|OT| This is a miniature painting thread

[Li Kao]

Introducing miniature painting may be a bit difficult. Where to start ?

In the beginning there were pigments. And man's love to put those on every sort of shit, because ! Who doesn't like colors ?
Then there were those damn teenagers and their inextinguishable lust for power fantasy, thinking to themselves that this Michelangelo would be cooler with a power sword. Or a gun. Maybe side-boobies, too. Yeah, that, that would be a motherfucking sculpt.
Then Games Workshop was created and it was the rapture of wallets. That's it. No more wallets.
...Poof.

​

---

- TIPS : Make our own OT -
You can totally change a couple of words and do the model kit version of this fine introduction. Just replace the sword with a giant robot with a big gun. Keep the side boobies, though.

---

"Oh God this is horrible, I'm shitting that up as I write and I will soon be out of jokes"
- The thread creator

Bolt Action, a hit with the grognards​

Warhammer Age of Sigmar, it's complicated​

I'm smart so I typed model kit on google​

Some people don't paint armies and prefer painting nice things for the sake of it​

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USEFUL STUFF -

• A desk
• Good lightning, with preferably multiple lamps, shadows can go fuck themselves.
• Some magnifying glass could definitely come in handy. There are 'headset' ones, there are also those that are mounted on an articulated arm.
• Some miniature grips, like the RGG360 I will try to snag tomorrow.
• A wet palette because it's trendy.
• A mortgage to buy the paint and brushes.
• It would help if you had some miniature to paint on, too, but ah, technicalities.

AVOID -

• Cats. They don't appreciate fine arts. Tend to chew on brushes, mini, drink paint water, clean paws in paint water. Philistines.

---

IMPRESSIVE YOUTUBERS -

Ninjon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG7ErJtvi7Z4OiXSuAeKdZg

Goober

https://www.youtube.com/c/GoobertownHobbies/featured

REMEMBER TO THIN YOUR PAINT, MOTHERFUCKERS !

 

[Li Kao]

Oh boy, do I have a treat for you kids !
Some people may already know that I'm a tad into horror, Lovecraft, maybe a bit of macabre, dread, yeah I very much like dread.

So let me introduce you to Lady Olynder.

The only thing that stop me from throwing money at the screen is that I don't have any (it sure helps) and I wouldn't have the painting skill to do it justice.
Date shrouded head

PS.
If you want to hate life and stop painting, I have that too.

Spoiler

CoolMiniOrNot - Lady Olynder

www.coolminiornot.com

I deeply hate this person

 

[Jav]

I recently started to paint again after an almost 10 year hiatus, I have a little cousin that has started painting and I figured it would be a fun thing to do to spend time with her even if my hands aren't as good as before

I'm still in the middle of the renewal of some tools and paints since those are expensive as hell, but one of my dreams was to one day paint Arkhan the Black:

 

[Durante]

This thread is really timely. Since I recently got into 3D printing (mostly functional parts right now, having fun learning Fusion360) my longer-term plan was to try and make some miniatures from game models and paint them. I hope I'll have time in summer to give it a try. I also still need to get paints, does anyone have any recommendations?

(The last time I painted miniatures was Warhammer a bit more than 20 years ago)
(Also I wouldn't dare attempt anything remotely as intricate as the two examples posted here, neither from the 3D printing perspective nor from the painting perspective)

 

[Li Kao]

Your post itself is also timely, as while looking back into miniature painting for the last few days, I heard about 3d printed minis on several occasion. I seem to remember those being subpar just a few years back, but what I saw was seriously nice..

At the 3 minutes mark, Ninjon pimps a Kickstater still in late pledge. The mini he is painting is from that.


The (or one of the) artist, Cobramode, seems to have a patreon with monthly STL files. I even saw a Lady Dimitrescu in one of the posts’ header. No idea if it’s available in this patreon.

Get more from Cobramode on Patreon

3D Print STL Fantasy Miniatures + Bases for TTRPG and Painting

www.patreon.com

 

[Cacher]

His skill is incredible. The miniature really comes alive under his hands. Rule of thumb: never think it is easy because good artists always make the whole creation process looks easy.

The second tips regarding attitude here is also very important. I am also making something (not ready to show nor talk about it) but at the beginning, the work always look ugly and bad. Modern age tune us to ask for immediate result but it is unrealistic in art. This is also a reminder to myself: be patient and stick to it even after countless failures.

 

[Li Kao]

His skill is incredible. The miniature really comes alive under his hands. Rule of thumb: never think it is easy because good artists always make the whole creation process looks easy.

