About

"Bad News Travels Fast"

The Labor in Vain (TLV) is a production company located in Chicago, Illinois.

This is the hobby/games blog for The Labor in Vain. It is maintained and developed by its primary contributor, Timothy O'Connell.

All content published on this website, to include text, photos, video and other media are the property of The Labor in Vain and may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without consent.

Miniatures Painting

One of the main topics of this hobby blog is miniatures painting. Here are a few things to keep in mind about the painting posts on this blog:
  1. This is not a "pro painter" blog. There are lots of great resources for that sort of thing. Conversely, there are not a lot of  blogs for "tabletop quality" painting, which is what I blog about here.
  2. When I say "tabletop quality", I am talking about miniatures that:
    • use simplistic three- or four-color scheme (including shades, inks, highlights, etc.)
    • rely on basic techniques (such as dry-brushing, shading, etc.) to look good at a distance
    • do not use custom bases or feature complete detailing (e.g. eyes with irises and pupils, etc.)
    • look pretty good at a distance of about two or three feet, but aren't going to win any awards or live in anyone's display cabinet.