Our Miniature Hobby Lifestyle
A scale model is a tangible representation of an object that has the same dimensions as the real object (known as the prototype). Scale models are generally smaller than the actual prototype like buildings, vehicles, or landscapes. But, they may also be larger than the real object, such as models of anatomical structures or biological organisms.
Building scale models is a great hobby that can be both enjoyable and rewarding. Whether you’re a first-time builder or an experienced modeler, there are always new techniques and tips to learn. Scale modeling is a complex and delicate process, but with a little patience and practice, anyone can produce high-quality results.
Here are some helpful articles and tutorials to help you get started or learn more about the scale modeling hobby.
Are you wondering if you need to apply a clear coat to your miniatures? At first glance you may think that paint should be enough to endure gentle handling, even during gameplay. But, a layer of acrylic paint is thin and vulnerable to all sorts of environmental insults, e.g., sunlight, moisture, bumps, and movement during […]
The Benefits of Clear Coating Your Painted Miniatures Read More »
Does your primer color matter? Some say the primer color does not matter, and it doesn’t if you put enough coats over it. However, that can get costly, and many people don’t want to spend more money on paint than they have to. Spray primers (in aerosol cans) and surface primers (which you can airbrush
Does Primer Color Matter? Should You Use Color Primers? Read More »
The task of painting miniatures is often difficult due to the difficulty in seeing what you are doing. The two solutions that I have found to be most helpful for this problem are a magnifying visor or a lamp with a magnifying glass. These magnifiers both have their pros and cons, so it can be
Best Hobby Magnifier for Miniatures and Models: Visor or Lamp? Read More »
Are you considering an airbrush for painting your miniatures? There are a lot of questions about the usefulness of an airbrush for miniature painting. Is airbrushing miniatures worth it? Can you paint details with an airbrush? Is using an airbrush cheating? On the market, there are a lot of great airbrushes for painting scale models
Complete Airbrush Guide for Painting Miniatures and Models Read More »
One of the best ways to prime your miniatures and models is with an airbrush. Spraying a primer helps you apply even and smooth coats that make painting more enjoyable. Learning how to prime your miniatures with an airbrush will save you precious time and money. Applying primer with an airbrush can even improve the
How to Prime Miniatures with an Airbrush (Tips and Guide) Read More »
Miniature painting requires fine motor skill, good eyesight, and your ability to use a brush. If you’re looking to improve your miniature painting skill, the easiest thing you can do is paint more. The more time you use your brush to paint minis, the greater your motor skill will adapt to the required precise movements.
5 Tips to Improve Your Ability to Paint Miniature Details Read More »
Do you want a fast and easy way to paint highlights on miniatures? Zenithal highlighting is a technique that quickly reproduces the light and shadows produced by an imaginary light source directly over the subject. Using a spray can or airbrush with a bright color, usually white, you spray directly downward onto a dark-colored model.
How to Airbrush Zenithal Highlights (Fast & Easy) Read More »
What is the best way to smooth 3D printed miniatures made of PLA? PLA or Polylactic Acid is a very common 3D printing material for fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers. It is inexpensive, reliable, and biodegradable. There are so many positives with PLA FDM printing that it’s my recommended approach for those starting in the
Smoothing PLA 3D Prints: How to Smooth 3D Printed Miniatures Read More »
What glue do you use when basing miniatures? The kind of glue you should use will depend on the material you’re using to flock or base your models. Whether you using sand, grass flock, resin, cork, or other material, you’ll want a strong and durable adhesive. In this article, I highlight the pros and cons
Best Glue for Basing Miniatures? Read More »
Are you looking to make your own wargaming or scale model terrain features? Foam is the probably the most versatile building material for making DIY tabletop terrain. You’ll probably want a good hot wire foam knife. Cutting foam with a regular hobby knife (or utility knife) is messy. A hot wire cutter tool is a
10 Great Hot Wire Cutters for Making Foam Model Terrain (Tips) Read More »
Are you looking for the best light for model building? As a scale modeler and painter, I rely on good lighting to see and work with small details. Assembling and painting scale miniatures and models requires visual acuity. Most household desk lamps are too dim, lack contrast, and can even hurt our eyes over when
Lamp and Lighting Guide for Scale Modeling (8 Tips) Read More »
Do you enjoy assembling miniatures? Many scale models arrive in boxed kits that require assembly. Miniatures are often plastic, resin, or metal. Each kind of material and model kit requires a different assembly approach to achieve the best results. Tabletop games such Warhammer 40k, Age of Sigmar, Infinity the Game, Guild Ball, and many others
30 Miniature and Model Assembly Tips for Hobbyists Read More »
Are you looking for good papercraft terrain for Warhammer 40k, Kill Team, Infinity, or role playing games, like Dungeon and Dragons (DnD)? Paper models or papercraft is a budget-friendly, fast way to get awesome looking wargaming terrain and buildings on your tabletop. Good tabletop papercraft terrain is all over the internet and a lot of
Great Papercraft Terrain for Tabletop Gaming! Easy Mode! Read More »
Are you a tabletop miniature gamer? The battlefield you play on might be a dining room table, but it should be more. That’s where terrain pieces come into play. If you’re playing games like Warhammer 40k and looking for terrain ideas, all it takes is an online search. Images of beautiful wargaming terrain are everywhere.
3 Awesome Ways to Make Wargaming Terrain (Cheap, Easy, Free) Read More »
When I was learning how to improve my miniature painting, I was always on the look-out for resources to learn from. Of course, there are many ways to learn how to paint miniatures: you can watch YouTube videos, take classes, join a club, find online tutorials, or look for books. As I was searching the
21 Great How-To Books for Painting Miniatures (So Far) Read More »