Our Miniature Hobby Lifestyle
I am an avid miniature painter. I love the hobby and the community, but sometimes it can be really frustrating. There are times when you just don’t know what to paint. Worse yet, sometimes you have miniatures that seem boring or uninspiring. Do you look at that horde of unpainted Warhammer 40k models and feel […]
How to Paint Miniatures That Suck (Editorial) Read More »
Are you looking for a simple way to paint skulls on your miniatures? Skulls, bone, and skeletons are a common motif on wargaming miniatures, especially Warhammer or Age of Sigmar models. We all know what bone looks like, the color, the texture, and details. But, painting miniature skulls with a realistic, good-looking bone color and
How to Paint Skulls and Bone on Miniatures (3 Easy Steps) Read More »
“I want to be the best at what I do!” This is a sentence that you might hear from many people in different aspects of their lives. Whether it’s for work, hobbies, or sports, being the best often means trophies, prizes, and the accolades of an adoring audience. But, being the best is fleeting, too,
Be Authentic, Not the Best: The Irrelevant Ego in Miniature Painting Read More »
Painting miniatures can be an enjoyable hobby for many people. What many of these miniature painters don’t know is that painting miniatures could also be causing them eye strain and discomfort. What are some of the ways to reduce or eliminate eye strain and the associated pain while painting miniatures? This article will discuss how
How to Reduce Eye Strain While Painting Miniatures (Solutions) Read More »
Are you wondering whether a portable, cordless airbrush is good for painting miniatures? A portable airbrush differs from other standard airbrush and compressor kits in that it is a standalone unit. It comes with everything you need to get started, including a compressor battery, a charger USB cable, and airbrush spray gun. Depending on the
Are Portable, Cordless Airbrushes Any Good for Painting Miniatures? (Overview) Read More »
Do you need to prime your miniatures and models before painting them? This is a common questions for new painters. There are three reasons why you should prime your models before applying any hobby paint. Priming helps paint stick to the miniature’s surface, protecting the durability of the paint. A good primer also smooths out
Do You Prime Your Miniatures? Here’s 3 Reasons Why You Should Read More »
Did you know that a messy desk can increase stress and make hobby work more difficult? Of course, you did. An organized miniature painting workspace helps you enjoy enjoy the process of painting. Let’s take a look at why you should be organizing your miniature hobby supplies, and why it will improve your miniature painting
Painter’s Delight: Organization Tips for a Less Stressful Miniature Hobby Read More »
Hobby paint organizing can be a challenging task. I have hobby paint in every drawer, under the bed, and it’s spilling out of cardboard boxes under my desk. My brushes are in worse places! As a commissioned miniature painter, wargamer, and blogger, I’ve gathered a huge collection of hobby supplies. Just look at my desk!
The Perfect Paint and Brush Organizer? (JKB Concepts Hobby Organizer Review) Read More »
What’s the difference between a matte and gloss varnish for miniatures? Simply put, a gloss varnish creates a reflective, shiny finish on your models. And, a matte varnish produces a non-reflective, dull or flat finish coat on your painted miniatures. But, there are more differences you should know in what varnish type to use, including
Matte Versus Gloss Varnishes for Miniatures and Models (Overview and Best Uses) Read More »
Inspiration is an unconscious burst of creativity. As a miniature painter or other artist, inspiration fuels our desire to make our visions come alive. It is an empowering intellectual and emotional energy. Without inspiration, there is zero internal motivation and all of our efforts are cold-hearted and dull. How do you find and nurture inspiration
Miniature Painting Inspiration (Tips for Motivation) Read More »
How do you thin acrylic paints to airbrush miniatures? As a best practice, you should thin your model paints to the proper viscosity for your airbrush. The proper viscosity for airbrushing depends on the air pressure, the resolution, and the airbrush nozzle size. For simplicity, of course, you could buy “airbrush-ready model paints”. But, these
How to Thin Acrylic Paint for an Airbrush (Tips and Guide) 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 »
Priming is one of the most important steps in miniature painting. A primer smooths out microscopic imperfections in the surface of your model and provides a solid foundation for overlying model paint color. When applied correctly, a primer is essential for a durable paint job, preventing paint peeling and chipping. In this article, I share
Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid When Priming Miniatures (and Solutions!) Read More »
Every miniature paint job is way to discover a bit about yourself. In art, the opposition to progress is your resistance to explore outside your comfort zone. This is true for athletes and erudites looking for the next metaphorical hill to climb. Of course, all this soul-searching and boundary pushing leads to a chaotic mess
Painting Complexity with Simplicity: A Miniature Painting Philosophy Read More »
As a commission miniature painter, there are projects you shouldn’t take due to the immensity of the work. You only have so much time in your day for the side gigs. You trade time for money, but when it comes to painting miniatures, the exchange is often an unfair. This is particularly true if you
Are You a Bad Client for Commissioned Miniature Painters? Read More »