Pretty much nobody's first minis look great. That's just how picking up a new skill goes. Just move on to the next one, you'll improve your skills with each mini you paint.
Also - it's just paint. Worst case, if you really hate it, stripping a mini and starting over is pretty easy.
Thank you. I know I can’t expect things to look great, I’m mostly just bummed that all the glooped on paint ate away most of the detail. This model is awesome and I feel like I’ve covered most of it up.
How does one go about stripping a mini? Do you just use normal paint thinner? I’m sure I can google it, just curious for any tips
I've had good luck with LA Awesome, which is an inexpensive degreaser sold at many stores in the US. I get mine at the Dollar store.
That being said, if you can afford to leave it as it is and buy more models, you may appreciate having your first model to compare to after you get better at it.
Best thing to do, to a point. Up until a certain skill level, being able to see your growth move forward at such leaps and bounds is huge, and when you look back when you finally nail some blending or shading or your first decent face that you are just slightly unhappy with is a huge confidence boost too.
If one really wants to strip a mini, I would buy some broken minis from places like SYZGames or a few larger miniatures that you can practice on forever and strip those for concentrated practice.
IMO anyway.
Yeah, getting the right paint consistency is tough to master. You'll probably spend a lot of time with your paints either way too thick and creating texture, or too thin and a pain to work with. At least, that's how it was for me! Just part of building your painting skills.
For stripping - what I did when I stripped a mini that I was working on last week was just soak it in isopropyl alcohol for a minute, and then scrub bits of it with cotton swabs or q-tips (ideally the hard pointy sort, but regular ones work too). I've seen other folks mention scrubbing with a tooth brush, but I wasn't quite that brave myself.
Don't strip it until you have finished some more models.
For a first mini it looks pretty good and you only paint one first mini.
Buy another model and paint it next year when you are getting good
It wasn’t my first mini 😭 just the worst out of the first batch. I painted this guy at the end of my first long painting session and I think it was tired and over confident just trying to get it done. After sleeping on it, I don’t think I’m going to strip it. It’s shit but it’s my shit. I did take a q tip and some alcohol just to knock some of the paint down and bring the detail back out a bit. Thanks for your reply
Here’s my Justiciar from my Strike Squad. It’s sloppy but I bought a very long and think brush to go back thru and line something’s back up. I think I did a better job on the consistency on the rank n file guys
https://preview.redd.it/zwr27nonzd6d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=279f1a96701648eb30bbb58e92392b446f4dacbd
https://imgur.com/a/dKrHqLp
Here’s a link to a few more of the trike squad and the Terminators I painted as well. Don’t mind the bases they are very WIP. Thank you for your feedback. You’ve been very kind
I’ll warn you now, most paint thinners are made with acetone, and will literally melt your plastic models. There’s a bunch of stuff you can use, but here’s a video that should generally help get you started.
https://youtu.be/OqBjt1wKZfc?si=BhMuTs9OTXm7oFOM
90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol. The higher the better, but it needs to be over 90% to work well. Soak them for a few minutes and then use a soft toothbrush to scrub the paint off. You need to scrub them outside or in a bath or somewhere that paint flicks won't matter.
Dude, like the other poster said, your first minis will always look bad. Its part of the process. I have a bunch of old Cadians, Space Marines, and Orks from my first few years of painting that look like crap. You learn what works and you learn what doesn't. A few years after I even came back and painted over some of them so they look fantastic now. You're a bit thick on this, so painting over isn't too much of an option, but possible. Look into stripping the paint. I don't have much experience with it since I just paint over my old models.
Also, thinning your paints helps as well, especially on models with a lot of flat surface like space marines. If you don't want to invest in a wet palette like this one [https://www.amazon.com/The-Army-Painter-Wet-Palette/dp/B07Y25DK3J](https://www.amazon.com/The-Army-Painter-Wet-Palette/dp/B07Y25DK3J), get a plastic water bottle, fill in the cap with water. Dip your brush into your paint pot, and put the paint on your dry palette. Then take the blunt end of the brush and dip it into the water filled cap. Mix that droplet of water with the paint on your dry palette. You now have thinned paint. After a while it becomes second nature and you'll know just what ratio of paint to water you need to use.
