The Basics: Paints and Brushes (and Other Miniature Supplies)
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- The bare basics you need to begin the miniature painting hobby.
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Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic
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My boyfriend collects and paints miniatures and he introduced me to your channel. I've just bought my first few models to paint for myself (if you can't beat them - job them 😊) and this series of beginner's tips had been very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do these.
That was supposed to be "if you can't beat them - join them". Silly autocorrect.
+Shelagh Parry good for you, for trying something new.
Bob Sus I'm in love with the hobby! Having so much fun and learning a lot as I go along.
What great advice. I could not agree more with starting with the basics and finding what works for you.
I love you! You are perfect for explaining what I need to start model painting and how to keep it within my budget. I've been freaking out on how to get all this expensive stuff. Thank you for letting me know my synthetics are just fine!! And so is good ole h2o!
Great information. I used to work at an Art Supply in my 20’s. The other reason one would use synthetic brushes over natural is they could hold up better to acrylic paint which tends to strip out the natural oils in hair brushes causing them to prematurely fray. Synthetics were also cheaper and that too would save you money. If you paint at all in oils (even just details) use natural hair brushes. They will give you long and excellent service.
As a new painter one other thing I can add in the way of commentary is that the dropper style of bottle the Vallejo come in is much nicer to use than the pots that Citadel are currently producing.
Great video, straight-forward and to the point. I, for one, greatly appreciate the advice and information you provide, and I feel that what you share has value for the viewers.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share these insights with the community. Cheers!
Thank you for this video! I'm just starting out with painting miniatures. This helps a lot!
Hello,
This is a lot of good advice. Beginners can learn a lot from Doc.
When I started out painting, I stayed primarily with water based paints. I've used Armory (loved horse color set), to Citadel (GW carries), to Ral Partha and a few bottles of other brands including generic craft paints (like Apple Barrel). A few years back I started using Vallejo. I haven't change to anything else. I still use some craft paints, but it's the bulk bottle for ground cover or bases.
Vallejo also carries a nice series of texture gels that I suggest folks take a look at as they really work nice for filler and basing your army or figure.
As for brushes, I agree. It is a matter of preference. I actually prefer size based on figure size. I will use 10/0 to 20/0 to paint 15mm. Of course, these also work well for facial or detains on the larger sizes. It is all in what you prefer. You may have to try different ones until you find one you like and a size you like. If you shop at Michaels or Hobby Lobby you can some times catch the artist brushes on sell as much as 2 for 1, usually it's their Master Touch series.
I agree with Doc, plain water is just fine. You don't need anything fancy. My strongest recommendation is to avoid drinking cups or glasses. Your craft store may have several options available, or old jars, or my favorite for years was baby food jars (the glass ones for juice with a neck), and you can even use cheap plastic toss away cups (as long as you don't drink from them while painting).
This is the first time seeing Doc on You Tube, but I used to use his web site.
Blaze
He ain't called Dr. for no reason. :)
AMEN to using the cheapest alternative to start and upgrading as you go progress. And I
40-50 series are nice for basing and their liners are great for free-handing.
Do you still stand by "just use Vallejo" or have things changed? Maybe do an update video on this... please?
His videos typically depict him using vallejo so I would interpret that as an implicit yes.
"People say, Oh you shouldn't use this... I do, and it works fine. And it will work fine for you too!"
Ha! I love it!!
Very informative. I'm just getting started with mini's and anything on the cheap is golden. Thank you for this video.
Very nice. I was looking for smaller brushes on my detail work so the #2 paint brush was especially helpful to me (as I mistakenly assumed the tiniest was best). Thanks again.
Nicely done with really good info and advice. Thank you
I am yet to find a more helpful beginners guide. Thank you my man x
Also just starting out and I have found your Basics series very good and helpful, keep up the good work :)
I agree about the sable brushes. They are very good but only for painting flowing areas of a miniature. When you get to detailing, a stiffer/predictable brush is better. I have only used Vallejo brush-on primer (not crazy about it as it bubbles up when brushed on), but I have heard good things about the brand (I do love Boris's fantasy babes!). GW paints from 10 or more years ago were pretty good. The change over was very irritating. Having some of those around for that long meant that they ended up in the trash, having drying up. However, I have some old Ral Partha and even older Testors paint, over 25 years old, that still have plenty of water in them and the colors are more consistent and fuller. I plan on buying their Model Masters paints to fill-in my color gapes until I use all the GW paints I have left.
