The Gear EVERY Miniature Painter NEEDS

[@bakezori]

Old pill bottles make excellent painting handles. Sometimes, you can even store the 'in progress' model inside the pill bottle. You can also add whatever weight you like for hand feel.

[@angelightartstudio8986]

Exactly, and I love how I can transport the model easily inside, and the bottle is just the right size for my small hands.

[@SPQRKlio]

@@angelightartstudio8986 I’ve been using pill bottles, too, but I hadn’t even thought of putting the mini inside!

[@angelightartstudio8986]

@@SPQRKlio Yes- have the two way lids: easy open/smaller side of the cap to stick the model onto, and just screw the larger end onto the bottle. Flip the lid to transport the model inside. Larger bottle for larger models. I can put them safely into my paint box or backpack for transport. I also have a mini wet palette system for transport. I cut down several sponge and pallette paper pieces to fit clear plastic craft screw-lid stackable containers. They are about 2.5 inches wide by 1.5 high. I bring 3 or 4 with me and an extra with precut extra parchment to replace when using other colors. Small and portable! Happy painting!

[@xmann10761]

Also, and this is a really hot tip, fill a large pill bottle with sand, very VERY carefully heat it with a hair dryer and squeeze with a gloved hand. Poof! perfect fitted handle to your hand! just have care not to burn yourself.

[@wylie4440]

Sand and PVAglue for the weighty filling. No more storage option then, but I tried a stack of washers or coins i think before anything else, and didnt appreciate the rattling/shifting. Anything you can remove from the bottle easily is probably going to have enough clearance to move in there, hence why I went right to glue. Then it's just a matter of finding how full you like it.

[@That_Guy_In_The_Sky]

15:33 That's the first time in 3 years of watching tutorial I've ever seen an honest to God, proper alternative to Spray can/airbrush Priming to just use a brush. Thank you.

[@fredgilbert2032]

Here in the South of the US its too humid for a lot of the year to use rattle cans. I always keep some brush on primer handy

[@wyattbirch]

There is brush on primer too, Vallejo has some in their paint line. I've also have had a lot of luck using Liquitex Black Gesso, which is very inexpensive. The one downside I've noticed with Gesso is that it doesn't work on resin models, but for metal and plastic it's worked very reliably.

[@Ranzarok]

As a 57 year old hobbyist, I would include one of those headband magnifying glass thingies. :)

[@angelightartstudio8986]

Yes! I'm 65 so I need one to do eyeballs!

[@fredgilbert2032]

Yep my wife calls them my nerd glasses...

[@PK56891]

As a younger guy with great eyes, near and far. I still use one.

[@GaudiaCertaminisGaming]

That was the only thing I was interested in and he didn’t mention it :(

[@lorenwillis425]

He has them linked in his description (sexy gogs). I got some, they work well, plus the light on them is great as well.

[@Ignatiusofantioch87]

Pro tip for painters with infants: save the baby food bottles. They work well as painting handles with some blue tac

[@milgram12]

My go-to water cup is a mason jar. Here are the selling points: cheap, and available everywhere; clear, so you can see how dirty the water is; large, so it doesn’t get dirty as fast; lid, so you are less likely to spill it; obviously not a cup, so you won’t drink it.

[@calebbarnhouse496]

Tons of people drink from Mason jars

[@guyclegg]

I might consider this. Because I use a water cup nearly paint pot sized and I almost jammed my brush into some paint pot lol

[@CasualTS]

I went to a restaurant that served drinks in mason jars 😊

[@BigTex65]

Hit an all points except around here we use them for canning and drinking.

[@spacetonium]

If you're going to be doing any sort of kitbashing, I'd highly recommend a jeweler's saw. They're incredibly good at producing thin, precise cuts on minis.

[@OtterThunder]

Yes that's a reasonable idea, but have you heard of the "try to use only green stuff to stick parts that don't work together while getting increasingly mad and fucking up your mini" method?

[@philgee486]

Great vid A scalpel and blades Basing materials! Isopropyl alcohol to brush onto milliput to create gap filling butter/levelling and texturing cream (also to thin paint etc) Cheap non-prescription reading glasses as magnifiers Dremel for drilling/pinning/carving away plastic and resin Magnets MagicSculp - forget greenstuff PVA Very chewy dog snacks so she gives me half an hour's peace. Framed pic of the dog because she's off somewhere gnawing on her snack

[@rhammitt88]

For the lighting section I'd say a headlamp is a good thing to get too. I never paint without mine and it just really helps to have that light that never gets blocked by anything that is always pointed right where you are looking.

[@VentiChristopher]

One thing that I found useful are watchmaker’s tools like tweezers- the kind that constantly apply force and release when you apply pressure to the handle. I have shaky hands, so having a bit secured in one of these helps with assembling finicky parts or small models. I would also add a pin vise and wire cutters/pliers but that’s because I do a lot of pinning in my assembly process.

