“How to Paint Warhammer Miniatures”

            Almost everyone who plays Warhammer or Warhammer 40k would like to be adept at painting their miniatures.  With enough practice, patience, and time, one might have a chance to win the Golden Demon Award.  These instructions will not get your minis to "Golden Demon" standards.  These tips are for beginners and anyone looking to get their armies playable in a timely manner.  This will instruct you how to get a five or a six on a scale of one to ten.  That is considered table top quality.  It is up to you to determine the level of detail and effort that you want to put into each mini.  The items listed in this instruction set are available at your Games Workshop store.  For this instruction set, I will be using an orc warrior from the Warhammer Fantasy "Orcs and Goblins" army.

            PREPARING - Assuming your mini has been glued and/or pinned, remove any flash from it.  If necessary, fill any gaps with "Green Stuff".  Use a sculpting tool for a smooth look.  Let it harden.  This usually takes all night to dry.  Sand the area where you applied the "Green Stuff", if you desire that surface to be smooth.  The Preparing step is boring but necessary.  The more time that you spend on this step, the better your mini will look.

            PRIMING - It is essential to prime your model before you go any further.  You can use a brush-on primer called "Smelly Primer".  The most popular are the spray can primers.  The two that I use are "Chaos Black" and "Skull White".  Imagine your completed mini.  How does it look to you?  Does it have bright colors and looks prissy and clean?  If so, use "Skull White".  It will help your colors stand out more and will take less coats of lighter shades of paint.  Does your completed mini have darker colors, dirty or a weathered look?  If so, use "Chaos Black".  It will help your colors fade into shadow and create an overall darker looking model.  To apply the spray primer, hold the spray can about eight inches away from the model.  Move the can in a side to side motion.  Gently tap the spray button each time the can passes over the model.  Rotate the model 90° and spray again.  Keep going until all four sides are covered.  Touch up any missed areas.  Your coat of primer should be smooth.  Let the mini dry for 30 minutes.  For best results, allow it to dry overnight.  Tip:  spray an entire regiment at once, to save time.

            BASECOAT - Applying a basecoat is nothing more than painting larger portions of like areas, on the model.  Use a darker shade of your chosen color.   For my Orc mini, I chose "Goblin Green" for all exposed Orc flesh.  I could have used a darker color called "Dark Angels Green".  I am reserving the darker look for my "Black Orc" regiment.  Mix at least 50% water and 50% paint.  Most people use more water.  I use more paint.  Do the right thing and use more water.  Your colors will look more smooth and less chalky.  Take the time and use several coats.  If you are in a hurry, just get the brush wet and take a little paint from the pot.  Tip:  Basecoat like areas on all of the minis in your regiment before moving on to the next step.  This is known as "Assembly Line" painting.

            INKS AND INKING - The Games Workshop inks are extremely watered down paints.  You can make your own custom inks by watering down a portion of your paint.  You can also purchase ready made Games Workshop inks.  Inks are applied to the model and seep into folds and cracks in the mini.  The chosen ink should be darker that the color the of the area it is applied to.  This creates more of a shadow effect in the mini.  It helps the model gain depth.  On my Orc, I used a "Green Ink" on the expose flesh areas.  It creates darker green patches in the folds, and crevices of the model.  I also used a basecoat of "Bubonic Brown" on the haft of the axe.  "Bubonic Brown" is a medium tan color.  I used a dark brown ink called "Chestnut Ink" over the haft of the axe for a natural wood look.

            DRY BRUSHING - Dry brushing is one of the easiest techniques to learn and master.  It's name explains the method.  You use a dry brush.  The purpose of this technique is to bring quick and easy highlights to rough surfaces.  To start, use a "Dry Brush".  A "Dry Brush" has stronger fibers on it because this technique is very hard on the brush.  If you don't have a "Dry Brush", use a old "Basecoat Brush".  Make sure it is completely dry.  Load the tip of the brush with some paint.  On newspaper, wipe most of the paint off.  Blot the brush with a tissue to make sure the paint is gone.  Quickly, and at an extreme angle (almost parallel), run the brush over the rough areas.  You will notice color appearing on the raised surfaces of the rough area.  On my Orc model.  I used "Boltgun Metal" to dry brush and area of chain-mail.  I could have also used "Mithril Silver".  This is another chance to use inks.  After an area of orc armor has been painted.  I can use "Chestnut Ink" to make the shiny armor look rusty and used.  Another use of dry brushing is to whether tanks or armor.  Have the surface painted a non-metallic color.  On areas of wear,  dry brush edges or small patches of "Boltgun Metal".  This will make the armor look like it has taken a few hits or has at least seen better days.

