In the world of miniature painting, the creative process is often seen as a series of artistic choices—which color to use, where to place a highlight, how to layer a shade. However, from an information-design perspective, every painting session is actually a complex data-entry event. Every time a painter mixes two colors on a palette, they are creating a unique data point that is essential for the visual consistency of their collection. The problem is that without a reliable recording system, this data is often lost the moment the palette is cleaned.
The one-time mix that becomes a problem
It is a scenario familiar to anyone who has managed a multi-miniature project: a painter mixes a specific ratio of two paints to hit a very particular highlight or mid-tone for a character’s armor. The result is perfect, and the first miniature is completed. Weeks or even months later, they begin work on a second or third miniature for the same unit and need to reproduce that exact same look.
At this point, the painter faces an organizational crisis. If the mix was never written down, they are forced to rely on memory—a notoriously unreliable tool for color matching. Even a slight deviation in the ratio, such as using “a bit more” of a lighter blue than before, can lead to a noticeable lack of uniformity across the army. This isn’t a failure of painting skill; it is a failure of log-operation design. The “mental load” of trying to remember dozens of different ratios across multiple projects eventually becomes a barrier to hobby sustainability. By treating these custom mixes as repeatable recipes rather than one-off experiments, a hobbyist can focus on the art of painting instead of the frustration of reconstruction.
Core recipe fields
To solve the problem of forgotten mixes, a recording system must capture the specific metadata of a painting session in a structured way. Based on our research into recording-field design, we have identified five core fields that are essential for any recipe record. These fields are designed to bridge the gap between the physical act of painting and the digital need for searchability and retrieval.
| Field | What it captures |
|---|---|
| Title | The name of the recipe (e.g., “Space Marine Blue Armour”, “Verdigris Shade”). Helps in identifying the recipe at a glance. |
| Linked paints | One or more paints pulled directly from your library. Linking ensures that the specific brand and color name are preserved. |
| Mix ratio | Free-text notes for each linked paint (e.g., “2:1”, “a small amount”, “50/50”). Captures the “how much” of the mix. |
| Process notes | Free-text area for the order of operations or specific application instructions (e.g., “Thinned with medium”, “Apply as a glaze”). |
| Sort order | The display order of the recipe within a specific miniature’s record. Ensures the painting sequence is preserved. |
By breaking a recipe down into these fields, the information becomes an asset that can be queried and reused. Instead of a vague memory of “some kind of grey-blue,” the painter has a definitive record of the exact brand and the specific ratio used.
Multiple recipes per miniature
A common misconception in hobby management is that one miniature equals one recipe. In reality, a single miniature is a collection of various surface types and effects, each requiring its own unique approach. From a management standpoint, it is much more effective to allow for multiple recipes to be attached to a single miniature record.
For example, a single figure might have one recipe for the base coat of the armor, another for the skin tones, a third for weathering effects, and a fourth for the base. By layering these records, the painter creates a comprehensive “log template” for that specific model.
Furthermore, the ability to duplicate recipes is a critical feature for maintaining workflow momentum. Often, a new project is simply a variation on a previous one. Perhaps the painter wants to use the same gold recipe but with a different wash, or a similar green but with a sharper highlight. Instead of typing the entire record from scratch, duplicating an existing recipe allows them to make small adjustments while keeping the core information intact. This reduction in “registration friction” is key to helping hobbyists stick with a recording habit over the long term.
Why free-text ratios instead of forcing a fixed format
When designing a recording tool, there is often a temptation to force users into rigid numeric fields—for example, requiring a “1” or a “2” in a box. However, the reality of the hobby is that painters describe ratios in highly inconsistent ways. One person might record “2:1,” another might write “50/50,” and a third might note “a dash of white” or “a small amount.”
We have intentionally designed the mix ratio field as free text to accommodate this natural variability. Forcing a rigid numeric format onto a hobbyist often leads to “awkward data entry,” where the user feels the tool is working against their natural workflow. By allowing free-text ratios, the system remains flexible enough to capture the nuance of a “dash” or a “glaze consistency” while still maintaining the structure of the overall record. The goal is not to change how people describe their mixes, but to provide a stable place to store those descriptions so they aren’t lost to memory.
What happens if a linked paint gets deleted
One of the easiest mistakes to make with any tracking system, digital or on paper, is treating “the paint I own” and “the paint I used” as the same list. They aren’t: a pot gets used up, discontinued, or replaced by a reformulated version, but every recipe that called for it is still true history.
If a painter finishes a pot of a discontinued color and crosses it off their paint list, they still need to know that they used that specific color for a miniature painted three years ago. A sticky note or a spreadsheet row deleted along with the paint would take that history with it — so a robust recording habit keeps “the paint library” and “the recipe history” as two separate records, not one shared entry that vanishes the moment the paint does.
In our design, if a paint linked to a recipe is later deleted from the master library, the recipe still keeps the historical link. Instead of the information silently vanishing, the UI simply reflects that the paint is “deleted” or no longer in stock. This ensures that the recipe remains a complete and accurate historical document. You can still see exactly what you used to achieve that look, even if the physical paint pot is long gone.
How BrushLog handles this
We built BrushLog to specifically address these challenges of recipe and collection management. As a developer-led project, BrushLog is designed around the principles of reducing friction and maximizing data utility. It provides a dedicated environment where you can organize your miniatures and paints without the distractions of a general-purpose notes app or the complexity of a spreadsheet.
In BrushLog, you can create a detailed record for every miniature in your collection. For each miniature, you can attach an unlimited number of recipes, each pulling from a built-in library of approximately 5,900 preset colors across major brands like Citadel and Vallejo. The app follows the schema discussed above:
- Structured Recipes: Title, process notes, and linked paints with free-text mix ratios.
- Workflow Efficiency: Easily duplicate recipes to start new variations or reorder them to match your painting steps.
- Data Integrity: Historical links are preserved even if you remove a paint from your inventory.
BrushLog is a “privacy-first” tool that stores all data locally on your device—no account registration or cloud syncing is required. It is available in two tiers:
- Free Tier: You can register up to 5 miniatures and 20 paints. Importantly, the recipe recording system, multiple recipes per mini, duplication features, and manual time-logging are all available at this level—they are not Pro-gated.
- Pro Tier (One-time purchase): This removes all limits on miniatures and paints. It also adds advanced management features such as Project (Army) management, a Before & After progress slider, and Recipe Image Sharing. (Please note: generating and sharing a recipe card as an image is a Pro-only feature.)
By providing a dedicated space for these records, BrushLog helps you move your hobby data out of your head and into a system that is easy to maintain.
Download BrushLog on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brushlog/id6763442950
Summary
Recording repeatable recipes is essential for maintaining visual consistency and reducing the mental load of a growing miniature collection. By focusing on core fields like linked paints and free-text mix ratios, and by ensuring that historical records are preserved even when inventory changes, painters can build a valuable archive of their work.
For a broader discussion on the best tools for managing your hobby, see our guide: 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