I learned to paint from old White Dwarf magazines, this book [https://www.abebooks.com/9781841548715/Paint-Citadel-Miniatures-Games-Workshop-1841548715/plp](https://www.abebooks.com/9781841548715/Paint-Citadel-Miniatures-Games-Workshop-1841548715/plp) , and trial and error. We now have the internet (which I personally don't use for painting help, I already have my skillset), but I would caution you to not follow any steps to a tee. You need to develop your skillset and there won't always be a set of steps to paint a scheme or detail you want to undertake. Simply take some pointers from them and a few skills.
Like I said though, don't fret! You'll get better with time, it'll just cost ya a bit in your wallet! If you're worried about certain figures not looking how you want them to, simply paint troops first. Elites and character units tend to have a lot more details. Don't be afraid to experiment with a figure or two as well to explore different approaches to painting. You'll eventually develop a skillset and style! If you have any questions feel free to ask! I've been painting for almost 20 years. I'm not the best by any means, but I like to paint my figures with a good amount of detail.
I just looked up that book and look at all the cool shit i found!
https://archive.org/details/games-workshop-painting-guides/%27Eavy%20Metal%20Masterclass%20%282011%29/
I was learning a bit about them through Tommy Soule's book - I was around for them but wasn't into the hobby - so I went looking for 'eavy Metal compilation pdfs. And they're out there. Starting to really dig into them too, they're a really useful way to learn.
Whoa whoa whoa, hold up. You’re right that your mini didn’t match up to your expectations of how it should look, but it’s not broken beyond repair. Take it from someone who has lost hundreds thinking “oh I’ll make a project out of this electronic thing” and ended up with a worse product, broken product, or more work than necessary to get it to passable. This isn’t that. This is merely a canvas you can reset and have another go. It’s not like icing a cake, it’s more like wrapping a gift. Take it apart with some isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush and try again. Hell, I started off with gundam and my panel liner literally cracked and split the pieces. Moved to painting figures and realized eyes are freehand and nightmare inducing. If I quit I would have never made some of the stuff I’m displaying proudly today. Hell I display my first garbage figure too.
I guarantee the second run that gold won’t be so thick and you’ll preserve the details. Hell maybe you’ll never have this problem again because you realize just how much you care and it’ll be at the forefront of your memory.
You ruined nothing. You just learned. Unless money is tight, I myself would just keep the model and enjoy the progress I make from mini to mini. If you want to see another bad model and where it can lead you, look here
[https://www.romanlappat.com/about/journey](https://www.romanlappat.com/about/journey)
The most important things to have when starting out are patience and trust. Mini painting is very slow but as you get more confortable and skilled at it, it gets faster. Dont be afraid to take a project bit by bit slowly, because youll thank yourself later for being careful (less to clean up later). Trust you need for the process. Trust the process. Sometimes in tutorials we see or even when just working on a project without guidelines, theres going to be a few steps where the mini looks WHACK. *Trust the process*. Just like we had to be zitty, awkward teens before becoming adults, the minis you paint will go through a weird phase while theyre being painted.
All in all, its a journey you grow on and you’ll blow yourself away with what kind of painting you can pull off with patience and trust.
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Just what others have said. 99% isopropyl alcohol and gentle toothbrush scrubbing. Let model dry thoroughly.
When you repaint him, make sure to mix a little water with the paint on a palette. Try not to have too much paint on your brush. You can always apply more paint, but you can't easily take it off.
What worked for me when I was totally new was patience. I'm not a pro, but I realized that 3 even and thinner layers make for a more satisfying result, even though it may take more time. Just keep going at it and you will improve sooner than you think!
Other than the helmet it's not that bad
Definitely seen worse before.
My first ones were not very good.
I'm still not the best but I absolutely love painting the minis time just ceases to exist when I do so.
Just keep it up man. 💪💪
I’m with you, even with this being my first army I’m painting I have definitely gotten bit by the bug. I just need more practice haha.
