Describe how you paint a normal miniature

[Rhoderic]

I know I've broached this topic before, but I'm still curious. Looking at the miniatures that get displayed here, I often wonder how many levels of highlights it took to produce, if any "shortcuts" were used, and so on. I don't think I'm the only one to be wondering about these things, and indeed, often a painter will explain the painting process as he shows off the miniature, which I find very helpful. But I'd like to see this information gathered in one thread, just to compare effort with quality.

I'm not trying to start a pissing contest here (that's what the Lead Painter's League is for  :wink: ) and we all know who the "better" painters are, anyway. Let me get the ball rolling:

I block out the main colours over a white gesso undercoat (my living arrangements make spray-painting difficult), then wash with ink (separate inks for different colours, as opposed to one shade over the whole figure) and drybrush on one level of highlights. I just find "normal" highlights too time-consuming, and I think drybrushing is underrated by a lot of people. Next I paint the smaller details such as belts and paint on one level of highlights over these. My definition of "smaller details" is anything that's too small to drybrush without making a mess of the whole miniature. Metallics simply get one layer of metallic paint over a black basecoat, and a black ink wash for shading, unless there's nothing to shade and I want it to stay shiny (like with sword blades) in which case I forgo the ink. Eyes get painted white with a black ink wash, no irises/pupils. A "decent" end result looks like this:



I'm still getting the hang of photography and colour adjustments. Frankly I think the figure suffers a bit from being photographed too close-up and having a bad background.

By the way, consistency is very important to me. The painting process described above is like a "template" I need to be able to apply on every part of every miniature I paint. I falter whenever I run into something that doesn't fit with this process and often end up having to re-define the whole template. I'm not a "shoot from the hip" kind of painter.

[Ironworker]

so do you want full WIPs or do we just show and example of a normal table top miniature and explain what we did?

[Hammers]

My standard procedure:

* scrape/file/brush/sand the mould lines of the mini
* wash 'n brush the mould release and dirt of them mini, let dry (I have a home made easy-bake oven for this if I am in a hurry)
* cut off pre-moulded base tabs or bases
* fit it on an appropriate washer with the method appropriate for the model (this can be time consuming)
* texture the base coating ( sculpted epoxy putty, pumice gel, sand or what have you)
* enamel base colour, for adventure gaming minis this means humbrol matt black out of a jar or GW spray can
* next all metallics, if not too small
* I don't do NMM much
*paint the base appropriately (no flocking but base colour with basic hiliting)
* skin: basic caucasian is done with IW Felsh, next a dilluteds Vallejo Burnt Umbre Air with flow release wash, next a new layer of IW Flesh, next Reaper Caucasian for mid hilites, next Reaper Fair Maiden for hi-hilites.
*i do not do washes except for skin, fur and certain yellows
* never less than five layers except for black
* the lighter the colour the more shades/layers; white and tans are bastards to get really good
* the larger the min the more layers  use
*I follow the principle of scale distance so no eye whites and irises on my minis. I however often appply a finaly touch of of dark umbre to the eye slits.
*one or more thourough spray on hard coats (unless brush on is called for) and then when dry on two acrylic brush on matte coats

[Rhoderic]

so do you want full WIPs or do we just show and example of a normal table top miniature and explain what we did?

Whatever you feel like writing without exerting yourself. I didn't mean for this to be a "survey" for my own benefit or anything, just a free-flowing discussion like any other in this forum.

BTW, Ironworker, I loved the WIPs in your recent Pulp/BoB thread. Exactly the kind of thing I was talking about when I said I find this kind of stuff helpful. It has me considering switching from multiple inks for different areas, to one shade of ink for the whole model. Although I'm wondering if any colours give you trouble with this process, such as bright yellow (which is always a bit tricky to shade well).

