Painting Miniatures for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

How do you start painting miniatures? All you need is a miniature, primer, a few acrylic paints, two brushes, and a bit of patience. The process is always the same: prepare the miniature and spray it with primer, apply base coats, shade with thinned paint, highlight the edges, and finally paint the details, base, and varnish. It’s not rocket science, and almost any mistake can be fixed with another layer.

In this guide, you'll find out what to buy, what types of paints exist, and how to paint your first miniature step-by-step. At the end, we’ve added tips on how to paint faster and mistakes to avoid. We have everything you need to get started in the Miniature Painting: Starter Products category.

What to get for starters

A few things are enough for your first miniature. You only need assembly tools if the miniature comes unassembled on a sprue.

The easiest way to start is with a complete set. The Army Painter Gamemaster: Adventure Starter Set includes 15 paints, five hero and monster miniatures, a brush, and a painting guide. You don't have to figure anything else out—just start painting.

Gear for the ambitious

Are you planning to paint an entire Warhammer army or all the miniatures from your board games? Then buying minimalist gear doesn't make sense. The basics remain the same, but the packaging differs. For a few miniatures, a brush-on primer is enough; for a whole army, a spray primer will save you hours. A large paint set is cheaper than buying individual bottles.

For longer painting sessions, you'll appreciate extra tools. The Army Painter Wet Palette keeps your paints moist until the next day, and the Citadel Painting Handle saves your wrists and keeps you from smudging the miniature.

You can make a wet palette at home, too. Place a wet paper towel in a plastic container and put parchment paper on top. It will last for several days in a closed container, and you can just re-wet it once it dries out.

Preparing the miniature

Cut plastic parts with side cutters as close to the piece as possible and smooth out any remaining burrs with a knife or file. If you have already played with the miniature, wash it in lukewarm soapy water and let it dry thoroughly. The paint will stick better.

Don't glue everything at once. Paint parts that are hard to reach with a brush separately and glue them on at the end. This typically applies to shields, cloaks, weapons, or shoulder pads. You'll save yourself some nerves, and the result will always be better.

For gluing plastic parts, Army Painter Super Glue is enough. If you want all your tools at once, grab the Army Painter Hobby Tool Kit.

Types of miniature paints

Acrylic model paints are used for miniatures. They are water-thinnable, dry quickly, and have a fine pigment, so they won't clog the details. Paints from different manufacturers can be combined; they mainly differ in product line names.

Verified brands can be found in the Citadel paints and Army Painter paints categories.

You can also choose from Vallejo and AK Interactive lines.

Don't buy ten shades of green at the start. Manufacturers will try to convince you that you need every shade, but you already know how to mix colors from kindergarten. Green with a drop of white makes light green; with a drop of black, you get a darker shade. Spend the money you saved on another miniature instead.

Brushes and their care

For starters, two brushes are enough: a larger one for surfaces and a smaller one for details. You don't need the thinnest brush for details; what matters is a sharp, undamaged tip. Expensive brushes last longer, but even a cheap brush will do a good job if you take care of it.

Sets are ideal for beginners, such as the Army Painter Hobby Starter Brush Set with three brushes. You can find more in the Miniature Painting Brushes category.

How to keep your brush in shape:

• Pick up only a little paint, never up to the ferrule.
• Rinse the brush often while painting and don't let paint dry on it.
• Shape the tip while the brush is still damp.
• Never leave it standing in a cup tip-down.
• Use an old or special brush for drybrushing; this technique destroys brushes.

How to paint your first miniature step-by-step

Every miniature is a bit different, but the basic procedure applies to both plastic and metal models. Our experts Lukáš and Nikča demonstrate individual techniques in short videos.

1. Primer

Primer prepares the surface so other paints stick to it. You can apply it fastest with a spray. If you can't use a spray, a brush-on primer will do. The primer color affects the whole miniature: colors will be darker on a black base and more vibrant on a white one.

Spray in thin layers and follow the instructions on the can. A thick layer will clog the details, and a bad base is hard to fix. You can find spray primers in the Primers and Base Sprays category.