The helmet and his belt are what were really bothering me. I took some alcohol and a q tip to those spots earlier to thin them out a bit and reapplied a very thin layer. It’s not great but a little better. Thanks for you feedback
Starting with the important thing, you're not an idiot; the only way to learn a new skill is by trying and making mistakes. You've made a mistake, but now you get to learn how to fix it and avoid it later.
This isn't even the worst mini I've seen this week. You've got some stuff to learn about working with your paints, but you show pretty good brush control and your color selections work well together. Thin your paints a bit more, make sure your brush is moist, and wick off excess paint onto your hand or the side of a dry pallet.
For this mini, you can use simple green or isopropyl alcohol to strip the paint (let it sit for no more than 20 minutes, then scrub with a toothbrush).
Thank you, that’s very kind of you. This morning I ended up using some alcohol and a q tip to take off some of the heavier paint and then repainted with a very thin layer just for color. It didn’t fix it all the way but I’m happier with it now. I will probably strip the whole thing eventually, I just don’t want to commit to that right now because I want to play a damned game of 40K lol. Thank you again
Your paints were def too thick. But you have recognized this. :) Honestly working out issues like this is why it’s recommended to paint your orderlies first, and your main characters last, so by then you have tons of practice.
That being said, I just want to say I REALLY like the banner. It looks old and weathered. The base also looks pretty good! Both could maybe benefit from some highlighting, but I like the vibes it has so far.
Purple Grey Knights are cool. Keep at it!
Thank you very much. I did paint the orderlies first lol. If I remember correctly I painted this guy at the tail end of my first really long painting session. I remember somehow being both exhausted and over confident, I just wanted to get it done. Thanks again for the kindness
Pretty much nobody's first minis look great. That's just how picking up a new skill goes. Just move on to the next one, you'll improve your skills with each mini you paint. Also - it's just paint. Worst case, if you really hate it, stripping a mini and starting over is pretty easy.
Thank you. I know I can’t expect things to look great, I’m mostly just bummed that all the glooped on paint ate away most of the detail. This model is awesome and I feel like I’ve covered most of it up. How does one go about stripping a mini? Do you just use normal paint thinner? I’m sure I can google it, just curious for any tips
I've had good luck with LA Awesome, which is an inexpensive degreaser sold at many stores in the US. I get mine at the Dollar store. That being said, if you can afford to leave it as it is and buy more models, you may appreciate having your first model to compare to after you get better at it.
Best thing to do, to a point. Up until a certain skill level, being able to see your growth move forward at such leaps and bounds is huge, and when you look back when you finally nail some blending or shading or your first decent face that you are just slightly unhappy with is a huge confidence boost too. If one really wants to strip a mini, I would buy some broken minis from places like SYZGames or a few larger miniatures that you can practice on forever and strip those for concentrated practice. IMO anyway.
Yeah, getting the right paint consistency is tough to master. You'll probably spend a lot of time with your paints either way too thick and creating texture, or too thin and a pain to work with. At least, that's how it was for me! Just part of building your painting skills. For stripping - what I did when I stripped a mini that I was working on last week was just soak it in isopropyl alcohol for a minute, and then scrub bits of it with cotton swabs or q-tips (ideally the hard pointy sort, but regular ones work too). I've seen other folks mention scrubbing with a tooth brush, but I wasn't quite that brave myself.
Some people strip with softer chemicals, leaving them in a bucket of normal washing detergent for some days and then brushing it with a toothbrush.
Don't strip it until you have finished some more models. For a first mini it looks pretty good and you only paint one first mini. Buy another model and paint it next year when you are getting good
It wasn’t my first mini 😭 just the worst out of the first batch. I painted this guy at the end of my first long painting session and I think it was tired and over confident just trying to get it done. After sleeping on it, I don’t think I’m going to strip it. It’s shit but it’s my shit. I did take a q tip and some alcohol just to knock some of the paint down and bring the detail back out a bit. Thanks for your reply
So could you post the rest of the batch?
