I think I'll come out and say it, I'm a crap painter.
N, that's a bit harsh, I'm an absolutely atrocious painter.
I wish I were better, but my models just never seem to come out quite as well as I'd like. I think it's mostly down to the time I spend on them. I prefer playing games than painting, so I've played with unassembled models, just jammed in bases if it meant I could game faster!
But, I'm getting better than I used to be, which is a bloody miracle!
I think the main problem is, i know I used to be bad, and I kinda expect that my miniatures will remain bad. who knows, maybe i'm short changing myself?!
I think the best way to describe myself is...
I'm a gamer, not a painter! lol
(The worst bit for me!)
I'll put up a pic of a random miniature here. maybe one i'm paining in an action shot, who knows?!
The biggest tips I think I've picked up for painting are;
Always thin down your paints, and do multiples coats. When I was younger, i never thinned down anything, now I'm a bit older, it's better at it. Not great, but better.
Buy decent brushes. This I still don't do, mostly because I can't justify it when I know my cats will inevitably steal it, and I'll find it behind the TV a month later like the last one...
Buy decent paint. Depending on the model, I have; Cheap acrylic paint, for massed mobs of troops. Mid-range paint, I tend to use of characters in squads or mobs of troops. and expensive stuff, so Vallejo or GW paints, individual characters, or details on vehicles i want to look as good as they can.