*THE LIST!* I will link to the general searches as listings often change for some of these items and for most brand or exact selection does not matter. Buy what has the best price and shipping for your location. Don't forget many of these items can be purchased most cost effectively in local retailers. Specific item listens are linked on my Essential Equipment page on www.blackmagiccraft.ca X-Acto Knife (USA) amzn.to/37577Bf (Canada) amzn.to/39ZNRGX (UK) amzn.to/39ZODUn (Germany) amzn.to/2VUv9bp Olfa Utility Knife (USA) amzn.to/33TSEpp (Canada) amzn.to/2VX1f6y (UK) amzn.to/37PhdoF (Germany) amzn.to/3n1ZRLS Scissors (USA) amzn.to/37PEQO8 (Canada) amzn.to/3m4rthY (UK) amzn.to/37Lur65 (Germany) amzn.to/37Nw9ns Carpenter (Framing) Square - 8"x12" (USA) amzn.to/37IOL84 (Canada) amzn.to/33Ymido (UK) amzn.to/2IwxB4V (Germany) amzn.to/2VWtYs9 Metal Ruler (With Metric and Imperial units) (USA) amzn.to/36WKS06 (Canada) amzn.to/3n3vwfJ (UK) amzn.to/3m30of0 (Germany) amzn.to/2VUvElN Cutting Mats (USA) amzn.to/3gwcmwL (Canada) amzn.to/2JMJjcc (UK) amzn.to/3m1LDZS (Germany) amzn.to/3lUKnIc Wire Brush (USA) amzn.to/2JSdaQx (Canada) amzn.to/3qKwMXI (UK) amzn.to/3gudSzg (Germany) amzn.to/3qIMXo8 Mini Hot Glue Guns (USA) amzn.to/2IAg0cu (Canada) amzn.to/3m0r8Ni (UK) amzn.to/3n2TRm7 (Germany) amzn.to/36XN1sr PVA Glue (USA) amzn.to/3m1XcAy (Canada) amzn.to/3m7KyjC (UK) amzn.to/2JFaSo1 (Germany) amzn.to/2VYaC60 Tacky Glue (USA) amzn.to/3lZsLuH (Canada) amzn.to/37MNCwm (UK) amzn.to/33VbkFo (Germany) amzn.to/2VUoZZ5 Matte Mod Podge (USA) amzn.to/2JOlUau (Canada) amzn.to/2KbxGva (UK) amzn.to/2VWsmP7 (Germany) amzn.to/2VYXZHY Acrylic Craft Paint (USA) amzn.to/3n2gHu5 (Canada) amzn.to/2IwwG4t (UK) amzn.to/39YSqBk (Germany) amzn.to/3gCf1oM Bulk Craft Brushes (USA) amzn.to/3lYdMkF (Canada) amzn.to/2VZzZEm (UK) amzn.to/370xzMd (Germany) amzn.to/371X2Vi Medium Weight Chipboard (USA) amzn.to/3lUFKhi (Canada) amzn.to/3lYRkI3 (UK) amzn.to/2K4HYNY (Germany) amzn.to/3n7DTas (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
I literally go to the thrift store in the U.S. called Goodwill and you can find that Apple barrel craft paint ( most of the time unopened but in random colors) for like $.35 sometimes $.50 but it's always a deal!! Also all kinds of crafting materials! Seriously no joke! Plaster of paris, all kinds of glues (mod podge, etc.), paint of all kinds, paper of all kind like construction paper, chip board, styrene, and more! I've even found flocking and stuff that was woodland scenics brand for model train dioramas... Plenty of bits and bobs.... It's like a treasure trove of awesomeness for a terrain builder!!!!
This is what I lack, i'll literally need to remove things from my pile of shame just to be able to get more minis, much less terrain, I envy those huge shelves and space!
Man you are NOT kidding. I'm glad someone finally had the gull to call *ahem* this company out on this and that's coming from someone who really like's their products. This is just tone deaf and a blatant money grab.
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial I felt the exact same way as soon as I saw it. The idea is admirable and I understand what they are trying to do but the items included, at the price point they are asking is crazy. I hope they take a really hard look and adjust their pricing considerably or adjust the content included.
The scraps section of your local DIY store deserves a honorable mention. And cereal boxes. Can't talk about building scenery without mentioning cereal boxes.
Hot glue, mod podge and cheap craft paints. You've taught me well over the years. Made my dnd games one for the history books. Makes my warhammer games have style. Youre the man BMC
I would have never started crafting stuff unless I saw channels like this on the Tabletop Crafter's Guild. If I saw some $99 set in a store I would have just assumed that I couldn't afford the hobby.
Most folks will have crafting odds n ends just lying around the house: old box cutter knives, children’s bristle paint brushes, school glue, and more besides. Surprising what can be repurposed!
Not enough comments of appreciation for the work put into making the list of amazon links for each material presented in the vid in FOUR countries across the globe. You have a wonderful Christmas alongside your family Jeremy. May we all be back healthy and relaxed after the Holiday season. We will surely be here waiting for you!!!
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial i have added this video to my favorites, and that amazon list for reference is a big reason for that (appreciation from the UK)
I totally recommend getting one of those cheap nail care kit from like the dollar store :D They usually come with like a nail clipper, tweezer, paper/metal files, & nail scissor. Nail clippers/Nail scissors is a decent flush cutters on a pinch & Nail files is great for sanding small area. Is a great cheap set of tools to cut/sand small detail works. Toothpick and Qtips is also useful to have around the desk :D Hope this is useful to someone :D
Toothpicks or sewing pins are also a really good thing to have on hand. Lets you pin pieces together while glue dries. For tooth picks, these can be used as spikes or even rudimentary fencing, while flat-top sewing pins can be used as rivets for industrial work. Both are also super cheap to buy in bulk, usually for a dollar or two.
Having watched your videos from near the beginning, I have already heard you talk about this very topic so many times, I almost did not click on the vid this time. But I am glad I did. Your purpose for this video was spot on and I am glad you did it and hope it will allow folks thinking about starting to realize it does not have to be so daunting a task to get started in. As always your gift is making it all easy to grasp and less intimidating to try. And THAT is eventually why I went ahead and watched the video even though I was pretty sure there was not much new info for me in it. Learning how to break down the hobby and make it accessible is always worth learning and for this old crafter, you always teach me things for doing that. Thank you sir and have a wonderful Christmas/New Year holiday time. See you in the new year, my friend.
For XPS foam, as you mentioned, it can be difficult and/or expensive to find and purchase in some parts of the world. After moving to Norway, where prices can be ludicrous, I searched on a website for classified ads, and I found a couple "companies" who sold unused construction materials, and bought a cubic meter of XPS for the equivalent of 50 USD (including home delivery), in boards of various thicknesses. My point is to look for this kind of deals either online or by asking around. Some construction material stores sometimes (although rarely) discount damaged boards, so it can be worth asking.
I have been avoiding making terrain (started a couple months ago with mini painting), but this video took a lot of the anxiety out. Thanks for showing how crafting can be affordable and accessible for us, and I'm more excited to try terrain than ever!
It’s been a while since I bought it, but you can get huge packs of chip board from comic shops sold as backs for bagging and boarding comics. If memory serves it was cheap and since your local I got mine at Galaxy Comics.
You can also get it at your local retail pharmacies if you ask them to hold on to it for you when they get new signage. The backs of full-size note pads are also handy.
Tacky glue can be replicated by letting Elmer's glue sit in the open for a while. The water will evaporate and make it thicker. Just don't let it out too long or it will harden. Sometimes it formes a skin on top, this can be pealed away and has bonus satisfying points 😋 it's nice for trying it out or if you're in a pinch but eventually you will want a bottle because it's more convenient.
no dollar tree here in quebec unfortunately...but to my surprise, my local dedicated craft and hobby store stocks Readi Board and i was ecstatic to see the box sitting next to the cash register!
There's Elmer's foamcore in Dollaramas in Quebec which is also easy peal. The foam is a bit less nice than Readyboard but still works nice. Good crafting to my my fellow Fleur de Lys crafters. 😘💙
@@juliehamel8330 thanks for the heads up! if im ever at the dollarama i'll take a look. i picked up a decent stash from the hobby store last time so i'm set for now! gotta support the little guys as well!
