As a teenager I had a space and table dedicated to assembling and painting models. Back then I hated that aspect of playing miniatures games like 40k and Warhammer Fantasy. The table eventually went away but the desire for a painting table returned after my wedding. Moving into the new condo I knew that not only did I want a dedicated painting table but that the space existed for it.
My wife was onboard and preliminary thoughts were to put it in the bedroom. That proved impossible once furniture was set up. An even better space became apparent in the living room across from the computer. The previous residents used the spot for a tall breakfast table and I turned it into my painting nook.
The table is an old Ikea computer desk my wife had in her first apartment. Yankee ingenuity kept it from the trash heap. It is a sturdy platform to paint on. Measuring 30 1/2 inches wide, 19 1/2 inches deep, and 29 1/2 inches high it would do the job nicely. An Ottlite with daylight bulb provides the best lighting conditions for painting. A taller lamp, from Walmart, provides a gentle background glow.
Almost all of my paints are Citadel because those are the easiest for me to obtain. At one point I exclusively used Vallejo, when Danger Planet Games existed in Waltham. Some Vallejo’s, with Flames of War markings, are in the back corner of my table. Spray paints, for priming, are in the back. They are GW’s Chaos Black, plus their gloss varnish, and a Flames of War grey for Germans. A can of Testor’s Dullcote is also on the table.
You will note a toothbrush holder serving duty as paintbrush holder. It was the cheapest receptacle I could find at Walmart. The sliding drawer, where a keyboard would go, holds extra paints and assembly tools in a clear plastic bin. This space is also handy for storing the iPad when I’m working on a project.
Underneath is plenty of room to store materials until I need them. All of my basing materials along with terrain making items live underneath. A clear plastic tote, also from Walmart, contains all of the models I plan to work on in the coming months. Right now it holds whatever Dystopian Wars models are not on the top along with the remainder of my Perry Brothers’ AWI figures. The chair is a folding dining table chair that we got from Target. Why buy another chair when this does the job?
The Courier magazine, now defunct, had a great article describing what a good painting station should look like and have. I think I hit the high points. Do you have a painting space? What is it like? How would you make it better if you could?
I don’t see any Rev War figures on the table ready to be painted. Just saying…
@Adrian if you look at the pictures you’ll see a black Privateer Press container. Behind that in a cardboard box are a bunch of Perry Bros AWI figs on cork for painting. They’ve been primed and are in need on the next step.
Last night I painted but basecoated some Dystopian Wars. I think I could get the Dystopian Wars stuff I have done in a week or two and that would clear that project from my list in its entirety.
Yes, I see them in the back now, kicked to the curb like redheaded step children. (Sincere apologies to any redheaded step children who read this.)
Now the hard part – getting the paint on the figs!