It was the first week of September that I received my first few issues of Warhammer Conquest. We’re fast approaching five months and I’ve managed to keep up to date by painting every issue before my next delivery arrives. I’ve truly surprised myself. I thought I would have fallen behind a long time ago. After the jump I’m going to share my secrets on how I’ve managed to keep on top of this.
You might be surprised to learn that I’m not a young chap leaving his basement painting models for 8 hours of the day. In fact, I’m a husband, a dad to a toddler, I’m in full-time employment and I run a successful sideline business (Garfy’s Get a Grips). So how the hell have I managed to paint all of these models. Here’s my list:
1. I’m not a gamer. I don’t play tabletop or computer games. That frees up a lot of time.
2. I’m deadline orientated. My day job as a designer means everything is a deadline. This translates perfectly into my hobby. I can look at a hobby project and in my head pull it apart into smaller achievable deadlines working towards the big deadline. For example, the big deadline is the end of Conquest. To get there that’s 80 weeks of magazines, not every magazine is models though, some is paint. it works out to be three units a month. Which I can break down to first week is assembling, undercoating and base coating, the second week is the first unit, third week is the second unit and the last week in the final unit. I can then further breakdown this into more deadlines, like Monday night I’m going to assemble unit one, Tuesday I’m going to assemble unit two etc.
3. I sleep less. Get up at 7am, go to work, back home by 6pm, 2 hours with my toddler before she sleeps. Couple of hours with my wife till she goes to bed, then it’s Get a Grip orders (anyone who’s ordered will know they get ebay dispatch notifications late at night) then it’s painting til midnight when I sleep.
4. You guys. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the great feedback or the fantastic online hobby community I’m not sure I would have stuck it out for so long.
5. Stubbornness and hard work. Honestly, all the above is great but if you don’t want to paint it to completion you won’t do it and I want this. I want to be the guy who has a completed conquest collection.
Issues 15 to 18 all finished.
Biologis Putrifier
Primaris Space Marines
Armoured Container and Cargo
Issues 1 to 18 completely painted.
Issues 1 to 18 plus a few extra models I’ve managed to paint when completing a month’s batch early
That’s pretty much it. Hope this was an insightful read. Let me know in the comments how you stay motivated or if you struggle to get through the piles of sprues.
The Get a Grip painting handles are helping loads. You can get your own handle by clicking these links. UK sales, Global sales, alternatively just search eBay for Garfy’s Get a Grips.
Nice work, I tried to keep up with it (failed miserably) had a better time at focusing on the Primaris half, but I’ve still fallen behind.
I was sad to hear you don't get to play, but that is an amazing job and something to be proud of.
Great work as ever garfy. Look forward to your monthy updates – keep it up man. Having a completed series will be a huge achievement.
Amazing work! and way to have your organization skills so dialed in!