I ended up getting just a regular Al ruler with a cork back for 1.50 USD, and it's a life saver. Because of the cork back, you just have to apply light pressure and it won't move at all, and it makes making straight cuts so much easier.
XPS foam hack (sort of) . . . These big box stores that sell 4x8 sheets of foam get them shipped in a large "bunk" of sheets. These bunks are stacked on top of "stackers" that are also made of xps foam, and are typically 4 inches x 2 inches x 4ft and are THROWN AWAY when the stack is empty. If you make nice with the employees you can get these for free if available when they're stocking or cleaning up. Great source of free material if you think outside the box while in the big box. lol
I've been able to ask local photography or frame shops for the matboard they would otherwise throw away, cut from the inside of mats they prepare for display. Sometimes they save those bits for local school art teachers, but sometimes they have some I can just come and take for free. The color and sometimes odd shapes don't matter, since I'm going to be mangling them for my own use, either in terrain/scenery or in board game designs that I make.
Another budget tip- if you want to make molds of things, but don't want to buy or make a bunch of silicone molds, get yourself some modelng clay; the oil-based kind that doesn't dry, like Plasticine. You can mold small objects like rocks, fill with Plaster of Paris, and reuse the clay for your next project.
Great list and great video! As a new crafter, I can confirm, this is ALL you need to get started in this hobby. But, here is one more item that I find very useful. It is a cheap pair of wire cutters. These are very useful for cutting things easier than with scissors, or things you simply can't cut with scissors, such as popsicle sticks, plastic bits, and much more. The ones included in needle-nose pliers are cheap and work just fine.
Oh Man, so true! My kit barely takes up two 16 quart storage tubs. The rest of my work space is overrun with materials, a pile of shame and work space. I have a hand held hot wire cutter too but rarely use it.
I have a hand-held wire cutter I got from Michael's about a lifetime ago that runs on 2 D-cell batteries. It cuts great, and I have yet to have to replace the first wire. I recently go the Proxxon contour cutter and the transformer, and it is good, but the thicker wire needed to make contours means the heat is lower so the cuts are slower, or if I turn it up enough to get faster cuts, it's easy to lose the bent contour. I've only used it for about 40 minutes since I got it.
I've been crafting since the pandemic started, after I found your channel. You and Dungeon Craft have helped me find a great additional hobby to D&D and improved my games immensely.
I am not a gamer, but I love watching your videos for all the little tips and tricks that I can use in my miniature making! I have found that Dollarama (at least here on the east coast) has a really nice crafts section...my favourite find recently was large bottles of tacky glue which is way cheaper than the name-brand stuff! One thing your list is missing....toothpicks! These are great for applying glue, stirring paints, etc etc etc
My UK peeps - Aileens glue is freaking expensive over here, but I can highly recommend Gorilla Wood Glue as an alternative. EDIT - okay, just double checked the price on Aileens glue, and it's not so bad right now. A few months ago it was going for £25+ just for one bottle.
The Dollarama here in Ottawa carries the small and medium sized cutting mats in pink. And they’re very inexpensive. I have two. One for cutting and the other when I paint so that if I need to cut something off a model I don’t fret about the work surface. And after a while it’s easy to know which is which. Paint blobs :-). Dollarama is amazing.
Starting off with disclaimer. I now rarely reply now because my words come off as insultive or derogatory when I don't mean to. My brain just makes me to say things exact without considering possible interpretations. I absolutely love the idea about telling people how to be able to enjoy their hobby/craft/whatever in the cheapest way possible. That's what I try to do and promote to others. With that said I'll jump on the purpose of making this post. The purpose of the kits you are bashings, intentional bashing or not, is to help people getting into the hobby. Of course it is also to get whatever company to make money. As much as we may hate these "starter kits" they actually help us. These "starter kits" give people an easy option to get started into a hobby. It makes it appear easy and quick to get started. Once they get started and actually start looking then they can think of ways to do it cheaper or better. Look at your own video here. The current screen I am seeing shows about 15 paints from different companies and you mentioned about a dozen different products from about the same number of different places. To me and you, and anyone else that does hobbies, it makes sense. To someone who has never done it, or still new, it probably seems like a lot of work. We may see all that work as worth it. Someone just starting out may think the reward isn't worth all the work and dedication. The whole idea is kinda like a double edge sword. Some people seeing the starter kits won't get started due to the cost. Those that don't want to spend that much won't get started due to the work to do it cheaply. It's almost like there are only 2 choices to do the hobby. I think a better route in getting people involved is walking in the middle ground. Let them know they can buy or work a quicker route to their goals. I'm not trying to bash your video so please don't think that. BUT, I will say that this is one of my least favorite that you have done. I 100% support any and all videos you have, or will make, to show people they can do the hobby cheaply. I'm just not a fan of bashing anything that can get someone into the hobby. I guess I'm saying that you could have done this video a little different.
I find having a bag of popsicle sticks is so damn useful, being able to scrape, splodge, gouge, apply paste, glue, basing stuff, all sorts of things with them, they can also be hobby materials, but as a quick easy tool, they are indespensable. Your videos are the best, I love getting time to sit down and watch your magic. It's inspirational and just great to enjoy and watch, thank you.
I teach Music and a few other things, I always say you dont need to buy the most expensive, just the best for you, A photographer said to me when I started the best gear is the gear you have. I love that you tell it as it is, you don't need "Boutique gear" to Make. Epic as always Sir. Kepp up the good work.
this video is exactly what I needed, oh my gosh 😭 I'm super excited to get into miniature/model building but hugely daunted in terms of what i'd need to get started, and this really helped me narrow it down to the most important things. thank you so much! subscribed and I can't wait to go and watch more of your videos!
This has got to be the most informative video I've seen on this topic. I've been wanting to get into diorama creation for a while now but it seemed so intimidating. This video does a great job of making the information digestible. Thanks!
Perfection. It's also so much easier to store a smaller amount of smaller tools when a lack of living space is a consideration. Just because you've got a tiny apartment or are limited to a single room doesn't mean you can't build awesome stuff. Just chuck it into a storage tote, and use the storage tote as a tiny desk.
I couldn't agree more my friend! I have watched this channel for quite some time and to be honest you are responsible for getting me back into terrain building. No you don't need all the NAME brand expensive hobby items out there to get started or even to stay in it. Hell I find myself in the local Dollar Tree at least once a week and my hobby room looks like a hoarder lives in it, but I find new and crazy things all the time. I have even caught myself looking at stuff me or my family are about to throw away and I think " I could turn this into such and such." and keep it! I also would like to thank you and Goobertown or as I like to call him the Bob Ross of mini painting and Miniac and so many others for inspiring!!
Popsicle sticks are also great imo. I know it often doesn't look like in-scale wood, but if you don't care much about that you can make a lot of good looking stuff out of it
I agree with you!! I make a lot of models and most of my stuff i make from materials from the dollar stores and every once in a while I buy a little bit better quality materials depending on the build. Also from stuff all around my house like boxes, plastic cups utensils...etc. thank you for this video!!
I WISH I had known all this years ago. I don't want to think about how many brushes I've demolished. I started will Apple Barrel paint, and it's still my go-to paint, even for miniatures. I have found for some colors that are hard to find or that I use a lot of, like Apple Barrel Territorial Beige, I take my 2 oz. bottle over to Walmart's paint department, and have them mix a pint of cheap paint to match for about 6.00. By the way, you can buy 5 2oz bottles of Apple Barrel for the same price as the larger 4 oz bottle. You get 2 extra ounces of paint for the same price that way.
I am retired and am not very crafty, but for some reason, I decided to get into some art and crafts. I sure wish I would've seen this prior to buying so much. I have purchased all the things you talked about (except for the square) and I could cry right now because of the waste I will have as this is "just something to do" for me. You have a very appealing video personality. I ran across some people in videos who talk fast and skip over things I would like to know or see. I'm wondering how I can go back to look at some of your first videos. I think I will be better off following one person rather than so many. Thank you for this. It's perfect for beginners.
