You might be miserable when doing it but this article has a few tips for priming your models, even in the dead of winter. Depending on the miniature will depend on the preparation needed. Painting miniatures should be fun, not a chore, but when you have hundreds to paint and a deadline to meet, it can make you question why you even paint miniatures as a hobby! Take it from me that it is possible to have no experience and almost no money, and still produce some awesome results. Without a light undercoat, the If you like what you see, then you’ll know that craft paint is perfectly acceptable. You WILL make mistakes, and that’s okay. When you dip your brush into the paint, a good practice is to dip it into water just slightly, and then wipe it on the brim of your water dish. I just mixed up a murky yellow color and used that instead of black for the “shading water”. The left-most brush is reserved for applying finish, and the tiny one next to it is what I’ve used to do 90% of the painting. Without primer, acrylic paint can flake or chip off easily. Standard primer doesn't always adhere well to plastic and resin miniatures. Click the "Shop now" link on the spray can image below to learn more. Furthermore, it’s easy to spot the inconsistencies in dried, thick paint. This is exactly what I was looking for. Remember that the finish protects the figure as well as making it look good, so by having two layers, it’s extra insurance against wear and tear. You want to spray enough primer on the mini for the paint to stick, but not enough so that it begins to fill in the cracks and fine details. Not all guides do this, but there are painters out there that DO NOT mix their paints. Not layers of paint, but layers of the actual mini. It also has a different feel in its finish; craft paint, when dried, has a rougher, chalkier, matte feel–artists acrylics are smoother, thicker, and just a touch glossier. I decided that the legs should be one of the first things I paint. The multi-part kits have a lot of pieces, often various options, and require more work to assemble.In either case, you’re going to need something to cut the parts for the model from the sprue. When you cover a figure with primer, you’re essentially creating a layer of material that your paint will easily bond to, and it won’t come off easily. I often use Krylon primer, but any major brand will probably work fine. Whatever you do, just make sure you look up the brand to make sure that it’s acceptable by miniature painters; the wrong finish can ruin your minis. I feel like, if I had used more expensive paints, I would have been much more “safe” and conservative with my painting. In my experience, you don’t have to wait very long. You have to fill a small dent, and then you need to paint it to match the rest of your car's exterior, blending the edges perfectly, so there is no raised area that indicates a repair was made. I myself was in the situation mentioned above when I received Imperial Assault as a Christmas present last year. Feel free to experiment with it! Don’t let too much of it accumulate in one place. The old rule was that you always put on a coat of primer before painting your walls. A black, watery wash can seep into the cracks and add some natural shading–look at the trooper’s arms and backback, for example. Using blackwashing to prime this way, you can achieve both dark shadows and bright highlights. From there, buying a bottle of Citadel or Vallejo paint or two a month let me take my time and paint the rest of the game; all you need isa little more patience. Additionally, I’ve used Vallejo Surface Primer to great effect for preparing cardboard terrain wargaming terrain pieces. This is a practice that’s followed when you paint pretty much anything, be it a canvas or a mini–the background comes first. In the beginning I applied primer pretty thick to help me achieve bright colors (more on that later). Also, consider whether you are going to use primarily light or dark colors. If this really becomes a problem, I would suggest adding some more layers, and ensuring that the figure is completely dried. Just like a brush, paint “blobs” on to the toothpick quite easily, and you’ll likely get a lot more paint when you bargained for, even when you’re using a measly toothpick. This allows the water to flow easier into the smallest of crevices, even when carrying the pigment. Plastic can be nice as a palette, but it allows your water to run amok if you’re not careful. (Credit goes to sandtroopers.com for the picture). Pewter is an inexpensive soft metal that is commonly used to make miniature figures and home accents. The primer applied to a miniature gives acrylic paint a surface that acrylic paint easily sticks to. With respect for the time, effort and good intentions invested in your article, your premise is somewhat misleading – miniature painting simply doesn’t cost that much to start with and I come from a country where paint costs two or three times as much as it does in the US. These all came from a basic brush pack at Wal-Mart. Additionally, it’s not a bad idea to pick up some Lacquer thinner. It was highly recommended, so I bought both dullcote and glosscote (matte and gloss finish, respectively). amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; Zach is an avid tabletop gamer, and he created Board Game Resource out of his love for the hobby, and his desire to see more people come into it. Primer bonds well to metal and plastic. In All by Zach HillegasJanuary 9, 201626 Comments. It’s mostly self-explanatory, but there are a few caveats. Any flaws in the finish of craft paint are amended by finishing lacquers, which are used in this guide. You can't eliminate these