The second tips regarding attitude here is also very important. I am also making something (not ready to show nor talk about it) but at the beginning, the work always look ugly and bad. Modern age tune us to ask for immediate result but it is unrealistic in art. This is also a reminder to myself: be patient and stick to it even after countless failures.

Regarding difficulty, I'm not sure I agree. Well, I obviously agree because you are right, but is it really difficulty or experience, training, knowledge, etc. ?

I feel a lot of the things he does don't look that difficult, it's just that I absolutely haven't his level of skill. So yeah, I'm nitpicking and you are right, but there is that. The issue is, unless I find a magic teacher who will spend hours teaching me the skill, I don't think I will acquire it by myself. But it's my fault, too. I don't paint in a way that will allow the acquisition of such skill. I dumbly paint by the box, trying to emulate a picture I don't have the level to emulate, I don't think that hard about the project, etc.

I feel that in order to progress in a meaningful way, one need to

• don't copy the picture on the box, come up with your own color scheme [Train your color sense]
• take some real time to think about what you want your mini to look like before jumping on the brushes [Think it through]
• take the risk to fail. I dread failure but it's irrational, at most you will have to play with (toxic ) chemicals and a toothpaste to nuke the paint. You don't play that high stakes [Don't stress]
• always absorb new knowledge by watching people like him, you never stop learning. And that goes father than how he does things, I mean learn more about paints, how they act, react, etc. [Learn]

Just the way he often use oil or enamel paint is glorious, I barely know what they are, let alone how they apply and react.

Regarding attitude, yeah, that's a very good point. I think I dropped my Stormcasts at the first sign of difficulty, because they didn't look that hot. The problem being that, they still could look decent if I would finish the damn paint job.
And I'm a perfectionist that tries too hard for things that have dimishing returns. I will spent hours trying to get a detail right, the figs are just base troops, who gives a fuck if they are not the Mona Lisa ?

So I would also add

• finish your damn paint job, do the base, varnish, everything. Maybe it won't be good enough, but you will have learned far more than a dumb fucker that bang his head against some detail like it's groundhog day.

There is learning and joy found in simply finishing a mini.

This is rambly, I hope I made sense.

 

[Cacher]

snip

I agree with everything you wrote, and those are some damn good advice. It is a hobby, after all. Be humble, learn as much as we can but not push ourselves too much. At the end of the day, we are not competing with others, so just enjoy the process and have fun.

 

[Li Kao]

So today !
I may buy...

• RedGrass Wet Palette
  
  
  
  
  
• RedGrass miniature handle
  
  
  
  
  
• Some more caps and gluing paste for the handle
  
  
  
  
  
• Some white paint
• PVA glue

And it's already too much for my budget. Painting again was the dumbest move I could pull.

Still need a lamp and magnifier, but alas...

-

My immediate goal is to finish the 8 base Stormcasts I had started years ago. I want to apply some of my advice and FINISH something.

 

[Cacher]

 

[Li Kao]

60 euros in my ass, 30 minutes late because I had to watch two doctors scream at each other before my appointment, then some wind powerful enough to budge a construction site fence, and last but not least, rain.
I earned these fucking supplies.

 

[Cacher]

I continue looking into board game. The variety and depth is blowing my mind. How the fuck these things can stay under my radar for such a long time?

Now I understand the feeling of Colombus when he discovered the new world.

 

[texhnolyze]

I usually don't paint my kits other than panel lining and fixing minor miscolors with pen. But lately I've been meaning to try painting, and I finally bought a handbrush and a few colored Gundam markers the other day. I have to admit that the process is fun and satisfying. I need to buy a few other colored markers later this weekend, especialy blue, grey, and red.

 

[Li Kao]

Nearly finished with my first Stormcast Eternal. It only took 5 years !
Will post a pic, whatever the end result, I will be able to say I made it. Trying to apply my own advice here.

But well, when I say nearly... I still need to glue the shield and the broken hammer, just hyper stressful shit.

 

[Li Kao]

I would never have thought of that, but I may have to drop painting because of... cat issues ?
My lovely cat becomes periodically insufferable when I paint. Not helped by my usual stress at this time, but yeah, he tries hard to fuck things up. And then I scream at him, and then he... doesn’t really give a fuck.
It’s just not an atmosphere and a relationship I want to have with him

That being said I applied EdwardTivrusky box advice, and while it doesn’t resolve the issue, he sometimes calm down and I will have a pic soon.

 

[EdwardTivrusky]

He's only a kitten yeah? So he's full of energy and curiosity which means unless you find something to distract him with you're going to be his source of entertainment and companionship for a little while.

