Written by So… this post is going to be a little different to my usual ones. I like to have posts with progress shots and finished models. Something that someone may benefit from some how or if they already know more that I can show them, just some decent models at the end. This… is kind of the opposite. I’ve been in a bit of a rut.
Since I started writing on a blog, posting on twitter and Bolter and Chainsword I have done more hobbying than I have done in years, and its been awesome. Thanks to all the visitors, fellow hobbyists and bloggers I’ve been more motivated than ever before. But in August 2018 something terrible happened…
I started to renovate my bathroom.
Its not something I expected to affect my motivation, in fact it took me by surprise. I took a week off and work on it with my dad. In that week we made so much progress, not as much as I’d have liked but a lot more than I hoped.
Then I had to go back to work though and it wasn’t finished. I found it difficult to find time between work and family to do anything and with that, work all but stopped. It weighs on my mind and I feel like I should be doing that instead of anything else when I have free time… but there never seems a good time to work on it. I think I kind of got a little depressed about it… I stopped really doing anything for fun. I couldn’t even find the motivation to approach my hobby table. I would still check WordPress for articles from those of you that I follow but I couldn’t summon up the will to do anything more than ‘Like’ them. The evenings became sitting on the sofa watching TV with my wife… which we don’t often do unless there is something specific we want to see rather than just watching the pictures on the TV change. This has been going on since the end of August and I’m pretty sick of it. So its time to do something about it.
My first step a couple of days ago was to fetch some models out of my hobby station and try to do something. It wasn’t much but I based a few models.
I started interacting with people on twitter again and also… started writing this post. I obviously don’t have any new finished stuff to showcase, but as my co-writers keep reminding me, WIP posts are also ok. So this will be a look at the top of my hobby station to see whats there, what needs doing and how I can make a start, with input from you all very much appreciated.
So… first up is my failed Neglected Model September entry for Azazel’s challenge, three Tyranid Hive Guard. I am pretty disappointed about this one as there’s no fancy conversion work, its just painting some models that are 18 months old, no conversion, no frills. Unfortunately their neglect continues and this is the first challenge I’ve missed since discovering them. bummer. Still, these are the models I based in order to pave the road to Hobby Motivation again…
… more on that large oval base later. : )
Next up is an odd one… 3 AoS Storm Caste Eternals. I dont collect these. My wife however in her infinite wisdom thought it would be fun to pick these up at the local GW to bring home and paint. In her defence they were free!… the catch? Our store manager was handing out one per person (in this case she picked them up on behalf of myself, her and my brother), so that he could get all 300 Storm Caste Eternals back in store for a display… at the end of AUGUST. This was a bad idea when she picked them up and that was before I’d even started the bathroom. Needless to say, I feel guilty that I didn’t do these in time… despite the fact I wasn’t meant to be painting 2 of them, and didn’t actually ask for them in the first place.
Here we have a bunch of random Ad Mech that are mostly complete, but not actually complete. I actually have no idea how complete they are because I havent finished any yet…
Here is a fun one, I was on a roll with these for a while before starting on my friends Christmas present, so I’ll definitely pick these up again sometime soon. 5 Warp Talons, complete with warp entry action.
Here is Ahriman on a disc, ready for undercoating. He was a Christmas present last year from our very own blogger Krakendoomcool.
Lastly while im mentioning neglected, Christmas presents I’ve recieved… an undercoated Toxicrene, ready for painting.
So I guess that’s it, another post done… hopefully the start of more to come with completed models. I may be a little slow working on postable material though as the recipient of my Christmas gift follows the blog… so that project will likely be posted on Christmas day. A sneak peak of it though is right at the beginning of the post with the Hive Guard.
I’ll appreciate any feedback on this, I really want to get motivated again. What about you guys, what do you do if you get in a bit of a rut, does it happen very often and what got you out of it? Thanks for reading guys and I’ll hopefully hear from you soon and have some more updates before too long.
~ Pandora’s Bitz Box ~
Painting In The Dark 
For what it’s worth, I’m pretty much still in the rut I was in a few weeks ago, though not quite as bad. (Finally) forced myself to go out and take the photos for my own monthly round-up a week ago, but it turned out that my wife had put one of the models on thw wrong shelf, so it was missed entirely in the photos. So.. I didn’t finish the post. Which means the community round-up (which is just enough work to put together to be off-putting – think of homework or an assignment that you’ll put off rather than knocking out of the way) hasn’t happened either, nor any of the few models I’ve painted for October. Bleugh.
