Using a magnifier to make painting miniatures easier

Being short-sighted can be tough on the old eyes, especially when trying to paint miniatures. In addition to a lamp, I have found the magnifier to be yet another indispensable tool in a miniature painter's arsenal. While many painters can comfortably paint without the need for a magnifier, the use of one - in my case anyway - has greatly reduced eye strain. Nowadays, I rarely paint without it.

With a magnification of 2X, miniature models become easier to paint.

Magnifier set up at a perfect angle for painting.

Having used the magnifier for more than four months now, I wholeheartedly recommend using one, especially when more often than not, you find yourself placing the miniatures close to your eye to get at fine details. With the magnifier, you can keep the miniature at arms length and reduce eye strain.

Bought for a rather expensive RM50 (US$16)

Manufactured by Pro'sKit Tools, the foldable magnifier was one of the cheaper versions available. While I did contemplate buying a head-mounted one with switchable lenses, I finally decided against it as those were retailing for double to triple the price.

Book of the Week: Star Trek Titan - Orion's Hounds

Not being a big fan of Star Trek characters like Captain Riker and Deanna Troi, I was a bit hesitant to read the Titan series, and ultimately decided to do so only because I am a completist when reading books. But that being said, the story lines in the three Titan books I have read so far have been rather good. Trek Trivia: An interesting angle to the Orion's Hounds book is that it deals with the alien encountered by the Enterprise in the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.