Advice to beginner painters - the collective wisdom ofthe site

Started by FierceKitty, 18 August 2022, 03:48:57 AM

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FierceKitty

That equates to 60 man-heights - roughly 10 yards.
 ;D   William Takeda Francesca?
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Ithoriel


QuoteThat equates to 60 man-heights - roughly 10 yards.
 ;D  William Takeda Francesca?
What? There's nothing missing. ;)
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

Titivillus

Some excellent advice here! I'll add a bit more about using undercoats.

I would add that if you use a dark undercoat (black, dark brown, panzer grey, etc.), a light white drybrush over that base coat helps make the details pop out. This can make it easier to see when painting. (It can also help with some highlighting if you use thin paints.)

Also, when using dark undercoat, try and leave a line between one colour and the next. The black undercoat will create a shadow there, emphasizing (or creating) the separation. You can't always do this, but it really helps for certain areas, like waists, necks and where boots meet trousers. If you look at the painted examples in the Pendraken catalogue, you will see that some of the painters use those dark lines quite extensively.

Lastly, don't be afraid to use a lighter base coat (or even a zenithal technique) if you are painting up lighter, brighter colours. Marker pens (mentioned earlier) or a dark wash can be used to draw in dark shadows.

Zenithal priming: https://paintyourarmy.com/zenithal-priming/
2022 Painting Competition - Winner!

John Cook

Just six?  The more I thought about it the more points that came to mind.  I'm also going to make the assumption that our newcomer has discovered the various magazines out there, and already visited their local club.

1.   GENERALITIES.
a.   Bear in mind from the outset that Wargaming is not a cheap hobby.
b.   You will need to invest money and time into the hobby to get the most out of  it.
c.   You will need space to play wargames and will, eventually, want a permanent table of your own.
d.   You will need somewhere to store your figures and terrain.  A system that will expand over time as your armies grow.
e.   You will need somewhere to keep all the books that you will buy in pursuit of your new hobby.
2.   PREPARATION.
a.   Exploit as many resources as possible. 
b.   Join a local club and pick the brains of other wargamers.
c.   Read as much as you can before deciding on the period that really interests you.  The local library is an obvious source.
d.   The internet is a fantastic resource, it is at your fingertips and it is free.
e.   When you have made a decision focus your research on that period.
3.   RULES.
a.   Find the set you like and stick with them. 
b.   If you do change rules never, ever, rebase your figures unless there is absolutely no alternative.  Adapt the rules to suit your bases.  Rebasing is a chore, worse than ironing, and is the path to insanity.
c.   If there is something you don't like in a set of rules, change it so that you do.  Your perceptions are more important than excessive concern with minor details.
4.  WORK STATION.
a.  The seat.  Get a comfortable adjustable seat.  The best you can afford.  You will spend hours here painting your figures and terrain, so you need to be as relaxed as possible.  Your back will thank you.
b.   The light.  Natural light is essential but you will need an additional source even if your workstation is under a window.  Avoid ordinary desk lamps as they are not really intended for the kind of work you will be doing.  Get an LED craft lamp, the best you can afford, with circular 'bulb' to help remove shadows; about 6000k white daylight producing 1000 lumens is what you are looking for.  These come with a central magnifying lens. 
c.   If your eyesight is such that you need help with close work there are solutions.  There are a number of headband-type devices available but I'd avoid these.  I was always knocking mine on the lamp and it was just more trouble than it was worth.  I use ordinary reading glasses of the kind you can buy in any pharmacy or, much cheaper, on-line.  They start at x1.25 and go up to x4 and are much more convenient.  What is best for you depends on your eyesight. 
5.   FIGURES.
a.   Circumstances will dictate the size of figure.  If space is at a premium the smallest figures may be the only alternative and some 6mm are very nice little models well worth the trouble spending time painting.  With larger figures, 15mm to 28mm, cost and space considerations rise in direct relation to the size.  10mm is the perfect compromise.  They are relatively less expensive, are quick and easy to paint, have sufficient detail to make painting a pleasure and allow large size units to be represented while minimising storage requirements.  Pendraken has the largest range. 
b.  Preparation is fundamental to the end result.
c.  Clean and prime the figures.   White primer is best as reveals any flaws.   
d.  Undercoat the figures.  White and black undercoats are popular, though it can also be the principal colour of the finished figure; it doesn't really matter.
e.  Avoid aerosol sprays.  They are quick and easy but can result in a rough finish if used incorrectly.  If you must use them, follow the instructions to the letter, and try them out on a couple of figures first.  You will find aerosol sprays are much cheaper in your local DIY store than from wargames specific sources.
f.  Paints can be either acrylic or oil.  It is entirely a matter of personal preference.  Acrylics are easier to use as they are water soluble and, if this sort of thing is important to you, are more friendly to the environment as no chemical thinners or cleaners are required.  Acrylics or oil, the end result is indistinguishable but if you use acrylics, a wet palette is useful as they dry quite quickly.
g.  Avoid spray varnishes.  Matt varnishes are prone to frosting and can destroy hours of work.  If you must use them, do not do so when it is humid, follow the instructions to the letter and try them out on a couple of figures first.  It is better to apply varnishes with a brush, gloss first, followed by matt when the former is dry.
h.  Approach painting the figures like eating an elephant – one piece at a time.  Don't rush it. 
i.  Buy the very best brushes you can afford and look after them.  Rinse them frequently during use and when you have finished a session give them a thorough clean using hair shampoo.  Cheap brushes are a false economy
j.  The base should match the playing surface.  Pay as much attention to the bases as you do the figures.  Many a figure has been spoiled by an indifferent base. 
6.  PLAYING SURFACE.
a.   A permanent wargames table is the counsel of perfection and is something to be aspired to.
b.   The size will depend on circumstances, and the kind of game you want to play.  Small skirmish games can be accommodated on something the size of a card table but in an ideal world there is really no such thing a table that is too big.  The one critical thing is depth because you need to be able to reach to the centre, so about 5 ft/1.5m is ideal
c.   The options for terrain are manifold.  Most people either go for modular tile-type terrain, like TSS or Geo-Hex, or the battlemat playing cloth, typically that produced by Tinywargames.  Both have their pros and cons.  Modular systems tend to be all one colour but do allow topographical features to be replicated.  Geo-Hex is best for this.  Battlecloths give a much more realistic appearance to the playing surface but need to be laid over something to represent landscape.

