Roman Lappat's Sold-Out Apocalypse Basing Masterclasses Draw Students to Augsburg Studio

Every seat gone before the paint hits the palette. Roman Lappat's back-to-back basing masterclasses at his Roman Lappat Studio in Augsburg, Germany both sold out completely, with the "Basing - Destroyed Cathedral" session running 19-20 March 2026 and the thematically charged "Basing - After the Apocalypse: Nature conquers back" wrapping up just this past Monday and Tuesday, 23-24 March.

Group Masterclasses, a format Lappat introduced in the middle of 2024, bring together just three to five students per session. The intimacy is deliberate. As Lappat describes his method: "In these two day miniature painting masterclasses a small group of students will master a certain topic with a steep learning curve." The goal is something closer to a painter's living room than a lecture hall: the format allows for individual attention to each participant's needs, with topics announced in advance so participants can choose a session based on their preferences and availability.

The "After the Apocalypse" theme tackles one of the most compelling ideas in diorama basing: nature asserting itself over abandoned, ruined human-built structures. The "Destroyed Cathedral" session the previous weekend covered similar post-collapse territory from a different angle, making the two March events a genuine basing-focused double bill.

The demand doesn't stop in March. Lappat has painted over two thousand miniatures, taught over a hundred seminars, and built a career around making miniature enthusiasts happy on their painting journey — and his 2026 calendar reflects that momentum. Two "All about Metal" sessions in German, scheduled for 25-26 June and 2-3 July, are already sold out. An "Abandoned Car Diorama" masterclass on 30-31 July is sold out as well. Every listed 2026 Group Masterclass on his event pages carries the same badge: Sold Out.

Lappat has been running successful, worldwide seminars and workshops since 2009, but the Group Masterclass format has concentrated that teaching into something more focused. His studio is located in Augsburg, Germany, at Derchinger Straße 153, easily accessible by train from across Germany, with Munich Airport just 80 km away and well-connected via Deutsche Bahn and airport shuttle.

Born and raised in Augsburg, Lappat has been self-employed since the end of 2009 and is the founder of the blog Massive Voodoo, which spreads the word and the beauty of miniature art globally. His Instagram account has grown to over 109,000 followers, underscoring the international reach behind the demand that keeps filling seats months out.

For anyone hoping to get into a future session, spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with a waiting list created by registration date if a session sells out — and if someone cancels, the next person on the list is contacted, though a prompt response is required or the spot moves to the next in line. Given the current pace, getting on that waitlist early is the only realistic path in.