[matakishi]

I tend to follow the same pattern for everything. I've written at length about it here:

http://www.matakishi.com/paintingthings.htm

To paraphrase:

I undercoat (usually) black by hand.
I paint from the flesh outwards.
I use ink washes for Flesh, Green and Brown but not for other colours.
I underpaint for red and yellow using flesh or grey tones.
Every thing gets two-four highlights, usually three. These are painted on. I often drybrush fur, hair and other richly textured things but not clothing or skin. Chainmail gets a wash rather than a drybrush.
I leave dark lining for definition.
I don't often highlight black. Usually only for weapons.
I use metalics but not on modern weapons which are done with highlighted black.
I finish with basetex and various scatter depending on the setting.
If possible I will group base figures as I prefer this to singles.
I varnish with Dull cote to knock back the ink shine and tie everything together.

Just about every technique is here (only the flesh has been inked):

[Hammers]

I varnish with Dull cote to knock back the ink shine and tie everything together.

Well put. This is an interesting feature of dull coatin which is evident but not often mentioned.

[Lowtardog]

I am no talent like most of you but I enjoy painting, so heres my way to paint (aside form some of the games and figures here I trend to paint big armies so painting lots is often the aim :oops: )

I normally paint between 4 and 6 figures at a time if doing units or 2-4 for individuals such as pulp, pirates that sort of geezer


Clean them up, remove any flach and some mold lines (though not the best at this)
REMOVE THE SLOTTA if there is one
Glue to base (normally pennies or tupennies (increases the value you see :mrgreen: )
Use PVA and drizzle home made mix of sand onto base (bird sand, railway ballast and rough builders sand) let dry
Undercoat black with a brush
I then choose my colours and cover the larger areas e.g. coat/jacket/trousers
Wet brush with a lighter shade/highlight
Highlight
Next flesh, normally use Medium flesh for for Caucasions/asians etc
Now my little technique taught to me by a mate, I still havent mastered it yet and sometimes go too heavy: Oil wash on flesh, using Pink brown oil paint and thinnners. Take small dab of oil and put on figure then some thinners (artist low odour as it flashes off quicker) this takes the place of the washes others use and depending on how much or little I use you can create european to indian flesh tones. If you dont like it you have time to remove with thumb or as I do, a cotton bud.
Leave to dry off for 24 hours.
I then paint in the detail, equipment, belts buckles etc and would highlight Only 1 or two to be honest)

I tend to dry brush but will use highlighting if I think it needs it.

White I use an ochre base then worj through a bone white to a white I like dirty whites - thats my excuse
Can`t do the dark lining thingy so never do that. What I would use is possibly more oil, often Raw umber on leather and dark colours, Paynes grey on greys and metal and Olive green on White!! yep I know it soulnds weird but I think it works.
With the oil again let to dry and then you can highlight over or tone down until your hearts content.

Basing (I hate and loathe this part and have ssen whole armies painted before I can bare to do the bases, I usually give it a base coat of paint e.g. Earth or a sand and then dry brush - add a bit of static grass and bobs your uncle.

Most figures are singly based for skirmish game though I am starting to multi base for Napoleonics, ECW, Greeks etc for ease of putting the dead away during a game.

I spray varnish using plasticote or GW sprays after a nsty experience with a platoon of waffen SS I brush varnished, only to have them turn white. Not the best I know, can be stin but does the biz for me

So thats what I tend to do.

[matakishi]

That's certainly a different approach karl, very interesting and having seen some of your figures close up I can vouch for the effectiveness of the flesh (bit dark for my tastes though, I was going to add a highlight)

(However, I don't really believe a word of it. I have it on good authority that you don't use a basecoat or a varnish  :: )

[Lowtardog]

That's certainly a different approach karl, very interesting and having seen some of your figures close up I can vouch for the effectiveness of the flesh (bit dark for my tastes though, I was going to add a highlight)

(However, I don't really believe a word of it. I have it on good authority that you don't use a basecoat or a varnish  :: )

Did you resolve that with the guy Paul? You Cheeky Monkey

[matakishi]

No, I'm out £70.00. He's lying and won't send pics  
Now, on with the proper discussion...

