Things to consider when setting up a pro terrain studio

Preorder my terrain book here -
Apologies to other terrain artists if I cause offence, it's not my intention with this vid guys! Probably not the best idea commercially, but here's all the major things I never considered when I set out to do commissions.
It's a little rambly and a little ranty at times, but that's probably down to the fact that by making this video, I've discussed a lot of my frustrations and challenges.
Above all, much like my tutorials, I hope you're able to learn from my mistakes folks.
Help keep the tutorials flowing! - / theterraintutor

[@TheDMGinfo]

Quote fee, a basic fee to quote for a project. Firstly, you get rid of the tire kickers, secondly you get paid for your knowledge, thirdly if the client pulls out to do it themselves or try somewhere else... you at least got paid for that initial time and effort.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+TheDMGinfo I think it's the way to go mate

[@joshjohnston7388]

Yep. Most personal trainers i know want an hour of their time (50-70 dollars an hour) to even talk to you outside a public forum. They hate it because they WANT to teach you, but you can't give away the whole shop.

[@joshmccarthy9605]

As a former residential landscape designer, I know all about they folks "working it out for themselves". Especially when I drive buy a few months later and they lard looks a lot like we had discussed. Even a small deposit wasn't worth enough to cover that gut punch.

[@blacktower7777]

Everything said here is so true. You truly have to love doing it to stay at it. I put in more hours that results in less pay per hour than the construction job I was laid off from after 10 years. I am fortunate to have a wife that is easy going and lets me use the space I need without to much complaining. But, the more space you have the more space you fill so its a never ending battle. That being said I am going to do a reaction video to this one with a small studio walk through to show some small but effective space saver ideas later this week. Two things that kept coming to mind during the video. Marketing/Selling and shipping materials. You brought up the marketing at the end and I agree that is a whole different beast but the cost of said marketing/selling is a factor for sure. On average my ebay fees are close to the cost of a full terrain set, so that's an extra set plus sell you have to make each month if you go the ebay route. Shipping is also a big consideration. You need bubble wrap, styrofoam peanuts, shipping boxes of various sizes, shipping tape, printer ink, etc. This eats into your already limited space and is another expense. Also, the time it takes to properly package and ship everything once it is done takes longer than one might think. Mel, you hit a lot of great points and all of them I have dealt with. I personally liked the long video and felt like you could have done 50 more mins. Thanks for the video as well as you time.

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

+BlackTower Terrain The ebay scenario is different for everyone.My average ebay fees over a 12 month period is around £140.00 a month.The fee is built into my costings and i do not have a problem in paying ebay 10% simply as i can reach out to millions of prospective customers all around the world 24 / 7 so i consider that value for money. Mcdonalds ,coca cola spent multi millions on getting their product recognise so to us small fish ebay is the way to get out there to millions of people everyday.Every item i buy and packaging is costed for and i agree with a lot you say but it all comes down to basic business ethics no matter what you make / sell in this world.

[@blacktower7777]

+2009braggminiatures Anthony Bragg All true. I didn't want my words to come across that ebay is a bad thing because it has been great for me. I also allow for the fees, costs of shipping, etc. Just pointing out that it is another area that is a hidden cost when doing terrain work that a new terrain maker may not consider when doing an initial overview on price points.

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

BlackTower Terrain No worries mate,I come from a costings background from my previous job as a surveyor so costings and time management is part of my D .N .A. Happy hunting and just subbed you ,cheers Braggy....

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+BlackTower Terrain I'll be honest mate, based on the comments, there's a hell of a lot I haven't covered but you're bang on the money with yours

[@syrmalcolm]

This. is. a. fabulous. vid. These "things to consider" are all part of any artisan work, especially commission work. It's also good for folks who think artisan work is "too expensive." Thanks for this.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+syrmalcolm you very welocme mate

[@MGee1]

I know it was a while back, but this video popped up on my feed and of all the things you mention, I can at least be grateful to have the extremely tolerant wife (and kids too!) Super video and much of the advice applies across many 'maker' genres...moving from crafting things as a hobby, even a passion, to full time production isn't as easy as it might first seem. Thank you for all your honesty.

