Hobby Cheating 100 Top 10 Hobby Improvement Tips 

Regardless of painting, a lot of this is genuinely great life advice

On #10: I re-organize like every 3 months to keep ideas fresh, not just to clean up. I pull out materials I've never used before, remind myself that I have them, and then do something with it on the next project.

I just started on this hobby and I’m highly encouraged and excited. I’m really enjoying your videos, Vince, and these advices apply not only for miniature painting, but for many other aspects in life.

I’ve been watching your videos for the past month or so, ever since I came across your History of GW vid. I’m also a mini painter, as a hobby and side job for friends, and these videos are really teaching me to improve my skills. I’ve been hobby painting for about 3-4 years, always stuck with Citadel and mostly got tips from their YT tutorials. However, now I want to improve my game and venture into new brands, tools and techniques. This channel has really helped me to gaze into new possibilities and options into what I want for my goal. Now I’m looking into Warcolours and Scale 75 paints, as well as learning to airbrush. This video in particular has given me new ideas to improvement and for that, I thank you for the amount of time you’ve spent into this channel and making it for hobbyists like us. Here’s hoping you continue to make more for the years to come

step 11 truly inspirational. maybe a little side we don't see of vince too often. really heartfelt, very real, and i quite enjoyed it.

Vince you have accelerated my understanding of miniature painting in the last month since I found your channel. You convinced me to buy an airbrush and I have had a great deal of fun learning how to use it properly. Thank you.

I know this is an older video of yours,Vince, but thank you. I legit got chills at number 11. Love what you do, you're my biggest inspiration in my own hobby journey. I mean it. Thank you.

Watching again after 3 years and the tips you give are as solid and valuable as any video. I do think ultimately the #1 concern is how the paint flows off the brush. When it's right it flows naturally, when it isn't you leave empty spots contrasted by blobs of partially dried paint. A clean brush, wet pallette and use of drying retarder and flow improver are your best friends. Any improvements I've made I owe to you and others who provide information and inspiration. Thanks Vince, your channel is superb.

Thanks so much for the advice in this video...I've taken a few of the steps you suggested and its seriously helped my work a lot. Organized my supplies area (especially putting all my paints in order by type and color), got a wet palette, and a few Winsor & Newton brushes (#1 & #0). In the couple of hobby work sessions I've had since then, I've made a lot more progress in the same amount of time. Best wishes for your next 100 videos!

Another brilliant video. Filled with gems. I can say that I was getting burn out with just doing the same 6 colours with the same techniques. But now I’m trying something new each week, getting better - a lot of time it goes wrong, and I’m okay with that. Because when i improve it’s worth the time and effort

#10 is huge. I recently started getting my space more organized, especially the paints, and it is amazing how much more you can get done when you can just sit down and start, and not search for stuff. My paint collection is a relatively meager 230ish strong, but it took forever to find what I needed when it was all in a single desk drawer. Now it is all in racks, in arms reach, and I discovered I have around 20 repeats. I've got everything in the Paint Rack app on my phone to help with inventory control now too.

i come back to this video from time to time usually while painting something. gives me a headspace where i can reflect on where i was the last time i watched it and remind myself of some of the nuggets of wisdom you've got here. My hobby space is still a chaotic mess, though, and that likely won't change much.

Thanks Vince, I needed some of these reminders today mostly regarding the burnout. Grats on the 100th, here's to another 100!

Man, you're killing it. Thank you so much for all the great advice! Love your channel.

the motivation you give is game-changing! I'm so glad I found your channel!

The best tips video I've ever seen. Thanks so much Vince, a lot of stuff hits hard, especially the one about time. "You can earn more money, but you can't earn more time" and "every time you're not doing actual paint are grains of sand in the hourglass you'll never get back" will be displayed on my otherwise very organized hobby space. Can't thank you enough.

Thanks Vince! Thanks for the first 100 and thank you for the inspiration. Loved the 'Top Tips', great points and view points!

