I started painting with
6mm measure miniatures from Heroics and Ros at the beginning of 2016. Then
followed Zvezda, which I owned before Heroics and Ros, but I did not started
painting Zvezda’s 15mm (1/100) and 1/72 miniatures until I had some relative
success with 6mm miniatures, in fact until I liked how I painted.
As many of you miniatures
painters reading now, I thought I would never paint miniatures, that it “is not
for me”, although I do have some artistic skills. I started reading many
articles and seeing lots of videos, tutorials and such, but not only after one
attempt to paint in which I did not even know that I have to give a good shake
of the painting bottle before starting paint as one of the preparing step and
many other similar noob but understandable mistakes.
I think one of the keys is to read a
lot and watch tons of videos and most important practice, meaning paint, making
mistakes, but improving - be content with what you can paint at a moment, start
painting on different scale, different types of miniatures. Without realizing,
in couple of months of relative sustained painting schedule (a hobby is a
hobby, but without hours dedicated nothing can be achieved) you will improve
your painting skills to a point were you are satisfied.
Two important things
to be aware of: no matter how much time and effort you offer to the hobby, painting
may still not be for you, you are the only one to decide, but also be aware
that, and here is the second point worth to note, although some of us really
paint good and very good, only few of us are extraordinary (I do not include my
self in this category), trully artist, one to advertise his painted miniatures,
to get good contracts by manufacturers of miniatures or others and you get the
picture, to animate with colors the miniatures sculpted (also by professionals)
– do not get “fooled”, in a way, by how good some painted miniatures look – not
many painters can achieve all that we see at others or on a box cover of miniatures.
There are different skills, some of us handling some of them better than others,
while others have everything, you know how it is in life in general so it is in
painting. It is crucial not to be discouraged and continue painting, unless you’re
painting for a contest or something like this.
Patience, practice and
documentation are all key aspects when starting to paint. Above all, whether
the painting is for you a hobby or a work, it still needs to be a fun activity in
order to create good painted miniatures or ones to be proud of.
After Heroics and Ros
and Zvezda miniatures I’ve continued with Davco miniatures wanting to recreate
another WW2 theater of war, the Pacific War, with Americans vs Japanese in
1/3000 scale. Then I started painting fantasy miniatures in 10mm and after a
while 3mm miniatures of WW2, while the last “conquest” scale is 28mm. In terms
of scale, only time will tell what I will paint in the future. In terms of
types of miniatures I mostly paint WW2 miniatures, but also sci-fi and fantasy,
while modern miniatures are quite a new addition. I also paint land, sea, air
and space miniatures, figures and vehicles, as I am curious to see how good I
can handle them. I have to be honest, I am not that good painter, but I’m
curious, anxious, and I also have a pleasure to document my works (to a limit
in terms of historicals aspects – nowadays time is not the best friend of any
of us with one or more (Good lord!) hobbies) and I have patience and the will
to improve myself.
I quite enjoy the
hobby aspect of painting the miniatures, but I also play with them, following
different game rules systems or my own, although I paint more than play, or
read more rules than actual playing by them, and in general reading more than
painting and playing (!), to be a little more precise. I know I’m not the only
one in this situation. Maybe it is the same experience to you, or maybe it is
another, no matter I would really like to know yours, so do share your
experience as it may help others in deciding to start painting because it is
such a fun activity!
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