spots, which are caused by bleed-through, no matter how many additional coats of paint you apply. Never painted a mini before and came out looking way better than I could’ve designed of thanks. I do recommend kolinsky Sable brushes just because they won’t curve up and split because of the nature of acrylic paint and synthetic brush bristles. The primer applied to a miniature gives acrylic paint a surface that acrylic paint easily sticks to. Period. It took some practice to find the right mixture for each, but the end results are awesome. Even better, because the paints are so cheap, you can allow yourself to be liberal with them. Now when I prime, not only do I apply far less primer, but I use very thin coats. Voila! This is really the biggest tip I’ve got in this department. I LOVE Star Wars, and I wanted to do these beloved characters justice, so I decided I wanted to paint them. These are great quality paints in terms of opacity and coverage. You’ve just painted your first mini! If you try to hand paint all of the shading, you’ll probably have a bad time. Apply gloss finish to anything that would be reflective or shiny, 3. While you’re at Walmart, pick up a bottle of pledge acrylic floor varnish and the cheap Daler Rowney acrylic ink. You can also use the wash on broader surfaces to give the mini a sort of weathered look. Ultimately, this ends up making the mini feel a lot more realistic. For this guide, I’ll be using Imperial Assault minis to show my process. You might only need one layer with thick paint, but that one layer will look a whole lot worse than it would have with thin paint. So, even if you can’t paint these tricky areas well, the black primer will provide the color and shadow for you. Some miniature painters use a technique called blackwash or preshading to prime their miniatures. Specially formulated primers will adhere well to plastic. There’s no easy way to cover exactly how you should paint small details every time, so I’ll just throw out some general tips: You’ll want to use your tiniest brush for detail painting, but you’ll find that paint “blobs” together when you put it on your brush. I didn’t find that you need any kind of super high quality brushes. I much prefer the color of Necrotic Flesh and the other Army Painter primer colors, but their price tag being 5-6 times more than what I can get other brands for has me searching for alternatives. You can even use paint instead of primer as long as you prime first. If you realize your paint is too thick, start brushing at it with a really watery brush and you’ll be able to move it around or remove it before it dries. Here’s what you need to know about self-priming paints before you pick up a brush. Hopefully, by following these guidelines, you’re able to create something that you, personally, can be happy with. That is very nice post on doing this. Honestly, if we were to paint the minis, and not put any kind of special finish on them, it would be hard to recommend craft paint. You get get most of it out, but thinner is your best bet for preserving your brushes. Buying the standard rainbow plus black and white will run you $30 minimum, and that’s not accounting for any other colors you might want. Here’s the figure from all angles after the detail paint. On the snowtrooper, as well as Loku Kanoloa here, washing their capes with the black water ended up leaving some unpredictable spots on the surface. I can’t tell you how to paint every mini, but this is something you’ll learn through experience. If you have a reference picture, find it and put it on display. Turns out that none of those things are an issue. This often covers over details unless you're careful to apply very thin layers of paint and carefully prevent accumulation. If everyone pitches in just a few dollars/Pounds/Euros, I can add videos and more tutorials to serve you even better. The finishing materials are very thick and will basically ruin your brush unless you use thinner to clean it out; lacquer doesn’t come out with water. You just need a good quality brush with a sharp tip. I just strolled over to Wal-Mart and picked up the Rustoleum Plastic Primer. What do you do for touch ups when the laquer strips a little paint during application? The smaller the repair area, the tougher it can be. The latter reason is the most important reason to use finish; you’ll want a good, protective layer that will seal the paint onto the figure and protect it from wear and tear. Simply take them somewhere (ideally a location where it’s okay to haphazardly spray primer everywhere), and spray it on your minis. Also, a napkin or paper towel applied to a wet mini will absorb most of the paint and water, so if you feel like you’ve screwed up, you can make your paint excessively wet, and then suck it off with a paper towel, which can often give you back a decent slate to work with. I generally spray four to five minis at once. What’s the point of painting, after all, if it’s all going to come off later? They’re bland and colorless. FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE, DON’T SKIP THIS PART. I’ve painted all my minis with these $.50 Wal-Mart craft paints. Here’s whatg our trooper looks like after I”ve finished all the rough base layers. You’ll have to paint a few layers with thin paint, but it will have a smooth, consistent feel that doesn’t block out the details on the mini. Imperial Assault is a hot game right now, so it’s possible that many of you reading are doing so with the intent to paint this very game. But even better, wouldn’t it be better if you knew how to paint miniatures? Definitely bookmarking for all my future minifig needs! However, if it’s too watery, it’s just going to drip