 

[Li Kao]

He's only a kitten yeah? So he's full of energy and curiosity which means unless you find something to distract him with you're going to be his source of entertainment and companionship for a little while.

Oh, I don’t know, when is a cat a cat and not a kitten ? Is there an age when they calm down ?
He is one year and two months old

 

[Li Kao]

As I was saying.

When he is cool :

Spoiler

When he is not cool :

Spoiler

 

[texhnolyze]

Painting is so much fun. I started with an eyeliner brush that the wife don't use anymore, and now I have 3 different brushes for specific usages. I also have 7 different colors of Gundam markers now, the main colors and metalic gold/silver ones. My biggest struggle is not the preparation and the painting itself, but my patience. Waiting the paint to dry so I can put another layer is so hard.

 

[ganmo]

I usually don't paint my kits other than panel lining and fixing minor miscolors with pen. But lately I've been meaning to try painting, and I finally bought a handbrush and a few colored Gundam markers the other day. I have to admit that the process is fun and satisfying. I need to buy a few other colored markers later this weekend, especialy blue, grey, and red.

hardly can tell what's colored, but regardless this model looks good

 

[texhnolyze]

Thanks. It's still minor details, mostly silver.

I also just finished painting and detailing my SD Zeta last night. What's left is decals and topcoat. Humidity is a 84% this morning.

Before

 

[texhnolyze]

I usually don't paint my kits other than panel lining and fixing minor miscolors with pen. But lately I've been meaning to try painting, and I finally bought a handbrush and a few colored Gundam markers the other day. I have to admit that the process is fun and satisfying. I need to buy a few other colored markers later this weekend, especialy blue, grey, and red.

An update, it's finally done. SD Hi Nu Gundam (rare MC Model kit).

It was sunny this noon and the humidity finally reached 60%. I said screw it and proceed to top coat this kit. Despite a few very minor bubble on the thruster, generally I'm so happy with how it turned out, especially since it's my first time.

 

[thekeats1999]

Oooh, nice thread.

One of my favourite hobbies is miniature painting. I use it as a good form of relaxing. I mainly paint GW miniatures althought with the 3D printer on the go and access to My Mini Factory I have a lot more stuff to work on.

Some of the things I have worked on over the last few year or so.

Piccies

 

[Cacher]

Oooh, nice thread.

One of my favourite hobbies is miniature painting. I use it as a good form of relaxing. I mainly paint GW miniatures althought with the 3D printer on the go and access to My Mini Factory I have a lot more stuff to work on.

Some of the things I have worked on over the last few year or so.

Piccies

Holy shit those are gorgeous!

Btw, I found out that a local shop has a Kickstarter copy of Tainted Grail in shrink. Very expensive but the game is so hard to find. Very attempting, to say the least.

 

[texhnolyze]

My latest creation, SDEX Nu Gundam.

before

 

[thekeats1999]

Holy shit those are gorgeous!

Thanks, the chibi minis are nice and fun paint jobs.

My latest creation, SDEX Nu Gundam.

Love that, really cool looking.

Among all the other bits and pieces I have to work on, I still have these to do as well.

 

[Cacher]

I better not take picture on my model kits backlog. I gave some out to my friends but there are still more than a few of them left.

My latest creation, SDEX Nu Gundam.

before

This is gorgeous as well! Must take tons of work and skills to paint a SD.

 

[thekeats1999]

I better not take picture on my model kits backlog. I gave some out to my friends but there are still more than a few of them left.

My backlog is scattered all over the place, and some of it is fairly old. I still have a lot of old metal Sisters of Battle to paint for a start.

Not sure what is bigger (or more expensive) my steam backlog or hobby backlog.

 

[Cacher]

My backlog is scattered all over the place, and some of it is fairly old. I still have a lot of old metal Sisters of Battle to paint for a start.

Not sure what is bigger (or more expensive) my steam backlog or hobby backlog.

Mine too. My most precious items are six 1/24 Kobu kits from Sakura Wars series. They are not too expensive but rather hard to find. I needed to import them from Japan.

Lately, I am trying to stop my backlogs (model kits and steam) from growing too much. For the former, I gave some out to friends as well as did some quick builds without painting, and ignoring all bundles for the latter. These methods are definitely working. But now that I am eyeing to enter board gaming... I will start with some gateway games and hopefully will not be caught up by Kickstarter FOMO down the road.

 

[thekeats1999]

Mine too. My most precious items are six 1/24 Kobu kits from Sakura Wars series. They are not too expensive but rather hard to find. I needed to import them from Japan.