[@MaxDMCrafting]

"Terrain is everywhere"... you are a genius

[@aaronbono4688]

I've done freelance software development for a couple dozen years and while it's different it's mostly the same to what she described here. There is so much time that you spend doing things you did not anticipate. For me I have to buy software, my tools, and licenses, the materials, and rent servers and make sure that I have the right computer hardware, etc. And I to end up doing a bunch of code that I then have to scrap and start over. So whatever profession you get into you have to consider all the waste that goes into the process and you have to factor in time for all the unknowns that bite you in the ass. And one thing more to think about, when you're doing something that you've already done before it's easy to estimate because you've been through the process but when you do something you've never done before even if it's slightly different then there are all sorts of unknowns you have to pad your estimates for. So for terrain that would be if you're making something you've made several times before just like you've made it in the past you pretty much know what you're getting into but if you're doing a project that has something different you have to be ready for the unexpected.

[@grimdesaye6534]

Hello This was very helpful. I have been making terrain for a long time from 1978 pro making from 1988 till today and this was Very Helpful Thank you Good sir:) God Bless you and Yours. Dave in USA

[@euansmith3699]

Look in to my eyes... Send me the off cuts of foam... I will look after them for you... That was a well structured talk and full of interest. You actually stuck to the point rather well and only rambled enough to keep it Mel.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Euan Smith Maybe I will lol I know, I should have a list more often lol

[@spencerwhipple625]

This is a good talk. I've watched plenty of pros over the last few years, and all these points have come up in snips, but this is the first I've seen that puts it together in this much detail and with this much candor. It makes the whole prospect of this (and like many hobbyists I've thought about it) very daunting. Which it in reality is. Yes, like any self-employed scenario, but the consistent line from all of you pros is that the margins in this domain are particularly fine, and I think on average artsy people are less strong in the self-management part; perfectionism creeps in, mistakes happen when working in haste... Anyway I won't rehash what you just said better than I can heh. While I'd still rather bust my ass at something like this than in the office (ugh, just UGH), I can very much sympathize with the risk aversion - when you got a wife and kid to support, it's hard to leap into something where you know the odds are stacked against you. Well said Mel, thanks for this

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Spencer Whipple So true buddy, especially the curse of perfectionism

[@karkaj]

I think it is the one that has helped me most of all your videos. And your other videos have helped me a lot. This has confirmed many of the suspicions I had about this subject. Others had already begun to experiment in my flesh, in the low level at which I began to move. Once again, thank you for sharing your experience and for your honesty

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad it helped bud

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

RANT TIME !!!!! :)......Hard video to cover ALL scenarios of this game .I have overcome and conquered all of those topics through bloody hard work ,having business ethics and clocking up the hours to refine my terrain business .This has all resulted in where I am today and having a back catalogue of terrain pieces ,a developed customer base and many,many returning customers which has built my reputation. ( commission and retail ).Being successful in this game has to be earned and does not happen overnight. I will stop there as I could write a book on the trials and tribulations of being a professional terrain artist.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+2009braggminiatures Anthony Bragg You've definitely earned where you are mate

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

Thank you, sir.

[@paultonks]

well said, these things are all spot on and people don't understand the time it takes running a business. Its not just making time but everything else. One thing I learnt at uni when doing business planning is that you will only spend 60% of your day doing practical work the rest will be admin, supply ordering etc and its time, time, time.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Inside Out Terrain Cheers buddy. So true, so many things to eat up your time

[@ForgottenHeathen]

