Lessons & Tips

Looking to start dabbling in the world of miniatures, scale models, and other related hobbies? Do you enjoy tabletop hobby games, board games? You’ve come to the right place! Below, you’ll find all our miniature painting tutorials and various hobby guides.

Whether you’re looking to learn how to paint your first mini or you’re a seasoned pro wanting to try out some new techniques, we’ve got you covered. Want to take better photos of your work for social media audience, or working on a hobby related business venture? Read on.

10 Tips for Macro Photography of Miniatures (an Easy Guide)

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Do you want better photos of your painted miniatures? Miniature photography is an emerging niche of the tabletop gaming world. You can tell epic stories in a single photo or a series of images. Specialized miniature photographers like Felix Hernandez have created other-worldly scenes that transport you to new dimensions. If you’re a miniature painter

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Smoothing PLA 3D Prints: How to Smooth 3D Printed Miniatures

How to smooth 3D prints without sanding - PLA 3D print smoothing without primer filler sanding - how to get rid of 3D print lines

Visible layer lines are the main obstacle when you prepare an FDM-printed PLA miniature for paint. The best smoothing method depends on the size of the model and how much surface detail you need to preserve. Sanding and filler primer provide the most control, while a thin epoxy coating can reduce print lines with less

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11 Airbrush Stencils for Miniatures and Models (Tips for Clean Results)

Awesome airbrush stencils for painting miniatures and tabletop wargame models - airbrush RC cars, warhammer 40k vehicles, tanks and historical models - freehand logos and add custom decals with an airbrush easy - Check out some of the mini stencils! - stencil banner airbrush

A stencil can turn a flat armor panel into hex camouflage, worn metal, circuitry, or a clean insignia. On a miniature, the hard part is getting the stencil close enough to the surface to keep the edges sharp. This guide covers 11 stencil designs for miniatures and models, along with practical tips for getting clean

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10 Hot Wire Foam Cutters for Foam Terrain That Are Worth Buying

Banner image 10 best hot wire foam cutters with text and underlying image of foam DIY terrain

Are you looking to make your own wargaming or scale model terrain features? The first time I tried cutting foam with a utility knife, I made a blizzard. Static-charged beads stuck to my sleeves, my desk, and somehow my coffee cup. A hot wire cutter changed the whole experience. The cut is quiet, the mess

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Immersive Ambient Lighting Guide for Tabletop RPG Games (5 Tips)

Ambient lighting for tabletop rpg gaming - Best ambient lights and lamps for gaming - immersive lights for dungeon and dragons D&D

So, you are hosting a role-playing gaming (RPG) gaming event, like Dungeon and Dragons (D&D)? Sometimes you just want to throw a party. Whether you’re hosting a RPG campaign, a birthday party, or an anniversary, you know having the right ambient lighting is an absolute must. Ambient lighting for tabletop gaming or other event not

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Painting with Coffee: Miniatures!

How to paint with coffee - painting miniatures with coffee - coffee miniature and model workshop

Do you get bored painting miniatures? Do you want to experiment with new, exciting ways to paint miniatures and models? A great way to overcome painting block is to experiment! Try a new technique. How about painting with coffee? Yes, I do mean paint miniatures with a do-it-yourself (DIY) coffee paint mixture. Board games, miniature

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How to Paint Board Game Miniatures: Cthulhu Wars

Do you play board games with miniatures? Tabletop games with miniatures are especially fun because they add an extra level of tactile immersion. Even better, of course, are board games with painted miniatures. Of all the games that you can enhance with painted miniatures, Cthulhu Wars (Peterson Games) is a particular stand-out! In this article,

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How Does an Ultrasonic Cleaner Work? Best Practice and Use

How does an ultrasonic cleaner work? Best practice and use for hobby miniatures and models

Can you use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean or strip paint off miniatures or models? How does an ultrasonic cleaner work? Ultrasonic cleaners use sonic waves transmitted through a liquid (usually water) that rapidly “scrubs” dirt or other unwanted particles from object surfaces. In this article, I explain how an ultrasonic cleaner works and why

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How-To Paint a 3D Printed Miniature with OSL

So, you’re looking to paint your 3D printed miniature. Painting 3D printed miniatures and figures is similar to painting other types of kit-type miniatures and models. This is especially true if you’re using model acrylic paints, such as Citadel or Army Painter model paints. In this article, I show you how I painted a 3D

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