Paint Miniatures on Commission

1. 1

   Define tiers the industry already speaks

   Commission studios universally price by quality level: battle-ready or tabletop standard (clean base coats, washes, based) commonly $5 to $15 per infantry model, higher tabletop-plus levels above that, and display or competition quality at $50 to $200+ per figure. Vehicles, monsters, and heroes price individually. Publish examples of each tier; the photo defines the promise.

2. 2

   Price the whole job, not just the brush time

   Assembly, gap filling, priming, basing, varnish, and return shipping all cost time and materials; quote them as line items or build them into tier prices. Take a deposit, agree the color scheme in writing with reference photos, and set a realistic delivery window with buffer.

3. 3

   Build batch efficiency

   Commission painting pays by throughput: airbrush priming and base coats, batch painting units in assembly-line passes, and contrast-style paints where the tier allows. Track your real hours per unit; the painters who last are the ones who know their effective hourly rate and tune their process to it.

4. 4

   Photograph like a store

   Consistent lighting, neutral backgrounds, and before-and-after shots. Your gallery is the storefront, and buyers compare studios almost entirely on photos and turnaround reputation.

5. 5

   Find clients where the backlog lives

   Local game stores (offer a display cabinet piece), wargaming clubs and tournaments, and online hobby communities. Tournament season creates deadline-driven demand for army-level commissions; new edition and popular releases create surges for specific factions.

6. 6

   Add the sculpting and STL lane if you have it

   Digital sculptors sell original miniature designs as printable STL files through memberships and marketplaces, and physical sculptors license designs to manufacturers. It is a different skill on the same customer base, and a natural second product line for painter-sculptors.

7. 7

   Ship like a professional

   Miniatures break in transit when packed casually. Magnetized transport foam, pinned joins on fragile pieces, insured shipping, and unboxing-safe packing are part of the service, and one shattered centerpiece refund teaches this lesson expensively.

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