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Hi there I'm looking to get into commision painting just trying to find out if there's a demand for it thanks.

Others might give you a better answer but here is the short of it from my point of view...

1. There is clearly a demand for it, but it depends...
2. Are you aiming at living of it or just for fun and/or on the side?
3. For us to answer the question "would I buy your service" we need to know your level, your style, your price range and so on.

That's all fair point, I wouldn't mind either taking it up for a living or just doing it part time.

I can post pics tomorrow or some minis I'm working on, just waiting for some pigments and other supplies to come through to finish them off. As for my level I'll let you guys decide when I post the pics.

And price would be by quote, depending on level of job wanted what models they were supplies needed ect.

I've done several board game miniature commissions and, in fact, I have a rather huge Myth game project coming up. It's not the majority of my work (and I do make a living at it) but boardgame projects are a pretty regular thing for me.

Yep. Post on BoardGameGeek.

I recommend you paint the base set ahead of time, particularly for Rue Morgue. The client then doesn't have to wait for the miniatures. If a client hasn't even bought the game yet, that's even more convenient for him!

So how much can you expect to earn from commission painting either board games, warhammer or any miniatures for that matter, obviously it's skill dependant, so let's say a mediocre painter with lots of time on their hands? I'll post pics up in an hour or so.

Also where's the best place to advertise? And where's the best place on boardgamegeek just had a look at there forums and there a tad cluttered haha

Short and brutal answers needed, apparently.

Unless you're very good and/or very fast, you're better off flipping burgers or picking litter. You need to be skilled AND reasonably quick AND have an established reputation to stand even a chance to hit UK minimum wage.

You currently have no pictures, no reputation, no reason for anyone to trust you. You absolutely need a portfolio of completed, high standard work to pitch for business, especially online.

Other than that, if you like the work, and are willing to do it for £2 ish per hour, then you may get some local work; advertise in places the local kiddies go (games shop etc), with painted models and a stack of business cards. Don't do more than a squad at a time until you know damn well you can cope with the throughput; it's not as easy as you might think.

Awesome thanks I'll start putting together a portfolio, I've been an artist in diffrent mediums since leaving school. However untill about 3 months ago not touched a miniature in about 10 years haha so after assembling and painting the few space marine squads I had still laying around and buying zombicide for the gf and me, I've got the bug haha. Starting at £2/h average to start isn't bad for a side project (other than expenses) and I guess gives me time to build on my portfilio, clients, trust and further develop my skills.

Here's some of my zombicide zombies atm again not finished as it's a current project

And some more...

If you're already a half-decent artist, you may do better than the local market with eBaying new models (look for the latest releases and do those and get them listed as soon as they come out). You need to be good enough to do a passable cabinet army type job. This gives you completed works and a customer base / potential clients.

It's very important to learn to take good quality photos. Tripod and lighting is essential.

Any feedback? Critical or whatever just need to know if I'm 'up to par'. I know it's hard to judge with half finished models butTitll be days before the pigments, paints and other supplies arrive. Thanks

DNA_doll wrote:
Any feedback? Critical or whatever just need to know if I'm 'up to par'. I know it's hard to judge with half finished models butTitll be days before the pigments, paints and other supplies arrive. Thanks

The minis in the pictures you posted are okay. Not great, not bad. Okay. You should be able to find people to pay you to do this.

That's really the trick, though. Blue Table Painting gets people to pay them a lot of money for miniatures that aren't painted nearly that well because Blue Table Painting knows how to do marketing. Half of what you need to know to do this job is how to find the work in the first place.

- Jay

Thanks jay, I find most things these days is about marketing and exposure. Again these minis arn't the finished product so are prob a bad example of my work, they were just on the table being worked on so I snapped a a pic haha but yeh I see what you mean thanks for the advice. Any other tips when trying to crack the market?

Get a good little photography booth set up to improve your pictures. Some thin white fabric to diffuse the light, some good clean white lights, and a selection of backdrops to match your models.

Good photography is very important.

My girlfriend is a training photographer so itll be a good project for the pair of us I'm thinking. Thanks guys for all the advice if anyone thinks of anything else please post as I don't wanna just chuck myself in at the deep end.

There is only deep, unfortunately.

You seem to be capable of painting in the lines, and early stages on my work certainly looks as rough.

Don't get 'arty' with photos. You just need the object lit properly, in focus, on a non-distracting background. That's basically it. Trying to get arty doesn't really show the work.

Haha it's seeming that that's the case I just don't wanna take on someone's minis and letting them down or ruining there minis (in there eyes), if you know what I mean.

And I know what you mean about the photos clear, crisp and clean photos that get the job done.

The minis looks above table top, my only critique is that the clothing looks too clean, needs more weathering and dried blood stains.

I painted my own Last Night on Earth minis, I find that they are harder to clean mold lines as they are usually a rubbery plastic, I wouldn't suggest you doing that as a job. If you insist, you're better off painting 40k, I do local commissions at 1.5-2 x the MSRP, lower than 1 x the MSRP and it's not really worth your time.

Yeh ive just had my pigments turn up but unfortunately the fixative was sent separately so I can't apply them now and and gonna use some tamiya x27 with some Black and Brown's to do some dried out blood effects and some blood of the blood God for some fresh gore. As I stated these are half finished currently.

I did look into the 40k side of things and there are so many well established names out there specifically for 40k I don't think I'd scratch the market. And I'm not to fussed if it's a side line thing or a round the clock job. Just a nice boost in revenue and some minis to paint I don't have to shell out extortionate amounts for lol.