Hobbying Basics

Hobbying can be a very fun process, combining artistic creativity with technical skill to produce actual physical things to improve your gaming experiences; anything from a solitary mini for an RPG, to a full blown army.

However, hobbying can also be a daunting process. New hobbyists can be quickly overwhelmed by the hobby, trying to accumulate the minis, brushes, paints and a myriad of other supplies they need (or think they need). Old hobbyists, armed with years of skill, can be discouraged through overwork, and having the process turn into a grind. For the latter, I can only tell you to relax; if you are not enjoying yourself when hobbying, take a break. For the former, the newer, perhaps a little overwhelmed hobbyist, I give you this page and these links.

Hobbying  should be fun. Don't stress. My approach to the hobby has been to focus on doing simple things. Simple techniques are both easy to achieve and to replicate, meaning your models (if you are painting an army, say for Kings of War), not only look fine on the table, but they look similar to ach other... like a miniatures army should.

Start simple. Prep and paint a single mini before you go out and try your hand at a horde of models. Test models are great for avoiding pitfalls.

When you jump into batches of models or units, again, do yourself a favor and start slow and simple. Get the basic paint on the models first. You can always go back and shade, highlight, or even repaint your models in the future as your skills improve.

Below are some links to posts from the blog which may help a new hobbyist out.


Priming and painting your models! A few tips for getting into painting.

Simple washes and shades. A very time-efficient way to add little chromatic depth to your models.

Repainting Minis. For when you just hate a model's current paint job.


Some very basic basing! Using sand and rocks for base your models.

Basing with Vallejo Paste. A post on using Vallejo paste to help base your minis.

Tundra themed basing. Tips to make your basing scheme... cooler.

Simple Snowdrift Effect. A cheap, easy mixture to add snow and snowdrifts to your bases.

Water/Mud Effect. Easy way to get a glossy mud or water effect.

Basing with Stands. Tips and methods for basing models that come on a stand.

Army Painter Basing. Tips for basing with Army Painter products, resulting in a pretty traditional wargaming base with static grass and slightly uneven rocks.

Rivers. Some suggestions on making river terrain sections for wargames.

Craggy Hills. A tutorial for making hills from pink insulation foam.

Grass Tufts and Static Grass. The very basics for working with hobbying tufts and grasses.