Eight minutes in and I'm nodding in complete agreement. Spot on. The people that just disappear after lengthy discussion baffle me. Just to share: I had a gent contact me through Ebay about a set I sell, built on request. He was very knowledgeable about his request, said he had just started 30k and had bought a bunch of stuff on Ebay for it and his friend. Then he let me know he was in Israel. I quickly let him know that shipping would be horrendous, got him an accurate quote, and he didn't bat an eye, which I thought was odd. So I got a Buy It Now set up with the correct shipping and let him know it was ready to go, and I could get started right away. About an hour later, he said there was a problem, he could not purchase it. I checked, looked fine. He then said "I can't use my credit card, let me call them." About 15 minutes later, he said the card was limited, could I lower my price by 20 bucks so he could use the card. At about that time, I started to get a bad feeling, but it was a large commission, so I lowered it. Still, he could not use his card, and claimed he had to physically go to the bank. Hours later, and having cancelled two auctions for him, he sends me a message that he's decided he doesn't actually want to sink that amount of money into the hobby........ 0.o

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Forgotten Heathen Cheers bud, I think I know the guy you mean.

[@aerendil9143]

Hello Mel! I can totally relate with this discussion. My wife and I used to manage an online miniature painting service. The painting end was pretty much a solo operation, while she handled correspondence and accounting etc. At first it went well, and quite profitable I might add. The customers would send me their unpainted miniatures with a 30% deposit and I would paint them up and collect the remaining 70% labor and postage and ship them out. (I just did wargaming figures in anything from 28mm to the small 6mm). I had a wealth of uniform info, reams of files and books on all periods. Business was good, perhaps too good. There came a point where I was working 10 to 12 hours a day to keep up with the demand. I had oodles of space for storage and lots of workspace to do the actual painting. Then came a serious blow, I had a stroke, and overnight my ability to paint went from great to non-existent, I couldn't even write any more... The orders were still outstanding and the customers began to get irate demanding to know when their miniatures would be done... I had to throw in the towel and refund my customers as well as return their unfinished or partially finished figures figures. I not only lost the business, but, had to refund all my clients and pay for return postage of their miniatures. It took me a good 2 years before I could write by hand again, and I only just started painting miniatures again last year and making terrain for my own collection, but only in 6mm. My hands were too shaky and eyesight too poor to do any true detailed 28mm pieces any more. That was almost 10 years back... Now I'm 72 and about back to 80% capability, though getting around on a walker is my lot in life for the remainder of what I have left, I can't even drive any more so I have to do a lot of taxi rides to and from and rely a lot on email orders in the post... I still love the hobby, but, if anyone were to ask my advice on starting up a business painting miniatures, I would discourage them unless they were young and in very good health with a considerable amount in their savings to fall back on if things went south!

[@MattsHobbyWorkshop]

Thank you so much for your awesome videos, Mel!!! I love your casual and fun approach to the hobby. Your videos have inspired me to pursue my lifelong dream of creating my own terrain studio! Keep up the excellent work! Cheers m8

[@hrothgarb9104]

Great video Mel. You're really spot on with your thoughts here. For a time, years ago, I painted and also did terrain and mods for commissions. I gave it a go for at least a year and honestly, I stopped because it broke down to time and space, like you mentioned. In my case, it felt like you never got paid really for what time you have into a piece, even if you were compensated well. Space too was a problem, and I had a dedicated studio and a game room to boot to store things. I think that one thing that you didn't mention that should be said; sometimes, trying a hobby as a business takes all the fun out of it. I'm glad I have the experience, but I don't think I'll ever go back to doing this professionally. It's much more fun to have the ability to paint what I want, when I have time, not have deadlines and just let the creative juices flow. Kudos to all you guys that are still at it. It's a hard way to make a living.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Hrothgar B That's so true mate, I've found it also takes you way from your hobby, I'm surrounded by gaming but rarely get to game. gotta fix that!

[@harrybutler7750]

Thank you, I love your tutorials I use them n my Ho scale railway . I have just found your site a few weeks ago you have inspired me to greatness Thankyou

[@Multiscan0001]

This video was such an eye opener. So many things you talked about, things I even didn't think of. Thank you for discussing those topics.

[@TableTopBanter]

I think it all comes down to time management, just the same as any Self Employed line of work. If you feel like your losing a day for drying, re-direct your efforts into pre-planning the next project so that you can hit the ground running. Take on multiple projects (provided they are manageable) so whilst one is drying, you're working on the other one? Both of my parents own and run a pub, Dad works 90hrs a week, Mum 70hrs and I have never known anyone to manage that time so well. It just takes a lot of work to pre-plan.

