My girlfriend starting paint- how should I start her off?

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**Deadshot**

So my girlfriend wants to give painting a go, and I've ordered her some of the clip together Space Marines that come in packs of three (the Black Reach style monopose that GW stores use to teach newbies), as well as a Basecoat Brush to paint with.

My question is how should I go about showing her? Should I show her different schemes and let her pick? Should I just hand her a brush and let her get on with it? Should I show her techniques and tricks or just let her do whatever?
How much should I prepare the models for iher? Obviously, moldlines and priming and stuff, but I mean, should I let her do the clipping and glueing, moldlines and primer or just give them to her primed and ready to paint?

The thing is, I can't ask her any of this as she's quite easy going and response would be "Whatever you think is best." Plus, she might get confused and turned off the idea.

**rayphoton**

This is a hard question to answer cause everyone's different. As a person who is also trying the exact same thing I've learned that my gf feels better is she does every step her self cause she feels like its hers...and not yours.

I would sit down with her and give her a miniature and have one just like it yourself...and then.show her every step and do it along with her. Then she feels like it something your doing together and if she has any questions about the next step your doing it at the same time so you can show her.

Chances are she probably doesn't actually care about miniatures and is just wanting to share something with you. So the best way to make her happy and enthused is to do it with her.

My 2 cents

**Alex Kolodotschko**

Cosmopolitan magazine wrote......

Let me say here and now, without shame or blush, that I like the missionary position. Making love while lying on my back with my husband on top is familiar, comfortable. It's the meat loaf and mashed potatoes of the sex manual. If you're hungry, it fills you up; if you're tired, you can still manage a morsel. Beluga caviar it ain't, but like a Quarter Pounder with cheese, you know how it's going to look, how it's going to taste and how long it will take to eat. And if you want to make it fancy, you can always add fries and a salad.

At one time the missionary position was sex. As a kid, if I read about sex or glimpsed a love scene on TV before my parents switched channels, that was the position the couple was in — the man on top, the woman gazing up at him adoringly. But then came the '70s. The hemlines went down and women went up. Indeed, woman-on-top was virtually compulsory, and anyone who didn't have a sexual repertoire to rival the Kama Sutra had to hang her head in shame. Feminists and sex experts united in the view that the missionary position made a woman passive and subservient to her man. And no wonder we didn't always climax — in that position the clitoris probably wasn't stimulated, and neither was the G-spot!

Overnight, lying on your back was OUT. If you wanted to be cool and empowered, you had to get out from under and take control, or throw away your chances of the Big O forever. But are we having more or better orgasms with the wealth of positions we've cricked our necks and twisted our limbs to get into? Has our athleticism and improvisation improved the quality of our lovemaking? A reconsideration...

Good luck teaching her.

**Nevelon**

I’d clip, clean and prime them for her. If you got the snap-fits for her to practice on, she’ll not get the fun part of assembly, of picking out bits and posing the model. Just the tedious part of clipping and cleaning.

Without knowing the “why” that’s attracted her interest in painting, it’s hard to make recommendations. I’d probably just show her the hobby section of the rules/codex and let her do what she wants.

For techniques, I’d stick with the basics for now. Base, wash, drybrush are all simple and can get some nice results.

**Deadshot**

Alex Kolodotschko wrote:
Cosmopolitan magazine wrote......

Let me say here and now, without shame or blush, that I like the missionary position. Making love while lying on my back with my husband on top is familiar, comfortable. It's the meat loaf and mashed potatoes of the sex manual. If you're hungry, it fills you up; if you're tired, you can still manage a morsel. Beluga caviar it ain't, but like a Quarter Pounder with cheese, you know how it's going to look, how it's going to taste and how long it will take to eat. And if you want to make it fancy, you can always add fries and a salad.

At one time the missionary position was sex. As a kid, if I read about sex or glimpsed a love scene on TV before my parents switched channels, that was the position the couple was in — the man on top, the woman gazing up at him adoringly. But then came the '70s. The hemlines went down and women went up. Indeed, woman-on-top was virtually compulsory, and anyone who didn't have a sexual repertoire to rival the Kama Sutra had to hang her head in shame. Feminists and sex experts united in the view that the missionary position made a woman passive and subservient to her man. And no wonder we didn't always climax — in that position the clitoris probably wasn't stimulated, and neither was the G-spot!

Overnight, lying on your back was OUT. If you wanted to be cool and empowered, you had to get out from under and take control, or throw away your chances of the Big O forever. But are we having more or better orgasms with the wealth of positions we've cricked our necks and twisted our limbs to get into? Has our athleticism and improvisation improved the quality of our lovemaking? A reconsideration...

