Skill Level: Miniature Figure Photography Enthusiasts
Read Time: 10 minutes
Introduction to LED Lighting for Miniatures:
Capturing the intricate details and vibrant colours of wargaming and fantasy miniatures is an art form that demands precision, especially when photographed for social media, contests, or personal archives. Light can make or break your results, whether you’re shooting with a smartphone or a high-end APS-C or full-frame camera. Enter CRI 98+ LED lighting—a game-changer for miniature photography. With its ability to accurately reproduce colours and reveal the finest details, CRI 98+ LEDs transform your painted models into stunning, lifelike works of art, ideally suited for digital sharing and professional display. Discover why investing in high-quality lighting is as essential as your best paintbrush.
Why Wargaming and Fantasy Miniatures Shine Under CRI 98+ LED Lighting for Photography
Photography is an essential part of the wargaming and fantasy miniatures hobby. Whether showcasing your latest paint job, sharing an epic tabletop battle, or entering a competition, capturing these miniature works of art in their full glory requires proper lighting. Enter CRI 98+ LED lighting—an advanced lighting technology transforming how hobbyists and professional photographers document their miniatures.
What is CRI, and Why Does It Matter?
CRI (Colour Rendering Index) measures a light source’s ability to reproduce colours accurately compared to natural sunlight. On a scale of 0 to 100, a CRI of 100 represents perfect colour fidelity. CRI 98+ LEDs are among the most accurate artificial light sources, rendering colours almost as they appear under daylight. For miniature photography, where vibrant and nuanced colours are essential, high CRI lighting is indispensable.
The Benefits of CRI 98+ LEDs for Miniature Photography
1. True-to-Life Colour Reproduction
Miniature painting relies on the subtleties of colour. From rich metallic sheens to delicate skin tones and weathered terrain, these details are easily distorted under low-CRI lighting. CRI 98+ LEDs ensure the miniature’s colours are captured exactly as they appear to the naked eye, making them invaluable for showcasing your work online, in print, or on social media.
2. Improved Detail and Contrast
High CRI lighting enhances the perception of texture and contrast. This is particularly important for wargaming and fantasy miniatures, where fine details like armour scratches, facial expressions, and layered highlights are critical to the overall effect. When photographed under CRI 98+ light, these details pop, giving your images a professional polish.
3. Accurate Post-Processing
For enthusiasts using DSLR or mirrorless cameras (APS-C or full-frame sensors) or even smartphone cameras, CRI 98+ LEDs make post-processing easier and more effective. Accurate lighting minimizes the need for extensive colour correction, saving time and ensuring fidelity. What you see in person is what you’ll see in your photos, even after cropping or editing.
Post-editing tools like Lightroom or Darktable (Windows, macOS and Linux) enhance images by allowing miniature photographers to refine and perfect their work, bringing out the best in every shot. These tools offer precise control over critical aspects such as exposure, contrast, colour balance, and sharpness, enabling adjustments that compensate for camera limitations or challenging shooting conditions. They also facilitate creative enhancements, such as fine-tuning tones, applying stylistic colour grading, or correcting imperfections to align the image with the photographer’s vision. Non-destructive editing workflows ensure the original photo remains intact, allowing the flexibility to experiment freely. Post-editing transforms raw captures into polished, compelling visuals by elevating technical quality and artistic expression.
4. Consistency Across Devices
Modern smartphones and cameras excel at capturing high-resolution images, but their colour science can vary. Using CRI 98+ lighting creates a consistent baseline for colour and brightness, ensuring that your miniatures look as intended, no matter the device used for viewing.
5. Flawless Light Distribution
CRI 98+ LEDs often come with diffusers or adjustable settings, providing even, shadow-free illumination. This eliminates harsh highlights or distracting shadows that obscure details in your photography. Whether shooting on a dedicated setup or a kitchen table, the uniform light distribution elevates your photos.
What we offer
Sunward Hobbies offers the finest War Gamer Acrylic Paints on the market. Check out my favourite paint, 3G Acrylics.
Same Brand Compatibility: Using paints from the same brand or line ensures compatibility regarding drying times, finish (e.g., matte or gloss), and consistency. This uniformity helps prevent unexpected results when mixing paints or applying layers.
3G Starter Sets
These sets are often curated to include colours that work well together, saving you the guesswork when achieving cohesive colour schemes for your armies or figures.
Signature Sets
Signature sets, often endorsed by well-known miniature painters or hobby brands, may include exclusive colours unavailable separately. These unique shades can help you achieve special effects or distinct looks for your miniatures.
FAQ: 3G Acrylics
How to Thin 3G Acrylics for Airbrush Use.
Use 3G Thinner AK11500 at a ratio determined by your airbrush proficiency and system setup.
Reduce paint to suit your preferences and desired outcomes.
- Colours: 1:1 – 7:3 parts thinner to paint ratio
- Metallics: 8:2 parts thinner to paint ratio
- When using 3G Retarder, Gloss, Matte, Metal, and Glaze Mediums, add before thinning, adjusting the dilution rate accordingly.
Water-based acrylic paints may be too thick right out of the bottle. If not appropriately thinned, they may dry quickly on the needle. Additionally, improper thinning can affect paint flow and adhesion.
⚠️ Do not add isopropanol, rubbing alcohol, windshield washer, Windex, lacquer thinner, enamel thinner, odourless thinner, mineral spirits, or dish drops to 3G Acrylics. Degradation of the 3G Acrylic Paint will result.