Congrats on the 100 good sir! I must say, most of these tips I do, mainly due to your videos :) When I see a new Vince Venturella completed mini make its way to Facebook, I hold my breath, spend a second of annoyance saying something like "far out, this guy...." then spend several minutes admiring and (trying to) deconstruct it. Thank you, and congratulations again on the 100 best miniature painting videos on the interwebz.

Gearing up to begin painting my first miniatures ever. This is a great help!

Finally, the first HCV 100 behind me and looking forward for the others! Im rather new to the hobby, but I love it and your videos are the most useful, Vince. Thank you very much for the great work. As for this one, I really struggle with n. 10. I am actually well organized and I know where my paints are. But I cant leave it on some dedicated place and have it outside. Small appartment and everything needs to go to a drawer or something.

One great take away was to stop being too analytical/critical with my paint job and realize that time is a huge factor in painting minis. I don't have the patience or the time to paint something amazing, but I do have the time and patience to paint as good or a bit better than pre-painted figs I buy from a hobby shop. I still try to aim for better, but I try to ensure I am "happy and proud - as Vince said" of what I painted. Thanks again Vince

I spent years not considering myself an artistic person and I think it really limited myself, not to say your doing the same thing! Your an exceptional artist through miniatures and editing alone. 💯

Great video and congratulations on the 100th. For a wet pallet I use plastic food (tupperware) container, cleaning sponge cloth and greaseproof/parchment paper (parchments better but greaseproof works). Got all from a pound store ($ store US) it's got a larger usable surface than my wet pallet, completely airtight (worth paying more for better container) and the packs of sponges/paper last ages. Second container used to store precut parchment paper flat.

What an awesome video, thank you for making this, Vince! You've sort of sold me on trying zenithal highlighting now lol But I especially appreciated your advice on painting what you love & being happy, yet not satisfied. I think far too often I see RU-vid painters obsess over perfection & painting for glory, not the love of it.

Love it! I definitely do some (recently picked up an airbrush, happy to experiment) but definitely don't do others (wasted a lot of time over the years and am semi organised at best!). Love the metaphorical ones too, so real life lessons in there. Keep up the great work! 🙂

A good recipe to be a successful and happy painter. :) And I have to say it, a 100 thanks for doing a 100 of the probably the best video tutorials about miniature painting techniques in internet. I'm waiting for the next 100. :)

Congrats on the first 100 episodes. looking forward to the next 100+. In addition to the necessary items you mentioned, one of the most important items in my toolbox is my notebook to write down techniques and recipes i use and discovered. I believe it's important to keep those in an actual book (and not on scraps of paper flying around everywhere), just to keep track on how to achieve certain effects or looks. Anyway, thanks for your awesome work, i really enjoy it. Cheers

THE SINGLE GREATEST piece of contribution, to our community EVER!

I’ve just found your channel after getting back into the hobby a few months back...superb! Love your style and the detail in your tutorials; I’ve learnt more watching a few of your videos this evening than I have on full weekend courses. Totally agree with all your tips here, I try to employ most and those that I don’t I’m certainly going to try and incorporate......thank you Btw, this kind of reminded me of Baz Luhrmann’s “Sunscreen” 😁

Congratulations on 100 episodes! Thank you!

Grats on 100 tip videos! Been following since tip 1 and all of them are fantastic!

I'm a new painter and this is the third time watching this video. Why? Because it's good to keep reminding myself of the things I should be doing, should change or work towards, and focus on. Thank you for the continued advice.

Congrats on 100! Been painting for years but still learning everyday..and you are right up there on techniques! Turned my best friend onto your tips..he just is starting in 40K. Btw..We are both 57 years old so never too old to start or learn something. Thanks!

Congratulations on reaching 100 awesome Hobby Cheating videos. Here's to another 100!

Very good tips. I really need to start zenithal highlighting. I really like your tutorials. I made my own wet palette and it has helped me out so much.

16:58 O M F G !!!!!!! VV this is by far one of the most inspiring and confidence building things i have heard in a long time !!!!

I REALLY learned some things just by watching your Videos. I.e. Blacklining etc. Thumbs up! Keep on the good work. Its really inspiring!!!