Put a couple of bb's, beads, ect in the bottle. When you shake the paint they act like an agitator in spray cans. Helps mix the paint better especially metallics that seem to settle more than other paint.
Great tips here and I totally agree with you, you need to work with the paints, tools and brushes that work for you personally. I love kolinsky sable brushed but I know of golden demon winners who use other types. It is just what individuals feel comfortable with that will get the best results not individual tools and or supplies :)
I had a homemade one (cardboard box, fan and furnace filter) but it was too bulky to keep around. At the moment all I got it a fan and an open window. Keep meaning to pick up one of those collapsible booths. Then maybe I can do some airbrushing vids.
I really enjoy your channel alot , thanx for the helpful tips in all your vids , I just got started in modeling and this helps alot
Local. Brookhurst Hobbies, The Warstore, Miniature Market. Ebay. There are plenty of choices online to find them.
O wow your near brookhurst hobbies love that place... There paint selection is awesome miniture selection is decent mostly military and vehicle stuff but love that place...
You can add something like small stones to your paint bottle.
Very informative video. I like some of my brush hairs to be a little bit stiffer also. Maybe I will try a synthetic brush. Do they hold the paint as good as sable hair or better?
Have to say great tutorial, really useful and one gets a lot from them. If you haven't tried these paints would recommend Wargames Foundry they have a very high pigment and carrier level with a triate system, as a pay back for the tutorial.
Nowadays I just use enamel washes, like the Mig stuff. In Ye Olden Times when I first started painted I used enamel. I got pretty good at using them, but it was just basic basecoat and wash stuff. Mom hated them. Enamel don't come out of carpet!
This was and is a favorite of mine (this video). I have watched it a few times now.
I haven't used regular sable in ages, so I cannot compare the two. Synth-sables work fine.
Yes.
Great comprehensive set of start gear. Thanks
I like synthetics better myself. I picked up 3 winsor and Newtwon brushes. I also have various army painter brushes including "The Monster". After using the various brushes, I can say that out off all of them I prefer "The Monster". It seems like the hair brushes are too floppy. I like the stiffer feel of a good synthetic.
Thanks for the cool video, I just started to paint minis and I definitely learned a thing or two (or dozens).
Great tips! thanks for sharing. Great suggestion on trying different brushes.
Brush selection totally depends on the painter... Get synthetics if you have a light touch
if you have heavy handed style like me buy the Kolinsky-Sable brushes
Winsor & Newton series 7 or DaVinci style 36. Expensive but worth it
For someone that is just starting and wants to paint for fun and not necessarily to make money...is acrylic paint suitable? Or something like Testers model paint? I was just looking at the Vallejo stuff and while I'm sure it's really great...it is a bit pricey.
+Chad Ashton It's not that expensive when counting for the amount of paint when compared to others. If you just want something cheap you can use craft paint. It's garbage and has it's limits, though.
I know this is a late comment however hopefully you check back from time to time. Most model paints are acrylic unless it says otherwise. Vallejo, P3, Games Workshop and Reaper are all Acrylic. Now before the nay sayers chime in Vallejo does have paints that are not acrylic however they will be labeled, i.e. liquid gold range. Also price is interesting, check the amount you get a typical vallejo dropper is 17ml, and a gw pot is typically 12 ml. Also paints such as vallejo and reaper do not easily dry out. I have a dropper of vallejo ultramarine blue and its like 7 years, I can't say the same for Games Workshops paints. Last of all Amazon has Vallejo sets for sale and the last one I bought model air starter set which has basic colors 16 colors and I believe I paid between 25 and 40 for it on amazon.
I hope this all helps cheers.
Thank you for helping me get started
They are the same as Coat d'arms, which I used for years. Good paint, but inconsistent quality.
thanks for emphasizing that spending big bucks isnt what makes a painter good. Your probably the only one whose mentioned staying on the low end of the money train. So often people recommend spending big bucks in order to improve their painting
Great video, thank you!