[@evanlindsey1100]

I have a set of precision electronics tweezers that are along the same lines. They are able to easily pick up and hold small pieces. While the exact set that I have isn't available anymore, similar sets are available on Amazon.

[@KabinMiniatures]

I still like spray can primers. Even though they can be fickle, when you use them under the right circumstances, I feel they provide a very strong base to work from and help protect the minis in conjunction with the varnish at the end.

[@silverrendprops9760]

This is what I do. I don't like the prices of GW or even army painter. But I use the restoleum paint/primer line which has an insane number of colors and the cans can be found for about 10 at your local store if you don't have a LGS nearby. Using those colors for a primary base color shaves time of your armies aswell if that's what you are aiming for.

[@dragonegger2]

The Rust-Oleum brand of printer has been fantastic as a primer. Will varnish prevent the paint from chipping? I'm new to the hobby and looking for advice. There's nothing worse than spending hours on a mini only to have it start chipping.

[@KabinMiniatures]

@@dragonegger2 yes, that's the idea. Varnish is a clear coat on top of your paint that provides extra protection. You can choose from gloss, satin, matt or any mix of the above to create the right shine and colour saturation. It really helps tie all your different areas together IMO and is a must when using decals.

[@nameputhpong9041]

I don’t get why you guys use ANY of these paints when there are cheaper alternatives for everything.

[@d-emprahexpects]

I prefer to avoid for multiple reasons: they can "dust" the paint and damage the miniature often for good, they are EXPENSIVE, they pollute a lot and if they sit too long many colors are as good as trash. I invested in a low tier airbrush and some Vallejo varnish. Coat of Gloss followed by a coat of Matt. Best anti-chipping strenght ever! Seriously, look into it and it can save you money and space

[@jredhayjay196]

3:15 mark...yes, I totally agree with you. It's also been my experience that most lamps work better if there's a bulb in there

[@PearlJam2k6]

There's one item i often keep close, as a prop maker (and ex-mini painter since i stopped playing years ago) its a hair dryer. It might seem overkill but some times it saves a lot of time to just quickly wiff over a model to quickly seal the color in. Especially useful when you finally got *that* perfect shade of color and you dont want it to dry out too fast in the cases you dont use a wet pallet but you need to use it up on a large model.

[@SiliconBong]

Lighting is more important than anyone ever told me, I thought I was painting a perfect burgandy 'aged blood splash' one night - it was a deep brown in daylight :(

[@PearlJam2k6]

@@SiliconBong I feel you, i've done the same mistake before as well. Sometimes you luck out and it works fine, others you're pretty much repainting the entire thing.

[@SiliconBong]

@@PearlJam2k6 oww, that hurts just thinking about it :(

[@ratman505]

Concerning the basic building kit: Army Painter has a good starter set of cheap equipment that I'm quite happy with, though the clippers are a little small for my decently large hands. Concerning the glue: Revell offers great plastic glue with a trunk-like nozzle that makes it very easy to apply to edges Concerning the cup: I like glasses because a) you see when you need to change your water much easier (at least on my setup) and b) you don't want to drink your washing water Lastly, concerning the box: I use the cardboard box that all my stuff was shipped in. It doesn't look nice but it doesn't have to and I know it has the correct size I am by no means any kind of expert - I painted two kill teams. However these were comfortable ways I went about getting started and that is the most important thing in my book. Like a wise man once said: stop trying to paint and paint. At least I think those were his words

[@Omnocolist]

I just got into the hobby and your video was a LOT of help. You not only saved me money, your videos saved me lots of time. My son and I painted our first space marines together with your help and we now have a cool hobby together. Thank you!

[@magnusmillerwilson]

Dude. The commandeered box by the wife made me laugh SO HARD. Not only was it funny the way you presented it, it rang so true.

[@Godsailsthequeen]

Taking the hobby again after long years, you quickly became my new go-to hobby content creator. Not there to kiss ass but eh, you should know you're producing high quality stuff and the algorithm is on your side. To think how I could have started in faaar better conditions all those years ago, when KZbin was still in its infancy and I had to rely on scanned citadel painting books with instructions such as "to paint a model, fill your brush with paint. apply it on the model. Bam 'eavy metal stuff."

[@refreshdaemon]

For middle-aged and older painters like me who are becoming far-sighted, also probably mandatory is some kind of magnification so you can actually see the details on the mini you're trying to paint, whether you use one that's on your head or one built into your swinging arm lamp. I have both and mainly use the lamp magnifier at my main desk and the headlamp/magnifier when working from anywhere else.

[@axemurderer010]

Rust never sleeps guys. need a work light to not strain my eyes after dark now :/

[@RenegadeVile]

To be honest, even for younger guys it's useful to have something like a magnifier, it'll reduce some strain on the eyes if you're staring at tiny details.

[@Powaup]

Do you have a lamp you recommend?

[@refreshdaemon]

@@Powaup There are a whole bunch of these kinds of lights on Amazon (probably all made in the same Chinese factory), but I have this particular one: www.amazon.com/dp/B091G8M3CP

[@BenJamin-en3jb]

@@Powaup I got mine from a shop that sells sewing equipment.