2. Base coats

Now paint the large areas and create the color scheme of the miniature. Don't take paint directly from the bottle. Thin it on the palette with a drop of water and apply two thin layers instead of one thick one. Thin layers preserve fine details.

Don't be afraid of mistakes at this stage. You can paint over anything that doesn't go well. Citadel Base or Army Painter Warpaints are suitable for this work.

3. Shading with a wash

A wash is a very thin paint that flows into recesses and crevices. This gives the miniature shadows and depth, making the details pop. Dark shades are most commonly used, such as those from the Citadel Shade line.

Always let the wash dry thoroughly before continuing. It will darken the miniature a bit, but you will balance that out in the next steps.

4. Drybrushing

Drybrushing is the opposite of shading. Pick up a lighter color on a stiff brush, wipe most of it off on a paper towel, and then lightly "tickle" the miniature. The paint will only catch on the raised edges, giving the miniature contrast.

Be patient; the result often only shows after several strokes. Citadel Dry paints and special brushes are suitable for this technique.

5. Layering and details

Now come the details: eyes, buckles, decorations, highlighted edges. Thinner layering paints, such as Citadel Layer, and a brush with a sharp tip are perfect for this. Rest your elbows on the table and hold the miniature in a handle so your hands don't shake.

Did you go over the lines? No problem. Take the original color and paint over the mistake with a thin layer. No one has ever painted perfect eyes on the first try.

6. The base

It's a shame to leave a finished miniature on bare plastic. You can just paint the base one color, or decorate it with sand, gravel, grass tufts, snow, or cork stones. You can find everything in the Bases, Dioramas, Terrain category.

7. Varnish

If the miniature is just for a display case, it doesn't need varnish. If you are going to play with it, varnish it, otherwise the paint will wear off over time. Varnish comes in matte, gloss, and satin finishes, both in spray and brush-on versions.

Spray varnish can create a gray haze in damp or cold weather. If you aren't sure about the weather, reach for a brush-on varnish.

Our colleague Nicola shows what the whole process looks like in practice in a video where she paints her first miniature.

How to paint miniatures faster

If you don't want to polish every miniature to the last detail, reach for speed paints. They combine the base color with shading, so you get a finished base with shadows in one coat. Citadel calls them Contrast, Army Painter calls them Speedpaint, and Vallejo has Xpress.

With speed paints, the primer color matters. They work best on a white or light gray base. After drying, just paint a few details and you're done.

Those who want to paint entire armies will sooner or later reach for an airbrush. We discuss how to start with one in a separate article.

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Workspace and lighting

You can paint on a corner of the kitchen table, but a few rules will save you a lot of nerves. Keep your table tidy, close bottles and glue, and change the water in your cup often. Spilling black paint on a nearly finished miniature makes no one happy.

Paint in good light, preferably daylight or under a lamp with white light. Use sprays and primers outdoors or in a well-ventilated room.

Most common beginner mistakes

• Paint straight from the bottle. It's too thick and will clog details. Always thin it a little.
• Thick layer of primer. Spray thinly and preferably twice.
• Impatience. Apply the next layer only after the previous one has dried, especially with washes.
• Gluing the miniature right at the start. Paint hard-to-reach parts separately.
• Ruined brush. You can't fix a dirty, dried-out brush or one left tip-down in a cup.
• Comparing yourself to pros. Behind the masterpieces on Instagram are hundreds of hours of work. The most important thing is that you enjoy painting.

Where to go next

Once you master your first miniatures, you'll get a taste for larger projects. We discussed why painting is the second half of the wargaming hobby for many players in a separate article.

Miniature Painting: The Other Half of the Hobby

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painting busts are also great for practice, where you can try out faces and details on a larger scale. You can find miniatures for games in the Wargaming category.

The guide was prepared by Michal Dlouhý and Karel Krajča, with techniques in the videos demonstrated by Lukáš Outolný and Nikola Kyliánová.

Frequently Asked Questions