Painting Miniatures

Showdown at the cantina during the start of our Twin Shadows campaign. I'm trying to get better at blending highlights...

I also need a better way of taking photos. Anyone know of an app that works well for close up iPhone shots?

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/PsA0AAu.jpg)

That's really impressive!

I'm terrible at photos.

I bought myself a sub $100 airbrush kit a couple weeks ago and it has tremendously changed how I paint minis. I will post pics when they are done but I base coated and zenithal shaded a Dwarf Giants Blood Bowl team in a single night. They looked so good & detailed, I ended up stripping the paint off some 40k Terminators and Dreadnaughts I painted when I first started learning last summer. Redid the base coat with the airbrush and the details pop clearly now.

Attached is pic of some prep work I'm doing for a Tau army I'm painting this weekend. Next Level Painting had a video on YouTube recomending Vallejo's Model Air Metallic Black and it looks amazing! I want to order their copper and gold colors next. I'm doing all the metal grills and engine / techie pieces with it as an undercoat before I paint in details a dark green / bright green combo.

http://m.imgur.com/hAr74jI

And yeah... Those ridiculous looking things are Tau drones stuck to a cardboard box so I can spray their underside easier. Loctite putty is amazing stuff.

LockAndLoad wrote:

And yeah... Those ridiculous looking things are Tau drones stuck to a cardboard box so I can spray their underside easier. Loctite putty is amazing stuff.

The airbrush seems so amazing. I rarely paint more than 4 of a single type of mini. Would it still be helpful. I've done zenithal priming using spray cans but it's not as efficient and the results aren't as great.

Also what is loctite putty? I use sticky tack to mount mine.

Omnivore wrote:
LockAndLoad wrote:

And yeah... Those ridiculous looking things are Tau drones stuck to a cardboard box so I can spray their underside easier. Loctite putty is amazing stuff.

The airbrush seems so amazing. I rarely paint more than 4 of a single type of mini. Would it still be helpful. I've done zenithal priming using spray cans but it's not as efficient and the results aren't as great.

Also what is loctite putty? I use sticky tack to mount mine.

I'm not sure... I use it to get ultra thin coats, and apply gradiant highlighting and shading. That might be situationally useful to you. It's not perfect, you still need to brush fine details, it's expensive to get the essential parts to do it, and research to do it safely and correctly. The quality and speed sold me on it the first night though. I'd recommend watching YT vids from Tabletop Minions or Vincent Venturella to learn more and see the benefits.

Here's the Loctite stuff. It's a bit strong, I use it to keep stuff from moving when I airbrush or to mount minis onto pill bottles or empty pots used as handles.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011G...

Hey! Who's still painting out here? I got into the hobby last year and I'm really enjoying it. I picked up Kingdom Death: Monster with no intention of doing more with the models than just assembling them. After I put them together I decided to prime them black and dry brushed them white just so they'd be a bit more interesting. As you can see below.

IMAGE(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zEzbp0cAfFlH_PwJzAnbjrP1ehpBobiSZb_BRhC1vaxFWwWNkfFIHl0rpJs1lUcCOxPBsMc_j_rcvqmodZtjsOpwfOfh6bsYIBNaZQ4sFlAHe5FL6Bi404pO74uNko1uogDcByf21r_mN8F4aHAudRWiL_A6dB2pCCgiwoontXKV3M5XLp8KqBYHCxunWJekfWVo0S3hGuDHgCxJkOT-dWG0s0RNp1ll-Ws5IV3BwWztfN2ra9kKsn6NmpHHkObcfIDYZLl1aY8dpA3qNN8l05evJJR1-3j8gbzWJY__z9HAaX5znKv4NPCT_U7H7s55WpNWlqBpuVQBSIZT1zzVbIlK0_XZ7MQHDYkHSHjJUtyOHuvPyypbQm10cA91cwuAnMlyvuI4S97caPRmHyPCpqKrueTxymdWs9BOAX4bIYagJqNk60118Tao2GiRtk_coVVkcpVwSvE5GKfM81HHF6QTK0ZnpiFX-nkjGpmSFO6xz9eJ8FCvsYJ5twwTBkMTEVjnFlUQKV39QUb7MgZb9xZvdOboGn9hpx-9-NchBcCUiLzpxy8TUlVq4dB0d2MkfOPcmUWWeqsXaUa9lE1t3365xutMqSN0bvB5F3M_l5disDGC-zh-ReSVjQ9XgCUF_BVVOQ_MRkS1BFT6fhPioEfhYz3ZePyZjr8yF4mM5k3HnoS9F2qxhdQ=w955-h716-no)

I caught the bug and just wrapped up this guy last week.