I think my only complaint about any of your videos is that I’m watching them when I should be painting instead. Excellent work as usual! It’s only going to take me a few years to watch them all at the rate I watch them.

Congratulations on #100! Also thank you for all the hobby tips and help.

Very valuable advice and solid tips. If anyone is not happy painting then it's probably not your thing. I only paint Napoleonics and have found that doing 50 Hussars in a single batch is a recipe for boredom through repetition. Variety will keep you focused and enjoying what you do. It also helps to keep links to all the sites you have found helpful for quick reference.

Got to this one after watching #200 Technique vs Style... So, congratulations to your hope of a hundred more coming true. =)

Great video! Thanks for sharing all of this series Vince.

As a beginning painter, #10 is the one that struck me hardest, and apparently at the right time. I've found myself hesitating about going to my work area in the garage, settling in, and then cracking open the ArtBin that holds my paints and brushes, finding the mini I want to work on, yada-yada-yada. Just by happenstance, I ordered a nail polish rack yesterday and it's showing up today, so it was good to hear that I did what seems to be the right thing. I haven't touched a mini or a brush with paint on it for at least a month, and a lot of that was not wanting to have to go and get everything out... painting... and then putting everything away again... I think #10 is an epiphany in a way, but even more of a confirmation that I'm on the right track to getting back into it. Thanks so much Vince. By the way, bonus question: What type of bead do you put in your paint bottles to help mix up the paint? Glass? BB? Lead shot? Stainless ball bearing?

Incredible video, Vince. You've inspired me to start zenithal highlighting with my rattlecan! Hopefully I can use grey instead of black as the undercoat.

Love the videos, I feel like I have to listen twice to each one to soak it all in.

8: So true! There is nothing more misery inducing in this hobby than having to grind out 80, 100, 200 infantry models, week after week. I'm so glad I rewatched this video, I really need a break.

Even though I have no clue about miniature painting (just started this week) you make me believe I can do it (you have a talent) and even think this isn't too difficult. Thanks

Great episode with heaps of valuable advice to all painters!

Your 11th tip legit made me tear up a little after I realized how much I actually enjoy this hobby (but seriously still hate painting guard troops!)

Love these kind of vid's Vince! Personal "score": 1. Zenithal. Use it 9/10. 2. Few good brushes. Will buy an actual good one in de near future. 3. Airbrush. Have practiced more with the airbrush than the regular brush, which is unusual I think. My skill level is also higher comparatively speaking. I am confident in "snipering in" details with the airbrush, but still have issues wet blending with a regular brush for example. 4. Wet palate. Use it 9/10. 5. Love to experiment. I try to do something new for every project. 6. Research. Do it a little too much, but enjoy doing it also. 7. Time. Oh boy... Not convinced I respect my time as much as I should. 8. Variation. Yup, also work on multiple things at a time and it helps with staying motivated. 9. Paint what you love. Have been doing this more and more recently. Love game systems that are model agnostic, so this becomes far less of an issue. 10. Organization. I might be a little too organized. Have airbrushed all my 250+ acrylic paints in a sketchbook (both on white and black paper) organized based on color. I did this to figure out what the colors actually look like (because the bottles distort the colors too much imo), what kind of opacity they have (and note the opaque and transparent ones) and what I need to mix them with to run them through my airbrush smoothly. This took a massive amount of time (also see point 7...), but now that I am finished I am so much faster with selecting and finding the paint I have in mind that I think that over the coming years I will get some time back. Also it improved my airbrushing skills a ton. Especially changing colors fast, cleaning the airbrush only as much as I need to not get a clog. I haven't had a clog in 6 months or something.

On the topic of wet palettes, I had been using the masters wet palette for ages but never quite got the results everyone else says they have with them. I had been using the included palette paper the whole time. I'm gonna be trying the parchment paper and see how much it helps :D Upgrading my brushes from crappy synthetics was huge and turned burn out into newfound joy for me. But as I look across my desk and see scattered paint pots, all my unpainted miniatures, a couple of drink cups, writing utensles, half assembled miniatures the need for organization has become apparent. Thank you for all the advice!