Ithoriel

Further advice, don't believe those who will tell you that rattle can spray paints are the work of the devil and that spray  varnish fogs up if you look at it sideways :)

I've been painting figures for almost sixty years, I've used rattle can sprays for almost fifty of them. In all that time my spray varnish has fogged twice.

In each case an application of paint-on varnish to the affected area solved the problem.
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

John Cook

About the same time as me then.  I can't remember how many times matt spray varnish has frosted, two or three I suppose.  Once is too many, bearing in mind the time and effort put into painting the figures in the first place, and I've never managed repair the damage entirely satisfactorily.  So it is a risk I don't take anymore and warn against its use.

steve_holmes_11


QuoteThat equates to 60 man-heights - roughly 10 yards.
 ;D  William Takeda Francesca?
Missed a zero.

kipt

For the couple of times my spray cans have fogged the unit, I just wait until they dry and then respray. Clears it up at that point.  Worst is grabbing the wrong spray can and hitting the unit with primer instead.  Did that once - keep your cans separated!

paulr

Washes
Washes will settle into creases and lines picking out details, giving depth and shadows
Washes will mute the underlying colours so use lighter and brighter colours if planning to use washes

Dry brushing
A heavy dry brush over a base coat can shift the colour and give a worn appearance
For example I used a gray dry brush over a dark blue base coat to give the look of 'Oxford mix', a dark blue-grey

A very light downward dry brush with a light dusty colour will help highlight edges
Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
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2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Orcs

Quote from: John Cook on 18 August 2022, 05:40:58 PMJust six?  The more I thought about it the more points that came to mind.  I'm also going to make the assumption that our newcomer has discovered the various magazines out there, and already visited their local club.

1.   GENERALITIES.
a.   Bear in mind from the outset that Wargaming is not a cheap hobby.


Really? I think it's a very cheap hobby, especially when you work out the cost per hour.
The cynics are right nine times out of ten. -Mencken, H. L.

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well. - Robert Louis Stevenson

fsn

Wargaming is one of those hobbies that costs as much as you want to pay.

You could start a Persian army for £36.
You could put together a WWII infantry platoon and a troop of tanks for £20.
You could put a skirmish between British Riflemen and French Voltigeurs for £12.   

You can make buildings from simple card templates; make trees from dried twigs and some railway scenic materials, and there's the good old books under a cloth for hills. Roads and rivers can also be coloured card.

For years I had an emergency wargames kit. It comprised 30-40 Western figures, some collapsible card adobe buildings, dice and a ruler. Everything fitted into a sandwich box and cost pennies. After reading the Military Modelling Annual 2 (or 3) I created another with medieval figures, collapsible wattle-and-daub buildings, dice and a ruler. These got me through some long summer holidays. 

Granted you need paints, brushes and basing, but the point is that you can start simple and small and stay that way or get very, very sophisticated and big.


     

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Raider4

No tips myself - I'm with Last Hussar on my love of painting - but I like this video:




A lot of what he says has already been posted by others here.

hammurabi70

Quote1.   GENERALITIES.
a.   Bear in mind from the outset that Wargaming is not a cheap hobby.
QuoteReally? I think it's a very cheap hobby, especially when you work out the cost per hour.

I suppose it is all all a matter of comparatives but I struggle to think what is less expensive, perhaps a soccer ball and outfit.  My father's golf club has a £2,500 joining fee and £2,000 annual fee; remember to add in green fees and equipment.

John Cook

Oh that is pricey.  My local golf club charges a joining fee of £500 and £1075 full playing membership for full year round usage with no additional costs, and access to all club facilities. Participation in most sports like football, rugby, cricket, and athletics are cheap at the entry level.  How about rock climbing, bird watching, stamp collecting, train spotting and angling?  I'm guessing that all these are cheaper than wargaming. I knew somebody who collected airline sick bags - unused of course - cost nil.
The cost of a hobby is relative as you say and wargaming is certainly cheaper than Polo.  I also concede that what may be expensive for one person may not be for another but the brief was advice to a newcomer. 
I see that I spent £1,131.70 with Pendraken alone in the last 12 months, add to that figures and vehicles from other manufacturers, battle mats, buildings, magazine subs, books, paints, paint brushes and so on and it is a little over £4000 and averages at approximately £340 a month.  It has always seemed to be an expensive hobby to me, even in the days when I used Airfix models, but I only earned £7/10s/6d a week in those days, so after I'd give £2 to my Mum, a half a crown box of Airfix ACW figure was a major outlay.  Happy days.   

FierceKitty

Quote from: Orcs on 18 August 2022, 09:11:17 PMReally? I think it's a very cheap hobby, especially when you work out the cost per hour.

Cheaper than the most popular, most expensive, and most environmentally destructive hobby, aka parenthood.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.