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It seems like a simple question: do you need to be a good miniature painter? But there is so much hiding behind it–things like egos and status and doubts. Are you really a good wargamer if you aren’t a great miniature painter? Do you need to be posting pictures on Instagram all the time to prove that you belong in the hobby? 

The answer, to put it as bluntly as possible, is NO.

Social Media and The Intimidation of High Expectations

If you spend any time at all on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, or YouTube, participating in the wargaming community, then you are going to see a LOT of excellent painted miniatures. Some of the Instagram accounts I follow, like keis_minis, thewarhammergirl, and kryokinesi, and these people seem to churn out really good, amazingly good, miniatures almost every day. I have no idea how many of them are professional painters–some of them are–but they’re very, very good miniature painters. 

And YouTube is just amazing for painters: Miniac, Ninjon, Squidmar, Sonic Sledgehammer, The Painting Phase, Rogue Hobbies. All of them produce content on a regular basis and even their worst paint jobs seem better than mine–and I’ve been painting off and on for 30 years. 

The thing is, the vast majority of people who post their miniatures online are people who are particularly good at painting miniatures. You’re not going to (often) see mediocre painters posting their photos. I personally think that’s a sad thing–I would love to see some more low-to-medium skill level miniature on social media. 

But that’s the problem: go to Reddit and post a picture of a poor miniature and you’re going to get a lot of (supposedly) “constructive” criticism about what you can do better. Facebook pages are even worse (in my experience). So many people are willing to judge a miniature’s quality than praise you for your journey. 

You DON’T Need to Be a Good Miniature Painter

The world of wargaming miniatures is vast and diverse, encompassing everything from Warhammer 40,000 to Bolt Action to SPQR. But a question that often pops up among newcomers is: do you need to be a good miniature painter to be a part of this vibrant community?

The Reality: Diverse Interests and Paint Levels

Here’s the thing: not everyone in the world of wargaming is a master mini painter. Not everyone in the world of wargaming is even a GOOD miniature painter. The spectrum of interests is wide:

Collecting

For many, the joy is in acquiring rare or unique fantasy miniatures. For as much as we like to joke about the infamous Piles of Shame, there’s a reason that we have Piles of Shame, and that reason is because we like collecting miniatures. And sometimes we only get around to assembling those miniatures and maybe priming them. 

And if that’s what you want to do, that’s FINE: sure, you probably can’t play at most tournaments with unpainted miniatures, but it is rare indeed when I go into my local game store and all the tables are filled with fully painted armies. 

Reading Lore

Diving deep into the stories of Warhammer 40K, Age of Sigmar, Infinity, and other game universes. For some people, lore is all they want to engage with, and to them I say: more power to you. 

There’s a thing on Twitter where wargamers would get into arguments (generally about things like “is the Imperium fascists?” or “Should there be female space marines?”) and then the arguers would go into each others’ Twitter feeds and see if the other person had been posting pictures of their own miniatures–and if they hadn’t, then their opinion would be discounted. 

Guys, this is dumb. Speaking as a New York Times bestselling author and someone who spends as much time in the book community as I do in the wargaming community, it’s OKAY that some people only engage with games through the lore. Sometimes lore is just really fun. (And honestly: would there be hundreds upon hundreds of bestselling Black Library books if people weren’t supposed to dive deep into the lore?)

Playing the Game

Some people are all about engaging in strategic battles without giving two hoots about paint level. They’re not in Warhammer for the Golden Demon competition–they’re in it because they love the game. In their spare time they don’t sit down with a paintbrush, but they sit down and list build and check the meta and work on strategy. 

While miniature painters are watching YouTube channels like Midwinter Minis for painting tips, these people are watching YouTube channels like Vanguard Tactics for strategy tips. And, again, that’s totally okay. Being in the hobby for the reasons you want to be in the hobby is never going to be a bad thing. 

You Don’t Have to Be a Pro: Just Enjoy Yourself!

Remember:

Start Painting Miniatures at Your Pace

There’s no requirement to be at a professional miniature painting studio’s level. Begin with what makes you happy. I engage with the Hobby Streak, making it all the way to 850 days of painting every single day, and you know what? I’m just a moderately good painter. There are definitely times when I don’t thin my paints, and there are times when I use paint straight from the pot. And my eyes are just bad enough that I can’t QUITE tell when the tip of the brush is going to touch the mini, making any tiny detail work–like eyes–nearly impossible. And you know what? I’m okay with that. I paint miniatures daily because I find it relaxing, and I participate in the Hobby Streak because I find it motivating, but my goal has never been high quality miniature painting, to win a gold, silver or bronze at the Golden Daemon. 

Find Your Niche

One of my favorite miniature painters on YouTube (and I watch a ton of them) is Dana Howl. It’s because she came from miniature painting from a different background–animation–and she sees it differently. She’s never trying to recreate box art. She doesn’t go after perfect blends and perfect edge highlights. She’s the definition of the painterly style, almost impressionistic. She uses dabs of paint, splashes of color. She uses more magenta than any painter I have ever seen. And her stuff looks incredible. Different than the box art, but incredible. 

And the point is: you don’t have to mimic what other people are doing. There’s no one “right” way to paint your miniatures. 

Seek Help If Needed

If painting isn’t your cup of tea but you want your army to look great, consider a miniature painting service. Look at Matt from Miniwargaming: one of the most iconic people in the wargaming community, and yet he openly says that he doesn’t like painting and all of his armies are commission painted. And there’s nothing wrong with that. 

Conclusion

Wargaming is an inclusive hobby, and there’s room for everyone, regardless of their skill with a brush. So whether you’re an award-winning artist, a casual hobbyist, or just someone who loves the thrill of the game, remember: the only true “paint level” that matters is the amount of joy it brings you.