Axl Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Hello, Just starting wargaming with malifaux. Any advice concerning paint and tools that I should buy? Any good painting tutorials? Any other advice is welcome. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Requirement Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 First off, welcome to Malifaux. This is where I got my start wargaming as well. (Truth be told it's where my wargaming journey ended as well.) There are a million options on what to get as far as paints/brushes/tools and everyone will give you different specifics. In the general sense, pick up quality paints (I prefer Vallejo paints myself) and brushes (There is a lot of discussion about brushes all the time. One friend of mine only uses really high end expensive brushes while another uses the cheapest, quality brushes he can find. I fall in the middle. We all paint just fine. I honestly think it's more of a comfort thing.) For tools pick yourself up some greenstuff and some sculpting tools (to fill gaps in the models), some plastic glue (to glue models... or superglue if you prefer). Another thing that is very helpful is a palette. This is where I will tell you that quality has no bearing on anything and it's all a matter of convenience. I picked up three from a local arts and crafts store for about $3. I, unfortunately, have lost most of my how-tos and tutorials over the years, so someone else will have to chime in. A great resource will be your local Henchman. Either they will know how to paint or will know someone who can help you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmod Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 My two cents: Vallejo is great (only tried model and model air, game color is also supposed to be good), but will sometimes separate and need frequent stirring. Nothing can beat model air metals, except vallejo liquid gold, which is alcohol based and harder to work with. Otherwise I've had great experiences with Army painter stuff; better consistency and prices where I am. Both have dropper bottles, which is highly recommendable. For palette you could just use a ceramic tile, should set you back almost nothing. Always use thinner; water will do, but gunk is a lot better and basically the same cost. Check Reaper's site for recipes... Don't be afraid to experiment with artists' supplies, but try out new stuff on a piece of paper first. There are many great tricks with cheap artists' supplies, but some things may be more difficult to use (like oils). Get green stuff (rolls, not the strips; less waste!), liquid greenstuff, and if you can get it mr liquid plastic. The last is basically plastic dissolved in poly cement, and will melt the edges of plastic cracks, making a neat filler. Just be careful not to get it in details... For applying get some soft silicon clay shapers, and possibly some dental tools. eBay is your friend, and stuff from China is more than adequate quality and cost next to nothing! Only use poly cement for plastic, it's that much stronger, and will aid in filling gaps. I use Tamiya extra thin, but any brand will do. Just make sure you get it as thin as possible; thicker stuff is harder to use, and more risk of ruining details. Regular cyanoacrylate for everything else. Always use a sharp scalpel for scraping mold lines, a dull one WILL end up removing morw than you intended. A special tool can also be good, but more expensive. I would also get some emery paper, and some cheap diamond files. You don't need the extra hardness from diamonds, but they tend to have finer grains, and thus works better for plastic. Again, available cheap from China. When it comes to brushes I'd buy some different stuff. For me, after painting model airplanes and minis for 25 years, winsor & newton series 7 was a revelation. Don't bother getting many sizes though, they make the minis themselves seem cheap! They are that much better for details though, and will last LONG with proper care. A brush soap is a cheap investment... For all non-detail work I use army painter, because they're cheap, good quality and I like the triangular grip. This would set you up really good, but you can of course skip on the more expensive stuff until later (a single W&N brush is probably going to set you back at least as much as the rest added together!). Also, you should never stop experimenting, suddenly yoy discover something neat in an artist's store that nobody had thought of before... Good luck! :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmod Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Oh, and for painting tips, youtube and Google are your friends. Tons of great stuff there. For high level painting guides that are Malifaux specific, nothing can beat the articles in the Wyrd Chronicles and on Mako's plog here on the forums... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Requirement Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Like tmod said above, keep trying different things. I go to my local arts and crafts store every once in a while and just wander the store. You can pick up some good stuff for super cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHTHATER Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 AXL, I would suggest staying away from ARMY PAINTER paints. They are very dark and dingy. When I started I bought their full paint set and I have had a ton of issues with them. Many of the paints are too watery or too thick, the colors are lifeless, and on and on. I was returning to table-top again after a 20 year break (I guess) and didn't know anything about paints and had little to no experience at painting. Hopefully my miserable learning experience can save you the trouble. Nighthater 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmod Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 AXL, I would suggest staying away from ARMY PAINTER paints. They are very dark and dingy. When I started I bought their full paint set and I have had a ton of issues with them. Many of the paints are too watery or too thick, the colors are lifeless, and on and on. I was returning to table-top again after a 20 year break (I guess) and didn't know anything about paints and had little to no experience at