I'm currently engaged in no fewer than 4 (repeat 4) painting projects: Napoleonic Swedes, Napoleonic Ottoman, Marlburian and Bishops' War Scots.
Normally I paint one unit at a time. For Napoleonics, these are typically 60-75 infantry figures; 40 cavalry. Obviously the Austrians made a nonsense of this, but the Bishops' Wars infantry units have worked out to be 96 figures. Plus a mounted officer. Plus (for the Scots) two small artillery pieces with 2 crew, a pack horse and a horse handler - total 107 figures on the paint table at a time.
Next up is the 2nd battalion of a Swedish regiment - a mere 60 figures. If I do the full regiment that is 121 figures.
I am contemplating painting the bigger batches. The upsides are that overall time painting will be less, more consistency of the paint job, and quicker getting through the lead mountain.
The downside is being faced with 121 grey trousers to paint at one go.
:-\
I have about 16-20 figures per battalion/regiment for my games set in the 18thC & 19thC, so paint one 'unit' at a time. I find that dependent upon the level of detail and variety of colours used, I can finish said 'unit' in a day, spread over 2-3 sessions, of an hour or so per one.
For WWII a slightly different approach in that I do the infantry platoons and support units, with command stands, at the same time, so I can finish a Company in a few sittings, which allows me to get them onto the table in relatively short time.
I can only cope with 5 at a time. Battalions are conveniently pack size (30 figs) :D . Takes about 40 mins per batch and keeps me coming back.
Quote from: Steve J on 14 October 2023, 11:05:00 AMI have about 16-20 figures per battalion/regiment for my games set in the 18thC & 19thC, so paint one 'unit' at a time.
I am very lucky in that I can spend as much time as I want painting, and have a dedicated painting space. I will manage a big unit at the weekend, or two-three days through the week.
Painting bigger units reduced those pesky overheads of changing paints, washing brushes etc, etc. This is particularly notable if I'm doing say silver, and it's just sword blades and bayonets that need doing.
QuoteI can only cope with 5 at a time.
:o
Quote from: Steve J on 14 October 2023, 11:05:00 AMFor WWII a slightly different approach in that I do the infantry platoons and support units, with command stands, at the same time, so I can finish a Company in a few sittings, which allows me to get them onto the table in relatively short time.
That's pretty much the way I do it.
I generally find one woman at a time is enough. :) More than one is exhausting , occasionally it can be fun to have another one in a parallel existence. However this comes with complications......... OOPS sorry wrong Forum!!!!
I try to paint in batches of around 30, more than than it gets boring. I try to finish a project before going onto another, but as you know when something shiny slips into view ...... Also I often move between periods on changing batch so that I don't get completely fed up with Khaki, Red etc. Just don't get me onto painting horses. A batch of horses is almost as welcome as an ex-wife at a wedding. :D
QuoteJust don't get me onto painting horses. A batch of horses is almost as welcome as an ex-wife at a wedding.
With you on that one.
(Unless it's the ex-wife's wedding, in which case it can be a hoot.)
When I retire [~15 months] I aim to paint units of 32-36 per session.
Edward
As age creeps on I have moved from painting a battalion at a time to painting about half a dozen figures at a time. I find it more motivating to have a base or two of figures done and the need to do the next batch or two to complete the unit.
For 10mm I would paint about 30 or so at one time.
For Warmaster 10/12's I would paint one unit at at time.
For 28's infantry 12-16 and cavalry 9-12.
In all honesty I may well have three or four batches of the above on painting sticks at any one time as I am a bit of a butterfly unless painting to someone else's time schedule.
For my current Peninsular War project I am doing a division at a time. I'm painting the British 3rd Division at Talavera at the moment comprising 439 figures.
Struggling to motivate myself to paint at the moment. One colour on one figure is an achievement.
Lots of board and computer gaming but no tabletop stuff.
My units are typically 24 infantry or 12 cavalry. I paint a unit at a time, mounted on popsicle sticks (6 infantry per stick or two cavalry on half a stick). Often, I paint one stick complete as a "test" if it is a uniform I haven't encountered before.
I should get in the habit of seeing how much time it takes, but I don't. I usually take about a week to paint a unit, and it's often in numerous 15-20 minute opportunities. Real life responsibilities, laziness/motivation, and high-maintenance dogs prevent me from sitting at the paint desk for longer sessions than that.
I do love a test paint. :)
Currently just painting my North Koreans, 25 bases of infantry about 170+ models. I'm doing these in one batch, up to face and hand highlights, then uniform highlights, then belts/bags, then cap badges and buttons. Laborious but gets the project done effectively.
Thank goodness!
I find that I get into a rhythm with the bigger batches.
I used to try big batches,. particularly early on when I was starting to build collections, but I found the fatigue would kick in and quality would drop as I took a more "get it done" mentality. I find now that having lots of different projects on the go (10+ at present) gives me the variety and by just painting small numbers each time (usually a base or a unit, 10-20 figures, 30 max) I can actually get units finished in the small amounts of time I have to paint. It's been over a month since I last lifted a paintbrush though for various reasons and itching to get some done. Have a handful of knights just awaiting their finishing touches and a few other units primed in the wings for other projects, maybe some Celts next, or hoplites, or Tommies, or Roundheads, or...