Things I wish my mother had told me when I started painting soldiers

[Nosher]

I wish my mum had been honest and told me how unlikely it would be that I would meet a girl who would find wargaming cool and wargamers as sexually desirable objects

[paulr]

3. If you want to paint but only have 30 minutes, then paint. You don't need to set aside a block of hours to paint. Otherwise I'd never find time to paint.

Thanks Sheky great advice at just the right time for me

Grabbed 30 minutes doing packs & muskets on my current batch before I headed of to work this morning. Great way to start the day 

Also got me started again on this batch which had stalled a little due to real life stuff. Will hopefully finish the rest of the packs & muskets tonight

[paulr]

No one is to throw anything until I blow this whistle; not even and I want to make this absolutely clear, not even if they say flocked..."

Reading the forum on the train into work this morning

People looking at me strangely as I  after reading this

[paulr]

Daub Errata

Paint placidly amid the noise and haste, and make the most of whatever passes for silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with spouses, parents, pets and children.

Pass on tips quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their insights.

Avoid power gamers, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser painters than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own armies, however humble; they are a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution on EBay; for it is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strike surprising deals; and everywhere there are bargains.

Be yourself. Everyone else is taken!

Especially, do not feign an interest. Neither be cynical about production schedules; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment sooner or later someone will make a model of it in a scale you want.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth; eyesight, steady hands ....

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many botched paint jobs are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of Pendraken, no less than Techno, Nik or Fenton ; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the Pendraken figure ranges are unfolding as they should. Therefore be at peace with Leon, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep pace with your purchases.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to paint something.

<Sorry Max>

Thank you, this has lifted my spirits 

[Last Hussar]

I paint flesh last.  Mostly because I paint it brown first, then try a wet dry-brush.  This is also betterif you paint the spear/musket first, the the hands- you aren't trying to paint between anything.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

I wish my mum had been honest and told me how unlikely it would be that I would meet a girl who would find wargaming cool and wargamers as sexually desirable objects

I did! 

[Shecky]

Tried that. Didn't work on my Sherman Firefly.

You have to open the hatch first in order to paint the crew 

[fsn]

I did! 

Aw! Lemmey! You big softy! That's really nice.

[WeeWars]

Daub Errata

Paint placidly amid the noise and haste, and make the most of whatever passes for silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with spouses, parents, pets and children.

Pass on tips quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their insights.

Avoid power gamers, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser painters than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own armies, however humble; they are a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution on EBay; for it is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strike surprising deals; and everywhere there are bargains.

Be yourself. Everyone else is taken!

Especially, do not feign an interest. Neither be cynical about production schedules; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment sooner or later someone will make a model of it in a scale you want.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth; eyesight, steady hands ....

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many botched paint jobs are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of Pendraken, no less than Techno, Nik or Fenton ; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the Pendraken figure ranges are unfolding as they should. Therefore be at peace with Leon, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep pace with your purchases.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to paint something.

<Sorry Max>

Excellent, Ithy.

[Dr.Falkenhayn]

1.Thin your Paint
2.Thin your Paint even more!!!
3.Avoid Metallics whenever you can-use a seperate Brush/Water for Metallics
4.Never ever use a Black Primer for 10mm,not even if you paint Ninjas in Black Dresses
5.Drybrushing has become a  no no in 2014 ( )
6.Don't use the same Static Grass as for 28mm Scale-Man sized Grass just looks silly 
7.Never use Grey for highlighting Black Paint,mix it with Blue,Turquoise or Green,anything but Grey...
8.GW is the Devil

Hi Mom! 

[paulr]

7.Never use Grey for highlighting Black Paint,mix it with Blue,Turquoise or Green,anything but Grey...

Why?

[Subedai]

I cannot understand the allure of painting flesh first, is it Freudian or what? Brings a figure to life? My ar*e it does. Do a good face and the chances of getting paint on it afterwards increase by a Pratchettian(?) amount. By that I mean that a million to one chance will usually happen every nine times out of ten.
From 10mm upwards I try to work on the largest areas first on my figures and then smaller bits in descending order. Painting 101 as far as I am concerned.

White undercoat
All White Metal
Pledge black wash
Jackets/Tunics etc
Trousers
Shield front if carried
Belts/webbing etc
Flesh
Weapon woodwork
Shoes or boots
Yellow Metal
Pledge dark brown wash
Any and all highlighting
Base colour
Enamel matt varnish.

It's in the net.

[marie]

I spray paint all black matt,
then, dry brush metallics
main uniform and cuffs
belts,straps
weapons
face
hair
hats
final detail on say tricorn
final detail on riffles
black line belts
then varnish
I only tend to dry brush 10mm figs...