Ladies and Gents. I'm going to be painting two sets eventually and I'd like to get some advice from the pro's out there. I've been searching here and on Board Game Geek for different paint guides and while I have found some nice ones, I have a few questions.

1. Priming - I read somewhere that you need to get a good prime on the figures. I have some Krylon white, grey and black primer that I picked up a few years ago. Should this be fine or should I get a plastic primer specific? I saw one at Hobby Lobby tonight.

2. Paints - I've used Folkart before but I see that others prefer Citadel and Vallejo. All of my other Folkart has been dried out it seems, so I'm going to have to get new paints. Another suggestion was to get the http://www.amazon.com/Army-Painter-Mega-Paint-Set/dp/B00HC9YNZU and while it looks like a great little set, or should I just get the paints I need and not get it?

3. Any other suggestions for how to setup and start painting again? I really didn't do much painting on plastic just metals, but I'd like to really do a great job.

There are many threads that are discussing painting methods in great detail. Sorastro had a thread on here somewhere but here is a link to his youtube that gives great instructions and shows what products he uses. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu5Pmz1wY-NWCYy21vikKAg

I would not risk Krylon as a primer, as it is built for coverage and durability for metal and indoor/outdoor projects. it may go on too thick which will destroy the details, or the chemical composition of the spray paint itself might "bite" into the model too much, softening or even melting the model.

Your LGS should have a decent selection of spray primers specifically designed for thin coverage that wont excessively bite into the models or melt them. Citadel and Army Painter are both tried and tested for model painting.

When it comes down to it, you'll drop an extra $6 bucks for a can of primer, but it's worth it knowing you aren't going to ruin $100 worth of models.

With IA, i started painting for the first time in 7 years, and also had to replace all my Citadel paints. I went with Vallejo for 3 reasons:

1. Eydropper bottles make for easy mixing on your palate.
2. Eyedropper bottles also make sure you don't "paint from the pot" allowing your paint to last longer, and you use less overall.
3. Vallejo model color paints are cheaper than citadel. $3.50 for 17ml bottle for Vallejo, vs. $4 for 12ml pot for Citadel.

I bought 12 bottles to start with, and then slowly added more bottles to my collection as I needed them.

Army Painter sounds good, I was able to find one of my LGS that carries them.

Anyone have an opinion on the Folkart that I can get at Hobby Lobby? I've used it before and it seemed to be good, but somewhere I read those types of paints can be watered down a bit more from the hobby stuff, but it's 1.25 for a nice size bottle, Vallejo was also there, but they didn't have as big of a selection, also some of the paints were reduced in price and that got me worried they were sitting there for awhile.

Is that Army Painter set a good thing to get since I'll be starting back fresh again?

army painter offer a good range of paint, but i found that some did not live up to their "one coat" promise, and needed several for good coverage. I also use their Quickshade dip, but brush it on lightly after diluting with white spirits. Vallejo paints are good, and i hear good things about the paints Reaper Miniature have. I have also used cheap craft store acrylics, always watered down and never really had a problem, but many shun these.

Army painter primer i find a bit powdery. Citadel are slightly better. However, i did try an IA miniature with no primer and it came out fine (i had run out lol!). Though i do wash the miniatures first in warm soapy water to remove any excess mould releasing agent. As i use Army Painter Quickshade which darkens the miniature, i tend to undercoat with white which shows the colours better. I also paint slightly lighter than i intend due to the Quicksahde darkening. However, if miniature is predominatley dark (like Vader) then i use black.

eye dropper vs pot? have had successess and fails with both. I do prefer dropper bottles, but they can become clogged easily, and sometimes you can squirt more paint out of them than you intend. For pots, i dip for a small blob and put it on the palette, closing pot straight away to prevent evaporation. Pots can get easily clogged too. Think for this its a matter of personal choice, but as i use citadel, army painter and vallejo i got both types going and manage ok.

Painting on plastic i dont find any different to painting on metal. These miniatures take paint well. They can also be stripped with Brown Dettol Antiseptic Liquid (in UK, dont know name anywhere else) without harming the miniature.

General other tips? thin the paint with a little water and apply multiple thin coats. Thicker coats can clog all the detail, and as these are not awesome in their detailing you can ruin a miniature easily.

If using Quickshade, thin that too with white spirit.

Clean your brush often, even if using the same colour. Stops the paint drying on the brush and extends their life. After a session, i wash all the brushes in warm soapy water. Change the water in your water pot regularly, dont let it turn into brown sludge lol! (you be suprised how many do this!)

Varnishing - Protects your miniatures, especially if people will be handling them around the game board. I dont use a spray varnish for 2 reasons - 1, because its very cold where i live, and spray varnish goes white in cold weather, ruining your miniature (they look like they have been snowed on!). 2, because to remove the shine left by Quickshade (it dries glossy), you need multiple passes and i find that its hard to get into all the nooks and crannys without spraying too much, hence "fogging" your miniature. I use windsor and newton artist matt acrylic with a brush. Again, it may take 2 coats but its worth it, removing any unwanted shine and adding to its protection.

Loads of tips and tutorials on youtube!

Most of all, enjoy it and have fun. When you done, put some pics up!

Hope this helps!

I used krylon flat primers on my set and it works great. It was suggested to me by a very experienced miniature painter at my FLGS.

