Magnifier/Light - Important?

[fieldarchy]

I have an ott-lite. While they are expensive purchases the bulbs last for 10,000 hours which is a very long time. I had mine for a few years (it was used) before I had to buy a new bulb. I find that magnifiers don't help me at all. Just a good light. I can't paint with out it!

[Loim]

There are also some lenses you can get that will attach to regular glasses or safety glasses that allow you to adjust the magnification level on them by adding or subtracting lenses. The ones I got were fairly inexpensive, and I usually use them in conjunction with a big magnification lamp, and with a smaller magnifier that has clamps for holding your work stationary.

[olliekickflip]

I would go with an ott light and a good pair of reading glasses. Just remember that when first using the ott you will hate it because it shows all your mistakes very blatantly! With practice though you will find that your painting will get better and better. Just a note...my first magnifying device was one of those ring lights with the magnifying glass in the middle. It made me so dizzy...I think I eventually threw it out the window!!

[Kang]

What Ollie said... An Ott-lite & reading glasses would be my suggestion also. You might be able to get reading glasses at the dollar store; get the highest magnification they have. Otherwise you're left with the pharmacy & spending a little more cash, but still fairly cheap and still definitely less than a set of Mag-Eyes or an Optivisor (AKA 'nerd-helmets' above, LOL). I suggest you bring a mini with you & try on a pair or 2 to get an idea whether they're going to work OK or not. The money you save can help pay for the Ott-Lite, as can waiting until it goes on sale at Michael's. But if the Ott-Lite is still too pricey for you, you could always go with a couple of cheap desk lamps with daylight bulbs, which aren't quite as good, but nonetheless a fair alternative IMO.

 

Kang

[fieldarchy]

I just use an ott lite and my actual RX glasses. Tis it and works fine for me. Your eyes have to adjust to working on such a small scale.

[MamaGeek]

Ott Lite may be a very good brand, but you can use any full-spectrum (white) light, and there are less expensive alternatives to Ott.

 

Personally, I really like my LED. According to Wikipedia, "typical [LED] lifetimes quoted are 25,000 to 100,000 hours," so my bulbs should outlast the lamp itself. LEDs are also high-efficiency (low power consumption), and put off very little heat. Mine cost $30 on Amazon (see link in my post above), but you could probably find a better deal if you take the time to look.

 

Now that I have my light, I can't imagine how I managed to paint without it!

[EntilZha]

I have found mine to be indispensable. I don't paint any mini without it anymore.

[Mercius]

I agree with Meg, My eyes have adjusted to painting such small things and now things that used to seem so small I am able to paint with relative ease.

[Mad Jack]

Awesome guys, thanks for the advice. I'm self taught - I've never even MET another mini painter in person so in a lot of ways I'm way behind. There's a lot of things I just have no clue about, so it's good to know the community here is helpful.

 

 

I was painting for 20 years before I discovered this forum... I started out using Testors hobby enamels and the same Testors brushes I used on my plastic models. I used to paint belt buckles and other small details with a sharpened toothpick.

One year for my birthday, my parents bought me a magnifier like this... http://www.apogeekits.com/helping_hands.htm

I never used it. The clips on the end chewed up the bases of the minis and the lens was useless where it was. However, years later I found it again while cleaning and because it was missing some pieces I tossed out the clips and reassembled it so that the lens was on the end of a single long, flexible arm. Now I place it between my arms close to my chest while painting - the lens is close enough to my eyes to be useful, yet neither the arm nor the lens get in the way of my brush.

I don't always use the magnifier for basecoating or larger details, but I definitely use it to check my work before the paint dries, and I always use it for small details.

As for my lighting, there's flourescent lights in the room, but I also have a desk lamp clamped to the side of my painting table with a 15 watt daylight bulb in it. I have it positioned so that it's about a foot and a half off the table directly over the mini I'm painting, but doesn't cast a glare on my magnifier or blind me.

[Kang]

I have a "helping hands" too & also never used it as intended; too awkward getting the lens & mini into a useful configuration. I still use one of the alligator clips that came with it sometimes though, for holding WiP minis to a wood block by their foot-pins.

 

Kang

[Hot Lead]

I recently started using a magnifying visor AKA nerd helmet, and it's been of great help. My biggest concern was originally that they would be really expensive, but I found ones at a hardware store for only around six dollars. I've found now that I'm used to the amplification, painting without it is a little difficult, but that's what I get for having 42 year old eyeballs. Plus, as mentioned previously, you can use your glasses under them as well.

 

I prefer the more politically-correct term "thrilling head gear".

 

 

Later,

Laszlo

[Mercius]

Lol Laszlo.

[Jesma]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks again for all the input. I sprang for the dollar store reading glasses - what a great tip! Still working on the light - Do I have to get a special lamp or just an OTT bulb?

[Mercius]

OTT Lite is a brand name available at Michaels. I don't have one yet, but I am going to spring for one soon, they are just far superior to any other desk based art lamps I have seen.

[Kang]

Ott bulbs only fit in Ott lamps, far as I know.

 

Kang