painting. Hopefully my miserable learning experience can save you the trouble. Nighthater Maybe they've changed their formulas or something, or maybe your set was faulty. After raving reviews I bought the full set two years ago, and they're by far the best paint set I've ever worked with. Especially the consistency is great, much better than vallejo. You should always shake dropper bottles before use, but I've this is much more of an issue with other brands. Buying 6mm lava beads and dropping one in each bottle is going to make your life easier, no matter what brand (again, eBay)... There is one big issue with Army Painter in my opinion, and that is the limited palette. They cover your basics, but you need warm/cold offwhites for smooth highlights, and also dark colours like black/brown, etc. Here you'll either need Vallejo, or you need to mix expensively. I solve this by using army painter and select vallejo model color... That's cheaper, and makes my life easier! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Requirement Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 There is one big issue with Army Painter in my opinion, and that is the limited palette. This is primarily why I don't use Army Painter and have never really bought much of it. That and I have never had a problem with Vallejo. As with anything I buy regarding minis, I check to make sure they aren't years old on the shelf. I have seen some serious layers of dust on paints before and at that point I don't think it really matters what kind of packaging it's in. I also have always received a consistent product from Vallejo. Always plenty of pigment (my one complaint is that sometimes there is actually too much pigment), always at the right consistency. Then again... Maybe we just prefer different things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Thank you all for the advice. Now I need to write a shopping list and order everything xD Can't wait to get started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmod Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Maybe we just prefer different things. Probably. Don't get me wrong, I think Vallejo makes great products, and their paints are superior to the GW stuff I was used to earlier. For me, Army Painter has been even more reliable, but that could easily be simply because of different shelf time before I bought them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omenbringer Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 If you are just starting out painting I might recommend either the Reaper Master Series paints or the Citadel paints. The Reaper paints are available in a "triad" pack that will give you the base, shade and highlight color in one easy package (no guess work). They are some great paints, come in the dropper bottles (which a lot prefer) and they come with additives already in the paint. They can be a bit more difficult to get your hands on consistently though. Also though a lot of people lament the Citadel paints they really aren't that bad and are really easy to get a hold of. Their new line especially provides a system that is very similar to Reaper's Triads making learning mini painting easier. Good brushes are another key (as has already been mentioned). What you are looking for is sable or better yet Kolinsky sables. Most miniature specific brushes are not thesee types of fibers so you are better off looking in a fine arts store (Dickblick online is a great place to find them and usually cheaply as well). Some good brands are Windsor and Newton series 7 and Raphael (dont recall the series name). The last thing I would recommend is Citadel's Liquid Green Stuff product. It is a great brush on product that aids in filling in gaps and seams. Be sure not to use a ggood brush with this product as it will ruin them. A cheap, stiff bristled acrylic brush is perfect for this. I like the Citadel Small Drybrush especially for this product. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyGodzilla Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Welcome to Malifaux and Good Luck. Here's my contribution without much adieu. Tools: Side Cutter (like diagonal cutters) for initially separating parts from sprue. Cutters are frankly better for removing parts off the sprue than a knife because they can get a close clean cut without damaging the part. After the part is separated use a knife to further clean up. X Acto or similar cutting knife to cut and clean parts. Replacement blades Needle files for cleanup, also called jeweler’s files. Cutting Mat to work on. Plastic Cement for plastic models. Testor’s, Tamiya, Plastruct are all excellent brands. Super Glue for metal models. Don’t use for plastic. Gorilla super glue is excellent. Pin Vise (small hand turned drill) for making holes. Paint Vallejo Game Color, Vallejo Model Color, Army Painter, Privateer P3 Paints, & Citadel are all great paint for brushing on. Not suitable for airbrushing without thinning. Primer, probably best to use a rattle can. Armoury and Army Painter are reasonably priced. Krylon from a DIY store works very well too and is cheaper. Painting Tutorials Les Bursley’s Awesome Paintjob.com a lot of great info that you’ll be able to extrapolate from. http://www.awesomepaintjob.com/ The Awesome Paintjob YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/awesomepaintjob/ Wargamers Consortium’s YouTube channel. Not strictly painting, more all encompassing but very much worth a visit. http://www.youtube.com/user/wgconsortium/ Other Advice I almost forgot this great source for advice. The Facebook Page, "A Wyrd Place" It's got about 2,000 members now and the mods are really good, and the members are very active. Great advice for modeling, painting, and the rules of the game. There’s a concurrent thread on this forum. The information in it is good for a first time modeler. http://wyrd-games.net/community/topic/104001-a-beginners-guide-to-plastic-modeling/ This forum doesn’t have a whole lot of traffic comparatively. Over the years I’ve found Dakkadakka.com’s Painting & Modeling immensely helpful. Caveat, Dakkadakka’s Dakka Discussion and News & Rumors forums can be very cynical at times, but there is a lot of solid advice in the Painting & Modeling forum. Many members with