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The Workshop
Join master painter Marian Hodas for a two day workshop focused on Analogous Painting and Ambient Lighting. Throughout the weekend you will explore how to create powerful atmosphere, coherent mood and visually striking lighting on a bust using controlled color families and thoughtful placement of light. You will learn how analogous color schemes, volume interpretation and subtle transitions work together to elevate a miniature and give it emotional weight.
Marian will guide you through his complete painting approach, demonstrating the tools, materials and techniques he relies on when building ambience in his award winning pieces. You will study how to define a light source, how to strengthen mood through color temperature, and how to use contrast, hue shifts and value control to direct the viewer’s attention. The workshop emphasizes exploration over rigidity, encouraging you to experiment with color decisions, test new ideas and push your creative development without pressure.
All required materials for the weekend are included, such as the Wave Minis bust mounted on a wooden plinth and a practice sword for NMM exercises. As you work on your own bust, Marian will help you identify the light narrative, refine your analogous palette and understand how atmosphere can transform even a simple composition. Whether you aim for subtle mood or dramatic illumination, Marian will provide personal guidance tailored to your goals.
On Sunday, as your piece approaches the final stages, Marian will spend dedicated time with each participant to discuss how to refine your ambient lighting, how to continue developing texture and contrast at home, and how to carry the workshop techniques into your future projects.
In addition to the two days of focused instruction, there will be a casual dinner on the evening of the 27th, where participants can bring their models for early feedback (limited to 1 model per person for full feedback). This pre-workshop session offers a unique opportunity to understand how Marian evaluates light, atmosphere and color coherence, and to gain insight into the artistic choices that shape his work.
By the end of the weekend you will leave with a bust well on its way to completion, a solid understanding of analogous color use and ambient lighting principles, and a set of practical tools you can apply to all your future miniature painting projects.
Note: By attending our workshop you adhere to Helvetian Brushes’s Code of Conduct
Hi, I’m Marian Hodas. I come from Slovakia and I’ve been painting miniatures for over twenty years. Painting is still my passion after all these years. I have earned recognition in the community, including a Golden Demon. The Golden Demon Compendium
My work spans a broad range of scales and styles — from standard scale figures to larger-scale busts — and from fantasy themes to more realistic or imaginative basing and compositions. I believe in versatility and in telling stories through my pieces.
Alongside friends and collaborators, I’ve co-founded a miniature brand called Wave Minis, with which I aim to share my vision and bring quality miniatures into the hobby.
If you join my workshop, you’ll get to explore my approach: not just technical painting skills, but also how I build atmosphere, mood, composition, and bring a miniature to life with ambient lighting and creative basing. I’m looking forward to painting with you.
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What’s Included
- Bust from Wave Minis on a wooden plinth
- Training sword piece for practicing NMM
- Full theory and step by step demonstration of Marian’s ambient lighting approach
- Guided painting sessions focused on atmosphere, volumes, color decisions and mood creation
- Access to general tools and materials needed during the workshop
- Miniature raffle for all participants
- A free marble effect plinth provided by Helvetian Brushes to thank you for your support. (Picture below)
What You Should Bring
- Hobby lamp and extension cord
- Your preferred brushes for detail and glazing work
- Wet palette and any paints you specifically want to use
- Notebook for taking notes during theory and demos
- Personal tools such as hobby knife, clippers and tweezers
- Any additional practice pieces you may want to test techniques on
Friday Evening Social Event (27th March)
- Casual dinner and meet up with Marian and all attendees
- Model review session where Marian will give initial feedback and discuss approaches to ambient lighting
- Opportunity to ask questions and align expectations before the workshop begins
- Photo studio chance of your models with professional lighting.
Workshop Format
- Two full days dedicated to understanding and painting ambient lighting on a bust
- Exploration of light placement, color harmony and mood in miniature painting
- Demonstration of Marian’s workflow, brush control and decision making
- Hands on guided painting with individual support throughout the sessions
- Focus on developing atmosphere and narrative through lighting
- You leave with a fully painted or nearly completed bust depending on your pace
Marble Effect Plinth (model not included):
