Getting started with miniature painting: what I wish I'd known

When I got into miniature painting, I came across a comprehensive guide that finally set me on the right track. Miniatures are those small models you assemble and paint, mostly for wargames like Warhammer 40K, Age of Sigmar or Infinity. They almost always come unassembled and unpainted, and it's up to us to bring them to life.

Preparation changes everything: you cut the parts off the sprue, scrape away the mould lines with a hobby knife, then apply a primer. Without primer, the paint doesn't stick and rubs off. Once the miniature was primed, I learned the basic techniques: layering, shading and highlighting, edge highlighting, washes and drybrushing. These simple techniques are what give a miniature depth.

As for equipment, I realised where I'd gone wrong: good brushes really make a difference, and a wet palette keeps your paint usable for hours instead of drying out in five minutes. For paints, it's better to invest in brands like Citadel, Vallejo or Army Painter rather than craft paint, which has too little pigment.

The hardest part was to stop comparing myself to other painters. Everyone progresses at their own pace, and it's by painting regularly — and trying new things — that you really improve. Painting something different from what I usually do helped me progress enormously.

Source: Figurines et Peintures