Front
Your hobby, organized from sprue to showcase.
Log paint recipes, track army progress, and plan your next competition entry. Never forget the mix that worked six months ago.
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Joined by miniature painting makers
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Every build, remembered
Project reference group
Back
Fabric
Detail
Foam
Build note
Front trim needs sealing before paint. Match fabric edge to the darker swatch.
Seal foam edges
Log fit test
Add material cost
Material Sheets 6mm
Synced to materials and budget
$12.99
Ask with project context
Costumary workspace demo showing four core features:
- Reference board: drag and drop character images, group by costume piece, add color swatches, notes, and checklists
- Materials tracker: list supplies with costs, stores, quantities, and order status. Live budget totals update as you add items
- Project timeline: plan milestones for patterning, construction, painting, fitting, and packing with convention deadline tracking
- Build diary: log progress with photos, notes, and technique records. Track what worked, what failed, and what to try next time
01
Build list
Start with the models, units, and scheme refs.
Collect box art, faction references, paint scheme tests, basing inspiration, model inventory, and conversion notes before priming.
02
Batch plan
Plan the paint order before the desk fills up.
Track assembly, primer, basecoat, shade, highlight, details, basing, varnish, and photography across each unit or model.
03
Paint recipes
Never forget the recipe after model one.
Record colors, ratios, brush steps, airbrush settings, wash order, highlight mixes, basing materials, and what needs a second pass.
04
Share
Share progress with clients or your gaming group.
Send read-only progress links with finished photos, recipe notes, and status by unit without exposing private budget or draft notes.
Templates
Start with a miniature painting template.
Browse milestone plans, starter materials, and timelines for miniature painting projects without starting from a blank page.
Save references from anywhere on the web
Right-click any image on Pinterest, ArtStation, or any website. It lands on your Costumary reference board in seconds. No downloading, no re-uploading, no folder archaeology.
Free browser extension. See how it works
Find your reference
Web Clipper
pinterest.com
costumary.compinterest.com/cosplay-references
HomeCreate
Search for cosplay references
Save image as...
Copy image address
Open image in new tab
Save to Costumary...
Quick Save to Costumary
Save to Costumary
×Armor build
Reference name...
Set as default for Quick Save
Saved to “Armor build”
Fursuit head ref
Historical bodice
Boot construction
Fitted panel detail
Note
Floral tooling pattern on front panel. Brass hardware only, no chrome tan.
Colors
WalnutTanEspressoBrass
Build checklist
Pattern layout
Leather sourced
Tooling test
Assembly
New
Leather swatch
Clipped from Pinterest
Prop construction ref
12:34
Foam armor shaping tutorial
youtube.com
Antique brass buckle set, 12pc
etsy.com
$18.50
Paint weathering ref
Back panel closeup
Note
Budget cap $300. Check Tandy sale for leather straps before ordering.
Wig styling ref
Armor measurement guide
docs.google.com
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−
Build your story
WIP Book
Build DiaryPublished Diary
costumary.com/workbench/knight-armor/diary
WIP Book Studio
Knight Armor Build
Settings
Story pages3
Hero
Gallery
Timeline
Base structure
Painting session
Materials list
Editor
Preview
Publish
WIP book canvas
Knight Armor Build
Dark Souls III
14Materials
6Milestones
48Hours
Gallery
Drop image
Build Timeline
◆Pattern drafting
◆Foam base
◇Painting
◇Final assembly
Add a block
Story blocksProject dataTemplates
Hero
Text only
Split left
Split right
Full image
Gallery
Your diary is live
Anyone with the link can view it for free
Share link
Scan to view
Import from Build
Choose which data to import into your diary.
costumary.com/builds/knight-armor-build
Knight Armor Build
Dark Souls III · 6 week build
14Materials
6Milestones
48Hours
Progress photos
Build Timeline
◆Pattern drafting
◆Foam base
◇Painting
9:41
costumary.com/builds/gojo-sa...
Knight Armor Build
Dark Souls III · 6 week build
14Materials
6Milestones
48Hours
Progress photos
Timeline
◆Pattern drafting
◆Foam base
◇Painting
Share your WIP with anyone
Build a diary from your project data. Import your build logs, reference board, and materials. Pick a theme, hit publish, and share a link or QR code. Anyone can view your build for free, no account needed.
Free with any Costumary account. See example diaries
Commission workflow
Take painting commissions
with a real workflow.
Army lists, color scheme approvals, batch progress updates, and delivery tracking. Stop managing commissions through Discord messages.
