Exhibition of Miniatures and Tabletop Scenery Agram 2022
Our annual Exhibition of Miniatures and Tabletop Scenery Agram 2022 took place this year from 24.02.-13.03.2022. The setup was done on Wednesday 23.02.2022. in the afternoon. Many club members as well as some friends of the club and members of the local FB group Miniature Painters Croatia came by to help, provided their miniatures and helped with the setting up of the whole event.
We held the grand opening on Thursday, 24.2.2022 starting at 18:00. The Exhibition was organised for our 19th birthday.
As always, the exhibition showed a cross-section of the work of the Association, its members, participants in its courses and workshops and members of the FB group Miniature Painters Croatia. In a large number of showcases, there were numerous miniatures for tabletop wargames, board games, and an entire showcase was dedicated to award-winning exhibits from previous miniaturist competitions. Several showcases were dedicated to the projects that the Association has been implementing for 19 years, such as the Library of UMS "Agram", the Terrain Workshop and the Miniature Painting Workshop.
This year we've had two guest exhibitors. The first one was Winton Afrić with his project Artefact. He displayed some of his wonderful dragons and other monsters.
The other guests were Booknooks Bookwitch. A Zagreb-based duo that makes wonderful booknooks inspired by fiction, displayed three of their creations – a Shire, a Narnia and a Big Bang Theory based booknooks garnished our display of the UMS Agram library.
During the weekend of 26.-27.02. as a part of the Exhibition, we held our 16th annual Black Queen Hobby and Miniature Painting Competition!
In 2022 due to the Covid-19 epidemic, we had some changes in the format of the Black Queen Hobby and Miniature Painting Competition. The contestants had to pre-register for the event via e-mail. They then received the exact time when to register at the event (from 8:30 until 11:00). This was to limit the number of people at the venue at the same time.
Here is a quick run down through categories at this year's event:
1. Single Miniature (any 28-35mm single miniature)
2. Mounted and Large Miniature (mounted or large miniatures in 28-35mm scale)
3. Unit / Squad (unit of 5+ minis (28-35mm), or exceptionally 3+ minis (trolls, ogres etc))
4. Masterclass (our most prestigious category, anything goes as long as it's a single entry. Previous Masterclass winners can not compete in the first three categories.)
5. Diorama / Duel (self explanatory, two or more minis locked in combat or in any other interaction on a single base (no limit to the size of the base, if you can bring it, we'll display it!))
6. Open (anything that isn't covered in the categories above – primarily reserved for dragons, monsters, warmachines, but also scenery etc)
7. Bust (busts of any size can go in here)
8. Junior (under 18. The Junior entries will be assigned in the categories above as applicable and will compete with the rest of the entries. However, best three Junior entries in the whole competition will be awarded in Junior category.)
9. BEST OF SHOW (this is a new category which will be sponsored by UMS „Agram“. All of the entries will be judged and the best entry will be awarded a special prize!
As our competitors registered at the venue, our diligent staff photographed all the entries before dividing them into categories and placing them in their respective glass cabinets .
At noon, all the cabinets were filled and the competition could officially begin!
Vendor Area
This year we've increased the vendor area to include Carta Magica, Hobby Chest and our Slovenian friends Miniatures.si and Back to Basics.
Painting Workshops
The layout of the venue at the Vladimir Horvat Gallery makes it possible to hold several workshops throughout the weekend. Therefore, there were three one-hour workshops on Saturday after the official opening of the competition and three on Sunday before the awards ceremony. This year, the workshops were held in the cinema hall in the basement of the venue. The tutor's work was filmed with a camera and projected on the projection screen in the hall. That way the social distancing could have been maintained. Also, this setup means the workshops were capped at 10 people so registrations for the workshops also took place.
TRASHBASH 101 WORKSHOP
Date and time: Saturday 26. February 2022, 13:00-14:00
TUTOR:Ana Polanšćak
CONTENT:
The workshop covered the build of a SF hovering drone model from scratch - using an assortment of cheap materials you're not likely to find on the shelves of your tabletop hobby shop.