Hey man, I know this vid is 2 years old, but I'm just getting into the hobby of painting miniatures, and wanted to branch into terrain, and had a rough idea of some things I would need, but wasnt 100% until I discovered your channel, and just wanted to express my thanks to you. I was pretty much able to get everything you mentioned at Michaels in one go. I also work for a sign shop, so I have access to all sorts of nifty materials. (Foamcore, cardstock, Sintra board, aluminum composite, luan plywood, and plexiglass.) Anyway, again, thanks for everything you do, man!
Thanks man. Bit daunting to collect "all the stuff" I thought I needed, watching this video I realized between my wife and I, we already own 80% of this stuff. This is super helpful.
An absolute quality video. So helpful to so so many people. I cant stand company's that try to take advantage of people who are ignorant to the ins and outs of hobbies. Thank you for taking the time to create this, I'll be sure to share!
When i started a few years back, your basics playlist made this hobby easy to buy for, but now all new hobbyist have 1 vid for all. This is an incredible resource and you are the man for putting this all together.
These may be a bit advanced, but I can't recommend getting a razor saw and some very fine grit sandpaper for the xps foam. I've largely steered clear of making terrain because I kept getting awful cuts in the pink foam with regular box cutters, but when I tried out the razor saw, brother it was like some sort of dark magic. No horrid squeaks, and while it left a rough surface, there wasn't any large chunks that cracked out from said surface. I also found out that 400 grit sand paper will smooth it out fairly well and fairly quickly. So glad I tried em out.
Another great, and candid, message for the crafting masses. Thank you for taking the time to double-down on this message to those of us getting started ... or those of us that might be wandering around for ideas to gift to that crafter in the family.
To this day I'm still thankful for you mentioning that particular brand of makeup brush at Dollarama. They've been rather useful tools over the past while, to say the least. I especially like how you mention that even just a small cutting mat is good enough for starting out. While I don't use it for cutting anymore due to it being too small for my projects these days, I still own my original cutting mat - I put it under whatever greenstuff/apoxie sculpt thing I'm working on with a layer of wax paper over that so I can keep most of the mess off of my assembly desk.
I've seen some whack products people are pushing as hobby starter sets. You nailed it with this, I started with essentially the exact same stuff. I love the blatant honesty that comes across with this no bs video.
Its been about a year of watching you and thanks to your videos I have started crafting and made my own channel. JarodMakes. Thank you so much for showing me something I had that was buried deep down within me. I have painted more in 2020 than I have in my previous 33 years. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday and a great new year.
New sub here . After a 12 year hiatus I’m back into painting thanks to my son becoming interested . A lot has changed it seems but a lot is also the same I see. Look forward to watching this channel
Cutting board is a good idea. I used my family's handcrafted 1627 baroque antique art table, passed down through our family for generations. I was to be count or baron through marriage, now I'm disowned living in exile in Romania. When my mom saw the thousands of cutmarks over the carved table's art depiction of the last supper handmade by an esteemed artist from Florence, Italy. She had a heart attack, but used her last piece of willpower to tell me I'm dead to her, kicking me out of the mansion into the cold snow. Life's been a quest ever since. TL;DR Use a cutting board don't ruin your table at home with knife cuts, paint and glue.
Successfully mentioning imperial and metric with advantages on both sides and not one bad comment on it? I'm amazed i expected people to lose there minds like they normally do xD Well done great video keep it up Jeremy
Only thing I'd really add is for people who really are new to the crafting: Bandages. Band-aids, or whatever. Until you're really used to handling a blade, it will sometimes demand a blood sacrifice.
Great stuff! We dont have the easy-peal foamcore board here in Australia, but i've found spraying the paper with methylated spirits and letting it soak in for a few minutes lets it peal off real easy.
I've watched your videos for a while now and you're the reason I had the knowledge and belief to build my own tiles for my d&d group and I love the hobby. I'm about to build a ship for the current campaign (biggest build so far) and its all thanks your videos, cheers. Hope you have a great holiday.
Two thing I would add, one is optional at first, but the 2nd should be started ASAP. 1: Dedicated space, a desk, table, corner, etc. where you can leave projects and supplies. While not required to start, as you can setup anywhere, a place to leave something to dry, or if your stuck just sit and let you thing about is a must. 2: A simple box, placed somewhere you can get at it, it need not be fancy, a cardboard box will work fine.. this Box is to place odd pieces that might just come in handy. Packing inserts, odd bits of materials, etc. Keep this box out and available so you can add to it anytime you find something 'neat'. Having to dig this out of a closet, will most likely mean you bin something rather than save it. Just my thoughts, after more than a few years making stuff for Wargaming, RPGs, Scale trains, and just plain models
Thank you for making this video! I think a lot of people wanting to get into this hobby (myself included) feel intimidated by all the “necessary” stuff but this video will hopefully make it easier for a lot of people to find a good starting point and jump in! 🌈⭐️🙌
For those of you who are not seeing savvy, your sewing chain nearby will give 40% off coupons if you sign up for emails. Filter those emails until you get that coupon and use that to get a nice cutting mat. Or scissors. Or xacto blade.
fight the powers, punk rock diy, screw the man, ask framing shops for foamcore offcuts, steal styrofoam from construction sites,... Edit to add; This is a valuable video. Packages like the one you mention can make new people think "man, terrain making is too expensive to get into." The beauty is most of the tools and materials are cheap, or left overs from other products, or straight up garbage from other industries.
$🌳 has nice cutting mats but they're a little small (9x7 inches) they also have disposable cutting mats in the kitchen section, these are 11x14 inches but very thin, flexible plastic. These work great for protecting your work surface from paint, glue and stuff, you can cut on them but they aren't meant for heavy cutting use, they're meant to be disposable but resin, glue and paint comes right off. You can also cut these mats easily with sciccors or an exacto type knife, I've used them to make stencils and to give structure to builds. I highly recommend them. Also, $🌳 has these packs of small containers that work great for storing custom paint colors that you mixed for a job, the lids fit really tight so your paint doesn't dry out. Have a great holiday with family & friends, see ya next year!
Advice like this is truly gold for newbies, thank you! There are little to no barriers left intact to prevent anyone from starting up. And yeah, a starter kit full of crap can work against a newbie whose skills already aren't where they want them to be, so expecting something "magical" from a starter kit can be a psyche trick that makes newbies leave the hobby before they get over the hard part - making the mistakes we need to learn from. I'm yet to try any of this out (moving, meaning I get a workshop soon! I don't even have a desk right now). This video dropped into my lap at EXACTLY the right time. Thank you universe. And thank you, Black Magic Craft, for this invaluable advice, so generously offered for free. Subscribed!
Can't go wrong with a good Sharpie marker for laying out your cuts. And it will ever so slightly divot the foam so it's good for free-handing some subtle stacked stone texture.
I think the only things that could be added to your list, are masks, protective eyewear, latex gloves, baking soda, and fingernail polish remover. Masks and eyewear if you decide to go the rattle can route for priming, but gloves are infinitely useful if you're clumsy with glue like I am. Gloves will basically ensure that you won't get stuck to your things while you're gluing. Baking soda and a bit of PVA glue makes great looking mounds on terrain if you're trying to create uneven terrain like snow or sand, and fingernail polish is great for removing paint from metal things.
Thanks for the better kit, Jeremy! Ever since I started dungeon crafting, I was making a variety of dungeon tiles with basically what you demonstrated with. I have now three sets of dungeon tiles (grey stone, sandstone, jungle). My structures do need work, but with your instruction and inspiration, I am making some progress. Even when I added 3d printing to my repertoire, I still hold onto the foam tiles as my more frequently used terrain. Keep up the good work!! BTW, have you ever tried making "your" Black mod podge by using black ink as opposed to black paint? Weirdly, I get slightly better results with it and I don't sacrifice black paint as often.