For varnish I really like Testors Dullecote, it is a little sensitive to humidity so I only use it on dry days.

couple of remarks...

Primer. personally i go with gesso, available from art shops. Very forgiving and can be used when the weather doesn't allow for spray priming. Might not be economical if you're not doing a lot of miniatures.

BIG ADVICE, don't start on the assault miniatures. Find a box of cheap hard plastic figures and do a few practice runs first.

Also if you use the Vallejo paints, I wouldn't touch general art paints, grab a few glass beads. Pretty cheap at craft shops. Place one or two in each paint bottle, helps mix the pigment.

If you don't mind pots. Google...acrylic paint triads. A few companies sell colours in three shades which, if you're getting back into painting, makes life a bit easier.

Also, as others have said, there are a lot of article out there on painting.

If you're looking for inspiration, check out Kevin Dallimores page

http://www.werelords.com/pages/Kevins_page.htm

Thanks everyone for your replies! Great information! I have many heroclix that I can Prime and repaint so that should give me some practice. Superman was a stormtrooper right?

Thanks for the links to the websites and such, I think I'll try to just get some of the Vallejo brands here locally at the Hobby Lobby, primary colors. I'll try the primer that I have and if it doesn't work out on the Heroclix, I'll go with the gesso.

It is pretty cold out here in Ohio right now, luckily I have a Garage and a back Patio that I can work under for Priming at least.

Thanks a bunch again for all the information, can never have enough! I did listen to the videos and have some good information, now just to clean up an area and get ready to start painting again!

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/tutorial-overview.htm

One of my favourite painting blogs. Amazing tutorial articles for any level of skill and great for inspiration for when i cant be arsed to pick up a brush.

Well took an inventory of my paints, most seemed okay, but all I had were some Greens (I was going for a green theme back when I was playing Starship Troopers) so I decided just to toss the lot and go get some new ones.

Still trying to decide if I go for the Vallejo or the Folkart to practice. The Vallejo at the Hobby Lobby was on sale, but again not sure how long it's been sitting out there. Is there an easy way to check to see how new a paint bottle might be before you buy it?

Generally ive found my valejo paint age quite well, non of the awful separating that gw paints seem to do over time. If in doubt in the shop I just give em a good shake, if they are still "split" or not one colour in the bottle after a good ten second swish. Id leave em.

Also as a side note its worth picking up some valejo model air. Its designed for airbrushes but makes great thin paint for detail or glazes.

My gesso primed hero figures and a few imperials are on the paint desk waiting to be done

Found this link from a couple of years ago as I was looking for colour ref images for them.

Gesso intro...gives you a bit more info on the stuff.

http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/priming-miniatures-gesso.html

As to Vallejo, I have a couple of bottles of the stuff that I have had for over 7 years (rough estimate) of the use them once type and then never do a figure where you need that colour/shade again. Just done a test and they are perfectly ok.

If you're unsure though, there's an article on TMP about vallejo paint stockists in central Ohio. Not sure if it will help as I couldn't read it, the forums are down for daily maintenance. Search for Vallejo paint Ohio and the forum post is coming up in the list.

I'm having a hard time washing my stormstroopers properly. I've primed them white, added black details on the help and joints and such. I'm using Vallejo wash and it's getting messy adding shadows to the recesses. Perhaps I'm just not careful enough, but I find I have a a lot of whitening to do afterwards because the black wash doesnt fall into the recesses nicely.

I'm having a hard time washing my stormstroopers properly. I've primed them white, added black details on the help and joints and such. I'm using Vallejo wash and it's getting messy adding shadows to the recesses. Perhaps I'm just not careful enough, but I find I have a a lot of whitening to do afterwards because the black wash doesnt fall into the recesses nicely.

Are you using the Vallejo Ghost Wash? Grey stuff? I used that and found that a stormtrooper did need a lot of cleanup afterwards. second attempt i tried to apply the was just around the areas of the breast plate, and along the arms, rather than washing the whole thing. turned out ok. White is a general nightmare for many people to paint!

I was using Game Color Black Shade. I found a solution that worked out okay. Two drops Pale Grey wash + one Black Shade and a steady hand

I don't know, gesso sounds a little finicky, what with the webbing and bubbles and all. In my experience, it can really obstruct details, though I'm told it's because I didn't thin the gesso first. And then you have to wait 24 hours between coats.

After my stormtroopers lost their face and back detail to gesso, I stripped them and tried priming with Vallejo brush-on primer. I LOVE it! It is so easy to work with. It's just like painting paint straight onto the miniature. It also dries fairly quickly. I found I could put on another layer of primer within an hour and start painting on it an hour or two after that (though I usually did wait overnight after applying all my coats of primer before adding paint).

Thanks for all the help ladies and gents! Going out tomorrow to get some Vallejo paints from the local Hobby Lobby.. Hopefully they'll have all the colors I need.. if not I might go with that Mega Set.. still trying to decide if I take the plunge on that or not.

Alright folks I took the plunge with the Army Painter mega set, and some Vallejo Paint on Primer (as it's been quite cold here in Ohio)

I'll be painting two sets, as my buddy bought me the game if I painted his stuff! Now I just need to get him to buy me the expansions with the same deal hehehe