[Miniatures] Painting tips and progress reports (with pics!)

[miltonite]

I finally painted another mini. Only 1 owl and 1 more party member for our D&D group.
Here is Barrus the Paladin.





I am happy overall with how it came out. Seeing it this large is still a little unflattering but It looks good on the table. There are some parts on this mini that I could not physically reach with a brush. You might catch a glimpse of those spots.

[Smoove_B]

I am many things; a miniature photographer I am not. Had some motivation to finish painting Core Space and I went with it. Managed to not only complete the core box, but also did the Black Star Rising and Wanted Dead or Alive expansions (which fit nicely in the core box) as well. I am quite pleased. This was the first time in a long time that Contrast paints worked for me as I wanted them to.



Took me 14 days, but that was painting a few at a time every other day or so. I bet I could have done this over a much shorter period of time if I focused.

95% Contrast paints. Some Army painter inks. Some use of Nuln Oil (sorry Blackhawk!), all over a Wraith Bone spray primer.

So I think for me Contrast Paints (all 1.0, fwiw) and how I feel about them comes down to a few things:

(1) Making sure they are genuinely mixed well. I really went out of my way (with added stainless steel BBs) to make sure they were mixed before application. And a few times there were still "chunks" that I had to remove.
(2) Wraith Bone primer. I hate that this seems to be the best option, but if it works I'll begrudgingly use it.
(3) Model detail

For #3, these models (most of them) really felt like they were sculpted by someone into painting. I like the CMON models, but sometimes I think they're not being intentionally crafted for mass market painting. Instead, they're being crafted to look nice as-is. These Core Space models had very distinct sculpting cuts that made Contrast paint flow exactly where it needed to and nowhere else.

Anyway, for people struggling, I share. This is easily the most I've painted in 3+ years and I'm going to continue riding the high.

[Blackhawk]

Some use of Nuln Oil (sorry Blackhawk!), all over a Wraith Bone spray primer.

That's ok. I use black wash, too.

[hepcat]

I am many things; a miniature photographer I am not. Had some motivation to finish painting Core Space and I went with it. Managed to not only complete the core box, but also did the Black Star Rising and Wanted Dead or Alive expansions (which fit nicely in the core box) as well. I am quite pleased. This was the first time in a long time that Contrast paints worked for me as I wanted them to.

Looking good!

I need to go back and finish my core space stuff. I actually do have most of it done (both core boxes). I just need to finish some of the expansion stuff.

[Smoove_B]

I need to go back and finish my core space stuff. I actually do have most of it done (both core boxes). I just need to finish some of the expansion stuff.

A friend wants to try a 4 player (two team) introductory game. He volunteered to build the scenery so I said I'd show up with painted miniatures. Sometimes I think having people to play with is 80% of my motivation to paint things.

[hepcat]

I still shudder when I get ready to set up a game of it. I also am not overly fond of the second core game's focus on solo play over team play. Having one crew be parsed out to multiple players when you want to play a team game kind of sucks since most of the characters have limited skills/actions, while the captain gets the most. I'd have preferred a structure more like the first game that focuses on a crew per player.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, I think we're just trying to test the waters and see how it goes. If there's interest with the theme and mechanics we definitely have enough stuff to run a true 4 player / 4 crew scenario. It's been a long time since we've collectively played anything this...meaty and I don't think we've ever actually dabbled in a skirmish-style war game like this. If it can recapture some of the magic of competitive HeroScape (which really was lightning in a bottle), it'll be a winner.

[hepcat]

Well, you've certainly got me thinking about dragging it off the shelf again. But I need to get a little further in Chronicles of Drunagor....and Oathsworn....and Descent....and Middara....and Journeys in Middle Earth....and Etherfields....and...

...you know what, screw it. Let's just go with "someday".

[hentzau]

I did all of my Core Space minis using contrast, and it really was a treat to paint them. It was also the only time that I liked using a zenithal with contrast (on the Galactic Corps figures) with contrast. I've been thinking about trying the Wraithbone and Nuln Oil (or maybe some Dark Shade) before SpeedPaint. Glad to hear (and see) that it worked out well.

Weather is starting to turn here in Chicago...not sure how many more days of rattle can priming I will have before I have to go back to airbrush.

[Smoove_B]

Weather is starting to turn here in Chicago...not sure how many more days of rattle can priming I will have before I have to go back to airbrush.

Yes, that is the story here, though I never pulled a trigger on an airbrush. Two days this week it'll hit 62 degrees and I might risk priming another batch of miniatures to hopefully get me through the next 5+ months.

