Painting Miniatures: 6 Tips for Prepping and Painting
Many people enjoy painting miniatures and playing board games, but some may not know how to prep them for paint. This sounds like a simple task, but many aspects need attention before you can start painting! In this article, we will go over six different tips for preparing and painting your miniatures so they look great when you're done. There is a very big difference between mass-produced miniatures and hand-painted ones. Not everyone has the ability to paint with this level of detail, but we all want our games to look great!
1. Clean the miniature with a damp cloth to remove dust and any dirt.
If you don't clean the miniature first, the paint might not stick as well and it will look streaky. This is especially important if you're going to be using a primer coat. A nice trick for removing stubborn dirt or dried paint is to use a toothbrush. Be very careful not to damage the miniature while doing this! Some people like to wash their miniatures in warm soapy water before painting, but I find that this can cause more problems than it solves. It's up to you whether or not you want to do this step. The most important thing is to make sure the surface of the miniature is free from dust and other debris before you start painting.
2. Apply primer to any unpainted areas before painting.
This will help the miniature look better, and it also helps with covering any mistakes. When painting miniatures you should always use acrylic paints for pre-painted models to ensure they are safe for play since some other types of paint can damage or eat away at certain materials. Many different brands make quality primer, but remember every to make sure the paints are safe for whatever your miniature is made from! You don't have to use one type of paint all across your collection either – it's good enough if everything looks great as long as each piece uses a suitable primer and paint combination. You may also find other places where colored primers or base coats look better than the standard grey ones which come with most sets. There are tons of specialty colors available online or at hobby stores, but using these sparingly.
3. Use appropriate paint for the type of miniature, such as acrylic paint for plastic miniatures and enamel paints for metal ones.
Some types of paint won't be good for certain materials. For example, enamel paints can eat away at plastic over time if they get into small cracks or crevices which is undesirable because it could ruin the miniature! In other cases, some people like to use a metallic shade on their miniatures before adding a topcoat with an opaque color instead. This will make your models look shiny and unique compared to most others you see online or in-person! Just remember to pick a paint that's safe for whatever material the mini is made from so there are no accidents. Another thing I have heard about but never tried myself is using permanent ink pens as part of prepping minis – this sounds interesting since you could add details such as battle damage to your models before painting them.
4. Paint in thin layers, allowing each coat to dry before adding another one.
This is especially important when you're using light colors. If you try to add too many layers at once, the end result might be streaky or blotchy. Not only does this take away from the overall look of your miniature, it can also make it difficult to paint over any mistakes. It's always better to err on the side of caution and add a few thin coats instead of one thick coat. In addition, letting each layer dry completely will help reduce the chances of smudging or running your previous work. This is why I usually like to start with lighter colors first – they are less likely to cause any problems if there is an accident later on in the painting process.
5. Add details like eyes or clothes last so that they don't get covered up by other colors.
This is a good tip for people who are just getting started with painting minis. You might have to do these things in an unusual order, but it will help you avoid smudging or accidentally covering up important details! In addition, adding features last can also make your miniature stand out more since the other parts won't be so busy later on when you add all of the details. Even if you don't know much about art, there's no reason not to try this at home and see what happens – worst case scenario is that it doesn't work and then you'll need to start over from scratch! Another thing I've seen some folks doing online is combining different paint types together into one masterpiece which gives their mini a unique look. For example, using a metallic shade that's different from the top coat in order to make them really pop out at you! Some people might think it sounds strange or unnecessary since most miniatures are made for tabletop game purposes, but it can be very impressive if done right!
6. Seal your finished product with a clear sealant spray to protect it from wear and tear over time.
This is especially important if you're planning on putting your miniatures into storage boxes or cases for an extended period of time. It will help prevent any damage which could ruin the paint job, so consider this step as part of painting your models no matter what materials they are made from! Even though it can be tempting to use whatever sealant is available at home (like varnish), I would recommend using a specific miniature-safe spray instead since it won't cause any problems with the final product. This way all of your hard work doesn't go to waste because something went wrong towards the end – just make sure that you let everything dry completely before sealing anything in order to avoid accidents like warping or cracking parts during transport.
I hope these tips help you as much as they've helped me! I know that some people enjoy the thrill of just grabbing a paintbrush and going without any prep, but if you want your games to look great then it really pays off in the long run. There are lots of different brands for primers and paints available online or at hobby stores which can make shopping difficult – I recommend starting with one brand until you feel comfortable using their primer and paint types together since this will give you better results than mixing two sets from different companies. Make sure not to use too many specialty colors or else everything might start looking weird! It's important to remember that every miniature is unique so there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to this problem – experiment a little bit and find what works best for you.
That's all for now, I'll see you in the next post! 🙂