Questions from a beginner - Where to start?

[Ferox]

OTOH, the difference between good paint and adequate paint is much less significant. I use Reaper Master Series paint for most of the painting I do, but if I were primarily interested in economy, I might start with a wider selection of craft paints rather than a narrow selection of premium paint. If you do that, realize that coverage might be an issue and you'll have a harder time getting really smooth coats.

I've been using craft paints for terrain recently, and it's taken me a lot of messing around with mixing media to get them to behave nicely in glazes and washes. IMHO, trying to learn more advanced techniques with craft paints would cost more time and frustration than the money saved. Obviously, opinions vary.

 

I think a better way to economize on paints is to buy only what you need for your next project, rather than stocking up on paints that "might be useful".

[Blackbird71]

Well, I went out this evening and perused what was available locally just to see what options I had. Aside from craft paints and Testors model paints, all I found were Tamiya and Citadel. The range of Tamiya colors consisted mostly of various shades of greens, browns, and grays, but the Citadel had a pretty good variety. Tomorrow I'll pick up the phone and check a few places further out, but it looks like I may be stuck with one of these or else ordering online.

 

Likewise I checked brushes, and between a hobby store, Michaels, and a specialized art supply store, I couldn't find any true Kolinsky sable brushes. The closest was a Kolinsky/synthetic blend. So, when I do get down to buying the better tools, it looks like online may be the best option.

 

So far as lighting, etc., luckily I have some pretty good lights and other tools from my electronics work, so I should be set there.

 

I am liking the idea of the Reaper kits, I think I'll order one or two to get started. I've been talking to a few people in my gaming group, and some of them are also interested in starting to paint minis, so we may pool resources and have a go at it.

 

Thanks again to everyone for all of the great suggestions!

[Mercius]

Citadel paints are very high quality. They tend to be much more suited to army painting and are thicker than Reaper paints. I love the Reaper paints because they fit my painting style, which is painting with super thin paint in glazes and layers. Games Workshop paints can be used for this technique, but are thicker and require more thinning.

 

At Michaels they sell Windsor and Newton semi synthetic brushes...those would be fine for a few minis to get the technique down.

 

Ordering a learn to paint kit would be a grand idea really, and one of your best options in my opinion.

 

Also, if there is a Games Workshop anywhere near you, or if your local store carries their products, they sell a beginner paint set that includes all the basic colors of paint and a synthetic brush for around $35.00.

 

Glad you found us helpful. I started painting a little over a year ago and have found this forum incredibly helpful.

[Corlock Striker]

I'll second the recommendation for a good light, suggest that you consider magnification unless you're near-sighted (in which case you can paint with your glasses off), and recommend a good well or wet palette (I use and strongly prefer wet palettes, but they're a bit of an acquired taste).

 

Unless of course you're like me, and while near-sighted, both your eyes have a vastly different perscription, so you need to paint with your glasses on, to make their focal length the same, so you get no benefit from being near-sighted. Goddammit!

[Doug Sundseth]

 

Unless of course you're like me, and while near-sighted, both your eyes have a vastly different perscription, so you need to paint with your glasses on, to make their focal length the same, so you get no benefit from being near-sighted. Goddammit!

 

Geez, what's the point of being nearly blind if it doesn't help your painting? You should talk to somebody about that.

 

[timmy65]

As someone who is a beginner trying to revive some modeling skills from over 35 years ago I can tell you what I did to get started. I went to the local dollar store and bought a bag of plastic army men. The next trip was to the local Wally World for some Apple Barrel craft paints at .97 cents a bottle. Add in some decent nylon brushes from there as well and I was up and running for around 10 or 11 dollars.

 

I've since moved on to better brushes, paints etc. as I found painting miniatures to be strangly relaxing. The next step will be to combine the figures with some models to create some diaoramas. Another good option for figures is to buy boardgames that come with them such as the Dungeons and Dragons Castle Ravenloft or Wrath of Ashardalon games. The 2 boardgames combined have over 80 figures to paint and the games are fun to play as well.

 

For me the most useful tool has been an Optivisor with 2x magnification.

 

Best of luck to you!

[Kannan Fodder]

One thing I haven't seen when quality brushes are mentioned is brush cleaner! Seriously, if you get quality brushes, you will NEED to take care of them. More brush care info is posted in other threads, but get some Pink Soap or "The Masters" Brush Cleaner and Preserver - both available at any craft or art store. I use both, it's inexpensive, and I've been able to keep my Reaper MS brushes going strong for several years. (My current ones date from the release of the line, but I took a 2 to 3 year hiatus off painting.) If you're going to invest the extra money on good brushes, then you might as well take care of them. You can also get better performance and longer life out of "semi decent" brushes with a proper brush care regimen.

 

I second a wet palette, good lighting, and a magnifying visor.

 

Oh, and I also second getting involved with a local paint club if there is one. Most painters love sharing tips and tricks, especially "in person".

 

~M

[Blackbird71]

Well, after the discussion and recommendations here, I went ahead and ordered the Reaper Learn to Paint Kit #2. I liked the assortment of colors, inclusion of a full bottle of primer, and the fact that it came with two different brush sizes. All in all, it seemed like a good place to start.

 

After some phone hunting, I found a few places within 15 miles in either direction of my home that collectively carry Vallejo, P3, and Games Workshop paints, so it looks like I've got a few more options.

 

timmy65, I like the idea of using plastic army men for practice; I imagine the slightly larger scale makes them a bit easier to work on as well. I should have plenty of practice pieces though; I have six old Ral Partha figures that came with the TSR board game "Dragon Quest", and I was going to start with those as practice pieces. It may just be me, but looking at the Ral Partha pieces, they seem to have less fine detail than Reaper miniatures. I like the look of the Reapers better, but the difference should make the Ral Parthas better for beginning practice.

