It’s no secret that the miniature wargaming hobby is largely seen as a male-dominated community, but those days are changing! More and more women are entering into the wonderful world of miniature painting and rolling dice, a fact that we here at The Army Painter champion. More women in the hobby can only mean great things as it brings in new perspectives, new styles, and most importantly, new people to share in the joy of painting miniatures! Creating an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone at the painting desk will only strengthen our hobby as a whole and ensure no one feels left out.
In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8th), we reached out to two influential women within the wargaming community and asked them how they got involved, what they love about the hobby, why more women should get involved, and what they would recommend for those just starting out.
Chantel, aka Lasshammer, and Brooke, aka realhousewifeoftheunderhive, were both kind enough to take time away from their busy painting and dice rolling schedules to share their experiences with us as well as some of their wonderful minis.
Chantel: I fell in love with Warhammer in 2016 after being introduced to it by a friend. I bought and painted my first model, a Sylvaneth Branchwych, and loved everything about the painting process. My little collection of miniatures started to grow, and I learned how to play Age of Sigmar. This is where I started to dive deep into the world of Warhammer and other miniature games, connecting with the amazing community and learning so much along the way. The rest is history!
What I love most about miniature painting and wargaming is the creative outlet and the way it quietens my noisy brain. I have always been an arty lass. As long as I can remember, I have loved to draw and paint; art was the lesson I excelled at in school, and I had a dream of being an artist one day. I love escaping into the world of Warhammer - the rest of the world goes quiet when I'm at one with a paintbrush or rolling dice. I have met some of the best people through this hobby community, and I'm so very grateful to be part of it.
The miniature painting and wargaming hobby really is for everyone. Gone are the days when this was a "boys club," and I think women bring so much creativity to the table. I'd love to attend a tournament and not be the only woman there. Don't get me wrong, I've never had an unpleasant experience at a tournament, but it would be nice to see and play with other women too! Everyone can enjoy the various aspects of this hobby, whether it's the painting side, enjoying the lore and the vast library of stories or getting into the tabletop gaming side, there really is something for everyone. We need some more girls in here!
The XL Wargamers Wet Palette is a great place to start. If a beginner isn't too confident with using the Wet Palette section right away, they have the standard dry palette they may be more accustomed to, and as their experience grows, they can move on to incorporating the wet pallet when they are ready. It gives you so much room to work with without taking up TOO much space on your desk, allowing for messy creativity, yet being easy to clean. I think anyone, a beginner or seasoned painter, can benefit greatly from it. I know I do!
You can follow Chantel on her Instagram @Lasshammer and on her YouTube channel, Lasshammer: The Hobby Diaries.
Brooke: I’ve always loved painting and board games, but my boyfriend (now husband) got me into the Wargaming/tabletop hobby early on in our relationship. That was maybe 9 years ago now - and I’m still just as hooked!
There are times where I’ll spend months kit bashing and just enthralled in the creative side of the hobby. I love to experiment with techniques and products outside the normal realm. Then there are times when I’ll put the paint brush down and become obsessed with playing. I love the competitive nature of wargaming and go through periods where all I want to do is make lists and nerd out on strategy. Shamelessly, I am addicted to rolling dice. It depends on what mood I’m in and what my bandwidth for hobbying looks like - but it’s either one extreme or the other.
More women should be in the hobby because it’s freakin' awesome! But seriously - it still surprises me that wargaming is traditionally thought of as a male hobby when there are so many aspects of it geared towards women. We all joke about how much women love “crafting”- but that’s basically the entire creative side of the hobby. I love that The Army Painter creates an inclusive environment for all hobbyists regardless of gender.
For beginners, I would recommend The Army Painter Speedpaints. They’ve truly made painting miniatures accessible to hobbyists of all skill levels. Not a great painter? Speedpaints are very forgiving. Expert painter? You can do some cool stuff with Speedpaints if you get creative with techniques and blending. Also, the Mixing Balls. It sounds really simple and silly, but those little metal balls have saved so many paints. It doesn’t matter what's wrong with your paint, drop a Mixing Ball from The Army Painter in it, and you’ll get a better mix every time.
You can follow Brooke on her Instagram @realhousewifeoftheunderhive.