BACK TO BASICS: FIREMAN BUST
Date and time: Saturday 26. February 2021, 14:30-15:30
TUTOR: Luka Jančič
CONTENT:
The workshop was a presentation of the Back to Basics product of a Fireman bust which comes with a simple and easy to follow video guide intended to help any modeler with their first steps in plastic modeling. The Back to Basics (BTB) video explains how much time is required to build the model and is divided into logical steps. This sequence of steps schematically illustrates the entire process of a model build without the use of sound. The method has been thoroughly tested and fine-tuned over the course of numerous workshops.
ANATOMY OF THE EYE
Date and time: Saturday 26. February 2022, 16:00-17:00
AUTHOR OF THE PRESENTATION: Jakob Skovgaard Villien
HOST: Marko Paunović
CONTENT:
The workshop in form of a presentation covered the basic anatomy of the eye as well as the use of colours, patterns and glare to evoke emotion both on the iris and the pupil.
3D SCULPTING 101 WORKSHOP
Date and time: Sunday 27. February 2022, 10:00-11:00
TUTOR: Winton Afrić
CONTENT:
The workshop covered the process of 3D digital sculpting, from the idea to realisation and preparation for casting.
ELECTRONICS 101 WORKSHOP
Date and time: Sunday 27. February 2022, 11:30-12:30
TUTOR: Marko Paunović
CONTENT:
The workshop will cover the basics of electronics both in theory and in practice. Several examples will be shown how to connect an LED to a power source but also how to dimension the resistor and how to connect several LEDs to a single power source.
ATMOSPHERIC NMM
Date and time:Sunday 27. February 2022, 14:30-15:30
TUTOR: Matija Koružnjak
CONTENT:
The workshop explained the process of painting Non-Metallic Metal effect with an atmospheric mood on a Sigmarine miniature.
Speed Painting Contests
There was a speed painting contest organised on Sunday. Participants had an hour to paint a single miniature. Thanks to our sponsor Hobby Chest who secured a huge donation of painting materials by AK Interactive, we were able to hold a Speed Painting Contest with the following rules: - contestants had an hour to paint a miniature - all contestants painted the same (type of) miniature - we provided the paints by AK Interactive - we provided the brushes by AK Interactive
After all the workshops and speed painting competition, it was time to thank our special guests, Bine Logar and Luka Jančič from Slovenia and our own Winton Afrić. Also, a big shoutout to our Ana Polanšćak who agreed to do an impromptu book signing of her newest book The Art of Ana Polanšćak.
That brought this wonderful weekend to a close and all that was left to do was to award the winning painters. Unfrtunately all the winners couldn't take parti n the ceremonies due to the epidemiologic measures still in place.
On Wednesday 02.03.2022. we held our annual General Assembly.
During the second weekend of the Exhibition, on 05.-06.03., we organised a MINIATURE PAINTING WORKSHOP – Painting Eyes.
During the weekend workshop the attendees painted the „EYES“ figurine by Nordlys Miniatures. The main focus of the workshop was painting of the eys, gaze and the parts of the face surrounding theyes. For this, the tutors chose some appropriate miniature for the attendees to paint with acrylic paints. The lectures were addapted so the tutors could spend equal ammount of time on each participant and therefore could addapt to all categories of miniature painters (beginer or advanced). This time, the user could explore his own limits through painting various effects at his own desire. Whether to use OSL, tattoos, make-up or anything else, it was up to each of the attendees to decide.
First the tutor sitting behind his desk explained and demonstrated each step of the painting on his example. His work was transmitted over a camera and a digital projector onto a screen in the cinema hall. The pupils watched and listened to the tutor but could also stop him/her and ask questions. Then, the pupils paint their own miniatures copying what they have learned while the tutors walk among them and check their progress. The following themes were covered:
1. Anatomy of the Eye – theoretical presentation by Jakob Skovgaard Villien, the author of the miniature
2. Painting the face
3. Painting the eyes
4. Special effects (OSL, tattoos, make-up)
The club provided all with the necessary equipment, paints, tools, brushes, lighting, glue as well as a set of paints.
Due to the pandemic, the following epidemiologic measures were enforced:
Correct wearing of masks was obligatory. The Disinfectant was at hand for all to use freely. Camera nad projection screen was used to ensure the social distancing while lecturing and separate tables for all the participants moved 2m apart to ensure the social distancing while the pupils paint.
