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Sup nerds. Got a question regarding how you guys have your paint stations set up. Namely, desks that you use, shelves, so on so forth. I ask because my paint station is now completely covered in just... as best I can say, CRAP. It needs an update and a proper organized space. So, this is my thread for paint station ideas! Where do you build your models and make them shine?

This is my desk. Just finished painting some 30 or so heads on sprues, so it's going to be messy looking, but you can see what I mean in regards to overall clutterness. What do you got?

Not that it’s going to help with inspiration, but should be good for commiseration. Pics are random ones I have in my gallery, not necessarily up to date, but not that far off.

My paint space:


Tons of space, no organization.

My workbench:


It’s a little wheeled TV stand, not much bigger then seen in the picture. Lit by a single bulb on a short arm. I keep it next to my computer and work during load screens, crafting, etc.

I have an old office desk I use. Most of which is currently taking up by my current project.

Nice thread. I have an end of my IKEA Gallant desk that is my paint/build station that I use exclusively for miniatures. As far as organizing, I have lots of little storage drawers as you can see. There are some underneath too...



It's nice to have an area where you don't have to constantly break down and set up every time.

I have a plastic, Wal Mart ish card table I use. My paints, brushes, files, etc are in a plastic drawer set (also from Wal Mart). I'm pretty OCD though haha I have to have organization and no clutter

i like those plastic drawers on the shelf. I don't have room in my house to set up anything, it's a pretty small house, so we right now we just have a plastic table in the basement, maybe this thread can give me some inspiration.

Oh I love these threads... here is mine in its current state. The left desk is for painting/airbrushing, the right desk is for building. Yes that is a 2011 calendar lol...

If you have the space, try and separate your building/converting workspace from your painting space. For two reasons: 1) the two functions don't really share any tools, so you can keep things more tidy and organized, and 2) your painting will benefit from a lack of dust and plastic bits that inevitably come from assembling plastic and metal models.

I'm fortunate that I have a large basement area as my space.

Painting Table


Workbench

I build and paint separately too Armyman, and also use 2 of those orange bits boxes - they're great!

 Yonan wrote:
I build and paint separately too Armyman, and also use 2 of those orange bits boxes - they're great!

I understand that it's just not possible for everyone to have two separate areas, but I'm blessed to have the extra space. The bits bins are pretty ace, too

What I wouldn't give for even just a little more space! My work table is 2'x5' but the usable area is barely larger than my cutting mat - about 1'x1.5' if I nudge everything to the side. It works for painting and assembling most models, but larger projects simply don't fit. Others are far more cramped than I, but this thread isn't about empathy. It's not about me whining, either, but here we are, anyway. The day we move into a place with a garage or basement I can take over (instead of one medium-sized and awkwardly shaped room), I'll be the happiest man on Dakka.

Question for the OP: My desk is in the same shape, my goal for the summer is to clean it up. Do I see some Army Painter Color Primer?

I'll add some pictures of my charming little workspace then:


Was working on a Dreamforge Leviathan when my Avenger Strike Fighter fell off the table and needed repairs...

 Random Dude wrote:
Question for the OP: My desk is in the same shape, my goal for the summer is to clean it up. Do I see some Army Painter Color Primer?

Yep, gunmetal primer. I used it as a base coat for a big cosplay gun I was doing for fanime. I went as the Punisher.

My overall goal is shelving, ot put my paints up and lay down a cutting mat for the table.

these are always fun threads...

here is my work space...
always organized, because i have so little space...





see any cool minis on the desk???

cheers
jah

Shortly after I installed a new floor and rearranged slightly in early March:


Close up of my painting area (older photo from January):


My desk is a two piece L-shaped desk that I picked up from IKEA (I believe it is from the Linnmon collection) with a drawer unit that I use to store various odds and ends. The top drawer is extra painting supplies (cork stoppers, oil paints, extra pallets, etc.), the second drawer is basing material, and the larger drawers hold other random modeling supplies (plasticard, bags decal sheets, partially assembled models, extra sprue frames, etc.). To the right of my desk is a large bookcase that I bought from Target that currently houses my completed models and WIP models in the top two shelves and my bits organizer, large boxes, and extra LPs on the bottom shelf (the LPs will have a new home once I get a suitable storage system in place). I will probably get a new chair too but I'm not in too big of a hurry for the time being.

This is mine, only recently migrated from living room table to my own separate.
Makes painting SO much better... Got one of that ikea Drawerthingies on the right side to store any "speciality" equipment like basing supplys, airbrush tools etc.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
Shortly after I installed a new floor and rearranged slightly in early March:

I tried having my painting stuff at my desk for a while, like yours it's certainly big enough but it didn't work well for me sadly.

I have a wooden table my dad made for my brother and I years ago. Simple table about 6 feet long with a shelf under it for boxes. Then I have an old table I got from the Arby's lobby after they remodeled. Its too bad that my table are always too covered to get anything done.

This is my workspace as of the other day. I have another of the straight racks on a shelf and to the left out of shot is some more cutting boards where models sit in various stages of completion.

I use a wardrobe computer desk, will have to post pics as I find it ideal.

It has room to store all my paints, kits etc and has a large pull out desk and the whole thing closes away into a wardrobe style unit which means I don't have to keep it tidy once the doors are shut.

My new workbench. Big upgrade from the tiny little 1 metre plastic fold-up table. :-) It's just simple thick 2nd hand plywood bolted into the wall. Simple and sturdy.

Love my paint racks (Back-2-Base-ix). They are excellent at keeping the bench tidy and still have everything in arms reach.
The shelves keep the other no-so-often used things close at hand without having to dig through draws or cupboards to find it when you need it.
Got a mirrored monitor and wireless keyboard/mouse to keep podcasts, battle reports and tunes flowing.

So much room for activities!

 Ruberu wrote:
I have a wooden table my dad made for my brother and I years ago. Simple table about 6 feet long with a shelf under it for boxes. Then I have an old table I got from the Arby's lobby after they remodeled. Its too bad that my table are always too covered to get anything done.

Then clean it, dammit. You'll feel better

My newly organized desk

I understand about small space...my work area is the counter top in an unused bathroom....

Now, a few things that will help;
* Get some wall mount or stacking shelves - use that vertical space.
* get anything you don't use regularly out of there - that basing material? do you use it all the time? put it and ALL the basing material into a shoe box, put on shelf.
* those spray cans - do you spray there? No, put them in a box, and put on shelf, that way just take the entire box to your spray area.
* Get a paint rack - it does NOT have to be expensive, just functional
* move the airbrush compressor to the floor.

Like a tall building, if you have limited square footage - build up!

My desk is currently a bit of a disaster area, so more of an example of what NOT to do.


If you can name and shame everything there, good luck, cause sometimes I forget what's lurking in my back log of stuff to complete...

Got 2 new items which helped me immensely with organization.

Nail polish rack that holds 72 bottles, and the 3 small drawers for bits, terrain and assorted unused tools.

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Label. Freaking. Everything. EVERYTHING.

Um...


Had to move inside could not get in me shed!


OOps!