[@andreacook7431]

For water cups, I use these $2 "apaothacary jars" that Michael's sells in their floral section. They're small enough to put in your pocket for travel, made of thick glass (I HAVE dropped them a couple times) and have a latching lid. When the lid is latched, they DON'T LEAK if you tip them over.

[@tamsinp7711]

For brush cleaning water I use two glass jam jars - dirty rinse and "clean" rinse.

[@OtterThunder]

Having a mini painting handle helped WAY more then I thought it would and is pretty key to prevent hand fatigue. The pill bottle with pins or a big gob of sticky tack/poster tack works great and is really versatile. The GW handle is awesome, but if you're painting a bunch of models at once and they aren't on bases already then I find it useful to have lots of them pre-mounted on handles.

[@celestialinfinity]

I make my own wet pallets using wet paper towels and parchment paper it's really easy I followed eons of battle's tutorial

[@aristotle29]

Hey Ninjon, I love your gear videos like this one and it has really helped me as I'm a new painter (only been painting minis since March), about 90% of the stuff you've recommended has worked out great for me. Being able to not waste a ton of money has worked out great and I think it has made me a better artist. For example, using artist paints instead of model paints. This has allowed me to figure out how to mix paints and has kept me from having a wall of paints that I see everyone else has. I have a suggestion for a video series that I think would be massively helpful for newbs like me and it seems no other KZbinr wants to tackle. A troubleshooting video series. There are plenty of videos out there that say "do this and it just works" but very few that say "here is the technique, and if you are encountering this problem here is how you fix it". You have done a video like this with your "Fixing your mini painting MISTAKES" video, which is helpful and I think that could be expanded into other techniques. Also, more videos on using oil paints would be great, maybe one on oil NMM, if you are up for the challenge :). Thank you for all of your help man!

[@Ms_Ink]

Love this idea! I’d like a “my models look furry after priming” troubleshooting guide. I think it’s because I live in a relatively cold environment but I’m not sure what to do to get my models looking sleek.

[@aristotle29]

@@Ms_Ink Yeah, I've been working on the oil painting technique that Ninjon talks about in several of his videos. While it's doing okay for me, I'm not getting great results (I'm also like 6 months into this hobby so I'm expecting perfection), I'd still like to know what I'm doing wrong and having a series where an expert tells us what we could be doing incorrectly would be great. Hell, I'm super bad, I'll even give a list of things I'd like troubleshooting videos on that would be a mile long. I'd write that up and give it to him tomorrow, no questions asked, I'd just like to see how to fix my issues.

[@PewpewFiah]

Disposable gloves! And filter masks if you wanna airbrush/paint indoors.

[@phibes5807]

Since I plan to start minipainting soon, this video and the comment section are a godsend!

[@Steggington_Rex]

Everything I fall out of a hobby streak I come listen to Ninjon and his enthusiasm for this hobby gets me right back into the mood for slaying grey!!!

[@chadnine3432]

When setting up my space, I found a huge, ugly table at a used store. It's got a thick, laquered top surface, and green legs. It's solid as a rock. It's perfect. :D I use cutting mats to protect the surface, but it gets paint and glue etc on the top. That just adds to it's charm.

[@HotelCharliHill]

For my kit box i use a fishing tackle box. When you open it there’s also two tiers of holding areas. Paint fits in the bottom. It’s amazing You can also make your own model totes pretty easily

[@aaronbrown4275]

RE: Wet pallets. I recently started putting a piece of paper towel under the paper so it's between it and the sponge. It helps regulate the flow quite a bit and evens out the amount of water that's being transferred to a more consistent level. IMO, it's a mind-blowing change that really helped me go from "wet pallets are nice" and "I cannot paint without one". I personally learned it from the Paintman Journeying KZbin channel. I'm sure it's not a secret or anything, just the first place I saw it.

[@Wolfie21384]

Zumikito had it in his recent video as well. Next time I sit down to paint I'm going to try it.

[@oliverp3545]

We're all copy cats......

[@Lamefoureyes]

Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to try this too

[@kennethmelsen]

I did not know that particular trick. I'll try it out!

[@GarrettPDGA]

I try to stay away from paper towel or paper if any kind. The fibres break down and end up in my brush and on the mini. Having trouble finding a better alternative though so 🤷🏼

[@silverhoney6969]

This was a great starter video! I’m about to start painting minis for first time and this was a great summary for me to get organized. I have some kits and this helps to narrow down where to start. I love crafting and hobbies- most of these tools I have already but for other purposes, so I can gather 3/4 of it now, and fill in the blanks. Those storage ideas are perfect!! I have both of those

[@CitizenX815]

I recently purchased a hands-free vice that was originally designed for doing soldering but it works great for painting miniatures also. It has four octopus-like arms that are very bendable and you can use them to hold the figure and maybe even hold a magnifying glass or something else to help you paint the figure. It has been a game changer

[@Shadowdncer]

They can be nice, but you need a "good" one. The monstrosities that get sold most commonly with the two crocodile clamps and a magnifying glass are pretty much worse than useless in every way. The clamps destroy whatever you put in them, they don't hold position, the magnifier is trash. I got mine for soldering and scrapped it in favour of a pair of wooden clothes pegs in a vice.

