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

All discussions regarding Board, Card, and RPG Gaming, including industry discussion, that don't belong in one of the other gaming forums.

Moderators: The Preacher, $iljanus, Zaxxon

Post Reply
User avatar
Zarathud
Posts: 16434
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:29 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

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

Post by Zarathud »

I am about to redo my home office to either mount paint racks on the wall above my monitor or put up a shelf there instead. The shelf may be better long-term.
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Albert Einstein
"I don't stand by anything." - Trump
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” - John Stuart Mill, Inaugural Address Delivered to the University of St Andrews, 2/1/1867
“It is the impractical things in this tumultuous hell-scape of a world that matter most. A book, a name, chicken soup. They help us remember that, even in our darkest hour, life is still to be savored.” - Poe, Altered Carbon
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

What I plan to do right now is to get some 2x4s or 2x6s and mount two horizontally across my wall to attach other stuff to.

I've been told that I need 1/4 inch tapcon screws, plus a hammer drill and masonry bits (need to research what size bits.) Hopefully that info is correct.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

Well, I finished the cull. 35 Citadel bottles and 131 dropper bottles survived, not counting the 48 from Scale75 that have their own case. I got rid of probably 30-40 bottles, some of which were a decade old, some of which were duplicates, some of which were so close in color that there's no reason to have both on the shelf.

I don't spend a ton on painting stuff most of the time, but I also don't throw stuff out. I don't horde, exactly, but when you're poor you don't always know when you'll be able to replace something if you get rid of it and end up needing it, so you tend to hang on to things. You should have seen my grandmother, who raised nine kids through the Great Depression. She had a tidy house, but still never got rid of anything useful.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
baelthazar
Posts: 4365
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:12 am
Location: Indiana

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

Post by baelthazar »

Blackhawk wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 6:58 pm
baelthazar wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 2:58 pm Lord help me, I am investing in an airbrush. I chose an Iwata HP-CS and a No-Name Brand fairly standard compressor.

If I am only planning to use acrylic paint, what are people's views on getting a paint booth? Since this is my office, I am leaning toward yes, purely to avoid getting paint on electronics. Any thoughts on a good one?
Make sure you get a respirator if you're doing it inside. Acrylic isn't toxic, but breathing in atomized particles of it isn't safe, either. Also get yourself a set of cleaning tools, some thinner, and a bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol (even Walmart carries this.) I can't speak to the paint booth, unfortunately, as I don't have one myself. Mine is just a fold-up plastic and cardboard deal (the construction is similar to a binder that folds up to three sides and a bottom, held together with velcro.)

Also, you'll be able to use the best primer out there: Badger Stynlrez. This pack will keep you going for a long time.
I have a respirator, but wouldn't one of my many COVID masks with filters be sufficient? I sprung for the Master brand booth (they all look exactly the same, so I think it will be fine), largely because this is my office and I want to make sure no paint gets on electronics. I am considering getting some army men or other small plastic toys to practice, because I don't want my first tries to be on actual models.

Thanks for the heads up on the Badger Primer. I have the Vallejo brand primer (I use it brush-on) but from the reviews I read, the Vallejo brand is prone to flaking. The consensus was Badger beats it, hands down.

I am starting to get buyer's remorse, even though I haven't gotten anything yet (or played with them). I think that will go away, once I get a chance to use it and see how nicely I can prime minis. I HATE rattle cans and the slowness and PITA of brush-on primer is actually a huge impediment to me painting my models.
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

I still use rattlecan for 90% of my priming. I break out the airbrush for doing Zenethal or when the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor priming.
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

Just be aware that airbrushes have a learning curve. Don't be afraid to get a piece of paper on learn on that via traditional art channels (there is precious little miniature-specific airbrush how-to.) Then if you want to start adapting the techniques, plastic soldiers from the dollar store are a great 'learning miniature.'

It's worth the time to learn to clean it properly so that you don't end up spending more time cleaning than painting. Learn how to do it right from the get-go. It will feel like a hassle at first, but you'll get better and it will get easier. Also, the biggest hurdle is troubleshooting. Find a few videos specifically on troubleshooting issues and watch them. No, it isn't supposed to sputter. There's a fix for that and a dozen other things (and when in doubt, running a reservoir of isopropyl through it is the airbrush equivalent of turning it off and back on.)

