🖌️ Painting -

Methods

Painters paint paint.

Everyone paints differently and the act of painting is highly dynamic endeavor but here are some broad strokes of all the common miniature painting methods.

Check out painting techniques to better understand the terms here.

Sketch Paint Method

Also called "grisaille", "staining", "underpaint", "greyscale", "value sketch" or "slapchop" method.

1. Prime the model with anything between black and dark grey.
2. Choose one:
   • Airbrush from the top with medium grey.
   • Spray can from the top with medium grey.
   • Overbrush from the top with medium grey.
     • Only the deepest crevices should stay dark.
3. Optionally apply a black wash into the recesses to make them darker.
4. Choose one:
   • Drybrush with white.
   • Add highlights with light grey and edge highlights with white.
     • Focus on the brightest edges pointing to the light source, usually up.
5. Apply glazes to achieve the basecoats, highlights and shades in one go (staining).
   • Use Contrasts Paints, Speed Paints, Instant Colors, thinned inks or thinned paints.
6. Optionally use normal miniature paints to add the brightest edge highlights.
   • The previous glazing will dull the brightest values down a notch.

Color lightness comes from the undercoat.

Color hue comes from the glaze.

Color saturation comes from the combination of underpaint and glaze.

This is my favorite method as it's both fast and fun.

Using a drybrush gives more rough look while using an airbrush gives more smooth look.

Citadel Classic / Army Painter Paint Method

1. Apply a single primer paint all over the model; makes other paints to stick.
   • Many people prefer black primer so it also acts as a natural shadow.
2. Apply a basecoat for the sections; to give them dominant colors.
3. Apply a similar color wash for each of those sections; to make details pop out.
   • If washing results in some staining, fix by glazing in the basecoat color.
4. Optionally do a light drybrush.
   • You can also drybrush before the wash.
5. Optionally add a couple of edge highlights; focus near the face.

Citadel Classic Speed Paint Method

1. Prime the model with the most prominent color e.g. blue.
2. Basecoat areas that currently have a wrong base color.
3. Apply a black wash selectively to recesses.
   • Clean staining by glazing with the base colors.
4. Do a light drybrush.
5. Optionally add a few edge highlights near the face.

Citadel Contrast Method

1. You may dilute your Contrast paints either with a moist brush; but use a Contrast medium if dilute more than that as the Contrast paint properties are important.
2. Apply a coat of the Contrast paint on the desired areas. Be sure NOT to go back and fix areas as it will tear the paint. Just basically slap it on while avoiding pooling on the raised areas, but, I repeat, do NOT go back and fix at this stage.
3. Apply another thin coat of the Contrast paint after it has properly dried.
4. Apply a thin glaze of a similar color non-Contrast paint on large flat areas to even out the finish.
5. Apply dark Contrast paint or dark wash in selected recesses. To add more prominent differentiation between the sections.
6. Apply your highlights as you would normally. To make details pop more.

Army Painter Dip Speed Paint Method

1. Prime the model with the most prominent color on the model.
2. Basecoat areas with the most prominent color if other than the primer.
3. Dip the model into a dip wash and flick away the excess.
   • Clean staining by glazing with the base colors.
4. Do a light drybrush.
5. Optionally add a few edge highlights near the face.