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Pigmentation principles: why powdered pigment doesn't work
- • Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) — IR around 2.7 → excellent coverage, strongest white pigment
- • Zinc oxide (ZnO) — IR around 2.0 → good coverage
- • Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) — IR around 1.59 → poor coverage, filler
- • Calcium sulfate / gypsum (CaSO₄) — IR around 1.52 → almost transparent in a binder, filler
This means that gypsum and chalk, although white as a powder, become almost transparent in the formulation of a coating or mass. They do not compete with the pigment — they are subordinate to it. That's why a small amount of pigment easily and evenly colors a gypsum or chalk-based mass, while the same amount of pigment in a mass containing TiO₂ would be barely visible.
3. Agglomeration — the enemy of even color
Pigment powders do not exist as perfectly separate particles. Due to electrostatic attractive forces and surface tension, the particles spontaneously group into clusters called agglomerates or aggregates. Agglomeration is particularly pronounced in: fine particles (the smaller the particle, the higher the surface area to volume ratio, so the attractive forces are relatively stronger) pigments with a high specific surface area, such as carbon black high temperature or humidity conditions When pigment powder is mixed with filler or binder powder, the agglomerates do not break down—they remain as compact clusters. The visual result is an uneven color: dark spots where pigment particles have accumulated, and pale areas where they are absent. The user then concludes that "more pigment is needed"—but this is not true. The problem is not a lack of pigment, but its poor distribution.
4. Dispersion — meaning properly dispersed pigment
Dispersion is the process of breaking up agglomerates and evenly distributing individual pigment particles throughout a medium (water, oil, binder). A well-dispersed pigment means that the particles are as evenly distributed as possible — each filler or binder particle "sees" the pigment, not just the neighborhood of the agglomerate. Dispersion is achieved by mechanical and chemical means:
- • Mechanical: mixing with high shear forces (mixers, mill aggregates, ultrasound). Mixing with a spoon or spatula is not sufficient to break up agglomerates.
- • Chemical: the use of dispersants and surfactants that adsorb to the surface of the particle and prevent it from re-adhering to neighboring particles.
5. Why liquid colorant works better than powdered pigment
Liquid colorants are not just pigment dissolved in water. They are ready-made systems that contain: Pigment — already dispersed to the level of individual particles or very small clusters Dispersants and surfactants — which keep the particles separated and prevent re-agglomeration Liquid medium — which allows the pigment to be evenly distributed throughout the material being colored before that material begins to set or dry When a liquid colorant is added to the mixing water (e.g. in gypsum, concrete, mortar), the pigment is already in an ideal state of dispersion. The same amount of pigment is evenly delivered to each part of the mixture. The color effect is therefore much more intense than with dry-mixed pigment — with a significantly lower total amount of pigment. The same logic applies to paints and varnishes: pigment pastes and dispersed pigments provide better coverage and color uniformity than pigments that have not undergone the dispersion process.
6. Practical application — gypsum example
Gypsum is a good example because it illustrates all the above principles at once. Because it has a low refractive index (~1.52), it is not a true white pigment — it does not resist staining when mixed with a binder. This means that a small amount of black pigment can easily and evenly color the gypsum mass. Why then does it happen to many people that they have to add a large proportion of pigment in relation to the mass of plaster? Because they mix the pigment in powder form directly into the gypsum powder. Pigment agglomerates (especially Fe₃O₄ or carbon black) remain intact, the distribution is uneven, and the result is disappointing. The conclusion "we need more" is wrong — we need better.
Correct procedure:
Add the colorant (or pigment dispersed in water) to the mixing water Mix the water with the colorant well Only then add the gypsum and mix until a homogeneous mixture This way, the pigment is distributed throughout the entire mass before the gypsum begins to set. The result is an even, intense color with a much smaller amount of pigment than with dry mixing. For those who do not have access to professional colorants, a good alternative are liquid pigment additives available in building paint stores — usually in the form of small bottles intended for tinting wall paints. It is the same principle: the pigment is already dispersed in a liquid medium with additives that prevent agglomeration. Added to the mixing water, they give a more even result than powdered pigment with a significantly smaller amount.
Conclusion
The intensity and uniformity of color in a mass depend not only on the amount of pigment — they depend on how well the pigment is dispersed. A pigment powder mixed with a powder of another material almost always gives worse results than a pigment that has been previously dispersed in a liquid medium, in the presence of dispersants. When you encounter the problem of "the pigment does not color enough," it is worth asking yourself: is the problem not in the way it was added — and not in the amount.
