Welcome back to The Game Night Guide! Today, I thought we might be able to cover a long coveted knowledge that many wish to attain. It is an ancient art, going back generations. Some have attempted and failed miserably. But the few who are dedicated to this art create some of the finest works known to man.

What is this art you ask? Well, it is… mini painting.

It is not a simple art, but it is one that has incredible pay-offs. Being able to look to your battlefield as see your own work showcased has no greater feeling in the world.

So, how do you do it? Let’s get started.

Starting Off

Mini painting does not use traditional paints. Acrylic paints will not do in making your masterpiece. It will require special paints and brushes to make sure that you are going to succeed. Make sure that you get a variety of sizes for the mini paint brushes, as well as a dry brush.

The best way to get all of these items is to get a mini painting starter set. You can find these online from your local game shop!

If your mini(s) are black, then you are also going to need to prime them. Primer comes in white and grey, which will help make sure that the paint sticks to the mini. Otherwise, you’re hard work will seem squandered.

The Base Coat

The base coat can be a bit tricky, but is by far the easiest part of the process. The base coat is the colours of your mini’s clothes and armor. You will want to diversify the colours to make sure that the whole outfit doesn’t blend together.

Depending on the size of the mini, you may be able to take a wider brush to cover the entire area in one colour of paint. However, if you are painting a smaller mini, like a humanoid, you are going to want to use the smallest brush to make sure to get all those hard to reach areas.

During this coat, make sure you double check all the hard to reach spots. You may find some white and grey areas that you accidentally missed while focusing on the more visible areas. The most common areas are the inside of the legs, underside of the arms, and underneath a cape or cloak.

Drying Up

Dry brushing is key to any finished mini. Dry brushing is when you take paint, wipe the excess off on a cloth, and use the little bit remaining to accent the figure. This is best done with darker colours, such as black, browns, or greens.

Before dry brushing, make sure you have wiped off as much of the paint as you can from the brush. Even if you think you have wiped off all the paint from your brush, you have not. Keep wiping it against the cloth until there is seemingly no paint on the brush.

Using black is a very good way to accent the notches and smaller features of the mini. It will help show off any smaller textures on the armor, capes, etc. that would otherwise be hidden by the first coat. Browns and greens are great to create stains of mud, dirt, or grass.

If you want a piece of armor or clothing to have a shimmering effect, dry brush with a lighter colour. Use either silver or a lighter version the same colour as what was used for that piece of armor. For example, if you want a dark blue cape to have a shimmering effect, dry brush a light blue onto the cape.

Those are the basics! Now, get out there, and start painting the PC minis of your dreams!

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