Why 3G Thinner is Superior to Distilled Water (dH2O) for Airbrush Use.
3G Acrylic Thinner is formulated to provide superior results to distilled water for thinning acrylic paint, especially in airbrush applications. Unlike water, which can break down the binder in acrylic paint and lead to a loss of adhesion, 3G Acrylic Thinner maintains the paint’s integrity, ensuring its strength and durability. This dedicated thinner helps the paint flow more smoothly through the airbrush, reducing clogging and spattering. Additionally, it promotes faster and evener drying, minimizing issues like tip drying and improving the overall finish. Using 3G Acrylic Thinner results in a more consistent application, better control, and a smoother, more durable surface that water cannot achieve.
Furthermore, 3G Acrylic Thinner can enhance the pigment dispersion, producing more vibrant colours and improved opacity. By using a formulated thinner instead of water, airbrush users achieve greater precision and consistency, allowing for fine details and smooth gradients. Overall, 3G Acrylic Thinner is tailored to the needs of airbrush users, optimizing paint performance while eliminating common problems associated with using water, such as poor adhesion, extended drying times, and inconsistent finishes.
Why Distilled Water is Superior to Tap Water for Brush Painting.
Distilled water is generally superior to tap water when diluting water-based acrylic paint because it is free from impurities, minerals, and chemicals like chlorine or fluoride that can be present in tap water. These contaminants can interfere with the consistency and flow of the paint, potentially causing it to dry unevenly, become grainy, or alter the pigment’s vibrancy. By using distilled water, artists can achieve a smoother, more predictable application, ensuring the paint maintains its intended texture and colour without unexpected reactions.
Additionally, the controlled purity of distilled water helps prevent the buildup of mineral deposits on brushes, palettes, and painting surfaces. This can extend the lifespan of painting tools and keep artworks free from unwanted residue. For miniature figure artists seeking maximum control and consistency in their work, particularly in fine detail and glazing techniques, distilled water offers a reliable solution for achieving optimal results.
Unlock Your Miniature Masterpiece: Why 3G Acrylic Signature Sets Are a Game-Changer.
In the world of miniature painting, where every detail tells a story and every hue shapes a narrative, choosing suitable paints can make all the difference. For enthusiasts of fantasy, wargaming, and scale modelling, 3G Acrylic-themed colour signature sets have emerged as a go-to choice for achieving extraordinary results. These sets are designed in collaboration with some of the world’s most acclaimed figure painters and offer unparalleled quality and creative inspiration. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or embarking on your painting journey, these curated collections deserve a spot on your hobby desk.
Application Scenarios
Smartphone Photography
High-end smartphone cameras are more powerful than ever, but the quality of available light still limits them. CRI 98+ LEDs with a diffuser can transform your smartphone photos from ordinary to extraordinary. Combined with simple editing tools, these lights allow even beginner photographers to achieve near-professional results.
APS-C and Full-Frame Cameras
For those shooting with dedicated cameras, CRI 98+ LEDs complement the wide dynamic range and colour depth of APS-C and full-frame sensors. The lights help maintain sharpness, detail, and colour accuracy even after cropping or resizing for digital platforms like Instagram or forums.
Competition and Display
When preparing images for competitions or publication, the fidelity offered by CRI 98+ lighting ensures judges and viewers see your work as you intended. The lights help emphasize your shading, highlighting, and basing skills, setting your miniatures apart from the crowd.
Choosing the Right CRI 98+ LEDs for Miniature Photography
When shopping for CRI 98+ lighting, consider these features:
- Adjustable Colour Temperature: Look for LEDs with variable temperatures (e.g., 3200K to 6500K) to suit different moods and styles.
- Portability: Compact designs are ideal for tabletop setups and small-scale projects.
- Brightness Control: Dimmable LEDs allow precise lighting adjustments.
- Diffusers and Softboxes: These accessories eliminate harsh shadows and provide a professional look.
Conclusion: Colour is Temperature
Investing in CRI 98+ LED lighting is a game-changer for wargaming and fantasy miniature photography. By enhancing colour accuracy, detail, and consistency, these lights ensure that every photo reflects the craftsmanship and effort you’ve put into your miniatures. Whether you’re a hobbyist sharing your passion or a professional building your portfolio, CRI 98+ LEDs let your miniatures shine as they were meant to be seen.
Illuminate your masterpieces with precision—because your artistry deserves nothing less.
Bonus Content: Workbench CRI 90 and CRI 98
The iPad was set up on the tripod, and two identical pictures were taken. The only change was that the CRI 90 LED lighting on the left was changed to CRI 98 on the right. The lighting transformed the work area, and the vehicle’s colour is now correctly rendered. 🚧 WIP 🚧
James Wooldridge
Scale model photography is a passionate hobby of mine. Understanding CRI Lighting was a game-changer for me and will be for you. Proper lighting alone will produce excellent results; however, understanding photographic principles and techniques will elevate your game, producing exceptional professional images. Be sure to check out Sunward Hobbies for your scale modelling supplies.
Bio: James is an enthusiastic scale modeller, researcher, and amateur historian contributing to scale modelling sites and publications, including Scalemates. His articles are frequently featured in Google AI Overview. He is an active and progressive expert in a Facebook Group and an Executive member of KSM – IPMS and Kawartha Scale Modellers
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