Oh, that reminds me: make sure you get a cleaning pot. Part of its job is to catch the spray when you need to empty the brush. You do not want a cloud of atomized 91% alcohol floating around you!
hentzau wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:02 am I break out the airbrush for doing Zenethal or when the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor priming.
I would be the same way, except that in this part of Indiana the weather is conducive to outdoor priming for roughly 74 minutes every May. Sometimes there are a couple of minutes in late September, too.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

I'm actually thinking it may be time to make an attempt at actually learning to use my airbrush correctly. I just need to learn how to learn how to do so.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Malificent
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

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

Post by Malificent »

My continuing Marvel United saga - on to the Thunder God himself:

Image

Image

Now finished with the core box and 2.5 expansions down. Only 59 minis left to go!
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Image
Cobbled this together for my carnival terrain for a Pulp Alley game. Need to find a bell now…
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82085
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

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

Post by Isgrimnur »

It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

hentzau wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:59 pm Cobbled this together for my carnival terrain for a Pulp Alley game. Need to find a bell now…
First thought: classic domed thumbtack or upholstery tack.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Might actually try my hand at using 3D modeling tools and 3D print something.

Or a button.
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
baelthazar
Posts: 4365
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:12 am
Location: Indiana

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

Post by baelthazar »

Blackhawk wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:02 pm Just be aware that airbrushes have a learning curve. Don't be afraid to get a piece of paper on learn on that via traditional art channels (there is precious little miniature-specific airbrush how-to.) Then if you want to start adapting the techniques, plastic soldiers from the dollar store are a great 'learning miniature.'

It's worth the time to learn to clean it properly so that you don't end up spending more time cleaning than painting. Learn how to do it right from the get-go. It will feel like a hassle at first, but you'll get better and it will get easier. Also, the biggest hurdle is troubleshooting. Find a few videos specifically on troubleshooting issues and watch them. No, it isn't supposed to sputter. There's a fix for that and a dozen other things (and when in doubt, running a reservoir of isopropyl through it is the airbrush equivalent of turning it off and back on.)

Oh, that reminds me: make sure you get a cleaning pot. Part of its job is to catch the spray when you need to empty the brush. You do not want a cloud of atomized 91% alcohol floating around you!
hentzau wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:02 am I break out the airbrush for doing Zenethal or when the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor priming.
I would be the same way, except that in this part of Indiana the weather is conducive to outdoor priming for roughly 74 minutes every May. Sometimes there are a couple of minutes in late September, too.
This is all super helpful. Since this is technically a b-day present from my wife and my parents are gifting the compressor, I still have a week to wait before I can use it. I intend to watch some videos and get the cleaning down before I even start doing anything... "This is my airbrush, there are many like it, but this one is mine..."

I got the cleaning pot, because that seemed like the most important thing when I was looking. I am going to be super diligent about overspray, because I am paranoid like that.

I have the same issue with rattle-can priming. Even in northern Indiana, I feel like we get one good day where it is 70 degrees and low humidity. Otherwise it is wet, mud, cold, or sticky.
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

baelthazar wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:37 pm I intend to watch some videos and get the cleaning down before I even start doing anything... "This is my airbrush, there are many like it, but this one is mine..."
An apt metaphor, as the cleaning process is similar. Break it down, clean the components, reassemble. I strongly recommend that you pay very close attention the first time you disassemble yours, including which pieces face which direction. Find an exploded drawing of yours and have that on hand, and a video is handy if you can find one (this is mine.) I probably spent 30 minutes the first time I took the trigger out trying to get it back in because I was putting the metal rod into the tube rather than the valve. Now? I can strip it down to bits and reassemble it in just a few minutes. Although I have never, in seven years, had to disassemble the valve.

One warning: be very, very careful with the needle. It needs to remain perfect. Bend it or ding the point and you're buying a new needle.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Malificent
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

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

Post by Malificent »

Finished the Spiderverse expansion. Generally fun, although painting all the lines in Spider costumes was a little rough. Painting the bubblegum pink for Spider-Gwen was a nice change of pace and I got to try a little OSL (poorly) on the Green Goblin's glider.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
Malificent
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

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

Post by Malificent »

Sandman as I start to paint the Sinister Six. There are some fun minis in that group.

Image
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Tonight’s work. Finished 4 of these ghouls for a pulp alley campaign, and one legionnaire.

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

I'm getting closer to getting back to painting! I'm just waiting for a couple of replacement parts for my racks to arrive (manufacturing hiccup) and I'll be able to put everything back together again.

