Your Top Five painting tips

[maxstyles]

Hi all,

 

I was thinking about this the other day and wondering what everyone would consider their top 5 painting tips that you could not live without. Advice that you would give anyone from the beginner to the most advanced painter or things that drive and/or inspire you. I'll start off with my five as an example.

 

1) When you think a miniature is turning out just awful, put it aside for a day or so. I have found that when I come back in the morning the miniature looks MUCH better than I thought.

 

2) Good Tools -- Brushes and Paints and lights and whatever else you use. Never go cheep if you can help it. Good tools will improve your paint and bad tools... blah blah.

 

3) Every so often try to copy someone else's miniature to see how close you can get. By removing the color scheme choice, you are forced to focus on the techniques and push yourself to try new things.

 

4) Take a class from a master painter. I have only done this once but I will jump at the chance if it ever comes along again. I learned a ton and had a bunch of fun.

 

5) Always try new things. Even your failures make you a better painter.

 

who's next?

[Ferox]

1) The more I prep my minis before painting, the better my painting gets. Model prep is a learned skill, just like anything else in this hobby, and it's worth investing time to improve your skills. A lot of it has to do with creating a smooth surface for blending, but I think simply going over the surface of the mini carefully and with attention to detail helps immensely.

 

2) Buy, use, and maintain good tools -- but don't get stuck on what you have. A while ago I switched from a #1 to a #2 brush, and was amazed by how much more control I had. Now I'm branching out into two-brush blending, and find that my old ratty #1 that can't hold a point is excellent for the job. A year ago I assembled and based everything before I primed it; now I cut off every broccoli base I run into, pin the feet, and glue the half-assembled model onto a cork. Next year I might be airbrushing the first levels of shadows and highlights and back to full assembly again.

 

3) Seek out comments and critiques relentlessly. I'm fortunate enough to have a friend who's been through one of the tougher BFA programmes on this continent, and I lean on him for advice all the time. I've also been able to get some of the great painters on this forum to give me detailed crits, and always come away better for it. On the flip side of this coin, I try to give respectful, civil feedback on other people's models every chance I get. If I can praise the colour variation in someone else's model (for example), it helps train my eye to recognize good colour variation and makes it easier to pull it off myself. I don't like to offer C&C unless it's requested, but at the same time I've been frustrated on more gaming-oriented forums by how difficult it is to get honest crits.

 

4) Crawl all over galleries of models painted to a high standard and ask yourself what draws you to them. Some days it'll be their use of colour; other days it will be lighting and shadow, or basing, or freehand. Think about how to integrate some of those elements into your own work... but don't expect to pull them off to the same standard, or even at all. I recently started playing around with warm/cool tones to direct focus on a figure, only to mess up more important elements of the composition. In related news, when someone like dks posts detailed feedback on a model -- especially a well-painted one -- pay attention.

 

5) Study colour theory obsessively.

[Akiosama]

1) Paint, paint, paint. This is the one tenet of miniature painting I fail at the most. You can read/watch all you want regarding this hobby, but until you put brush to mini, it's all meaningless.

 

2) Save your first minis. Irregardless of how bad you might think they are, save your very first minis. It's inspiring to see where you've come from and where you are now. I still have a very poorly done 2nd Edition Space Wolf mini somewhere in my mini-case that reminds me where I came from. (Truth be told, I did some stuff right on that miniature, I think - such as pretty good masking for the red-yellow tooth design on the shoulder pad. But overall, the basecoat was really poor - it looks faded out due to the white undercoat.)

 

3) Try new stuff. Don't just do what you're comfortable with. Experiment. Try to duplicate styles and techniques of artists you admire. Even if you don't get exactly what you set out for, you might learn stuff. Always be seeking out things to learn. Don't stagnate.

 

4) Don't be afraid to go back and fix things. Learned that one from Anne and Jen. It's surprising how discouraged I would get if I made an error while painting something, or missed a mold line after I started basecoating. It would almost kill the mini for me before.

 

5) Have fun. Always try to enjoy this - it's a hobby. Even if you 'have to' paint models because you're playing a game, mix it up with models you want to paint. A hobby's not a good hobby if you don't enjoy it.

 

My 2 yen,

 

Akiosama

[MamaGeek]

Here are my top 5, in ascending order of importance:

 

5. Create a comfortable workspace - Find or create a space to paint where you can be comfortable. Whether it's a dedicated area or your kitchen table, if you can work there in peace, then make it work for you. Make sure you have good lighting, that all your needed tools and supplies are on hand, and that you have enough time to immerse yourself in your current project before you get started.

 

4. Try out different supplies - Start out with a basic set of paints, brushes, etc., but try out different brands, supplies, and tools. Don't just use what "everyone" says is the best. Different people have different experiences with different products, tools, and formulas, depending on their climate, budget, time, and ability. Find what works for you.

 

3. Get inspired - Look at others' work, both online and in person. Don't be ashamed of copying something you see that you want to learn how to do. We all steal ideas from each other constantly. And don't just paint minis for utility. Sure, there will be times when you need to paint something for a game, for a competition, for a commission even, that you don't really like, but to maintain your interest, you need to paint figures that truly inspire your creativity, so make sure you make the time for that or you'll burn out.

