It’s easy to get distracted while you paint, and today we’ve got some great tips on how to stay focused while you paint to help keep your hobby muscles strong.
Projects can back up fairly quickly, and having a distracted painting session can lessen the overall quality by the end of it. There are many guides out there as to how to get re-invigorated to start painting again, but to stay focused on the task at hand is extremely important when you’re personalizing something that represents your game, your hobby, and your effort. To prevent painter distractions, here are some tips and tricks so that brush you pick up doesn’t get placed away ’till your model is ready to show itself on the battlefield.
One common trick many hobbyists find is to watch a movie or show, but this can cause issues depending on the content. The real trick is to not put on something that requires you to watch it. Action movies, horror movies, and thrillers are ones to be avoided, as most of their appeal is visual content. Dramas work somewhat better, as well as comedies, but the one that works the most is putting on something you’ve already watched.
Not needing to watch something while having some sort of auditory entertainment is one of the best ways to keep your head busy while painting. Something you’ve seen already and love works perfectly for this, re-experiencing dialogue or scenes you enjoy without having to watch every detail. Another thing that works is to re-watch these things with someone else who has or hasn’t, coaxing discussion over it without fear of speaking over the piece of film.
In the same vein, podcasts work very well, especially since a number of them focus on the hobby you’re already concentrating on. Audiobooks work just as well for the same reason. One of the things I personally like is video game Let’s Plays, preferably ones with two hosts to listen to their banter and commentary while playing something I’m familiar with. Movie reviews and discussion shows also work very well to keep yourself concentrated on the project.
The main reason music sometimes isn’t ideal is because it’s all segmented very quickly. Small, idle 3-4 minute-long pieces won’t keep a person glued to their seat, whereas a movie, show, long podcast, and audiobooks take a long chunk of time to go through, enough to get some real productivity in. The desire to sit through the whole movie, podcast, or audiobook will usually keep someone concentrated for its 2 or so hour duration, whereas with music, a lot of painters will find themselves finding any point appropriate to take a break or go do something else.
From personal experience, as a hobby streamer on Twitch, I’ve found broadcasting my painting sessions helps as well. Having an audience watching reduces the desire to take breaks, along with discussing things with them and getting feedback helps keep me concentrated. I can’t promise the same experience with every person if they seek the same path, but it’s certainly helped me concentrate on proper painting periods.
It’s easy enough to say “Watch a show to help yourself concentrate”, but it’s important to be wary of the content. Distractions are easy to come across, no matter what you do, and there are many ways to reduce them. What do you do to keep yourself concentrated during paint sessions? What are your go-to for entertainment when batch-painting?
About the Author: Chris Lien