I've been thinking about trying the Wraithbone and Nuln Oil (or maybe some Dark Shade) before SpeedPaint.

That's all I did for the harvesters. They're just wraithbone primed and a Nuln oil wash over everything. After that I used Black Templar contrast on their flexi bits and red acrylic dots for eyes. The Devastators are the same but I just used red ink over the Nuln oil wash. They look old and worn. So many of the details on the minis (like armor pieces) are also just Nuln oil covering the primer. One of the aliens I used it for their skin tone.

[Blackhawk]

I'd honestly try Wraithbone primer, but Citadel won't release it as an airbrush paint (they have airbrush-able paints the same color, but not with the primer formulation.) There are too few days here that fall within the temperature/humidity window for rattlecan priming (like a couple of weeks in the fall, and maybe a month in the spring.)

[Smoove_B]

I had been brush-priming Vallejo Ivory primer, but I haven't been able to get the same results. I didn't realize GW didn't release Wraithbone primer in an airbrush offering. That seems...odd. It's so damn expensive, but I can't argue with my results.

But I go back to wondering is it the model sculpt? Was I not shaking the Contrast paints enough? Still too many variables to figure out which one is the most important, but generally speaking my Citadel rattlecan primer + Contrast paint experience has been solid.

[Blackhawk]

Honestly, I've had good results with Stynlrez through an airbrush and contrast paints. I had some problems with pebbling in the primer early on (sort of a stucko surface), but later learned that's caused by air pressure and holding the brush too far away (the atomized droplets partially dry in the air.)

[hentzau]

I had been brush-priming Vallejo Ivory primer, but I haven't been able to get the same results. I didn't realize GW didn't release Wraithbone primer in an airbrush offering. That seems...odd. It's so damn expensive, but I can't argue with my results.

But I go back to wondering is it the model sculpt? Was I not shaking the Contrast paints enough? Still too many variables to figure out which one is the most important, but generally speaking my Citadel rattlecan primer + Contrast paint experience has been solid.

Smoove, I'm with you 100% on this one, I get WAY better results out of Wraithbone than I do with any other brand of primer, rattlecan, airbrush, or brush-on. I don't know what magic they put in that can, but I will continue to shell out the bucks for it.

Now excuse me as I go do some risky priming in 56 degree weather...

[Smoove_B]

I have some Massive Darkness minis that are primed with Army Painter Matt White. I'm going to try and paint them now using what I just learned over the last two weeks of really focusing on Contrast painting and see if there's any difference.

Sure, the coloration will be a little off (Wraithbone vs Matt White), but after so much time I'm going to know immediately how the primers differ.

If the Army Painter Matt White turns out to (still) be problematic, then...best not think about that right now because it's going to involve a bucket.

[Blackhawk]

If the Army Painter Matt White turns out to (still) be problematic, then...best not think about that right now because it's going to involve a bucket.

While I still absolutely stand behind Army Painter spray primers, if it comes down to it, you want La's Totally Awesome (which is sold in dollar stores) and a toothbrush. Do one piece first to test (but I've never had La's react with any material.) Regular paint comes off after an hour or so. Primer may take a day or two of soaking with the occasional light brushing.

[Smoove_B]

I picked up a jug of that during some point over the last year or so after seeing you mention it. It really does work quite well on primers, yes. I had been using Simple Green (and still do sometimes), but La's Totally Awesome magic juice (I might have made that last part up) is just as good (or better).

[Blackhawk]

I picked up a jug of that during some point over the last year or so after seeing you mention it. It really does work quite well on primers, yes. I had been using Simple Green (and still do sometimes), but La's Totally Awesome magic juice (I might have made that last part up) is just as good (or better).

Someone somewhere actually did a fairly decent study (identical mini, same paint, carefully timed soaks, same amount of brushing, etc.) comparing the various popular options (La's, Simple Green, Purple Power, isopropyl, don't remember what else), and La's came out way on top.

[Smoove_B]

Well...that took all of 10 minutes. Contrast paint over Army Painter White Matt isn't going to work. I knew this from before, but now I can express exactly what the problem is. The AP primer seems slightly hydrophobic - the Contrast paint is not flowing at all over the surface and in some places I actually noticed it shrinking back to where I pooled it for spreading. So not only is it not flowing during my application, it not flowing as it dries - which is why my other minis I did earlier this year look streaked, splotchy and have dark spots.

I'm glad I figured this out. I am not glad for what's potentially coming next.

