The PigmentumLearning to paint miniatures, in public.

Episode 07

I Used Everything I’ve Learned on ONE Miniature

Six weeks ago, I started learning to paint miniatures. Now I’m putting everything I’ve learned into my biggest project yet: a Death Guard Plagueburst Crawler. From an airbrush mishap to washes, metallics, edge highlights and rust effects, this one pushed me…

New episode about once a week, based on the last 7 uploads.

Episode notes, transcript & the paints used

Subscribe on YouTube ▶  Watch on YouTube
Road to 1,000 — 965 / 1,000 · help her get there Subscribe

Every episode

The whole run, newest first.

All episodes with notes
Episode 07 — I Used Everything I’ve Learned on ONE Miniature7:28Episode 07I Used Everything I’ve Learned on ONE Miniature2026-10-09 Episode 06 — I’ve Played WoW for 16 Years… Can I Paint Thrall?1:18Episode 06I’ve Played WoW for 16 Years… Can I Paint Thrall?2026-09-26 Episode 05 — Painting ONE Mini Takes Me Forever… So I Tried 32:49Episode 05Painting ONE Mini Takes Me Forever… So I Tried 32026-09-18 Episode 04 — 1 Hour. Airbrush Only.2:31Episode 041 Hour. Airbrush Only.2026-09-12 Episode 03 — Can a Beginner Copy a Golden Demon Winner?5:58Episode 03Can a Beginner Copy a Golden Demon Winner?2026-09-04 Episode 02 — I Chose the WORST Miniature to Learn Painting On1:51Episode 02I Chose the WORST Miniature to Learn Painting On2026-08-29 Episode 01 — I Accidentally Spent $2,368 on Warhammer Before Learning to Paint1:45Episode 01I Accidentally Spent $2,368 on Warhammer Before Learning to Paint2026-08-22

New here? Start with Episode 01 →

Shorts

Same real footage, cut short.

Vertical clips on YouTube Shorts, alongside the full episodes above.

Short: I Ruined My First Warhammer Mini 😭 #miniaturepainting #warhammer40k — The PigmentumI Ruined My First Warhammer Mini 😭 #miniaturepainting #warhammer40kWatch the full episode →
Short: I Tried Copying a Golden Demon Winner 💀 — The PigmentumI Tried Copying a Golden Demon Winner 💀Watch the full episode →

The run

From grey plastic to the Golden Demon.

No shortcuts, no pretending. Every mistake stays in the video — because that's the part nobody films, and it's the part that actually teaches you something.

See the full run, episode by episode
Where it startedEpisode 01 — I Accidentally Spent $2,368 on Warhammer Before Learning to PaintEpisode 01I Accidentally Spent $2,368 on Warhammer Before Learning to PaintWhere she is nowEpisode 07 — I Used Everything I’ve Learned on ONE MiniatureEpisode 07I Used Everything I’ve Learned on ONE Miniature
01

The pile of shame

Buy far too much, open it all, and confront what you've done. Priming, tools, and the hard truth about brush prices.

02

Learning to see

Base, shade, highlight. Wet blending, edge work, and the first time something looks genuinely good under the light.

03

Competition standard

Freehand, NMM, display bases. Entering a Golden Demon — win or lose, on camera.

Moments from the run

Her hands over the stack of Warhammer boxes she bought before painting anything, Episode 01 The assembled Biologus Putrifier in bare grey plastic on its base, just before priming, Episode 02 Painting the red cloak on her Golden Demon copy attempt, palette of paint blobs beside it, Episode 03 Airbrush, thinner and a row of paints laid out on the cutting mat, Episode 04 Three miniatures on painting handles held over the palette, Episode 05 Thrall in white primer on the turntable before painting, Episode 06 Her finished Death Guard tank, green and weathered on a sandy base on the turntable, Episode 07

What people are saying

Real comments, from real viewers.

Pulled straight from the YouTube comments on her own videos — nothing written for the website.

You did great. That is way better than my first miniature.

— EmperorGuam

Really solid first miniature can’t wait to see the next one 😃

— minimoreyt

Looks like you found many of the best painting-advice channels to help you on your journey. Welcome to the hobby!