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

+Table Top Banter I could not agree more with you. .I am registered as self employed and i manage my time to get the maximum amount of production out of my working day.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Table Top Banter Totally agree bud

[@georgedebleu]

Excellent vid! You are a credit to the profession and our hobby.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+georgedebleu Thanks buddy

[@GryphonArmorer]

Y'all are awesome. I always enjoy the the. I'm filling my notebook already with really good tips too.

[@acareatti]

I used to do freelance work and I could not count how many times a potential client would want "free information." Anything from sketches to doing a research into a project for cost assessment. When I started charging a consultation fee (paid upfront) just to talk about a project: I got better clients.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Anthony Careatti I think it's the way to go mate

[@debtcoachsilverthorn3697]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I really enjoy watching the videos on your channel!

[@Martdogg3000]

I thought this was gonna be about making a good work space and it wasnt but I still watched the whole thing. A lot of this is good advice for any business venture really.

[@jaednhowlar2359]

There will never be too many terrain makers, because you all have different styles, price points, design philosophies (how durable vs weight vs detail vs playability, etc.), and especially the time it takes that makes it so most customers will have to try multiple commisioned makers before finding the studio that can make what they need. I don't think you are going to build your own business killing competition, your channel does well i think, only seems to be going up.

[@stevefletcher1161]

very interesting video. The amount of time that goes into a build is scary. Agree on the space issue as I am slowly taking over the house.

[@tddybear3324]

+Steve Fletcher My wife is experiencing that and all I've been doing is making terrain for my little club in my garage!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Steve Fletcher terrain takes over bud lol

[@joshjohnston7388]

Lucky for me the wife forgets the basement exists. It's her blind spot. I do a lot to keep my kit tidy though. She side-eyes me every time I tell her to save some junk i want to use some day, but I've not turned the place into a mess yet

[@andybuckland6790]

note for longer vids , bring flask of hot coffee saves time between brews :) and yes where I live I have problems getting hold of the high de foam and a lot of place wont post it to where I live and thats just a pain

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Andy Buckland I like that thinking, I've heard a few people say similar mate, guessing you live somewhere warm

[@andybuckland6790]

No I live on the Isle of Wight, it's stuiped

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Andy Buckland That's crazy!

[@IDICBeer]

Very interesting chat

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+IDICBeer Cheers bud

[@IlkestonfishingCoUk]

Awesome as ever, I'm not even considering setting a studio up but I found this very interesting

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Andy Morley - Ilkeston Fishing glad you liked it buddy

[@ta24u]

nice stuff, ive been there, not with terrain . i opened two tattoo studios. tha t was a fun insane process. i totally agree with the consult fee. if i drew up a tattoo for a client and they wanted to take it with them to think on it. i would charge a 20% fee determined by the cost of the tattoo. that way if the customer took it and let some scratcher do it i still got something for my time. had a cat come back once with the artwork i drew tattooed on him by some shmuck, i charged him double to fix what he wrecked. sorry i take my tattooing seriously lol

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+ta24u My wife was a tattooist, I know exactly what you mean

[@jacks_hobbies]

Love the mug. Amazing!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Almost Toys I have a selection of good mugs

[@JVHorvath1]

Drying honestly (if you know what you're doing) isnt a real issue. The only thing i have EVER had an issue with on my projects for clients is sticking to the budget that they are presenting me with. Ill get careless sometimes and want to be extremely perfect with my work and go over the budget forcing me to take money from my own pocket to complete certain things. As for the drying part. Certain glues dry faster than others. Example: pva dries extemely slower than tacky glue. Tacky glue takes only a good 30 to 40 minutes to fully set up. Filler, (if using the right kind) will set within the hr if u use it wisely (not slathering it on and expecting immediate results). I use spackling paste for filler (what u use to fix holes in the wall). That stuff dries in 50 minutes with a then coat. Then u can go back where needed and add layers. Acrylic paint is the fastest drying paint i know of out there. Again used sparingly and in layers it dries within minutes.

