For many in the miniature hobby, the collection of paint pots often grows faster than the collection of miniatures itself. It is a common and frustrating scenario: a hobbyist visits a local store, spots a vibrant shade of blue or a specific metallic tone that seems perfect for an upcoming project, and makes the purchase. Upon returning home and opening their storage cabinet, they realize they already own a nearly identical pot—perhaps even the exact same color—hidden behind a row of other paints.
This is not a failure of memory, but a failure of information management. When a collection reaches dozens or hundreds of pots, relying on mental inventory is unsustainable. This article approaches the problem from a recording and management design perspective, outlining the specific data fields required to build a reliable digital paint library that prevents redundant purchases and ensures you always know what is on your shelf.
The duplicate-purchase problem
The “mental load” of a niche hobby like miniature painting is high. A painter must track assembly progress, custom mixing ratios, and inventory levels simultaneously. Without a structured record, the most common result is organizational inefficiency.
Duplicate purchases occur because most traditional storage methods—such as tiered racks or drawers—prioritize physical access over information visibility. A painter might remember they have “some kind of red,” but cannot recall if it is a flat matte, a glossy highlight, or a specific brand’s formulation. This lack of clarity leads to “just in case” buying at the hobby store, which eventually results in a cluttered workspace and wasted resources. By shifting from physical browsing to a digital “inventory first” mindset, a hobbyist can verify their current stock in seconds, turning a guess into a certainty.
Core paint fields
To build a paint library that actually solves the problem of mismanagement, it is necessary to record specific metadata for every pot. Based on our design research for hobbyist workflows, we have identified five core fields that provide the necessary searchability and filtering capabilities to maintain a clean inventory.
| Field | Required? | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Yes | Identifies the manufacturer (e.g., Citadel, Vallejo, Tamiya). Essential for filtering by line or finding brand-specific equivalents. |
| Color name | Yes | The primary identifier used by the manufacturer (e.g., “Mephiston Red”). This is the most common search term. |
| Color code/hex | No | A digital representation (e.g., #C0392B) that provides a visual reference in list views, aiding in quick color matching. |
| Remaining stock level | Yes | Tracks how much paint is left in the pot. This field is critical for preventing “out-of-stock” mid-painting. |
| Notes | No | A free-text area for custom reminders, such as “needs thinning” or “best for basecoating”. |
By recording these fields, the paint library moves from being a simple list to a functional management tool. For example, a user can search by “Brand” to see all their paints from a specific manufacturer or search by “Color name” to see if they already own a specific highlight shade.
Why a four-level stock indicator beats a numeric count
One of the primary friction points in inventory management is the effort required to update records. In a professional warehouse, items might be tracked by exact weight or volume. However, for a miniature painter, weighing every paint pot after a session is a high-friction task that most will eventually abandon.
When designing the BrushLog stock tracking system, we opted for a four-level indicator model rather than a numeric count or percentage. This model categorizes remaining paint into four distinct stages:
- Full: A new or nearly new pot.
- Half: Used, but with plenty of material remaining for several projects.
- Low: The pot is nearing the end; a replacement should be considered soon.
- Empty: The pot is depleted.
This segmented approach is a realistic way to log paint stock because it only requires a quick visual check of the pot—a “low-friction” action that is easy to sustain. Furthermore, the true value of this data is revealed through filtering. By using a “Low stock” filter, a hobbyist can generate an instant shopping list of all paints marked as “Low” or “Empty” before they head to the hobby store. This prevents the frustration of realizing a critical color is missing only after the painting session has already begun.
Speeding up entry with a preset library
The largest hurdle to starting a digital record is the initial data entry. Manually typing the brand, color name, and hex code for every pot in a hundred-bottle collection is a daunting task. To address this, we integrated a comprehensive preset library into our recording system.
This built-in library covers approximately 5,900 colors across major industry brands, including Citadel, Vallejo, Mr. Hobby, Tamiya, and Gaianotes. Rather than typing every detail, a user can simply select their paint from this preset list. The system then automatically populates the brand name, color name, and the appropriate hex color code.
For paints not found in the preset library, the color code can be set manually. This is handled through either a direct hex-code text input or a visual color-picker dialog, allowing the user to match the digital record to the physical paint as closely as possible. It is important to note that this library is bundled as static data within the app; it does not rely on a live external API, ensuring that the information is always available regardless of your internet connection.
How BrushLog handles this
We developed BrushLog to serve as a dedicated, privacy-focused solution for these inventory and recipe challenges. All data and photos are stored locally on your device, and no account registration is required.
The app implements the record-keeping design discussed above, allowing for easy searching by brand or color name and the ability to manually sort and reorder your paint list to match your physical shelf. BrushLog is available in two tiers:
- Free Tier: Allows you to register up to 20 paints and 5 miniatures. This includes access to the full ~5,900-color preset library, the “Low stock” filtering system, and the ability to link paints to custom recipes.
- Pro Tier (One-time purchase): Removes all limits on the number of paints and miniatures you can record. It also unlocks advanced organizational features like project (army) management and a comparison slider for painting progress.
By centralizing your inventory into a single searchable tool, BrushLog aims to eliminate the “duplicate-purchase” problem and reduce the mental load of managing a growing hobby.
Download BrushLog on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brushlog/id6763442950
Summary
Building a sustainable paint library requires recording key metadata—brand, color name, and stock level—in a way that is easy to search and update. By using a four-level stock indicator and a pre-populated color library, you can transform your paint shelf from a source of clutter into a well-managed information asset.
For more information on choosing the right system for your collection, see our comparison of different recording methods: Notebook, Spreadsheet, or App? How Miniature Painters Should Track Recipes and Progress
This article organizes information from a recording and organizing perspective. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us. Last verified: July 2026
