You read that right, I've bought myself several brushes, have a nice table, white primered some minis (from a game I don't play often, so I can practice) and I'm going to embark on mini painting sometime this week (or weekend).
I'm going to use some cheaper craft acrylics for my first run, since this is largely a getting-started type thing. I've read up on diluting the paints and applying several basecoats. I'm a little intimidated by the idea of diluting my own wash, any advice?
I may switch to water-based enamels when I get better. Enamel paints (I remember them from my modeling days at 4-H) are a real PITA.
The painting sounds therapeutic, and I really feel the need to do something creative - not just gaming. Something where I have an end product for my time.
Any advice or support would be welcome!
The water based enamels aren't that bad, but do what you think is best to start with.
My advice is rather than buying minis you want to practice on, buy some minis you'd like to own. Nothing sucks worse than feeling like you must paint something just to get it into your army even though you don't like it. I don't mean go out and buy some $500 Forgeworld model, but at least try to find something that interests you. If you have something military in mind, I can assure you that no matter how obscure, there's probably a historical minis gamer who's made a model for it. If nothing else, buy an extra pack of zombies from the Zombies board game. At least you know you like zombies :)
As for a wash, it really isn't bad. Normally folks use a dark wash - deep browns seem to be best. They're usually heavily diluted. I'm thinking 80 - 90% diluted.
Because I use water based paints, I dilute with Windex, but that's another story for when you're ready to go water-based.
Pop in questions as they come. I'm not a guru, but I feel comfortable talking about general stuff.
Welcome to the dark side Dr.! ;D
You failed to inform us of the most important part. What minis will you be painting?
I am by no means a great minis painter, as my blog can attest, so take my advice as you will. One big thing I've learned is that lots of people do things different ways and it is all about finding a way of doing something that get the results that you want and think look good on your gaming table.
Depending on what kind of wash you want to give your figure there are some great ready made washes so you don't even have to worry about mixing your own. Definitely use water based paints. Your brush will be so much easier to clean up and some mistakes can been quickly fixed with a wet cloth before they dry.
Have you ever painted minis before or just model vehicles? That could help narrow down the advice we could give.
Either way good luck and I hope you take lots of pictures for us.
SoM,
I'm planning on doing a bit of mini painting myself. I've done a bunch of research and have found a bunch of on-line resources. If you want, I can post them here or PM-you directly.
Yours in painting,
Jack Nastyface
Quote from: Jack Nastyface on September 11, 2012, 11:53:00 PM
SoM,
I'm planning on doing a bit of mini painting myself. I've done a bunch of research and have found a bunch of on-line resources. If you want, I can post them here or PM-you directly.
Yours in painting,
Jack Nastyface
I would encourage you to post them here - we're all about the gaming hobby in general and I suspect even guys like me and Tent can still learn plenty of tricks :)
Quote from: LongBlade on September 12, 2012, 05:25:02 AM
Quote from: Jack Nastyface on September 11, 2012, 11:53:00 PM
SoM,
I'm planning on doing a bit of mini painting myself. I've done a bunch of research and have found a bunch of on-line resources. If you want, I can post them here or PM-you directly.
Yours in painting,
Jack Nastyface
I would encourage you to post them here - we're all about the gaming hobby in general and I suspect even guys like me and Tent can still learn plenty of tricks :)
Yes please post them here. One of the things I enjoy about this hobby is the give and take between everyone in the hobby in order to help one another learn.
Speaking of which here is a link I found useful when starting out painting.
http://johnswargames.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/172-scale-painting-tutorial/
Ok....let me start with this.... I've never painted a mini so please bear with me.... Do you need to apply a base coat or a primer before you start painting ? I've noted that some of the colors are extremely intense and I figured they must be applied to a well-prepped surface ? Or do they come already prepped ? Sorry dudes, I'm just trying to figure this out.....
Quote from: MIGMaster on September 12, 2012, 12:04:24 PM
Ok....let me start with this.... I've never painted a mini so please bear with me.... Do you need to apply a base coat or a primer before you start painting ? I've noted that some of the colors are extremely intense and I figured they must be applied to a well-prepped surface ? Or do they come already prepped ? Sorry dudes, I'm just trying to figure this out.....
Not a problem, asking questions is the best way to learn.
To start with you need to wash your figures off in warm water with a little soap and then rinse thoroughly. After they are dried you need to apply primer. The primer is very important to give the figure a nice uniformed surface for the paint to adhere. IMHO it also helps bring out details for you to see while you paint. There is however, the debate over whether to use white, gray or black primer. But thats a whole other story. :)
Quote from: TheCommandTent on September 12, 2012, 12:14:37 PM
To start with you need to wash your figures off in warm water with a little soap and then rinse thoroughly. After they are dried you need to apply primer. The primer is very important to give the figure a nice uniformed surface for the paint to adhere. IMHO it also helps bring out details for you to see while you paint. There is however, the debate over whether to use white, gray or black primer. But thats a whole other story. :)
A note - I used to never wash my minis before I primed them. Can't say I ever noticed much difference, but I can say that it won't hurt. I have three dogs and if my minis lay out for any length of time near the floor they get covered in fur that absolutely needs to be washed off. So now I wash mine.
