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I have been around the edges of 40k for a while, but the limit of my actual experience is DOW (UA mod is best mod). I rally want to dive headfirst into painting and playing, but don't know what to practice on. I know what i'll play with eventually, but I want to be a somewhat competent painter before that. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Probably the packs of 3/5 models.

If you have nothing, you could always buy one of the figure + paint sets.

3 figures, a few paints (albeit tiny pots) and a brush, as good a set of practice tools as any.

The new GW paint packs are not bad with the 5 or so models as others have suggested.
I found painting squads at a time worked best for me: assembly line painting of 10 at a time (by the time you go back to model #1 it is dry).
When you paint a similar specific detail for the 10th time in a row you get good at it.
I found by my third squad I got sufficiently good I wanted to redo the first.
Other methods may work better for you, good luck.

Hi. You could try Reaper Bones. They are very inexpensive. The details are often not the greatest, but they are some of the cheapest models you can get and can help you get used to the scale and develop brush control.

I'd start with some cheap size 1 / size 0 nylon brushes as they are fairly robust for a beginner and are cheap enough that you won't sweat it if you wreck them.

If your budget allows, I'll second the GW starter figure / paint sets. They are convenient in that they'll give you whatever you need to start.

I think this is the thread for you!
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/689224.page

Reaper's Learn to Paint Kits. The first is out, the second on perpetual pre-order. Reaper has an October promotion, although they sell stuff at MSRP. FRPGames has both kits, latter on pre-order. Might as well pick up some Bones skeletons and zombies while you're at it.

Battle for Vedros is targeted towards new painters, although my paint set had to be reconstituted from sludge. Thirteen picnic forks died for the cause. Space Marines are also easy to paint.

If you like zombies, Zombicide and other zombie mini's are a good choice. Army Painter has its Zombicide paint sets, and I've written tutorials: https://boardgamegeek.com/user/Sam%20and%20Max

Get a box of orks of some kind, a good variety of materials/surfaces to paint and experiment on plus if you make a mistake or it's a bit messy then no problem, that's what boyz are like.

Personally I struggle with large flat surfaces, I find it hard to get any character or light/shade onto them so orks would be the perfect choice if this were me.