Good luck teaching he.

...

@rayphoton and Nevelon

Thanks for the very quick responses, will sure to take those into consideration. Much appreciated!

@Nevelon in particular

I should have mentioned, but the whole thing behind it is that I was trying to paint on Friday and couldn't because the weather was meh, and couldn't get out to prime them. I was texting her at the time and she suggested that I come up and could do it there. I didn't want to just sit in her garden painting and neglect her so suggested I get her some of her own to give a go and she surprisingly said yes.

**Kerrathyr**

Deadshot wrote:
So my girlfriend wants to give painting a go, and I've ordered her some of the clip together Space Marines that come in packs of three (the Black Reach style monopose that GW stores use to teach newbies), as well as a Basecoat Brush to paint with.

My question is how should I go about showing her? Should I show her different schemes and let her pick? Should I just hand her a brush and let her get on with it? Should I show her techniques and tricks or just let her do whatever?
How much should I prepare the models for iher? Obviously, moldlines and priming and stuff, but I mean, should I let her do the clipping and glueing, moldlines and primer or just give them to her primed and ready to paint?

The thing is, I can't ask her any of this as she's quite easy going and response would be "Whatever you think is best." Plus, she might get confused and turned off the idea.

Why don't you ask her if she wants to build the model herself, or if she wants the boring part already done, so she just starts painting?
And again, for the colours, ask her if she wants to improvise, to choose from existing schemes or if she needs any help.
It will be her work, let her tastes count

**Deadshot**

Kerrathyr wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
So my girlfriend wants to give painting a go, and I've ordered her some of the clip together Space Marines that come in packs of three (the Black Reach style monopose that GW stores use to teach newbies), as well as a Basecoat Brush to paint with.

My question is how should I go about showing her? Should I show her different schemes and let her pick? Should I just hand her a brush and let her get on with it? Should I show her techniques and tricks or just let her do whatever?
How much should I prepare the models for iher? Obviously, moldlines and priming and stuff, but I mean, should I let her do the clipping and glueing, moldlines and primer or just give them to her primed and ready to paint?

The thing is, I can't ask her any of this as she's quite easy going and response would be "Whatever you think is best." Plus, she might get confused and turned off the idea.

Why don't you ask her if she wants to build the model herself, or if she wants the boring part already done, so she just starts painting?
And again, for the colours, ask her if she wants to improvise, to choose from existing schemes or if she needs any help.
It will be her work, let her tastes count

I could...but see my last paragraph?

**kb_lock**

You did the hard part which is picking the army itself.

I would find 3 good tutorials on how to paint space marines - ultras/blood angels/templars(or salamanders, or whatever her favourite colour is)

Ideally, get tutorials that cover different styles - one rigid with which paint to use (taleofpainters-Garfy), one more open with more mixing of paints (taleofpainters-Sigur or Les), one somewhere in between (girlpainting)

Just take it as it comes - show her how to clean mold lines and if she gets sick of it, either do it for her or just paint them with mold lines on still - same with undercoating. You could also mix it up - leave one on the sprue unassembled, one unprimed, and one primed - see what she goes for.

**milkboy**

Why not try a necron warrior? It's fairly easy to assemble (just be diligent cleaning the flash for good results) and its a simple colour scheme. The body practices washing technique, highlighting parts if you wanna get more advanced. The weapon uses drybrushing and is pretty forgiving. If you drybrushed grey excessively, a nuln oil wash tones it done nicely.

I'm sure many others will have their own way of painting. This is only one way.

I find marines harder to paint, because of the smooth armour plates. Muscle is the hardest for me.

And the warrior model can be finished fast. So she can get a sense of accomplishment in an hour or two.

edited because the typos were an eyesore. :p

**Deadshot**

milkboy wrote:
Why not try a necron warrior? It's fairly easy to assemble (just be diligent cleaning the flash for good results) and its a simple colour scheme. The body practices washing technique, highlighting parts if you wanna get more advanced. The weapon uses drybrushing and is pretty forgiving. If you drybrushed grey excessively, a nuln oil wash tones it done nicely.

I'm sure many others will have their own way of painting. This is only one way.

I find marines harder to paint, because of the smooth armour plates. Muscle is the hardest for me.

And the warrior model can be finished fast. So she can get a sense of accomplishment in an hour or two.

edited because the typos were an eyesore. :p

Between me and you, I didn't want to fork out a lot for a practise set, especially seeing as personal funds are low, and I need to get a new BRB and I want to get some new paints and all. 3 snapfit marines are £6. That is all.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

kb_lock wrote:
You did the hard part which is picking the army itself.

