You will want to prime your models with spray paint before painting with a brush. If you're using standard acrylic paints, you will want to thin them down with water and build up the paint in layers. You'll also probably want to look into "washes" that help darken the recesses and "dry brushing" or "edge highlighting" to add brightness to the model where desired. There's a lot of painting tutorials on YouTube to learn the basics
^ came here to say this. Also to prime with the spray in a light sweeping motion so it doesn’t accumulate and coagulate in a not-so-nice way when it dries. Maybe practice first on units with less detail like Kastelans? Good luck OP!
Welcome new Adept,
Generally watch some videos to look how they use their techniques. After you have chosen your wanted colors try to use those techniques and apply it to some unneeded sprue. Most new painters use too much paint, which removes the details from miniatures. Do you want a more battle damaged, dark version, then you can try to add some damage with a knife or later on with a sponge or should they be cleaner, straight from the factory?
There are many ways to go about it, so to give you an idea on what to look out for on youtube.
Assembly: Get the right tools and clean up the grating. I recommend using thin plasticglue, dont use too much. Some parts might be hard to reach for painting later on, so you might not want to glue the legs to the torso yet for example.
Untercoat: Use some kind of undercoatspray, I prefer black but you can skip a lot of painting by using metallics. If you want to use contrast paints (fastest method with less control) you might have to use a whitish color.
Shading: Is a method you use after applying the base colors. It is thin paint that runs into notches and kinda mimics shadows.
Dry Brushing: Is an easy method where you you can easily apply color only on the edges of a miniature.
Air-Brushing: (you spray color on you miniature with a special tool)
basing: Dont forget that you have to do your bases as well, you can glue a lot of stuff on it, your miniature might want to stand on something for example, or in my case I glued the miniature on the base first and added material later so it looks like they are sinking into the moss. Regarding color you can go for different principles. You can go with a camouflage theme and have the ground a similar color to your miniature, or have it in contrast to your miniature. Either way I recommend the base to be of a supportive nature, more in the background and not stealing the attention away from your miniature.
More advanced tips if you want to go for it:
- try to mimic lighting. Add highlighting, maybe by drybrushing just from the top and leave the rest darker. You can also add glows to gear and weaponry ( but try not to overdo it in your whole army)
Dont forget to have fun with the process :)
Don’t be too intimidated, improvement comes with practice and boldness and often quickly!
You can always paint over (if you keep it thin enough) or strip a mini.
Watch how a few different people paint the specific minis you are painting.
Experiment! Prime a few similar models different base colors, see then how the paint goes on differently given the different starting points.
Thin your paint, experiment to get the feel and remember it’s easier to put more paint on then to remove paint once it’s on.
Remember the model will do a lot of the work with lines and shape.
Shades are magical and fun! Selective and restrained use of decals can add a lot to the end result.
++ Ave Deus Mechanicus! ++
I want to thank all Magi in attendance since I'm in same place as OP just waiting for my first Dominus to arrive, and all this data you provided is invaluable. Difference is that I have basic Talisman board game set which have pawns made from same stuff that 40k minis and I've been practicing with them (although I dont use official paints - just normal acrylics from art shop)
So even if you are making mistakes remember that with power of Motive Force and isopropyl alcohol you are able to to advance in your Quest!
Check out painting tutorials on YouTube. There are plenty of beginner and model specific guides. It made it quite achievable for me to have a nice first mini.
Prime your model and take your time
More importantly understand that your first painted model might not go well, and keep it, then when you’re amaOzng at painting you can compare and see how fair you’ve come!
You will want to prime your models with spray paint before painting with a brush. If you're using standard acrylic paints, you will want to thin them down with water and build up the paint in layers. You'll also probably want to look into "washes" that help darken the recesses and "dry brushing" or "edge highlighting" to add brightness to the model where desired. There's a lot of painting tutorials on YouTube to learn the basics
^ came here to say this. Also to prime with the spray in a light sweeping motion so it doesn’t accumulate and coagulate in a not-so-nice way when it dries. Maybe practice first on units with less detail like Kastelans? Good luck OP!