[@JVHorvath1]

For a single piece of terrain (4'x4' for example) it shouldnt take you longer than half a day to get the base material, filler, and base coating of paint on the terrain itself. If it takes you longer than that, then u have bad time management skills. I take extremely good care to be perfect in all my works. The secret really is to do ANY terrain in sections. Work on one section, and then work on another section while that one is drying; by the time ur done preparing the second section the first section should be half way finished drying. Work on the third and then the forth section in the same manner. I can garauntee you by the time you get back to section 1 it'll be ready for whatever comes next.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Janos Horvath Nice advice buddy, thanks!

[@granddungeonmaster]

Thanks, Mel! This is just great!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+granddungeonmaster thanks matey

[@timhyeh]

Thank you for a very interesting and informative video.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+tim my you're welcome mate

[@GryphonArmorer]

I love building, the problem is I don't have "a name" out there yet. Of course there are a few things I still need to get done on my end like, a Facebook page (working on it), a website (have to wait till I make some money), and a proper studio/work space (not enough room no half the kitchen table) and a few more essentials. One thing I do have is a vision of how I want to set up for all the WIP (work in progress), drying spaces and test space. What is kind of frustrating is it seems y'all over on that side of the pond have the better foams. Lol. Just a source searching I still need. As I think I've said I'm a newb to the business but long time in the model building for pure pleasure. There is one thing I've come across in my research that has me bent, ..... UPC's for product packaging and internal tracking. They are expensive and truly only one company in the world that "issues" your own blocks of UPC's. 😬😤. Anyway again thanks for all the videos and inspiration. I would like to pick your brain some time as to how to go about getting commission work. And I'm really thinking of doing some "this is how I do things" videos, if for nothing else to pass on some tips or maybe inspire someone to get into the hobby or business (cause I'm sure there's enough work out there for all and more. Happy modeling, keep your brush sharp and your paint wet. 😉

[@poolplayerbrian]

Hell yeah! make them pay a deposit for your consultation. You're a badass and there's a particular Terrain Professional that I know of that can learn a thing or two from you. There's probably a lot of people who just want the attention from you. It doesn't have to be a large sum of money baby $25 will be credited toward the project once it's in work. But if will weed out the jerk offs.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+poolplayerbrian Sounds like a plan mate

[@bradatkin6712]

that's really handy to know for the future I don't think I would unless pay up front for those who really needs the help but wont do it to make it as my own work

[@adkdaddyo8770]

Very insightful thanks for sharing this!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Dave Howard Hope it helps

[@mackyd955]

This is my midlife crisis. Some buy boats. Some buy cars. I create a world and become a god. Ive accumulated all this within the past half year. My goodness I need soooo much room and Im not even doing commissions....yet. I have 2 8x4x2 foot racks full. A 4x8 pegboard 3/4 full, a filing cabinet full, 1x1x6 ft cabinet full, 2x3x2 ft cabinet full, 6ft table workspace half full, A hotwire foam cutter, a flock station, a paint station. When i say full I mean full of product to make shit with. I still need space for whatever im going to make. I put the big and dirty stuff in the garage at work like foam board sheets, mdf, sand, plaster, hydrocal and whatnot. Im sure im forgetting some stuff.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

As for drying times, do you have a dehumidifier? A sink for cleanup, do you need to consider what the paints and solvents will do to the plumbing? Imagine the sewer line getting clogged with a year's worth of paint build up and your yard needs to be dug up to fix it. Also, there may be municipal laws regarding waste disposal. One place I worked at had a barrel for liquids that werent allowed to go down the drain. An understanding wife and good kids... LOL! Hi Kez! Thanx for a great insight into your world. I used to do production machining and I recognized alot of these points.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Bill D. in Iowa I seriously need to invest in one of those. I generally bin all my thick stuff and I don't really use solvents, so for me, it's just washing out paint brushes mate but very good point. Laws? shhh .... let's not even go down that line lol