So today I’m going to force myself. I’ll go out there. Again. Get the figures I’ve put away. Set them up. Take the ****ing photos. Crop and resize. Slot them into the post. Finish writing the text.
Then start on the community one. So I can get that up on the weekend.
That’s it really. I’ve got a 2-tier hurdle in front of me that’s backed up for almost 2 weeks now. I’ve just got to knuckle down and do it. Even though it’s a pain in the arse and I don’t actually want to assemble either of those posts at the moment.
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Aww man, that’s killer. Especially when you have already put the work in. I also hate having to do something I’ve already done, seems so unfair… But being pissed off about it isn’t going to fix it so them you know the o ly way it’s getting done is by ACTUALLY DOING IT. I’m still trying to chip away at this bathroom but at least now I’ve actually started working on my models again. Got some decent stuff done last night on my friends present.
Knowing it happens to other people obviously doesn’t make me feel better… But I think talking about it halped me so maybe you talking about you’re might psychologically help you? I mean, I can’t go over there and do the work for you but I can say on behalf of the community that I REALLY appreciate the amount of work you put in for other people. I know that this project helps you too but you know you have been the main influence on the feedback I get on the blog? You really unite the community and I think that’s really important, and it’s obviously time consuming. Yeah, so just know it’s absolutely appreciated and that even the stuff you have to redo or is just down right tedious is not in vain.
Maybe stick on some good music to keep you motivated while you do it and like you say, knuckle down. Music helps me with doing the dishes and I never want to do that.
Looking forward to the post… Maybe tonight I’ll see how much of my Hive guard I can get done… If I can paint and write a post before you get done great… If not, well then at least they are not AS neglected as they were. Thanks man
👍
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Yeah, it happens. Just sometimes it takes awhile to make yourself go back and do it. Of course, now I’ve got to finish assembling October’s community round-up, which really seems to have gotten busy in those final days. Still, if I just chip away at it I’ll have it done by the weekend. I’ve always got good music going, though – the only time I don’t is on some early mornings when I like the silence, or when I’m listening to docos/podcasts/wrestling, but there’s always something worthwhile happening aurally (including that early morning silence!)
Thanks for the kind words about community as well. It’s appreciated.
And (most?) importantly, you got the Hive Guard done! 😉
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Hey man, don’t worry — it’s been the exact same thing for me, and I don’t even have a bathroom renovation as an actual reason 😉 These things come and go, and I would advise you not to try and force it, lest your hobby end up feeling like work, At the same time, make the most of every creative phase you have. Chin up! 😉
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Thanks man, I appreciate it. If it doesn’t take I won’t try too hard for the exact reason you said, but since I really need to get on with the Khornate Knight with a Christmas deadline and also I feel like I know the cause of the rut… I feel like a gentle nudge might get me back into the swing of things. I think it’s working, just hearing for you guys helps and gets me excited again. Wanting to look through the threads on Bolter and looking forward to giving and receiving feedback on projects just wasn’t even on my radar a few weeks back. I already feel better and I’m hoping it’s just going to pick up more momentum, hopefully leading to so more interesting projects and progress on my current ones. 🤞
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I totally, TOTALLY understand where this article is coming from. The undercoated masses that sit in my Closet of Shame ™ is overwhelming to the point of causing anxiety. I wrote an article in which I found a fun way to start shaving it down and changing things up, while still knocking those small holes in your ‘to do’ forces. This isn’t a shameless plug, I genuinely empathize!
https://whencannonsfade.net/2018/04/12/burnout-getting-you-down-too-much-stuff-fight-the-fatigue/
Great article, I look forward to checking out your others. Keep yer chin up and don’t let it get you down!
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Thanks man. While my downer was caused by a different overwhelming task, I can appreciate your position too. I have such a huge pile of models that are grey or still on the sprue. Im hoping that with the blog, Twitter, B&C as motivation and more specific things like Azazel’s challenges, I’ll slowly chip away at them. Thanks for the interest, I love networking with other Hobbyists so we can help motivate each other.
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