Miniature Painting
How to Paint Your First Miniature (Step by Step)
You can paint a tabletop-ready miniature on your first try, in one evening, with about $60–70 of supplies: a plastic mini, light-colored primer, six to eight speedpaints, two brushes, and matte varnish. The process is prep, prime light, one coat of speedpaint per area, varnish. This guide walks every step, including the three mistakes that ruin most first minis.
What to buy (and what to skip)
| Item | What to get | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| A miniature | A plastic hero mini with big, clear details | $5–15 |
| Primer | Light grey, white, or bone spray primer | $10–15 |
| Paints | 6–8 speedpaints (see our starter color list) | $30–40 |
| Brushes | One size 2 round, one size 0 | $10–15 |
| Varnish | Brush-on matte varnish | $8 |
Skip for now: airbrushes, wet palettes, 40-paint mega sets, magnifier lamps, and anything labeled "pro." A ceramic plate works as a palette and a cup of tap water completes the kit.
Pick a forgiving first mini. Big details, defined edges, organic textures. Think barbarian, an ogre, a beast. Avoid tiny cluttered minis and anything with large smooth armor plates (hard mode for speedpaints, as we cover in the speedpaint vs. traditional comparison).
Step 1: Prep (10 minutes, don't skip)
- Clip the mini off its sprue if needed, and scrape any visible mold lines with the back of a hobby knife. Paint makes mold lines more visible, not less.
- Wash the mini in warm soapy water and let it dry fully. Mold-release residue makes primer bead up.
- Stick the mini to a temporary handle (a cork, a pill bottle, anything) so you're not touching it while painting.
Step 2: Prime light (5 minutes plus drying)
Speedpaints are translucent, so the undercoat is your lighting. Prime white, bone, or light grey. Outdoors or in a garage, 20–30 cm away, two thin passes rather than one heavy one. Let it cure for an hour.
The number one first-mini killer is heavy primer: hold the can too close and you fill in every detail with paint soup. Two light dusting passes always beat one wet coat.
If you already own black primer: prime black, then heavily drybrush light grey over everything. This "slap chop" approach gives speedpaints even more contrast to work with.
Step 3: Paint by area, biggest to smallest (60–90 minutes)
Work one material at a time, not one location: do all the leather everywhere on the model, then all the cloth, and so on. Order areas from inside out and biggest to smallest:
- Skin first, since it's usually the innermost layer, so mistakes get covered by later areas.
- Cloth: the big cloak, tunic, or robe. Largest area, biggest visual payoff.
- Leather next. Straps, boots, belts, pouches, grips.
- Metal: a true metallic paint for blades and mail. Regular metallic over the light primer works; add a dark wash over it for instant depth.
- Details last. Hair, teeth, gems, the base rim.
Speedpaint technique in one paragraph: load the brush moderately, apply one even coat over an area, and let the paint settle. Don't go back and poke at it while it dries; that lifts the pigment and leaves blotches. If a pool collects somewhere it shouldn't, wick it out with a dry brush. One coat, leave it alone, move to the next area while it dries.
Step 4: The base (10 minutes, doubles the result)
A painted mini on a bare black base looks unfinished; the same mini on a textured base looks professional. Cheapest version: white glue on the base top, dip it in sand or fine cork, let dry, speedpaint it brown, drybrush a lighter tan over it. Paint the base rim clean black.
Step 5: Varnish (5 minutes)
Once fully dry (overnight is safest), brush on one thin coat of matte varnish. This is what lets the mini survive being handled at the table every week. Skip it and you'll see shiny finger-wear on the raised spots within a month of regular play.
The three mistakes that ruin first minis
- Too much paint on the brush. If paint is flooding into details, the brush was overloaded. Wipe it on a paper towel before it touches the mini.
- Painting over wet layers. Touching a half-dry speedpaint layer tears it up. Rotate between areas so each has time to dry.
- Judging from four inches away. Minis are viewed at arm's length on a table. Every painter's minis look rough under a macro lens. Set it on the shelf, step back, and look again. That's the real result.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to paint one miniature?
With speedpaints, a first-timer finishes a single character mini in two to three hours including drying time. By your fifth mini it's closer to an hour. Traditional layered painting takes several times longer.
Do I need to prime miniatures before painting?
Yes. Primer gives paint something to grip; acrylic on bare plastic rubs off with handling. For speedpaints specifically, the primer must be a light color: white, bone, or light grey.
What miniature should I paint first?
A cheap plastic hero-scale mini with large, well-defined details, like a barbarian, ogre, or beast. Save minis you care about until number three or four; the first one is for learning.
Can I use cheap craft store paint on miniatures?
You can, but it fights you: craft paint pigments are coarse and coverage is chalky on something 30 mm tall. Miniature paints are finely milled for exactly this job, and a starter set costs less than replacing a frustrated first attempt.
How do I paint eyes on a miniature?
For your first several minis: don't. A dark recess shade where the eyes sit reads perfectly fine at table distance. Eyes are a precision skill worth learning around mini ten, not mini one.