[@billd.iniowa2263]

lol. fair enough. ;-)

[@PowerliftingGympie]

Thanks for the vid, looking to build up to a part time supplementary income from terrain and have always been self employed with business qualifications, Think I have most areas covered including 2 industrial farm sheds with 3 phase power for my large power tools and storage and a 4 car sized shed for workshop space and a tolerant husband lol

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Make sure you don't have heat issues, large spaces can be difficult to keep warm, well unless you're living somewhere hot, Britain is not hot lol

[@PowerliftingGympie]

Sub Tropical Australia here lol, keeping cool is the hard part. The tyranny of distance can also be a problem here.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Well at least your stuff will dry quick mate!

[@firedragongames9265]

Like any manufacturing business there is going to be an investment, financially (for equipment, materials, etc.) and in time, to sort out what you are doing and learn the trade, and you absolutely never stop learning. I don't agree Mel that you necessarily need a ton of workshop equipment. It depends on your methods. I don't like MDF and don't use it... too messy, noxious, tool reliant, slow... I could go on. I use "foamed PVC" (Palfoam, Palight), which is a bit more expensive than MDF, but has many advantages. It's a rigid, but light plastic that's used for signage and architectural model making. It's easy to cut with a knife, creates no mess unless you need to sand it (and then not much), glues instantly with cyanoacrylate glue, is impervious to moisture, and takes paint easily. As well as making buildings and other things you can also base and edge a terrain board with it. My advice would be to research and explore as much about materials and equipment as you can to see what best suits your methods and your working environment. Making a living at this is tough without a doubt, but it's also a fun and exciting ride.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Firedragon Games Thanks for the heads up bud, I'd never even heard of the stuff. I'll get some and have a play :-)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Firedragon Games It is different from standard foamboard right?

[@firedragongames9265]

+TheTerrainTutor Yes, it looks like solid plastic but much lighter. Bay Plastics is the cheapest and best service I've found (www.plasticstockist.com/Palfoam-Foam-PVC-Sheet/White-Matt-Foamed-Pvc-Sheet.aspx). Definitely have a play with it Mel, it's very useful stuff. Check out David Neat's website for some very good tutorials on using it. His tutorials are also on 4D Modelshop.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Firedragon Games Got some on order bud! Thanks for the heads up

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Firedragon Games Excellent recommendation, passed the terrain lab with pretty much flying colours, vid will be out on Tuesday. Thanks mate :-D

[@Pedro116092]

Hay my friend, I have been following your blogs and have noticed a thing with your filming. For the main shots and your shots of you working try and pre focus your camera, I have noticed your camera hunting for focus a few times, and these times have been at critical moments. Just an observation. Keep up the great work.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Noted bud, I'll have a look at how to do, thanks for the heads up :-)

[@AlfonsoTheTraitor]

First thing first mate. Start small and the start doing larger and larger projects. Second donate your work to local clubs and stores and make sure its better than anything they have already. Trust me on this it is how I got started and it is advertising for what you can do. Let the owners of the shops who you are and how you cam be reached. Even better write it on the bottom of the terrian. If you are having to wait for stuff to dry you need to excellerate it by making a heat tent . It will cut you drying time in half mate.(I will send you photos on FaceBook) Glueing foam together and waiting for it to dry use a hot glue gun and you will probably need two guns for big projects. Hot glue gun those pieces of foam together and you can start to carve up that foam within 5 minutes. It is sturdy and will beat the test of time. By the way take a look at my Avatar and look up on my channel for Castle of the Keys. I love your work mate and Best of Luck on your projects.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+AlfonsoTheTraitor Good advice, thanks for the tips bud. And thanks, love yours too :-)

[@AlfonsoTheTraitor]

You are welcome I was just sharing some of what I did when I started out.