Always room for improvement is the best tip I ever learned from because its very true when put to practise

this channel is my greatest dicovery of 2022

Thanks Vince, you’ve really helped my painting.

wonderful overview, thanks for all your contributions to the hobby

I just built my very first WH40K model's the other day, the elite edition starter set and i KNOW I need to wait for good paint and brushes but its killing me to! I have built enough terrain for probably 4 tables of warhammer lol, and I'm actually pretty good at it! So I have a lot of cheap acrylic paint and brushes. Newly subbed just going through your videos

Thank you very much for this motivational speech. Might just be what i needed!

My favorite recent brush is actually a size 4, but it has a good tip. I have a matching one in size 1 for really fine stuff.

Fantastic video Vince! Absolutely loved it...Thank you!!

Lots of wisdom in the video. Food for thought indeed

Very good points. Reminds me a lot of what I was told when I started tattooing. Some things are just universal

Just getting back into painting and your videos have been a huge help! Thank you! Question: What size (lb) of parchment paper do you use for the wet pallet?

Wish I had seen this when I started in the hobby......would have saved me a lot of time and frustration

I’ve been following your channel for a while now. This has by far been one of my favorite videos. Can you explain how you organize your colors in the nail polish racks?

Gratz on 100 in the series!

Outstanding advice, Vince. I feel bad for the painters who haven't found you yet.

I've done reverse zenithal before, starting with grey then applying black from underneath. works well on quadruped creatures or models with hard-to-paint undersides, and can be used to provide a cast-metal type texture if left unpainted.

I watched this video a month or so ago and took it to heart (because it's good advice)... bought an airbrush, going to try zenithal, re-organized my hobby space completely (went as far as rebuilding my desks to fit better), experimented with some Turbo Dork and Contrast paints... now I'm realizing that I'm stuck on #6/11... lol. I've built and magnetized about a 1000 pts worth of Admech + SM, and now I'm stuck in a loop of endlessly researching things because I don't want to paint everything, and then see something on reddit that makes me want to redo it all the next day. One of the main reasons I never got tattoos was because I knew I'd end up wanting to change them too much (...then I just got sick of seeing everybody get dumb tattoos for no reason and was glad I never did). I know I'm being way too perfectionist about it, and it's mostly because I haven't painted an army for 15 years so I want this one to be _perfect_ . But I'm having a really hard time settling on the chapter/forge world and color scheme because I always seem to like the colors/insignia for X chapter, but prefer the doctrine and background of Y chapter. I would kind of rather do an established canon chapter than make up my own, but I think I'm going to end up having to make one. I was dead-set on doing Steel Confessors for awhile and still like that idea... but I would also love to do a whole army of the Retributor chapter from the Astartes series. Might end up doing Steel Confessors lore-wise with Retributor colors. Send help please! -I think I'm going - I don't know if I can- I'm not sure what to do

Some really good tips there Vince and wow 100 episodes of awesomeness :)

new to aos and hobby painting, love your content.

10:45 through 11:05 almost had me rethinking the time spent on the whole hobby! ;)

I love that you referred to the whole "an airbrush is cheating" argument as "hipster nonsense"; my usual response is "Oh, so you mixed all your own paints, right? I don't mean you shook the bottle and added water; I mean you took ground pigment and mixed it with binder. You made your own brushes too, right? No, you bought them to use as tools, and that's all an airbrush is too.". I also loved the advice about research because there's so much out there right now; the internet provides us with a myriad of free reference resources and we really should be using it more (by the way, I'd never heard of Putty and Paint but went and bookmarked the site right away). Number 10 is the one I need to get more behind; I kind of straddle the line between organization and chaos. I know where about 85% of the stuff I need is and can reach/find it easily, but there's some clutter as well. Some time soon I hope to redo my hobby space and I have some ideas on how to optimize it for the space I have.