As for primer - it helps. FWIW, I bought some Valspar primer at Lowes that is rust colored. It's the same (I think) as the primer used by the Krauts in WWII. Valspar is unfortunately not mini quality and goes on pretty thick. In addition it needs about 36 hours to fully cure. So primer *can* come in different colors, but talk to us before you jump off that pier.
^I'd back up one more step...
First...whether you are painting metal, hard-plastic or soft-plastict minis, I highly recommend that you clean them up with a file and exacto-blade, first. Many minis will come with flash and mold-lines clearly showing on the model, and you really need to make an effort to clean those up, first. Buy yourself a set of mini-files (probably cost you about $10) and a set of small or fine wire cutters / side cutters (I actually use a pair of old hangnail clippers) and you should be good-to-go.
If you are painting hard or soft plastic minis (and some metal ones), you will of course need to cut them off of the sprue. I tend to wash the complete sprue with components still attached in warm, soapy water BEFORE I start cutting off pieces, but you could do it later (after assembly).
As CommandTent mentions, once the figures are cleaned up (flash, mold-lines) and then washed, you can go ahead and prime them. As he mentioned, you ABSOLUTELY need a primer on minis. Soft-plastic minis need either a "household" plastic primer (Krylon) or a "model craft" plastic primer (read: more expensive Humbrol etc brands).
Before priming your figures, you may also want to think about creating what I call a "figure stick" or mini-painting stand of some kind. Bascially this is a stand that you fix the mini to that you can hold onto when you paint. Some folks use a wine-cork and double-side tape the figure on one end. I use any scrap of wood stripping (think 1 x 2) that I may have lying about in my garage and then either white-glue or double-side tape a bunch of figures to it. Makes it easy to prime, store and paint the guys.
And since I've already mentioned it...I don't know if you've already picked out your minis, but you might want to give some consideration to what kind you want to paint. By "kind" I don't mean era or melieu (although that is important) but casting material. Metal minis are expensive, but they have a nice heft to them, and it's relatively easy to completely remove paint from them and start again if you want practice / don't like the results. Hard-plastic minis are really only a few years old, but having a tremendous impact on the hobby. Like traditional model kits, they DO require some assembly, but that allows you to customize figures to your hearts content. Finally, soft-plastic (typically 1/72 scale plastic soldiers, like the Airfix or Esci guys) are the most affordable, but the small scale is a little difficult to manage, and you have to really choose model kits carefully for casting quality. Check out plasticsoldierreview.com as a good source of info.
More later...
Jack Nastyface
Jack makes excellent points all the way around.
I *hate* seeing lines on my minis and will go to great lengths to file off the casting lines, going so far as to file them down even in places where I'll never see them. I'll often spend almost as much time filing as I do painting (a slight exaggeration, but only by some).
Once you've painted a mini, that line stays there forever (or until you strip the paint off the mini and repaint it).
In addition to what Jack has said, when I prime my minis I like to rotate them. But you don't want to touch the wet primer, so I place a piece of cardboard (usually one of the top flaps) under them so I can rotate them without directly touching them.
Definitely filing off mold lines and such is important. I am really bad about this and always regret rushing through that step when I see a line on my painted mini.
All very interesting - amazing how so many different hobbies have many commonalities. I go thru a very similar process while painting and detailing RC boats. Paints differ in most cases, except for the Krylon ( I consider it a gateway paint ;)), Many boaters like gel coat paints over primer on fibreglass or ABS plastic hulls to get a rich look.... I have a shitload of files, various sand/water papers and dremel bits/attachments. Its all about the detail! I suspect if I got into minis (in addition to my RC addiction), I would need alternate shelter arrangements! ;D
Part The First:
I should preface this by saying that I'm no expert at painting minis, but I tend to do lots of research before engaging on anything I do. So here follows are some randomly collected things of interest.
Books:
Kevin Dallimore is without a doubt one of the leading artists in this area. He has written two books for Foundry Miniatures - one is out of print: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foundry-Miniatures-Painting-Modelling-Guide/dp/1901543137/ref=pd_sim_b_1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foundry-Miniatures-Painting-Modelling-Guide/dp/1901543137/ref=pd_sim_b_1)
and the other is widely available and features a DVD: (http://wargamesfoundry.com/books/painting_guide/ (http://wargamesfoundry.com/books/painting_guide/)).
I've browsed through the "master class" book and it is truly inspiring. Lots of information on painting techniques that is back-stopped with good illustrations / photos. Although this would be a worthwhile purchase, I am not keen to pick it up for $50. Still, if you manage to find it used on ebay, etc, I'd definately say "go for it".
I give a slightly less-enthusiastic thumbs up to the Coolminiornot.com Ultimate painting guide:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/shop/downloadables/ultimate-painting-guide-link.html (http://www.coolminiornot.com/shop/downloadables/ultimate-painting-guide-link.html)
At $10 for the downloadable version, it is much more affordable than Dallimore's works, but it is also less authoritative. The good folks at www.coolminiornot.com (http://www.coolminiornot.com) have basically created a pdf from articles submitted to their site. As a result, the quality varies from article to article, artist to artist, writer to writer. I don't know how you learn, but I find that when it comes to painting minis I need to see lots of pictures. The cool-mini-or-not book suffers somewhat in this area.
