by The pile of shame is the name miniature painters use to describe all the unpainted minis they own. It’s called a “pile” when there are enough of them to form a little mound. It’s called “shame” because that pile symbolizes failure — the classic case of biting off more than you can chew. In this article, I’ll share a few tips to help you tackle it.
Little by little, the monster grows…
Like a monster hiding in the closet, the pile of shame feeds on our impulsive purchases. Week after week, it grows in the shadows, out of sight. We prefer to keep it hidden—not just from others, but from ourselves. It reminds us of a failure. A failure to meet our own hobby goals, which were way too ambitious to begin with…
And yet, on paper, the hobby seemed delightful. It wasn’t some dull job but a passion that once thrilled us. So why the hell is the motivation to sit down and paint suddenly so hard to find?
Sometimes guilt gets the better of us, and we open the door to that creaky closet… It’s dark in there, but we don’t need to squint. The Pile of shame is unmistakably massive. It sends a chill down the spine. Rough guess? Over a hundred hours of painting sessions to clear it out. We could sell it off, maybe. We eye it from bottom to top, trying to estimate how much we spent. Sadly, since it’s been sitting here for a while, it’s lost much of its value.
So we grimace… We regret taking it in. It was only supposed to stay for a few weeks! But we kept feeding it without really trying to slim it down. We try to remember why… Oh, right, now it comes back to us. Back then, we had plenty of excuses for pulling out the credit card:
- “It’s such a good deal!”;
- “They’re going to stop producing these soon”;
- “I need multiple copies to stay competitive”;
- “The French version is nowhere else to be found”.
With time, those excuses now echo in our head with a hint of naivety. That consumerist thrill is gone, leaving only regret in its place!
Be gone, pile of shame!
Sure, but how? To fight your pile of shame effectively, you first need to understand how it takes root in your home.
A pile of shame can mathematically be defined as:
Pile of shame = number of minis owned - number of minis paintedSo you just need to figure out which variable is the issue on your end. Some of us have a pile of shame because we buy too many minis. Others because we don’t paint enough. Once you identify the source of your pile, you’ll know which variable needs fixing.
So, what’s it going to be? Buy less or paint more?
Buying fewer minis: some useful tips
Do you whip out your credit card faster than Han Solo draws his blaster? Don’t worry, there are ways to fix that!
Buy and don’t open
This approach is about keeping your purchases sealed—leave those miniature boxes unopened. A Pile of shame wouldn’t exist if we painted every mini before buying more. That means that if you have a pile, you’re barely even touching the new stuff. So why bother opening it in the first place?
If you don’t open your purchases, their value remains nearly intact. That’s a huge plus when it comes to reselling them (at a decent price) after realizing you didn’t really need them.
In short, the idea is to buy something, then let it sit for a while. That break will help you better understand your real desires and decide the fate of those minis: resell or finally open them. This method lets you take advantage of good deals while still getting most of your money back if you later regret your purchase.
Try before you buy
Ever regretted buying a set of minis? You had high hopes, but on the battlefield they were a complete letdown… If only you could have tried them first! Well, good news — you totally can, and it’s super easy to do.
Most publishers these days release rules and unit profiles online, whether in list builders or through previews and articles. All you need is a few proxy models and voilà — time to test that new unit out.
Another option is to test the unit in a virtual environment like Tabletop Simulator or Vassal. It’s hands-down the most efficient way to test multiple lists quickly and for free (well, aside from the €9 to €19 TTS purchase depending on the sales).
Buy minis in smaller batches
By buying minis in smaller quantities, you slow the growth of your Pile of shame. Plus, your painting sessions become more manageable. It’s simple: two heroes from Marvel Crisis Protocol will be quicker to paint than a full unit of 12 Baratheon soldiers from A Song of Ice and Fire.
This strategy implies you may want to lean toward skirmish games instead of full-scale wargames (even just occasionally)… and that’s not a bad thing. It also makes storing and transporting your minis way easier!
Recycle, convert, or proxy: clever alternatives
After collecting for a while, you end up with more minis than you’ll ever need. Maybe even way too many. Do the math: how many do you actually use in a game, and how many sit unused? Among those benched models, surely some could stand in for that new unit you’re eyeing. Use proxies, save money, and reduce your pile. Win-win-win!
If some of your minis don’t quite look the part, consider doing conversions. That way, you can breathe new life into models that haven’t seen daylight in years. An eco-friendly and budget-conscious move that brings you the satisfaction of being creative and building something unique.
“Fasting” until you hit a goal
Do you like challenges? Then set yourself some achievement-based rules. Something like: “Until this squad is fully painted, I’m not buying any more minis.”
This mini challenge is like a fast. No new purchases until your current goals are met. You won’t save money immediately, since you’re not canceling a purchase outright. But you’ll postpone it until you’ve earned it. That delay often helps your brain realize the impulse is fading, and maybe you don’t really need that product after all.
Painting more miniatures: a few helpful tips
Struggling to find the motivation to paint? Good news — there are simple ways to make painting feel more enjoyable and rewarding.
Painting together: a motivation booster
Your painting desk is probably set up in a quiet, isolated room. You sit alone with your paints… and it’s completely silent.
Some of us simply paint better with company. Sometimes, all you need is another living presence — a pet or a family member to chat with. The session feels more alive. While your mind focuses on the conversation, your hands go into “autopilot” and keep painting.
If your hobby space feels lifeless, try relocating it to a living room or shared space so you don’t cut yourself off from the rest of the household.
If you live alone, here are a few alternatives:
- Set up hobby sessions with your Discord group. Hop into a voice channel and paint while chatting. You’ll pick up techniques and make new friends at the same time.
- Listen to podcasts or music while painting to keep your mind engaged.
- Paint at your local hobby store. Games Workshop stores used to host painting sessions — not sure if they still do, but it’s worth checking!
The 30-minute daily challenge
If motivation is low, here’s a challenge to try: sit at your painting table every day and paint for exactly 30 minutes. No more, no less. Sticking to this time limit is key — it’s about training your brain. Some days, the time will drag. Others, it will fly by. The important part is showing up every day. After a few days, it won’t feel like a chore. After a few weeks, you might even start looking forward to it!
Use simple techniques
In recent years, new types of paints have made fast results more accessible — Citadel’s Contrast, Army Painter’s Speedpaint, or Scale 75’s Instant Color, for example. Just apply them over a light primer and you get shading and highlights in one pass. Quick and effective!
Sometimes, lack of motivation comes from setting goals that are too complex. Maybe you’re trying non-metallic metal instead of just using metallics. But is that really necessary when you’re already struggling to sit down and paint? It’s worth asking whether the time you’re spending is actually serving you.
In summary
There are many ways to reduce your pile of shame (short of tossing it in the bin!). The best approach depends on the cause: too many purchases or too little painting. Either way, watching your pile shrink brings genuine satisfaction and a real morale boost.