[@justinrisen1929]

Been building and painting miniatures for roughly 5 years now and all this time I didn't realize how much I really needed flexible sanding sticks until about 2 weeks ago. Picked em up at Hobby Lobby and my God they are absolutely a must. Cleanup without them both takes longer and never comes out as well as with them. Godsend for making joins disappear which is the primary reason I use them and they can be used wet as well to get that seam glassy flush. Great recommendations here mate.

[@kcaudle52]

Great suggestions on brushes. 90% of time I use a size 1. Only other suggestion I have it have two water cups. One for initial clean off and then a second that stays cleaner.

[@destonlee2838]

A little helping hand stand with a magnifying lens such as fly fisherfolk use for fly tieing is helpful. One can see for very detailed paint application and if applying multiple base coats on can arrange it so that overspray lands on second figure, conserving paint and time.

[@shaunscott4773]

"The weather isn't always nice" *laughs in Scotland*. Seriously this was super helpful thanks! Always good down to earth videos from yourself.

[@etherdemon]

He and I both live in Minnesota. Believe me.. it can snow in the middle of July where I live for no good damn reason. Freezing rain and 82 degree F weather in the same day isn't at all uncommon here. Also, we have tornadoes, so ... that's fun. :(

[@iankay4915]

Scotland is the Caribbean compared to Minnesota 😂

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

@@iankay4915 Way to confuse extremes of weather with the place just being shit.

[@juliehamel8330]

Excuse me for barging in but... Canada. But jokes aside, i'm guessing the humidity must be pretty troublesome in Scotland, i saw a friend prime with citadel spray on a rainy day... Turned out all dusty and cumbly, had to strip the hole army, do not recommend 😭

[@Tighron]

my painting handle is just old 0.5 liter or 1 pint soda bottles and some poster tac, works pretty well so far. its kind of interesting seeing what kind of cheaper alternatives we can get away with.

[@Nommicus]

As a 48 year old mini painter I use or know a lot of what your saying but the museum putty and airbrush info on the bad things video you did among other things was good. As for adding I have always used the old clay style cat litter for bigger rocks on bases, we had cats in the 80s and as a young painter with no income to speak of I filled a pot with it and last refilled it 5 years ago lol. When you've attached the base layer of cooked soil and tea leaves a couple of these rocks glued in place literally and figuratively ROCK 😅. Also if you don't want to get a holder/handle simple wine corks, or if you want posh ones Champagne/Prosecco ones. You really only need one or two. Again had not heard of museum putty and huge thanks for that!!! ❤❤

[@dippshow]

I have been out of the hobby for 20 years but got the itch recently, this video was perfect - thank you for all the helpful information!

[@chiselcheswick5673]

A little dust brush when building is always in my little kit. Usually a cut own old flat brush, but i use it loads when removing seam and mold lines and sanding smooth.

[@Wrecktapus]

I love poster tack. I've used the same marble-sized lump for several months. It's great for masking connection points when priming, and dry-fitting models with many parts. I always put some on the bottom of my contrast and shade pots to keep them from tipping over. Also, all of my finished models get a bit under the base when sitting on the shelf.

[@Mrpetered33]

I have been using a Black Diamond LED headlamp for my portable painting setup while my permanent station is out of commission since I'm moving. They're neat since they have adjustable dimming and you're pointing light directly where you're facing, making wherever I can find a seat and put my wet palette a serviceable painting station for the time being.

[@leonleese4919]

I’ve been painting for over 60 years . I’m going to keep this video as a reminder. Yes ! I’ve done most of the things that are mentioned but not all. I’ll watch this again and make a list for the essentials . Great video, and a must even if you’re as old as I am. I can still learn something new. Thanks !

[@coloradotrekker7441]

For transporting paints I use a foam lined, zippered case designed to hold alcohol inks. It fits most dropper bottle style paints (which works for me since I don't care for GWs pots). While it is more expensive than just using a tub, it is still reasonably priced and it holds each bottle securely with no chance of spillage.

[@SatyricSaint1999]

I have a lot of space issues and ended up finding a semi-sturdy case that was for some audio equipment at the thrift store that cost me $0.50 and got some foam that could be plucked out in squares at work for free and after gluing them together I have a padded case that fits all my paints that I can store under my table.

[@allgravygames]

We use scalpels at Broken Anvil and I never had previously, will always use them moving forward :D

[@tiffanylamb1187]

@ Ninjon, when traveling, always put your liquid bottles into a sealed plastic bag. That way, if they leak, they don't get all over your travel case and potentially ruin anything else. - Also, thank you so much for your content. You are the first content creator that I am watching of 2024. I just love your channel and all your advice!

