Mini Monday: Painting with a bit of Speed.

Mini Monday: Some tricks on painting quicker.

Warning; Now before I start this week's topic, let me clarify that this is
just My Opinion and Style. It's what works for me.There are many other ways to
paint and prep figures and you are free to choose whichever you like. So don't get your knickers in a twist!

Okay so you got a project in mind, 40k Army/huge Zombie game/ACW brigade, and now it's time to paint those figures.
Also you would like to finish it some time this year so that you can play and move on to other projects.

Now painting armies/forces in a short amount of time is my forte. At last count I had some 16,000 painted minis, or at least that's what Stelios told me.  So today I'm going to give you some painting tips that work for me.

1) Fully assemble your miniatures. And I mean totally. Glue those shield on, attach those riders to their horse or vehicle. No painting anything on sprues or seperately. Sometimes it has to be done, but avoid it if at all possible. I also rarely if ever wash figs, usually only if they are cheap plastic or resin.

28mm Plastic Romans and 15mm lead VC

2) Glue the figures individually to a painting strip. ( I use foamboard because it's ridged and the figs come off easliy when done.) Line similiar poses up. Try and get 5-10 figs per strip.
(Of course less if cav or vehicles.(Note big 28mm vehicles will have to be painted seperately, no duh, right?)
Why strips? Because it saves you the time of having to pick up every figure multiple times. If you're painting rank and file leave 1/2 inch between figs for more detail or leaders leave an inch. Allows you to touch up between figs better.

Matte, Satin, Flat Black

3) Spray the strip of figures flat black, try to get all the angles. You can go back and touch up with a brush if you miss anything, but that takes time so spray away! ( Now don't go into shock, but I always use  cheap flat black spray cans from Dollar General and Family  Dollar. Yeah I hear the grumbles but please note above, 16,000 painted minis.)

Primed Black

4) Now, I'm not going to go into every specific of my painting method, just the main points. I basically use the 3 color drybrush technique. Blue pants? Coat area with dark blue, follow with a drybrush of medium blue and then touch up with a very light drybrush of medium blue. It creates a layering effect. No washes needed.
White shields? Start with a tan, dry brush with off white ( or mix a bit of white into the tan then drybrush) and then a light drybrush of white. Etc.
Some extra advice, don't be worried about accidently getting some paint on parts of the figure you have yet to paint. Don't touch up anything until the end, and then touch up the same color on all the figs on the strip. Ex.  You painted and trimmed all the union caps, now go back with a medium blue and touch up all the little mistakes. Also touch up the blue pants at the same time.

ECW Cav in process. I usually save the metal areas for last.

Foundry 28mm Chinese in process

5) When done varnish the figures while still on the strip. I usually use a satin coat of spray. I like a little sheen but not too much. Now here I usually buy Krylon at the local Michaels. My only advice when clearcoating is to spray a handy black piece of paper before coating the figs. That way you don't accidently get the 'snow effect' too much moisture or mistakingly use a black spray can to clearcoat (done the latter twice)

Finished figs still on strips awaiting basing.

6) Pop figs off strip and add decals or flags  if needed.

7) Glue to multi base and then grass/detail base.

Some completed Empire and Chaos figs

8) Done! Time to take the picture because the figs are now Miketastic!