What to buy

[Aranon]

I'm a newbie to painting miniatures and looking to make some investing into quality equipment.  I'd like some advise from those of you who have been painting miniatures for some time on what the best paints and brushes are for the job.  I've learned the hard way in the past that spending more for quality stuff pays off in the long run.  I've read some comments on brushes mentioning that the Winsor & Newton series 7 are probably the best.  As far as paints the choices are between Pro paints, Vallejo paints and Polly S.

 

Thanks for your input.

[lstormhammer]

Hi, Aranon.

 

Concerning the choice of paints: It's tricky. On one hand, you should listen to those who've gone before you, and heed their advise, but on another, you have to practice and find a paint you like. My best reccomendation is to get a few of the paints in a new series, and take them for a test-run. If you like them, then you can go hog-wild and get the rest of the series. This way, you can find if you like it, and not be out too much money if you find you don't like it.

 

--lstormhammer

[ThePolo]

I agree with Stormhammer! It's a miracle!

 

Just kidding.

 

Paint is a personal thing. Find one that you like. And... remember that you may like certain paints for certain colors... For example, I like reapers blues and purples... I prefer Vallejo Reds and Yellows... and for brown, nothing beats... well... you get the idea.

 

Also, no offense, don't spend the money on the Winsor & Newton brushes until you've had some practice. Certain techniques will kill brushes, and brush care is a learned skill as well...

 

And learning that the hard way is a pain in the bleep.

[smokingwreckage]

Second Polo. Get some less expensive brushes first, you will always need some brushes to do the really punishing jobs, priming, basecoating, drybrushing all kill brushes fast. Get some tips on caring for sables, too, they're fussy.

 

Try a few paints, they have different strong points. Some flow better, some cover better, some accept ink washes better, etc. As you develop a personal style, you'll develop a preference for certain properties in certain paints. Like Polo said, you might find you use different lines for their pigments in cetain colours.

[smokingwreckage]

Oh, if you need to glue metals, use a "medium grade" super glue (crazy glue, zap-a-gap) or two-part epoxy glue.

[Gobbo]

For brush info, go to:

http://miniature-painting.net/guides_brushes.html

 

This is an extensive guide to brushes and thier care!  I love this site!

[Enchantra]

Here is my two cents.

I work at Michaels Arts and Crafts, and I get all my mini painting supplies there.  This is what I buy usually:

 

American painter paint brushes.  They come in small sizes such as 10/0 and 18/0 and run in the range of around $2 to $4 a piece depending on the ones you pick.  They have sort of beige colored handles and can be found back in the open stock paint brushes.  They are cheap enough that if you ruin them, its no biggie, but yet good enough that they last quite a while with proper care.  

 

As for paints, I use regular acrylic craft paints.  Brands such as Americana, Apple Barrel, Folk Art, Delta Ceramcoat.  Usually come in two ounce bottles and hundreds of colors to choose from.  Usual price range:  $0.67 to $2.99 depending on brand and if you are getting metallic colors which run a bit on the more expensive side.  I find I can get a bottle of this paint for half the price of a bottle of Reaper Pro Paint, and get twice as much paint.  It is not just the cost I find to be wonderful, but I also like the fact that they are easier to thin for washes, and seem to flow better onto the minis for me.

 

As for sealant and primer.  Krylon is a good brand.  Go with them.

 

Hope that helps.

[Daley's Dragoons]

Glad to see I am not the only one who has been shopping at Michaels for their paint. I really have to agree with Enchantra on the color selections, and for a person who hates mixing paints (and who is constantly having paint dry while attending to baby's needs and not being able to match that shade for the final details is maddening) inexpensive paints in a wide range of colors are a must for me.