If you are looking to do 1/72 scale stuff (including vehicles) I would recommend picking up "Braille Scale Modelling" by Sven-Ake Grufstedt. This pdf is available for about $3 (http://www.lulu.com/shop/sven-%C3%A5ke-grufstedt/braille-scale-modelling/ebook/product-20220897.html) (http://www.lulu.com/shop/sven-%C3%A5ke-grufstedt/braille-scale-modelling/ebook/product-20220897.html)), and like the CMON book is made up of individual tutorial lessons that were created by a fellow hobbyist. The book focuses on armor, but he also does some fig painting and diorama building.
"Small Scale Armor Modelling" by Alex Clark (Osprey books - hardcopy and pdf) is a tremendous resource but it is highly highly detailed. Mr. Clark does an excellent job of describing what he does, and shows the amazing results...but you know, I just don't have the time. And at $45+.
Videos
I run hot and cold on videos. On the one hand, I like being able to watch and listen real-time or even speed-time how someone preps and paints a mini. On the other hand...I don't have copious amounts of spare time to watch videos, so I need to be very specific about what I want to do / see.
Coolminiornot has a host of videos (check the "store" and then the DVD and downloadables section) that provide instruction on mini-painting. The video series by Jennifer Hayley and Natalya Melnik are amazing, but are well beyond the scope of a beginning painter. You can view some "trailers" from the video over at coolminiornot and see the kind of work they do.
By far the best of the series for the beginnier to intermediate painter is the "Hot lead" series by Lazlo Somethingsomething. I hope I don't get into trouble for this, but I found the first DVD of the series on a site-that-must-not-be-named. Hot Lead also has a series of youtube videos that offer some good instructions and pointers.
And by the way...Probably your best bet for video instruction is youtube. More on that, next.
Websites
I will try to list a number of websites that have proven useful to me, so keep checking this thread. In the mean time, some of the sites I found useful are:
Coolminiornot.com. Nice gallery, great set of tutorials, and a helpful and encouraging group of users. The article index is here http://www.coolminiornot.com/articles/5760-Articles-Index (http://www.coolminiornot.com/articles/5760-Articles-Index) . I would recommend browsing at will.
Artmasterstudio.co.uk is a most excellent site by a group artists who do paid commission work, but who also share their expertise on how to paint (mainly historical) minis. Checking out their video stream on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/ArtmasterStudioTV (http://www.youtube.com/user/ArtmasterStudioTV)) is an absolute must.
Victrix (makers of fine metal and plastic 28 and 54mm figs) have two "photologs" of interest that I highly recommend checking out...one on the "wargames standard" painting process (http://www.victrixlimited.com/painting_guide_beginners.php (http://www.victrixlimited.com/painting_guide_beginners.php)) and another on the Connosieur Standard (http://www.victrixlimited.com/painting_guide_advanced.php (http://www.victrixlimited.com/painting_guide_advanced.php)).
The logically named How-to-Paint miniatures site (http://www.how-to-paint-miniatures.com/ (http://www.how-to-paint-miniatures.com/)) also has a host of good information. Although the site tends to focus on fantasy / sf gaming, the concepts apply to any era. They also use the basecoat / wash / highlight technique which is very popular but produces different results than the basecoat-medium coat - highlight process.
The painting Corps blog (http://thepaintingcorps.blogspot.ca/p/painting-tips.html (http://thepaintingcorps.blogspot.ca/p/painting-tips.html)) also does some fine work, and they have a lot of step-by-steps. Gotta like that.
And last but certainly not least...be sure to check out Matt Parkes' workbench at Wargames Illustrated magazine (http://www.wargamesillustrated.net/Default.aspx?tabid=309 (http://www.wargamesillustrated.net/Default.aspx?tabid=309)). Matt Parkes does a series of "how to" articles in Wargames magazine which are nice. He uses some techniques I don't always follow (I'm not big on filters and inks) but the guy does great work, efficiently.
And of course there is youtube. Search for anything related to minis on youtube and you'll get a host of hits. My personal recommendations are to find something you are interested in doing (painting 28mm left-handed Babylonian sling-throwers, etc), watch a few vids, and see what artists / contributors / styles you like.
Other stuff...
There was a webzine produced a couple of years back by a guy calling himself CourtJester. I don't see his site anymore, but I still have a couple of the 'zines he made. I can probably share if you email or PM me.
There's also a new 'zine called Kinetic7 (www.kinetic7.com (http://www.kinetic7.com)) that has a nice downloadable ezine. I recommend picking it up ASAP as things have a way of going AWOL.
Yours in primer and paint,
Jack Nastyface
P.S. I have the morning off. Can you tell?
SOM, as a person of historical interest, having some background on figurines may make it more fun.
www.hmgs.org has a history and some nice information in general.
When I began painting miniatures, we won't mention dates, right after the Second World War, there was a ton of cheap leftover lead from batteries.
Just about any figure from that era had some battery lead in it. The problem with that is that the acid tended to slowly degrade the metal, and it was possible to have figures become brittle and even crumble at a light touch.
This is where the priming became de rigeur.
First you used a figure wash, commercially made by Imrie-Risley, which both cleaned the figure, but also was supposed to weaken the residual acid (?)
Priming the entire figure both gave a better surface to apply paint, but also sealed the figure so air could not react with the metal.