 

2. Get involved - Seek out and join local painting groups and online communities. Show your work for critique. Ask lots of questions, and when you've learned something, share it with others.

 

1. Do it your way - There are endless tutorials out there on how to do this or that. There are professional painters who create truly masterful work, who share their way of doing things. Try all of them, then keep them or reject them, or mutate them into your own style and your own technique. There is not one right or wrong way to paint. Find your own way - whatever gives you beautiful results.

[Darkstar]

1. Use the best brushes you can afford and take care of them. Invest in some good ones and don't waste any time doing so for fear of bending their tips or whatever. Just learn to take care of them and they'll take care of you.

 

2. Practice. Paint as much as you can afford to paint. Improvement comes with time and practice.

 

3. Invest in some good quality magnification for detail work. My skill jumped when I bought an optivisor because I could actually see what I was painting. These things are tiny!

 

4. If you have a question or problem don't be afraid to ask for advice on the internet. There's some great sites like this one where people jump all over themselves and each other just trying to get good advice out to you. About almost any problem you're having you're bound to encounter someone who has a way around it or advice about almost anything and everything.

 

5. Bright lighting helps to see details. A no brainer but painting under soft or dim lighting can strain your eyes over time. Get some good light set up or paint where there is the best light in your place and take advantage of that as it helps to keep everything clear while painting. I use a great deal of bright light when I paint and photograph and it's a tremendous help keeping all of the detail and contrast in colors all "popping".

 

A couple of these were mentioned before but if enough people are saying the same thing then there's a good bet you can find truth in it.

[Qwyksilver]

1. Keep your Rinse Cup and Drinking Cup on opposite ends of your painting area. Ideally, make sure they look nothing alike and if you can, keep the beverage in arm's reach, but not on the actual painting table. Accidentally dipping a brush into a coffee won't completely ruin the coffee. Talking a gulp of rinse water is not all that pleasant.

 

2a. Save your old beat up brushes, they are great for terrain, priming, drybrushing, PVA glue application, etc.

2b. Keep those beat up old brushes separate from the good brushes, or find a way to mark the old ones for easy identification.

 

3. Thin your paints.

 

4. Keep pets and small children out of your painting area. Curious two and four leggers will wreck havok on a set up, damage WIP's, leave fur or crumbs all over the place, etc.

 

5a. If you lick your brushes, check the mirror before you leave the house after a painting session so you don't walk around with multicolored, striped lips.

5b. Try not to lick your brushes. Paint tastes yucky and some paints are toxic.

[dargrin]

I am sure there will be some repeats but here is mine that I still have trouble with to this day.

 

1) Thin your paints. Practice with different water to paint drop ratios until you get a consistency that works for you. Many thin coats will look way better then one think one.

 

2) Don't rush through a paint job. If you have to leave in 10 mins don't break open the paints. It will show.

 

3) Good magnification/lighting. I have poor near vision so if you don't ignore this tip.

 

4) Ask for criticism, Good or bad, and learn from them. If it not what you expected know that it is not personal. Try it out if you don't like it then you don't need to do that again.

 

5) Have fun with it. Make sure that you are doing it for you know what other people think it should be.

[Foxden Racing]

Since the others have already said everything I would have, I'll try to hit some of the more obscure stuff that's still important to me.

 

On dealing with other painters:

1. When you're given advice, never feel insulted. You don't have to treat it as gospel, but at least try to work it into your repertoire. Anyone willing to give you earnest advice [not trying a sales pitch or to win converts to a competing technique] is trying to help, even if you don't want to hear what they have to say.

 

2. Never feel stupid about asking questions. You can learn more in a month of asking questions in a place like this than you can in months or years of learning by trial and error.

 

3. Don't ever settle for 'You don't have to know how it works, just do it'. 'Why does it work' is just as important of a question as 'How do I do it'. You won't get the most out of knowing how to wet blend, do non-metallic metals, source lighting, optical illusions [such as battle scarring], or any other technique (that admittedly I haven't learned how to do) if you don't know why they work.

 

4. Share and share alike. If you can help someone, or even point them in the right direction, please do. Everybody progresses at different rates, and we all started painting at different times.

 

5. Take all criticism with a grain of salt, always retain your humility, and don't feed the trolls. Opinions are like a**holes, everybody has one and every one of them stinks...and that goes both ways, somebody's going to think that about you as well. Listen to those that are trying to help, don't lord over those you're trying to help, try to be diplomatic with those that are trying to help but aren't great at expressing themselves, and shrug off those that are being a prick for the sake of being a prick...but try not to hold ill will. We're all minis junkies here, we've all got common ground.

 

On general painting wisdom (also known as my 'Five Bewares'):

1. Keep two rinse cups, one for normal and one for metallic paints. Beware the glitter.

 

2. Don't make your station so bright your eyes wash out ala looking at a poorly-adjusted monitor. Faded out is just as hard on the eyes and just as hard to work with as masked in dimness. Beware the glow.

