Oh! Nice!
How are the AP Speed Paints working for you?

This was the first try, but I'm very impressed. They are not perfect, some colors work better than others, but wow, still amazing. A really time saver.

Nice work on it.

Thanks

fantastic work my guy, those scales really pop!

Thanks

I have to ask since I am about to start the hobby soon myself. Should I paint my army before I put them together?

This is a complex question.
Everyone in this hobby is here for a different reason.
Some are painters, some are gamers, some are kitbasher, some like to make terrain.
My suggestion is: start small. Choose a game with few models and paint them. Then play some games with a bigger proxy army, you can use models from a friend or whatever you want, even paper dolls. After that try to expand your band in a real army if you like.
If you understand that you like to paint more than play (like me), choose a skirmish game (like warcry) and paint different bands.
Vice versa, if you like big battles, choose a game, try different armies, pick one and paint one unit at the time. Then buy the next one.
If you buy everything at the beginning you never finish your army.
Check Arbitor Ian on youtube for a guide of the most expensive games from Games Workshop. And remember that GW is not the only option.