In that time, Imrie-Risley paints were the gold standard among miniature painters. Unfortunatley, they were oil paint with lead stabilisers. When it was mandated that the lead had to be removed, their paint became bad within weeks of opening the jars.
Very sad, as they had been a great line of paint.
Ok, so here is what I did today.
I had already sprayed several of my minis from a boardgame called A Touch of Evil with a coat of white Privateer Formula P3 Primer. I choose white because I wanted my paint to pop with color, rather than have the gritty Warhammer 40K look (Games Workshop tends to suggest black or dark primer). I have a ton of minis in boardgames I own (and my Descent Second Edition minis will be my main project once I get more practice). I picked the Touch of Evil minis because I'm not a huge fan of the game and I felt I could practice without too much stress. Nothing some Simple Green or Pine-Sol can't fix, right?
Because I was doing this on the cheap, I picked up water-based acrylics at my local craft store, the type my wife would use for regular crafts. I could not find any water-based enamels and I was not going to spend $3-$5 a pot for the Games Workshop colors.
I picked a mini that had a little less detail on her, as she was wearing a long dress and a flowing shirt, carrying a book and a flintlock. I did not want to start with the pirate lady, who has a scarf, a busty chest popping out of a blouse with gold buttons and loads of tiny details. The lady I choose is a simple librarian.
I diluted my acrylics until they were about the consistency of whole milk (per some sites and the Coolornotmini guide). One problem I did have was inconsistent application of paint, but I think this might get better when I learn more brush control. Some areas got more paint while other got less. Multiple coats made this look better, but I still think that I could have been more uniform in my painting. It did give the mini a bit of a textured look, so it wasn't all bad.
After the base coat, I mixed my own washes by adding a little black paint to the basecoat color and diluting until the mixture was translucent and watery. I found this worked pretty well, but I probably need to be more patient and let my basecoats dry a bit more before washing. Still, the wash did what it was supposed to do and darkened the pits on the mini. After that, I added a little white to the basecoat color and used this as a drybrush. I'm not sure my drybrush technique is quite down, because I only detected the most miniscule effect. Still, I think there was some highlighting
Her face and hands were the roughest area. Unlike some minis, these minis have very little detail on their faces. No eyes, barely a mouth and the face is tiny. So I did not feel like I got to highlight the shadows on the skin very well and she has no lips or eyes. Not a huge thing, but I was disappointed that I couldn't get the effect I wanted there.
All in all, I'm proud of how she turned out. I expected my first foray to be a disaster and the mini to look like a primary color clown. But the shading worked well, the paint diluted and blended well, and the colors look pretty good. I will post a picture once I have better lighting in the morning.
The one thing I am concerned about now is that she will certainly need a coat of matte sealant. I bought some of the Games Workshop sealant, but I have read that it can leave white flecks and the can makes it seem like the contents are some form of biological mutagenic toxic sludge. So I'm worried about the cancer and poison warnings. I may pick up a can of Trucote matte finish, which I see gets better reviews and does not leave the same white flecks.
Krylon Crystal Clear is very reliable.
Make sure if you spray the matte sealant that you spray it and let it dry in a place with absolutely zero humidity or you will get the horrible white frost of death all over your mini.
Oh and did we mention we want pictures. ;D
Pictures or it didn't happen.
Also, as the proud owner of about 100 new pewter minis I'm closely following this thread...
Quote from: Toonces on September 13, 2012, 12:53:52 PM
Pictures or it didn't happen.
Also, as the proud owner of about 100 new pewter minis I'm closely following this thread...
100 pewter minis? What kind (as in, what era)?
Quote from: LongBlade on September 13, 2012, 01:01:33 PM
Quote from: Toonces on September 13, 2012, 12:53:52 PM
Pictures or it didn't happen.
Also, as the proud owner of about 100 new pewter minis I'm closely following this thread...
100 pewter minis? What kind (as in, what era)?
+1 You can't just tease with that we need details!
Quote from: TheCommandTent on September 13, 2012, 01:02:10 PM
Quote from: LongBlade on September 13, 2012, 01:01:33 PM
Quote from: Toonces on September 13, 2012, 12:53:52 PM
Pictures or it didn't happen.
Also, as the proud owner of about 100 new pewter minis I'm closely following this thread...
100 pewter minis? What kind (as in, what era)?
+1 You can't just tease with that we need details!
It is possible for someone to pick up a pack of five or ten pewter minis on a whim. 100 means there is forethought and planning. We need to know who this lurking minis player is.
Ah crap, maybe they're not pewter but lead. I don't know, some kind of metal.
The way you all are going on, it leads me to believe that there is a difference...
Quote from: Toonces on September 13, 2012, 02:04:51 PM
Ah crap, maybe they're not pewter but lead. I don't know, some kind of metal.
The way you all are going on, it leads me to believe that there is a difference...
Now you are just toying with us.
Quote from: Toonces on September 13, 2012, 02:04:51 PM
Ah crap, maybe they're not pewter but lead. I don't know, some kind of metal.
The way you all are going on, it leads me to believe that there is a difference...
They're not lead unless they're 30 years old or your bought them in China.
And I'm starting to think Toonces is working on an early April Fool's joke as The Tent has pointed out.
