Comments. Links and a note on Productivity

Thanks everyone for the comments on yesterday's post. I'm glad the Schrodinger pun wasn't lost on some people... 

Today, I added a few new links and updated the blogroll at the sidebar (it saves me having to keep looking in my favourites list).

One blog particularly worthy of note is "Chasseur." Now, I don't know the chap who runs it (I think he's on the underside of the world), but his blog is excellent. I particularly like his take on painting productivity. He bashes out Napoleonics at a phenomenal rate, and some of his older posts on the psychology of turning out such large numbers are really worth a read. Well done that man.

It reminded me of the old "Painting Points" concept that I originally put forward around 13 years ago. Yep, I checked, 2005. 
I still see people referring to "Olley points" or "Painting Points" occasionally, and many of them will have no idea who I am!

The idea behind Painting Points is to have a productivity measure. It doesn't have to be a huge target (this is a hobby, after all), but a sense of how much you are really getting done is useful. The scoring is 1 point for infantryman, 2 for cavalry (1 for rider, 1 for horse) and so on. Simple. The value is in both keeping tally of output, and also in planning new projects. It's no good planning, and hoping, to produce the Battle of Leipzig at 1:20, if your average painting output is 14 figures a year. You'll become despondent in no time, and the butterflies will take hold.

Think about it. How many figures have you painted in the last 6 months, or the whole of this year so far? Get the average monthly output. That gives you a clue as to what you can produce. Now, if you were really focussed I'm sure you could up it a little, just by turning off the TV, or setting aside a very specific part of the evening to paint, or whatever rhythm you want to create. So, if you've averaged 12 figures per month in the last 6 months, how about a stretch to 15; or if it's been 33, what about upp'ing it to 40 per month. If 87, why not aim at 100. It's not about bragging about who is whacking out the most stuff. What's important is the steady build on a decent output for you.

Now, there will always be distractions and things that prevent the brush getting wet. I myself have a varied and busy life. In September, I'll be travelling a fair bit, and have plenty of business and other stuff going on. And it may be that the month to come prevents me getting to the paint desk much at all. 

But, in the normal run of life, that's where the painting points helps you. It's not about those times when it would be impossible to paint. It's about those times when all is "normal" - and when all sorts of distractions and procrastinations could get in the way. Remove those distractions, get a clear target in mind, and go for it.

Take some time to read Chasseur's post about his approach to painting Napoleonics in volume. Then set to work.
Enjoy!