            HIGHLIGHTING - Highlighting is another method of placing "light" on raised areas of the model.  This will help contrast with the shadow of inking and give your model even more depth.  Do not take highlighting to an extreme or your model will have a cartoon look to it.  This is ok,  if that is what you want.  To highlight your model, pick the surface to highlight.  Chose a lighter shade of the basecoat.  Artistically shade ridges, highpoints, and any other areas where a lot of light should hit the model.  On my Orc,  I used "Snot Green".  It is lighter and brighter in color than "Goblin Green".  On the raised areas on the Orc's muscles, I applied small amounts of "Snot Green".  This is very similar to dry brushing with the exception that you are using a wet brush and are doing a better job controlling the paint.  You can also free-hand draw with "Skull White" on the ridges of really shiny weapons and armor.

            EXTRA DETAILS - You are almost finished with the model.  You should now take a step back and look at the entire model.  Finish any unpainted areas like belts, earrings, and eyes.  Use black lining.  Black lining is where you take your "Fine Detail Brush" and hand draw black lines underneath ridges of hair, armor, or anyplace that you need extra shadow.  This can also lead to a cartoon look.  Be careful, if that is not what you are looking for.  Tip:  to paint human eyes, use a "Fine Detail Brush" and paint the orbs "Skull White".  Clean your brush and allow the eyes to dry.  Using the same brush, take a minute amount of "Chaos Black" and dot the location of the eye, where you want the model to look.  For my Orc,  The eyes were already black from the primer.  I just dotted the eye with "Blood Red".  You can also hand paint colored metal lines onto darker metal surfaces of axes for the "ground down" look.  I add a little bit of " Red Gore" to some of the Orc hand weapons for extra detail.

            BASE AND FLOCK - The base is the plastic round or square stand that the model is attached to.  Detailing the base is a must.  Most people simply flock the base.  Green Flock is really fine confetti-type shavings that loosely resembles grass.  There are non Games Workshop flocks that you can buy from Games Plus in Mount Prospect.  They have white flock for snow, and browns for earth tones. To apply flock, make a mixture of 50% PVA (Elmer's) glue and 50% water.  Use a "Standard Brush" or a "Basecoat Brush" to paint the glue and water mixture onto the surface of the base.  Dip the lower half of the mini into the bag/bowl of flock.  Make sure that the base is submerged into the flock.  Remove the mini.  Shake off loose bits, by holding the model on it's side and tapping underneath the base with your finger.  Some people also paint the outer side of the base.  Allow it to dry.  For extra detail, use some "Static Grass".  "Static Grass" is different from flock.  It is a bunch of longer fibers that resemble grass much better than flock.  After your flock is dry, apply small, sparse patches of the glue/water mixture.  Dip the base into the grass and remove.  Gently blow across the grass.  This will help it get full and stand up more.  For my orcs, I used a different technique.  I use a really fine gravel in place of flock.  After the gravel dries, I ink the gravel with "Chestnut Ink".  After that dries, I dry brush the gravel with "Bleached Bone".  I then add small patches of the glue and water mixture for "Static Grass".  For best results:  Stop after you dry brush the gravel.  Line up the models in formation.  Then apply the glue and water mixture.  Quickly add the "Static Grass".  This results in a cohesive look to the unit.  Any given patch of sparse grass can carry over and line up with the neighboring model in formation.

            ENAMEL/VARNISH PROTECTION - Now you have to protect your work.  You will need to apply a coat of varnish to protect the paint job.  You may have noticed that during painting, you have rubbed a little paint off.  Shiny pewter starts to show through these areas.  Touch up any of these areas and let them dry.  There are two types of varnishes that you can use.  There is a brush on "Gloss Varnish".  There is a "Matte Varnish" that comes in spray can form.  Use  the "Gloss Varnish" for a wet look.  I use it on my Lizardmen army.  It makes them look slimy and wet.  Some people use them on the Tyranid armies for the carapaces and talons.  Get creative with the gloss.  You can use it on the ends of scopes on rifles, or any other type of lens.  For my orc warrior example, I used the "Matte Varnish" spray.  Apply it the same way that you apply spray on primers.

            DRY AND PLAY - Let it dry for 30 minutes to overnight.  Your completed mini is now ready to join the ranks of your army.  Lead them well into battle.  Always be courtious to your opponent.  Declare any special rules ahead of time.  Be a good sportsman and have fun.  Painting and modeling is only half of the fun.  Playing the game is the other half.  If your army looks good, you may receive many compliments on it from your opponent or other patrons of gaming nights.

            There are many other techniques that were not mentioned here.  You should get familiar with these basics and practice a lot.  It is also a good excuse to collect more than one army.  You will eventually develop your own unique style of painting.  When you feel ready, search the internet on this subject.  Look for advanced techniques.  Always take advice from any Golden Demon winners, if you are lucky enough to meet one.