That, or Toonces was on a bender in Bangkok and bought the Collector's Edition of 100 Best Homoerotic Miniatures of 2008. I hear that year was a good release if you're into that stuff.
Ok, ok enough is enough. I just took a bunch of pictures but I have to wait until my wife gets home to upload them. I'm going to go surfing and then go to the windward mall and see if I can find some paints. They actually sell model paints in the Koolau Pets store in the mall if you can believe that, and I don't know of another hobby shop on the island!
I'm going to be out that way anyway, so it's two birds with one stone sort of thing. Then I'll come back and post some pictures in the Hind Commander thread.
Quote from: Toonces on September 13, 2012, 02:41:53 PM
Ok, ok enough is enough. I just took a bunch of pictures but I have to wait until my wife gets home to upload them. I'm going to go surfing and then go to the windward mall and see if I can find some paints. They actually sell model paints in the Koolau Pets store in the mall if you can believe that, and I don't know of another hobby shop on the island!
I'm going to be out that way anyway, so it's two birds with one stone sort of thing. Then I'll come back and post some pictures in the Hind Commander thread.
Heh.
The easiest way to find paint will be to http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/ and look for a store. If there's one near (it doesn't have to be a GW company store, it can be a hobby store) it's guaranteed that if they sell GW minis, they sell GW paint.
Keep in mind, GW just revamped their paint and now offers over 100 options. Best to ask the folks in the store questions before you come back with your favorite colors and find out they're all textures and washes. ???
OK, here is my first mini ever painted.
In artificial light:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nLFHjQVbLuE/UFJfdpyoT0I/AAAAAAAAAbk/s6E-oINO7WA/s800/IMG_1207.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z87uTOpHAGw/UFJfeGCKw-I/AAAAAAAAAbw/xfPZW5geFv4/s800/IMG_1208.JPG)
Sunlight:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VFDRAuPHanA/UFJfeXb210I/AAAAAAAAAb0/LRhWP6vMYsg/s800/IMG_1209.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7IRhzOhXUBE/UFJfepGI1sI/AAAAAAAAAb8/lRGQpCq6Ehg/s800/IMG_1210.JPG)
Please note that she always had that "half the face gone" look, that was part of the lack of detail on the mini itself.
Looking good, Dr SoM!
I've been thinking about making an attempt at painting up some board game minis myself. So it's nice to see a fellow noob manage to produce something that looks pretty good. ;)
Looking good SoM and if I might add those are some well manicured nails.
Nice job, Doc! I don't think I will do such a good job on my first mini...
Nice job, SoM. Well done.
Excellent job SoM. You could probably even do with a darker was all over to help bring out what little detail there is.
Quote from: TheCommandTent on September 13, 2012, 08:21:16 PM
Excellent job SoM. You could probably even do with a darker was all over to help bring out what little detail there is.
Do you think I can just use a general wash for the whole thing? Like a greatly diluted black or brown? I made a separate wash for each color and washed each section separately. I hadn't thought that I could just use black and be done with it!
Quote from: son_of_montfort on September 13, 2012, 08:32:46 PM
Quote from: TheCommandTent on September 13, 2012, 08:21:16 PM
Excellent job SoM. You could probably even do with a darker was all over to help bring out what little detail there is.
Do you think I can just use a general wash for the whole thing? Like a greatly diluted black or brown? I made a separate wash for each color and washed each section separately. I hadn't thought that I could just use black and be done with it!
Yes a general wash for the whole thing should be fine. I was told once (I can't remember by who) that generally a brown wash works best on a figures while a black was works better on vehicles and terrain. I've got a pot of GW's Devlan Mud that I was most of my minis after I am done painting. It darkens them a little but seeps into all the folds and details in the figure given great depth and shadow to the figure. Also it helps hide how bad of a painter I really am. (They look great when you see them down on the table in front of you just don't get to close) :)
You can see detail the wash brought out in these figures
http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=2079.msg52287#msg52287
You can make your own washes rather than buying one. I think The Tent is right - browns seem to bring a warmth to humanoid figures. Black is better for vehicles as it brings out the contrast in depth.
Some excellent Painting Guides by Matt Parkes, here. http://www.theassaultgroup.co.uk/articles/painting.php
The minis-painting guild has some barely okay tutorials...most don't have enough pics but this one does (http://minipainting-guild.net/tips/tips.html). I'm not keen about using ink washes followed by dry-brush, highlights and blending but you can't argue with the artists' results.
And some not bad tips...http://rpgathenaeum.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/nine-tips-for-leveling-up-your-miniature-painting-skills/
I'm also digging the following sites:
The Painting Clinic: http://www.paintingclinic.com/MainClinic.dwt.htm Lots o' stuff for beginners and intermediate minis. Some good pics and lots of explanation on theory.
I mentioned Hot Lead before (http://hot-lead.org/start/paint_guide_main.htm) but I didn't mention Lazlo's website. Well there it is...good sections for beginners. Although as I mentioned above I'm not keen about the wash / drybrush technique, I really like Lazlo's method where he washes with a darker color of the base color and highlights with a lighter color.