I've decided that I also really need a respectable airbrushing booth. The one I have is so small that it's hard to work in (it's a folding plastic-over-cardboard deal - a little like a binder that I spent about $15 on.) I obviously can't get the high-end ones, and my area isn't anywhere near a window, so direct venting isn't going to work (I normally close the room, put a fan blowing out the window, and wear a ventilator - airbrush acrylics are non-toxic.) I was thinking about getting some super cheap white foamcore and finding a way to make it collapsible (likely holding it together with velcro or something.) Although this is really tempting, too.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

Blackhawk wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 9:45 pm I was thinking about getting some super cheap white foamcore and finding a way to make it collapsible (likely holding it together with velcro or something.)
Or maybe magnets...

(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Tonight’s work…

Image

Image

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
YellowKing
Posts: 30125
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:02 pm

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

Post by YellowKing »

The Middara slog begins. :D I'll do the bases last, just trying to get everything halfway table ready.

Image
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Something new I just started working on…

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

Action Johnny!
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Malificent
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

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

Post by Malificent »

More Sinister Six!

Image

Image
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Last nights work…

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

I have spent the last few weeks working on cleaning up my studio (is 'studio' pretentious?) What started out as simple cleaning then became a rebuild, and some realizations made me realize that I needed it to be for more than miniature painting, so I stepped it up yet again and turned it into a general 'modular' work area.

I regret that I didn't take a good 'before' photo, but I did find one I took that had it in the background, so I edited that.

Image

The biggest problem was that it was hugely crowded. That desk is a Walmart pressed wood computer desk from the late 80s/early 90s. The monitor shelf that holds all the paints is so wide that it takes up the entire back half of the desk. With the brushes on the left, then my palette and tools on the right, I was left with about one square foot to actually work in, and was constantly knocking things over, losing things, and forgetting what I had. If I wanted to do anything that wasn't miniature painting (say, working with foam or airbrushing), there simply wasn't space and I had to bring in another table. And of course, I'd then have to dig through three or four different places to get all of the tools - the foam cutter and the cutting mat from the closet, the knives from the tool box, the hand held cutter from the cabinet, the table from the other room. And then I'd have to do it backwards when I was done. I usually just didn't bother. It was too much hassle.

One thing that held me back was that I have no carpentry knowledge or experience and no tools, plus our walls are 130+ year old plaster and lathe. But I decided it was time to try anyway. I cleared everything out of the areaResearch followed. Mistakes followed. Vulgarities were uttered. Returns were made and refunds were requested. How to mount things on walls you can't screw into? Mount rails, then screw things to the rails! That means screws and a level. Hammer drill for the brick. Oops, what I thought was bricks, wasn't! Wrong drill, wrong screws. Refund! Research. Toggle bolts! Wood achieved! I got all the stain, and the sealer, and the varnish! Oh, it'll kill our bird? Returns. Got the paint! Now, to read up on how to... primer. You have to prime wood? Another trip to the store. Primed! Painted! Recoated! Pants ruined! More vulgarities! Rails on wall! Success part 1!

Paint racks arrived. Build the racks! Uh-oh... several of the parts don't fit. It turns out the guy (excellent guy, more in a sec) who makes them had something in his laser cutter go awry, throwing off the calibration and cutting several parts 1/8th of an inch too big. I contact him, he rebuilds his machine from the ground up and rushes more parts to me. By that time I've set up the rest of the area and gotten all of the tools and materials culled, sorted, and organized, plus I was able to assemble and paint all of the racks (it was the back plates that were off), so no time was really lost. I spent a couple of days getting the back plates primed (I learned!) and painted. I decided to paint the back plates the same color as the wall (I picked a neutral color that wasn't too bright so I wouldn't be dealing with distorted colors or glare.) It worked well. Last night I mounted it all and got it all stocked. Success part 2!

Images in the tags:
Spoiler:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
In the end, I spent very little aside from the racks themselves (thank you stimulus + birthday!) Three 6' wooden planks. One pack of toggle bolts, some screws and paint. Two magnetic bars and a power strip. The desk is the same. The shelves on the right are our old DVD rack, and the cabinet and white shelves were given to me years ago for free. The shelf above the desk is the old monitor shelf with the sides removed. The whole project was about $200, including the racks. I also learned quite a bit.

As I mentioned, I set it up as modular. The pics above are set up for miniature painting, but there are only a few things on the desk - brushes, water, palette - that are mini-specific. In the last pic you can see the cabinet doors open. The shoeboxes on the middle shelf (thanks, Isgrimnur!) each hold all the tools for one activity. One for electronics (soldering, LEDS), one for sculpting (currently just bases, but possibly to be expanded), one for foam work, one for drawing, one for airbrushing, one for miniature photography. I'm waiting on a brush roll, after which there will be one for miniature painting, too. The idea is that I can grab one box, pull the stuff out, and be doing that activity in about a minute, then put the box back and swap to something else just as fast. As I figure out where this is all going the contents of the boxes may change, but right now I have half a dozen workshops in one, and the space to work with any of them.