Lately, I am trying to stop my backlogs (model kits and steam) from growing too much. For the former, I gave some out to friends as well as did some quick builds without painting, and ignoring all bundles for the latter. These methods are definitely working. But now that I am eyeing to enter board gaming... I will start with some gateway games and hopefully will not be caught up by Kickstarter FOMO down the road.

My Kickstarter habit was well and truly cured due to the Ninja Division fiasco. I still don't like to think how much I lost on that one.

I am tempted with the Nemesis board game. Mainly because the miniatures look cool and scratches an AvP type itch. That or Starcadia Quest as I really enjoy painting chibi miniatures.

 

[Cacher]

My Kickstarter habit was well and truly cured due to the Ninja Division fiasco. I still don't like to think how much I lost on that one.

I am tempted with the Nemesis board game. Mainly because the miniatures look cool and scratches an AvP type itch. That or Starcadia Quest as I really enjoy painting chibi miniatures.

Yeah, Nemesis looks great. On the other hand, I am more into Sci-fi so ISS Vanguard's minis look absolutely stunning to me. They even have clear parts. Crazy.

I am actually eyeing Mice & Mystics and My Little Scythe as the games to start. Both have good words of mouth and their chibi minis look great, too.

 

[texhnolyze]

Thank you!

There weren't much skills involved, just patience, resilience, and blood (I did hurt my fingers a few times). SDEX is such a pain to work with, there's almost no color separation between the parts. I did redo some parts from scratch because I messed up. It took me a month to complete it while also doing other kits in between. Some paints didn't settle as well as I hoped, but generally I'm happy with it.

 

[thekeats1999]

Yeah, Nemesis looks great. On the other hand, I am more into Sci-fi so ISS Vanguard's minis look absolutely stunning to me. They even have clear parts. Crazy.

I am actually eyeing Mice & Mystics and My Little Scythe as the games to start. Both have good words of mouth and their chibi minis look great, too.

You have given me a few more games there to try and avoid and not spend more cash on them. Just as well my car needs some major work otherwise I would be adding to the backlog.

Thank you!

There weren't much skills involved, just patience, resilience, and blood (I did hurt my fingers a few times). SDEX is such a pain to work with, there's almost no color separation between the parts. I did redo some parts from scratch because I messed up. It took me a month to complete it while also doing other kits in between. Some paints didn't settle as well as I hoped, but generally I'm happy with it.

For panel lines I use the old military modeller technique of gloss varnish and then pinwashing oil paints into the gaps. It's actually fairly easy to clean up as well. However this is a lot easier with an airbrush (or rattle can gloss varnish, but sometimes can go on to thick). I then either matt or satin varnish to get back down to a finish I like.

My intention with the gundam kits is to actually do a full repaint on them. Would be a long project fitted in around other paint jobs.

 

[texhnolyze]

For panel lines I use the old military modeller technique of gloss varnish and then pinwashing oil paints into the gaps. It's actually fairly easy to clean up as well. However this is a lot easier with an airbrush (or rattle can gloss varnish, but sometimes can go on to thick). I then either matt or satin varnish to get back down to a finish I like.

My intention with the gundam kits is to actually do a full repaint on them. Would be a long project fitted in around other paint jobs.

Thanks for the tips.

I usually panel line with a pen, it works fine most of the time. My struggle is when I try to paint a relatively big space of a part, it's hard to make it even unless I put like 3+ layers. I also need to learn applying primer first to the plastic before the first layer.

 

[thekeats1999]

Thanks for the tips.

I usually panel line with a pen, it works fine most of the time. My struggle is when I try to paint a relatively big space of a part, it's hard to make it even unless I put like 3+ layers. I also need to learn applying primer first to the plastic before the first layer.

Yeah, I can understand that. I have a similar problem with edge highlighting.

 

[Li Kao]

Yo, I received my first installment of the Hachette Age of Sigmar thingy. With mostly a bunch of Sigmarines and Spectres for 2.50 euros, not bad.
That means I have to resume painting ? But I don't shit hours in the day, I have no lamp, magnifier, or desk.

Hachette, sell a furniture sub for 2.50 plz

For reference -

 

[thekeats1999]

Yo, I received my first installment of the Hachette Age of Sigmar thingy. With mostly a bunch of Sigmarines and Spectres for 2.50 euros, not bad.
That means I have to resume painting ? But I don't shit hours in the day, I have no lamp, magnifier, or desk.

Hachette, sell a furniture sub for 2.50 plz

For reference -

Yeah, there previous one was a pretty good buy. Even at full asking price, at least in the UK.

