Basic Painting and Preparation
Written by Scarab
How do I get started painting?
Painting can be very intimidating. If you look at the models posted in Dakka?s modeling forum you will see some amazing work. Remember, however, that all these painters had to start somewhere, and the key to becoming a good painter is practice. Start with a fairly straightforward color scheme, take the time to prepare and undercoat (prime) the model properly, and focus on achieving a neat rather than ambitious finish, and you're on your way.
What tools will I need?
A Citadel basic painting set is a fine place to start and comes with the primary colors you will need as well as basic brushes. You may also want to buy a few extra colors that you know you want to use and a few extra brushes.
How do I care for my brushes?
Paintbrushes are fairly expensive and fragile, but can last quite a while if treated well. Never let paint dry on your brush (except when drybrushing, but this destroys brushes, as noted below). In most cases, this means that you should wash out your brush in water after every few trips between the paint pot and the model. Never squash the brush down against the bottom of the water container or leave the brush standing up on its bristles. The bristles should always stay together. When you are done with a brush, shape the bristles into a point and put a protector over them. Companies make brush cleaners that also will hold the bristles in a healthy shape.
How do I keep a good point on my brush?
The quality of the point of a brush is much more important than its size. An experienced painter can do nearly anything on a model with a standard sized Citadel brush with a good point. Caring for your brushes as described above will help maintain the point. While you are using the brush, you can shape the point against a paper towel each time you rinse it out. Some painters shape the brush with their lips, but this risks getting paint in your mouth and is only appropriate for non-toxic paints.
How do I prepare my models for painting?
Before commencing painting, wash the model in warm water and detergent to remove any dust, oil or other residue (and let it dry fully before you start painting!).
Why should I prime?
Priming, or undercoating, is a vital step. The primer seals the surface of the model, giving you a better finish. In the case of plastic models, the primer provides a far better surface for the paint, because acrylics do not 'take' to bare plastic well. Priming is also a good way of checking whether you've done enough preparation, because it will reveal any flaws such as molding seams.
How do I prime my models?
The easiest way is to apply the primer is using an appropriate spray paint. Games Workshop?s spray primers are generally very good for this, though they can be temperamental, and seem to react adversely to humidity. Pay close attention to the application guidelines on the can. Spray in short bursts, and avoid holding the nozzle too close to the model (no closer than 6" is a good rule of thumb). Keep the can moving to avoid too much paint accumulating. Spray a couple of thin layers rather than one thick one, and allow the paint to dry fully between layers.
How much primer is enough?
One must strike a balance between getting good coverage and putting on so much paint that detail is obscured. In general, the primer coat can be light and need not get into every little crack and nook in the model.
What color should I prime?
Black primer is better for models that will have a darker overall appearance and models with lots of metal and white primer is better for more colorful models. If you have some of each, I recommend white primer because it is much easier to paint black over white areas than white over black areas and the color is brighter. Other modelers prefer a default of black and like the fact that black will tend to absorb some of the color, resulting in a more muted finish.
Can I prime with a spray can of base color?
In some cases, it may be possible to prime with a colored primer. For example, Army Painter produces a colour similar toBlood Angels Red that may be suitable for priming models that will be primarily red. One danger with using colored primer is that in order to save yourself from having to base coat further with the color, you will want a good coat, which can obscure detail. Always do a test miniature beforehand.
Now that I have my model prepared, how do I start base coating?
In order to start base coating, you will need to have a basic color scheme in mind. Pick a color for each major portion of the model and neatly apply it to the model with your brush (a Citadel standard brush is fine for this). It is more important that you get paint on every part of the model than that you pick out every detail at this stage. You will usually find it easier to paint the model from inside to out. For example, starting with flesh, then armor, then a tabard over the armor. This order allows you to simply paint over any mistakes in the previous layer as you go.
How thin should my paint be?
As with priming, you must strike a balance between good coverage and obscuring detail. Citadel paints tend to require at least 2 coats to provide good coverage. Thin layers of paint are invariably preferable to thick ones, as this ensures even coverage and helps eliminate brush marks.
What color should I use to basecoat?
As you will see in the answers below on highlighting, this can be quite a complicated question. For a beginner, I suggest just using the color you want the part you are painting to be. In other words, if you want the tabard to be Enchanted Blue when you are done, paint it Enchanted Blue. Once you have more experience, you may want to use a darker color as the base coat then a lighter color for the highlights.
How do I paint metallic colors?
Metals almost always look better painted over a black basecoat. Paint the area that will be metal black and then paint the metal onto the black, leaving the black showing where the metal meets another color or where there is a crack or recess, such as between armor plates. Metal colors are often great candidates for a highlighting technique known as drybrushing. For more on this technique, see below. For a brighter finish, use yellow or red as the base coat for the metallic color.
However Games Workshop Shining Gold tends to be 'thin' and make the undercoat show through. In order to mitigate this it is advisable to basecoat in a dark brown (EG Scorched Brown) before applying the Shining Gold.
What do I do now that my model is base coated?
If you are just getting started, you may be happy with the model as it stands and are ready to base and seal it. If you want to do more, consider highlighting and/or adding finishing touches to the model.
How do I paint a bunch of models at once.
Once you've established how you're going to paint your models, consider setting up some sort of assembly line process as discussed in this Assembly Line Painting article.
