How do you get over the fear of screwing it all up

[Trekkie]

I just recently picked up my first set (Black Reach) and dutifully built them all, and then I even got my chaos black spray paint and primed them all.

I started picking up my paint, and my paint scheme I wanted to try, and then I have been paralized with 'what if i screw this up' :mad:

I have an old history with modeling. In my younger years (now, a really long time ago) I did plastic models. Cars, space ships, whatever. Painting them never happened, or if it did, it was as if a bomb went off and paint flew everywhere. I had what I later learned was an issue with my thyroid that made my hands shake the harder I concentrated on something.

The shakings gone, but it's a few decades later. now I've got $100 worth of plastic on my table and I'm worried I'll 'ruin' it. I tend to over analyze the heck out of things and just jumping in isn't working for me. Iv'e watched the 'how to paint' video a few hundred times, but my inner nut job dialog goes like 'it looks so easy, see it's simple' to 'of course you idiot it looks easy, they've done this for decades'

This has stymied me now for three months. Embarrassingly so.

So I turn to you, random strangers who also play with plastic models & paint them, how did you get started, and how many of these models have you 'messed up' and do you get over it, or do you get mocked every time you try to play with them :D

Thanks for reading the rambling of a nut job.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

When I painted up my first few minis, I told myself I'd strip them later with some simple green (http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Makers-13002-All-Purpose-Degreaser/dp/B0002JN2GI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1345962338&sr=8-5&keywords=simple+green) (I hear it takes paint off very, very well), but in the end I couldn't bring myself to do it :P It's fun to see a timeline of your skills improving, whether it be the weirdly colored bolter marine or the oddly sculpted conversion experiment hanging out behind its uniform, well-made comrades.

Since you're working with the Black Reach set, it might pay to start with the force you're least fond of, to practice on. It can be tempting to do the exciting leaders first, but leaving them for lasts means you'll be bringing your A-game for 'em. Plus, they can be a good motivator - "After I paint 5 more generic marines I'll let myself paint up the flamer dude, complete with special heraldry/tats/etc".

If you have other jobs or hobbies that require hand-eye coordination, fall back on habits you developed in those. I have to do a lot of fine-fingered labwork in my courses and internships, so that helps me "practice" even if I'm away from the modeling stuff.

Also, washes and inks are a fantastic tool (but don't over-rely on them - they really pop when used alongside other techniques), adding a black/brown wash to a basic color coat can get alright results.

[DarkLink]

Go skydiving. Come back and tell us about how you got yourself to jump. Problem solved.

Edit:
I'm a fan of the Crossfit methodology. If you're about to do something you're hesitant to do, then 3... 2... 1... Go.

[Emerald Rose Widow]

Basically, it boils down to this, sure you are going to mess some of them up, we all do. Just start and if you expect to screw a few up, you use that to learn. The best way to learn is from making mistakes, and if you dont get a chance to make them you will never get any better. We all like to think we can pick it up and do some awesome stuff right away, but it boils down to we have to start somewhere.

I use my old work to look at and think "wow, this is where I started and look how far I have come." That right there is a good feeling, when you see how you used to frell up, and notice that you don't do that anymore. You feel really good at how far you have come, but you have to take that first step. Use minor models, troops choices, or even ones you wont use as often as others, and yknow what, screw it up. Dont screw up on purpose obviously, but its ok if you make a mistake, because every mistake is just another step to you being a better painter.

[fuzzbuket]

I have awul hand/eye co-ordination, so my first armies were terrible! but threre are a few ways to paint minis very easily.
black primer -> white zenthiel primer dusting, but dust the whole model so it ranges from a dark grey -> white) ) then once you have that (or even pure white) you can simplt use thinned paints and washes! and it shades/highlights for you!

also like rev TJ said some simple green or paint stripper means that you shouldnt worry about screw ups! everybody screws up a few paintjobs!.

me? i managed to make my final chance at a youngbloods golden demon great.... then messed up the banner and didnt even make final cut!, almost all of my origianl eldar army was very messed up and even recently ive still been making mistakes on my imperial fists!

and nope even if you tried to paint them you wont get mocked :) becase frankly if a marine is a splodgy blue its better than grey :)

im looking forward to seeing your first mini!

-fuzz

p.s. if you think your alone think again. half of http://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer/ thinks that their painting is brilliant (when it really isnt) then the whole comments is "mah gerd he used BLUE AND YELLO MAH GERD ITS AMAZHING"

occaisionally a great mini pops up but these are often left in the bottom of the heap whilst stuff that is simpl big gets the upvotes.

