Everyone has a place where they do their modeling and painting. Whether this is a specially dedicated room or just a corner of a table, you need a place to do stuff. There’s just too much you need to model; it’s hard to move around easily. To do this hobby you need:
-Miniatures
-Something to put them in (a case, box, or foam tray)
-Primer (possibly multiple colors)
-Paints (takes lots of room if you do this right)
-Brushes
-Water source (dish, old tray, etc)
-Palate for mixing colors, and paper towel and newspaper for protection.
-Putty
-Sculpting tools
-Modeling knife
-Files
-Pin vise with drill bits
-Pinning materials (brass rod, paperclip, etc)
-Model glue (super glue, zap-a-gap, etc)
-Base glue (Elmers, PVA)
-Basing material (talus, flock, sand, etc. This is optional if you sculpt tiles on bases or use custom moulded bases)
-Tools such as jeweler’s saw, clippers, dremel, etc.
-Varnish spray (Testors or go home, any other brand makes your minis look like frosted flakes)
…and all this stuff takes space. Back when I lived in Charlotte MI, I had a good system. I took a paper ream box and cut down the bottom part so it barely fit into the lid. Stuff goes in the box. The stuff I need goes on TOP under a piece of newspaper. The box goes on my lap, and I paint on my couch watching T.V. for background noise. This was pretty efficient, I got a lot done in Charlotte despite completing a teaching degree. Nowadays I just use the corner of a table and pile stuff in the corner.
But I’m working on it…
I’ve got a desk in one corner of my apartment dedicated to painting. I hardly ever do any work there, however. Instead, I set an old model box on my coffee table, along with the paints and whatnot I need to do the work, and paint/model while watching the TV.
I like the box top idea you had… I’m stuck using two TV trays… not very efficient, but then, I’m also trying to rebuild my house, and my painting table is relegated to the basement which is cold in the winter. =P
Currently sharing a desk with the computer. I’ll admit, it’s not very efficient. There’s so much STUFF on the interwebz!
Hopefully once we get a new place I’ll at least be able to move the computer.
And I’ll get my bitz box out of storage *drool*