Then again, maybe I should try my few Army Painter Speed paints on the Army Painter primer and see how much of a difference that makes...

[hentzau]

Well...that took all of 10 minutes. Contrast paint over Army Painter White Matt isn't going to work. I knew this from before, but now I can express exactly what the problem is. The AP primer seems slightly hydrophobic - the Contrast paint is not flowing at all over the surface and in some places I actually noticed it shrinking back to where I pooled it for spreading. So not only is it not flowing during my application, it not flowing as it dries - which is why my other minis I did earlier this year look streaked, splotchy and have dark spots.

I'm glad I figured this out. I am not glad for what's potentially coming next.

Then again, maybe I should try my few Army Painter Speed paints on the Army Painter primer and see how much of a difference that makes...

I’ve had decent enough results with the AP flat white and Speedpaint, but Wraithbone remains superior (IMO.)

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, that settles it. The Speed paint flows over the AP primer like the Contrast paints flow over the GW primer. I know we've joked about how they were designed to work well with each other, but I can confirm it. The difference was night and day slathering the Speed paint on. Again, it's not just the look, it's also the application. The Speed paint was super easy to "push" around this model. The Contrast paints felt more like acrylic paints going on.

For reference, both primed with AP, Contrast on the left; Speedpaint on the right.

I don't have a color match between the two products, but you can see the difference in what they look like after drying.



And just to confirm, I went to my primed versions of the character minis from MD as I had a really easy time painting them with Contrast paints. And of course I can see they were primed with Wraithbone, not AP.

[Zarathud]

I think the Speedpaint/Contrast Paints were designed to work best with their own primers. I have had better luck for that reason with AP since I use AP spray/bottle primers.

[Smoove_B]

Conspiracy!

Took me quite a bit of time to scrub ~16 minis last night; I can't imagine doing it for the rest of them. Going to try spraying Wraithbone over the Army Painter primer on a test miniature and see if it works fine. I'm not too worried about obscuring details at this point, but I guess if that's too thick or the Wraithbone acts wacky coating another primer, I'll just have to deal with the slog of cleaning them all.

I have a buddy that believes in priming as you paint. Meaning, he'll only prime one or two minis at a time with the philosophy that you can only paint so much - don't get ahead of yourself. Of course I am always in the assembly line mentality so I batch prime things. As it turns out, that might not have been the best strategy here.

[Zarathud]

Primer should bond to primer, I would think.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, on paper it seems like it can work. I know sometimes paint does weird things when you apply it over other paints so maybe I'm just remembering past trauma. I think the bigger risk is increasing thickness and obscuring details, but I need to try it and maybe learn the lesson.

[Blackhawk]

Primer on primer pretty much always works. The only reason to strip is, as you said, the buildup filling in the small details.

I will add that stripping primer simply takes longer than stripping paint, as it's formulated specifically to bond to whatever it's sprayed on. I'd have given them 24 hours to soak, and if the paint wasn't loose, another 24.

What's really fun is stripping dried enamel off of lead minis. Nice, fresh smelling La's need not apply - that one calls for a long soak in a sealed jar of oven cleaner, followed by extensive nasty scrubbing.

[Punisher]

Would an ultrasonic bath thingy help?
I think they can be had for less than $50.
Then you soak it while using the ultrasonic thingy.
If I remember I'll try digging mine out and testing it.

[hentzau]

Would an ultrasonic bath thingy help?
I think they can be had for less than $50.
Then you soak it while using the ultrasonic thingy.
If I remember I'll try digging mine out and testing it.

Never tried one before, but they are the rage for cleaning 3D prints.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, I think they would work, at least for miniatures that are all one piece. Not sure what would happen if you put a model in there that had any parts that were glued either by you or the factory.

What's interesting is with a white primer coat, spraying the Wraithbone over it makes the Wraithbone a little brighter (duh) than if it was just grey or dark plastic.

I was a little worried right after application that details were going to be obscured, but after 16+ hours of curing the Wraithbone has really shrunk down and everything seems good. I blasted through 5 of the 6 Massive Darkness characters core box characters yesterday, so that was a win.

The biggest thing I'm learned about Contrast paints (I think) is that I have to paint things differently than I was doing for acrylics. Namely, with acrylics I'd start at skin level and work my way "up" in layers. However, for Contrast paints, sometimes it makes more sense to work on the outermost layers first (like pouches or belts) and then "backfill" with the clothing or armor that's under the belts. I also spend more time thinking about the actual Contrast colors, and making sure to put the lighter ones down first so that I don't accidentally coat them with a darker neighboring color ahead of time.