THe Jenova project also has some okay tutorials but some are a little too brief and not enough pics! (http://www.jenova.dk/)
Also a must-read by Reaper Miniatures about the Craft (http://www.reapermini.com/TheCraft). I LOVE the following article on "getting started" http://www.reapermini.com/TheCraft/32
See how addictive this can be? And I haven't even posted any pics yet!
Pretty good work SoM! I must say it's a lot better than my first one. Based on the sculpting job, she should be saying "I am not an animal!"
I painted two more today, and I think they turned out BETTER than my librarian lady. I will post pics tomorrow, when I have some light. I even did it with a nasty flu/cold... which could be the source of my talent!
Quote from: son_of_montfort on September 15, 2012, 08:14:21 PM
I painted two more today, and I think they turned out BETTER than my librarian lady. I will post pics tomorrow, when I have some light. I even did it with a nasty flu/cold... which could be the source of my talent!
Wait until the codeine wears off before you decide...
Back on topic...
I just blasted a few plastic 28mm minitures with Armory Black Primer and the results were disasterous. The primer covered the minis with a very large particle finish. Like so on attached pic.
So what I am doing wrong? Is it:
1) didn't mix the paint enough
2) sprayed too far away from mini (which would allow the primer to form larger particles than if I had been closer)
3) old or crappy primer
4) wrong kind of primer for plastic mini (don't think this is it)
5) too much primer
6) Something else
After these results, I am thinking of priming by brush :o .
Regards,
Jack Nastyface
Where did you paint them and what were the humidity conditions?
Sometimes that can happen when the humidity is high - like painting in the garage during summer.
Backyard in Vancouver BC area. It's usually humid here...I recently read a couple things that might help:
1) warm the can of primer in a hot water bath before using
2) don't use armory brand primer
3) spray one mini at a time. It might be that the the off-spray from my 10th mini was landing on the already-primed-and-drying 1st mini on my painting stand resulting in the snow-flakey texture.
Humidity is the bane of minis painters. You aren't the first nor the last to have struggled with it.
Currently I paint in my basement with a large canvas tarp to catch the excess spray.
However, when I was painting outside one of the things I did was to let both the can and the minis warm up outside before priming. Just like bringing a cold beer out of the fridge and to the hot outdoors, you'll get condensation. Same thing with cold minis inside at 72 brought outside. (I figured that one out all by myself)
Guys in Atlanta claimed that humidity would fall immediately after it rains for a brief period of time and they would wait for rain then rush outside for the brief decrease in humidity to get their priming in.
There are no super solutions that I'm aware of. There are painting booths you can buy to use indoors. I've never used one but they seem like a good idea. Here's one that looks interesting and affordable.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040N78WQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0040N78WQ&linkCode=as2&tag=grogheads-20
If you paint indoors and you don't want to spring for full size dehumidifier take a look at this: Eva-dry Electric Petite Dehumidifier (http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-Edv-1100-Electric-Petite-Dehumidifier/dp/B000H0ZDD2). I'm guessing it works best in smaller spaces though.
You coulsd also get some of these: Wm Barr FG90 DampRid Super System (http://www.amazon.com/Barr-FG90-DampRid-Super-System/dp/B002C4UN4U/ref=pd_luc_top_sim_03_03_t_lh)
Link is broken Stagger.
^ I was still editing!
hehe
Shake that primer like a Polaroid picture y'all! You have to shake it a lot to make sure it stays evenly distributed. Also, I really like this Privateer Primer, so check it out.
Here are some pics, I call this guy "Bison in the 18th Century" (no idea his real name):
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f5cTTEX17os/UFYvQkeA1LI/AAAAAAAAAcc/uovZ-Z-8K6U/s800/IMG_1241.JPG)
And back, check out his ax!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PsODXRBGezk/UFYvFL1unxI/AAAAAAAAAcI/u8sbahdzvhM/s800/IMG_1240.JPG)
I used the dark brown wash for the whole mini and was pleased with the results.
This lady is Isabella von Took (yes, that is her name in the game). Be sure to see what she had hidden behind her:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3g6xTWJNcyU/UFYvSPuoTrI/AAAAAAAAAc0/Bv_Y-FakfR4/s800/IMG_1245.JPG)
Again, the model company made her face a little like she had a stroke (she looks a bit better in real life). In the back:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2hVnG2IjMxk/UFYvSeFfCJI/AAAAAAAAAc8/f_K1VUZpq3s/s800/IMG_1246.JPG)
Last one, my favorite, Danforth the Playwright. His vest is a glittery metallic gold. The skull is green because I painted it with glow-in-the-dark paint!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ndU9gMBMbuc/UFYvRFC0xBI/AAAAAAAAAck/0OkzmKVJ3Yg/s800/IMG_1243.JPG)
Back side:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5Jf9XSL_Cyo/UFYvRolZCXI/AAAAAAAAAcs/5IZhxVlLzsw/s800/IMG_1244.JPG)
They all have a rustic look, which works perfectly for the idea that they are 18th century adventurers in a Sleepy Hollow like setting.
Fun. I like the glow in the dark paint idea. That's great.
you know when you think you havent got time for anything else?
dammit - feeling the draw for this............ think WHFB or WW2 - Warhammer id be ok with - no idea where to start with WW2 although i like the look of the British Paras in another thread
I'd be looking at the Sergeants game by Lost Battalion Games, except that they're bloody expensive and I can't see any UK retailers that have them yet...not that I've erm, looked very hard......much.