IMAGE(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/agVL0eD4sHaUQh_LuTPT82e67Gp4uyFlhwNItwLSl935i_TqvnBBM5tyxXNpDARTAQyyk-rHHMYurGZ3diGCuhKFM5gyeE1JHPOP0BqVOWOYGV5aWH5cj1IGeO7JTcWyDAm3ZxxGJDH0J67P3y8FWJuIijJSrBMWuXnWCBgooVngWXqNZnanGU4bH-2C8MYYcaMOgGDzYgRnFewh1i4RaJa24AOyu9dAVVfoEEOJ6almMzbfNct6pnbptQyjt0clTs2DMWsjG-mOfl7i603lZTVRNx3cbk-wuRIEiHE2vBLCm2a75Qzdmi4SZCGDN6LxSvExwLDyWz6pFo8vAxn-urTKDnl_Q-kdkG5iYWHVjoFMwvg3KSYTFjOc6xNyNQcHDM4Esao8IvSZfrj17HlwXG2GaRIUW_IuZlCbHKXGOwf3w9unzrJhqLJbnYEd1_NmYdga28vC7cVUSrYPiYhL_6k4MPdBlRIu-tFoA2CNuhW0kYEjlbfTKRykQ8g_kptP58PcMjMB7ZtIO8SfYr0BJZ6PUMJmTfTVxAGONw2CdIRuIn6k3MNR35Yzh2hvM_cUbdwi2zKQsKQmU3GsGSnTgI-vr2nP1a2KlxUgH-fyPeY9Y-FNehRouoDK5lONTjeKWf7xglLyzQeVpN-hrkIQquuFJIAH2RTI_BJfYGr3jbk-qcoVnXZ5I0vVZsco-oCjs0GGapO_T8-3BSVYFzxLPli1eZqGT2UndwP2M6S9H24sugGH=s716-no)

I'm currently trying to figure out what I want to improve with my current technique/process/skills. What are other people working on? I want to see photos of what others are working on!

I finally got around to starting my Reaper Bones Learn to Paint kit. Got two of the three models they provide done and really like the way they turned out. Still learning, but looking forward to painting other things once I am done with the kit.

Does anyone have pointers or something to watch/read that would help me learn what colors to select when I move on to painting my own minis? I want to be able to pick colors with confidence that will look good together once they are painted on a mini. I guess like a color theory guide?

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec5DeppXYAcUr6R?format=jpg&name=large)

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec5DfX2WoAI04tc?format=jpg&name=large)

Those look great, nice job!

How do you find Reaper paints?

I find the pigment density to be a little lacking. Most of the colors don’t cover as well as citadel paints, and the resulting models come out looking chalky.

Also, they don’t seem to stick to the models as well as citadel paints did. The main thing they seem to have going for them is they don’t dry out as fast as citadel. That might be because they come in squeeze bottles instead of the little snap-lid pots.

I only have experience with Reaper paints, so not sure how they compare to other brands.

For the most part, they seem to work well for the Reaper minis I am using them on. I did not prime those minis at all and the paint went on easily and didn't bubble or peel or anything. One of the colors seems to either have separated or be overly watery, but I did buy the paints three years ago when I got my Bones 3 Kickstarter delivered so that may just be age of the paints.

Most of my minis to paint are Reaper minis, but I do have a few boardgame minis I am looking at painting so when I get around to those I can let you know how the Reaper paints do on non-Reaper minis. Their LTP kit does say Reaper paints adhere well to the Bones plastic, so that may affect the quality for other minis.

Malkroth wrote:

I only have experience with Reaper paints, so not sure how they compare to other brands.

For the most part, they seem to work well for the Reaper minis I am using them on. I did not prime those minis at all and the paint went on easily and didn't bubble or peel or anything. One of the colors seems to either have separated or be overly watery, but I did buy the paints three years ago when I got my Bones 3 Kickstarter delivered so that may just be age of the paints.

Most of my minis to paint are Reaper minis, but I do have a few boardgame minis I am looking at painting so when I get around to those I can let you know how the Reaper paints do on non-Reaper minis. Their LTP kit does say Reaper paints adhere well to the Bones plastic, so that may affect the quality for other minis.

That’s interesting. I’ve been painting Games Workshop minis, and those cheap injection molded figures you can get in buckets with my kids. Maybe the reaper minis have a different texture- more porous or such.

I will try some things, when I have time for it again.

I'd absolutely recommend moving onto the second Reaper learn to paint kit. The minis still come out insanely good and you get a lot more paints to work with in your collection, then.