If your having a hard time getting the black or white paper off the Dollar Tree foam board. Rather than using a hot air gun and risk burning the foam should it gets to hot. Xps foam releases a toxic fume if burned, so I never use the hot air gun for I have burned it before. So I use just a pot of water or even a tea kettle on the stove and use the steam to remove the paper from the foam. Also you can use the styrofoam cups you get from fast food places you bring home, if you need something than foam board without having to cut it down thinner. I made a fireplace resembling the round double sided fireplace from one of the towns in the video game Skyrim. I used a toilet paper roll tube, cut it to the height I needed, then using the thinner styrofoam cup from BurgerKing or KFC. I lined both the inside and outside of the toilet paper tube, rather than using the thicker xps insulation foam and I trimmed it to the height of the tube after I glued one piece at a time. Then using a ball point pen I made the lines for the stone work using the actual image of the fireplace from the game to match it all up. Then rather making a very large base for it to sit on to cover my tea light. I used the bottom of my styrofoam cup to make the stone base just like the one in the game. And I noticed how the fireplace in the game had a round angled chimney above it before it came to the stone round chimney pipe sitting atop a round stone mantel. Thats where I realized I could put my dollar store tea light on hidden inside the cone shape. So I made the round stone mantel from a larger styrofoam cup bottom and drilled a hole in the middle for the light bulb. Then I took a simple cereal box and cut it in a large circle to make my cone shape chimney to cover the tea light. Once I got the cone shape just right and glued it together using small clamps or clothespins to hold it in place for glue to dry. I cut the top off the cone once I covered it in mod podge to give it strength, I only covered the outside of the cone with some more of the thinner foam from my styrofoam cup. And I carved the stone to look just like the one from the game. Now your probably wondering why I cut off the top of the cone to reveal the tea light inside and leave the cone it was. Will I decided to also make the round stone chimney pipe on top. To make this I could use either the thicker xps insulation or the thinner foam board from dollar tree and glue multiple layers together for the height or thickness I needed, which in hind sight probably wouldve been better or easier. But at the time I was on a very tight budget being unemployed at the time so I used what I had on hand. Instead I used some of that thick bubble molded packing foam you get in a box when you buy items. The first time I tried to cut it, I thought hey Ive got some hole saws I could use and I even have one thats the right size for cutting it the right round shape. Big mistake when I tried to cut it using my hole saw I did it both with my power drill and by hand, and it just made a mess every where for the small foam beads just tore all over the place making it look very rough and jagged. Sure I probably couldve spent more time covering it in clay or drywall putty, but why do that. So I scrapped those pieces and instead used the same hole saw to trace around in a couple of thicker spots on the packing foam, and used my box knife to cut them out. Once I had them all cut out, I glued them with pva glue and rubber bands to keep them together to dry. Afterwards I used my ball point pen to carve the stone, which didnt turn out so hot some of the beads popped off making it rough looking rather than smooth like stone would be from a quarry. So I just covered it in mod podge and then glued it to the fold over section on the top of the cone and painted all the pieces with my mod podge black paint mix and the usual stone color look. Im not to fond of the round smoke stack of the beaded foam, so I might just cut it off , use what I have on hand and glue a bunch of the foam board together I need for the thickness of the stone pipe. And recarve the stone, etc to match the color of the stone best I can and replace the old round stone top.
This is more like: Black Magic Craft's Ultimate List of Supplies to Get Started. Fantastic really! Covers all the basics to easily make terrain. On another note, I mean you could just start crafting with cardboard, a hobby knife, and a little paint.
Now this is quite a speach. AWESOME video! Christmas time is approaching, Jeremy... I need you to know that I will spend a lot of time on your channel, with some good Italian food and drinks... You will be somehow part of the family! Happy Christmas time, bro, and have a great time with your family... Ciao da questo pazzo Italiano! 😉
It doesn't have to be X-actoly this knife brand. Great video I already have some people asking about simple things they need to get started. I'm going to send them this. Thank you.
One small upgrade I'd suggest is a proper cutting ruler. They have a much thicker edge to help your knife slide along. They also have rubber on the bottom that keeps your material/ruler from sliding around when cutting. I can't believe how much better it is than a standard metal ruler. Mine even has a flip up finger guard to protect your fingers if the knife slips.
I think I know exactly what he's talking about because when I saw it, I had a similar reaction. I won't link to it or call it out, either. It is just as Jeremy said. : ]
@@crumbsboi thank you. The smugness was getting on my nerves. I appreciate the list of useful materials but id like to know who’s trying to upcharge me.
Black Magic Craft, I found your channel a while back and I love it. I recently found the channel Dungeon Craft hosted by Professor Dungeon Master and in one of his videos, Dungeon Design: Caves of Carnage 2: The Orc Lair! (EP. 68), he was recommending your channel. I didn't know if you were aware of the shout out. You both have great content and if your other viewers are anything like me where D&D is concerned, and I suspect they are, I think they would also love his channel.
Bmc I just wanted to let you know that your videos were what got me interested in this hobby 3 years ago. Just last week I got my proxxon because if you and I just wanted to say thank you for changing my life 😅
*THE LIST!*
I will link to the general searches as listings often change for some of these items and for most brand or exact selection does not matter. Buy what has the best price and shipping for your location. Don't forget many of these items can be purchased most cost effectively in local retailers. Specific item listens are linked on my Essential Equipment page on www.blackmagiccraft.ca
X-Acto Knife
(USA) amzn.to/37577Bf
(Canada) amzn.to/39ZNRGX
(UK) amzn.to/39ZODUn
(Germany) amzn.to/2VUv9bp
Olfa Utility Knife
(USA) amzn.to/33TSEpp
(Canada) amzn.to/2VX1f6y
(UK) amzn.to/37PhdoF
(Germany) amzn.to/3n1ZRLS
Scissors
(USA) amzn.to/37PEQO8
(Canada) amzn.to/3m4rthY
(UK) amzn.to/37Lur65
(Germany) amzn.to/37Nw9ns
Carpenter (Framing) Square - 8"x12"
(USA) amzn.to/37IOL84
(Canada) amzn.to/33Ymido
(UK) amzn.to/2IwxB4V
(Germany) amzn.to/2VWtYs9
Metal Ruler (With Metric and Imperial units)
(USA) amzn.to/36WKS06
(Canada) amzn.to/3n3vwfJ
(UK) amzn.to/3m30of0
(Germany) amzn.to/2VUvElN
Cutting Mats
(USA) amzn.to/3gwcmwL
(Canada) amzn.to/2JMJjcc
(UK) amzn.to/3m1LDZS
(Germany) amzn.to/3lUKnIc
Wire Brush
(USA) amzn.to/2JSdaQx
(Canada) amzn.to/3qKwMXI
(UK) amzn.to/3gudSzg
(Germany) amzn.to/3qIMXo8
Mini Hot Glue Guns
(USA) amzn.to/2IAg0cu
(Canada) amzn.to/3m0r8Ni
(UK) amzn.to/3n2TRm7
(Germany) amzn.to/36XN1sr
PVA Glue
(USA) amzn.to/3m1XcAy
(Canada) amzn.to/3m7KyjC
(UK) amzn.to/2JFaSo1
(Germany) amzn.to/2VYaC60
Tacky Glue
(USA) amzn.to/3lZsLuH
(Canada) amzn.to/37MNCwm
(UK) amzn.to/33VbkFo
(Germany) amzn.to/2VUoZZ5
Matte Mod Podge
(USA) amzn.to/2JOlUau
(Canada) amzn.to/2KbxGva
(UK) amzn.to/2VWsmP7
(Germany) amzn.to/2VYXZHY
Acrylic Craft Paint
(USA) amzn.to/3n2gHu5
(Canada) amzn.to/2IwwG4t
(UK) amzn.to/39YSqBk
(Germany) amzn.to/3gCf1oM
Bulk Craft Brushes
(USA) amzn.to/3lYdMkF
(Canada) amzn.to/2VZzZEm
(UK) amzn.to/370xzMd
(Germany) amzn.to/371X2Vi
Medium Weight Chipboard
(USA) amzn.to/3lUFKhi
(Canada) amzn.to/3lYRkI3
(UK) amzn.to/2K4HYNY
(Germany) amzn.to/3n7DTas
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
I know of the set you are referencing. Thank you for pointing out the lack of value in that box.
