Quick and Dirty Painting Guide
Paints:
Acrylics. Say no more. Humbrol acrylics are great, some people find
them too matt, but they seem damn fine to me. Citadel paints are fine,
but perhaps a bit dearer and some of the colours too watery.
Whatever the make, ensure the paints are shaken, and if they've
settled give them a stir.
Brushes:
Ummm, cheap ones coz they die quickly when I use them. A tip is
supposed to check that the hairs for a point when they're wet. Make sure
the shop owner isn't looking, and wet the brush with some spit.
Get a range of sizes - a large one for undercoating, a medium one for
base colours, a couple of finer ones of detail. Don't use fine brushes
for base colours unless you have lots of disposable income to spend on
new fine brushes. Older brushes are useful for dry-brushing (see below),
stirring settled paints, etc.
Other:
Sharp craft knives are useful for trimming the crap off the
miniature. It might look ok in bare metal / plastic, but is guaranteed
to make the finished product look a bit arse.
Tissue paper / rags for drying brushes, mopping up spills (ESSENTIAL
that you are very quick at this or have a suitable alibi / scapegoat),
or for removing excess paint for dry brushing.
Mat / newspaper to paint on. Better be a good boy and list this. No I
don't bother. Yes I should know better.
Preparation:
Trim all the seam marks and extra bits of lead off the miniature
(also helps you notice fine details etc).
(Wash in soapy water - I never bother, but some people recommend it)
Glue model into base (if applicable)
Painting:
Undercoat in a slightly watered-down black, being sure to get
into all the nooks and crannies.
LEAVE TO DRY
Paint areas white which you want to be brightly coloured or coloured
a pale shade (bone, yellow, etc).
Paint shading colour. Leave a thin black line between
adjacent areas of colour if possible but don't be too worried. This is
easiest if you avoid using a watery shading colour, which tends to run.
Alternatively, paint the base coat first, then paint a darker
shade or very water black into the areas you want shadowed. You might
need to reapply the base coat to so bits if you were too enthusiastic
with the shading.
Paint base colour. Don't use a watery mix else it'll run.
Leave the shading colour in any creases, folds, etc.
Highlight. Paint the higher points (nose, top of clothing
folds or edges etc) or try DRY-BRUSHING.
Get a small amount of non-runny paint onto an OLD brush (this shags
brushes - be warned) . Wipe most of it off on a cloth or tissue. Lightly
brush the mini across the 'grain' of detail, so the highest points pick
up the detail. Can be done with increasingly pale shades to add detail,
but don't over do it. If nothing is happening, you wiped too much off or
the paint has dried.
Armour is best done by dry-brushing - paint black then brush
across with silver. Alternatively, paint silver then wash with watery
black.
Details. Paint in eyes, lips, tattoos, patterns, scars, mud,
kill markings, wode, tartan, runes, freckles, spots, etc. Use a
fine brush and a steady hand. Probably best if you use slightly watered
paint else it'll dry on your brush.
Speed Painting:
Paint black.
Paint shade colour mid-way between black and base, leaving nice black
shadows.
Paint base leaving shaded areas.
Highlight in base colour + white (or yellow).
Dry-brush base + more white.
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