 

3. Learn one technique at a time; nothing's more frustrating that struggling with multiple new techniques and wondering which one threw off your groove...one at a time means you know exactly what to learn from if things don't turn out as expected. Beware the avalanche.

 

4. Keep at least three minis from each 'stage' of your progression...the first with a technique, an 'average' piece, and what you feel is your best effort. Whenever you learn a new technique, keep three examples [first, average, best]. When you combine techniques, keep three examples. Those examples of where you've been at every plateau will make a wonderful, detailed history you can look back on. When you're ever discouraged, burnt out, or think you're in a rut, look back over them and how you've grown already. Beware lost memories.

 

5. Your groove is the most important thing you have at the table. Building a good vibe at the beginning of a session will work wonders for both the outcome of the mini and the intangible 'feel goods' of the session. Don't be afraid to force yourself to start a session, but don't force yourself to extend a bad vibe. Beware the groove.

 

6. Beyond being proof I can't count to 5...Don't cut corners in prep. Ever. A few extra minutes to make sure your prep work was done right can pay you back as much as tenfold once you start painting, both in time saved and final appearance...the subtlest mold line jumps out at you once it's shaded. Beware the ridge.

 

If someone with more experience disagrees with me, by all rights weigh their opinions more heavily. These are the things I've picked up through the school of hard knocks since I started painting, and I'm no Anne Forester even with years of experience. Even the guys that have no desire to be competitive painters and just want their tabletop stuff to be in playable condition are more often than not better than I am.

[Kormydigar]

If someone with more experience disagrees with me, by all rights weigh their opinions more heavily. These are the things I've picked up through the school of hard knocks since I started painting, and I'm no Anne Forester even with years of experience.

Even the guys that have no desire to be competitive painters and just want their tabletop stuff to be in playable condition are more often than not better than I am.

 

7) Don't sell yourself short. No matter how famous or experienced someone else may be, you are the one working on your minis. Anyone who has painted for any length of time can have valuable advice to share. Never be afraid to share for fear that someone "may" be more experienced. I've been painting since 1988 and still learn new tips and tricks all the time from folks here and elsewhere.

 

Believe in yourself. Without that, all the techniques in the world are useless.

 

(My apologies for the vote down. It was not intentional, I am clubfingers on the mouse today. )

[Ddot]

5. Have a plan to protect minis you expect to use for gaming. Nothing worse than spending many hours on a beautiful paintjob and having a bit rub off here and there after extended handling (or worse yet, the dropsies).

4. Paint minis that really appeal to you. You'll be more inclined to do your best, or at least be inclined top not half-butt it.

3. Finish your current project before moving on to the next one. Or else end up with a paint table cluttered with WIPs.

2. Brush care. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

1. Safety First. Know the hazards and dangers of the tools and materials you're working with. Some paints and additives contain toxic materials. Some minis contain lead. Use a Dremel? Have a dust mask and eye protection. Do NOT inhale vapors from aerosol primers and sealants. When in doubt, ask someone.

[Kormydigar]

3. Finish your current project before moving on to the next one. Or else end up with a paint table cluttered with WIPs.

 

So I suppose having 32 minis in various stages of completion is kind of excessive?

[MamaGeek]

3. Finish your current project before moving on to the next one. Or else end up with a paint table cluttered with WIPs.

 

So I suppose having 32 minis in various stages of completion is kind of excessive?

 

Yeah, I think that one is really a matter of personal preference. I know plenty of painters with several projects going on at once. I like to finish one before starting another, and I can understand why Ddot would recommend it, but there's no harm in multitasking, either.

[frogimus]

If I lose my desire for one fig, then painting it becomes no fun. I should probably finish more than I do. But I'm only painting for myself so I don't see the harm in it. I like the pride and sense of accomplishment when I finish one. But I also like dunking them in the Simple Green and trying something different.

 

I guess my motivation is different than a lot of other people

[MamaGeek]

If I lose my desire for one fig, then painting it becomes no fun. I should probably finish more than I do. But I'm only painting for myself so I don't see the harm in it. I like the pride and sense of accomplishment when I finish one. But I also like dunking them in the Simple Green and trying something different.

 

I guess my motivation is different than a lot of other people

 

Hence my tip #3: Get Inspired!

 

Excitement for a mini can go a long way! And don't sweat it, frogimus, this is a hobby, so have fun with it!

[Ddot]

I guess I should clarify "project". It doesn't mean doing one mini at a time. Many games require big units. One recent project were a max unit of Legion Swordsmen plus the UA. That's 12 minis. I guess technically I still haven't finished them because I have a few details (scabbards, cloth) to finish before basing them. Since starting that project, I finished Nicodem and a bunch of zombified stuff (finished) and have a bit of detailing on Mortimer and the Grave spirit. Think I'll get to them tonight, cuz I'd love to have them available fort his weekend. Meanwhile, swordsmen still not finished- and my Infinity stuff is still sitting there primed.