[@hunterdavis9941]

On the topic of cutting mats, if you want a cheap and medium sized one flexible cutting boards work great. You can often get multi packs for around 6-10 dollars and they are about the size of playmat/desk mousepad.

[@zano_korellio]

When it comes to storage, I have been using a Plano Hip Roof Tackle Box. It can fit EVERYTHING that I needed and more. Easy to carry with the handles, lots of compartments, and massive room on the bottom. I can fit my wet palette, paints, brushes, cleaner, tools, etc.

[@bored_pyro]

For me, another simple and "must have" is some way of mixing your paints well. I can't afford a vortex but a bag of stainless steel ball bearings or a pack of slingshot ammo from your local hunting store in each pot has vastly improved the quality of my painting. Especially for things like washes that SEEM well mixed because they are so thin, but actually aren't.

[@mattperry9287]

@Ninjon I've watched this video twice, 1 when it came out and today, and its a big help. Started this hobby at the start of the year and next year I want to get into airbrushing. The challenge for me is researching what is needed. There are to many videos on what air brush to get but not the set up and tools you need. I see people using box with a filter or a mask or nothing at all. You stated in this video that you often air brush at you desk and you put down paper. I would like to see a video on this subject, what is needed for airbrushing and how to set up the space. Thanks for all the videos. As always, they are a huge help. And lets find a little time in the day to slay the gray.

[@DrewHaile]

This might be the best video I’ve ever seen about starting the hobby. It’s also very entertaining. Thank you!

[@sarawhite9338]

Another idea- if you like to share pics of your minis with friends or on social media, you may want to get a ring light. I got my boyfriend one from Amazon for about $10 for a 6" one with a tripod & a bunch of settings. So far he likes it for taking pics of his painted minis in progress & when he's done. 🙂

[@ScytheNoire]

- Hair Dryer to save time - Makeup Brushes for dry brushing - Makeup Sponges & Eyeshadow Applicators for cleaning off paints/washes. - Magnification Eyewear to save your eyes - Sprue Goo! for gap filling - Pin Drill & Paper Clips for assembly - Milliput for gap filling, fixing, etc. Another tip: When your Tamiya Extra Thin Cement is running low, don't buy another bottle. Save money and buy Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner. It's the same chemical composition (cement is 50/50 mix, cleaner is 51/49 mix), but costs a lot less.

[@RavenSelenite]

Don't disagree but I think the point of the video was bare essentials, the minimum needed to paint, a grab box to take to FLGS, a put away kit for those who don't have a dedicated painting space always set up. Paint dries on its own so Hair dryer not essential, dry brushes yeah, might be good to have, I will be taking one next time I set up a travel kit like I needed the other week, but its wasn't NEEDED, just nice to have. As for pin drill and clips, they are in no way essential... and if you have plastic cement then you can probably make up a small amount of sprue good when needed instead of milliput or green stuff for gap filling

[@angelightartstudio8986]

Wow, thanks for the tip on the Airbrush cleaner substitute!

[@ZombieApocalypse09]

Great video! I was just at a convention (for work, not fun stuff) with my frontier travel painting kit at my hotel room so I had something to do in the evening. Was great! The only thing I'd add is if you have cats... somewhere to store your brushes. My cat loooooves to chew on brushes. So having a ventilated box with a lid for my brushes to dry safely in is essential.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Interesting about cats n brushes. So far my monsters don’t seem to be remotely interested in them. They did, however, completely chew up and wreck some plastic pipettes and will gnaw anything string-like.

[@Marcells44]

Very true. The chewed 3 synthetics and a 8404 sable. I need to find a way to prevent this :X

[@CryoPanda]

Thanks for the words of wisdom Jon. While I have already looked up these kind of topics, the tub and storage recommendations have really made planning a little easier.

[@faelwolf1177]

I no longer build models or paint miniatures (but getting inspired by this channel to do so again), but do have to do some small repair work at times. I have found that the thin plastic cutting boards they sell at the Dollar Tree to be very handy and cheap for using as a cutting mat, and they are paint resistant, too. LED bulbs run on the cool side, both in the light spectrum, as well as heat, and you can choose your brightness while also saving on the electric bill. And those type of desk lamps are a very common flea market,yard sale/thrift store item if you want to save a few bucks.

[@mini_maven]

Just want to say those Caboodles makeup cases make awesome carrying cases for hobby tools, a couple miniatures and even a couple paints if you are traveling to the store or a con.

[@Wulf6491]

I personally would get a headlamp before a desk clip lamp. But thats just my opinion. This is a great video, amazing advice!

[@johnodinsson3635]

Wet palette is game changer. I started on the Masterson one, but upgraded to the Exemplar one and I love it

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Any flat tupperware box will serve just as well and cost a fraction of the price. Just grab a flat sponge or paper towel, cover with some parchment roll from the kitchen (cut to fit) and you’re good to go. Just remember to use distilled water not tap or bottled water to prevent mould.