Thank you for the video, I'm new a wanted a airbrush so I went to Graiglist to look for one. A lady was selling a air brush with a craft tool box with all kind of stuff for 100.00.I saw that her brushes was good quality and other stuff. When I open box it had 25 vellejo air 30 Model and 45 Master paint. I never saw these tube and jar before till now that ur explaining it to us. WOW i did got a good deal. ppl check out Graig list u never know what u find..it better than ebay.
vallejo say to roll the bottle and kinda knead it a bit, seems to work well for me, and the bottles are up to it.
Thankyou for the reply :-)
Thanks for this video, it is always useful to go back to the basics. I am surprised that you don't mention, who do make their own paints and in my opinion, flow better than vallejo, though I use both.
Can the air metallic paints be used like normal paints? And if so are they better than the regular Vallejo Model/Game Color metallics? I recall long ago on the website you had said the Game Color metallics were better than Model Color; is the Air metallics the way to go for non-airbrush use?
They can be used like regular paint and have better metallics because the grain is finer. I wouldn't use it exclusively because the Air range is very limited on color selection. Also you are paying for watered down paint, so it's not the best value in the long run.
I bought some golden synthetic brushes at a craft store called Michaels. They were $5 for a pack of four, I bough two packs. Some small tips and some larger tips flat and one looks kind of round. I also have a $6 Kalinksy Sable hair citadel/games workshop brush. Also a testors pointed and 2 testors 1/4 inch flat brushes. In all I have 14 brushes now. The ones I just bought seems kind of springy. The testors brushes are all kind of limp. I hope they work ok.
I'm just starting on figurine painting what do you think of blick studio paint?
Can you suggest the grit of the diamond files to smooth 28mm Perry Miniatures please.
I just transfer 2/3 of my Citadel paints to dropper bottle... Some are dries even if the paint pot if fairly new and the lid is clean. I should have buy the Vallejo first !
Don't beat yourself up, its a learning process.
Dr.Faust, what thinning medium do you use when using Vallejo paints. I tried several ones as well as water. At the moment I found Army Painter mixing medium to work well but at times the paint ends up looking glossy. Not sure if its because I am thinning the paint too much? Thanks!
Normally just plain water. On occasion with some extender added if the weather is hot. I occasionally add Vallejo glaze medium for transparent effects and washes.
@@ThePaintingClinic Thank you! I'll give that a try. I was following your tutorial on painting the robes on goblins but started getting a glossy black finish on the model.
Check out War Colours paints. They are out of Crete and have some real nice paints and their color ranges are fantastic as is the bottles they put their paints in. Have some nice brushes also.
My local shop Brookhurst Hobbies. Try game and modeling stores rather than craft stores.
Great tips, I really appreciate this.
Good one Tony. Keep It Super Simple. Don't reinvent the wheel. Wish someone had told me that, many years ago. Lol
Now, your little intro with the doctor, where'd you get the music? Sounds like the music used before jumping to commercials in Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Since your last 'basics' video i have gone insane and bought a 120 bottle rack and am also decanting my citadel paints with thinners to eyedroppers.
what do you use for airbrush thinners , i have tried both tap water and distilled water with my vallejo paint and had clumping both times ??
Water is not a good airbrush thinner. You need something that dies faster. Window cleaner can be used for some acrylics. I find Vallejo can be tricky and tend to only use actual airbrush thinners with them.
Found the no spill kids paint cups at the dollar store here in the US this month.
i always wanted to know, how do you clean the brush you are using for drybrushing?? mine dont take that much abuse, im quite sure i'm doing something wrong
Same as with any brush. Dip in water and wipe on a paper towel and repeat till all traces of paint are gone.
Great tutorial, thanks for sharing.
I've used synthetic brushes in the past and at some point the tip starts to bend in one direction. I mainly used davinci nove. Is there a brand that builds synthetic brushes which keep the tip similar to kolinsky brushes?
Thanks!
That's the downside of synthetics. You can try synth-sables. In general they combine the properties of both.
Can you explain the difference of enamel paint from acrylic? I've noticed that they tend to dry with a shine, but beyond that, I'm brand new to this. I happen to have inherited a bunch of enamel paint, and I'm wondering if that is going to work for the new Reaper Bones sets that I have.