[@technopoptart]

not going to lie, i have been doing commission work for years(art not crafts though) and i have been thinking about doing this for a week or so and even considered how to manage space and materials but for sure this video scared me right out of it XD i think i will stick with my two rooms of miscellaneous bits and bobs and leave the selling to the big guys

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+technopoptart glad it saved you some stress mate but Id read all the comments before making up your mind

[@technopoptart]

i read most of them XD they just bolstered my opinion

[@alwoodsmodellingmayhem]

I believe you should get a fee to quote for the reasons TheDMGinfo has said. Space! I am building my own Amon Sul for the Hobbit SBG game, it fits on a 2' x 2' board. Do you think I can find anywhere to keep it whilst doing something else, it's just in the way and that's just 1 piece of terrain for myself. Insightful mate.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Al Wood I think it's the way forward for dealing with the tyre kickers. Put it ontop of the fridge, that's where I put my 2x2's lol

[@alwoodsmodellingmayhem]

:-)

[@RobertLonsdale]

Spread the help

[@ForgottenHeathen]

I do have a question about shipping: how the heck do you ship large boards? How and what in. I'm what you would consider "retail", but I've wanted to try boards for years, but I have no clue how to even begin finding out how to ship something of these sizes. All help appreciated!

[@blacktower7777]

+Forgotten Heathen Very large spectrum to cover really. If its the most basic of boards with no built in hills or other elevated areas that can stack its really no problem. If its a highly detailed board with a lot of structure you would have to build shipping crates designed to fit the pieces. Mike at Terranscapes did a video on his ocean boards that shows him packing the boards in crates he made. Downside is you are not able to properly quote the shipping until it is all measured and weighed after boxing it up. In that instance you would have to plan ahead with the customer on the fact that shipping is not going to be cheap and the shipping will be covered by them when it is ready to go.

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

+Forgotten Heathen ......That is why i never do board sets due to shipping and handling these beast whilst making them.That is the number one reason that i built my business with smaller drop in pieces of terrain that can be set up in different scenarios for gaming and much easier to ship all over the world.Every customer i have had has said that they get bored (pardon the pun ) with fixed boards as the gaming experience can become limited, but with my pieces (retail and commission ) they are easy to set up on the gaming table as well as easier for storage. Retail in mels comments is when i build a piece for sale for ebay to the popular market in which anyone can purchase that item .Commission pieces are more when i build pieces more specific in detail for the customers requirements and therefore the build is simply built to order for an agreed price.cheers Braggy :)

[@ForgottenHeathen]

2009braggminiatures Anthony Bragg Yeah, the thought of those getting damaged in the mail scares the bajeezus out of me. Love your stuff, btw! What are your hills made of? They almost look like sponges, I don't recognize the material. Might not be something we get in the USA.

[@braggminiaturesAnthonyBragg]

Cheers, hills are carved from 3" plnk foam and covered with cassini plaster for durability .

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Forgotten Heathen Make crates mate

[@bartekkucharski3880]

Man. Being your own boss where only you know what to do is hard. I'm tattooing and working for myself for few years and damn those people. Now slowly turning into miniature commission painting and asking myself why I do this to myself. why.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Because we want to work with what we love bud ;-)

[@bartekkucharski3880]

And they think if we love it we can do it for free hahah. And to prove that rule I got my first commission last week. For free but at least their miniatures are amazing

[@georgedebleu]

P.S. Very enjoyable as well! :-)

[@ScratchAttackTV]

Feeling in your bones ;)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+ScratchAttackTV so true

[@BrentWalker999]

And don't start a studio if you are living in Denmark. Everything from foam to scenic stuff is harder to get.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Peter Lyberth I'll bare that in mind if I ever move to Denmark

[@PresidentofAntifa]

yea?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Bit Spook hell yeah!

[@gmangaz2007]

well I don't do it like u lot put mel u need a part 2 video, boxing shipping and posting , insurance national and international, payment arrangements. etc. you're video is insight full too the amateur but to one getting into it for a living would need more detail.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+gmangaz2007 In all honesty mate, I could talk for hours on it, so many things

[@timpiscovich4955]

Ya man , people are watching :-)

[@drychalice]

Stop complaining, get a real job.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

not complaining anymore, doing the best job in the world