[@joespirit]

@@sirrathersplendid4825…..yep👍🏻👍🏻. Buying wet palettes is a complete waste of money, making your own for next to nothing gets you exactly what you want…. I use take away containers, cost….absolutely nothing!

[@Fuzzycat16]

I've been using the same 30 years old drawing table.. It's all beaten up and stained with paint but god damn is it just perfect size. A good table with a nice Thin top so you can Clamp lamps or holders changes a lot.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Hmm, not too thin a top, as it will chafe your forearms.

[@Fuzzycat16]

@@sirrathersplendid4825 I use one of those keyboard arm rest thingy. Can dig my elbows in it when i paint and it's perfect.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@Fuzzycat16 - Might have one of those stored away somewhere. Thanks for the idea.

[@guillaumechevaux1704]

For the light I use a aquarium light (from my old one), I set it on a wood box i craft and the light is just very good to see all colors of fishes

[@martienpost2234]

Leuchtturm magnifying spectacles is a fantastic addition for the more mature (old) painter :)

[@caedes5728]

I have tried all sorts of clippers and the best ones are the tamiya ones, I have tried some other expensive Japanese clippers but the tamiya ones have been the most consistent. Swann Morton scalpel blades are fantastic as well.

[@hugotremblay73]

I would add a simple basing material, either sand or flock. Either can be repainted to fit a theme, and beats a naked base anytime.

[@MaskedRiderChris]

Scrapbooking boxes, check! I've two paint racks on my wall over my painting table and those do just fine for me, but there is always overflow...always. I also need to be better about more storage for all my schtuff that takes up space on my painting table! I'm forwarding this video to a friend of mine who is wanting to get into painting as well to help him out a bit.

[@danphilpott6302]

Awesome content! Thanks from Newfoundland! Merry Christmas!

[@jago668]

2:20 I used cardboard. Just cut a chunk from whatever box you have around. Use it till it's covered and torn. Toss it and cut another chunk. You know you got a ton of amazon boxes laying around.

[@lukecaspers9801]

I use a DeWalt TSTAK deep tub with wheels and two cases on top for all my Miniature painting stuff. I do this as I'm not always painting at home I do session with friends, and it makes it super easy and portal. Also the Vallejo 80 paint foam insert fits snuggly into one of the compartments with all the paints and some rom around the sides and on top for stuff like my wet and dry palates and sprues. moderately expensive but Considering I have everything in there, airbrush included, its a great solution for having limited space and needing it packed away nicely while still being portable.

[@MxchiefMaykr]

I got myself a little stackable cantilever tool box for storing all my mini stuff in and it's brilliant! I used to travel a lot with my gear and don't have a fixed set up because i have to use one desk for several hobbies, so something that is portable and can be tucked away easily but had room for expansion like a tool box is perfect. A bit more expensive than scrapbooking boxes but being able to fit everything bar my minis into one box and have it be pretty modular inside and also travel well makes so much of a difference!

[@justinbisig4760]

A comfortable chair to keep away back pain and neck strain. I use a gaming chair from secret lab since it has a ton of adjustments

[@Wijkert]

Supercheap/free alternative for a painting handle is a upside down plastic pill bottle with blue tack or a cork (from a wine bottle) glued to it. I use the ones with the cork the most, because I tend to put pins in the feet of my mini's and can easily stick them to the handle that way. They are super light and comfortable; just find ones that fit your hand size well. Because of how light they are, they tend to tip over a little more easily. I "upgraded" them by gluing a cork coaster (any cork sheet or stiff cardboard should also work) to the bottom and that solved that issue nicely.

[@totschieck]

I actually have the Frontier wargaming case for about a year now and it's flipping amazing. Personally, I like to be able to take away my painting stuff for when I want the kitchen table for other uses (dohh). All my paints, brushes and tools aswell as my WIP models fit in there and can be stored in a minute. Only my wetpallet won't go in there as I have a weird DIY one, and my less often used cups with gravel and other basing material for which I have a drawer elsewhere. It's a bit of an investment but worth it in my opinion

[@zippy5131]

I've been painting mini's for around forty years and still undercoat with a brush and Tamiya Flat black XF1. Those realy useful storage boxes come in all sizes and I find they are excellant for mini storage and paint storage. As Ninjon says it's not the kit that makes you a good painter.

[@martinhardy5462]

A suggestion for priming miniatures, if you are just priming a few minis and you don't want to use a rattle can or airbrush. Artist's Acrylic Gesso, it is used for priming canvas and boards before painting, the clever bit is it shrinks as it dries, will adhere to metal, plastic or resin and you wash your brush in water (and it doesn't stink). Cheap too.

[@ovan2190]

I've found that a cheap nail grooming kit is really good for cleaning miniatures, the file/nail cleaner is good as a mold line remover and file, the clipers are good for removing extra sprue from the mini after cutting it out. Cuticle trimmer is also a good sprue clipper. A hobby knife would be the only thing you should need after that but otherwise it's not a bad little kit to make the nail clippers stop from cutting to far into the mini so you can sand that last bit off it's pretty cool

[@Saltalotl]

I was just about to say this! The only thing is that the nail files can sometimes be too thick to get in the gaps, but you can buy some cheap ones and cut them in half for a good 20-40p file that'll last quite a while.