+Bob Sus Enamel can react badly to soft plastics. I wouldn't use them on Bones. The difference is in the fluid binder within the paint. Hard to explain in a short post, like trying to explain the difference between an apple and orange. Acrylics can be thinned with water, are mostly non-toxic, and easy to clean up. Enamels have an enamel base, toxic, stink, stain, but can make for better washes and other effects. Shorter answer; just stick with acrylics.
I started painted and bought citadel and P3 as I am trying war machine. I did not trust myself with colors; given time will I be able to get better with colors and go vallejo all the way? I am using Vallejo for bolt action as they told me what colors to get. can you recommend colors for dust tactics?
Steve Isaak , you will get better with.
Steve Isaak time
hey Tony, I am mainly a modeler, but I love miniatures, I also love Vallejo paints. My question is: Do you have enamel paints?, and if so, How are they with painting miniatures? answer whenever you can, Thanks!
Where are you buying Vallejo Paint from? It's not easy to find, non of my local stores (Michael's, Hobby Lobby) carry it. Amazon has some choices but not everything, what's the best web store to buy them from?
Heyy... and what varnish are you using?? I'm having a really hard time finding the right varnish for my models..
Vallejo matt.
I have a question- I recently started building prop type science fiction weapons and have gotten to the point I've started painting some of them. They're not miniatures-they're lifesize scale. What kind of paints would you suggest I use on those. Also would you suggest I seal or coat over the finished paintjob with some kind of overcoat? Thanks!
Depends on the color. Sounds like auto spray paint would work better than hobby paint since it will be more durable.
Again thanks. Some of them I've painted with spray cans and some I've dry brushed acrylics over primer on. My first few I used Duplicolor on. All the techniques seem ok. Thanks for your replies.
Wet palette and rubber tipped brush for putty work.
im new to this - really interested in the painting - although im not a wargamer!!
Also what body filler putty do you suggest? I usually use stick epoxy except it's very stiff and unruly and it requires a lot of sanding. Is there a better product that's specific to model making which is easier to work with and still sturdy? Thanks again!
Bondo maybe. They make a tube type which is weaker and a mix version for extra strength.
Thanks.
Hey do you have a link to the type of synthetic brushes you use and where to get them?
Did that accelerant say brookhurst hobbies? That store is the best!
i want to buy vallejo but i live in a island that god forgot called Puerto Rico .. any idea where shoukld i contact them to get some, lol take care stay safe
Juan Reyes I only buy locally at Brookhurst Hobbies. They do online sales as well.
ty gonna check :)
Juan Reyes did you check Rademes Peña in Mayaguez I saw there once. which pueblo you at?
Guaynabo
Amazon sells a crap ton of Vallejo including most of their colors, pigments, primers etc.
Hey ive been looking into starting this as a hobby and was wondering if you have any suggestions on magnifying desk lamps? or if there was anything big you left out of this video that a start up hobbyist might need for assembly needs and such? thanks again for the great videos!
I finally found someplace local, but Dick Blick online carries them.
True. My tap water is perfectly safe. I just can't drink it or let it touch my skin. Other than that, good to go!
Also I heard Vallejo works better with brush painting models. Is it true?
LOL! I hear you. I also forgot to ask you, and my guess from watching your videos is that you live in and apartment. What do you use for a spray booth?
" ... Just use Vallejo", that was awesome.
what primer could you recommend? I don't have an airbrush btw
Vallejo surface primer black is amazing and you can paint it on. Also Army Painter makes some really good primers.
Great rundown! Are you getting your Vallejo locally or ordering online? I can't find it locally, and the only places online I can find it are overseas, so the shipping is cost-prohibitive.
Great overview and tips.
"a lot of people think you need the smallest brush possible" - lol when I first started I got a 0/3 brush, it's so small I cant get paint to the model before it dries on the brush.
Thanks for letting me know. I'll be making the drive from el segundo with credit card in hand. 😊
Great one, Tony!
What kind of primer do you currently use? I've watched this video twice now and have also gone through a few other videos, but I have yet to find an answer to this question.
livingadnauseum Depends on the project. Normal stuff, Vallejo. When a tougher coat is needed, like when weathering or masking. Alclad.
