Miniature Painting 101 - Beginner's Guide

Miniatures are an awesome hobby to get into but it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start when it comes to painting. There are 2 main modern methods of miniature painting that we would recommend for beginners. Hobbyists may disagree on what to call these methods, but for the purposes of this blog we'll call them the Traditional Method and the Contrast Method. Each method requires a slightly different set of tools and paints and we recommend any good reputable brand of miniature paints such as Citadel from Games Workshop! Check out a step-by-step guide to each of the methods down below.

Traditional Method

Before the introduction of contrast paints, this method was considered the universal standard method for painting miniatures. Although it is a more involved and requires a bit more skill than the Contrast Method at first, with some practice it can yield incredible results.

Priming

The first step in any miniature painting endeavour is to prime your models. Priming makes sure that your paint adheres to the model. The easiest way to do this is with a spray primer, such as those from the Citadel range.

If you are painting your model primarily in one colour (such as a off-white skeleton figure) we recommend that you prime it in that colour as it will make your job easier in the long run.

Otherwise, it is a good idea to pick a neutral colour. White is great as it lets the colours you paint over it remain bright and vibrant. However it does have the downside that any areas you miss are very noticeable. White tones available include White Scar and Wraithbone.

Priming in black avoids the problem of noticeable missed areas but has the disadvantage of dulling lighter colours that you may paint. Chaos Black is the standard primer that we recommend if you go this route.

Many choose to prime in a middle grey, which would be our first recommendation for beginners. Mechanicus Standard Grey is designed to be an exact middle point between pure black and white, but Seer Grey also works well.

Base Coats

The next step is to block out the main colours on the model. For this step you will need a good set of brushes and good quality paints. We definitely recommend that you pick up some Citadel Base Brushes for this purpose. A medium and small brush are great to start with.

You could go crazy trying to choose which colours to pick up at this point, but we suggest grabbing a few primary colours, a black, a white and of course some skin tones. Once you have completed your first couple of models you can then look into expanding your collection.

When painting at this point you must ensure to thin your paints slightly. This is because miniature paints are too thick coming straight out the bottle and could obscure some finer detail. This is a simple as adding water to the paints on your pallete. We recommend using two thin coats to get the coverage that you're after. For a beginner this can be one of the most difficult steps, but don't worry about being completely perfect as the next step can be useful in hiding any mistakes that you might make.

At this point you will also want to paint any metallic areas on your model such as armour or weapons. Be careful to wash your brushes in a separate pot of water when working with metallics and try to use a separate brush. This is because many metallic paints contain small flecks of actual metal that can easily contaminate other paints.

Washes

The next step is to add some shadow and definition to your model by using washes. Washes are a translucent paint that contains a strong pigment that still allows the colour underneath to show through. With this method, you should apply a wash over the entire model, making sure that the wash settles into the details without pooling on any larger surfaces. Like the base coat, we recommend thinning down your wash slightly to make it more transparent and maintain some of the brightness from the layers below. Using a shade brush for this step is recommended.

Washes can be just as varied as base paints and we recommend a few different types based on what you're painting over. If you're using a wash over skin then we suggest using the aptly-names Reikland Fleshshade, which is a bit softer than other washes and avoids overwhelming the model. For any metallic colours we would use Nuln Oil, which is a very dark wash that reads as black, this allows the metal to attain depth without being tinted to a different colour. For all other details we would use Agrax Earthshade, which often gets referred to as "liquid-talent" and has a brownish hue. You should ensure that your model is completely dry before moving onto a different wash. Washes darken whilst they dry so don't worry if you think it is looking too dark at this stage.

Layering & Dry brushing

After your washes have dried you may find you model looking a bit muddied and unclear. That's why we suggest that you re-establish the original colours from your base coat. Whilst doing this, you should make sure to avoid the recesses where the wash has settled. By doing this you will retain the bright colours that you started out with, whilst also having the strong definition of the washes. You can use your base brushes for this step, or you could grab some smaller layer brushes that are more appropriate for finer detail. > {{widget type="Olegnax\ProductSlider\Block\ProductsByIds" show_title="0" title_side_line="0" product_ids="108320,108316" show_pager="0" products_count="2" template="Olegnax_ProductSlider::grid.phtml" columns_desktop="5" columns_desktop_small="4" columns_tablet="3" columns_mobile="2" loop="0" rewind="0" nav="0" dots="0" autoplay="0" show_addtocart="0" show_wishlist="0" show_compare="0" show_review="0" review_count="0" hide_name="0" hide_price="0" show_desc="0" show_quickview="0" show_in_stock="0" show_swatches="0" products_layout_centered="0"}}

You should at this point consider grabbing some layer paints, which are specifically designed to add highlights to your model. Highlights can be placed on the highest points of the model as well as along natural edges such as the edge of a blade or the hem of a cloak.

Drybrushing can utilise base or layer paints and is particularly useful for raised details such as fur or weathering. This method is best when using a dedicated drybrush and ensuring to remove the majority of the paint on the brush with a paper towel before applying it. This gives you much more control and a more natural looking effect.

After this, you should add any finishing touches to your model such as their eyes, adding technical paints or even painting symbols of shield designs. Once you are happy with your model, you can now move onto basing and varnish (see below).

Contrast Method

This method is arguably the easier way to start painting your first miniature. This method became possible with the advent of a new type of paint: the Contrast paint.

Priming

The best way to get the most out of contrast paints is to do a specialised style of priming your model. This step is very easy if you happen to have an airbrush but we will lay out a method that only requires some good quality paints and brushes.

The first step is to prime your model completely in black and then create an illusion of shadow by dry-brushing heavily with a white base paint. This method has gained the name "slapchop" in the painting community as it is a quick way to gain a good level of depth and definition. This is a similar concept to "underpainting" which was utilised by many classical painters.

Contrast Paint

You can then apply special contrast paints to each area in turn. Contrast paints are similar to washes in that they are translucent but have heavier pigment in them that allow them to act as a base coat and wash with one application. There is a massive range of contrast paints now available, so there is no shortage of options.

Contrast Paints should be applied with a good quality brush and we definitely recommend shade brushes.

Layering & Finishing Touches

At this point, many miniatures can be considered finished, but you can also add extra detail by following the finishing touches step laid out in the Traditional method above.

Protecting your models

Once your models have been painted we definitely recommend that you protect your paintjob from harm and chipping by applying a layer of varnish. This can either be a spray varnish or you can apply it by brush.

Check out the related products section down below to grab a selection of paints, brushes and more to start your painting experience. If you need some models to paint, then you can browse our entire range of miniatures by clicking the button below.