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I finally finished putting together a suitable photography area, and I've taken pictures of the miniatures I'm most proud of. I've got ~12 marines and only 4 Orks painted so far, but I'm slowly grinding away at my AoBR Boyz. The background is a print-out gradient backdrop from Ninjabread. Please leave any crits or comments!

...walk in to a bar, the Big Mek ducked.

Before I comment on the minis, you deserve major kudos for the photos - not sure I've ever been able to see a new painter's models this clearly before commenting. A number of experienced hobbyists could learn a thing or two from you, I'd wager.

As for the models, the paint placement is generally neat, but it looks like it's going on a bit too thick and dry, possibly over a slightly rough primer. I can see texture in the middle of painted surfaces, as well as speckles of undercoat peeking through around the edges (a common symptom of thick paint - it tends to cling to surfaces instead of flowing over them; great for drybrushing, but less than desirable for general coverage).

Thinning your paints slightly (plain old water will do) and applying multiple coats takes longer to achieve coverage, but the results are much smoother and more attractive. It also allows the paint to flow off the brush more easily, leaving you better able to put paint exactly where you need it, which means sharper lines and tighter/cleaner color transitions.

With a smoother finish and tighter control, you'll be well on your way to producing immaculate, if not overly complex, paintjobs in no time. In general, a good, clean finish does far more for a model than fancy techniques, so I'd recommend focusing on those basics (thinning and brush control) for a while before starting to experiment with more advanced techniques (character/upgrade models and unrelated, one-off projects are great places to do this, when you get the urge).

Overall, you're off to a decent start. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Thanks a lot for the kudos on the photos - I did amateur photography a few years ago and I still remember how to take good pictures, especially at small scales (we did lots of close-up plant photos).



I've tried thinning my paints before, but it ended in disaster. I was told to aim for the consistency of milk, but the paint then beaded on the surface I was painting and refused to give a consistent coat. I was put off, and continued to paint straight on. You can see where I tried this on the rear of the Captain's legs.

It comes with some practice....like most things in this life. I never liked the "consistency of milk" belief. I actually just put in enough so that it looks like it almost but not quite flows on. It differs from paint company to paint company though. Get yourself a test model and just practice. Might be good to get some stripper for the test model so you can test on a clean model.

I've got a Big Shoota Boy from AoBR that I've partially mangled. I'll use it as a test model, then. Thanks a lot for the help.

Would it save time to put the water directly in the paint pot, or is that asking for trouble?

Brace yourself - here comes the dreaded wall of text :

I'm with HONAW - "consistency of milk" is rather vague and specific ratios don't take into account the variable consistency of paint (brand, color, and age all factor into this) or the fact that different dilutions are more or less useful for different effects.

I'll only add water directly to my paint pots if they start to thicken, noticeably. It's not to thin them for painting, so much as to increase their shelf life (besides, sometimes you want your paint on the thick side, like for drybrushing or tinting texturing pastes without turning them into soup). I thin paints as I go, which necessitates using a palette. I made myself a wet palette, which I prefer infinitely over the old plastic palette I was using - it won't magically thin your paints for you, but it does help them stay at the consistency you mix them to and extends their "open" working time, to the point that they can be stored between sessions, provided you have an airtight cover. If you're interested in going that route (which I would heartily recommend), there are plenty of tutorials floating around online, including some right here on Dakka.

When it comes to thinning, experimentation is key. The best way to get a feel for it is to lay a blob of paint down on your palette and put a few drops of water near it. Pull some paint out into the middle, then some water. Mix it up and lay some down on a test model or primed scrap material to see how it behaves. You now have a pool of paint that can be adjusted on the fly, either by pulling more paint in to thicken it or water to thin it. This should help you get a general feel for how paint behaves at various dilutions - once you move on to a real model, you can decide what you need for the current task. With practice, you can add water by the drop or brushload, but without experience, the greater control and ability to play back and forth that this method allows for is well worth the wasted palette space.

Now, for basic painting, solid coverage is the goal, so you want to dilute as little as is necessary to achieve smooth coverage and even flow. When you're doing your initial experiments on the test model or scrap, start your mix on the thick side and dial it back, bit by bit, until the paint start behaving properly. That's roughly where you'll want to be for basecoats and solid areas of color.

One more thing to consider when using dilute paint is brush load. I imagine this was part of the issue when you first attempted thinning. Dilute paints soak up into the bristles of a brush and then flow out of them - you're not simply using the bristles as a flexible tool to push around a viscous mix (at least not anymore). If you overload your brush, paint will tend to pool and run once you touch it to the model. Rinse your brush and gently dry it on a paper towel after mixing, then only draw paint into the tip. If you soak up too much, touch the tip to the paper towel to wick away the excess. With a properly loaded brush, even paints diluted to the point of becoming tinted water will stay where you put them.

It's a lot to take in, at first, and everyone has their own $.02 to pitch in, but it's all really stuff that you need to experience on your own, and that boils down to (guided) experimentation. Well, I've rambled long enough - now go do your homework!

Hooray - thanks for the in-depth help. I'll get to some experimentation this weekend. Much appreciated!

Addendum: I've added a little water to some of my paints (some of which were old 'Eavy Metal-style pots, and had dried to a semi-solid) and now they're easier to work with. I seem to be able to get into the right spots more often, now.