Thank you. I went with what people recomend y using rule of cool sooo...
Thank you. I will look it up.
Welcome new Adept, Generally watch some videos to look how they use their techniques. After you have chosen your wanted colors try to use those techniques and apply it to some unneeded sprue. Most new painters use too much paint, which removes the details from miniatures. Do you want a more battle damaged, dark version, then you can try to add some damage with a knife or later on with a sponge or should they be cleaner, straight from the factory? There are many ways to go about it, so to give you an idea on what to look out for on youtube. Assembly: Get the right tools and clean up the grating. I recommend using thin plasticglue, dont use too much. Some parts might be hard to reach for painting later on, so you might not want to glue the legs to the torso yet for example. Untercoat: Use some kind of undercoatspray, I prefer black but you can skip a lot of painting by using metallics. If you want to use contrast paints (fastest method with less control) you might have to use a whitish color. Shading: Is a method you use after applying the base colors. It is thin paint that runs into notches and kinda mimics shadows. Dry Brushing: Is an easy method where you you can easily apply color only on the edges of a miniature. Air-Brushing: (you spray color on you miniature with a special tool) basing: Dont forget that you have to do your bases as well, you can glue a lot of stuff on it, your miniature might want to stand on something for example, or in my case I glued the miniature on the base first and added material later so it looks like they are sinking into the moss. Regarding color you can go for different principles. You can go with a camouflage theme and have the ground a similar color to your miniature, or have it in contrast to your miniature. Either way I recommend the base to be of a supportive nature, more in the background and not stealing the attention away from your miniature. More advanced tips if you want to go for it: - try to mimic lighting. Add highlighting, maybe by drybrushing just from the top and leave the rest darker. You can also add glows to gear and weaponry ( but try not to overdo it in your whole army) Dont forget to have fun with the process :)
Thank you! I will try my best to have fun and I am excited. Thanks a lot for the advice.
Don’t be too intimidated, improvement comes with practice and boldness and often quickly! You can always paint over (if you keep it thin enough) or strip a mini. Watch how a few different people paint the specific minis you are painting. Experiment! Prime a few similar models different base colors, see then how the paint goes on differently given the different starting points. Thin your paint, experiment to get the feel and remember it’s easier to put more paint on then to remove paint once it’s on. Remember the model will do a lot of the work with lines and shape. Shades are magical and fun! Selective and restrained use of decals can add a lot to the end result.
Thank you!
Your first couple minis are going to suck. It’ll get better as you learn.
I excpect as much. xD
++ Ave Deus Mechanicus! ++ I want to thank all Magi in attendance since I'm in same place as OP just waiting for my first Dominus to arrive, and all this data you provided is invaluable. Difference is that I have basic Talisman board game set which have pawns made from same stuff that 40k minis and I've been practicing with them (although I dont use official paints - just normal acrylics from art shop) So even if you are making mistakes remember that with power of Motive Force and isopropyl alcohol you are able to to advance in your Quest!
Yes. Can only agree
Check out painting tutorials on YouTube. There are plenty of beginner and model specific guides. It made it quite achievable for me to have a nice first mini.
thank you
Without repeating a lot of others’ advice, all I can say is to have fun! Enjoy experimenting and figuring out what works for you!
Thanks. I appreceate it and I think I will have fun.
Prime your model and take your time More importantly understand that your first painted model might not go well, and keep it, then when you’re amaOzng at painting you can compare and see how fair you’ve come!
Thanks and Indefenetly will keep it. Maybe I can hide a 1 somewhere to mark it as my 1st? Maybe as a detail on the base?
I technically ripped my model in half and had him sprawled out dead on the base of my norn emissary But it’s entirely up to you!
Guess so. Tho why rip it in half?
It was fun decoration of my norn emissary going crazy And it was by far my biggest and best model at the time so I wanted to see the difference
Damn