Category: Model Building

I first wrote this guide as a handout for our local model club. It was printed in the newsletter a couple years ago, and I may be doing another demonstration in a couple months. With that in mind, I’m posting it here, for anyone NOT currently involved with our club!

Miniatures – The First Few Steps

Building and painting model figures can be a very rewarding aspect of the hobby – not the least of which is the amount of space they take up when compared to ships, planes or cars. I also really enjoy building a miniature story into every figure. Every single one is an opportunity to create a vignette. The base and setting can be an entire event – even on a gaming sizes miniature. The first part of decorating your figure is priming.

Why should I prime? 

• • Helps seal the surface – different materials (metal, different plastics, resin, vinyl, etc.) accept paint differently. Primer helps create an even, smooth surface that accepts paint at a consistent level.
  • Decreases paint peeling and rub-off – Regular paint also sticks better to primer than it does directly to metal, resin or plastic. Because minis are often used for table top gaming, they tend to be handled more, and need all the protection they can get!
  • Easier layering- one method of painting miniatures involves layering paint over several thin coats. A primed surface helps gradually build the layers and minimize brush strokes. Also, an inconsistent or patchy prime will make the layers uneven. It’s very difficult to properly shade and highlight, and “rescuing it” with improved top coats will never be as good as solid, even undercoats.

Primer should be in a flat or matte finish; it accepts paint better than glossy surfaces.

But how do I prime?

• Traditional – all one color; usually an even coat or two of white, black, or grey (though a color primer and paint combination can also be used as a first base coat.) Can be applied with brush, spray can, or airbrush. Easiest, and works well with small scale miniatures.

• Zenithal – Begin with an all over dark (usually black, but sometimes blue or brown) then highlight from above (at the zenith or high point.) Helps identify placement of shadows and highlights.

• Graduated Zenithal – All over dark, followed by a slightly angled down mid tone (grey or tan,) then finished with a light color (white or off white) from directly above. Easier, subtle transition from dark to light. Helpful with the popular “slap / chop” technique often used for large war gamming armies.

• Drybrush – Begin with a dark all over prime base, then drybrush (with downward motion,) with a lighter color. Helps focus on more highly detailed models.  

Should I use actual “Black” or a dark grey? And full flat “White,” or a warmer ivory or cooler grey, green or blue off-white?

If the final color will be black (or white,) start a step or two less extreme. It gives the option to “go darker” in the deepest recesses, or “go higher” with highlights. If you start at the extreme, there is no room to intensify.

What kind of brushes do I need?

You can spend a lot of money on high end brushes. I’ve never found it to be worth the cost. Using more expensive tools can help a very experienced, “pro-level” painter get his best results. Short of that, decent, modest brushes (a few dollars each) will certainly get someone by for a long time. You’ll probably have to replace them as you work through techniques; you’ll only really get good, consistent results from practicing and painting. Buying really expensive tools right now is probably a waste of money. Spend that money on models to put paint on – it will improve your results WAY more than expensive brushes.

A Navy SEAL sniper with a bb-gun will outshoot an amateur with a match grade pistol.

Any good paints you can recommend?

Actually, there are a lot.  There are probably 30 different manufactures of paints that can be used for finishing miniatures (maybe more?). All have advantages and disadvantages (and I’m certainly not familiar with them all.) But I do have some experience using several different ones (including the ones in this list.)  In MY experience:

• Testors (enamel)

  For years, they were your go-to choice. I still use them occasionally (in fact, for some situations, they really are the best choice.) They are available everywhere, and very inexpensive. BUT – they don’t thin or clean up with water. They have a strong smell. And, generally speaking, the finish isn’t as good as more recent options.

• Citadel (Games Workshop)

  Good quality acrylics that are sold in most hobby or gaming stores. Huge variety of colors, plus a lot of specialty use paints (for base colors, layers, textures, contour, washes, etc.) But they cost at least twice as much as other paints that are just as good (and in some cases better.)

• Vallejo

  Probably the most common model paints – most shops have at least one of their lines. They have a broad selection (comparable to Citadel.) They cost about half of what Citadel does, and in my opinion, they are just as good. If I had to choose a single brand to use exclusively, it would be Vallejo.

  Interestingly, there is another brand that comes in identical dropper bottles. I would be hard pressed to differentiate between their performance, and in a side by side comparison (without the labels,) probably couldn’t tell them apart. I would not be surprised if Reaper were made by the same company as Vallejo.

• Army Painter

  Not quite as readily available locally (though online, ANYTHING is available.) Quality is very good. Not quite as many color choices as Citadel, but they do have several good lines. They make a spray paint that matches exactly to their brand of brush paints, and their new line of SpeedPaints make a nice addition to my table. I am a fan of these guys.

