Best Miniature Painting Tips And Tricks (Updated)

Posted by Rosalie Galvez on January 19th, 2021

Miniature painting traces its roots back to the medieval ages as illuminations, painted to have the smoothest surface. It is speculated that it was influenced by the medallions and pendants of Ancient Rome as well.

Interestingly, the word “miniature” has nothing to do with the size of the painting or any other thing. The term was derived from the word “minium”, a type of red paint that was used in illuminated manuscripts and such for detailing, or there was the word “miniare” which boils down to "coloring with red lead", according to Latin.

In the modern world, miniature painting is one of the most popular forms of paintings that cover a wide range of subjects, from landscapes to portraits and so on. With the rise of social media and other platforms, miniature painting has found its modern roots as a definitive form of expression.

So, whether if you are an uninitiated novice or a painter with basic knowledge of paint and palette, we will cover some practical tips and tricks for miniature painting in this article. Although they are best suited for those who have some experience in the art form, you can learn valuable lessons from it nonetheless if you have just started out.

Here we go:

Using A Primer That Is Not Black

It is a common practice that you start with established norms in any field and work your way out of it. This is good to give you a smooth start that will turn it into many fruitful years and, hopefully, making you the thing in the field you wanted to be in the first place. Sometimes, it is the opposite. You are just stuck inside a cage with invisible but solid bars and you cannot find your way out.

In the world of painting, there is a recommendation that comes in handy. Beginners are better off priming their miniatures in black. This can be great to get a start, but if in the coming time, you just stick to it, you are missing out on many other great opportunities. There are many painters who suggest that you come out of black as soon as you get comfortable with the new medium. You will see radical changes in how you perceive images and draw them on the medium.

If using a red or yellow coat is too hard for you because it takes 3 to 4 layers of color, then there is a viable alternative.

Use white Or Grey!

In practice, you will find out that the details are easier to pick out in the white background. Overall, the small things in the picture are more pronounced.

After giving a hand to white/grey/brown (they go with all colors really well), try your skill on priming the medium with the color which is going to be the primary basecoat in your painting. From there, you can prime it whatever color you want!

Stick Your Models On The Miniature Base

In the course of painting, there are times when models are knocked over on the medium when you are applying spray over them. Or your sticky fingers leave marks on the freshly-painted surface that stays. If you are sick about this and looking for a way out, there is a simple, yet effective, solution to this.

Fix your models on the surface by using sticky tape or other material that can bind it for the time being as long as you are done with spraying. This results in two positive things:

• The models will not be knocked over on the base due to the force of the spray can.

• The models do not to be on the base in the course of being primed.

There is a two-fold benefit to it. Also, you do not have to worry about getting things right in the first place. There will a “clean” room for you to do the work and finish it with your signature style.

Spend More Resources On Basing The Medium

This will come off as a weird tip but this is beneficial to your work directly, so long as you do it right.

If you study your miniature army from an efficiency perspective, what elements require your most time? Which of the elements will give you the most value for the long hours that you put in your work?

In one word – Bases!

You can make a badly-painted army look marvelous on a well-done base. Contrary to this, your masterfully painted army has no chance of winning on a half-cooked base.

If you can recall, have you ever seen a truly remarkable army on bad bases? It is unlikely that the answer could be yes. So, go hard on your bases until they are finely done.

Everything you do on the medium is your work. So, you need to allocate time and resources accordingly to get the job done.

Pro Tip: As far as the detailing goes, you should focus on the faces and hands of miniatures. This what the eyes of beholders focus on whenever they lay eyes on them.

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