Painting recipes in my notebook for my Khorne miniatures

Hobby Shortcut: Painting recipes notebook

Often when I tackle a painting project, I want to record all of my steps and Painting recipes in a handy notebook. This holds especially true for large batch painting projects. But also if I want to document a simple mix, like painting orc skin, this simple documentation procedure tends to be very effective to get consistency in my miniature painting.

Here’s a quick tip to store all of your miniature painting recipes.

Obviously you’ll need a notebook and a pen. Depending on where you’ll use your notebook, you have to choose an appropriate format. Mine is a passport size booklet I bought at a Muji store a long time ago. Thus I can pack it inside my portable paint kit. Every other brand, size and format is fine of course, as long as it suits your needs.

Painting recipes notebook in passport size.

Using my painting recipes notebook

Each time I paint miniatures in a batch or need to record a painting recipe, I’ll draw a little square in my notebook next to a small descriptive note. For example: Skin: “Army Painter Barbarian Flesh” or Leather parts and boots: “Leather brown” or highlight mix 50/50 color x and y, etc. …

Painting recipes in my notebook for my Khorne miniatures
Painting recipes for my Khorne miniatures

Then I’ll paint the corresponding color or mixture or both with my brush or air brush inside the square.

Some paint mixtures and recipes for my miniatures inside my notebook
Another page in my notebook

I also record all of the different steps in my painting process. This includes priming, base coating, washing, highlighting and finishing touches, such as basing and varnishing. Furthermore I always document the different steps in the right chronological order. This is especially true in the case of batch and speed painting.

After some painting sessions, you’ll have an extensive collection of recipes in your notebook.

Another use of a notebook would be to plan and document a specific project such as a new army or a terrain project.