[@ovan2190]

@@Saltalotl Agreed, I'm lucky that the one I have is a machined piece of metal so it's nice and flat

[@laethe230]

Totally earned my like for the needle karma comment 😂 I often joke about my needle karma, I swear if there's a sharp object available to step on, my foot will find it. I attribute this all to when I was 7 and I left a tack outside my mean older brother's door to step on.

[@JasonFahy]

I've lost track of how many of these I've watched, but I always flinch in the intro when he paws at the brushes. "You're gonna bend bristles!" D8

[@unacceptableviews1505]

So glad I found this channel as I'm retired and want to get back into mini's. I love your set up and I find you are a very professional YT personality. I subbed and now have to watch some more of your stuff. Cheers.

[@Ms_Ink]

I love using cloth nappies (diapers) folded next to me while I’m painting. I use it to: regulate the amount of pigment and water in my brush; to ensure my brush is completely clean after washing it; to dry my dry brush out enough for dry brushing; and, to clean up my desk quickly when I inevitably make a mess. They wash well and you can use oxyclean on them when washing. You can, of course, use paper towelling but that gets very expensive when you use it as much as I do. Terry towelling hand towels are also a good option. I’d suggest getting white ones as it’s the best colour to use when you want to see how clean your brush is.

[@hoover900]

I think a high quality hobby knife blade is super important, such as the OLFA KB blades, which is the same size as your standard blade or my personal favorite the 5B. The 5B is for the OLFA AK-1 & AK-5 knife handles. the 5B blade is 45' opposed to 30'. while it is a tab bit sorter, I find the blade is more stouter and more durable for scraping. OLFA in general for cutting is what I preach. another must have tool for be is a flat extra-fine cut jeweler's file. unlike the sanding sticks & pads, the file will last nearly forever, however you need to be careful because it's easy to remove more material than you want if you're not steady with your strokes. not a must have, but super helper are small clamps, like the tiny Irwin One-Handed Micro Bar Clamp, rubber bands, alligator clips as well as hemostats. alligator clips with a bamboo skewer attached to it and hemostats are great for holding small pieces when priming air brushing. another one that's not needed, but I love is florist wire. I use it for pinning my model since it's a little less rigid than paper clips making it easier to work with. keep up the great work Jon

[@DesmondSunflower]

I bought some small plastic pipettes for a couple of pounds and use one for water and one for acrylic retarder. You can add water or retarder more precisely and it guarantees you won't contaminate the retarder or clean water by dipping a brush into it. You could also use them for inks/washes that don't come in dropper bottles.

[@GirlPainting]

Further essentials i use on a regular basis. Tweezers, Hairdryer, Hobby glases, crocodile clamp on a stick for foam holding, hand drill, micro sol, bal bearings, paper towel, masking tape.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

What are the ball bearings for?

[@GirlPainting]

@@sirrathersplendid4825 as mixing aid in paint pots

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@GirlPainting - Ah, of course.

[@jalegria2190]

1 tip, vallejo primer doesnt need to be thinned down, i use it straight from the pot and it looks great, just make sure to not apply to thick of a layer

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Hmm, yes it works great on plastic and resin but not so much on white metal: (a) it seems to shrink leaving unpainted spots randomly over the surface, and (b) it’s very fragile and will chip off after minor knocks and scrapes. Also, one of the key purposes of priming is to bring out any moulding defects that you haven’t spotted earlier so that you can correct them. Unfortunately, the primer doesn’t like to be sanded or scraped and will peel off in large chunks.

[@SPQRKlio]

@@sirrathersplendid4825 I find that Vallejo German Red Brown is a dream primer when not watered down, but every other colour gives me issues. Which is a shame, when sometimes I need a light base coat. Have you tried that one?

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@SPQRKlio - Yes. German Red-Brown is great. Gives a nice tough undercoat. But I still have those issues I mentioned when painting on white metal.

[@TravisDoerfler]

Awesome video as usual. As mentioned, tweezers are a godsend for snall buts. Also, dental tools. All the random shaped heads, something will fit your need.

[@nosbigdamus9665]

OMG After 50 years of painting miniatures. This was great to see and hear.

[@CosmicDuskWolf]

My dad got me a magnifier light for Christmas one year a few years ago. ( More like 6), so it has a magnifying glass in the middle and a light around it. It has a clip and a standing base so you could use either or. It really upped my miniature painting. I do think dish soap, a toothbrush and rubbing alcohol for cleaning miniatures is important as well.

[@papaaaaaaa2625]

I think you really don't need much to begin with. Sure, a model, some paint and a few cheap brushes, but looking back, that's it. The most important thing is motivation, that's what keep most people from finishing their stuff. I came back to model making and painting after my son showed interest in this hobby. And that's my motivation, spending time with my son and keeping him away from electronic time consumers! Keep up your good work!

