Creating a dedicated space for miniature painting can significantly enhance your hobby experience, making it more enjoyable and productive. Here’s how you can design the ideal miniature painting setup that caters to both beginners and seasoned painters.
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Choose the Right Location
- Quiet Space: Find a spot that’s away from high traffic or noisy areas. A miniature painting room or a corner in a room where you can close the door is ideal.
- Lighting: Natural light is best for painting miniatures, but if that’s not possible, invest in good lighting for miniature painting. Look for daylight bulbs or LED lights that mimic natural light to ensure color accuracy.
Light fixtures such as LED Desk Lamps like this one are wonderful for miniature painting. The adjustable brightness level and blue light reduction helps prevent eye strain for long term painting sessions. Also, the clamp makes a great space saver if your painting area is limited.
If your station is clamp-prohibitive, LED Bar lamps with a base like this one work quite effectively and are also very affordable. I used to use two of these simultaneously at my old house where my painting area was a very dark room with limited natural light.
But, if you’re wanting to go all-in the some of the best gear, the Brightech LightView Pro is a fantastic choice for both lighting and magnifying needs. The light is fantastic, the weight of the base keeps this a stable fixture of my painting station, and the magnifying needs for me are mandatory as I get older and my eyesight diminishes. I couldn’t continue to hobby without this lamp! An added bonus – it throws off quality light (and enough brightness) to take quick-snap photos if I need one for a WIP or if I’m sharing my progress with friends.
Organize Your Workspace
- Miniature Painting Desk: Choose or build a desk that’s at a comfortable height with enough space. Consider a miniature painting station that includes storage for paints, brushes, and tools.
As of now, the Mythic Minis Studio utilizes 8×4 plastic tables with retractable legs, such as this one. These tables have proven to be stable and offer plenty of space for model building and painting set up with plenty of room for accessories and modeling supplies. - Ergonomic Setup: Ensure your chair supports good posture to prevent back pain during long painting sessions. An ergonomic chair for hobbyists can be a great investment.
I use a Herman-Miller style office chair that I bought (for a steal!) years ago, and I absolutely love it. While a good chair didn’t cure my posture problems or sciatica, I certainly get plenty of support from a good, ergonomic, high-backed mesh chair such as this one.
Those huge, bulky, leather desk chairs eventually wear out and you lose support. Whereas my mesh desk chair has as much support as the day I bought it (5+ years ago!), and I can sit for long painting or computer sessions without sinking, or sagging, or losing posture or having discomfort.
3. Storage Solutions
- Paint Storage: Use paint racks for miniatures or modular storage systems to keep your paints organized and accessible. Label each bottle if they aren’t transparent.
Smaller paint organizers Like the OPHIR Wooden Paint Organizer are terrific if you’re just starting your paint journey and have a small number of paints for storage. As your collection grows, you can use this paint organize as project storage and keep your paints you’re using for your immediate painting project.
Plydolex makes really cool, modular wooden paint racks that house paint pots, dropper bottles, and even has a small shelf for small project storage or for accessories such as glues, thinners, or solvents. This type of storage is an excellent piece-meal method of storage that you can grow and customize as you customize and grow your hobby! - Brush Holder: A brush holder for miniature painting helps protect your brushes and keeps them within reach.
For brush holders, you can use a favorite mug (I use 500 ml beakers), or you could get something such as this Holder and Organizer. An organizer like this, or something similar, would be great for keeping track and having quick, easy access to specific brushes.
Also, consider a brush organizer such as this artist brush carrying case. This is an ideal way to protect and transport your brushes if you like to bring your painting projects to friends, family, or to the local hobby store. - Miniature Storage: Consider clear cases or trays for storing both painted and unpainted miniatures to keep them dust-free and organized.
There are so many shapes and sizes for storage, transportation, and display cases. Some of these options are quite affordable and effective for at-home storage or even transportation to a gaming event.
Some of the more popular ones I’ve seen around the hobby stores are like this Montex Miniature Display Case. Simply glue rare-earth magnets to bottoms of your miniatures’ bases and you have tremendously secure storage and transportation. Ideally, this is army transportation for small to mid-size models.
Cases I would not recommend are ones with foam, especially soft foam. In my experience, spikey bits on models, or weak parts such as wizard staves, tend to get hung up in the foam and break off. I’ve never had an issue storing or transporting using compartmental case of plastic or acrylic.
4. Essential Tools and Accessories
- Magnifier or Loupe: For detailed work, a magnifier for miniature painting can be invaluable. If you’re looking for something a little more affordable or smaller than the Lightech Brightview Pro then you may want to check out these smaller magnifiers with built in lights.
- Wet Palette: A wet palette for miniatures keeps your paints from drying out, allowing for longer painting sessions. There are so many wet palettes to choose from, and choosing the correct one is essential! Please check out our post on Wet Palettes for Miniature Painting: Why Beginners Should Use One.
- Painting Handle: A miniature painting handle reduces hand fatigue and provides better control over small models. I’m particularly a big fan of the Citadel Painting Handle, but there are many in the market and even some home-made ones if you’re so industrious.
5. Environment Control
- Temperature and Humidity: Maintain a stable environment. Too much humidity can affect paint drying; too little can dry paint too quickly. Consider a humidity control system for hobby rooms.
- Dust Management: Dust is the enemy of detailed work. A miniature painting dust cover or having a dedicated, clean space can help.
6. Inspirational and Learning Space
- Reference Materials: Keep books, magazines, or digital devices handy for miniature painting tutorials and inspiration.
- Community Interaction: If possible, set up an area for video calls or streaming where you can learn from or teach others in the miniature painting community.
7. Personal Touches
- Decor: Add elements like inspirational artwork or your favorite miniatures on display to make the space uniquely yours. Personally, I have some really awesome Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer 40k, some KnerdKraft prints, and art from my favorite artist, Michael Whelan adorning my walls and inspiring me.
- Music or Audio: A good sound system or noise-canceling headphones can help you focus, especially during intricate painting tasks. Rocking out to your favorite music or becoming informed by your favorite podcast is a great way to get and keep those creative juices flowing. If you’re a synesthete like me (Peter) then music is a sure-fire way to get into a painting flow-state.
Conclusion
Setting up the perfect miniature painting space isn’t just about functionality; it’s about creating an environment that inspires creativity and efficiency. Whether you’re just starting with miniature painting for beginners or looking to upgrade your setup, these tips will help you craft a space where your miniatures can truly come to life.
Remember, the best miniature painting space is one that feels right for you, enhancing both your skill and enjoyment in this wonderful hobby. Sometimes, being at a crowded table at the hobby store and getting out of your comfort zone can be inspiring!
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