I literally go to the thrift store in the U.S. called Goodwill and you can find that Apple barrel craft paint ( most of the time unopened but in random colors) for like $.35 sometimes $.50 but it's always a deal!! Also all kinds of crafting materials! Seriously no joke! Plaster of paris, all kinds of glues (mod podge, etc.), paint of all kinds, paper of all kind like construction paper, chip board, styrene, and more! I've even found flocking and stuff that was woodland scenics brand for model train dioramas... Plenty of bits and bobs.... It's like a treasure trove of awesomeness for a terrain builder!!!!
i got one of those carpenters squares at my dollar tree in canada. its pretty sturdy/chunky
dollar tree (in Canada) sells metal squares for $1.25
Great informative video for beginners and really all levels of crafters, thank you for keeping it real and simple sir, it is much appreciated
Alternate Title: "Man Waves Knives At Camera For Good Cause"
And now a word from our sponsor: band aids, for when you cut your finger waiving knives at camera.
I’m currently wearing one from our sponsor. Thanks band aid!
And burn goo for steaming fingertips after using glue gun.
@@ImeldaFagin Getting to the point where you can happily wipe away excess hot glue with your fingers is a rite of passage in the hobby.
@@-Benedict I no longer have fingerprints. Maybe that’s a good thing.
You forgot the most important element: SPACE to store your creations
This is what I lack, i'll literally need to remove things from my pile of shame just to be able to get more minis, much less terrain, I envy those huge shelves and space!
@@jherazob Canada's a big place, j.
Lol I just stoped by a local game shop today and dropped off a couple pieces of terrain to make room they love me lol
I have a cunning plan:
Use XPS to build a TARDIS...
@@willmfrank post a tutorial afterwards!
Cop: What are you doing in there?
Me: (crawling out of the recycling bin) I'm getting started!
LOL!
Furniture store recycling bins are a great to get large sheets of cardboard.
So wholesome, so useful, so SAVAGE
hard dab on *****
Man you are NOT kidding. I'm glad someone finally had the gull to call *ahem* this company out on this and that's coming from someone who really like's their products. This is just tone deaf and a blatant money grab.
@@Sitrane I also like many of their products and don’t have any issue with them in general. But this one is a hard NO from me.
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial I felt the exact same way as soon as I saw it. The idea is admirable and I understand what they are trying to do but the items included, at the price point they are asking is crazy. I hope they take a really hard look and adjust their pricing considerably or adjust the content included.
@@Sitrane what company is selling this set out of curiosity?
The scraps section of your local DIY store deserves a honorable mention.
And cereal boxes. Can't talk about building scenery without mentioning cereal boxes.
Oat packets according to Bard's craft. LOL
Most of us start on cereal boxes but then move on pretty quickly to other materials as the thin cardboard warps too easily.
Hot glue, mod podge and cheap craft paints. You've taught me well over the years.
Made my dnd games one for the history books. Makes my warhammer games have style.
Youre the man BMC
I would have never started crafting stuff unless I saw channels like this on the Tabletop Crafter's Guild. If I saw some $99 set in a store I would have just assumed that I couldn't afford the hobby.
Out of sheer economic necessity I started practising a technique that I call "Zero-Budget Crafting."
Most folks will have crafting odds n ends just lying around the house: old box cutter knives, children’s bristle paint brushes, school glue, and more besides. Surprising what can be repurposed!
Not enough comments of appreciation for the work put into making the list of amazon links for each material presented in the vid in FOUR countries across the globe. You have a wonderful Christmas alongside your family Jeremy. May we all be back healthy and relaxed after the Holiday season. We will surely be here waiting for you!!!
That took almost as long as editing the video 😂
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial i have added this video to my favorites, and that amazon list for reference is a big reason for that (appreciation from the UK)
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial yeah man, my hat off to you. That's a lot of value you're adding to the community.
I have most of that stuff at my house! Maybe I should start making terrain... 🤔
Hell yeah!
Correct!
You should!
Do it!
I will be the fifth yes.
I totally recommend getting one of those cheap nail care kit from like the dollar store :D They usually come with like a nail clipper, tweezer, paper/metal files, & nail scissor. Nail clippers/Nail scissors is a decent flush cutters on a pinch & Nail files is great for sanding small area. Is a great cheap set of tools to cut/sand small detail works. Toothpick and Qtips is also useful to have around the desk :D Hope this is useful to someone :D
I often recommend those same kits for polymer clay work - especially if craft wire armatures are involved.
You can often find higher end nail care kits in carboot sales, typically made in the 1960s or earlier. They sell for peanuts.
Toothpicks or sewing pins are also a really good thing to have on hand. Lets you pin pieces together while glue dries. For tooth picks, these can be used as spikes or even rudimentary fencing, while flat-top sewing pins can be used as rivets for industrial work. Both are also super cheap to buy in bulk, usually for a dollar or two.
I was just searching the comments to see if someone else mentioned this. I use them so much.
Love this. And for bigger diameters, a bag of bamboo skewers from the grocery store is cheap and works well too.
Sometimes a 'back to basics' is exactly what you need. Thanks Jeremy, this will help more people get into this fun hobby. Keep up the good work!
A cheap nail file was/is handy for me.
Emery Boards! A packets of 20 or so (depending on the brand) can be had at Dollarama or Dollar Tree.
Just came back from Dollarama; got a packet of 36 for $1.25
Emery boards work good get em at the dollar store.
Having watched your videos from near the beginning, I have already heard you talk about this very topic so many times, I almost did not click on the vid this time. But I am glad I did. Your purpose for this video was spot on and I am glad you did it and hope it will allow folks thinking about starting to realize it does not have to be so daunting a task to get started in. As always your gift is making it all easy to grasp and less intimidating to try. And THAT is eventually why I went ahead and watched the video even though I was pretty sure there was not much new info for me in it. Learning how to break down the hobby and make it accessible is always worth learning and for this old crafter, you always teach me things for doing that. Thank you sir and have a wonderful Christmas/New Year holiday time. See you in the new year, my friend.
A shop called "The Works" in the UK for Basic Supplies is a good place to start.
Definitely. Love the acrylics from there. And the packs of cheap brushes, which aren't rubbish, either. 'The Range' is good for stuff like that, too.
We have good old Proper job down our way as well.
I use their crafts paints for all my terrain.
You don’t need much too start AND nearly everything can be used.
If i’d love this hobby even more i’d marry it !
Dark Matter Workshop You have already put sex paint on rocks you wanted to have in your terrain.
At this point you are just delusional.
@@michimatsch5862 out of all the tools & materials in my vids. The sexpaint is the one you remembered.....interesting....😉
For XPS foam, as you mentioned, it can be difficult and/or expensive to find and purchase in some parts of the world. After moving to Norway, where prices can be ludicrous, I searched on a website for classified ads, and I found a couple "companies" who sold unused construction materials, and bought a cubic meter of XPS for the equivalent of 50 USD (including home delivery), in boards of various thicknesses. My point is to look for this kind of deals either online or by asking around. Some construction material stores sometimes (although rarely) discount damaged boards, so it can be worth asking.
A nice addition to the metal square is a rectangular block magnet to use as a handle. Really helps to hold it in place and easily move it around.
I have been avoiding making terrain (started a couple months ago with mini painting), but this video took a lot of the anxiety out. Thanks for showing how crafting can be affordable and accessible for us, and I'm more excited to try terrain than ever!
I'm obsessed with Aleens tacky glue since I first tried it a few months ago. Great List!
Eric speaks the truth - tacky glue is the bomb (as long as your project can wait the 'setting' time)
Aleene's is great. I assemble a LOT of mdf terrain, and it makes a super strong bond on that as well.
It’s been a while since I bought it, but you can get huge packs of chip board from comic shops sold as backs for bagging and boarding comics. If memory serves it was cheap and since your local I got mine at Galaxy Comics.
You can also get it at your local retail pharmacies if you ask them to hold on to it for you when they get new signage. The backs of full-size note pads are also handy.