years of experience, many questions asked and answered on a daily basis. http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/forums/show/8.page Hope that helps you out some! Enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Tanks for all the advice guys. My eBay basket is full just waiting for the pay check next week to check out! Hehe can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkingInBlack Posted October 26, 2014 Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 AXL, I would suggest staying away from ARMY PAINTER paints. They are very dark and dingy. When I started I bought their full paint set and I have had a ton of issues with them. Many of the paints are too watery or too thick, the colors are lifeless, and on and on. I was returning to table-top again after a 20 year break (I guess) and didn't know anything about paints and had little to no experience at painting. Hopefully my miserable learning experience can save you the trouble. NighthaterHmm strange I'm using Army Painter paints and I haven't had any trouble with the paints. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHTHATER Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Hmm strange I'm using Army Painter paints and I haven't had any trouble with the paints. Walkinginblack, Ya a few people are saying ARMY PAINTER paints are good. I have had many issues with them and perhapse I got a bad box, old box or something else. Maybe they've changed their formulas or something, or maybe your set was faulty. After raving reviews I bought the full set two years ago, and they're by far the best paint set I've ever worked with. Especially the consistency is great, much better than vallejo. You should always shake dropper bottles before use, but I've this is much more of an issue with other brands. Buying 6mm lava beads and dropping one in each bottle is going to make your life easier, no matter what brand (again, eBay)... TMOD, Lava beads never even heard of them, one more thing I've learned the hard way I guess. I always shake the bottles alot before use, and usually even stir them with a paperclip to get the bottem stuff mixed in. Nighthater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradoxstorm Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 My two cents: .. For applying get some soft silicon clay shapers, and possibly some dental tools. Been looking into these, but apparently in all the wrong places 'cause I can't seem to find much info related to miniature modeling. What I have seen tells me the silicone clay shapers come in sizes and firmnesses. I am guessing size 0 for miniatures. I was thinking "firm" rather than "medium" or "soft" but I am not at all sure. I don't plan any major conversions, just looking to get gaps filled and blended into the rest of the model. Would size 0 firm be my friend or should I do something different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmod Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 I'd go for soft and small, but medium is also ok. The softer the shaper, the more passes you need to get the surface done, but you've got more margin of error. Individual reference and all... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradoxstorm Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 I'd go for soft and small, but medium is also ok. The softer the shaper, the more passes you need to get the surface done, but you've got more margin of error. Individual reference and all... TY---Sounds like I got the size right, but should be looking at something softer than I thought. I'll definitely find a soft or medium set to get me started. (I think there is medium set for cheap right now, so maybe I can start there and see how it goes.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omenbringer Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 You can usually find the clay shapers in a set and for fairly cheap at Dickblick.com. I highly recommend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehren37 Posted November 3, 2014 Report Share Posted November 3, 2014 I would honestly stay away from expensive brushes if you're just starting out. You're going to get paint in the ferrule, not clean it properly, etc. I've taken to use detail sable hair nail brushes they use for freehand in salons... you can get a pack of 3 off ebay for roughly $1.50 shipped. You get the equivalent of a 0, .00 and .000 spotter/liner. Yeah, your $40 windsor newton will last longer, but at 50 cents, I get good results and don't have to pamper it. I'm a fan of P3 paints, Army Painter, and Secret Weapon/Army Painter inks/washes. I tried vallejo model color a few years ago, but their coverage and consistency was just terrible, essentially a snot consistency glaze with globs of pigment that wouldn't disperse no matter how much I shook em. Any light color also had a chalky look after it dried. I recently ended up with a bottle of the game color that I tried out, and seemed to work better, so maybe they changed the formula for the game color line. Either way, the model color in my experience would not have been beginner friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradoxstorm Posted November 4, 2014 Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 I would honestly stay away from expensive brushes if you're just starting out. You're going to get paint in the ferrule, not clean it properly, etc. I've taken to use detail sable hair nail brushes they use for freehand in salons... you can get a pack of 3 off ebay for roughly $1.50 shipped. You get the equivalent of a 0, .00 and .000 spotter/liner. Interesting idea...ordered a couple off of ebay to give 'em a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehren37 Posted November 4, 2014 Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 I should have specified, the ones with the short, thick white handle bases are the ones I grabbed. There are some longer ones that haven't held up as good. I'd initially grabbed some as essentially throwaways to help teach some friends to paint, but was surprised how well they worked. Not sure how WYRD feels to linking auctions/other sales so I refrained. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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