Finally, if you paint before assembling a model, you do run the risk of getting glue on top of parts and surfaces you’ve already painted. That’s just bad. Personally, I always assemble a model first before painting it. 42. Use helping hands for more challenging assembly or painting Trust the unique quality of Vaseline Lip Therapy Original Lip Balm Tin. It contains pure petroleum jelly, which provides long-lasting moisturisation to the top, protective layer of your lips while also penetrating deeper into the skin to moisturise and instantly soften and soothe chapped, dry lips. Cold and windy weather can be harsh on sensitive lips. Protect them with Vaseline lip balm, so you can be confident that you are ready to face the elements. I can’t say enough about how important good lights are for painting miniatures. I’ve written extensively about good lighting is for accurate color and contrast application. Make sure you get the best lights or lamps that you can afford. If you can maintain contrast on a miniature, then you’re well on your way to an awesome paint job. Remember contrast means more than simply light and dark. Contrast also involves the dichotomy between warm and cold, hard versus soft, and other binary extremes. For example, if you want to wet-blend, it works best when you have room to work. Wet-blending works best on models with larger surface areas. Don’t try to apply every advanced painting technique in every situation.

Daylight bulbs are those light sources that cast a sunlight-like illumination on your working surface. Daylight lamps for painting accurately have a color temperature that stays within the sunlight range of lighting, between 5000-6500K(or Kelvin). 45. Use magnification to paint detailsIn most developed countries, government regulations compel paint manufacturers to label whether their paints are non-toxic. This ensures that you, the consumer, are in a position to make good decisions. Sounds cynical, but you’ll feel a lot better knowing you can learn from your mistakes. This is what makes the miniature painting hobby so awesome. You can fail safely and keep going forward knowing you’ve learned something and can always get better! 34. You learn more from completing a model than starting a new one At low pressure, an airbrush becomes prone to clogging. But if you’re painting details with an airbrush, or going beyond the simple base coat, a low-pressure air flow will give you more control. Yes, like those hairs on your head (if you’re not bald). Keep your brushes in good condition and they will provide you with hours upon hours of pleasurable miniature painting. Here are more simple brush cleaning tips for your expensive brushes. 10. There is no perfect brush or tool When you paint miniatures, you’ll be sitting down for a good amount of time. That also means that if you’re using wearing magnification visors to help you, you’ll be wearing those headbands for a long time. Comfort is key to working during those longer sessions. Spend a little more for comfort. 47. “Done is better than perfect”

Though, if you want to burn through your wallet, here are some luxury hobby goods you may want to need! 22. The best paint is the one you use all the time You will have to learn how to keep the viscosity of your paint thin enough to flow properly. At around 25 PSI, most airbrushes with a 0.3mm nozzle will work well if your paint is at a “whole-milk” like consistency. 30. Airbrush at high pressure to prevent clogging This tip is probably more important for the commission artist who has a deadline to meet with a client. But, it’s a good axiom to keep in mind if you want to be productive in the miniature painting hobby. 48. Exert your artistic licenseIf you can incorporate more contrast into your miniature paint job, the more interesting and attractive your final result will be. Remember, you can maintain contrast and still be a messy painter! Try using photography to help you maintain contrast in your miniatures. 24. Sacrifice color and “clean” for high contrast Do you know about burnout? Burnout is common among miniature painters, as well as other creative people. A lot of it comes from undue expectation placed on oneself or from the perceived expectation from other people.

This is especially true if you’re trying to paint non-metallic metal (NMM) and want to mimic reflections. Envisioning how light interacts on your model is easier when it is fully assembled. How do you paint NMM swords? You are the most valuable part of painting a miniature. Not the tools you use. More expensive tools will generally means better reliability that won’t fail you at a moment’s notice. Base coating models doesn’t require the costly kolinsky sables or even sable natural hair brushes at all. Simply use synthetic brushes that last a long time under abuse, inexpensive, and can handle more aggressive cleaning and maintenance. 8. Always use the largest brush you feel comfortable controlling It doesn’t take much to destroy a brush. The worst thing you can do to make your miniature painting hobby or business a budget failure is to use expensive tools unnecessarily. You can blend paint well on a wet palette. But a key feature of a wet palette is being able to keep your paint wet for a long time (even after mixed). 20. Use a dry palette to save time

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You can maintain high contrast without being a “clean” painter, e.g,. staying in the lines. For most table top quality paint jobs, if contrast is maintained, you don’t need to worry so much about color and messy paint. From the tabletop gaming distance that most people play at, models with good contrast look great. 25. Clean your models before assembly and priming Did you know waiting for paint to dry is a waste of time? Of course, you did! So, if you want to paint miniatures faster, use a hairdryer. It doesn’t need to be expensive. A hairdryer also has many other uses for miniature painting, including improving the application of matte varnish. 28. A hair dryer can prevent varnish “frosting”