Thanks for the quick response! A clarifying question, though: is current primer safe for plastic models now? I haven't painted almost a decade and I'm getting back into it and I remember that spray-on primers came with the risk of sort of destroying plastic minis. Since plastic is the new standard (or seems to be) I'd like to think that formulas have adjusted over time, but you never know.
livingadnauseum I can't comment on every primer out there. I have not heard of that issue in ages, though.
Thank you so much. Can you give some links or advice on where you get your supplies? Some of the stuff seems hard to come by (especially locally). Thanks!
I buy locally from Brookhurst Hobbies. Having one of the largest hobby stores in the US in your backyard helps.
I'm just starting out painting. Forgive me if I sound stupid, but does Vallejo work for pewter too? And how about Citadel?
+Adrian Brokenshire Yes. Basically, any paint will work on just about everything.
+Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic I thought so, but wanted to make sure. Thank you!
+Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic are you talking generally about all model paints or ones directed more toward the miniatures?
All model paint. There are better choices, but anything will "work."
one more thing are vellejo good for painting model cars??
Does anyone know where to buy Vallejo paints from in the UK? I cant seem to find them..
You can buy them on Amazon uk
Wayland games has an awesome selection.
For miniatures? Never use it and if I did I would not consider it a critical general supply.
I ended up spending a fortune on Windsor and Newton series 7 brushes after being told they were by far the best and worth every penny. I find them to be terrible, I had to trim stray bristles before I could even use them and find them far too flexible. can anybody please recommend some brushes that are 'firm' for fine detail work?
Princeton Art & Brush 4050R.
Would you recommend army painter
Hopefully someone can get me an answer. I am wanting to varnish (top coat) my mini's base coats before I start adding detail. I heard this is a good method to keep the base coat clean because you can just wipe it off. Here's my problem. I use Vallejo paints (acrylic) and Vallejo top coats. Are Vallejo top coats also acrylic? I wouldn't be able to use the method I explained with, right? I'd have to use a different type of top coat? If so, what should I use if I want to top coat with my airbrush?
It's not as easy as that. Applying a top coat before details doesn't mean you can easily wipe off mistakes. It just means you get an extra few seconds to clean it off without staining the color underneath. You can use anything for the protective layer, but for best results it should be glossy.
Ahh. What I've read and heard is that if you use acrylics to paint, you can top coat your base coat with a lacquer or an enamel. That way, when you detail with acrylics again and you mess up, you can use an acrylic cleaning agent to clean up the slip ups and it won't go down into the base coat because it doesn't affect the lacquer or enamel top coat that is underneath it.
Blake Piercy
You can try that, but be careful. Anything that would remove the acrylic would also eventually eat thru the other layer. Also you run the risk of rubbing it into the previous layer if you rub too much.
ThePaintingClinic
I appreciate the info, I'm gonna give it a try on my friend's model I'm working on. Do you recommend a gloss varnish that isn't acrylic for airbrushing?
Blake Piercy
Alclad or anything in a spray can.
i wanted to know where i could buy vallejo paint
So far the best beginner video. Really great work. I use Games Workshop Colors for a long time until I discover Vallejo just about a year ago. There is another point I discoverd with GW: There new colors dry out very fast, even if you clean the cap and put some drops of water into the paint from time to time. So far, no Vallejo Color get lost in the same time.
Which leads me to my question. Do you have some special treatments to save... lets say some colors where you don´t use very often? Thank you in advance.
+Rogue Sabot No other way I know of to preserve paint other than to keep them in an air tight container in a cool, dark place.
You mention glue and accelerant. Which do you recommend. Ill buy them as soon as I know. Your channel is most informative.
BSI glue and accelerator.
Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic Thank you. Ill get right on it.
Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic thank you very much. Do you know a place I can buy cheap, detailed models so that I can practice?
Thank you.
You use acrylics right? Not oils?
Correct.
I recommande Villejo, because they dont sell outside of spain ?
+Thierry Savard But, I do love the rest of this series, keep it up ;)
+Thierry Savard What? Vallejo is available all over.