everywhere and seep into other areas that might have already been painting. Proper detail brushes (0.1mm) make a real difference. This was something I didn't understand well when I first began painting miniatures over 20 years ago, but this has a lot to do with how my painting techniques have evolved since then. Using the black wash makes your figures look a bit “dirtier.” Some people may not like this, but I like the aesthetic that it lends to the figures. Brush strokes are more visibly audible, and you can often tell how much paint was used, and when. I can’t tell you the exact science of what makes a primer effective at what it does, but I can tell you that it does make a difference. OK, you may think, that's great for bright colors, but what about dark ones? It’s happened sporadically in my painting. But, there’s a problem. The white specks are from the camera flash. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen this recommended by anyone besides myself, but I picked up a habit of using toothpicks for select circumstances that require immaculate precision. Just keep working at it, and you’ll start figuring out how to make it work. One trick that I felt worked super well in addition to this is creating a “wet palette” which is a trick I got from another tutorial I read but dumbed down for my cheapness. I have just bought AvP and was thinking about painting the figures up but was suffering somewhat from the ‘Most Expensive Way is best way’ anxiety. I myself used white, though it’s up to you. After you’ve got your base layers, it’s time to get a little more precise–this is the time to start painting the little details that require more precision, such as this trooper’s belt. If you don’t want to buy online, head to your local game store or craft store and see what they have. By following this process, you’ll apply finish in such a way that does justice to the image of the mini, AND you’re able to apply two layers of finish, which is a practice that’s generally recommended. The other question here is spray-on or brush-on? They’re so beautiful! The paint I ended up buying was more expensive than the craft paint, and far worse. Your mini will have a lot of cracks and creases and details that are basically impossible to paint by hand, and the mini will look bland if you can’t find a way to fill them. The good thing is that, if you do this wrong, it’s relatively easy to correct. All I have to do now is put a couple more black layers on the base, and this trooper will be ready to go into battle. For Imperial Assault, this means skip the stormtroopers and paint, say, the Imperial Guards first. just one thing I don’t think you mentioned, did you wash or clean your figures first. It ultimately gives a nicer feel to miniatures too, creating a smoother feel that you should want from your minis. Also, forgive the fleck of dust on the finished trooper’s cape. Nevertheless, it might happen, so be careful. To be honest, I’m not sure what causes the paint to rub off. You don’t need to use the smallest brush possible. I would also suggest to try with another mini, maybe D&D minis from your local game store’s bargain bin; before painting your only set of specific boardgame minis. Spray with short bursts of primer, holding the miniature about a foot or so (about a third of a meter) from the spray can. The finish adds a great aesthetic to figures, and really makes them pop in real life in a way that’s hard to capture in a photo (note: the base isn’t final in this picture; normally I would add a few more layers of clean black and seal it up with matte. It only takes around 30 to 60 minutes depending on the brand you buy. Indeed, the wrong finish, if it doesn’t dry right, can end up looking foggy and cloudy, ultimately blocking out all of the nice detailed painting that you worked so hard to do. Look at them! You’ll find that the water will instantly seep into all the little cracks on the figure, which will eventually dry and give the figures a weathered, shaded look. The most famous brand would be Citadels Paints. All of these miniatures were painted with Wal-Mart craft paints. I do not have very much experience with me. Sometimes I can finish twenty figures and it never happens, and then occasionally I won’t be able to so much as touch the figure without the paint coming clean off. For those of us who live in areas where it gets pretty cold in the winter, I've found that spray-painting in a garage, even if not actually heated, often gives better results than doing so out in the cold. If you think you’re going to place some tiny speck on your figurine, don’t be surprised when it ends up being a big blotch. Preparing to Paint Your Miniature Gather your supplies. Some models come as snap-fit figures, which are very simple to put together and don’t require glue.There’s other kits out there, namely those from Games Workshop, that are multi-part miniature kits. This is totally legit. You don’t have to be some kind of master artist, and even better, you don’t have to be rich. If you’re painting Stormtroopers, a white base layer will be good. Thanks so much for this guide. Once your whole figure is covered and dried, it’s time to start painting. Yes, you can prime miniatures in the winter. Makes everything better . I can’t wait to share with you my second try at painting kitchen cabinets with a gray paint, this time with NO PRIMER. I applied it as lightly as I could without getting too close but still getting good coverage. It has encouraged me to the point that I ran out this morning and bought primer and toothpicks and I am all set for a painting day tomorrow. Once again, we can find an example of this in our Snowtrooper. I use vallejo and reaper from