This article is a descriptive overview of the differences between tabletop quality and display level miniature painting standards. What do the terms ātabletop standardā, ādisplay levelā, or collector qualityā mean in regards to miniature painting? This seems to be a recurring question in the miniature painting community. And, it is an especially relevant topic for commissioned painters or clients who might encounter different project prices that depend on painting quality level.
Read on to see 1) the general descriptions of each miniature painting standard, as well as 2) some thoughts on how time is a key factor in determining āstandardā
What Does the Industry Say About Miniature Painting Standards?
There are already standards to define tabletop paint quality. Games Workshop (GW) (e.g., Warhammer, Age of Sigmar, 40k) and Privateer Press (e.g., Warmachine and Hordes) have regulations for what they consider fully-painted tabletop ready models (i.e., tournament ready).
Games Workshop has published a set of model painting standards.
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Painting-Blood-Angels-Battle-Ready.png?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=904%2C571&ssl=1)
In general, however, even GW doesnāt clearly define a āpainting standardā, and acknowledges this issue is subjective and personal.
This is perhaps the most ambiguous as fully painted can vary from one person to another. Some people never consider their army fully painted as they could see room for a 4th highlight, some free-hand heraldry or some battle damage. Others consider an army fully painted so long as it has ā3 coloursā. Fully painted can thus be a question of perspective, and a tick-list of minimum standards doesnāt apply. That being said, we fully believe that deep down everyone knows what a fully painted model is, regardless of skill or time spent.
Model Requirements for events at Warhammer World (Games Workshop)
Notably, the requirements for a minimum painting standard does include instructions for bases.
All miniatures in your collection must be fully based. Fully based means a finished base of the model. Plain bases should be fully
Model Requirements for events at Warhammer World (Games Workshop)
painted and include some kind of texture ā sand, grass, slate etc. Sculpted bases should be fully painted. Games Workshopās Texture paints make it easier than ever to base your models as it is paint and texture all in one.
Warhammer 40k Victory Points for Painted Armies
In a game of Warhammer 40k, determining the winner may use victory points (or VPs) as a scoring metric. In the new 9th edition rule set for 40k games, rules state that: āIf every model in a playerās army was painted to a Battle Ready standard, that player is awarded a bonus of 10 victory pointsā.
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Warhammer 40k 9th edition painting rules](https://i2.wp.com/tangibleday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tabletop-criteria-40k-1.jpeg?fit=715%2C1024&ssl=1)
This is a significant factor for determining the winner. No matter your preferred stance on this rule, it does show how much Games Workshop is advocating the hobby side of their game. They want your models to look good on the tabletop!
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched ā they must be felt with the heart
Helen Keller
What is a āBattle Readyā painted miniature? For many, this is simply your tabletop standard painting.
Tabletop Standard Painting
As far as I can tell, the most common definition of tabletop standard from community discussions is as follows:
Tabletop Standard Painting
- Each major element on a model is defined by appropriate color, e.g., flesh/skin versus armor/cloth
- A wash or ink adds dark value, whereas a dry brush or simple highlight technique adds a bright value (these are methods to increase contrast)
- Bases are finished with paint or flocking material, e.g., sand/grass
- No primer or bare metal/plastic shows anywhere on the model
- The model is clearly identified and looks āgoodā alone or in a group of similar models from 3 feet away (i.e., playing distance)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Blood angels painted to a tabletop standard.](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Blood-angels-tabletop-standard.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
Overall, a tabletop standard miniature paint job includes painting and basing elements that clarify and demonstrate the purpose of the model on the table.
When you lift the model from the tabletop, the quality of the paint job no longer holds significance and its appearance may no longer āimpressā you.
RELATED: MENOTH WARJACK QUICK AND DIRTY PAINT JOB
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Imperial fist space marine chapter painted to a tabletop standard.](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Space-marines-tabletop-standard.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
High Tabletop or Display Level Painting
Any miniature paint job above a minimum ātabletop standardā is a high-quality tabletop or display level painting. Because we are moving away from the requirements of looking good in tabletop gaming environment, we canāt define the standard as firmly.
