About Brush & Base
Brush & Base is an independent buyer-guide site for miniature painters. We exist because the beginner miniature-painting internet is a mess of manufacturer FAQs, retailer pages with inventory bias, forum threads arguing about a single pot, and listicles that never explain the one thing a beginner actually needs: how to thin paint, what each paint type is for, and which few tools genuinely matter.
We aim to be the site that actually answers the question.
What we do, in plain English
We gather the specs of the paints, brushes, primers, wet palettes and airbrushes worth knowing about on Amazon — paint type and pigment, bristle and tip retention, primer chemistry, airbrush needle size and feed type — and we organise them: by what a beginner actually needs, by budget, by whether you are buying your first paint set or your first airbrush. Then we publish the spec-led comparisons that should already exist but somehow do not.
Everything here is brand-neutral and welcoming on purpose. It does not matter whether you paint fantasy or sci-fi minis, board-game pieces, 3D-printed models or historical figures — the materials and the technique are the same, and our guides serve all of them. We compare by spec, not by game system, so the advice works whatever sits on your painting handle.
We update our top picks regularly. We do not accept payment to position a product. When we have a strong opinion — thin your paint to the consistency of milk, two thin coats beat one thick one, a wet palette early and an airbrush late — we say so and explain why. When the right answer depends on what you paint and how often, we walk through the decision instead of pretending there is one universal pick.
Our editorial method
- Source the specs. Paint types and pigment, bristle and tip retention, primer chemistry and finish, wet-palette seal and paper, airbrush needle size and feed type — straight from manufacturer data and current Amazon product listings.
- Run the comparison. We line products up against each other on the specs that decide how they actually perform for a painter, not the ones that sound impressive in marketing copy.
- Land the recommendation. Specific, stage-aware, and updated whenever a product line changes.
When a paint, brush or tool gets discontinued, we mark the page as updated and swap in the closest currently-available replacement. We do not pretend a dead link still works.
Who writes here
Sam Holloway runs editorial. Sam is a six-year hobbyist based in Minneapolis, painting mostly 28mm fantasy and sci-fi miniatures, working through a steady backlog of unpainted models a few hours a week. The desk is modest by hobby standards: a daylight LED lamp, a magnifier arm, a couple of wet palettes, a low-pressure airbrush and cheap compressor for primer and basecoats, and a working collection of paints across several brands.
Before going freelance, Sam spent four years editing a hobby magazine, and has been writing miniature-painting content since 2021. The approach here is the same one Sam takes at the desk: paint more, agonise less, and never make a beginner feel they are behind. Every painter remembers their first wonky basecoat.
Articles also come from rotating contributors — working hobbyists, commission painters, terrain builders and airbrush specialists who know specific corners of the hobby better than Sam does. Each article shows its author at the top. When someone else writes, Sam's name appears at the bottom under "Edited by". If you are curious about a particular contributor, their bio sits at the foot of the post.
What we don't do
- We don't claim hands-on testing we didn't do. Our comparisons are built on specs verified against manufacturer data and Amazon listings — paint type, pigment, bristle, needle size — not on a fabricated claim that we tested every product. Where a first-person observation is genuine, from Sam's own desk or a contributor's, we say so explicitly.
- We don't pretend gear fixes technique. No paint or brush will fix a coat applied too thick. We help you pick gear that suits what you paint; the technique — thinning, two thin coats, priming, brush care — is on you, and we explain it plainly. We will tell you when the honest answer is "thin your paint", not "buy this set".
- We don't cover airbrushing without the safety. Atomised paint is not something to breathe. Any airbrush or spray content here leads with ventilation and a properly fitted respirator, every time.
How we make money
Brush & Base is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you buy something via a link on this site, we earn a small commission. It costs you nothing.
We don't tilt our recommendations to favour any single product, brand, or commission tier. You can read the full disclosure on our Amazon Disclosure page.
We occasionally feature direct-brand affiliate programs from paint and tool manufacturers when their product genuinely belongs in a comparison. The same rule applies — the link choice never changes the editorial position.
How to reach us
Tips, corrections, product launches we should know about, or just a hello — write to hello@brushandbase.com or use the contact form. We read everything. We can't respond to every message, but we read.
If you spot an outdated spec, a discontinued product, or a price that's drifted, those tip-offs are especially welcome. They keep the site honest.