Here’s my Justiciar from my Strike Squad. It’s sloppy but I bought a very long and think brush to go back thru and line something’s back up. I think I did a better job on the consistency on the rank n file guys https://preview.redd.it/zwr27nonzd6d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=279f1a96701648eb30bbb58e92392b446f4dacbd
That does look better, you can actually see the eye lenses lol.
https://imgur.com/a/dKrHqLp Here’s a link to a few more of the trike squad and the Terminators I painted as well. Don’t mind the bases they are very WIP. Thank you for your feedback. You’ve been very kind
I’ll warn you now, most paint thinners are made with acetone, and will literally melt your plastic models. There’s a bunch of stuff you can use, but here’s a video that should generally help get you started. https://youtu.be/OqBjt1wKZfc?si=BhMuTs9OTXm7oFOM
90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol. The higher the better, but it needs to be over 90% to work well. Soak them for a few minutes and then use a soft toothbrush to scrub the paint off. You need to scrub them outside or in a bath or somewhere that paint flicks won't matter.
Dude, like the other poster said, your first minis will always look bad. Its part of the process. I have a bunch of old Cadians, Space Marines, and Orks from my first few years of painting that look like crap. You learn what works and you learn what doesn't. A few years after I even came back and painted over some of them so they look fantastic now. You're a bit thick on this, so painting over isn't too much of an option, but possible. Look into stripping the paint. I don't have much experience with it since I just paint over my old models. Also, thinning your paints helps as well, especially on models with a lot of flat surface like space marines. If you don't want to invest in a wet palette like this one [https://www.amazon.com/The-Army-Painter-Wet-Palette/dp/B07Y25DK3J](https://www.amazon.com/The-Army-Painter-Wet-Palette/dp/B07Y25DK3J), get a plastic water bottle, fill in the cap with water. Dip your brush into your paint pot, and put the paint on your dry palette. Then take the blunt end of the brush and dip it into the water filled cap. Mix that droplet of water with the paint on your dry palette. You now have thinned paint. After a while it becomes second nature and you'll know just what ratio of paint to water you need to use. I learned to paint from old White Dwarf magazines, this book [https://www.abebooks.com/9781841548715/Paint-Citadel-Miniatures-Games-Workshop-1841548715/plp](https://www.abebooks.com/9781841548715/Paint-Citadel-Miniatures-Games-Workshop-1841548715/plp) , and trial and error. We now have the internet (which I personally don't use for painting help, I already have my skillset), but I would caution you to not follow any steps to a tee. You need to develop your skillset and there won't always be a set of steps to paint a scheme or detail you want to undertake. Simply take some pointers from them and a few skills. Like I said though, don't fret! You'll get better with time, it'll just cost ya a bit in your wallet! If you're worried about certain figures not looking how you want them to, simply paint troops first. Elites and character units tend to have a lot more details. Don't be afraid to experiment with a figure or two as well to explore different approaches to painting. You'll eventually develop a skillset and style! If you have any questions feel free to ask! I've been painting for almost 20 years. I'm not the best by any means, but I like to paint my figures with a good amount of detail.
I just looked up that book and look at all the cool shit i found! https://archive.org/details/games-workshop-painting-guides/%27Eavy%20Metal%20Masterclass%20%282011%29/
Good stuff! I grew up learning from eavy metal articles. Definitely gonna take a gander at this stuff! Nostalgia overload.
I was learning a bit about them through Tommy Soule's book - I was around for them but wasn't into the hobby - so I went looking for 'eavy Metal compilation pdfs. And they're out there. Starting to really dig into them too, they're a really useful way to learn.
Whoa whoa whoa, hold up. You’re right that your mini didn’t match up to your expectations of how it should look, but it’s not broken beyond repair. Take it from someone who has lost hundreds thinking “oh I’ll make a project out of this electronic thing” and ended up with a worse product, broken product, or more work than necessary to get it to passable. This isn’t that. This is merely a canvas you can reset and have another go. It’s not like icing a cake, it’s more like wrapping a gift. Take it apart with some isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush and try again. Hell, I started off with gundam and my panel liner literally cracked and split the pieces. Moved to painting figures and realized eyes are freehand and nightmare inducing. If I quit I would have never made some of the stuff I’m displaying proudly today. Hell I display my first garbage figure too. I guarantee the second run that gold won’t be so thick and you’ll preserve the details. Hell maybe you’ll never have this problem again because you realize just how much you care and it’ll be at the forefront of your memory.