" ["content_hrv"]=> string(9431) "Ovaj tekst nastao je nakon druženja srijedom na kojem se razvila rasprava o pigmentaciji gipsa. Kako nisam uspjela sve objasniti na licu mjesta, odlučila sam to složiti na papir — a principi o kojima je riječ ionako vrijede šire od samog gipsa.
1. Što je pigment — i što nije
Pigment je tvar koja daje boju tako što selektivno apsorbira određene valne duljine vidljivog svjetla i reflektira ostale. Crni pigment apsorbira gotovo sve valne duljine; crveni apsorbira plavu i zelenu, a reflektira crvenu. Važno je razlikovati pigment od punila. Punila su bijele ili neutralne tvari koje se dodaju u boje, premaze i mase kako bi povećala volumen, poboljšala teksturu ili snizila cijenu — ali same po sebi ne daju snažnu boju ni dobru pokrivnost. Tipična punila su kalcijev karbonat (kreda, CaCO₃), kalcijev sulfat (gips, CaSO₄), barijev sulfat i slični materijali. Razlika između pravog pigmenta i punila nije samo u boji — leži u fizikalnom svojstvu koje se zove indeks refrakcije.
2. Indeks refrakcije i pokrivnost
Indeks refrakcije (IR) opisuje koliko se svjetlost lomi i raspršuje kada prolazi kroz neku tvar ili nailazi na njezinu površinu. Što je veći, to čestica jače raspršuje svjetlost — i time djeluje neprozirnije, "pokrivnije". Nekoliko usporednih vrijednosti:
- • Titanijev dioksid (TiO₂) — IR oko 2,7 → izvanredna pokrivnost, najjači bijeli pigment
- • Cinkov oksid (ZnO) — IR oko 2,0 → dobra pokrivnost
- • Kalcijev karbonat (CaCO₃) — IR oko 1,59 → slaba pokrivnost, punilo
- • Kalcijev sulfat / gips (CaSO₄) — IR oko 1,52 → gotovo transparentno u vezivu, punilo
Ovo znači da gips i kreda, premda su bijeli kao prah, u formulaciji premaza ili mase postaju gotovo prozirni. Ne natječu se s pigmentom — podređuju mu se. Zato mala količina pigmenta lako i ravnomjerno oboji masu na bazi gipsa ili krede, dok bi ista količina pigmenta u masi koja sadrži TiO₂ jedva bila vidljiva.
3. Aglomeracija — neprijatelj ravnomjerne boje
Pigmenti u prahu ne postoje kao savršeno odvojene čestice. Zbog elektrostatičkih privlačnih sila i površinske napetosti, čestice se spontano grupiraju u nakupine koje se zovu aglomerati ili agregati. Aglomeracija je posebno izražena kod: sitnih čestica (što je čestica manja, veći je omjer površine i volumena, pa su privlačne sile relativno jače) pigmenata visoke specifične površine, poput carbon blacka (čađe) uvjeta visokih temperatura ili vlage Kada se prah pigmenta umiješa u prah punila ili veziva, aglomerati se ne raspadaju — ostaju kao kompaktne nakupine. Vizualni rezultat je neujednačena boja: tamne mrlje tamo gdje su se nakupile čestice pigmenta, i blijeda područja tamo gdje ih nema. Korisnik tada zaključuje da "treba više pigmenta" — ali to nije točno. Problem nije nedostatak pigmenta, nego njegova loša raspodjela.
4. Disperzija — što znači pravilno dispergiran pigment
Disperzija je proces razbijanja aglomerata i ravnomjernog raspoređivanja pojedinačnih čestica pigmenta kroz medij (vodu, ulje, vezivo). Dobro dispergiran pigment znači da su čestice što ravnomjernije raspoređene — svaka čestica punila ili veziva "vidi" pigment, a ne samo susjedstvo aglomerata. Disperzija se postiže mehaničkim i kemijskim putem:
- • Mehanički: miješanje s visokim smičnim silama (mikseri, mlinski agregati, ultrazuk). Miješanje žlicom ili lopaticom nije dovoljno za razbijanje aglomerata.