Tacky glue can be replicated by letting Elmer's glue sit in the open for a while. The water will evaporate and make it thicker. Just don't let it out too long or it will harden. Sometimes it formes a skin on top, this can be pealed away and has bonus satisfying points 😋 it's nice for trying it out or if you're in a pinch but eventually you will want a bottle because it's more convenient.
no dollar tree here in quebec unfortunately...but to my surprise, my local dedicated craft and hobby store stocks Readi Board and i was ecstatic to see the box sitting next to the cash register!
There's Elmer's foamcore in Dollaramas in Quebec which is also easy peal. The foam is a bit less nice than Readyboard but still works nice. Good crafting to my my fellow Fleur de Lys crafters. 😘💙
@@juliehamel8330 thanks for the heads up! if im ever at the dollarama i'll take a look. i picked up a decent stash from the hobby store last time so i'm set for now! gotta support the little guys as well!
I ended up getting just a regular Al ruler with a cork back for 1.50 USD, and it's a life saver. Because of the cork back, you just have to apply light pressure and it won't move at all, and it makes making straight cuts so much easier.
XPS foam hack (sort of) . . . These big box stores that sell 4x8 sheets of foam get them shipped in a large "bunk" of sheets. These bunks are stacked on top of "stackers" that are also made of xps foam, and are typically 4 inches x 2 inches x 4ft and are THROWN AWAY when the stack is empty. If you make nice with the employees you can get these for free if available when they're stocking or cleaning up. Great source of free material if you think outside the box while in the big box. lol
I've been able to ask local photography or frame shops for the matboard they would otherwise throw away, cut from the inside of mats they prepare for display. Sometimes they save those bits for local school art teachers, but sometimes they have some I can just come and take for free. The color and sometimes odd shapes don't matter, since I'm going to be mangling them for my own use, either in terrain/scenery or in board game designs that I make.
Another budget tip- if you want to make molds of things, but don't want to buy or make a bunch of silicone molds, get yourself some modelng clay; the oil-based kind that doesn't dry, like Plasticine.
You can mold small objects like rocks, fill with Plaster of Paris, and reuse the clay for your next project.
You need an advertising deal with mod podge.....
And Dollarama.
Great list and great video! As a new crafter, I can confirm, this is ALL you need to get started in this hobby. But, here is one more item that I find very useful. It is a cheap pair of wire cutters. These are very useful for cutting things easier than with scissors, or things you simply can't cut with scissors, such as popsicle sticks, plastic bits, and much more. The ones included in needle-nose pliers are cheap and work just fine.
I found a PVA brand called Jot at Dollartree here in Ontario. I find it works really, really well and it is dirt cheep as an inexpensive option.
I can get tacky glue at dollar tree.
Oh Man, so true! My kit barely takes up two 16 quart storage tubs. The rest of my work space is overrun with materials, a pile of shame and work space. I have a hand held hot wire cutter too but rarely use it.
I have a hand-held wire cutter I got from Michael's about a lifetime ago that runs on 2 D-cell batteries. It cuts great, and I have yet to have to replace the first wire.
I recently go the Proxxon contour cutter and the transformer, and it is good, but the thicker wire needed to make contours means the heat is lower so the cuts are slower, or if I turn it up enough to get faster cuts, it's easy to lose the bent contour. I've only used it for about 40 minutes since I got it.
I've been crafting since the pandemic started, after I found your channel. You and Dungeon Craft have helped me find a great additional hobby to D&D and improved my games immensely.
I know Apple Barrel is cheap stuff but I kind of prefer it because it's thinner and easier to work with vs the more expensive craft paints.
I am not a gamer, but I love watching your videos for all the little tips and tricks that I can use in my miniature making! I have found that Dollarama (at least here on the east coast) has a really nice crafts section...my favourite find recently was large bottles of tacky glue which is way cheaper than the name-brand stuff!
One thing your list is missing....toothpicks! These are great for applying glue, stirring paints, etc etc etc
My UK peeps - Aileens glue is freaking expensive over here, but I can highly recommend Gorilla Wood Glue as an alternative.
EDIT - okay, just double checked the price on Aileens glue, and it's not so bad right now. A few months ago it was going for £25+ just for one bottle.
Earlier I watched different crafters open different parts of the box and I remember thinking... yo.. I can get all those things way cheaper...
The Dollarama here in Ottawa carries the small and medium sized cutting mats in pink. And they’re very inexpensive. I have two. One for cutting and the other when I paint so that if I need to cut something off a model I don’t fret about the work surface. And after a while it’s easy to know which is which. Paint blobs :-).
Dollarama is amazing.
Starting off with disclaimer. I now rarely reply now because my words come off as insultive or derogatory when I don't mean to. My brain just makes me to say things exact without considering possible interpretations.
I absolutely love the idea about telling people how to be able to enjoy their hobby/craft/whatever in the cheapest way possible. That's what I try to do and promote to others.
With that said I'll jump on the purpose of making this post.
The purpose of the kits you are bashings, intentional bashing or not, is to help people getting into the hobby. Of course it is also to get whatever company to make money.
As much as we may hate these "starter kits" they actually help us. These "starter kits" give people an easy option to get started into a hobby. It makes it appear easy and quick to get started. Once they get started and actually start looking then they can think of ways to do it cheaper or better.
Look at your own video here. The current screen I am seeing shows about 15 paints from different companies and you mentioned about a dozen different products from about the same number of different places.
To me and you, and anyone else that does hobbies, it makes sense. To someone who has never done it, or still new, it probably seems like a lot of work. We may see all that work as worth it. Someone just starting out may think the reward isn't worth all the work and dedication.
The whole idea is kinda like a double edge sword. Some people seeing the starter kits won't get started due to the cost. Those that don't want to spend that much won't get started due to the work to do it cheaply. It's almost like there are only 2 choices to do the hobby.
I think a better route in getting people involved is walking in the middle ground. Let them know they can buy or work a quicker route to their goals.
I'm not trying to bash your video so please don't think that. BUT, I will say that this is one of my least favorite that you have done.
I 100% support any and all videos you have, or will make, to show people they can do the hobby cheaply. I'm just not a fan of bashing anything that can get someone into the hobby.
I guess I'm saying that you could have done this video a little different.
I disagree.
I find having a bag of popsicle sticks is so damn useful, being able to scrape, splodge, gouge, apply paste, glue, basing stuff, all sorts of things with them, they can also be hobby materials, but as a quick easy tool, they are indespensable.
Your videos are the best, I love getting time to sit down and watch your magic. It's inspirational and just great to enjoy and watch, thank you.
You can also carve and sand them, to shape them into custom sculpting tools.
I teach Music and a few other things, I always say you dont need to buy the most expensive, just the best for you, A photographer said to me when I started the best gear is the gear you have. I love that you tell it as it is, you don't need "Boutique gear" to Make. Epic as always Sir. Kepp up the good work.
The best gear, is the gear you can make full use of, to your best advantage.
this video is exactly what I needed, oh my gosh 😭 I'm super excited to get into miniature/model building but hugely daunted in terms of what i'd need to get started, and this really helped me narrow it down to the most important things. thank you so much! subscribed and I can't wait to go and watch more of your videos!
This has got to be the most informative video I've seen on this topic. I've been wanting to get into diorama creation for a while now but it seemed so intimidating. This video does a great job of making the information digestible. Thanks!
Perfection. It's also so much easier to store a smaller amount of smaller tools when a lack of living space is a consideration. Just because you've got a tiny apartment or are limited to a single room doesn't mean you can't build awesome stuff. Just chuck it into a storage tote, and use the storage tote as a tiny desk.
I couldn't agree more my friend! I have watched this channel for quite some time and to be honest you are responsible for getting me back into terrain building. No you don't need all the NAME brand expensive hobby items out there to get started or even to stay in it. Hell I find myself in the local Dollar Tree at least once a week and my hobby room looks like a hoarder lives in it, but I find new and crazy things all the time. I have even caught myself looking at stuff me or my family are about to throw away and I think " I could turn this into such and such." and keep it! I also would like to thank you and Goobertown or as I like to call him the Bob Ross of mini painting and Miniac and so many others for inspiring!!
I've been building terrain for 30 years and yeah, I can't think of anything beyond these that is essential. Fantastic list.
