How do YOU go from start to finish on a miniature?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**HF Izanagi**

Just wondering, do you

a) Glue the figures together, glue them to the bases, decorate the bases, primer, then paint and seal?

or

b) Do you glue the figures, decorate the bases, primer and paint both separately and then assemble/seal?

or

c) Other way that I am unfamiliar with?

I'm just wondering. I went with the a) option and assembled/glued the figures to the bases on my current 'Nid army, then decorated them. And now I'm kicking myself in the

because I don't know how I'm going to paint my the rubble and battle damage on the base without splashing and jacking up the painted miniatures already on them... bah... maybe for my next set of guys, I'll take a new approach but for now, I just wanted to know (and slog through my current course)..

**cosmic pixie**

Bases First - Urban tiling and debris.

Then I make legs and torso and attatch these to the head.

Next, I paint these bits as well as I can.

Then I put the bodies on the bases and paint the arms and other bits.

Final assembly.

Touch Up

**TungstenMonkey**

Same as cosmic pixie easier to paint them in bits i find

**WARBOSS TZOO**

Izenagi, why not just wrap the legs in paper while you're doing the bases?

**Ugavine**

I'm still learning so at present I'm not spending much time on the bases, I'm leaving that until last.

**daedalus**

With the space marines I've been doing lately, I've been priming them on sprue with Krylon black, assembling head, torso, and legs and gluing on base, painting that, and then painting and assembling the arms and bolter individually before gluing them on. It's very slow moving, but it lets me get the backside of the bolters.

**mrwhoop**

Glue, prime, paint, base. Covers up mistakes done on the previous part

**themocaw**

1. Assemble major bits.
2. Prime.
3. Base coat.
4. Shade
5. Finish assembly and attach to base.
6. Highlight
7. Edge / Blackline
8. Detailing
9. Assemble base.
10. Paint base.
11. Final touches.
12. Flock.
13. Seal.

I generally don't sweat it if a little paint from the base gets on the legs of the model if it looks like mud splatters or dust, as it makes it look as if the guy was trudging through dirt instead of assembling for parade.

**squilverine**

First things first once I have the model I check that all of the parts are there and that they have been cast properly and aren't broken.
Then I trim/clip off any flash and file down any mold lines. Once this is done I assemble the model, using pinning and greenstuff if required, at this point I attach the model to its base.
Once fully assembled I give the base a coat of PVA and dip it in sand. After leaving it for a few hours I will add more glue and sand if neccesary, then leave it over night to dry.
Spray prime with Chaos Black. I then paint the base first. As it has a rough texture it is fidly to paint with any accuracy, combined with the fact I normaly dry brush them it's easier to paint it first than risk messing up the miniature itself.
When the base is done I will paint the miniature, seal it and then possibly add some static grass to the base as a final touch.

**HF Izanagi**

Thanks for the info, everyone.

I would do the tissue paper like Warboss TZOO recommends, but it's not really feasible with Ripper Swarms...

Just wondering if anyone had another way of doing it... that's all. I already have 3 Warriors and 3 Rippers painted up w/ base-coated and detailed bases... might have to beat those things to hell and then start with the base first on my future endeavors.

**JSK-Fox**

Assemble, Prime, Paint, then add primed stuff to bases. I use a lot of snow, so no texture for me.

**Goliath**

Glue model together ----> Prime model ----> Paint model ----> base ----> paint base.

**P4NC4K3**

Assembly -> Primer (by hand, I'm a stickler) -> Basecoats -> Wash -> Highlight -> Further Highlights (generally not for the rank and file) -> Basing (if I can be bothered) -> Transfers/Freehand -> Seal

**Ostrakon**

I assemble everything that doesn't overlap and paint them all separately, then I assemble.

**Nalyd**

1. Paint all bits
2. paint main body parts
3. paint trim and touch up
4. assemble and touch up again.
5. take care of base while letting dry
6. wait a few hours and come back with fresh eyes touch up again

Thats about it.

