How You're Painting Miniatures ISN'T WRONG 

I purposefully don't batch paint miniatures because it's just a lot less FUN for me even if it's way more efficient! :D I do one mini at a time so I can see my progress on a project :)

This is, by far, my favorite YT channel about painting and building miniatures. I've recently re-discovered the hobby after being away for more than 25 years, I'm enjoying it so much, and channels like this make it easier to access info, ideas, and tips. Greetings from Barcelona, Spain! PS: This guy looks like the kind of cool teacher that all of us would like to have in HS.

Uncle Atom single-handedly makes the tabletop wargaming hobby a better environment

Uncle Atom is the wholesome hobby influence I wish I'd had when I first got into the hobby. I'm so glad to have you in the space sir.

I remember starting out in this hobby was 100 percent me watching videos until i bought some generic Dwarves on amazon and painted one with apple barrel paints. I fell in love almost immediately, the feeling of seeing him go from grey, to white, to poorly painted was gratifying.

long time painter and commission artist, i really love this message, because i do have people ask how they can paint as well as i do. and i always tell them to first figure out what kind of painting they want to do, and how much time they want to invest into their work.

Turns out I misunderstood your advice, Uncle. I was watching videos 90% of the time and painting 10% of the time and wondering why nothing I produced looked remotely like the videos....so today I chucked out all my Contrast and Speedpaints because speed is just not my goal. It felt very liberating. I probably won't miss having 8 shades of blue. This channel has a very chill vibe that reminds me why I started painting mini's in the first place and it was never about getting an army on the table. Thanks for the reality check.

I 100% feel you on the driving thing. I always take the routes that make sense and are most familiar to me which are rarely the most efficient. I get really annoyed when people try to "correct" the way I go.

Totally agree. I stopped painting warhammer stuff back in the early 90s. Got back into painting ww2 armour about 10 years ago (used to paint loads in the 80s) and have only recently got back into warhammer. I found a lot of the warhammer tutorials odd, as its different from how i have been painting. I spent a while trying the "new" techniques and found i was much happier with my old methods i had developed over the years (i use a combination of airbrush with tamiya paints, inks and oil paints), with a side order of cherry picked stuff i like. The lesson, as you say, the journey may be different, but the goal is the same (painting a model how you want)!

You absolutely nailed it! For some of us painting is not a destination in fact it’s not even where we end up, it’s the journey that we enjoy. Wrong turns, getting lost or finding your new favourite spot is all part of the course. And for those that hate the journey and just care about the destination, we’ll how they get there up to them! I once had a disagreement with Vincey V following a review of my chaos spawn, he felt that it shouldn’t have single points of bright colour that contrasted the bland skin. The out come was that Vince said mate if you enjoyed doing it, and love the result who am I to tell you different, but I wouldn’t have done it that way - maximum respect to Vince, because let’s face it the man is a genius. Not that your not also amazing your lesson about the price of perfection being prohibitive is burned into my brain!

True enjoyment is found when you paint for the sake of painting, more than when you're worrying about how good it'll look. Try to do well, sure, but paint because it's fun and pretty minis are fun.

Yep, it is our own process. As someone who creates the odd video. I personally just try to show my process and hopefully it helps somebody get a few ideas. It's also not a bad thing though to try new techniques or push your comfort zone in the hobby if you wish too.

I do notice that I sometimes get burnout from working too long on certain boxes, and I should try and figure out a more fun way of doing my painting or balancing this out with my now reduced free time schedule.

If it's any consolation, I've been in the Gunpla world far longer than I've painted miniatures, and there's the same problem there where people will ask which order to do clear coats, decals and panel liner in as if they're breaking some magical rule that nobody understands, and I've been preaching to everyone who'll listen that there's only the result you want and how you get there. And yes, you're only doing it wrong if you're not having fun.

You're always the voice of reason, Uncle Atom. I'm definitely guilty of sometimes focusing on what I'm doing and if I'm doing it "right", not why I'm doing it. Appreciate the reminder 🙂

I didn't know I needed this reminder. I tried using contrast paint and was struggling with it. I kept painting models with whatever advice I could find only struggling more and more. I went back to painting how I used to and added everything I learned that I couldn't do with contrast, it felt right and looked massively better. Now I'm struggling between staring at my army that I'm disappointed with the paint job not knowing how to fix, and painting the rest that will look incredibly different.

Aye,very good as always. And doing things your way - being informed is not contrary to that - also has the inestimable value of your FINDING new ways, ‘tweaks’ etc, that can gradually add up to a kind of unique library of routes (choices).

