How to paint delightful miniatures

Garden scene being painted in miniature

The origin of miniature painting stretches far back to the medieval age, when miniature artists painted exquisite portraits in watercolour on vellum and ivory. They used fine detail and painting techniques such as stippling and hatching to create layers of colour, in paintings measuring no larger than 6 x 4.5 inches.

Many miniature artists today are still painting in the traditional way, but now miniatures can be of any subject and in a variety of mediums – oil, watercolours and acrylics, to name but a few. Vellum is still chosen as a painting surface, but now more artists are choosing to use newer products such as ivorine, polymin, smooth card or paper, or board.

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Alison Griffin
Alison’s love of working in great detail lead her towards painting miniatures. She is a member of the RMS, has won many prestigious awards and teaches miniature art classes at her Maidstone studio.