Practical Tips for Miniature modelers

Almost everyone who have ever picked up miniature modeling as a hobby can attest that time and staying motivated are the biggest problems to keep up with the hobby. Just when you think you are ready to change your bad habits for good, a couple of modeling sessions later, you realize the drive is gone and your miniature project hibernates once again.

There are a couple of reasons people have trouble staying motivated. Below are some solutions for the problems that we modelers encounter.

Lack of direction

The backbone of miniature painting and modeling stems from a back story. All miniatures be it historical or fantasy have a reason on why it was made.

In fact the most interesting part about miniature modeling is actually the story and event that accompany it. The main motivation for miniature figure painting and modeling is to understand the story behind the miniature project and recreate or improvise from that- a pilot piloting a plane needs to plan a destination well ahead on where to land before he runs out of fuel.

If you do not have direction, your miniature models will most likely not get completed or end up being what is not intended.

Know Thy History

When it comes to historical and fantasy miniatures it is all about research, research, research. Research can be from books, internet, museum or even real war relics. That is usually the main guide and inspiration or driving force to accurately depict a scene. Like someone said, you need 'tackling fuel' to drive you forward.

Also the type of pose and accessories is very important in historical models. For example, World War 2 miniature modelers utilize real photographs for their research and try to stay true to what are depicted in those photos. Research is just another great thing that can keep you interested.

Set realistic Goals

Too many people focus on too many things at a time . If you keep focusing on the total amount of work you need to do then it can be mentally discouraging. What I have come to realize is that planning and sketching out your idea early will save time and keep you focused on one thing at a time.

Set smaller goals like "I need to assemble one miniature figure or paint a shirt this week." Have a display case to store, showcase and see your progress. Seeing progress is very important. When you see yourself reaching these smaller goals week after week, you will be more motivated to keep going.

If you are one of those people who sets out to be an expert miniature modeler in a short time, cut yourself some slack. It is not healthy to stress yourself up especially if you are new, so make sure your goals are realistic. Do not forget, it is suppose to be something you enjoy doing. It is a gradual process of learning and practicing...you will eventually get it right.

Time Management

As with all other disciplines, time management is very important since most miniature modelers out there complain of lack of time. Actually spending short periods of time focusing one part of a model a at time is better than trying to finish a model at one sitting. Our human mind can only keep concentration for up to 45 minutes at a time according to memory guru Tony Buzan.

See if you have all the right info about staying motivated, new possibilites will emerge and don't look as daunting as it seems. So are you ready to get started?