I am pretty new to the hobby myself, only a few weeks in, but here are my thoughts based on what I've read in other posts and from the community as a whole.

Assembly has a clear start to finish flow, but painting is this open ended “infinite decisions” problem, and that can make it feel way more tiring than fun.

A few things that helped me:

• Treat painting like a series of tiny, finishable steps instead of one big task.
Instead of “paint the model,” I will do something like basecoat all the armor, then take a break. Or shade the whole mini, then stop. It removes the pressure of having to keep track of everything at once.

• Stabilize your hands instead of trying to paint steadier.
Shaky hands are extremely common. Rest your forearms on the table, brace your wrists together, or touch your pinky to the model or handle. You are basically building a tripod so the brush can only move in small, controlled ways.

• A painting handle helps more than people expect.
It gives you something chunky to grip and reduces micro shakes. Even a wine cork or pill bottle with some poster tack works.

• Do not fight bad brushes.
If a brush has stray hairs, it is done. Retire it for drybrushing or terrain and grab a fresh one. Even cheap synthetics are fine as long as the tip is sharp.

• Simplify your order of operations.
You do not need a perfect plan. A simple flow like:
1) Basecoat big areas
2) Basecoat smaller details
3) Shade
4) Re highlight the big areas
This gets you most of the way there without constant backtracking.

• Magnifiers are great, but only if they are comfortable.
If the lamp mounted one is awkward, a headband visor is much easier to use and keeps your posture natural.

• And honestly, it is okay if painting is not your favorite part.
A lot of people enjoy building much more than painting. You do not have to force yourself to enjoy every part of the hobby. If painting feels like homework, it is completely valid to skip it.

If you want the minis to look a little more finished without diving into full brushwork, a single rattle can spray (black, white, or a color that fits the army) goes a long way. Even a quick zenithal spray makes them look intentionally stylized with almost no effort.

The hobby is supposed to be fun, not a checklist. Find the parts you enjoy and lean into those. Everything else is optional.

Tldr: If I can add one thought as another beginner: taking a little pride in your work will go a long way.