How to paint on the Job

How does one paint at work? How do you keep your job?

          Yeah.....so I painted dudes deployed. While deployed with the Navy to Iraq, I bought along my paints in a small GW figure case. The 96 dude one. At that time my roommate stateside would clean and prime the dudes for me. He would USPS them in glad screw top containers. I would paint them in the repair shack. Then send them back in the same containers.

          In my civilian job I painted at my desk at work. We had an office with a door and no windows. We did little to nothing all day. My office mate watched movies and I set up a paint station at work. I would prime and base them at home and transport them in a chessex case to paint. That was the job I returned from in 2015.

        In both case my work load was always done. I never hide the fact that I was doing it. And when asked to do extra work outside of my normal responsibilities, crushed that shit so I could get back to what mattered. Painting little dudes.

         Now that I am back in the workforce. I returned to that same company, but now I travel as support instead of sitting at one location. I still paint while on the road traveling. And when I am not traveling. Oh I paint then too!
         Every night and parts of the day are totally and completely free. If I am not involved with the customer, I am service. I do whatever I want!

This is how I do it.

Vented spray booth is worth the loot! 

        At work is your chance to sit and paint. No guilty feeling of ditching the family. No one breaking your balls. You need to make a plan, develop and improve the plan. I have a painting log. Its list what colors I used where and for whom. It also contains a lessons learned page.

          You will need to plan days ahead. Lay all the shit out plus some that you will be painting. First up, I clean, base, and prime everything.

         Some get based and other just glued to sticks. TRICK ONE; is always take that unit that is almost done.

         Due to the baggage weight restrictions. I split the lead and paint load between my clothes bag, tool kit, and carry ons. Don't put your paint in the carry on! TSA will take it. All the lead mounted to magnets and sticks goes in the carry on. The rest sits nicely in the GW foam along with the paint. 

          The GW case fits in my luggage. My shirts and pants go into my carry on. No one wants paint on their work cloths. (never ever had paint explode, but) So 2 bags checked, paint/gym cloths/sock/undies and the tool box. 2 carry ons, laptop bag and medium size backpack. Because I am traveling for work, don't care about the baggage fees. Work pays!

I use the same GW case from Iraq or a double one. This time I am out for 2 weeks. I took the double one.

I pack extra brushes, because I forgot them once switch between bags. Now every bag has a brush or two. Don't be like me. Triple check for brushes!

         Once in the hotel, break your gear out and set up a paint station. This is where that almost done unit comes in. As soon as you done finish it. Even if you check in at 2am. It will set you up for results on the trip.

I wreck the place. All the hotels shit goes on the floor. I move all the lamps over to the desk. 

         Don't turn the TV on ever. Don't be watching porn all night long or Netflix. And your lying to yourself saying you won't watch while you paint. Because you will and the number of dude done will tank. Time wasted. If you need noise, silence bothers you, you got issues, whatever. iTunes U, learn something, iTunes learn nothing, audio books, pod casts.

        As the time passes, dudes that are done get their own slot in the foam. Why? Well care in packing will result in less touch ups after unpacking. And no one wants to leave a soldier behind. especially a painted one. 

         Once you get use to travel painting or at the job. All you will do at home is base, stain, seal, and start loading for the next trip.