Painting miniatures – practical tips for beginners

I resisted entering the world of miniature painting for a long time. I had a feeling it would end in a drastic loss of my free time and apartment space. But then, friends started showing off their Warhammer models, discussing paints and techniques. The temptation grew, and eventually, I gave in…

I was lucky enough to have the basics shown to me by the great guys from the Hravárna café and game store in Frýdek-Místek. Then came hours and hours on YouTube and my first desperate attempts. With every miniature, it got better and better, and I found myself starting to be satisfied with my creations. I also discovered that I absolutely love it. And I could say goodbye to my free time and apartment space…

Maybe you'll fight the same urge and give in too. It's a pleasant hobby where you train your patience, eye for color, and imagination. Today, I regret not knowing some things from the very beginning. It would have made my life much easier and saved my nerves. What were those things? You'll find out in this guide.

Measure twice, glue once

When I do something, I look forward to the result from the start. This also applies to painting miniatures. From the moment I unpack the model parts from the box, I can't wait for the little guy to stand in a heroic pose on the base. I always have the urge to have the model fully assembled before I even start painting.

The biggest pros we admire on YouTube don't have a problem with that. In practice, however, it is often more advantageous to paint some parts of the model separately. These can be various armor components (Space Marine shoulder pads), shields, or weapons. Trying to hit the back of a cloak with a brush without smearing everything else is a nice adrenaline rush, but with an uncertain result.

Try painting the more difficult parts of the miniature separately; you'll save your nerves, and the result will always be better. Don't try to do everything at once, plan ahead.

Paints everywhere you look

Whether you work with Citadel, Army Painter paints, or any other brand, you'll soon find yourself in a state where bottles take up most of the free space in your room. Every proper modeler knows there isn't just one green, and for the right result, you need light green, a slightly lighter green, yellow-tinted green, brownish-green, greenish, and just to be safe, dark green and a turquoise that pretends to be green sometimes and blue other times.

Manufacturers' marketing tries to support this view. Sticking to official color schemes is fine, but especially at the beginning, I would have saved a lot of money if I remembered the principles I learned in kindergarten: green and a drop of white makes light green, with a bit of black we get darker shades…

At least for starters, this is golden advice that will help you save money, perhaps for buying another model. Don't be afraid to experiment with colors and mixing them.

Clean up your room already!

Tidying up around you once in a while is not a bad idea at all. How many times did your parents try to convince you of this truth? They were right! From personal experience, I know that spilling black paint on a nearly finished model is not pleasant. A dirty thumbprint on a perfectly white cloak isn't either. When I took a drag from an open bottle of superglue instead of my electronic cigarette for the first time, I was unpleasantly surprised. When it happened the second time, I realized I needed to keep my desk tidy.

Everyone should have an overview of what they have where and should strive for clean work. And not just when painting… Try to keep your workspace clean and tidy. Changing the water in your cup hasn't killed anyone yet.

The brush is your friend

The simple question “What brush should I get?” can trigger a near civil war on forums. I don't think you need to buy tools worth hundreds of crowns right away. Even cheaper brushes will do practically the same job. Yes, expensive brushes last longer, usually have a high-quality tip, and pros swear by them, but you can do a lot with a cheap variant too.

However, you will destroy every brush in one evening if you treat it like a stick. Just follow a few rules: pick up less paint, don't fray the bristles, and rinse the brush regularly with water. Shape the still-damp brush back to its original form and never leave it in a cup tip-down. With a little effort, even a cheap brush will last a long time and do a good job.

Don't stress about the competition

In today's internet age, everyone has a practically unlimited source of inspiration, advice, and ways to show off their creations. Especially at the beginning, I watched the biggest pros and saw how easy everything was in their hands. And then I despaired when I tried it myself… It was a disappointment when I saw my result, compared it to the model, and wondered if I had paralysis or color blindness.

Every beginner should keep in mind that behind those Instagram or Pinterest gems are hours and hours of work, testing, and learning. Of course, except for a few exceptions backed by immense talent. It takes time and patience! The important thing is that you enjoy it. That's the only way to build a love for a hobby that will destroy your free time and take up your space.

Finally, I have prepared a selection of channels and profiles that I like to follow. A huge source of inspiration is Instagram or Pinterest, where you just need to search for keywords like Warhammer, painting miniature, wargaming, and so on.

For starters, I'll toot our own horn and recommend a new series of videos where my colleagues advise the absolute beginners.

Squidmar Miniatures This friendly guy runs one of the biggest wargaming channels with his friends. His channel is full of beginner tips, tests, and interesting projects.

52 Miniatures Another gentleman from the north (It's surprising how many Northern Europeans are into miniature painting. It's probably hard to find a hobby for their long winter evenings…), who makes very nice and funny videos about anything you can think of in connection with painting.

Midwinter Minis I like this channel mainly because they aren't afraid to show what went wrong and what led to it. Sometimes it's nice to realize that even a pro messes up sometimes.

Zumikito This Czech creator broadcasting in English has a channel full of tips, ideas, and advice.

Minibricks This channel isn't dedicated to Warhammer, but to creating dioramas. It's definitely worth it. They are masters of working with effects and resin.

author Karel Krajča