• Tamiya

  They have been around almost as long as Testors, and are reasonably priced. The color selection isn’t as extensive as others and the results I’ve gotten haven’t been consistent across the board (sometimes excellent, but other times, pretty spotty.) I like them better for airbrushing than brush painting.  They also dry a little too quickly. Instead of water, they thin and clean up with alcohol. I have several, and I often use them, but they are not my favorite.

• Plaid Craft Paints (i.e. Apple Barrel, Americana, Folk Art, etc.)

  By far, these are the least expensive and most readily available acrylic paints around. They can be found at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Target, Michaels, Amazon, eBay, and almost anywhere that sells craft supplies. The selection of colors is amazing. They typically cost around a dollar for a 2 oz bottle. BUT (to steal from Spiderman,) “With great economy comes great limitation.” Pigmentation is not nearly as dense, so for proper coverage, they need to be thinned… A LOT. To layer properly, it will take many more applications. And they tend to look a little chalky when dry. But there are some occasions that they work very well, and I have used them for some really nice results as an augmentation to my more expensive paints. They can be improved with the use of flow aid, mixed with inks etc. If you are willing to work a little harder, and experiment with them, they can be a nice addition to your arsenal.  And speaking of inks…

• Daler-Rowney FW inks

  Water based artist inks (for calligraphy, drawing, and printing.) They are SUPER pigment rich, and very thin. They have a nice variety of colors, and can be combined with acrylic medium, flow improver, and other paints to make very nice washes and contrast paints. A 1oz bottle with a dropper costs around $6, and will last a LONG time. They also spray through an airbrush very easily, and many modelers use the white ink specifically when zenithal highlighting.

How about we get into the good stuff – actually painting?

Although you can complete everything in a single, solid coat of paint (like coloring within the lines on a coloring book,) the result will likely look flat and less interesting. Using very thin paint (thinned to about a consistency of 2% milk) color the primed surface a single layer at a time. At that thickness, the paint is semi-opaque. Then, apply multiple layers (usually 2 or 3 will do the trick, but some experienced painters will layer many more levels of color build-up.) On top of this base, use a technique called “glazing.” Like the thin layers of base color, glazing adds dimension to the area, and builds highlights from the darker recesses to the higher (and lighter) points. Finally, highlights of the lightest color are reserved for the top edges.

Another method for painting is quicker and somewhat easier. It’s recently been named Slap/Chop, though it’s actually been around for years. It involves beginning with a zenithal primed figure and contrast paints that are a cross between a regular acrylic paint and an ink wash (Citadel and Army Painter make a specific line of these paints.) The paints stain the lighter areas, and pool in the deeper cracks, creating a layered effect without building up multiple layers. You can also use this method to get a start, then add details by layering and highlighting on top of the slap/chopped base coat.

As a side note – special effects like blood, rust, grime, and grass stains can add a cool touch of realism. In many cases, less is more…a small amount often makes a bigger impact than a sloppy mess.

Don’t forget to Cover All of Your Bases!

When you are done coloring your miniature, it can then be added to a vehicle or used in a diorama, but a stand-alone figure is a model in his own right. With a decorated base (even a small gaming one) you can finish strong with just your figure. A plinth, block, or other surface, decorated with static grass, lichen, or debris can add interest, and shouldn’t be overlooked. A bland base can make an otherwise impressive miniature look lifeless. Likewise, a complete scene can make an interesting story out of an average paintjob. There are entire books written on basing figures – WAY too much info for a short article. But there are several mediums to consider when basing:

• Sculptamold is a powdered paper-mache based clay that can be combined with sand, small stones, parts of other kits, etc. I often use it mixed with some white glue and inexpensive paint to make dirt.
• Plaster powder, drywall spackle, and air-dried clay can be used in place of Sculptamold, though they are heavier, and prone to cracking.
• Cork board tiles (like a bulletin board) can be painted and manipulated to represent concrete, stone, or cracked earth. Bark chunks look like rock when painted. Superglue and / or PVA (like Elmer’s white or wood) glue are both handy.
• Static Grass fibers can be added, using an electric applicator, or “puffed” onto the base from a plastic bottle with a small hole in the cap. By shaking the bottle, the static builds up, and the fibers stand up as they land in the glue.

Affix the figure to the base by pinning with a paperclip and a drop of superglue. Finally, protect your model with a few light passes of clear coat. I prefer a matte finish.

I hope some of these ideas will help get you started down this rabbit hole of hobby land. There are hundreds of YouTube videos with more in-depth tutorials, as well as dozens of books on the subject; maybe this can start the creative juices flowing, and point you in the direction you need to move.

And, on that note –

Happy Figure Modeling!

-Toph

P.S. Send me an email with pictures of your work – I’d love to see it!