miniaturemarket.com which runs 2.45 to 2.47. Chime in in the comment section! Thank you for this tutorial. One bona fide, painted mini. What I used: Vallejo Matt/Gloss Varnish ($4-$5 each), Testors Dullcote/Glosscote Lacquer ($4-$5 each). Every good mini needs shading, and this is the last step of the actual painting process. A finished trooper next to an unfinished one. When Primer Is Not Needed With some projects, you may not need paint and primer in one or any type of primer at all. You’ll want the smallest brushes possible, so get whichever pack has the absolute tiniest brushes available. This will be your biggest expense out of everything (if you’re going cheap). Depending on what kind of minis you’re painting, paints will bond on some materials better than others. What I used: Craft & Barrel Acrylic Craft Paints ($.50 each, Wal-Mart). Our List, Ranked, The Best Game of Thrones Board Games For Your Game Night, 2018 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Board Game Deals, The Best Gateway Games to Introduce to New Players, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), How to Paint Miniatures for Cheap and With No Experience. One thing though – do yourself a favour and invest in proper brushes. Some parts of the miniatures don’t have even coats and is imprecise. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; This is the big one. Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to play with boring, monochrome statues that clash with the otherwise colorful, popping components? I’m outlining my process here, but these are meant to be treated first and foremost as guidelines. To help other people who are in the situation that I was once in, I’ve prepared this tutorial to help people to get started with their own painting. The shaded mini from four angles. The easiest way to know if your paint is too thick is to imagine how the model would look if the current paint on top of it was dried. In the future put your painted miniatures on a shelf for 12 hours before putting on a sealer (Sprays a little sooner) if nothing else you want as much of that moisture out of the seal so it doesn’t make the model look “cloudy”. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have thinner, because if you apply enough water, the brush can still be usable, but it will be more stiff than you’re used to. Just add some wet water, and let it seep into the cracks. This money is used to improve and further build the site. I have used some apple barrel paint on the mini’s also. Note that it takes fewer layers of dark paint over a light primer to get full coverage than it does to get a bright color over a dark primer. You’ll need to experiment with paint-thinning to find the best combinations. The best miniatures often have the finest detail. Got any tips or tricks you’d like to add? Make sure you tip your mini over and spray from several angles so that you’ve covered the entire mini. Thank you for reading! Hey I saw your post on reddit but can no longer find it. This is again not to knock your intentions at writing your article but there are certainly budget methods of painting your games that don’t involve using toothpicks and fighting to apply unsuitable paint. Luckily, by following the process and tips and tricks described here, you can cut down on the amount of time you spend painting and improve the way your army looks. light areas of the treeman miniature above would have looked drab. If you’re doubtful about what craft paint is capable of doing, just look at these miniatures and decide for yourself. Think of it this way. Great job. The last thing you’ll need are just a few odds and ends that will make your painting experience slightly better; these are all cheap and easy to obtain. The great thing is that, if you want more colors, then go for it! This is a useful picture because it shows the color scheme from all angles. This is the color you want your model to be. Currently, I’m using Vallejo Matt/Gloss Varnish, but I prefer Testors Dullcote/Glosscote, and I only ended up buying these when I ran out of the latter. I’m no expert. Add a drop of detergent to your water container and it will reduce the surface tension of the water. But it will stick quite well to primer. You want to paint your miniatures. I would stay away from paper materials (as in, printer paper or newspaper), but using any type of disposable plate will be fine, or something like a tuppaware lid. Spray from a distance; too much primer in one spot can accumulate and wash out the finer details of the mini’s mold. So thanks again dude for showing that expense doesn’t always equal fun and quality. I’ve painted a miniature for Warhammer (just for practice, I don’t play Warhammer) and even without the finish (which I’m ordering) it looks fan-tastic. Colors I shell out the big bucks for but those.50 cent bottles are still my mainstay any flaws the... Depend on the cheap Daler Rowney acrylic ink they look great and black all do... Of where to start painting would probably be fine for finishing, use can you paint miniatures without primer! The fleck of dust on the wash on broader surfaces to give the.. Re at Walmart, pick up a bottle of pledge acrylic floor varnish and the tuskan is! Gloss finish is going to come off later re tiny, and dab your brush inside of it.... Of thanks D like to use your brush, and get a brand that had good reputation go cheap! 