Why You Need Test Models

This post is part of the Notts Hobbies 30 Day Army Painting Accelerator, Click here to get your free copy.

Before we start every army, we buy some second-hand regular troops to use as test models.

Test models are mini’s that you paint to see if you’re paint scheme works before you begin painting your army.

Spending a little bit of time painting test models has massive benefits down the line and helps you decide if an army is for you.

For example, if you think a specific army looks cool, you might buy some models from eBay to use as test models.  Halfway through painting your test models, you realise you don’t enjoy painting them, and don’t finish the squad.

The positive is that you have only bought one squad and invested minimal time and money. Instead of getting carried away, having built and primed half an army before you’ve painted a single model.

The main point of a test model is to try a paint scheme for your army, this gives you a chance to perfect your scheme before you begin painting your army.

There’s nothing worse than repainting models because you’re not happy with your paint scheme.

Once you’ve completed a test model you’re happy with, I recommend viewing it under average artificial lighting.

I’ve done it numerous times where I’ve painted a model under a bright painting light, thinking it looks awesome. A few weeks later, when I viewed the model under normal lighting, it looked completely different from how I remembered it.

Test models can be a great place to experiment with new techniques and products, as they are not part of your army.

Before I start a project, I think about which technique I want to try, as this is the best way to improve as a miniature painter and add more skills to your arsenal.

This post is part of the Notts Hobbies 30 Day Army Painting Accelerator, Click here to get your free copy.