Maybe I should have been doing that all along with acrylics too but it just seems more obvious to me with the lighter Contrast paints as they're more like stains and are more transparent with whatever is underneath (like a dark green or brown).

I've also been playing around a bit more with "wet blending" the Contrast paints at the edges where colors meet. Like for Sibyl, I used three different shades of green and tried to coordinate a bit where they come together so I could mix them at those edges. Not really sure it did anything, but I'm happy with the final results.



Not entirely sold on the silver plating for her armor; might go back and fix that.

EDIT: And I did with an Agrax Earthshade (Sorry, BH, brown! ) wash on her arms and legs

[Smoove_B]

So today I learned that you can't soak resin minis in LA's magical cleaner. When I took them out, the paint came off super easy, but they snapped off the base at the ankle and their hands fell off. The resin minis also feel a bit rubbery so I guess whatever is in it must eat at the resin. Not a big deal as I can just have more printed, but consider yourselves warned...

[Isgrimnur]

Spoiler:

[Smoove_B]

[Formix]

Okay, there's a lot of great info in this thread, but it seems everyone has learned a lot, and has their favorites. For a total newbie, as someone who hasn't painted a miniature since probably 1983, I'd like to at least paint the minis that came with my Return to Dark Tower Dark Horde expansion. What are some suggestions for paints, gear (minimum budget, pls), and tutorials?

[Blackhawk]

Okay, there's a lot of great info in this thread, but it seems everyone has learned a lot, and has their favorites. For a total newbie, as someone who hasn't painted a miniature since probably 1983, I'd like to at least paint the minis that came with my Return to Dark Tower Dark Horde expansion. What are some suggestions for paints, gear (minimum budget, pls), and tutorials?

Big question:

Is your goal to pursue painting as a hobby, or is your goal to get board game miniatures more colorful in an efficient manner?

[Smoove_B]

I'll let you answer Blackhawk's question first, but as someone that just painted ~100 minis over the last ~6 weeks, I'm absolutely happy to offer my recent suggestions.

[Formix]

Okay, there's a lot of great info in this thread, but it seems everyone has learned a lot, and has their favorites. For a total newbie, as someone who hasn't painted a miniature since probably 1983, I'd like to at least paint the minis that came with my Return to Dark Tower Dark Horde expansion. What are some suggestions for paints, gear (minimum budget, pls), and tutorials?

Big question:

Is your goal to pursue painting as a hobby, or is your goal to get board game miniatures more colorful in an efficient manner?

Initially to get board game miniatures more colorful in an efficient manner, but depending on how it goes, I think I would enjoy it as a hobby.

[Smoove_B]

Possibly helpful - have you seen images of the miniatures you're looking to work on shared by someone else online that have already been painted? Maybe not exactly what you're looking to do but a general direction or aesthetic you're hoping for?

To your comment, I think it would be relatively easy to recommend basic things (first) that you're probably going to want anyway in the long term if you're going to turn it into more of a hobby. I guess my point is, I don't think anything would be wasted.

[Blackhawk]

My brain isn't at 100% right now, so my suggestions are going to be general. I'm going to recommend ideal starting options, not the only options. You can always choose cheaper options, or fewer.

Start with some basic colors of contrast paint (Games Workshop/Citadel or Army Painter, and you can probably save money by buying a set and then adding additional colors.)

Add in some basic paints (I'd recommend Reaper, Vallejo, or Army Painter to keep it simple.) Red, yellow, green, blue, black, white, a medium gray, brown, tan, silver, gold. Add a reaper flesh triad (that's what they're called.) (Super low budget option: Black, white, brown, a single fleshtone, red, yellow, green, blue, silver, gold.)

Toss in some washes. I'm partial to Vallejo, but some people prefer others. You can get by with a brown/sepia and a black.

White primer is easier to learn on, although if you're feeling extravagant you can add black for a special type of priming later (zenithal.) Recommendations: If you have an airbrush, Badger Stynlrez. If not, then you'll want rattlecans. If you want something that will work on anything, Army Painter is a good choice. If you are using Citadel Contrast Paints and want to be a corporate shill ( ), then their Wraithbone is probably a better choice. You can also get by with generic Krylon primers, but they tend to have a rougher grit and the accelerant they use will react with some materials, and can ruin miniatures made out of them (keep Krylon far way from PVC minis.) (Super budget option: start with white Krylon primer as long as you're sure it won't mess with your minis)

Get some decent brushes. A few good brushes are better than a lot of cheap ones, and you'll have an easier time. Important note that a lot of people don't always get: Smaller brushes aren't always better for details. For details you want a tiny point, not a tiny brush. With thin acrylics, a tiny brush dries out too fast, while a larger brush gives you more working time (and you only paint with the very tip, so if the tip of a larger brush is as small as the tip of a tiny brush, it works the same.) Get a couple of crappy brushes, too, for drybrushing (drybrushing will ruin a good brush.) This is a great set to get started (and I know the company.) (Super budget option... this is the first place you want to spend. Good brushes make a huge difference.)