 

[thekeats1999]

Actually managed to get a game of Apocalypse in over the weekend. First time I have had a proper game since the lockdown started.

Not everything is painted yet. But was a cool game.

 

[texhnolyze]

Finished my SDCS Zeta.

More pics

Original

 

[texhnolyze]

This was actually finished last week. SDCS RX-78-2 Gundam.

 

[thekeats1999]

texhnolyze nice. Looks great.

I haven't really done painting since the game a couple of weeks back. Been working on printing some proxies for Valhallan Ice Warriors for my Imperial Guard army.

Also been assembling the rest of my Stompy Robots (TM) for Adeptus Titanicus. Built 8 of them so far, with another 3 to go.

 

[texhnolyze]

I've been very productive on building & painting kits lately, at the expense of much less gaming time.

Spoiler

 

[thekeats1999]

Two surprises today, one pleasant. The other, not so pleasant.

First the pleasant surprise.

I had backed a couple of kickstarters from Ninja Division a few years back. Relic Knight, the Dungeon Explorer one (can't remember) and the Fighting Card game. As anybody can tell you about Kickstarters, the Ninja Division ones did not end well. The had been succesfully delivering kickstarters, However in the background they where using the next campaign to pay for finishing the previous one. Then it was 2 ahead to pay for a previous one. This came to a head.

Anyway, long story short I was in for around £400-£500 worth of kickstarters with them and suddenly wasn't going to get anything for it. There where a lot of newsletters about how they where trying to get things to backers and so on. I kind off just blanked it out and started to ignore any emails from them.

Well today a box arrived from them. Turns out I now have around 40+ different miniatures from the various campaigns. Actually quite happy about this. Is this what I am owed, nowhere near. Is all forgiven, hell no. But it is a lot more than I was ever expecting to see, so I take that as a minor win.

So now I have even more miniature goodness to paint.

The not so pleasant surprise. I need to replace the screen on my 3D printer. Noticed a couple of patches where the UV lamp just isn't as strong as it should be. So I need to replace the screen, So off to ebay and then I need to strip the machine down.

One of thos downsides to owning a 3D printer.

 

[thekeats1999]

I am posting this here for 3 reasons. Only 2 are painting related.

1. I will finaly get to paint plastic Death Korps of Krieg.
2. Plastic Kommandos means I want an ork army (plus all the other cool looking ork stuff for 40K)
3. This video is AWESOME.

 

[texhnolyze]

It's quite a bright morning so I took these pictures. SDCS Barbatos Lupus Rex. Repainted the yellow parts with gold, painted missing gray colors and added more details with metallic.

More pics

 

[thekeats1999]

It's quite a bright morning so I took these pictures. SDCS Barbatos Lupus Rex. Repainted the yellow parts with gold, painted missing gray colors and added more details with metallic.

More pics

Looks great. Actually making me want to pick up a paint brush.

In a bit of a paint funk at the moment. Think I have FFFFFFFFFAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR too much stuff to paint. Might need to have a purge and sell some stuff on eBay. Try and get back to basics and the core games I play.

Anyway, got a gaming weekend around at a mates planned. Not sure if I should take my Imperial Guard or Iron Warriors.

 

[thekeats1999]

So I actually got some painting done over the weekend.

Went around to a mates ostensibly to play some 40K. However with the heat (it's really taking it out of me at the moment) I instead sat in the shade in the back garden painting.

Mainly spent about 4 or 5 hours painting various shades of silver over 6 Adeptus Titanicus models. Lots and lots of airbrushing. Then shading it down with more airbrushing of greens/blacks/purples.

No photo's at the moment though as I have left them at my mates house. Will be nipping around later in the week and may even get more done when I go around.

 

[texhnolyze]

Not sure if this still counts as miniature painting, but I just finished painting the hyper mega launcher of this MG Zeta so it matches the body's color scheme. It's a weird kit since everything is special coated & chrome but the launcher is just plain dark gray.

 

[thekeats1999]

Not sure if this still counts as miniature painting, but I just finished painting the hyper mega launcher of this MG Zeta so it matches the body's color scheme. It's a weird kit since everything is special coated & chrome but the launcher is just plain dark gray.

Miniature enough for me.

Managed to get some work done on my Warmaster Titan. There is a loooooooooooooooooot of trim on this.

Still need to finish the trim, and sort out the legs. Then a lot of work on the minor details.

 

[texhnolyze]

Done with my Gundam MK-II. Repainted the yellow parts with gold, then added glossy finish to the entire body. I'm thinking about repainting the inner frame too with gunmetal grey, but maybe for another time.