For me it depends on the models. If i paint some standard infantry, i will batch paint. I will invest a bit more time into elite squads and the most in characters. There are many great videos out there but a lot of them are centered around a specific model at a very high standard. You sometimes have to spent multiple hours, sometimes days to get to this level. If you plan to do a wh40k army, you might paint for years and it's propably still not done. You can do a decent looking army with some basic methods (contrast paints, drybrushing etc) and i would recommend it. It will still take a while to paint an army but you will actually get it done

HAHA, I got a good laugh when you were talking about art and "step-by-step instructions." I've had a few teachers who would have disagreed, vehemently. Personally, painting is the worst part of this for me, and not just because of physical issues. I always loved the building/converting process. I could spend days chopping up a large model and making new parts or terrain. That was the fun part for me, making my own army and themes.

The abundance of information we have at our fingertips means we can always improve and adapt. Even as an old dog I am learning new tricks all the time.

I agree. Got a friend getting into the hobby, and I told him a similar thing. Best way to beat the grey is to enjoy it. I am at the point to where watching tutorials is mainly to see all the details I can’t see on a specific model. I like their stuff, but if they’re using contrast paints or citadel paints I don’t own, I’m not going out to the store for one shade of green. Lol. Great video.

Great thumbnail! I think the best approach to painting is to make sure you find something you can expand on. If you spend 5 minutes on a mini, that's great! If you add on 10 minute chunks over time to the same mini, it looks even better! It's much easier to build on top of a solid foundation than being told "________" is the best technique. As the head studio painter at Broken Anvil, helping the other painters learn my approach has helped them get faster and find more time to apply the fun parts of painting on minis. Painting professionally is definitely different than the hobby side, but when it comes to painting for my own games - speed and ease are always the goal, not to impress :D

When I got space station zero I resolved to make a board and some scenery for it to play with my boys, I wanted to hand craft everything. So I have built some stuff and Im painting to my normal standard of painting, which is more than enough for scenery. My mother liked the stuff I had finished and showed my step dad, who once he found out that it was hand made loudly proclaimed to me that I need to get a life... regardless of my happiness in what I had crafted and built he just had to shit on it. The good news is I have an easy out, I just wont show either of them my projects in the future. Fine by me, I love building these things to relax and to enjoy with my kids.

I actually really needed this video. I've recently just got back in to the hobby after over a decade away from it. Recently I have watched SO many tutorial videos on RU-vid I think I may have over done it, because different channels say different things and i dont know whos method to follow. There's no one right way to paint minis, and I'll figure out my own way by 'doing'. Awesome videos, love the channel! 👍

A big part of efficiency is simply getting used to the thing you're doing. And that only comes with repetition. So especially in the short term, it's often better to stay with what you know than try something new. That said, if you hate half of the things involved in your hobby, you have a problem.... even more so if you're unwilling to pay someone else to do it for you.

LOL, Great change up from last week's title. XD Love your content, have been with you for years.

Thank you. This video is important with all the speed painting content out there. Its not important to grind through your miniatures and you hate it, in order to play. If you need more time and you enjoy it, take that time.

Wonderful video. Very thought provoking. I got really into the miniature painting side of this hobby (I’ve been gaming for over 20 years) a year and change ago. I had the income at the time to support buying a lot of different products to try out different styles of painting I’d seen on RU-vid. Not everyone has that luxury, though. I wish a friend had already had the gear for me to try it different ways so that I only purchased the paints that match my style, but at least now someday I can be that friend if someone else needs them.

you have just got me in the mood to do the models as i want and not as anyone else wants me to do them so thank you

Every one of my little figurinos is a special little person that I’m responsible for bringing to life in the most beautiful way possible… you can’t rush art

After every uncle's video: *_I feel stronger._* *_Journal updated_*

Completely forgot today was Friday. 🤣🤣🤣 great video as usual.

Great vid and info Uncle Adam. Yes this is definitely something a lot of content creators need to hear too 😁

This video has condensed a lot of thoughts I've been having into something really clear. I also come from an art background, and something I've always noticed is a real hesitance from the hobby community at large to look outside of "gamer" spaces, for inspiration, theory, techniques etc. People have been making art, and specifically miniatures for a long time, a LONG time. I see a lot of discussion about how things "should" be done, what materials to use, how things "should" look, or re-inventing things like underpainting: all of which limits the scope of your creativity. There are as many ways to make art as there are people to make it - and I really encourage people to take advice, learn things, but most of all trust their own judgement, experience and follow their joy.

10/90 is best advice ever. "Practice - the actual application of a method as opposed to theory relating to it"

As a paramedic this hobby has helped me with my decompression and it absolutely has saved my mental state.

Ive only been painting for about a year and a half so I dont consider myself very great, but i did look back at my first plaguemonk next to some kitbashed black templars/stormcast and a kitbashed mechanicus/skaven i did recently and it almost makes me think im not actually a god awful painter! I love sitting down 1 or 2 times a week and painting 1-4 people at a time just pretty lazily for me and my mom to play killteam with. you've helped me alot in that year and a half, Atom!

Absolutely great advice, Uncle Atom! I think more painters just starting out need to hear exactly this.

I really appreciate your attitude toward hobbying generally and this hobby specifically and it comes through in every video you make. This particular message - doing things however you want is ok - is one I need to be reminded of regularly. Thank you!

And most importantly: A creative hobby like mini-painting has to be fun (enjoyable). As soon as it is not, it is not a Hobby anymore, it is a chore.

Solid advice. I’ve been at this hobby for years and have consumed tons of related content learning techniques along the way. But I have never found another person that assembles and paints minis with my exact same process.

I try to approach giving advice, when asked for, and answering questions about my painting with descriptions not prescriptions. I can describe what and how I would do something, and not tell them it’s what they should do. I really appreciate your takes on a lot of hobby stuff. Especially with the communities that exist online, it’s easy to focus on others and what others are saying is correct.

Big fan of your videos. 100% with you. Been building model kits/painting model kits for 30 years and my golden rule is "build what you like the way you like it".

Having a good time is crucial :) Thanks for the wise words.

On your way frim A to B, enjoy the ride.

This is, quite possibly, the most important video you have ever done.

It was nice find this video. 2 months ago I painted my first mini in 15 years, it was not my worst mini, but my problem was it didn’t meet my ideal look… 2 months of research,trial and error, and I now have my new process… it’s slow but the it’s result I’ll be happy with

Great video as always, and happy Thanksgiving!

Happy thanksgiving. I am guessing the car is pretty clean of stuff, but what about the den? Good advice as always and not just about miniature painting.

Uncle Atom, Just posted on a NinJon video. It is like cooking, watch the videos, read the cookbooks but ultimately try things add you're own bits and enjoy the final result. Good to see someone putting this out there. Cheers

I need to hear this periodically: "...this is a hobby, it is for FUN..." Thanks!😁

Dude, I needed to hear this. I'm new to this and have been trying to find the "right way" to do things.

Exactly this ^^. Yes I could paint quicker; yes I could paint more efficiently, however, I just enjoy painting and trying different techniques and styles; so if it takes me longer, what the heck! 😁🖌👌👍

Thhanks for this and for me the #1 culprit of this attitude on TT mini paint tube is... "You need to shade your models to scale for light." But I would rather be color accurate and let normal light do my scaling. Other then that TT mini tube has been good to me.

There is their way, your way and the right way. One will will frustrate you, one will give you joy and one will confine you. Make your pick

"There are a lot of videos out there, lord knows I've made a lot" Pachaow... Pachaow, pachaow... Pachaow, pachaow, pachaow, pachaow, pachaow... *Links every video*

My son and I paint miniatures completely different. I tend to speed paint my minis, do a wash and maybe some highlights/effects if I feel like it. I like getting a bunch of minis done and look table top ready so I can get to playing and have a nice looking warband. I've got my groove and can get a nice amount of good looking minis done relatively fast. Now my son takes forever, and paints every little detail on his miniatures. He doesn't even have half the amount of minis painted that I do, but he loves lavishing details on them. We each paint differently, but we both enjoy it and like the end results and really that's what matters : )

Is it just me, or does some of Uncle Adam's wisdom apply to a whole lot more than just miniatures?

Totally agree. Friends have been subtly pressuring me to join them in buying an airbrush but I’m just happy with using a brush - it’s taken me 30+ years of painting to get as good as I’ve got and I don’t fancy starting again from scratch with a new technique.

Loved this video a lot! Thank you!

I love this! Keep up the awesome work

Great vid as usual.....One question though, what range is that dual weilding skeleton from? He's awesome!

110% agree to your sentiments man. Hobbying your way keeps your sprues away

I came because of the title. The content kept me for the whole video. Excellent points, well made; this should be mandatory life lesson. Well done

Absolutely needed to hear this today, helps me remind myself why I paint how I do when someone tells me I can get a better result 'if I just do this'

I think RU-vid paralysis is a thing. I watch a ton of painting content. I found for a long time that it was a detriment to me actually painting. Eventually, I just synthesized what I learned and mixed on my own preferences and found painting to be fun. That said, I'm trying NMM for the first time and feel like that paralysis is setting back in since it makes me uncomfortable, though I KNOW how to do the underlying techniques!

Thank you for saying the right thing, I'm so tired of people saying that people are doing it wrong . Everyone has to start somewhere!

Learning to paint from OasisRising and a few others was huge when I first started. Also, painting in game stores is also a great way to get other techniques down and good conversations. Nowadays, I mostly just paint at hobby/game stores for th conversation.

Cheers

Great message, thanks Adam.

This is your world, you get to make it 😁🎨

People paint all different ways. As long as your painting and having fun….

What line is the skeleton with the two daggers miniature from?

Where is that skeleton with the two daggers from?

Can we talk about how awesome Atoms shirt is in this video!?

Thanks! I use unthinned heavy body artist paints for most of my mini painting and sometimes I feel like the only one.

This is a very good and cheap therapy session. Thumbs up

who painted that beautiful piece from the Nova open that you highlighted?

I grew up playing sports there are basic fundamentals that work universally but you can always get things done a different way you just should know the pros and cons to what you are doing

Love that A-10 tee! 😍

Uncle Atom where is that hooded skeleto model with the two daggers from? I want one!

Self-Determination is so important. Even for our hobby.

I really, really like this video - It's a bit sad to constantly see videos etc touting things like "DON'T USE WASHES!" or "NEVER MAKE THIS ONE MISTAKE" - This is such a diverse hobby with so many different approaches to so many different challenges within the hobby. I remember seeing a miniature painted beautifully and the guy painted the whole thing with oil paints - The whole process was so completely alien to me, I loved it. I think the only thing that you should not do is give up on learning - If painting is an important part of the hobby, keep challenging yourself to do new things. For example, let's say you see some model painted in a way that you think is really cool - A lot of times your first thought is "No, I can't ever do this technique". Well, why don't you try? Non-metallic metal looks really complicated, but over time you can break it down in a way you understand it, and you can definitely learn that technique. The second bit of NMM you paint will look better than the first.

When I paint I enjoy it but I have to make myself walk away after a few hours or I start rushing it and make a mess but at the same time I struggle to sit down and paint but once I do it's fun but again can only do it for a few hours or I ruin the miniatures ☹️

@Tabletop Minions what is the mini with the skull mask in the video pic?

Excellent video

I prefer painting one at a time since : A. i am new so might as well train yourself with the details B. if you wanna spice it up per unit then of course it's just obvious to do one at a time like new color scheme or whatnot What i advocate doing in batches is Basecoating (with the exception of differing color schemes) and Priming cuz if you are using the same color might as well do them all in a single swoop

As an Airforce vet, I appreciate your A-10 Thunderbolt t-shirt sir.

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

"Does it spark joy?" Also, badass shirt!

I have seen the light and this is the reason why I end all my videos with "don't forget to enjoy your hobby" :)

You have to take a lot of wrong roads in the hobby to find your way. I have found my way and I have painted more models in the last 12 month then in the 10 years before. They are not the best painted figures, but i know i don't become a better and I know i don't want to become a better painter. Playing as much as possible (with painted models) is the most important thing in the hobby for me.

There are procedures and there are techniques. Procedures MUST be followed; think medical, aviation, other things where death is on the line (never go in against a Sicilian). Techniques are ways to reach a desired outcome. Techniques are usually highly personal and developed through experience, incorporating bits learned from various sources to find what works for you. Some techniques are technically more efficient, but the only "bad" technique is the one that doesn't deliver on the desired result. I paint for enjoyment. I try a lot of different processes because I enjoy the process. My goal isn't to get minis on a game table. As such, my techniques tend to be very inefficient, often by choice, because the process of painting and learning is the desired outcome.

I got my spark for painting Beasts of CHoas after watching PancreasNoWork's video on them. His Quote that got me going was "It's the beastmen, Who cares. The Goatcows covered in mud won't so why should you! In fact, The worst you paint a beastmen army, The more of a beastmen army It Truely is" Mind you I'm not just dunking my minis in the pot and calling it a day, But quotes like that really can spark your creativity for certain things.

Sir, thank you very much for this content!

Thank you ^_^

I want that assasin skelly!

Hi atom, been a viewer for about a year now... love the channel! I had an encounter at my local game store that surprised and in truth, hurt my feelings a bit... Someone came over to the table were i was playing. After looking over my fielded army and said "you sould be ashamed to be playing with such badly painted troops" I dont know why, but i felt defensive and hurt... i tried to explain that they weren't done and that they were"in process"

What is the mini from the thumbnail and <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="610">10:10</a> ???

I love this. I like to use brush on Gesso to prime my miniatures and nobody can stop me.