You need good lighting. You want a white bulb that's as close to natural white light as possible. Do it under a standard house bulb, and your colors may look funky under other lighting. Ideally, something around 5000-5500 Kelvin. You can get by with a cheap hobby lamp and a Walmart bulb in that range, although there are higher priced options that are much better. (Super budget option: a clip light from the hardware store and a generic retail bulb in the 5,000-6,000 K range.)

If you need something to help you see better, do not get a single-lens magnifier. They distort the subject, mess with your depth perception, and can make brush control difficult. You want binocular magnifiers (one for each eye) to maintain proper perception. I use something like this, which works perfectly with glasses. (Super budget option: a Harbor Freight style binocular magnifying visor.)

If you are wanting to break the ice and get color on miniatures, start by focusing on the contrast paints and supplementing with the traditional paints. On the other hand, if you're wanting to approach it from a skill/art direction, I'd suggest skipping contrast paints early on and just using traditional paints until you have the basics of brush control, shading, and highlighting down (contrast paints are fast and easy, but they teach bad habits - or, rather, they fail to teach good ones.)

/edit - adding one more. Get yourself some The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver. This is the super-budget option - it keeps you from having to re-buy brushes, and is the difference between getting brushes every two or three years, or getting brushes every two or three months.

You also want a hobby knife and extra blades, plus a basic set of jeweler's files (you can get some for under ten bucks.) For the knife, if you want the super budget short-term item, get yourself a basic X-Acto (not Exacto) knife with a few extra blades. If you prefer long-term savings and a much better product, then get a Swann-Morton scalpel handle and some 10a blades. They are sharper, stay sharp longer (so you go through fewer blades) and the blades actually cost considerably less than X-Acto. If you use them for several years, the scalpel is cheaper. If you're only worried about the next six months, the X-Acto is fine.

[Blackhawk]

Tutorials. Others will have other suggestions:

Dr Faust's Painting Clinic for the basics.
Goobertown Hobbies for a second set of basics (getting a second opinion/approach is always good.)
Lyla Mev for some five-star tips (really, she's great.)
Ninjon for general inspiration/hobby talk.

If you're patient, start with a set of videos on one of those sites on the fundamentals. Make sure you learn about prepping miniatures (including cleaning and washing), how to prime properly (90% of new painters prime way, way too heavily), base coats, shading (including using washes), and highlighting (including drybrushing.) Even if you plan to use contrast paints exclusively, learning what's going on is important. Oh, and find a good video on brush care. When you get a chance, find some videos on color selection/color theory. Then just look for what you need/what draws your attention.

[Blackhawk]

I added a couple of things to the list post.

Ok, that's my top-of-my-head recommendations.

Tip: Do not compare your miniatures to professional painters. That's akin to playing baseball at the park on Sundays and comparing your skills to hall-of-famers. For one thing, they're pros. For another, they usually paint those pieces for display and/or competition, not for gaming.

Tip #2: Do not take photographs of your work and post them at ten times the size of the actual miniature. That's akin to trying to look at a Rembrandt through a magnifying glass and wondering why the face doesn't look like a face. Minitures are one inch tall, and are viewed at arm's length, not examined under a microscope. Making them look decent at 10x their normal size isn't the same as making them look great in play, and generally just discourages you by making your work look bad.

Tip #3: Contrary to popular opinion, you do not need to paint on eyes. They're one of the hardest parts to get right, they're a pain to fix, and here's the thing: on an actual person viewed at that scale (ie - distance), they would not be visible. Seriously, here's a guy:



Zoom him until he's 1" tall on your monitor and see what kind of details the face shows. To have visible eyes on him, he's look like an anime character in shock while being depressurized on Mars (not that it really works that way.) Now, it's true that in order to make tiny miniatures look good, it's necessary to exaggerate them. You exaggerate the depth with highlights and shadows, for instance. But for eyes, it just isn't necessary, and tends to create more headaches than anything else.

Your turn, Smoove.