You might be asking why the first part of this guide is dealing with motivation and planning, a seemingly easy idea to grasp. Well, any modeller will tell you that it’s far from easy, and before you begin any modelling it’s essential that you first understand how to keep motivated. Arguably the hardest aspect of miniature modelling in all fields, staying motivated is the Holy Grail of modellers. Most people start off motivated after buying an army or starting a new project, but within a month or two they experience a slump, which unless they escape, their project will surely be doomed (as many of mine have been in the past). This section will not magically teach you to keep yourself in a constant state of eagerness to model, but what it will do is teach you some helpful tips to help you keep on trucking through whatever obstacles you may encounter.

It is inevitable that on any project you're working on, you will hit that low point. Veteran modellers know it well, yet many do not know how to remedy this situation. After the initial excitement of buying some new models and maybe painting one test model or even a squad of models, things quickly become a monotonous chore. The answer to this problem is one of dedication. One top tip for keeping yourself on track is to set aside a particular time to paint and do not stray from that schedule, no matter what. Eventually you’ll slip into the routine and it will become natural. If you have little time during the week to work, try and set aside even just an hour or two on the weekends, and sit down and model for that entire hour. Try to avoid sitting down for 10 or 15 minutes only to get up and leave again. This accomplishes little and you won’t feel motivated.

This is the display case I have in my room. I have it in a place where I will always see it, beside my bed and my computer. I made this from plexiglass sheets and hinges I got at a local hardware store. If you want to purchase a display case, I recommend you look at www.ikea.com for their glass wall cabinets.

As soon as you finish something, anything, you’ll feel great. Having something to look at and knowing that you can check something off your list is one of the reasons modellers model. Try to put your finished models somewhere where you can see them regularly so you can admire your what you've completed. A display case is great for this purpose, but some people may not have the space or money to get one. I don’t recommend you put models on a shelf because they attract dust very quickly and this can sometimes dull colours and ruin finishes on models. Instead, if you can spare the space, I recommend you place them near your work station. As long as this doesn’t cause unnecessary clutter, it can help to keep you going and you can then use them as a reference point for future squads or models.

During this specific time, try and set a goal for yourself. Keep that goal in mind and make it realistic. If you’re a fast painter, maybe try and push yourself a bit and finish an entire squad in one sitting. If, like the majority of modellers, you are not a fast painter, do what I do and try to finish one thing on a model (or squad) such as the basecoat colours or all the highlights of one colour. This brings up the issue of how to paint models. Some people like to paint “assembly line” style where you finish entire squads together i.e. painting all the flesh on a squad, then all the metal etcetera etcetera until all the members of the squad are completed simultaneously. This method is designed to keep the modeller motivated, and if you can do it, it’s a great idea. Instead of finishing one or two guys, when you finish you have an entire squad completed. This can be a great boost for your motivation, and having anything finished is a victory in itself. Myself, I prefer to paint models in groups of 3-5. I find I simply cannot work on large groups of models as painting the same thing over and over again drives me insane. Still, sometimes you have no choice but to push through and get it done.

This is my workspace. It is Games Workshop's work center with an Ikea lamp attached to the back for ease of lighting. This is my workstation at its messiest- I almost never let it get this cluttered. Note how I have only 3 projects on my station- some Necron Flayed Ones, a Kharn the Betrayer model, and some Renegade Viking miniatures.

This leads us to our next tip- keep your workspace as clutter-free as possible! Basically, a cleaner workspace is more appealing to work at. If you don’t have crap strewn everywhere around the area, it will make your work easier and will make it a much more enticing area to work at. Every few months, I set an hour aside to rearrange my paints and throw old, dried-out ones away, to check my brushes and see which ones I need to replace, and to organize my tools and put models not being worked on into storage. As a rule of thumb, I keep two or three projects on my workspace at any one time, with one usually being a conversion or sculpting project, one being a squad, and one being a single model. This allows you a couple of choices to work on if you want, but make sure to stick to those few projects until they are finished. Of course, if you have one particular thing you’d like to finish, only keep that project on your workspace. Also, try and keep the area comfortable. Find good, solid seating that won't hurt your back and find some good lighting. My work area is a coffee table (with it being the closest thing I could fit a work station on where there was a TV), so I am forced to sit on the ground while painting. Being hunched over a low table hurt my back for a while when I began, but my back soon adjusted, though I do not recommend this for people just starting out.

A final note: sometimes the only thing that can help you through a slump is determination. Sometimes you have to muscle your way through a project, even when you don’t want to. As soon as it’s done, you’ll feel great and you will be able to continue on, but if one daunting obstacle is in your way, I recommend you just push through it and get it done. You’ll love yourself for it.

Tips: