Lena Rivera
Painting miniatures is a fun hobby, but it can be challenging to get the perfect grip on your tiny models. Holding the miniature itself can be cumbersome, especially if it's small, and you have to be careful not to smudge wet paint or get skin oils on the surface. So, what are some clever ways to hold your miniatures while painting them?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Holding by hand | Using latex gloves, or directly holding the miniature |
| Using a handle | Painting handles, dowel rods, or a self-printed handle with a rubber band |
| Using adhesive | Blue-tac, poster adhesive tack, quake hold museum putty, sticky putty, or reusable adhesive putty |
| Using a bottle | Medicine bottles, prescription pill bottles, old film canisters, or empty pill bottles |
| Other | Needle-nose pliers, clamps, wine corks, or coffee sticks |
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What You'll Learn
Using putties like Blu-tac or Quake Hold to stick miniatures to pill bottles, wine corks, or paint pots
Putty-like adhesives such as Blu-tac, Quake Hold, and poster tack are excellent options for securing miniatures to surfaces while painting. These tacky substances provide a strong grip and can be easily removed without leaving residue. They are also versatile, allowing you to mount your miniatures to various objects for a comfortable painting experience. Here are some ideas for using these putties to hold your miniatures securely:
Pill Bottles: Empty pill bottles are a common choice for holding miniatures. You can stick your miniature to the lid or inside of the bottle using Blu-tac or similar putty. This method provides a stable surface and allows you to rotate the bottle easily to access different angles of the miniature.
Wine Corks: Another creative way to hold your miniatures is by using wine corks. Drill small holes into the underside of the miniature's feet, insert a small piece of a paper clip, and then push the paper clip into the cork. This gives you something convenient to hold onto and eliminates the need for neatness around the feet when base coating.
Paint Pots: You can also use putty to stick your miniatures to the bottom of empty paint pots, providing a convenient handle. This method is especially useful if you plan to paint multiple miniatures at once and want easy access to all sides of the model.
While these putties are generally effective, some people have reported issues with certain brands leaving residue or being difficult to remove. It may be helpful to test the putty on a small area first or opt for a brand known for being less sticky, such as the yellow version of Patafix Blu-tac.
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Miniature holders or handles
One popular option is to use a miniature holder or handle that can be attached to the base of the miniature. These holders often have grooves or arches that make them easy to hold and can be printed with a 3D printer or purchased pre-made. Some handles even feature interchangeable and rotatable heads, allowing for even more flexibility during the painting process.
Another common method is to use adhesive putty, such as Blu-tac, to mount miniatures to a variety of surfaces. This can include pill bottles, wine corks, old film canisters, or even just a simple stick. Filling pill bottles with pebbles or water can add weight and stability, reducing the chances of the bottle and miniature falling over.
For those looking for a more hands-on approach, latex gloves can provide more angles to paint from, as you can hold the miniature directly. However, some painters have noted that their fingerprints can slowly sand off the paint.
Finally, for those with a multitool, needle-nose pliers can be used to grip the lip of the miniature's base, allowing for a more stable and adjustable painting experience.
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Clamps and vices
If you're looking for a more temporary solution, you can also use tools to clamp your miniatures in place while you work on them. This gives you the flexibility to move the miniature around as needed without having to worry about a permanent setup.
Another option is to use a box of coffee sticks, which are great for single miniatures but really come in handy when keeping components together for painting. You can also use a combination of clamps and temporary attachments, depending on the specific needs of your project.
When it comes to clamps and vices, there are a variety of options available to suit your miniature painting needs. Whether you're looking for a heavy-duty option to keep your miniature stable or a more flexible setup that allows for easy manoeuvring, there are tools available to help you achieve the results you desire.
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Sticks, such as coffee stirrers or Popsicle sticks
Another method is to use a small pill bottle or jar with some sticky tack on top to hold the miniature. This allows for easy rotation of the miniature while painting and can be used with sticks or dowels. You can also drill a small hole in the bottle and glue in a toothpick or paper clip, which can then be stuck into a cork for added stability. This method provides full 360-degree access to the miniature and makes it easy to switch between models.
When using sticks or dowels, it is important to ensure that they are straight and securely attached to the miniature to avoid accidental damage. You can use tape or clips to hold the stick in place while cutting or gluing. Soaking warped sticks in hot water and then pressing them under a heavy object until they dry can also help to straighten them.
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Holding the miniature with your hand
One way to hold a miniature with your hand is to use your fingers to pinch the base of the model. This gives you more control than holding the miniature itself, but it can still be awkward and cause hand cramps, especially during long painting sessions. You can also try holding the base with one finger and using another finger to support the head of the miniature. This can give you more stability and allow you to manoeuvre the miniature more easily.
If you want to avoid touching the miniature at all, you can wear latex gloves. This allows you to get more angles to paint without worrying about accidentally touching the model. You can also use a combination of blue tack or putty and a small object to hold the miniature. This could include a pill bottle, a small prescription pill bottle, a wine cork, or an old film canister. These objects provide a wider base to hold, reducing hand cramps, and can be weighted with sand, pebbles, or water to prevent them from toppling over.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to hold miniatures for painting. Some people use their hands, either by pinching the base or holding it from one of the feet. Others use tools like pill bottles, wine corks, or dowel rods with poster tack or blue tack. There are also miniature holders available in the market, such as the Red Grass Games painting handle, or you can print your own with a filament printer.
It is recommended to avoid touching the miniature as much as possible to prevent fingerprints or smudges on the paint. You can use tools like pill bottles, corks, or dowel rods to help you hold the miniature without touching it directly.
Some alternatives to using a miniature holder include using a large medicine bottle with poster tack, a dowel rod with blue tack, or simply holding the miniature with your hands. You can also use a small prescription pill bottle or an old film canister with blue tack to stick the miniature to the handle.
Using a miniature holder can provide more stability and control when painting miniatures. It can also help you avoid touching the miniature directly, preventing fingerprints or smudges on the paint. Miniature holders can also be rotated easily, allowing you to paint at different angles.
