I'm new to painting miniatures. I have read and watched tutorials online and had one major question before I really dig in.

Do y'all strip the paint from the miniatures?

If so what is the best product for it?

Personally, I've found the original paint to be thin enough that you can paint over it with no drama. Some folks do strip the models, but I don't bother.

When you start painting, just make sure the paint isn't too thick. You will sometimes get a more even and better coverage with successive thin coats instead of one thick coat. And thicker coats tend to just blob over the detail.

I've never decided to strip the paint off, the factory paint is pretty good as a primer and if you use thin layers you won't lose detail.

There's absolutely no need. Just make sure you do give it a quick scrub with soapy water and a good rinse off if you've been playing with the mini for a while as the oils from your skin might affect paint adhesion.

Okay thanks for the advice. Any other pointers that might not already be out there?

What is a good first miniature to attempt?

A-Wings are pretty good for a first attempt. They aren't that complicated in shape but have interesting geometric things going on, and don't have fiddly bits like exposed parts or astromech droids.

In general, I'd say rebel ships are easier than Imperials, because the TIEs all have wing panels that have thin struts, odd textures, and difficult to reach spots, and are generally less forgiving of mistakes.

I wouldn't recommend stripping them either, there is really no need for it. Like others said just scrub them with a bit of soap, dry them thoroughly and you are good to go. You can use a primer as a base but you don't really need to in most cases. You also might find this article useful:

http://xwingminiaturespainting.com/beginners-guide/how-to-repaint-your-first-x-wing-miniature

Enjoy your first repaint

May the paint be with you

My first repaint was a Lambda: it's a large canvas and the original paint job on my particular ship was a stinker. I went with a more traditional look, but I've seen quite a few paint jobs that are way out there, but impressive none the less.

As for smaller ships, I'd go for an A-wing. it's basically two sides to worry about (top and bottom) and you don't have to touch the engines if you're unsure of your skills.

Good luck, and don't forget to post pics!

Thanks again. I'll make sure to post when I'm done.

Red B, what ever happened with your foray into painting? Did you ever jump in after all?

I find a solid but light coat of primer/spraypaint does a good job for plastic models regardless of prior paints