Hobby Fun: Tips and Tricks to Help You Paint Miniature Figurines

Are you just discovering the amazing world of miniatures?  Whether you have just gotten into dioramas or models you have probably just learned about the different characters you can add to your scenes.  Usually a character or object is called a figurine, and most will need some paint or general improvements before they can be added to a model or diorama.

How to Paint Any Figurine

Let’s begin this section with a simple fact – your figurine is probably extremely small.  This means that apart from using some of the slimmest paint brushes available from the art store, you are also going to have to find a way to keep the item in position as you paint it.

Can’t you just hold the figurine in your fingers?  Of course you can, but few people have hands that are steady enough to manage such a task with ease.  Because of this, the basic gear you need to paint any figurine includes the following items.

You will need:

A small table vice

A magnifying glass

Filing boards (also called emery boards for nails)

An X-acto or craft knife

Tweezers

Needle nose pliers

Naturally, you’ll also need the right paint for the job and any good arts and crafts shop will have a great assortment of paints suitable for models and games.  Don’t forget a spray-on primer as well as a spray-on sealant too. If you want your miniatures to look realistic you will need to select a “matte” finish for all of the paints and sealants you use.

Getting Your Figurine Ready

When you paint each figurine, you need to inspect it for “form” or “mold” marks.  These are small raised lines that were created by the molds used to make the figurine.  Simply file these down until the entire figure is smooth.  Next, spray the primer all over the entire figure.

Once the primer is dry, you can put the figurine into the vise.  Most will have a small base the guarantees you can paint the entire figure without difficulty.

Painting Tips and Tricks

When you paint a figurine, you have to begin from the “inside out”, and this means working your way outward from the innermost areas of the object.  For instance, if figuring has a garment that drapes (such as a cloak) you should paint any inside areas of this cloak first and then work your way out to the extremities.

Allow each layer of paint to dry before beginning the next, and save the highlights until the very last coat. 

Before this, however, many experts suggest that you use a “dark wash” technique to create areas of shadow on the figure.  This is done by taking a bit of watered down black paint or ink and painting it across the entire surface of the figurine. This allows the very loose paint or ink to wash down into all of the miniscule cracks and crevices and to create a lot of detail in the figure.

Once everything has dried, you can go ahead and spray on the matte sealant to help keep the paint stable and bright for many years to come.