[@DJRockford83]

There's a type of, I think silicone, baking sheet that looks like very thin Kevlar which is slightly porous and does an even better job of keeping your paint wet. I think you can get sheets in the dollar store

[@fenreer01]

I cover my mat with Christmas wrapping paper. It's cheaper than almost any other alternative and works just as well. In January, you can get thick rolls for a quarter at your omnipresent dollar store of choice.

[@kylecooney6073]

So I’m not sure anyone has ever tried this or not but I’ve been using flat black acrylic gesso to prime my models for about a year now. Rattle cans were expensive and I didn’t have an airbrush at the time and saw a video talking about gesso. This stuff is super gloopy coming out of the bottle. You take a paint brush and just messily put it all over the model albeit as smooth as you can. Once it dries is when the magic happens. It hardens, and gets in all the crevices and doesn’t obscure any details. It’s amazing stuff and I love it for base coating.

[@gofigureme5749]

You had a chance to "plug" when you talked about water cups. Proud of you for taking the high road. Still a cup of coffee in a "Ninjon" mug goes a long way...

[@Cozy-000]

Really nice video for beginners getting into Miniature painting and war gaming. A good idea is to just get what works for you and whatever you have available. My set up is just a 4Ft plastic table with my paints on the side in a little bin a lamp light and my knives and brushes to another side. I will say i do wish i had a cutting mat earlier because the table is getting really beat up.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Yep, an A3-size cutting mat makes all the difference. I protect mine with old newspaper and pieces of cardboard when painting.

[@joshsancho7931]

I would love to see a nice 30 - 45 min video of you just reviewing and showcasing your minis. Love your work

[@MsBlood01]

I also need to have a bit of wire and drill for pinning….I prefer to pin my models there bases so it must go in my travel box. I’m also an older hobbyist so my magnifying glasses are also a must.

[@templargfx]

I recently purchased a desk magnifier lamp off Ebay for au$25 and its a game changer for me. Its got a big heavy base and you just sit it on the desk with a double articulated arm. on the end is a 4 inch diameter 5x magnifier lens surrounded by a 52 led light ring. I can have the arm straight up and just use it as a lamp, or pull it down to use the magnifier. The magnifier is a decent size so its easy to see through without feeling restrictive. The ring light gives a very even lighting to your mini and it has a control box that lets me change it from warm/neutral/cold light, and increase or decrease the brightness. Im getting older now and my eyesight is not what it used to be, since getting this my painting quality has gone back to the level it used to be 15 years ago.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Jon . 🐺

[@enarramore77]

I like to use galvanize steel sheets over the sheet magnet, holds the models just a bit better. I use 3m double stick tape or similar to attached it to the bottom.

[@SomeGunNerd]

My painting space is pretty small, so I paint on a little folding table so I can just put it out of the way when it’s not in use. My rinse cup is just one of those cheap plastic party cups, my light is an adjustable desk lamp I found in the trash, my painting handle is an old pill bottle with double sided tape, and my palette is made from a paper plate, some paper towels, and wax paper. It’s amazing how much of this stuff you can get even on a tight budget if you’re willing to improvise.

[@Mouse2379]

The only thing I use in the building process that wasn't mentioned is a set of third hands. Saves a lot of time during glue-ups. I glue, clamp, and move on to the next bit. Big workflow improvement.

[@fich01]

Another good lighting option is a headlamp. Those things that tattoo artists tend to use sometimes. I find that I always obscure something or other with any sort of stationary lamp, and then I have to twist and turn to get it to where I can see what I'm painting. This way, you just nudge your head a little bit here or there, and there you go. It's been a massive game-changer for me.

[@FloTheUIM]

Thank you for vindicating my use of airbrush primer with a brush to prime models - similar to you I have no practical way to spray paint models so opted for that method!

[@JSTRonline2]

I bought an Ikea table and leg set for my hobby table, and an Ikea adjustable clip on lamp, so useful I love it. I have a 12x24 green cutting mat on it, decent size for me. I bought PVC 1/2 inch pipe cut it down to handle size, a 1x6 piece of wood, and some wood dowels and made a nice paint handle/holders, looks like this when built: _I_I_I_I_. I also bought Cobalt Keep bases, magnets, and will buy some 1/2 small hole washers to put onto the paint handles (I'm using blue-tac to stick the bases to the PVC and it's a small pain to remove) so I can magnetize everything from the get-go, I already have a Really Useful Box with the magnetic sheet in it ready for finished/WIP miniatures. I went all in on an airbrush setup so I got a Badger 105, a Spraygunner No-Name compressor, and a spray booth that I put some cheesecloth on the exhaust so I didn't have to run a hose to my window (not worried about fumes, just overspray). If I were to do it again, I'd probably skip the large compressor and get a tiny cordless like the one you have, but I'm still very happy to have an airbrush even just for priming/base coating. I highly recommend getting the Tamiya Basic Tool Set. The nippers have served me pretty well as do the tweezers.