Popsicle sticks are also great imo. I know it often doesn't look like in-scale wood, but if you don't care much about that you can make a lot of good looking stuff out of it
Wooden coffee stirrers are also good; like popsicle sticks, but smaller and thinner.
I agree with you!! I make a lot of models and most of my stuff i make from materials from the dollar stores and every once in a while I buy a little bit better quality materials depending on the build. Also from stuff all around my house like boxes, plastic cups utensils...etc. thank you for this video!!
I WISH I had known all this years ago. I don't want to think about how many brushes I've demolished. I started will Apple Barrel paint, and it's still my go-to paint, even for miniatures. I have found for some colors that are hard to find or that I use a lot of, like Apple Barrel Territorial Beige, I take my 2 oz. bottle over to Walmart's paint department, and have them mix a pint of cheap paint to match for about 6.00.
By the way, you can buy 5 2oz bottles of Apple Barrel for the same price as the larger 4 oz bottle. You get 2 extra ounces of paint for the same price that way.
This is why I subscribed to your channel: making crafting accessable. Thanks for your continuous contributions to the hobby. Happy holidays!
I am retired and am not very crafty, but for some reason, I decided to get into some art and crafts. I sure wish I would've seen this prior to buying so much. I have purchased all the things you talked about (except for the square) and I could cry right now because of the waste I will have as this is "just something to do" for me. You have a very appealing video personality. I ran across some people in videos who talk fast and skip over things I would like to know or see. I'm wondering how I can go back to look at some of your first videos. I think I will be better off following one person rather than so many. Thank you for this. It's perfect for beginners.
Hey man, I know this vid is 2 years old, but I'm just getting into the hobby of painting miniatures, and wanted to branch into terrain, and had a rough idea of some things I would need, but wasnt 100% until I discovered your channel, and just wanted to express my thanks to you. I was pretty much able to get everything you mentioned at Michaels in one go. I also work for a sign shop, so I have access to all sorts of nifty materials. (Foamcore, cardstock, Sintra board, aluminum composite, luan plywood, and plexiglass.)
Anyway, again, thanks for everything you do, man!
Thanks man. Bit daunting to collect "all the stuff" I thought I needed, watching this video I realized between my wife and I, we already own 80% of this stuff. This is super helpful.
An absolute quality video. So helpful to so so many people. I cant stand company's that try to take advantage of people who are ignorant to the ins and outs of hobbies. Thank you for taking the time to create this, I'll be sure to share!
When i started a few years back, your basics playlist made this hobby easy to buy for, but now all new hobbyist have 1 vid for all. This is an incredible resource and you are the man for putting this all together.
These may be a bit advanced, but I can't recommend getting a razor saw and some very fine grit sandpaper for the xps foam. I've largely steered clear of making terrain because I kept getting awful cuts in the pink foam with regular box cutters, but when I tried out the razor saw, brother it was like some sort of dark magic. No horrid squeaks, and while it left a rough surface, there wasn't any large chunks that cracked out from said surface. I also found out that 400 grit sand paper will smooth it out fairly well and fairly quickly. So glad I tried em out.
Another great, and candid, message for the crafting masses. Thank you for taking the time to double-down on this message to those of us getting started ... or those of us that might be wandering around for ideas to gift to that crafter in the family.
This wasn't the video that we deserve. This is the video that we need!
To this day I'm still thankful for you mentioning that particular brand of makeup brush at Dollarama. They've been rather useful tools over the past while, to say the least. I especially like how you mention that even just a small cutting mat is good enough for starting out. While I don't use it for cutting anymore due to it being too small for my projects these days, I still own my original cutting mat - I put it under whatever greenstuff/apoxie sculpt thing I'm working on with a layer of wax paper over that so I can keep most of the mess off of my assembly desk.
I've seen some whack products people are pushing as hobby starter sets. You nailed it with this, I started with essentially the exact same stuff. I love the blatant honesty that comes across with this no bs video.
Enjoy your break! You deserve it. I hope you and yours have a happy holiday and stay safe!
Its been about a year of watching you and thanks to your videos I have started crafting and made my own channel. JarodMakes. Thank you so much for showing me something I had that was buried deep down within me. I have painted more in 2020 than I have in my previous 33 years.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday and a great new year.
New sub here . After a 12 year hiatus I’m back into painting thanks to my son becoming interested . A lot has changed it seems but a lot is also the same I see. Look forward to watching this channel
Cutting board is a good idea. I used my family's handcrafted 1627 baroque antique art table, passed down through our family for generations. I was to be count or baron through marriage, now I'm disowned living in exile in Romania. When my mom saw the thousands of cutmarks over the carved table's art depiction of the last supper handmade by an esteemed artist from Florence, Italy. She had a heart attack, but used her last piece of willpower to tell me I'm dead to her, kicking me out of the mansion into the cold snow. Life's been a quest ever since.
TL;DR Use a cutting board don't ruin your table at home with knife cuts, paint and glue.
Successfully mentioning imperial and metric with advantages on both sides and not one bad comment on it? I'm amazed i expected people to lose there minds like they normally do xD
Well done great video keep it up Jeremy
Great video. Nice that you’re watching out for the newbies and the general community.
And this is why I watch this channel.
Thanks!
Only thing I'd really add is for people who really are new to the crafting: Bandages. Band-aids, or whatever. Until you're really used to handling a blade, it will sometimes demand a blood sacrifice.
Great stuff! We dont have the easy-peal foamcore board here in Australia, but i've found spraying the paper with methylated spirits and letting it soak in for a few minutes lets it peal off real easy.
I'm getting into tabletop war gaming. I want to build some terrain. This was really helpful.
I've watched your videos for a while now and you're the reason I had the knowledge and belief to build my own tiles for my d&d group and I love the hobby. I'm about to build a ship for the current campaign (biggest build so far) and its all thanks your videos, cheers. Hope you have a great holiday.
Hey... Maybe *you* should make a box of all of this stuff, sold at a very slight upcharge so we can support you while getting into your craft!
Two thing I would add, one is optional at first, but the 2nd should be started ASAP.
1: Dedicated space, a desk, table, corner, etc. where you can leave projects and supplies. While not required to start, as you can setup anywhere, a place to leave something to dry, or if your stuck just sit and let you thing about is a must.
2: A simple box, placed somewhere you can get at it, it need not be fancy, a cardboard box will work fine.. this Box is to place odd pieces that might just come in handy. Packing inserts, odd bits of materials, etc. Keep this box out and available so you can add to it anytime you find something 'neat'. Having to dig this out of a closet, will most likely mean you bin something rather than save it.
Just my thoughts, after more than a few years making stuff for Wargaming, RPGs, Scale trains, and just plain models
And a roommate who will not call it "hoarding". * sigh *
Thank you for making this video! I think a lot of people wanting to get into this hobby (myself included) feel intimidated by all the “necessary” stuff but this video will hopefully make it easier for a lot of people to find a good starting point and jump in! 🌈⭐️🙌
Now I want to check out that box.
For those of you who are not seeing savvy, your sewing chain nearby will give 40% off coupons if you sign up for emails. Filter those emails until you get that coupon and use that to get a nice cutting mat. Or scissors. Or xacto blade.
fight the powers, punk rock diy, screw the man, ask framing shops for foamcore offcuts, steal styrofoam from construction sites,...
Edit to add; This is a valuable video. Packages like the one you mention can make new people think "man, terrain making is too expensive to get into." The beauty is most of the tools and materials are cheap, or left overs from other products, or straight up garbage from other industries.
Ehem. Ask construction sites if you can have their cutoffs. Stealing is bad, and the time you spend in court is time you can't be crafting.
Welcome to Black Mod Podge Craft!
Excellent segment, gives folks permission to start crafting without a heavier investment in tools.
Sandpaper?
$🌳 has nice cutting mats but they're a little small (9x7 inches) they also have disposable cutting mats in the kitchen section, these are 11x14 inches but very thin, flexible plastic. These work great for protecting your work surface from paint, glue and stuff, you can cut on them but they aren't meant for heavy cutting use, they're meant to be disposable but resin, glue and paint comes right off. You can also cut these mats easily with sciccors or an exacto type knife, I've used them to make stencils and to give structure to builds. I highly recommend them. Also, $🌳 has these packs of small containers that work great for storing custom paint colors that you mixed for a job, the lids fit really tight so your paint doesn't dry out.