[Toaster36]

Here's what you do:
1. Clip bits from the sprues.
2. Remove excess flash with a hammer.
3. Glue bits together until you have something that resembles a model.
4. Grab every color of paint you have, mix them, and slap that haphazardly onto the model. Don't worry about priming first.
5. Run the model over with your car.

If you followed these steps correctly then you'll be pleasantly surprise that the model will still be better than my first attempt. Just remember that even if you produce your worst, it will always be better than that model.

[SotonShades]

I started many many moons ago, with the ignorance of youth on my side. Way back then, I just accepted that my first few attempts were not going to be winning any Golden Deamons. Hell, my current models couldn't even get through to that kind of level. But so long as you keep your paints thin, you can aways paint over it at a later date, or just touch it up when you get better.

That may just be the secret; jump in, knowing you are going to make mistakes and your first models are not going to live up to what you are imagining in your head. Keep the scheme simple, maybe just some basic colours over a basecoat, to get your skills up as you learn how to get your brush to place the paint where you want it. A wash with the black of brown washes will work wonders as well. Finally, even a basic job on the base of the model with some sand and grass will improve the look of the overall model more then you can possibly imagine.

[Inquisitor Nelson]

First off, I consider myself a very good painter, and am good enough at it that the 'Eavy Metal team consider it possible that I might be good enough to join them one day. I started painting eight years ago, and I was poor at first, so I know about some of the problems you have.

I'd advise using thin coats of paint (slightly thicker than milky consistancy). This means that if you make a mistake, you can repaint the whole area without losing as much surface detail. This is especially important for metallic paints, due to their thicker nature.

Also, start on a less important model, like an Ork boy, rather than a Captain, until you're more confident with your own abilities. This allows you to see what works and what doesn't. Don't be afraid if you make a mistake on a model, it's part of learning, and there are more than enough Orks to practise on.

Finally, be fearless. The more you paint, the better you get, and the easier it is to do it again. If you're confident that you won't screw up, you won't, and even so, it's more important to do it and learn from the experience than to hold back in fear.

I hope that some of this helps!

CN

[MaltonNecromancer]

Your first models will always look dreadful. That's just life. To quote Chuck Jones (creator of many Looney Toons cartoons): "You have 10,000 bad drawings inside you. Start getting them out as quickly as possible."

Look, if you stay scared, you'll never get any better. Failure is a big part of life - accept it. Yes these models are worth a lot of money, but we don't live in The Matrix, and there's no way you can get better at painting without screwing up. A lot.

So my hints:

1.) Never use more than two colours on a model (Metal and lens colours don't count.)
2.) Make your lens colours the opposite to your primary colour (so if primary is green, lenses are red, etc...)
3.) Never use paint straight from the pot; always thin it with water, and apply multiple thin coats.
4.) Washes are your friend. Liberally wash models after their initial coat to make them usually look instantly better. Drybrush them afterwards in the primary colour if the wash makes them too dark.

And shaking hands aren't an issue. Just don't do detail work until you're more practiced; remember, no-one gets details right first time anyway.

I've never found this Simple Green in any shops anywhere, but I have found Dettol, and tust me: Dettol strips all models of all paint in about three hours, without damaging them. I once used it to strip a SM Apothcary some idiot had "painted" with Tipp-Ex, and it came out fine.

Now get painting.

[daboarder]

Here,

Below are the first model I ever painted and a model that I am currently working on. It's all practice, patience and perseverance.

Also note that if you need to you can always strip em and start again, I did that with this terminator.

http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss2/daboarder/P8260219.jpg

[Autarch]

I consider myself a good painter, and I screw up all the time and I paint on a pretty consistent basis. Mess-ups are just a part of painting. Just keep things basic in terms of your paint scheme: simple colors, simple 1 or 2 stage highlights, be careful with your washes and make sure you have good brushes and clean water.

If you have just a basic protocol you can identify things that went wrong pretty easily. At least thats how I do things. Let us know how things progress, and show us some models if you can. :)

[Iyandagar]

That 2nd ed sergeant looks awesome... I have one similar but rocking a black and white style. With the absence of a flesh colour I just whopped a blob of orange on his head... Ah the good old days of awful painting. They were faster though...

[fuzzbuket]

That 2nd ed sergeant looks awesome... I have one similar but rocking a black and white style. With the absence of a flesh colour I just whopped a blob of orange on his head... Ah the good old days of awful painting. They were faster though...

my first eldar i couldnt find any grey paint for the sword. luckily the plastic was grey. :p