Without a light undercoat, the light areas of this piece would have looked drab. I prime miniatures with white primer.

Getting Started Painting Miniatures

If you're new to painting miniatures, you're in for a lot of fun. Transforming a dull piece of metal into an exciting piece you're proud to say you created is a process that's as exciting today as it was when I painted my first miniature.

The Process, Step-By-Step

Painting a miniature involves several steps to achieve results that you will be really pleased with. The basic steps are listed below.

1. Cleaning Miniatures
2. Remove Flash and Mold Lines
3. Apply Primer
4. Attach to Base
5. Decide on a Color Scheme
6. Basecoat
7. Apply Wash
8. Drybrush and/or Blend
9. Add Finishing Touches to Base

The temptation is to dive right in and begin painting. This will give results that you are unlikely to be happy with. Give each step the attention they deserve. When I paint, it forces me to slow down and enjoy the process. My blood pressure drops and I can really relax after a hard day's work.

Prepare Your Miniature for Painting - Cleaning

Before you apply the first dab of color to your miniature, there's a little work to do. Why? Because right out of the package, paint won't stick well to your miniature.

When metal, plastic, or resin miniatures are poured, the process uses a "release agent" on the mold so the miniature comes out of the mold cleanly. Casters use an oil or a powder for this purpose. The release agent also keeps paint from sticking to the miniature well, so we must remove it.

The magic formula for washing off release agent is probably as close as your kitchen sink. Any liquid soap you'd use to wash dishes in the sink will work well. The best way to scrub miniatures is to use a toothbrush. Your dentist will recommend a soft brush to clean your teeth. For miniatures, ideally you want a hard bristled toothbrush. This will let you clean into the cracks and indentations of the miniature.

You'll be amazed at how much detail you'll uncover upon giving a miniature a good scrubbing. Often, a rough surface becomes smooth, metal miniatures often shine after cleaning. Take care not to get too aggressive in scrubbing portions of miniatures which are more delicate, like swords or spears.

Removing Paint from Miniatures

If you need to get old paint off before beginning, this is easily done.

Learn How to Remove Paint with Safe, Environmentally-Friendly Cleaners

Next Step - Remove Flash and Mold Lines