For color theory, start keeping a list of what the reaper instructions give you and you'll start to realize what the trends are to get the effect you want:

Chainmail: paint black, light coat of gray, dry brush with silver
Leather belt: Brown/black mix, then brown, then yellow highlight
XXX: XX, XX, XX
(I'm sure that's not what they said, just giving examples)

Just the act of writing it down consciously with an eye to what the end result is now that you've done it yourself will bring you into the mindset of realizing what effect it creates. After a dozen or so you'll have worked out what different materials (wood, leather, metal) look like and what different flesh tones look like.

Along those same lines, find a different orc mini and different skeleton mini and attempt to follow the same instructions and color palate with a different mini. Mix and match (find an orc with a bow/quiver and a skeleton with chain mail). Even with the limited set you've got you'll absolutely start thinking about the mini ahead of time in terms of the techniques you know and how to use them creatively.

Edit: Or do what most of us do and just start slapping paint on a mini to see if you like it and it matches what you saw in your head. I'm just recommending a structured approach to answer your question. I'm a HUGE fan of speed painting because you'll be DONE in 45 minutes and it stops you from tweaking and spending 3 hours painting 1 mini. You'll really appreciate what you can get done quickly and lets you move on to something else.

Yeah i'd suggest you paint yourself up some swatches, mix and match colours on paper first, then pick out the combinations you like so you've got a reference you can look back to when you need it.

But then i just slap paint on and see what happens most of the time as well, so what do i know

Dangit i need to paint some minis now! might see what i can scrounge up tomorrow. I can't wait for that big box of 200+ minis i backed on kickstarter to show up (but that'll be in December at the earliest )

I painted a lot several years ago with P3, Reaper, and Vallejo paints. I liked them all but I think I ended up appreciating Vallejo the most. They have the dropper style bottles too and they seemed to always have perfect viscosity and pigment density. I'd add maybe a few drops of water to use them in an airbrush and 1 drop if any if painting with a brush.

With brush painting, going from a cheap brush to a $14 Windsor/Newton I think was the single largest equipment based level up. Everything else was just gaining skill and confidence through practice, but that brush made a huge difference too. It maintains an incredibly sharp point for delicate work while also being lovely for larger surfaces.

Didn't know about this thread until Suvanto mentioned it.

Been posting a lot in the creative thread, but this seems more appropriate. I've been doing this painting thing for about 2-3 months now, and I've committed to a "hobby streak". 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour(?!) a day, every day. Keeping track of it on Instagram.

I've recently subscribed to the Mortal Realms magazine so I'll have no shortage of miniatures to paint!

Here's a few random minis I may have posted elsewhere:

IMAGE(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/465802618615234571/747394073362694165/20200824_195607.jpg?width=706&height=530)

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EbrrgcNUMAcqw-S?format=jpg&name=large)

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ea3wCYbVcAAWoWr?format=jpg&name=medium)

And a base I made to try out the ol' cork technique

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EelDHe9U4AA6tU4?format=png&name=small)

pyxistyx wrote:

Yeah i'd suggest you paint yourself up some swatches, mix and match colours on paper first, then pick out the combinations you like so you've got a reference you can look back to when you need it.

But then i just slap paint on and see what happens most of the time as well, so what do i know

Dangit i need to paint some minis now! might see what i can scrounge up tomorrow. I can't wait for that big box of 200+ minis i backed on kickstarter to show up (but that'll be in December at the earliest )

The Blacklist fantasy set I think we might have mentioned a while back? A friend and I have gone halves, 100+ each should be plenty

Sat down for my daily "hobby streak" intending to only do a few simple colours but ended up finishing this guy off because he was so much fun! These Warhammer Pox Walkers really show the benefits of using washes!

Cool little model, I'm excited to paint the other

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EgghCiFVoAACIKC?format=jpg&name=large)

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EgghE8sU8AEW6Kv?format=jpg&name=large)

That is an awesome paint job! Unicycle, are you playing something or just in it for painting?

I started the hobbystreak as well, been painting Blackstone Fortress figures every day for the last month and I'm about done with them! Hoping to get the game on the table this weekend.

This one's from today, still WIP. It's Janus Draik. Leader of the explorers heading to the fortress.

IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/ht5QJ3nT/Janus-Draik.jpg)

UR-025, Man of Iron:

IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/pVCTh1Yr/UR-025.jpg)

Taddeus the Purifier:

IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/m2csLdm0/Taddeus.jpg)

Vorne, Zealot:

IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/4d4DrwK2/Vorne.jpg)

OOoh, I like this thread! Hmm. Whats the best way to link to instagram stuff? Do you guys do insta? Whats your profile? Here's some of my stuff:

Man, you guys are good

I've gotten into SW Legion. It's a learning process, but my Boba is the one I'm most proud of:
IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/hG9mshvd/IMG-20200824-170247.jpg)

I also like my "Shadow Troopers". I got tired of painting them all white:
IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/XNTyRw5C/IMG-20200824-170112.jpg)

Mostly wrapped up this attempt at a Frazetta NMM attempt. Slowly adding icicles to one end, maybe a glowing eye touch up is coming. IMAGE(https://scontent.fbed1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p180x540/118410153_10158040371393393_3840862789361716236_o.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=1X6M3D4FVmwAX-WDK25&_nc_ht=scontent.fbed1-1.fna&tp=6&oh=1f46d83b25844eee4b3a97d1ea9614d9&oe=5F6FE3FB)

#strategicsabbath

That is an awesome paint job! Unicycle, are you playing something or just in it for painting?