The only things I plan to add are a paper towel holder, a glove dispenser and an exhaust fan to mount in one window (soldering, airbrushing, and foam cutting all require ventilation, and setting a fan near the window only works on nice days. These last items were all supplied by Amazon when they gave me a hefty credit after a big screw up recently. They're also buying me a label maker for all those boxes and drawers. ;)

Anyway, I wanted to say something about the racks. They came from WhatsInTheBox Games, an excellent, highly recommended Etsy shop. I found his racks when looking for wall mount options. I counted my paints, purged the old ones and duplicates, and ordered a set of four racks. I thought about getting one for my Contrast paints, but I wasn't sure one rack would hold them all. I asked told him I was considering getting one more and asked about the numbers. He asked how many paints I had, and I told him. He said that if I ordered the one extra rack for Citadel, he'd throw in an extra rack just to make sure they'd all fit, and include extra shelves so that I could mix and match once they arrived. When I had the non-fitting back plates, he bent over backwards to make it right. I was totally satisfied with both the company and the racks, and he deserves the shill. He also makes the official Dinogenics inserts, by the way. Here is a copy-paste of my review from the product page:
These things are awesome. Once I figured out the first one they were easy to put together (don't ignore the part in the instructions about standing them on end!) They are solid once assembled. The wood is of good quality, not flimsy or warped. The joins are tight, and the cuts are smooth.

They mount easily, and are modular. It would be great for someone who uses different paint sets for different purposes, as you could mount the back plates and swap the racks (although I'd glue the racks - not backplates - for this.)

They make good use of space, and the labels are all visible. They're ready to go as they are, and are attractive as such. They could also be stained or painted (I painted mine black, the painted the plates to match the wall.) And the service was fantastic.

These are the racks you want!
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
AWS260
Posts: 12664
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:51 pm
Location: Brooklyn

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

Post by AWS260 »

That looks fantastic.
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Terrific setup!
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Malificent
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

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

Post by Malificent »

That's amazing. Makes me jealous. :)
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43491
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

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

Post by Blackhawk »

Thanks! The thing that is almost jarring to me is the fact that I have more tools and materials ready at hand than before, despite hauling two full trash bags of stuff out of there. How in the world did I end up with, for example, three sets of dental picks?
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Fardaza
Posts: 530
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2017 10:13 am
Location: Tennessee

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

Post by Fardaza »

That's awesome Blackhawk!
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

A bit of a kitbash Dr Quest. He came with a sub machine gun in his right hand but that didn’t seem right for the character. So I lopped off the magazine, added a small spring, then built a power pack out of some old gibbons I had. Had to lop off his left hand and give him a replacement. Hopefully the weather will cooperate tomorrow so I can get him primed again.

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

And tonight’s other work…wasn’t planning on painting them but I got called into a support bridge at midnight and took advantage of the time. Now I just want to go to bed…

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Tao
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:47 pm

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

Post by Tao »

While I now have quite a collection of miniatures due to the board games I have recently been purchasing, thus far the miniatures are all plastic, no resin. I am considering backing a warband, skirmish type KS with some insanely nice sculpts and thinking about shelling out for the resin figures. Aside from the considerably higher price, I have a couple of other concerns. The KS lists the resin figures as multi-part miniatures with optional parts. The PVC are listed as "fully assembled". I have also read that resin can be very brittle and delicate.

How difficult is it to assemble resin miniatures? I don't mind taking my time and doing detail work but I am a complete novice and would hate to ruin a figure trying to assemble it, these are all unique sculpts, no duplicate units, so one and done if I blow it.

How delicate/brittle are resin miniatures? These are 32mm figures so not tiny, I don't have kids or pets and only play with adults, I'm also the type that takes very good care of my stuff. Having said that, miniatures tend to have swords and staffs and all sorts of doodads that I can imagine breaking off from handling them on the game mat or is it not typically as bad as I imagine.

Will resin figures hold up to actual play or are they really intended to be painted and displayed?
"Don't touch my stuff when I'm dead...it's booytrapped!" - Bender Bending Rodriguez
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Tao wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 5:42 pm While I now have quite a collection of miniatures due to the board games I have recently been purchasing, thus far the miniatures are all plastic, no resin. I am considering backing a warband, skirmish type KS with some insanely nice sculpts and thinking about shelling out for the resin figures. Aside from the considerably higher price, I have a couple of other concerns. The KS lists the resin figures as multi-part miniatures with optional parts. The PVC are listed as "fully assembled". I have also read that resin can be very brittle and delicate.