Intake
public form
Approval
token links
Tracking
no payment fees
Used by makers who take commissions
Collect the request
Studio workflow
Commissions
Client intake workflow
IntakeQueueProjectUpdateShare
Ayla Studio
Commission inquiry form
References
3 filesRequest queue
3 newMina Chen
TodayArmored waist cincher
$650–$900
Rae Ortiz
YesterdayProp sword + finishing
$320–$480
Jules Park
YesterdayFull armor chest piece
$1,100–$1,400
New request
Armored waist cincher
Mina Chen · $650–$900 · Sep 18 deadline
Sizing
Complete
References
Complete
Shipping
Complete
Maker notes
Good fit for September. Confirm waist measurement and tooling color before quote.
Commission project
Mina waist cincher
Quote
$780
Due
Sep 18
Deposit
Paid
Hours
12h
Project plan generated
4 milestonesPatterningAssemblyFinishingShip
Quote started
Your project is underway. Here is a link for you to track my progress and approve milestones.
costumary.com/track/mina-cincherClient update
Message
Client timeline updated
Previous updates
Material sourced
2 days agoVeg-tan leather ordered from Tandy. Expected delivery Thursday.
Quote sent
5 days ago$780 quote sent to client. Includes leather, hardware, and tooling.
Done
Quote
Done
Patterning
Next
Photo check
Reference 1
Reference 2
Reference 3
Note
Floral tooling pattern on front panel. Brass hardware only, no chrome.
Colors
WalnutTanEspressoBrass
Build checklist
Pattern layout
Leather sourced
Tooling test
Assembly
Boot detail
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−
Ayla Studio
Open for requestsI make armor, corsetry, and leather goods for cosplay and stage. Every piece is built to move in and last. Share your vision below and I will get back to you within 48 hours.
CosplayArmorLeather
Past work
Pricing
Armor starts at $400. Leather tooling from $600. 50% deposit to begin, balance before shipping.
Turnaround
Current queue is 6-8 weeks. Rush available for simple pieces.
47
Completed
2
Slots open
Request a commission
Share enough context for a real review. You can refine details later.
Your name
Mina Chen
mina@example.com
Project title
Armored waist cincher with floral tooling
Brief
Structured waist cincher with floral leather tooling on front panels. Needs to move well for stage combat choreography.
Budget range
$650 - $900
Deadline
September 18
Reference images
I accept the terms and understand the deposit policy
Request sent
Thanks, Mina. Ayla will review your request and get back within 48 hours.
Free tier
Start free before your next project gets away from you.
Starter is free forever: 2 active projects, 100 reference uploads, and build diary with progress photos. Enough to organize a real build without paying up front.
Starter includes
2 active projects for real planning and testing
100 reference uploads to keep everything together
No surprise limits or forced upgrades
Upgrade only when you need more projects or uploads.
Start your first buildFree tools
No account needed. Run in your browser.
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Honest comparison of 7 miniature painting apps. paintRack, Paint Pad, Citadel Colour, MiniPaints, Figure Case, impcat, and Costumary compared for recipes, inventory, and tracking.
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Real costs for miniature painting supplies at every level. From a $35 starter set to a $400+ airbrush setup, with specific product recommendations.
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Your unpainted backlog isn't shameful, it's a planning problem. How to track, prioritize, and actually shrink your pile of grey plastic.
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How to record miniature paint recipes so you can match colors across batches. Apps, notebooks, and photo methods compared.
Upcoming miniature painting conventions
Find dates, packing checklists, and budget estimates for miniature painting conventions near you.
Ready to plan your next miniature painting build?
Start with a miniature painting template. Milestones, starter materials, and a timeline you can customize before the first work session.
Single Miniature
~2wTake one model from sprue to shelf with a clear, repeatable workflow. This template walks you through mold line cleanup, priming, basecoats, washes, highlights, basing, and varnish so nothing gets skipped and every paint recipe is saved for next time.
8 milestones·8 materials·$25-75·
Use templateTerrain / Basing
~3wBuild and paint terrain pieces, scatter, or a full set of matching bases for your army. This template covers theme selection, foam and cork construction, texture application, priming, drybrushing, foliage, and durable sealing so your table or bases survive regular game nights.
7 milestones·7 materials·$20-100·
Use templateDisplay Piece
~6wPush a single miniature to its absolute best for a shelf, competition, or portfolio piece. This template covers mood references, subassembly planning, display base construction, value sketching, advanced blending, face and eye detail, and final photography for a model that's meant to be studied up close.
9 milestones·6 materials·$40-150·
Use templateArmy Project
~12wPlan and execute a full army build without losing your paint recipes, forgetting what's primed, or burning out halfway through. This template breaks a massive backlog into playable milestones with scheme tests, batch sequencing, centerpiece scheduling, and storage planning.
11 milestones·8 materials·$200-800·
Use templateUsed by makers from r/cosplay, The RPF, Cosplay.com, r/Gunpla, and r/minipainting