This week’s Fangirl Feature is from M0u53b41t

Hobby showcase! Share with us: Your favourite images

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What games/systems are you most interested in/do you collect?

Currently Horus Heresy 30k, Warhammer 40k, AoS, Frostgrave and Malifaux

Any specific armies?

I have a 30k Loyalist Luna Wolves Shattered Legions army

40k Orkz

Ratticus Mechanicus (an admech/skaven conversion army based on Dark Mechanicum)

I have over 6k points of Skaven, but I’m building a Moulder army (yet to be named!); My WHFB Skaven were the Skrib Nibblers, a group of mainly Pestilens who thought eating scripts and books and the like gained them power

Malifaux Gremlins

What aspect of the hobby are you most interested in?

I’m mostly interested in the painting and collecting to be honest, but I really enjoy playing and just about ever other aspect of the hobby as well.

What compelled you first start or restart the hobby?

I was into scale modeling as a kid, mostly tanks and planes, but also RPG figures (back when Ral Partha and TSR were a big thing). I hadn’t painted or had time for much for years (because I had three sons). But then I walked into my comic book store, about six years ago, and found a set of Skaven clanrats on sale, for half off. It pretty much went down hill from there rather quickly lol

Do you have any future plans for your hobby?

I think like many of us, I have more plans than time! My current short list is to continue building up the armies I listed above; continue planning out and building my terrain table based on a Forgeworld (an interior area, with old mechanisms and the foot of a Titan being a WIP); Actually painting my Bones III/IV before Kickstarter V comes out (not going well atm); Blackstone Fortress and Adeptus Titanicus are also both sitting waiting to be built and painted; I’m currently building a lot of scatter terrain to be useful in all versions of games really.

What sort of materials do you use to create your hobby? How long does it take you to complete a project?

For my terrain, I literally use everything. I’ve used soda cans, stuff I’ve found on the street, old electronics, premade kits, canablised model kits (tanks etc), pink insulation foam, stir sticks, craft sticks, balsa wood, old paint brush handles, old lids, a variety of containers (pringles, cleaned out cat food cans), cardboard, floral wire, old sprue, children’s food pouch tops, bottle caps, straws and probably a lot more.

For my conversions, I also use a lot of the above but I always start from a miniature, because I’m not a sculptor!

It can take me ages to get a project done from idea to finished product – I have several that are still just literally on the drawing board. But when I focus, or have a good reason to get it done, like needing it for a game, I can get it done quickly, usually under a month depending how elaborate the project is.

What inspires you to keep going? Do you admire any other hobbyists?

I think the writers of Black Library and the GW codexes really help keep me inspired. As do ALL the painters/mini sculptors who hang about on Twitter, Instagram and Twitch. We just have overall a great community, that strives to help everyone.

Honestly, I admire all the other hobbyists I see – I love watching them progress through their projects.

Special mention will go to Epic Duck Studios, Dakka Dez, Sperian and Nappen – all whom I met on miniwargaming forums originally. They all were extremely encouraging when I restarted the hobby. And Sperian’s entirely at fault for getting me into orks!

What do you find most frustrating about the hobby?

So many MINIS, so little TIME! (and money of course)

And the elitists. But you find that everywhere, too.

Do you have any tips for any aspiring hobbyists – beyond the usual ‘practice daily’? 

Yes! Brush cleaner is your best friend – it doesn’t matter if you have an expensive brush, or a cheap one, it’ll help a lot.

Brushes – expensive ones won’t make you a great painter but they can help you paint better (find what’s right for you)

Put your first mini up where you can see it. The progress you make will inspire you to keep going.

Relax and HAVE FUN! If you’re not having fun, take a break, paint something else or do something else. Don’t burn out! 

Hang out with us #warmongers on Twitter, we’re a good bunch

What is your fondest hobby memory?

I really enjoy my hobby so I probably have too many haha but I think my favorite would have to be when I posted my very first miniatures. They were Skaven clanrats, and Dakka Dez said, among other things, that he liked the little mohawk kinda of thing I’d given them on their hair. That really encouraged me a lot. They weren’t very well painted at all, I hadn’t heard of highlighting or anything yet for instance. But he took the time to find something small but cool to mention. For a new painter that’s the kind of encouraging and critiquing I’d like to see everyone doing.

Anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Don’t be afraid of mistakes! My best stuff was created because I completely goofed (plastic glue spilled on Plague Rats, hey now they’re more plague-y! Lost an arm on a dude, time for conversion! Messed up that paint in an area on your tank? Just add battle damage!) Mistakes help you reassess what you’re doing, and see it in a different light. And that’s really what art is about anyway! Yes, even if you’re painting toy soldiers ‘paint by number’ style you are still an artist.

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Many thanks to M0u53b41t for taking the time to answer these questions for the Fangirl Feature this week.

You can find M0u53b41t on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Twitch ( (streaming Tuesdays 8PM Eastern GMT-4)

And if you’d like to be featured on the blog then please, don’t hesitate to get in contact.