Which paints do I use?

Games Workshop, Vallejo and Tamiya. Mainly for color variety and availability. I don't order paints over the Internet because I only buy what I need at the time I need it.

I definitely feel that Games Workshop did a great thing by changing their caps. Opening the old ones was a pain in the "hand". I like the quality of the paints and I am getting the hang of how liquid they should be.

I've only just started using the Vallejo paints. I'm not sure I like the dropper style cap. Mostly because I hate to waste paint. I usually just dip the brush onto the tip of the cap rather than squeeze paint onto a palette. So far I've not had any bad experiences with them.

Tamiya. This is a bit of a love/hate. The paints and colors are nice but I don't like the way that they dry. Once you put the paint on the model you have a very short amount of time where you can apply more paint before having to wait for them to dry completely. As the paint dries it appears to dry from the outside in. If you try to paint more when it is in this phase you will wreck the paint that is already there. It will peel and clump and generally make a mess. The only option is to remove the clumps and wait for the paint to dry before continuing.

The working time for each of the paint brand is very different so it is necessary to pay attention to which one I am using.

TIP: Paint palette. Go to any DIY store such as Home Depot or Lowes (in the US) and look in the ceramic tile section for the cheapest square of tile you can find. If I remember correctly a single tile is less than 50 cents. I prefer a white tile so I can get a good feel for the color if I am mixing paints. The tile is nice because it stays cool and it is very easy to clean. Run it under water or wait until the paint dries and scrape it off with an Exacto knife.

Mixing paints. If I am going to do a small project I will mix the paints directly on the ceramic tile. If I plan on doing a lot of painting I will get small paint pots from an arts and crafts store such as Michael's. Make sure you get ones with a good lid that seals well. When mixing up batches I like to write down the formula in case I need to make up some more.

TIP: If you have bits of metal lying around that have been trimmed from your models you can add them to your custom paint pots. They work great for mixing the paints while you are giving them a good shake - just like your spray paint cans. It will also help in letting you know that the paint is mixed. If you can't hear anything you need to shake more.

Regarding paints and drying out. About twice a year I open all my paints to see their current state. I will always add water at this time if they need it to ensure that they won't dry out. I store all my paints in a large plastic tub (Tupperware). I created a two level tray with a handle out of some MDF I had laying around so I can pull the entire set of paints out of the tub when I need to get at something on the bottom. The Tupperware does not prevent drying out it only slows the process so don't assume that you can ignore your paints for 3 years and expect to have something usable when you open them.

Preping and Priming Figures

Remove the flash and get rid of the mold lines first. Fine tooth files are a must. Having a large assortment of many different shapes and sizes is very helpful. Straight, curved, rounded, flat, etc. I also use an Exacto knife and hobby clippers like the kind you can get from GW or other hobby sources.


TIP: If your clippers get any chips or grooves along the cutting edge it is very easy to file them back into a straight edge using a metal file. I file along the bottom so I maintain the cutting angle that the clippers were made with.


Now is a good time to drill out any holes for shields, weapons, etc.


TIP: I like to work in assembly line fashion. First clipping off flash, then filing, then drilling. I often find that doing so keeps me from missing things I need to work on and sometimes uncovers areas that I may have missed. It also means I can keep one tool in my hand at a time and I don't have to spend time dropping and picking up things. I always go back over the figures I had previously worked on when I discover an area I should have done something with.


Once I am done with the basic metal work I then wash the figures with with a mild soap and water solution. This gets rid of any mold release agent still on the figures as well as removing any fine dust or metal that may have accumulated. Make sure the figures are completely dry before moving on. I find that a nice sunny/breezy day is good for that.


TIP: Patience - it took me a while to figure out that I will like my work more if I take the time to do things right. If you are like me I always try to have multiple projects going at once so I don't get bored with one thing and so I can force myself to wait for paint to dry, etc.


Once dry I mount the figures on dry wall nails. These are very inexpensive and have a sizeable head for mounting. (I use finishing nails for figures that don't have a proper base such as cavalry.) I use thick superglue to mount the figure to the nail. I have created a number of holding boards which I can place the mounted figures on while I am doing my work. The holding boards are just a piece of scrap wood that has a bunch of holes drilled partially into it. The holes are the same size as the nails and I can get 30 - 40 15mm figures on a board that is less than 6" x 3". When making the holding board try to drill the holes as straight as possible. This will help when you are trying to glue the figures to the nail heads - the thick super glue can take a while to dry and the figures will topple over if not relatively straight when mounted.






Next I prime the figures. I use two pieces of wood, called shims if you are looking for them in a DIY store, with some paper towel between to hold the minis in place while priming. A couple of spring loaded clamps and the figures aren't going anywhere. I wear a rubber glove on the hand holding the minis so I don't get paint on my hand and I am able to rotate and position the figures anyway I see fit.

As you can see the clamps make for a great stand also!

I always prime my miniatues using light gray primer. I use off the shelf primers that you can find in any DIY store, Walmart or Target. I used to buy the expensive hobby primers but there is no point. The basic primers you can find in any hardware store work great and they are a fraction of the price which means more money for minis. I like gray because it shows the detail of the minis while I am painting. I find it to hard to see the details when the entire figure is black.

Make sure the primer has dried well before starting the actual painting. I usually let them sit a day or two. I cuts down on the smell of the primer as it is drying. (The only downside of using off-the-shelf primers.)

Lighting

Lighting is very important when painting miniatures. Personally I use a two bulb shop light that you can pick up from any DIY shop such as Lowes or Home Depot. I use 2 daylight bulbs because they give off a blue white light. I don't use sunlight or soft white because the light is either too yellow or unnatural. I make sure the light is positioned directly overhead and just slightly behind my work area. Doing so prevents artificial shadows from appearing on the miniature while I am painting.

Current Wargamming Projects

On the workbench...

I have just started my last batch of Xyston Spartan Greeks. Some unarmored hoplites, some unarmored cavalry and a few mounted officers. That should take me a couple of weeks and then I need to paint up some horses for the cav. Never done horses before so it will be time to crack open the reference books and the web-search to find some good pictures.

Next I will probably do a batch of WWII DAK infantry from Battlefront/Flames of War.

I'm thinking about tackling some of my Gamesworkshop Lord of the Rings figures after all that.