— Varis78

Congrats on joining the hobby and looking forward to learning along with you!

— AJebbiez

Hey! Im at the same place as you! About to paint my first mini. Here for the journey!

— sirtubtub

it still looks really nice especially for your first mini fig

— mysteryman5035
The Pigmentum at her painting desk with the cutting mat and lamp, a real frame from Episode 02

About

Learning in public.

Most painting channels show you a finished masterpiece and skip the four hours where it went wrong. This one does the opposite.

Every episode is a real attempt at getting better — the technique that failed, the paint that dried in the well, the mould line spotted three coats too late. If you're starting out, you'll see your own mistakes made first, out loud, so you don't have to make them alone.

If you're already good, you'll enjoy watching someone learn the hard way.

"Far too much confidence and not nearly enough skill."

The Pigmentum is a beginner miniature-painting YouTube channel, @ThePigmentum. Every episode is real footage of learning to paint Warhammer and tabletop miniatures from a first grey sprue toward a Golden Demon entry — mistakes included, nothing re-shot. It's for anyone starting the hobby from zero.

965Subscribers
63,532Views
07Episodes in
Real footage, nothing re-shot Started from zero on Aug 22, 2026 Growing in public — counters update live

By The Pigmentum · Updated 2026-10-18

Get an email when a new episode lands. Nothing else, ever.

Beginner's guide

How to start painting miniatures

Built only from what actually happened in her first six episodes — the order to paint in, why the wash goes on before the highlight, and every mistake she made getting there.

Read the guide

FAQ

Questions people ask.

What is The Pigmentum?
The Pigmentum is a beginner miniature-painting YouTube channel (@ThePigmentum) that documents the real, unfiltered process of learning to paint Warhammer and tabletop miniatures — mistakes included — from a first paintbrush to a Golden Demon entry.
Who is behind The Pigmentum?
The Pigmentum is run by one beginner painter learning in public, posting new episodes as each miniature is finished, with every technique failure left in the video rather than edited out.
Is The Pigmentum good for absolute beginners?
Yes — the channel is built specifically for people who have never painted a miniature before. Each episode shows real base-coating, shading, highlighting and wet-blending attempts, including the ones that go wrong.
What is a Golden Demon and why does the channel mention it?
The Golden Demon is Games Workshop's top miniature-painting competition. The Pigmentum's whole video series tracks the journey from a first grey plastic model toward eventually entering one.
How often does The Pigmentum post new episodes?
New episodes go up as each miniature is completed. Subscribing on YouTube (@ThePigmentum) or signing up for email on thepigmentum.com is the fastest way to see them first.
Where can I watch The Pigmentum's episodes?
All episodes are on YouTube at youtube.com/@ThePigmentum, with a dedicated page per episode plus the latest video on thepigmentum.com.
What miniatures does The Pigmentum paint?
Warhammer and other tabletop miniatures, starting from her own pile-of-shame haul bought before she'd ever picked up a brush — the episodes follow those exact models from first primer coat onward.
Does The Pigmentum sell anything, or have a membership or Patreon?
No — there's no shop, membership, or Patreon. The site exists to send you to the free YouTube channel; the only sign-up is an optional email for when a new episode lands.
What is "Copy the Pros"?
A recurring episode format where she recreates one specific professional painter's specific published piece as a beginner, mistakes included, with the original artist credited and linked on the Copy the Pros Gallery.
Does The Pigmentum post Shorts as well as full episodes?
Yes — alongside the full-length episodes, some of the same real footage is cut into short vertical clips on the YouTube channel.
How can I support The Pigmentum right now?
Subscribing on YouTube and watching the episodes is genuinely it for now — there's no membership tier or paid perk to unlock.

Come along

Watch the skill arrive, one miniature at a time.

New episodes as they're painted. Subscribe and you'll see the Golden Demon run from the very first grey sprue.

Subscribe on YouTube

Or get an email when a new episode lands — nothing else, ever.

Like what she's painting?New episodes about once a week. Subscribe