Have a great holiday with family & friends, see ya next year!
Advice like this is truly gold for newbies, thank you! There are little to no barriers left intact to prevent anyone from starting up. And yeah, a starter kit full of crap can work against a newbie whose skills already aren't where they want them to be, so expecting something "magical" from a starter kit can be a psyche trick that makes newbies leave the hobby before they get over the hard part - making the mistakes we need to learn from. I'm yet to try any of this out (moving, meaning I get a workshop soon! I don't even have a desk right now). This video dropped into my lap at EXACTLY the right time. Thank you universe. And thank you, Black Magic Craft, for this invaluable advice, so generously offered for free. Subscribed!
Mad respect for including four different links for different countries
Can't go wrong with a good Sharpie marker for laying out your cuts. And it will ever so slightly divot the foam so it's good for free-handing some subtle stacked stone texture.
Always great to refresh your basics. It's a good reminder that anyone can start this hobby with less than $20 of supplies.
I think the only things that could be added to your list, are masks, protective eyewear, latex gloves, baking soda, and fingernail polish remover. Masks and eyewear if you decide to go the rattle can route for priming, but gloves are infinitely useful if you're clumsy with glue like I am. Gloves will basically ensure that you won't get stuck to your things while you're gluing. Baking soda and a bit of PVA glue makes great looking mounds on terrain if you're trying to create uneven terrain like snow or sand, and fingernail polish is great for removing paint from metal things.
Thanks for the better kit, Jeremy!
Ever since I started dungeon crafting, I was making a variety of dungeon tiles with basically what you demonstrated with. I have now three sets of dungeon tiles (grey stone, sandstone, jungle).
My structures do need work, but with your instruction and inspiration, I am making some progress. Even when I added 3d printing to my repertoire, I still hold onto the foam tiles as my more frequently used terrain.
Keep up the good work!!
BTW, have you ever tried making "your" Black mod podge by using black ink as opposed to black paint? Weirdly, I get slightly better results with it and I don't sacrifice black paint as often.
Excellent video.
Id add that folk art metallics and color change are a great investment too. Solid paint for the price.
Thanks for this. your tips are always amazing. I started in the hobby (mostly painting minis) by following your how to guides.
If your having a hard time getting the black or white paper off the Dollar Tree foam board. Rather than using a hot air gun and risk burning the foam should it gets to hot. Xps foam releases a toxic fume if burned, so I never use the hot air gun for I have burned it before. So I use just a pot of water or even a tea kettle on the stove and use the steam to remove the paper from the foam.
Also you can use the styrofoam cups you get from fast food places you bring home, if you need something than foam board without having to cut it down thinner. I made a fireplace resembling the round double sided fireplace from one of the towns in the video game Skyrim. I used a toilet paper roll tube, cut it to the height I needed, then using the thinner styrofoam cup from BurgerKing or KFC. I lined both the inside and outside of the toilet paper tube, rather than using the thicker xps insulation foam and I trimmed it to the height of the tube after I glued one piece at a time. Then using a ball point pen I made the lines for the stone work using the actual image of the fireplace from the game to match it all up.
Then rather making a very large base for it to sit on to cover my tea light. I used the bottom of my styrofoam cup to make the stone base just like the one in the game. And I noticed how the fireplace in the game had a round angled chimney above it before it came to the stone round chimney pipe sitting atop a round stone mantel.
Thats where I realized I could put my dollar store tea light on hidden inside the cone shape. So I made the round stone mantel from a larger styrofoam cup bottom and drilled a hole in the middle for the light bulb. Then I took a simple cereal box and cut it in a large circle to make my cone shape chimney to cover the tea light. Once I got the cone shape just right and glued it together using small clamps or clothespins to hold it in place for glue to dry. I cut the top off the cone once I covered it in mod podge to give it strength, I only covered the outside of the cone with some more of the thinner foam from my styrofoam cup. And I carved the stone to look just like the one from the game.
Now your probably wondering why I cut off the top of the cone to reveal the tea light inside and leave the cone it was. Will I decided to also make the round stone chimney pipe on top. To make this I could use either the thicker xps insulation or the thinner foam board from dollar tree and glue multiple layers together for the height or thickness I needed, which in hind sight probably wouldve been better or easier. But at the time I was on a very tight budget being unemployed at the time so I used what I had on hand.
Instead I used some of that thick bubble molded packing foam you get in a box when you buy items. The first time I tried to cut it, I thought hey Ive got some hole saws I could use and I even have one thats the right size for cutting it the right round shape. Big mistake when I tried to cut it using my hole saw I did it both with my power drill and by hand, and it just made a mess every where for the small foam beads just tore all over the place making it look very rough and jagged. Sure I probably couldve spent more time covering it in clay or drywall putty, but why do that. So I scrapped those pieces and instead used the same hole saw to trace around in a couple of thicker spots on the packing foam, and used my box knife to cut them out.
Once I had them all cut out, I glued them with pva glue and rubber bands to keep them together to dry. Afterwards I used my ball point pen to carve the stone, which didnt turn out so hot some of the beads popped off making it rough looking rather than smooth like stone would be from a quarry. So I just covered it in mod podge and then glued it to the fold over section on the top of the cone and painted all the pieces with my mod podge black paint mix and the usual stone color look. Im not to fond of the round smoke stack of the beaded foam, so I might just cut it off , use what I have on hand and glue a bunch of the foam board together I need for the thickness of the stone pipe. And recarve the stone, etc to match the color of the stone best I can and replace the old round stone top.
This channel is just the best. Top notch advice. Thanks man.
This is more like: Black Magic Craft's Ultimate List of Supplies to Get Started. Fantastic really! Covers all the basics to easily make terrain. On another note, I mean you could just start crafting with cardboard, a hobby knife, and a little paint.
Nice response video, and appreciate your message here. You've always been a voice of reason in the World of Fancy & Expensive Crafting Items.
Now this is quite a speach. AWESOME video! Christmas time is approaching, Jeremy... I need you to know that I will spend a lot of time on your channel, with some good Italian food and drinks... You will be somehow part of the family! Happy Christmas time, bro, and have a great time with your family... Ciao da questo pazzo Italiano! 😉
It doesn't have to be X-actoly this knife brand. Great video I already have some people asking about simple things they need to get started. I'm going to send them this. Thank you.
Great list! I'm sure it'll be recommended to beginning crafters for years!
One small upgrade I'd suggest is a proper cutting ruler. They have a much thicker edge to help your knife slide along. They also have rubber on the bottom that keeps your material/ruler from sliding around when cutting. I can't believe how much better it is than a standard metal ruler. Mine even has a flip up finger guard to protect your fingers if the knife slips.
Now Im interested in seeing this box Jeremy is talking about.
Yeah, me too.
Yeah, I’m curious
I think I know exactly what he's talking about because when I saw it, I had a similar reaction. I won't link to it or call it out, either. It is just as Jeremy said. : ]
Army Painter Dungeon Terrain Building Kit
@@crumbsboi thank you. The smugness was getting on my nerves. I appreciate the list of useful materials but id like to know who’s trying to upcharge me.
You can get those exact knock-off Xacto knives at the Dollar General in the states FYI
Also at the Dollar stores near here you can get little bottles of mod podge, tacky glue and other stuff.
@@Blandco and acrylic craft paints
Black Magic Craft, I found your channel a while back and I love it. I recently found the channel Dungeon Craft hosted by Professor Dungeon Master and in one of his videos, Dungeon Design: Caves of Carnage 2: The Orc Lair! (EP. 68), he was recommending your channel. I didn't know if you were aware of the shout out. You both have great content and if your other viewers are anything like me where D&D is concerned, and I suspect they are, I think they would also love his channel.
If you put some 3M hooks on your metal ruler, you can hold them safely and keep your fingers away from blades, I do it with my acrylic rulers too 🤗
Bmc I just wanted to let you know that your videos were what got me interested in this hobby 3 years ago. Just last week I got my proxxon because if you and I just wanted to say thank you for changing my life 😅