Half post right now, just to prove (to myself) that I care about this thing:
What we do, as artists, is to create.  Now, that may seem basic, but let me elucidate: We create scenes, we create people.  You paint a Warhammer unit, and you are creating a regiment of soldiers.  How do you want them to look?  Do you want them to look spotless, fresh from the academy, or do you want a unit of veterans?  Do you want them to be marching across green fields or through a muddy urban slog?  These thoughts alone will inform your decisions when painting, and will make your miniatures stand out.  I'll update with some images, but for now, here's something from WoW.

Look at that center screw (OK, it's half-hidden by a canopy, but still).  It makes no sense whatsoever.  How would some goblins even screw that thing in?  The truth is that it doesn't matter.  Does it fit the scene?  Does it add some interest to an otherwise flat bit of scenery?  If yes to those, then the 'why' gets ignored.  It -feels- like it belongs, therefore it does.
Again, miniature examples coming soon.

P.S.: For those of you who fell into the thought that I used to, that you're a hobbyist and not an artist...cut that shit out.  You turn molded plastic into a still frame from a story that you're writing.  You're creating artwork.  Maybe it seems rote, maybe it seems like you're painting by numbers and not creating something new, but you're doing yourself a disservice.  Miniature painting is an art.  You're an artist.  Abandon your preconceptions of what an artist is and just dive in and make something.

Back into the swing of things

It's late/early and I'm feeling feelings.
Post one about painting shit.

Fallout 4 and realism:If you play FO4, you'll notice that the default faces, as normal looking as they are, all have several blemishes and markings checked in their customization screens.  The thing is, they're all at 10-25% opacity.  I'll tell you straight out, the vitiligo-looking splotches, the full-face freckles and moles, the Edward J Olmos acne scars, I zoomed right past them.  But I played around.  Gross bright red pimples aren't flattering, but maybe some light dots here and there?  Sure.  Here's a couple examples...
100%:


None:


45%
 

Now, maybe the differences are mostly imperceptible: you see a slight discoloration here or there...But that's fine.  It adds character.  Now, this is what you need to learn when painting.  Even if it's little, a slight dirty water wash over a small part can make all the difference in the world.
A couple fake scratches with a brushtip, some edge metallics with a pencil, it all adds up.
These stills don't show the magnitude of what I'm saying, but think of this: None of my Vault Dweller's scars are above 65% opacity, none of his markings, the gaunt eyes or cheeks, nothing is above around that much.  Yet, he looks weathered and beaten.  Subtle changes make for a large impact.
So this is my first painting lesson to all y'all who might be reading: small touches have a big impact, and minuscule choices can change the tone of a piece.
Next: realism vs. simulating reality, and using your medium to its fullest.