Also add a few beer breaks

**tough n' orky**

Prime, glue, paint, base

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Nalyd wrote:1. Paint all bits
2. paint main body parts
3. paint trim and touch up
4. assemble and touch up again.
5. take care of base while letting dry
6. wait a few hours and come back with fresh eyes touch up again

Thats about it.

Also add a few beer breaks

What if your underage?

**Aelyn**

1) Completely glue the model (including anything on the base you want to be primed)
2) Paint the base
3) Paint the model
4) Touch-up.
5) Add details to the base which don't require painting.
6) Seal.

**Andrewdrexler**

1. Decide on basing scheme (desert, hilly, grassy, forest, snowy etc)
2. Modify\construct base (Place any large debris, cut any spots for puddles, etc)
3. Place legs on base.
4. Assemble major parts of figure attached to the legs, only leaving off sub-assemblies that cover major areas (like space marine arms).
5. Use cork stoppers as handles for fiddly bits and backpacks etc.
6. Prime model and base work as one (helps seal the gravel onto the base and prevents a lot of problems down the road).
7. Paint model + sub-assemblies.
8. Glue model + Sub-assemblies as needed.
9. Seal model (One coat of gloss, one of matt has been working nicely recently)
10. Leave figure in the garage until worst of stink is gone.
11. Add static grass\moss\snow as appropriate.

**DarkAngelsRK**

I assemble and then glue to a decorated base. I leave off the arms and backpack. Then I prime and paint, then glue the arms and backpack on.

**Ifurita**

I put together major assemblies
Prime
Basecoat/wash/highlight
Complete assembly
Touch up
Weather
Base

**DA's Forever**

I find painting all the bits first works quite nicely

**Mr-_-Flidd**

Goliath wrote:Glue model together ----> Prime model ----> Paint model ----> base ----> paint base.

<<This.

Except marines with bolters across the chest. For these I just prime and paint the arms seperatly then glue/pin.>

**skbak**

Assemble.
Prime.
Paint.
Facepalm at the abomination I just made.

Seriously, I botched the drop pod I just bought because of a misprint in the instructions.

Plus, I have a habit of using way too much glue and usually end up getting my fingers glued together.

**HadoukenAvenger**

Test-Assemble (with Blu-tack).
Prime.
Paint.
Assemble.
Decorate base.

Then either:

Surgically regraft the skin removed from body when trying to remove glue
OR
Pass out from a mouth full of paint.

**lunarman**

Assemble
Glue to bases
Prime
Paint even troop choices individually, not in batch
decorate bases

How do any of you decorate bases first? Surely if any paint drips from the model or you're doing their feet you run the risk of getting your sand 'blue'.

**Erasoketa**

Voted option a)

But it may change with weird shaped minis.

**Gunzhard**

A) for most...

If it's a character or any model I want to do a better than table-top job for I'll do the same except I'll do the base separate.

Basically I'll pin the feet and drill the hole in the base, then just stick the mini on some cork, and then also the base on some cork with some blue tac.

Other exceptions are large pieces that will obstruct painting certain areas - like jump packs, or sometimes one of the arms... I might do those separate.

**RaegMachine**

I first glue legs and torso together, then I glue them to the base and paint. Then I glue on all painted bits (arms, head...).
So first painting then assembling and last basing.

**Red9**

First I order them and then stare at them on my shelf for a least 1-5 days. This breaks the intimidation factor of said models, making them more willing to be assembled and painted to my desires.

Secondly I glue them together in my likeness, some with dynamic action poses and others with a "lack of anything going on" pose.

When all have been formed, they are then adhered to their world that is a slotty black disk. Then comes the introduction of technicolor to their fragile lives.

After they are finalized in their new selves without complaint, I give them the gift of life....in the form of artificial terra firma.

So after about six or so days I have created a new set beings for my game of life. Then I take a long nap and redo the process for the next squad.

**Ailaros**

I do it the same way Fox does. Assemble (including gluing to the base), priming, painting, sealing then flocking.

My bases are covered in stone that I want to keep its natural color and little tufts of foliage which wouldn't come close to surviving all the other steps if I put it on first.