Shut up and Paint

This is a post that I've been fussing with for awhile, which is sort of ironic given the title.  I guess I should just Shut up and Post.

Something interesting happened at a class at Adepticon.  Something unfortunate.  And being honest, in one 10 second exchange, solidified a feeling that I've been chasing but hadn't gotten my arms around.

This isn't a rant, but it might start off sounding like one.


Midway through our class, a student asked a question about Dry Brushing.  I heard the question in a serious tone (didn't think the student was joking).  The instructor's kneejerk reaction was basically, "Uhhh, no. Just no."  Several of the students laughed, implication being dry brushing is a noob technique, a joke within itself.

There was an awkward pause. I gave Mrs. Zoxe a sideways glance.  Laugh at a student? Really??

In a heartbeat or two, the instructor realized what he'd done and then gave a well rehearsed, more politically acceptable response.  "There's a time and place for dry brushing, blah blah blah."  But to me, it was too late and he'd shown his true colors.  There are a few descriptors that come to mind:  Elitist. Snobbery. Short sighted.  I was, in that moment, done with the class and could have put my brush down and walked.

I thought we nerds banded together to sit quietly and paint our little army men to be inclusive, provide support, and avoid such judgement.

But setting aside the social implications, there's a deeper itch I'm trying to scratch:  In this hobby, I've seen and experienced peer pressure towards the "accepted" tools/techniques/brands to greatness.  It's groupthink, and it's dangerous.

In dealing with professional mini painters through various classes and conventions, it's painfully obvious that the truly great painters break "accepted" rules all the time.  It's their job; they get paid more if they paint more, and they become adept at using whatever tools are in their toolbox to finish the work in front of them at the intended quality level ... as quickly as friggin' possible.

Meanwhile, the rest of us continue spewing the "accepted" rules.  Dry brushing is bad. Layering is good. Airbrushing is a shortcut (actually had this one aimed at me lately). Thin your paints.  Brand X paint is crap. Brand Y paint is the best.  Synthetic brushes are crap.  Brand Z brushes don't hold up.

This is driven by well intentioned questions like, "What's the best ______?"

I think we'd be better off if we did three things:
1. Actually look closely at what the pros are using and what they're doing.
2. Consider your intended use (tabletop? contests?) and throughput requirements (2 figures a year? or 200?).
3. Calm down just a bit.  Shut up and paint.

Consider this:  You can emulate everything you read online, or you can actually look at what the Pros do each and every day.  Which viewpoint is going to get you higher quality with less time investment?

Each pro painter I've taken classes from or interacted with has their own style and methods.  Some are painting single figures (low volume for a specific factory).  Some are commission painters that dabble in contests (high volume, speed painting).

The first type of pro painter is going to be closer to the "accepted" social route.  Lots of layers, lots of small brush work.  Dozens of hours invested into a single figure.  The tidal pull online seems to drag everyone towards this bucket, no matter the intended type of painting.

The second type is more "rogue" but in my (limited) interaction, seems far more prolific.  When talking with them, there's often a time of quiet confession where they say, "yah, people think it's cheating, but all I really do is ...." and then they describe some really simple technique to pull off some amazing effect in seconds.

For me, I'm leaning towards a toolkit that relies heavily on an airbrush for basecoating and highlighting.  And I've been saying this for months: more volume, less fussing with an individual figure. 

Said more plainly: 2019 might be the last year I enter anything in any contests and focus more on tabletop.

Here's the crux of all this:  You have to get the basics right.  Know a little color theory, understand a bit of lighting, understand paint and how it behaves a little, and have some semblance of brush control.  These things take experience and time.  If you can do that, you're miles ahead of a lot of people.  And you're also down the path of developing your own personal style and toolkit.

Which is kind of the whole point of this hobby.  Don't feel guilty - dry brush if you want to - just shut up and paint.