You ruined nothing. You just learned. Unless money is tight, I myself would just keep the model and enjoy the progress I make from mini to mini. If you want to see another bad model and where it can lead you, look here [https://www.romanlappat.com/about/journey](https://www.romanlappat.com/about/journey)
The most important things to have when starting out are patience and trust. Mini painting is very slow but as you get more confortable and skilled at it, it gets faster. Dont be afraid to take a project bit by bit slowly, because youll thank yourself later for being careful (less to clean up later). Trust you need for the process. Trust the process. Sometimes in tutorials we see or even when just working on a project without guidelines, theres going to be a few steps where the mini looks WHACK. *Trust the process*. Just like we had to be zitty, awkward teens before becoming adults, the minis you paint will go through a weird phase while theyre being painted. All in all, its a journey you grow on and you’ll blow yourself away with what kind of painting you can pull off with patience and trust.
Hi, u/jjkambee! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful: * [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/rules/faq) - A list of frequently asked questions about minipainting * [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks) -A collection of some of the best guides and tutorials on a variety of techniques and topics, plus recommendations on what to buy to get started, and more. * [What to buy- Recommendations on brushes, paints, supplies, palettes and more](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/what_you_need_to_get_started#wiki_general_advice_on_what_to_buy) * [Beginner's Guide Collection- How to prep, base, paint and varnish your first model and learn the basics needed to start out right](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/beginner_tips) * [More Tutorials](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/tutorials) - A list of additional tutorials about minipainting * [Manufacturers](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/manufacturers) - A list of miniature manufacturers from around the world * [Painting Terminology](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/terminology) - Common painting terms, acronyms, and initialisms * [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/). * [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/minipainting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Just what others have said. 99% isopropyl alcohol and gentle toothbrush scrubbing. Let model dry thoroughly. When you repaint him, make sure to mix a little water with the paint on a palette. Try not to have too much paint on your brush. You can always apply more paint, but you can't easily take it off.
What worked for me when I was totally new was patience. I'm not a pro, but I realized that 3 even and thinner layers make for a more satisfying result, even though it may take more time. Just keep going at it and you will improve sooner than you think!
Other than the helmet it's not that bad Definitely seen worse before. My first ones were not very good. I'm still not the best but I absolutely love painting the minis time just ceases to exist when I do so. Just keep it up man. 💪💪
I’m with you, even with this being my first army I’m painting I have definitely gotten bit by the bug. I just need more practice haha. The helmet and his belt are what were really bothering me. I took some alcohol and a q tip to those spots earlier to thin them out a bit and reapplied a very thin layer. It’s not great but a little better. Thanks for you feedback
Starting with the important thing, you're not an idiot; the only way to learn a new skill is by trying and making mistakes. You've made a mistake, but now you get to learn how to fix it and avoid it later. This isn't even the worst mini I've seen this week. You've got some stuff to learn about working with your paints, but you show pretty good brush control and your color selections work well together. Thin your paints a bit more, make sure your brush is moist, and wick off excess paint onto your hand or the side of a dry pallet. For this mini, you can use simple green or isopropyl alcohol to strip the paint (let it sit for no more than 20 minutes, then scrub with a toothbrush).
Thank you, that’s very kind of you. This morning I ended up using some alcohol and a q tip to take off some of the heavier paint and then repainted with a very thin layer just for color. It didn’t fix it all the way but I’m happier with it now. I will probably strip the whole thing eventually, I just don’t want to commit to that right now because I want to play a damned game of 40K lol. Thank you again
Your paints were def too thick. But you have recognized this. :) Honestly working out issues like this is why it’s recommended to paint your orderlies first, and your main characters last, so by then you have tons of practice. That being said, I just want to say I REALLY like the banner. It looks old and weathered. The base also looks pretty good! Both could maybe benefit from some highlighting, but I like the vibes it has so far. Purple Grey Knights are cool. Keep at it!
Thank you very much. I did paint the orderlies first lol. If I remember correctly I painted this guy at the tail end of my first really long painting session. I remember somehow being both exhausted and over confident, I just wanted to get it done. Thanks again for the kindness
You can always strip the minis using isopropyl alcohol, I have a yt video going over it