How difficult is it to assemble resin miniatures? I don't mind taking my time and doing detail work but I am a complete novice and would hate to ruin a figure trying to assemble it, these are all unique sculpts, no duplicate units, so one and done if I blow it.

How delicate/brittle are resin miniatures? These are 32mm figures so not tiny, I don't have kids or pets and only play with adults, I'm also the type that takes very good care of my stuff. Having said that, miniatures tend to have swords and staffs and all sorts of doodads that I can imagine breaking off from handling them on the game mat or is it not typically as bad as I imagine.

Will resin figures hold up to actual play or are they really intended to be painted and displayed?
It all depends on the sculpts and resin used. Since I bought a resin printer I have a lot of resin minis I'm now using, and I really don't have any major fears of any of it breaking from tabletop use. But printed resin is different than cast resin.

The main advice I could give you is when you get the minis give them a good long soak and scrub in water and simple green. The release agents on them are usually pretty hefty, and can cause problems with both gluing and priming/painting. But after a soak and scrub, I never really have a problem.

As far as the minis...well, some just shouldn't be done in resin. For the longest time I wanted to get into the game Arena Rex. Absolutely beautiful minis, and a ruleset that took some inspiration from one of my favorite video games, Gladius. But I went to a game con where they were there and when I saw how thin and fragile the minis were, I had to take a pass. I just didn't think they would survive.
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Tao
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:47 pm

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

Post by Tao »

Pretty sure these would be cast, the KS page states, "Artisan hand-poured production". That may just be marketing speak for, extra expensive. Thanks for the feedback.
"Don't touch my stuff when I'm dead...it's booytrapped!" - Bender Bending Rodriguez
User avatar
Smoove_B
Posts: 54567
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 am
Location: Kaer Morhen

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

Post by Smoove_B »

I don't have a lot of experience with resin minis (most cast, a few printed), but I generally don't like working with them. They seem quite fragile to me and assembling them (only CA glue works) has been an near-constant frustration. I have a set of cast resin minis for a wrestling game out of the UK (Rumble Slam) that I could not get painted. I think they did something wonky with the mix because every primer I tried to get to stick would just bead off (after repeated cleaning with numerous products). I finally had to resort to using house paint (Stix by Benjamin Moore) and it was the only thing that actually stuck to the minis.

I had been buying lots of KDM minis that were resins and now I really regret that investment. I've come to prefer plastic models so much (and it's not just because I think I'm getting high breathing in the Tamiya fumes).
Maybe next year, maybe no go
User avatar
hentzau
Posts: 15092
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:06 am
Location: Castle Zenda, Ruritania

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

Post by hentzau »

Image

Image
“We can never allow Murania to become desecrated by the presence of surface people. Our lives are serene, our minds are superior, our accomplishments greater. Gene Autry must be captured!!!” - Queen Tika, The Phantom Empire
User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82085
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

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

Post by Isgrimnur »

:clap:
It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
Tao
Posts: 1537
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:47 pm

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

Post by Tao »

Smoove_B wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 7:31 pm I don't have a lot of experience with resin minis (most cast, a few printed), but I generally don't like working with them. They seem quite fragile to me and assembling them (only CA glue works) has been an near-constant frustration. I have a set of cast resin minis for a wrestling game out of the UK (Rumble Slam) that I could not get painted. I think they did something wonky with the mix because every primer I tried to get to stick would just bead off (after repeated cleaning with numerous products). I finally had to resort to using house paint (Stix by Benjamin Moore) and it was the only thing that actually stuck to the minis.

I had been buying lots of KDM minis that were resins and now I really regret that investment. I've come to prefer plastic models so much (and it's not just because I think I'm getting high breathing in the Tamiya fumes).
Thanks for the feedback as well. If I back the project I'm going to go with the PVC version. I liked the idea of having some really nice miniatures and while it upped the cost of the KS project it is still a really good deal, but knowing myself, it would be too stressful to put them on the table, I would rather just be able to have fun with them. Creature Casters are doing the miniatures and turns out you can buy lots of pieces directly from their website. If I really want something I can always pick up one or two pieces.
"Don't touch my stuff when I'm dead...it's booytrapped!" - Bender Bending Rodriguez
Post Reply