- • Kemijski: upotreba dispergirnih sredstava (dispergatora) i surfaktanata koji se adsorbiraju na površinu čestice i sprječavaju njezino ponovno lijepljenje za susjedne čestice.
5. Zašto tekući kolorant radi bolje od pigmenta u prahu
Tekući koloranti nisu samo pigment otopljen u vodi. To su gotovi sustavi koji sadrže: Pigment — već dispergiran do razine pojedinačnih čestica ili vrlo malih klastera Dispergatore i surfaktante — koji drže čestice razdvojenima i sprječavaju ponovnu aglomeraciju Tekući medij — koji omogućuje da se pigment ravnomjerno rasporedi kroz materijal koji se boji još prije nego što taj materijal počne vezati ili sušiti Kada se tekući kolorant doda u vodu za miješanje (npr. kod gipsa, betona, žbuke), pigment je već u idealnom stanju disperzije. Svakom dijelu smjese ravnomjerno se isporučuje ista količina pigmenta. Efekt boje je stoga mnogo intenzivniji nego kod suho miješanog pigmenta — uz znatno manju ukupnu količinu pigmenta. Ista logika vrijedi za boje i lakove: pigmentne paste i disperzirani pigmenti daju bolju pokrivnost i ravnomjernost boje od pigmenata koji nisu prošli proces disperzije.
6. Praktična primjena — primjer gipsa
Gips je zahvalan primjer jer ilustrira sve navedene principe odjednom. Budući da ima nizak indeks refrakcije (~1,52), nije pravi bijeli pigment — u smjesi s vezivom ne pruža otpor bojanju. To znači da mala količina crnog pigmenta može lako i ravnomjerno obojiti gipsanu masu. Zašto se onda mnogima događa da moraju dodati veliki udio pigmenta u odnosu na masu gipsa? Jer pigment miješaju u obliku praha direktno u prah gipsa. Aglomerati pigmenta (posebno Fe₃O₄ ili carbon black) ostaju netaknuti, raspodjela je neujednačena, i rezultat je razočaravajući. Zaključak "treba više" je pogrešan — treba bolje.
Ispravni postupak:
Kolorant (ili pigment dispergiran u vodi) dodati u vodu za miješanje Dobro promiješati vodu s kolorantom Tek tada dodati gips i miješati do homogene smjese Na taj način pigment bude raspoređen kroz cijelu masu još prije nego gips počne vezati. Rezultat je ravnomjerna, intenzivna boja uz višestruko manju količinu pigmenta nego pri suhom miješanju. Za one koji nemaju pristup profesionalnim kolorantima, dobra alternativa su tekući pigmentni dodaci dostupni u trgovinama građevinskih boja — najčešće u obliku malih bočica namijenjenih nijansiranju zidnih boja. Radi se o istom principu: pigment je već dispergiran u tekućem mediju s aditivima koji sprječavaju aglomeraciju. Dodani u vodu za miješanje, daju ravnomjerniji rezultat od pigmenta u prahu uz znatno manju količinu.
Zaključak
Intenzitet i ravnomjernost boje u nekoj masi ne ovise samo o količini pigmenta — ovise o tome koliko je taj pigment dobro dispergiran. Prah pigmenta miješan u prah drugog materijala gotovo uvijek daje lošije rezultate od pigmenta koji je prethodno dispergiran u tekućem mediju, uz prisustvo dispergirnih sredstava. Kada se susretnete s problemom "pigment ne boji dovoljno", vrijedi si postaviti pitanje: nije li problem u načinu na koji je dodan — a ne u količini.
" ["created"]=> string(19) "2026-05-04 12:54:47" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2026-05-04 20:10:17" } ["Member"]=> array(10) { ["id"]=> string(3) "108" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["first_name"]=> string(5) "Dunja" ["last_name"]=> string(6) "Singer" ["first_name_mask"]=> string(5) "dunja" ["last_name_mask"]=> string(6) "singer" ["username"]=> string(5) "Dunja" ["password"]=> string(40) "772414a5d6b32309f32f46e9009f1e550809c62d" ["born"]=> string(19) "2006-01-01 00:00:00" ["created"]=> NULL } } Dunja Singer, 4th May 2026 - We visited: Warhammer World – pt.3 Ivan Vedak, 4th May 2026
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