Andrew M. Tan

Andrew M. Tan is a commissioned miniature painter, photographer, and writer with more than 20 years of hands-on hobby experience. He founded and edits Tangible Day, drawing on a PhD in neuroscience and peer-reviewed research to write about attention, learning, and the craft of making things by hand. Full bio: https://tangibleday.com/andrew-m-tan/

Choosing the Best Brush for Painting Miniatures (Full Guide)

Feature banner image for the paint brush guide for miniatures and models - brushes and tabletop gaming miniature model displayed

What’s the best brush for painting miniatures? Paint brushes are an essential tool for miniature painting. The most popular and useful brushes for miniature painters are a pointed round kolinsky sable size #1 or #2 brushes. These paint brushes have a bristle length of about 8-12mm and a belly diameter of 1.5-2mm. A pointed round

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Transon Miniature Painting Drybrush Set: First Look, Expectations, and Testing Plan

Transon miniature and model drybrush lineup—five domed drybrush sizes with matching detail brushes

Ever spend an evening chasing highlights with a tired brush? Drybrushing brings textures to life fast, yet the wrong tool frays, sheds, and ruins details. I’m always on the lookout for cool toys to experiment with in the miniature hobby sphere; these brushes look super affordable right now and have, in my view, the ideal

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Are Winsor & Newton Series 7 Brushes Worth It for Miniature Painting?

Winsor & Newton Series 7 Painting Experience Review - Black brush with fine sable bristles on a dark workspace.

Have you ever wondered if investing in a high-end paintbrush could actually improve your miniature painting? I asked myself the same question when I first bought the Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable size 1 brush. It’s legendary among miniature painters for its precision and performance, but at over $20 a brush, I had

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How to Paint a Glowing Lightning Effect (OSL Practice Drill for Miniatures)

How to Paint an OSL Glow Effect with Value Mapping banner

Ever want a miniature sword to look like it’s glowing with energy? A lightsaber or lightning power sword of some sort, perhaps. Or maybe you want understand how to paint an object glow effects but don’t know where to start. This practice drill teaches you the object source lighting (OSL) technique on a flat surface

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Custom Dice Trays for Tabletop Gamers (10 Unique Finds)

Banner custom dice trays for tabletop gamers, rpgs, dnd, feature banner

Are you looking for a custom dice tray? A custom dice box or tray turns your experience of an ordinary board game or RPG session into something new. In this article, I show you 10 great examples of custom dice trays for tabletop gaming. Whether you’re playing an RPG, miniature wargames or board games, like

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How Monetizing My Hobby Quietly Took the Joy Out of It

Close-up of a man assembling a model airplane, with bold text overlay that says “Reasons Monetizing a Hobby Is Bad” and a large red X graphic in the corner.

Ever feel like every hobby you enjoy eventually turns into a job? You pick up a brush, a camera, or a open your sketchbook just to unwind, and before long someone’s asking, “You should sell that.” It’s flattering. Maybe even exciting. But I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—that turning your hobby into a money-making side hustle

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Top 10 Best Magnetic Miniature Army Transport Cases

Graphic banner showing trays of painted miniatures in a magnetic display case with text “Top 10 Magnetic Miniature Cases”

Magnetic carry cases make taking your miniatures and models a “snap”. You literally plug your models into the case and go. Over the years, magnetic carrying cases have become more popular because of their simplicity and ease-of-use. No hassling with pluck foam, prickly bits getting stuck (and breaking), and oddly-shaped models not fitting into your

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Simple Camera Guide for Miniature Photography (7 Easy Tips)

Vintage camera pointing at a painted miniature with bold text overlay reading "7 Camera Tips for Miniature Photography – TangibleDay.com"

Are you looking to take great pictures of your miniatures? After you’re done painting your miniatures, you may want to take photos of them in various locations. Professional photos always tell a story or evoke an emotion. With miniature photography, you have an excellent way to document your work, tell a narrative, and share what

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Top 12 Gap Fillers for Miniatures (What Works and When)

Banner image best gap fillers for miniatures with a resin model and a cracked motif

What are the best gap fillers for miniatures and models? Miniature and model assembly is fun. Scratch builders love making things from…well, scratch. Filling gaps is an important step in preparing your models for primer and paint. Gap fillers are useful for whether you are assembling plastic model kits for Warhammer 40k or Age of

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