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Freehand details might appear on higher quality tabletop standard miniature paint jobs](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Painting-a-Miniature-Infinity.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=480%2C480&ssl=1)
Hereās what I found to be the points that most in the community might agree upon as criteria for each standard:
High Tabletop Standard
- Appropriate color, e.g., flesh/skin versus armor/cloth, defines each major element on a model
- Added free hand details, wet-slide decals, or other texture elements
- Contrast is well-done, not necessarily smooth, but closer to realistic lighting appears on elements of the miniature, e.g., color blending
- Bases are finished with paint or flocking material, e.g., sand/grass
- The model looks good in isolation, and stands up to closer scrutiny when held between 1-3 feet away
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - close up of a high tabletop standard miniature painting](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Tabletop-standard-paintjob.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - close of a zombicide board game miniature painted to a high tabletop standard](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Zombicide-Painting-Hero.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Decals on an imperial knight](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Imperial-Knight-Painting-Level.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
Display Level or Collector Quality Standard
The sky is the limit. But, at a minimum, you should see the following on a miniature painted to standards described as ādisplayā or ācollector levelā:
- Color, light, and texture define each element of the miniature
- Details, e.g., belt buckles, facial features, hair texture, are visible with close inspection
- Light and environmental context provide more information for the viewer. In other words, the artist has envisioned intrinsic or extrinsic environmental elements and successfully added these details to the painting (e.g., context from within the modelās sculpt, or from the external contextual-environment a viewer might perceive through the miniatureās paint job)
- Narrative elements stand out, such as through the use of a custom base or other elements that add to the context of the miniature (e.g., does the model tell a story?)
- The painted miniature is photogenic, i.e., stands up to the scrutiny of high-resolution photography. Photography tends to reveal even the smallest painting errors and flaws
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Infinity miniature TAG painted to a display studio painting level standard](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/46310522382_f1225073cc_k.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C910&ssl=1)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Painted to a display level standard - Legion model for Warmachine Hordes](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Tabletop-Standard-or-Display-Blue-Bird.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Painted to a display level standard - Legion model for Warmachine Hordes - Face close up](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Close-up-Headshot-Miniature.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=768%2C512&ssl=1)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Grymkin model painted to a display level](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/death-knell-dry-palette-painted.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=1024%2C577&ssl=1)
![Tabletop Standard vs. Display Level Painting [Criteria] - how to paint tabletop standard miniatures and models - what is battle ready painting in warhammer 40k? Battle ready standard in wargaming - How to paint battle ready tabletop standard models - Marike Reimer painted miniature to a collector's level paintjob - competition winning](https://emsw9w6wsq2.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/painted-with-dry-palette.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&resize=531%2C600&ssl=1)
Final Word
Paint job quality is subjective at first glance. But, with a closer look, it is possible to discern what is āTabletop Standardā from a āDisplay Standardā paint job.
Obviously, time and skill are the two major factors for how quality emerges from a miniature paint job. At the end of the day, a set standard for understanding the difference between low and high standards of miniature art is useful, but not always helpful.
You decide!
What do you think about miniature painting standards? Do you agree with the criteria described in this article?
Tangible Day on YouTube (Miniatures and More!)
I really enjoyed your article and the definitions of the different standards. I wish I had the patience!
Thank you! Painting is like writing. All it takes is a bit of time and practice, then it gets easier.
I’m always working on the patience part of that equation. š
It doesn’t take patience, it develops it. We that paint often don’t fully understand when people say “it must take so much patience,” because for us, we’ve developed such peace while doing it, it’s like if you were lying on a beach chair in Cancun with a delicious frozen beverage in your hand, sea air gently rolling across you in the warm sun and someone walked up to you and said, I have no idea how you have the patience for this. Is that a Banana Republic you’ve got there!?! Psht. Haha!
Funny, just had this discussion recently. Also mentioned was āpro-paintedā, which you see used on Ebay a lot. A fellow blogger said it usually means it was commissioned.
Yeah, I didnāt even try to define āproā painted. It means so many things …and usually not good š
A good post, I agree that things are subjective I would say the middle Marine is fully painted. It does niggle me a bit that someone new to painting looks at that image thinking they have done really well and then find they are basic… yep Pro painted is a weird subjective one too. Luckily I can class my miniatures as pro painted. I am a professional and it is my mini. I just arenāt a professional miniature painter.
The whole art of painting is subjective…. just getting paint on a model, a single coat, is a challenge for some folks (not a put-down). It’s just not for everyone, whereas for others painting miniatures comes “natural”.
Please donāt think I thought you were putting people down, it was more the GW method of levelling painting standards.
Oh yeah, totally. But, you’re right though; I think that’s also why GW was careful to say that part I bolded (the GW Warhammer World quote), that the standard of tabletop quality is subjective, essentially. People generally know deep down what looks good.
Also a big factor is the size of the miniature. You can’t possibly get the level of detain on a 15mm figure that you can on a huge dragon figure, for example. Over time the standard for what looks good has changed and the availability of contrast paints, inks and washes has raised the overall quality of painting. I hope this isn’t even more intimidating for the new painter!
It is also worth mentioning that a figure painted to a tabletop standard can be revisited later to add details, highlights and shadows. (But with me it almost never happens.)