 

I've also got the old Hero Quest board game system with a few expansions, so I've got a few dozen orcs, goblins, and other plastic minis I can use for practice if I want to go that route. Speaking of which, is there anything I should do differently when painting plastic miniatures vs. metal? I haven't seen anything mentioned in the tutorials I've found so far, but I thought I'd ask.

 

I also had a couple of questions regarding primers. Most tutorials I've read have recommended white primer, some prefer gray, and a few even suggest black. Can anyone explain the pros and cons of each? Also, with regards to brush-on vs. spray, some tutorials have mentioned that spray can obscure some detail if your technique isn't good. Does anyone know of a tutorial that actaully explains good spray technique? I'll probably just stick with the brush-on stuff for now, but I like to explore options. For the brush-on primers, do they typically need to be thinned, or are they generally made to be used straight out of the bottle?

 

Thanks again for all the great suggestions! You all have made trying out this hobby seem like a much less daunting task than when I started.

[Dr.Bedlam]

As someone who is a beginner trying to revive some modeling skills from over 35 years ago I can tell you what I did to get started. I went to the local dollar store and bought a bag of plastic army men. The next trip was to the local Wally World for some Apple Barrel craft paints at .97 cents a bottle. Add in some decent nylon brushes from there as well and I was up and running for around 10 or 11 dollars.

 

I've since moved on to better brushes, paints etc. as I found painting miniatures to be strangly relaxing. The next step will be to combine the figures with some models to create some diaoramas. Another good option for figures is to buy boardgames that come with them such as the Dungeons and Dragons Castle Ravenloft or Wrath of Ashardalon games. The 2 boardgames combined have over 80 figures to paint and the games are fun to play as well.

 

For me the most useful tool has been an Optivisor with 2x magnification.

 

Best of luck to you!

 

I have had NO luck painting those &^%$ Wally World army men. The making of polyvinyl chloride has finally produced a plastic army man who will not and cannot take paint under durn near any circumstances.

 

The Dungeons and Dragons boardgames figures take paint quite nicely, though, once properly primed.

 

Whither primer? I prefer white; it makes the colors stand out better. For a darker figure, or one that's going to be done in dark colors, or something black that's going to take lighter highlight coats, black works well. Gray, I use largely for machines and things that are going to be done in SHADES of gray.

 

Your mileage may vary, of course.

[psyberwolfe1]

Here's an article I wrote that should cover all of your primer questions.

 

http://tacticalrock.blogspot.com/2010/02/hobby-q-on-primer.html

[Blackbird71]

Here's an article I wrote that should cover all of your primer questions.

 

http://tacticalrock.blogspot.com/2010/02/hobby-q-on-primer.html

 

Both this article and the "primer on primer" linked to in the beginning are a big help, thanks!

[psyberwolfe1]

Here's an article I wrote that should cover all of your primer questions.

 

http://tacticalrock.blogspot.com/2010/02/hobby-q-on-primer.html

 

Both this article and the "primer on primer" linked to in the beginning are a big help, thanks!

Your welcome. For new guys primer and brushes are not understood well and their usage can make a huge difference. Let us know if you have any other questions.

[Blackbird71]

One more question on brushes: if you had a choice between Taklon or Red Sable, which would you choose? Or does it make a difference? My local hobby store has some inexpensive sets of various sized brushes in both materials, and I thought they would be a good place to start before going for the higher quality tools.

[Kannan Fodder]

Taklon (specifically Golden Taklon) is synthetic. Not sure about red sable. I generally buy Kolinsky sable brushes, as they are natural hair bristles. I've had rotten luck with synthetics, and the inevitable tip curl drives me nuts. I purchased a bunch of RMS brushes back when Reaper started making their own Kolinsky sable brushes for the Master Series line, and I've been extremely happy with them. In fact, I'm still using the ones I bought when they were first released.

 

I've seen it recommended to look for watercolor brushes when selecting brushes for miniatures painting. There are all kinds of technical terms involved, but what it boils down to is that they have the flexibility to lay down nice smooth coats as well as better holding a fine point for detail work.

 

As to primer - that's a matter of taste depending on what your preferences are. I too prefer white because I like brighter colors, and it's harder to get those vivid tones over black. I usually use spray-on white, but you have to be careful and not spray it too thick, or it will obliterate detail. Also, it can bubble and run when sprayed too thick. I've used paint-on primer, but the downside is that it takes longer to prime and dry, but you can prime at any time of day or night. And the RMS primer is pretty good stuff.

 

I have a friend who prefers grey primer because he prefers the more neutral/muted colors. I have used black primer, but that's usually for things I plan on heavily drybrushing like animal fur, armor, skeletons, or things that are going to be dark or mostly black. Usually I prime white and then basecoat in black.

 

~M

[Ferox]

One more question on brushes: if you had a choice between Taklon or Red Sable, which would you choose? Or does it make a difference? My local hobby store has some inexpensive sets of various sized brushes in both materials, and I thought they would be a good place to start before going for the higher quality tools.

I believe the learn-to-paint kit comes with a pair of brushes that'll give you a good start. With that in mind I wouldn't buy more brushes unless they were high-quality Kolinsky Sables. (I've broken this rule, picking up a cheap set of red sable flats that're pretty good for basecoating terrain.) Be sure to keep the old brushes even if you upgrade, though: they're handy for brushing on primer and sealer (if you go that route), spreading PVA glue around bases, mixing paints, drybrushing, and other tasks that might damage your good brushes.