THE PAINTED GUIDE
Practical answers for the parts of a commission that matter: the price, the finish, the handoff, and the painter you trust with it.
Start with your first commissionFROM THE FIRST
“WHAT IF”
TO THE TABLETOP.
Price the models and the work, not the army’s points value. A useful total includes every step between your shelf and its return.
Choose a visible result, not just a tier name. Ask to see an ordinary model painted at the level you are buying.
The best fit can show work like yours, explain what you are paying for, and make the next step easy to understand.
Agree the handoff before packing. Your painter needs an inventory, a safe parcel and a clear plan for getting the finished models back.
Painting time is only one part of the wait. Work backwards from the day you need the models in your hands.
A good brief is a shared picture of the result. Give the details that change the price or feasibility and mark the rest as undecided.
Tell the painter what to preserve as clearly as what to change. Agree a sample before repeating a match across the army.
Start with the army you want to play, choose a finish you can see, and agree one complete scope before sending models or money.
These guides combine our marketplace research with linked studio and specialist sources. Examples are planning aids, not promises about a painter’s price or availability. Written by Painted editorial · Updated October 25, 2026.