what i would normaly be happy with just to get them done!!

Shiakhan · Post by **Shiakhan** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:32 am

Been painting since 1992. About a army every 2 years(all warhammer fantasy). So 17 years about 8 army's. So about 1000 models in army's and probably another 100 individual just gotta have and paint models.

Other artistic thing is with food as i am a chef.

Mnesthius · Post by **Mnesthius** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:18 am

I bought and painted my first units in 1999 (or there abouts). After painting about 25 mini's i gave up because the hobby was too expensive. Now I'm back and I've been painting for just over a year. In this time I've done... about 60 minis! I don't try to rush things or make too much time because I only paint to relax or to kill some time. Learning about techniques is fun and so is having table top quality minis, which is why I'm still going. Since I don't actually play warhammer, speed is not essential.

No. I don't do any arty stuff outside of warhammer. (Chem/Math major.)

Macknight · Post by **Macknight** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:28 am

Mordru wrote:Iyagd

There is no such thing as a "finished" army. It is the WFB equivalent of the holy grail, often sought but ever elusive and legendary.

exactly, i remember when i first got into fantasy, i didnt know how to paint eyes or used washes, nor the symbols on banners, as my skills grow i go back and repainted areas with the skills ive learned.

the key part for beginners is to be patient and thin your paints, the rest will come with practice, my level is not golden daemon but is a very good table top gaming quality, as a matter of fact the last 3 yrs ive havent played a game due to no players where i am but still manage to be in the hobby by painting figures once in a while.

my background is an artist, am graduating this semester, here check out my minis and my website:

brets

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/N ... =slideshow

DE

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/N ... =slideshow

DOW

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/N ... =slideshow

VC

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/N ... =slideshow

WE

http://s70.photobucket.com/albums/i90/N ... =slideshow

some of my artwork in grad school on my web

mackliao.com

Demetrius · Post by **Demetrius** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:07 am

I have been in the hobby for a lil more than 5 years. In that I have painted probably 3 or 400 models, and thats 40K, Fantasy, LOTR and Machine.

I dont have time for anything else arty lol.