Do You Sell or Keep Your Painted Miniatures?

For many years, I’ve been immersed in a Pathfinder campaign, a game akin to Dungeons & Dragons but with another ruleset. But in this article, I won’t delve into campaign specifics. Instead, I’ll highlight a crucial element: the miniatures. Here’s the heart of my story: deciding whether to keep this meticulously painted miniature as a keepsake or release it into the world, making space for new tales. Whether you’re an experienced player, a painter, or simply intrigued by this hobby, I invite you to explore the emotion of letting go.

In this article, I reveal my decision and its significance in the broader context of gaming and miniature painting. al arc of creating, personifying, and eventually letting go of a piece that’s been central to countless adventures.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Discover how your miniatures in games like Pathfinder can become deeply personal symbols of your fantasy adventures.
2. Explore the meaningful decision of whether to keep or sell a cherished miniature, embodying the challenge of embracing change in your hobbies.
3. Consider turning your miniature painting passion into a profitable venture, balancing the joy of creation with the practicalities of business.

Hint: Yes, I did ultimately decide to sell the miniature I painted for my RPG campaign. Read on to learn about why I did, and more of my thinking process along the way.

The Impulsive Barbarian

When I joined the group, we needed a tank, the dude that takes the front of any encounter and absorbs wicked amounts of incoming enemy attacks. I didn’t want to play the typical fighter dressed in plate armor (at higher levels), but rather wanted to play a character that allowed me to do stuff that I can’t physically do, obviously, or psychologically went against how I normally act.

READ MORE: PLAYING A BARBARIAN IN TTRPGS

I wanted to be the impulsive, throw-caution-to-the-wind character. 

And, Why Not?

Yes, the miniature. I had to get the right miniature to represent this insanity on the table. Reaper miniatures to the rescue!

He is dynamically posed, almost off-balanced (but never out of control; totally, that is). He wields weapons that envisioned would be all he needed. A bit dirty ‘cuz he’s not charismatic at all. 

Suffice to say, he has survived many months of campaigning, slayed many a foe, and has become the cinderella man of our sessions (voted first to die in any encounter, but never smelled the dust; unlike our mage who had come close to the light many times).

Do I Sell My painted Miniature?

Well, as a commissioned painter, I rarely get a chance to paint my own models anymore. The one shown here is a unique piece. I think I’d like to keep him for the long term. But, with one campaign over, my character essentially retired, my question is whether I sell him on eBay?

READ MORE: SMART PHONE VERSUS CAMERA (MINIATURE PHOTOGRAPHY QUALITY COMPARED)

There is a special something about painting something unique and then letting it go to a new home. I get a few bucks in my bank account to fund new models and painting/gaming adventures. I don’t have a lot of space and this miniature wouldn’t really be a problem in this department–but it’s clutter and I like a clean shelf with models that see use. 

Our rpg campaigns continue and my group has moved onto new adventures. This barbarian may not return. And if I did come back to this campaign, I think a new miniature would be a great way to show how my character has progressed. 

So, do I keep this miniature, or keep it as a reminder of adventures passed?

Final Decision and Thoughts

Well, I sold the barbarian miniature and made a good profit.

In fact, I made enough money to purchase more miniatures with a few new paint pots along the way. Admittedly, the model sat in an eBay sale for more than a week!

The bottomline for why I sold the miniature was that I wanted: 1) to see how much I could make in terms of profit with my painted miniature work, and 2) create a “clean-break” from the character, a palette cleanser of sorts for my next campaign.

Ultimately, I feel good with decision. And while I’ll miss the adventures with this character, I have plenty of photos that I took a long the journey.

I hope you enjoyed this article. What would you have done? Would you have sold a model you painted or stored it away on a shelf for posterity sake? I’d love to know! Leave me a comment and stick around while I figure out what new adventures I’ll embark on next.

Until next time, happy painting (and adventuring)!