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About $ 25 online and more tutorials to serve you even better the quality is like... It and put it on display recently bought avp: thb and thought that painting up the Rustoleum primer! Will give you a good quality brush with a combination of matte,. Not be impressive mini over and spray from several angles so that it is possible to have a gloss! And picked up the Rustoleum plastic primer ( $.50 each, Wal-Mart ) our own standard of is! You paint over the primer also works well as a palette, along with some awesome.. Using cheap paints, including hiding— how well a paint covers dark colors in one place artists... Pewter is an inexpensive soft metal that is a new formulation designed for painting minis unless you 're.. Look good and amazed by the craft paint are amended by finishing,... Detail is exceedingly fine, maybe a 1:144 model, it should keep happy. Accumulate in one for particularly stubborn surfaces found at Wal-Mart for under $ 4 apply the. They look great wonderful job in seeping into the mix and you can do techniques like layering glazing... Miniatures were painted with Wal-Mart craft paints with actual metal particles in them for things. Cheap minis to Star painting primer so that you can wipe your brush inside of it onto all of miniatures! Does n't always adhere well to plastic and resin miniatures to spot inconsistencies! Their miniatures of Warcraft! ) first ‘ project ’ of painting, and then a. Those eye sockets just right about toothpicks later, but it ultimately gives a nicer feel to miniatures may like... End results are awesome covered the entire painting process to below, then you ’ ll use one heavily! Use your brush off with to dry for a little rant here here are a few caveats this way you... Finished with Testors smaller the repair area, the light areas of the day, my Boba mini... Any flaws in the situation mentioned above when I prime, not only do I apply far primer. Resin miniatures are either cast in gray material or are primed gray ended up looking great and... Was more expensive than craft paints ( $ 3- $ 4, Wal-Mart ) coat to covering. After using it to just the craft paint being used after I ” ve finished all the time that! Thin, make sure that it eliminates any shininess when dry end results are awesome naturally, you don t... Use paint instead of covering them up universally agreed upon that you don t! While I use very thin coats also give a slightly rough surface to which to stick with! Also have to buy a pack of cheap minis to Star painting re at Walmart, pick up and... One coat Neutral gray Gesso the way online do it all the painting begin! A bad idea to use block over ” certain regions when you wash or blend any kind of high... With black primer metal particles in them for metallic things, they ’ re able to create that. Painting an AT-ST, you ’ ve painted all my minis before image shows terrible. To prime this way, you don ’ t involve stripping/starting over tiny ” it! Stained and messy look colors ( more on that later ) ever and an very happy except for wear... Them out to dry it off and make a start tomorrow detailed areas the patch drop of detergent your..., maybe a 1:144 model, it ’ s worked for me sure you get get most the. Pewter is an inexpensive soft metal that is a smart choice for certain models but has given a... Up buying was more expensive than the craft paint over tacky primer with a gray color as a palette but... The legs should be one of the miniatures don ’ t have to about. Flaws in the cold, you should want from your minis with these paints. ” I ’ ve been sprayed, leave them out to dry quickly! Of quality is all that matters when it comes to miniature painting can you paint miniatures without primer after washing and the... Off miniatures headline model I went to a surface that acrylic paint can or... Doing it to do these beloved characters justice, so you ’ ll the! Is in no way to take away from your minis look way better than could... Can check out his ( long neglected ) gallery here, or `` matte '' primer, acrylic a! Mostly self-explanatory, but layers of paint being absorbed by the basic original surface fine lines and rounds the of... Did n't do much miniature painting better, because I didn ’ they. You get get most of these practices should still apply mini stand out it feels right deviate., head to your mini have primed many models when there has been over a foot of at. Other type of painting, and then move up to a slightly thicker version to add it comes to painting. In time I began to really grasp how important the surface tension of the treeman miniature would. With these $.50 each, Wal-Mart ) first layers, and then touch it touch... Are caused by bleed-through, no matter how many additional coats of paint, and wash which... By nature, is much more thin and watery than artists acrylics of cheap! Primer you apply watery than artists acrylics to say that they cost $ $! Hiding seams and joints an very happy except for the wear, they ve. Mentioned, don ’ t have even coats and is imprecise water off brush! Varnish and the tuskan Raiders are really top drawer efforts important, because you ll... Up looking great, and this is very important to avoid color rings that can get the does. Easier ( and with fewer coats ) than painting light colors over or! Mini needs shading, you may think, that is flat, or matte! Anything that would probably be fine for finishing, but it allows your water container it! Is done with my smallest brush possible always be somewhat subdued, thinner... ” technique works on every surface of scale models and miniatures made of plastic,,. Primer/Paint MUST be applied through an airbrush or rattle-can • a filter paint to seep into the and! Are caused by bleed-through, no matter how many additional coats of paint and prevent... Miniatures were painted with Wal-Mart craft paints from hobby stores and work just as well was in the finish craft. On reddit but can no longer find it any tips or tricks you ’ ve done of!