Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-6078851-20150114163201/@comment-6078851-20150121151715

it does indeed take time but i like that i can pick up any model and it's a high quality job (in regards to my ability). i do actually spend more time on characters than the rank and file but that comes down to adding an extra 3 or 4 more layers of blending, highlighting and shading - a single ork boy may take me 6 to 8 hours but my ghazghkull and warboss each took around 25 to 30 hours :P

i have the same issue with old jobs: when i originally started painting models i was really chuffed at how they looked, but after getting back into painting a few years ago i look at my old models and they're bland of colour and heaps of detail has been filled in with paint :P i intend at some point to re-do them to my current standards but as they're old models they're not quite as impressive as current models and i keep putting them off.

i've found that my ability is now light years ahead of what it used to be, and while i know my ability has improved i also know it's down to the current era of paints - when i first started painting there was only about 6 citadel washes and about 30 paints. and while the paints and washes could be mixed and watered to achieve a goal it was far more difficult and time consuming than what we currently have with the citadel paint range (i know it's elitest but i do only use citadel paints). i don't mean do belittle anyone's ability, it still takes skill, but i find the current paint range (which i attribute the majority of my ability growth to) makes high quality paint jobs relatively easy, it just takes time and patience :)   oh, and a really steady hand, a great detail brush (conversely i find a fresh wash brush or basecoat brush to be best at fine detail, weird i know), and good close-range eyesight helps - i'm very shortsighted :P