Quote from: LongBlade on September 16, 2012, 03:52:54 PM
Fun. I like the glow in the dark paint idea. That's great.
I'm going to paint my zombie minis in it!
Quote from: bob48 on September 16, 2012, 04:16:56 PM
I'd be looking at the Sergeants game by Lost Battalion Games, except that they're bloody expensive and I can't see any UK retailers that have them yet...not that I've erm, looked very hard......much.
dear Bob, for christmas i should like a box of SMG paratroopers
thanks
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 16, 2012, 04:27:58 PM
dear Bob, for christmas i should like a box of SMG paratroopers
Funny you guys mention that.
I am putting together a holiday shopping guide to be given to spouses et al who otherwise might find it impossible to determine what to get us in our obscure and unfathomable hobby.
The idea is that you should be able to send a loved one to our site and say "something in the minis section" and while it might still be a surprise, we'll have links to vendors to make it easy to purchase.
Hopefully that will get you guys something better than a necktie and sweater.
oh man thats an awesome idea - a grogs mug and everything you can find in the minis section, DO NOT, DO NOT click on the lingerie section!!!
oh errr, actually, the lady from page 3, 6, 13, and 18!
and if i cant have them just wear what theyre wearing on christmas morning
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 16, 2012, 04:36:04 PM
oh man thats an awesome idea - a grogs mug and everything you can find in the minis section, DO NOT, DO NOT click on the lingerie section!!!
oh errr, actually, the lady from page 3, 6, 13, and 18!
and if i cant have them just wear what theyre wearing on christmas morning
Heh. Best thing to do is to start feeding me links to stuff you like. That's the best way to ensure I'll have something you want in the mix.
you said it boss - the list is in the making
SoM those came out great and I think the brown wash added alot!
@Jack Nastyface - I agree with the others it is probably a combination of humidity and not shaking the can of primer up. The only other option is to get a brush on primer. I think there is a black one called artist gresso (sp?) that people on TMP talk about and really like.
im off to GW tomorrow to pick a mini to paint - still undecided on 40k or FB - i think FB ill see when i get there - not Elves
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 17, 2012, 05:24:33 PM
im off to GW tomorrow to pick a mini to paint - still undecided on 40k or FB - i think FB ill see when i get there - not Elves
If it's an official store they may give you a free first mini. Ask ;) They also typically hold free painting classes - you'll get better than us very quickly if you hang with them for any length of time.
i dont know how it works in the US, over here a GW is a shop full of teenagers and hormones that smells vaguely like an armpit, and then because youre not dressed in black or skulls and crossbones the equally odd looking teenager behind the till with half a beard and acne eyes you very suspiciously - one has clearly set off all the 'parent' bells and are approached patronisingly like you know nothing of the hobby. Its probably the one thing that stops me joining some kind of club they put on!
Anyway, ill go see what takes my fancy, nothing massive like a Skaven screaming bell or massive centre piece, but not just a 'soldier' either - maybe a general or a champion. I always fancied the Dwarves, or maybe undead in this new world of Zombies
In the back of this months White Dwarf i bought for £30 theres a very impressive looking painting guide that doubles as a ring binder that can support itself so you can stand it on the desk and follow the guides - DVD too
Hmmm. Guess I should look for a White Dwarf. I can always improve.
Most GW stores I've been to have been clean and well kept. I can't recall seeing any misfits in there, but I will confess that I don't keep regular hours and could easily have avoided the worst of a herd.
Sigh...from bad to worse.
So I did some google-fu to figure out how to remove primer from plastic minis. Simple enough...but during the cleaning part I managed to break a few gladius (gladii?) and pilum (Pilia?).
A good argument for going with metal minis...
Jack Nastyface
Quote from: Jack Nastyface on September 19, 2012, 11:39:08 PM
Sigh...from bad to worse.
So I did some google-fu to figure out how to remove primer from plastic minis. Simple enough...but during the cleaning part I managed to break a few gladius (gladii?) and pilum (Pilia?).
A good argument for going with metal minis...
Jack Nastyface
Despair not.
Minis break. Just glue them back together and keep going.
Also, make a mental note that if you're going to be transporting them anywhere, you're going to need some kind of protective. case to carry them. ;)
Thread resurrectus
I'm thinking about journeying down the rabbit hole of painting miniatures. Grabbed a starter set of acrylic paints (mastercraft brand, hopefully they are at least ok and I can always upgrade), some brushes and a tub of The Masters brush cleaner.
Going to grab some spray primer and a thin sheet of melamine to use as a top to my card table to protect it.
Going to grab some cheap medieval minis on amazon to practice a bit before launching my goal of buying mice and mystics (to play with my kids) but to paint the figures.
Any helpful tips above and beyond here?
Quote from: jamus34 on September 24, 2018, 08:35:41 AM
Thread resurrectus
I'm thinking about journeying down the rabbit hole of painting miniatures. Grabbed a starter set of acrylic paints (mastercraft brand, hopefully they are at least ok and I can always upgrade), some brushes and a tub of The Masters brush cleaner.
Going to grab some spray primer and a thin sheet of melamine to use as a top to my card table to protect it.