Words of wisdom here! Thanks a lot Vince! :)

Quality ,very truthful and meaningful ,top man

Congratulations for the hundred show

I religiously follow your videos to help as I had only just started painting a couple months ago. It has been exceedingly helpful. I have been trying hard to work in zenithal highlighting but with only rattle cans, I have had poor luck. Also have attempted with priming black and dry brushing white with also mixed results. Always so scratchy and the coverage sucks.

Quick tip for cheap pallet. Make one out of a used ice cream tub. Ice cream has to be water and airtight. So it makes an amazing wet pallette

quite a series vince :) very curious about zenithal priming as i do this a lot , im hearing a lot of about this sketch painting although i'm not entirely sure this why this is different from previous techniques or indeed what it might be :/ thanks for the series vince , still find myself referring back to your previous videos

Superb video, extremely helpful, thank you!

Brilliant video, Vince!

Hi, great video! Do you mind linking to the nail polish racks you buy? Are they from Michael's perchance? Totally what I need for my masses of Vallejo, I think!

7.) Time. I spend probably more time planning than painting the actual models. My main goal, for both my current armies, is to decouple everything so I can stop at multiple points in the process, and at each point, have a playable force. That way, I can invest more time in the same models as and when.

First off, brilliant video! Taught me a lot of great things. one question though: How would you airbrush in a very small room/space? I only have a small room as I'm a student at the moment. What should I keep in mind when airbrushing in a small room, and should I even do it?

Kinda disappointed I misread this as 100 top ten tips and bought a new notepad😏 still congrats on 100 episodes - always look forward to this series even if I do not use it

Hey Vince, great video. I'll be getting an airbrush in the near future. I can't wait! Thanks for your fantastic content. Could you advise me on which pallet paper to buy for my wet pallet. I'm based in the UK. Thanks in advance!

#11 is great advice for anything that you do.

I cleaned my hobby area in my new home, set up my paints on a rack and picked up a brush. I have 10 skinks to paint same old same old so three some space marines in for the mix. Lets see how I get on as I am aware that I am a compulsive quiter 😣

In my most brush-destructive days, my W&S K7 Size 1 still lasted me about 9 months They have gone up in price recently on Amazon ($20 for 1,) but it's still worth it.

10: I have a stand up bench in my spare room, so I don't even need to sit down. ;-) Excellent tips, I'll build a paint rack ASAP.

Great information love the video. Maybe you can look in to we're sable brushes come from a sable is an animal kept in bad conditions look up fur farms. Is there a paintbrush option without the animal cruelty that that works well ?

I tried many sable brushes, but Winsor Newton is the best for me. I use synthetics for contrast paints, washes, metallics. Have to keep my sables in good shape, so I baby them. I have 5 airbrushes, I am addicted to them and I am addicted to paint and brushes. I buy many brands because the colour ranges are so pretty I can’t resist. My partner thinks I’m strange but I don’t care, it floats my boat. I have nice quality airbrushes no cheapies, Iwata Neo for bass coating and priming, Iwata Eclipse for finer detail I have 2 Paasche Talons and Badger Patriot. I have 3 Wet Palettes, definitely a game changer. I am no artist but I try different things and many failures, but I don’t give up. Mistakes are necessary to improve. A full army painted looks great even if not perfect. Just like a full choir sounds great even if some of the individual vocalists are not perfect, yet all together sounds great. I am inspired by great artists and teachers. Your videos have helped me so much and now with Covid 19, I’m revisiting your tutorials and understanding them better. Thanks Vince for your videos Back to my Sisters of Battle

11:00 well, still not getting an airbrush, but your 'time' speech has sold me on Zenithal Highlighting.

Awesome video, thank you.

Good tips , wrote them down. Thank you

Sensei, your words are inspirational! I do have one question, if I may. What is a good size for an airbrush comressor? I would love to explore that style of painting. Thanks!

STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST by Austin Kleon is a great inspirational read. ...I thought of this as I was watching this incredibly inspirational video. ;)

I instantly became a better painter AND person by watching this! NO 11 WILL CHANGE YOUR LYFe!!

Amazing video! But wait what was the moss trick??

Do you have a video on the moss technique you use? I couldn't find one. Great video... thanks !

congrats on 100!