I started the hobbystreak as well, been painting Blackstone Fortress figures every day for the last month and I'm about done with them! Hoping to get the game on the table this weekend.

This one's from today, still WIP. It's Janus Draik. Leader of the explorers heading to the fortress.

Thanks! I started during COVID lockdown and the shop still doesn't allow games (plus I'm in a small granny flat - no room). I'd love to play, but I'm just painting at the moment. The goal is to build a Killteam or two. On the plus side, our local store runs a monthly "paint klub" where the winner picks the next month's theme - it's been a nice way to meet people through the store's facebook page while we're all huddled at home.

Cool minis btw! They look really fun to paint!

OOoh, I like this thread! Hmm. Whats the best way to link to instagram stuff? Do you guys do insta? Whats your profile? Here's some of my stuff:

Videohead! I blame you for this rabbit hole I've found myself in! You planted the seed when we were playing Total War

Really cool stuff on your Insta, keen to keep following!

I've gotten into SW Legion. It's a learning process, but my Boba is the one I'm most proud of:

That's really good! I love how you've painted the base with a bit of red too!

I'm not planning on posting every day in my hobby streak, but I had fun with this guy so I thought I'd share

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Egj8a6rUcAAhtKN?format=jpg&name=large)

IMAGE(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Egj8fdTVgAAwy-c?format=jpg&name=large)

Struggling a bit to paint "clean" pox walkers, but I find Deathguard are nice for the simple fact they aren't supposed to be clean. They are pretty forgiving despite how detailed they are.

This was a pretty quick 1 hour paint job after the initial wash.

Fun! Great photos!

Post away man, I'm loving it!

Love your bases Unicycle. When I get around to doing some fantasy stuff I'll start focusing on bases more, I just bought two of these GSW press-things where you put in a dried leaf and it clips tiny little patterned leaves out of it, I've got rowan and oak.

I started this thing last November rwith Imperial Assault that I had laying around. Thought I might get the kids more interested if the figures are painted, prior to this I've had absolutely zero interested in painting. Fast forward to today I've got ~60 pots of paint, files, hobby knives, clippers and basing paraphernalia up the wazoo.

Games wise I've got the already mentioned Imperial Assault as well as, Necromunda: Underhive, Blackstone Fortress, just the rule books for Gaslands, Rangers of Shadow Deep and Relicblade. Going to start collecting the figures and terrain for RoSD next. Down the line I'll probably get the new edition of Blood Bowl, the new Warcry big box and Kill-Team too at some point.

Man if I'd known how deep this hole would go going in last year.. but really I love it to bits. It's so freakin' chill to put the headphones on, grab a good beer and go to town on a Necromunda Goliath. I'd really be ok if none of this would get any play time, or even if I didn't actually like playing them.

Finished another pair: Espern Locarno, Imperial Navigator and Janus Draik, Explorer Extraordinaire

IMAGE(https://i.postimg.cc/J0HB4PZx/Draik-Locarno.jpg)

Tried a test round of the game over the weekend. It felt surprisingly like X-Com or other tactical video games. You position the Scout with a rifle in a good clear sight lines for overwatch, the Zealot with the flamer lights up the corridor so that anything passing through has to go through the flames etc. There's enough random events in the monster AI that it doesn't go often as you thought it would.

Can't wait to really start digging into it.

Thanks Suvanto!

It's really a great hobby, isn't it? I've always been fascinated by the Warhammer universe, but never really had the painting itch until one day I was suddenly compelled to buy a cheap paink kit! It's been one of the best new hobbies I've picked up. It's so nice to do something away from videogames in my downtime, nice and quiet, something to practice and get better at. Plus, it's fun having something to show for it at the end of the day!

Those minis look great, I particularly like the guy on the left in the blue robes! Just a quick tip for bases you may or may not already be aware of: If you use a textured paint, a nice way to add depth is to hit it with a quick wash then drybrush a slightly lighter colour on top.

IMAGE(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/714853897990176829/737506017914519552/20200725_215859.jpg?width=508&height=677)

This was Astrogranite, a green wash, then grey drybrush. I find it really ties the model together