Going to grab some cheap medieval minis on amazon to practice a bit before launching my goal of buying mice and mystics (to play with my kids) but to paint the figures.
Any helpful tips above and beyond here?
Go for it, mini painting is therapeutic. Also a great way to listen to podcasts or audiobooks.
Stay away from craft paints, even if you're starting out. They're very thick and you need thin coats. The last thing you want starting out is to be fighting the paint. Vallejo Model Color is great for military figures, Vallejo Game Color for more fantasy/sci-fi. Citadel is good but imo very expensive. There are lots of other paints out there, just get one meant for minis.
When you finish post on reddit.com/r/minipainting and ask for feedback. People there are pretty constructive and you'll be surprised how much you'll improve between your first several minis.
Thanks Jager.
I'll look into the Vallejo paints. I've heard too many complaints (and cost gripes) on the Citadel to go down that route. I just figured I'd thin the paints I got to proper consistency.
I'll probably go in both directions as I think my kids will like swords and monsters more, not that I mind them, but my heart is more with mechs.
That bit of advice about craft paint is something I hear echoed often. I guess there's no harm in trying it out and seeing for yourself, the important thing is that you're enjoying yourself :).
Quote from: Pzrjager on September 24, 2018, 12:00:25 PM
That bit of advice about craft paint is something I hear echoed often. I guess there's no harm in trying it out and seeing for yourself, the important thing is that you're enjoying yourself :).
Yup. Worse case I have $10 of acrylics I can give to my kids to paint with if it pisses me off. The initial buy in with even a starter set of miniature paint is 4 times as much.
One thing I've not really seen much on is what is the drying time for acrylics? Last small scale painting I use to do was models using enamals where you painted a section and then came back the next day type deal
Quote from: jamus34 on September 24, 2018, 08:35:41 AM
Thread resurrectus
I'm thinking about journeying down the rabbit hole of painting miniatures. Grabbed a starter set of acrylic paints (mastercraft brand, hopefully they are at least ok and I can always upgrade), some brushes and a tub of The Masters brush cleaner.
Going to grab some spray primer and a thin sheet of melamine to use as a top to my card table to protect it.
Going to grab some cheap medieval minis on amazon to practice a bit before launching my goal of buying mice and mystics (to play with my kids) but to paint the figures.
Any helpful tips above and beyond here?
Its funny I did the same thing myself after about 15 years of not painting minis I dove back in. I too wanted to play mice and mystics with my kids and thought it would be fun project to do with them. It turned out to be very therapeutic - I built a small workbench/painting station in our basement setup a radio and brought a bottle of scotch down. The wife had to yell at me to come back upstairs as I have turned it into my man cave corner.
I went with Vallejo paints same reason as listed here
I also bought a tabletop magnifying glass with built in light - best thing ever for my older eyes
I started out with about a dozen paints but with repeated trips to the hobby store to get that right shade or purple/crimson/mouse brown etc I must have more than two dozen now
I enjoyed painting so much the kids wanted to try so I bought them cheap plastic figurines and they painted as well (with my expensive paints I might add).
1 of them paints any color they like gold/silver yellow etc - makes the figures look like French whores. The other tries to paint realistically (white snow covers,grey trousers black guns etc).
The mice and mystic figures turned out so well that I have to guard them from my kids who would play with them until they were destroyed(I went and bought the foam mice and mystics insert for the game).
I really need to take some photos of them and figure out how to host them since I have become inordinately proud of my dive back in. Looking forward to doing some models and maybe more figures with the kids as winter projects.
Con
Sounds awesome Con, post pictures here so we can check out your work :)!
Btw Jamus I highly recommend you look up how to make a wet palette. You just need glad tupperware, a paper towel, and some parchment paper. It will keep your paints wet much longer, meaning you won't have to keep thinning them or adding more paint because your paint dried out.
Here's a good how-to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96mjmqWTPfM
Ok last vid, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfNS8RImpw4
Watch that just to understand paint consistency. I struggled with that for a good while when I started. That's the best video I've seen.
So I bought a piece of plywood, paint and some trim. Going to make a painting surface for my cardtable.
I also ordered the starter set of Vajello paints on amazon along with Mice and Mystics.
Only thing left I can think of is lighting.
This light is what I use and its great
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WWP4VKB/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lots of fur in Mice and Mystics. Check out how to dry brush. It's a pretty easy technique and a good way to paint raised surfaces like fur or chainmail.
Quote from: Pzrjager on September 26, 2018, 09:05:05 PM
Lots of fur in Mice and Mystics. Check out how to dry brush. It's a pretty easy technique and a good way to paint raised surfaces like fur or chainmail.
:bd:
Yup been watching vids (plus those that have been posted)
Here is a photo of my setup and some of the minis I painted
(https://i.postimg.cc/RZdvWZR5/IMG_2380.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/LXcpcYHf/IMG_2381.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/rm0TZCLM/IMG_2382.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3wwYmQSy/IMG_2383.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/CK6Y4rXc/IMG_2385.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/nhpHVDqG/IMG_2386.jpg)
Looks good Con!
I'll take photos but basically I'm trying to make a painting surface that goes on top a table that both I can use for miniatures and my kids can use to paint whatever rather than getting paint all over my dining room table.
Great work Con, you should share more of your work :)