I would find 3 good tutorials on how to paint space marines - ultras/blood angels/templars(or salamanders, or whatever her favourite colour is)

Ideally, get tutorials that cover different styles - one rigid with which paint to use (taleofpainters-Garfy), one more open with more mixing of paints (taleofpainters-Sigur or Les), one somewhere in between (girlpainting)

Just take it as it comes - show her how to clean mold lines and if she gets sick of it, either do it for her or just paint them with mold lines on still - same with undercoating. You could also mix it up - leave one on the sprue unassembled, one unprimed, and one primed - see what she goes for.

Thanks for this, some solid advice

**The Dwarf Wolf**

What Alex was trying to say to you is: dont worry to much on the "right way to do it", do it the way you 2 could enjoy.

You know her better than any one of us can (i hope so). Them: take a model she could like, give her the tips on how to do it, dont left her doying it alone. Show her how you paint, share your experience, and let her teach you something (girls paint their nails in a weekly base, they know a lot of how to handle a small brush).

And good luck.

**Deadshot**

Thanks a lot, and now I understand, Alex, thanks a lot for that advice too!

**milkboy**

Then given your last paragraph, my vote will be a fully assembled and primed model for her to try. That's what I've been doing for those who have showed any interest. At least they get to start dipping the brush into the pot straight away!

**Alex Kolodotschko**

The Dwarf Wolf wrote:What Alex was trying to say to you is: dont worry to much on the "right way to do it", do it the way you 2 could enjoy.

Deadshot wrote:Thanks a lot, and now I understand, Alex, thanks a lot for that advice too!

I was just being facetious.

**The Dwarf Wolf**

Well i laughed, and in the end, it was very clever

**Red_Starrise**

According to my gf who just started painting says give them to her ready to paint with brushes. Let her pick the scheme & go. If she wants advice she'll probably ask how you did a certain thing.

**Deadshot**

Thanks everyone for the very informative and timely responses! Very much appreciated!

**carlos13th**

Just paint something of your own with her at the same time and tell her to ask you if she needs any help.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also mantic do a cheap paint set with about 9 paints a brush and a few different models if she wants her own starter set in the future.

**Teskal**

Is your girl friend a painter (on paper)? I ask because I know some women which are painters and all did very fine on their first minis.
They got only little hints about drybrushing and highlights, but they learned so fast, because they had already experience with colors.

**Boss Drachenfels**

Just let her paint it, prob like most of us started. One thing I love about painting is the freedom to use whatever technique or colour I wish.

My advice - put the model and some paint in front of her. Then paint your own models while she paints hers.

**Deadshot**

Boss Drachenfels wrote:
Just let her paint it, prob like most of us started. One thing I love about painting is the freedom to use whatever technique or colour I wish.

My advice - put the model and some paint in front of her. Then paint your own models while she paints hers.

This was my instinct.

I have some time to decide as I literally have till Monday before its an option.

**Boss Drachenfels**

Deadshot wrote:
Boss Drachenfels wrote:
Just let her paint it, prob like most of us started. One thing I love about painting is the freedom to use whatever technique or colour I wish.

My advice - put the model and some paint in front of her. Then paint your own models while she paints hers.

This was my instinct.

I have some time to decide as I literally have till Monday before its an option.

Good luck with it mate, wish my girlfriend would get in to it.

**Ifurita**

Start her with 2 models, one primed black and one primed white. Use these and 15-20 minutes to demonstrate basic technique and types of paint and then let her go at it.

**monders**

Alex Kolodotschko wrote:
The Dwarf Wolf wrote:What Alex was trying to say to you is: dont worry to much on the "right way to do it", do it the way you 2 could enjoy.

Deadshot wrote:Thanks a lot, and now I understand, Alex, thanks a lot for that advice too!

I was just being facetious.

It was very Swiss Tony... "Painting Citadel Miniatures is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman..."

**Smacks**

I would suggest that you try to suppress the urge to help/interfere unless you are asked a direct question (and even then keep the explanation brief. If she wants more info she'll ask more questions). I think it can be helpful for people starting out to have a picture to copy from (such as eavy metal), so they can see what bits are. I personally wouldn't start with Marines, I think they're a bit boring and the large flat areas and sharp edges are quite unforgiving and tedious when it comes to highlights. I think more organic models like Orks and Nids are much more forgiving. Nurgle followers are probably the most forgiving.