Hey guys,
I've never really painted miniatures before but thought I'd give it a try for this game.
Any tips for a first-timer? Maybe also some tips for glueing the minis to the bases?
Since I live in the Netherlands, I was also wondering where you (non-usa people) buy your supplies? Since the game itself is so expensive, I don't have a lot of money to spare.
Thanks in advance 
Wash your models in light detergent and warm water. The factory mini's have a chemical on them that helps release them cleanly from the molds. This chemical also sluffs paint, so it should be washed off for best results.
Get a small nail file or high grit sandpaper and a hobby knife and work off all the flash and mold lines. Those are a b**** to paint through and on more complex sculpts can confuse you to what piece is what.
Get a good primer. I recommend Tamiya or Army painter. Use a primer color based on what you want the final paint to look like. Ex, for brighter models(i.e. investigators) use white, darker models (i.e. monsters) use black.
As for brushes i recommend a 00, 0, 1 and 2.
Have a plan!!! Know what colors you want to use before painting and realize that the first coat is going to be base colors. Choose your base colors to be 1-2 tones darker than the color you want.
Don't over shade! After you put down your base colors use a wash based on the colors you are basing with. To save money you could only use a black wash, but if you do keep it from pooling up too much. Also shade the model upside down. Where the shade pools up will be the most intense shadows, and you want that to be on the underside of what is creating shadows.
Highlight! Use the base coat for the initial highlight then slowly add lighter tones in until you are happy with the depth of color.
Repeat all these steps for the base you choose to use (unless you're using clear bases then never mind).
I don't re-base much, but the best thing is to have a drill, clipper, paper clips and some gorilla glue. Drill a hold into the model the diameter of a small paperclip where you want them to be. Clip off a bit of straight paperclip and insert it into the model and glue it in with gorilla glue. Clip off any extra paper clip (i.e. what would go to far through the base), and fit the model to the base to map out where you need to drill the base. Drill, glue, set wait.
If you're using clear bases just make sure the feet are flush and clean, as are the points on the base you are gluing to. Glue the model directly to the base with some gorilla glue.
Lastly seal your model with a varnish. I recommend Testors 1260. Its a flat coat, but it works really really well. Avoid Citadel, that garbage leaves spots all over your hard work! If you want specific areas glossy I would use Citadel Ardcoat and brush on areas like tounges, teeth, eyes, shiny leather, shiny shoes, etc, after you use the testors spray.
If you don't like what you've done you can strip the paint off with CLR or something like it. When you do this only do 1 model at first to make sure you don't accidentally destroy all your models!!!
Good luck and let us see your results!!!
Thanks for the tips!
I will most definitely post my results when I'm done.
I've been told that a soak in Simple Green will safely take paint off of plastic minis.
Wash your models in light detergent and warm water. The factory mini's have a chemical on them that helps release them cleanly from the molds. This chemical also sluffs paint, so it should be washed off for best results.
Get a small nail file or high grit sandpaper and a hobby knife and work off all the flash and mold lines. Those are a b**** to paint through and on more complex sculpts can confuse you to what piece is what.
Get a good primer. I recommend Tamiya or Army painter. Use a primer color based on what you want the final paint to look like. Ex, for brighter models(i.e. investigators) use white, darker models (i.e. monsters) use black.
As for brushes i recommend a 00, 0, 1 and 2.
Have a plan!!! Know what colors you want to use before painting and realize that the first coat is going to be base colors. Choose your base colors to be 1-2 tones darker than the color you want.
Don't over shade! After you put down your base colors use a wash based on the colors you are basing with. To save money you could only use a black wash, but if you do keep it from pooling up too much. Also shade the model upside down. Where the shade pools up will be the most intense shadows, and you want that to be on the underside of what is creating shadows.
Highlight! Use the base coat for the initial highlight then slowly add lighter tones in until you are happy with the depth of color.
Repeat all these steps for the base you choose to use (unless you're using clear bases then never mind).
I don't re-base much, but the best thing is to have a drill, clipper, paper clips and some gorilla glue. Drill a hold into the model the diameter of a small paperclip where you want them to be. Clip off a bit of straight paperclip and insert it into the model and glue it in with gorilla glue. Clip off any extra paper clip (i.e. what would go to far through the base), and fit the model to the base to map out where you need to drill the base. Drill, glue, set wait.
If you're using clear bases just make sure the feet are flush and clean, as are the points on the base you are gluing to. Glue the model directly to the base with some gorilla glue.
Lastly seal your model with a varnish. I recommend Testors 1260. Its a flat coat, but it works really really well. Avoid Citadel, that garbage leaves spots all over your hard work! If you want specific areas glossy I would use Citadel Ardcoat and brush on areas like tounges, teeth, eyes, shiny leather, shiny shoes, etc, after you use the testors spray.
If you don't like what you've done you can strip the paint off with CLR or something like it. When you do this only do 1 model at first to make sure you don't accidentally destroy all your models!!!
Good luck and let us see your results!!!
These are great tips. I'm wondering if you would be interested in doing a "paint by example" tutorial? The MoM minis aren't available separately so I don't want to do my first few paintings on them. It would be really cool if you could pick a 3rd party mini and walk us through a painting tutorial. We could pick up the same mini & colors and try to follow along.