[Lowtardog]

No, I'm out £70.00. He's lying and won't send pics  
Now, on with the proper discussion...

The Barsteward

[Vanvlak]

I tend to prefer to apply a light drybrush of white or sand or light grey after the wash has dried (and believe me, make sure it has!  :lipps: ) - that dulls the wash gloss as well; although I still give the dull varnish coat afterwards.
Recently I exchanged a Christmas voucher for the GW box o' 18 foundation paints, and tried them out on plastic - have to admit they're very opaque, but not thick, and can produce a thin but uniform coat of paint direct on plastic. Haven't tried them out on metals yet.

[Malamute]

Here's what I do!

I now use Acrylic paints and the odd ink wash, I still have fond memories of my Humbrol enamels and still use their dark earth for my base colour.

Undercoat in White with brush.
Then I always start with the head. I find that once I get the face done the figure starts to come alive. Unfortunately I cannot paint more than one figure at a time. So my results are painfully slow. I have often tried to paint in groups of two, three, four of five but I always end up pressing on with one figure.

I use the basic three or four shades approach  and very occasionally an ink wash after my first flesh tone then repeat flesh basecoat and then two highlights. I do the hands at the same time.

Next comes hair, beards etc and hats or helmets.
Then I usually work down the figure so jacket next, then trousers, and belts or packs etc. Repeating the three/four stage highlighting.

I use drybrushing for fur or hair or weapons,but mostly paint on the highlights. I don't drybrush clothes.
My final painting is usually the weapons. Basecoat of black, maybe a drybrush of gunmetal then a silver highlight. I have tried black inwashing on things like revolvers which works well, then a highlight of silver.

This is followed by two coats of matt varnish, painted on not sprayed.

I base them on washers, cover with Polyfilla and then PVA with sand and small stones. Thin white underocat then wash on diluted Humbrol dark earth enamel or GW dark earth. Then a drybrush of sand colour then a bleached Linen/white highlight.Some Static grass to finish.

As I only do them one at a time, the turn around time is very slow. Possibly two or three figures maximum per day, and thats if I sit down early in the morning and work through the day. I really hate painting loads of the same figure. Fortunately I like skirmish games with individual figures, so its not a problem for me. Heaven help me though If I ever get into massed battles with Napleonics ::

I think I have reached a fair standard. I will never be as good as the  Prof or Grimm or a Tom Weiss.

[Vanvlak]

Malamute, that's a grand example you've shown us there - it's splendid      

[revford]

I use a very simple technique that gets fair looking models to the table.  Usually I'll do five to ten models at a time.

Clean the model up, flash and mould lines with a knife.  Remove the slotty tab if there is one.

Glue to a 2p coin with superglue as a base.

Coat the base in PVA, dip in bird sand.

Spray the whole lot black with Halfords matt black spray.

First thing I paint is a base coat on the base.  Usually Earth Brown, but I'd use Grey for Snow or Chocolate Brown for Desert.

Basic colours, one colour at a time on the batch.  I usually start with flesh, then clothing, then weapons.

Next I'll retouch all the places I'd messed up.  I get the shakes so I'm not so tidy as I used to be.

Next is a wash of thinned down black paint over the whole model.  Shading done.

Now I'd do any metallics.  For gunmetal I'll use GW Boltgun and wash that with some black ink.

At this point I'll tidy the colour on the base and finish that off with a drybrush, any alternate colour patches or dressings.  With brown bases I drybrush with Coffee Brown and usually do one or two patches of Jungle Green, drybrushed with a Mossy Green.

Any models who are wearing mostly black, will get a drybrush of dark blue.

For most Rank and File, that's it.

For characters, I'll do some simple drybrushed highlights.

That's about it.  Most of the painting time is taken waiting for the black wash to dry.

After seeing the good results Ironworker gets, I'm tempted to try a dark brown wash instead of black soon.