I like the Master Class articles that have been posted in these forums for painting the Dust Tactics miniatures, but let’s be honest, not all of us are masters at painting. Master classes can go right over the head of many a starting painter. So I’m starting up a small blog on how to get your minis out on the table simply while still looking good. Each stage is designed to take a playable model and make it look better and better. You can stop at any time and your model will still be better than it started. You won’t win awards with these techniques but you will look good as you win games.

First project: The Allies Pounder

Here’s the basic model, assembled but no paint on it other than the primer it starts with. Fortunately that’s a good start, but to make any primed model stand out it needs a different colored base.

For my base I used Games Workshop scorched brown, but you might want to use white for winter, or tan for desert, or grey for urban. Just don’t paint it green as it will blend in too much with the model.

Next: Washes, and dry brushing.

The next step in making your model stand out is something called a wash. You basically use a thinned down darker paint that settles into the cracks and crevices on the model. I use Game’s Workshop’s Delvin mud. Just take the wash and paint it on to all the surfaces. Make sure you get it in every crack. You will want it to go on a little thicker than paint but you don’t want it to pool or drip. Once that’s done let it sit until it’s totally dry. This might take a while.

Now you may notice that flat areas on your model now have blotchy spots from the wash not drying evenly. Here’s how to take care of that. You can “Erase” small areas of the wash with a cotton swab and simple rubbing alcohol. The Alcohol will dissolve the wash and not touch the primer underneath. This will only work for some washes, like Games workshop. The other way is to dry brush back over the model with the right color.
Dry Brushing is a technique for painting only the higher areas of a model. To do it you take a fairly large brush and dip it in the chosen paint. Then you wipe off nearly all of it on a piece of paper of other absorbent disposable item. Once you do that you rub the brush all over the model. Careful not to break off small fragile parts!

To cover the blotchy areas simple start with a color close to the primer, Games Workshop catachan green is pretty good. Try not to brush over the decals too much!

After a good brush of that switch to a lighter color, like GW’s Camo green. Brush it on lighter. Finally finish it off with GW’s Dead Flesh.

Next step: Minor Detailing.

Here I add some simple details to the model. I paint the main “Wheels” and guns steel, the cables and view ports black, and the tail lights red. I then go over the metal parts with GWs Badab Black Wash.

Next: Weathering.

Excellent tutorial for beginners!

I´ve noticed DT has attracted many ppl who wasn´t into tabletop miniature gaming nad they are just getting into the painting gig...this would be very resourcefull for all of them.

One trick you can do to add detail to a model befor you paint the weathering and chips, is to go over the areas you feel would be most banged up, like the knee plates, and the feet and lower legs, as well as the rear hull edge, with a hobby knife and lightly score the edges, rounding them off and making them look less "factory fresh". add a few deeper gouges on corners and bolt ends. You can also do this with a cheap hobby file set, using flat, round, and tri-angle files, going across the edge if you dont like knife work!

then paint the chips and scratches on the places you scored and gouged for a 3D look to the weathering. ( for the realy adventurous, try using a heated soldering iron to press "bullet dents" into the armored spots like the turret side and knee plates, you have to clean them up with a knife befor you paint, but they look really cool).

Have fun blow'n stuff up!

That I'll touch on in a later project showing battle damage and the like. Right now its just basic how to.

Now for some mud/paint chips. An easy way to do that is to take a torn up bit of foam, dip it lightly into some dark brown paint, dab most of it off and then dab it onto the tank. Aim for the lower sections, the knees and feet especially. Most chipping/mud would not be up on the turret or main body.

After that take a small brush and some metal paint and lightly dab some onto the under side of the knees, not too much most open metal would rust and be brown.

A final bit of wear is the end of the cannon, simple dry brush it hard with black to make it look sooty.

Next: Basing

Lets finish this sucker up! Take some water based glue, like Elmer's, and brush it thickly all over the base. Try not to get any on the feet! then dip the base into sand. Sand is easy to get at most hardware places for about $5 USD for 50 pounds of sand. You will NEVER run out!

After the Sand and Glue has FULLY dried paint it over with a watered down paint the same color as the base.

I used Brown for a temperate look. paint it all white and you have simple snow! Once that has dried FULLY dry brush on a light colored paint to bring up the detail.

Finally I want to make my base here grassy. So I bought some material called Static Grass. you can find it in most hobby/gaming stores. I took some watered down glue and dabbed it on in random patterns and then sprinkled the "Grass" on. simply shake the extra off and you have a grassy base. Be careful it will stick to anything wet!

And there you have it, aside from drying time this can be done in under and hour and makes for a very nice table top model. you just need a few brushes and a few paints.

Next time I'll show you some infantry painting.

Excellent tutorial covering basic techniques and steps on how to turn a primed walker in a fully painted, tabletop ready one!

I usually do my washes after the drybrushing, but that's because I'm sneaky.

welldone. great, realistic chipping.

BRAVO! Great begginers tutorial! ( sorry about butting in with my 2 cents, got carried away with ideas.)

one question, do you touch up the white markings after you add the green? Or do you just avoid getting the green on the markings in the first place? Or is that part of the alcohol rub down!?

Do a Ludwig next! Please, please, please!

Mostly the white markings just don't get hit by the dry brushing as they are on flat areas. I did also "erase" some of the wash from the stars but that's all.

A Ludwig huh? That wouldn't be very different than a pounder other than colors. I might save that for later and show some fancier tricks on.

Wow! I've menaged to find a few days ago a core set on US auction and since then i've been browsing here and BGG's forum's for advice's to a novice painter. This simple, yet very good loking effect is just the thing for a guy like me who painted mostly walls and some vipers for BSG:D Is there any other thread where you can find other minis with your pinting advice?

Well done!

This is a very good tutorial for beginners.

I'm a total beginner, I wanted to start with the Pounder this is just what I needed. I really had no idea where to start. I'm buying some army painter war paints. They have a nice starter set that I'm going to augment with some additional buys, any opinions on those paints?

Inglo said:

If your FLGS has a large Flames of War section, they may sell the FoW paint sets. These are Vallejo paint in large and small sets that are army specific colors and a good easy way to get what you need in one purchase.

ItsUncertainWho said:

While I support the FOW idea its cheaper to buy the vallejo paints individually. Just use the info on the paint bxes or books for the exact colors you will need. I save quite a bit going that route.

mgentile7 said:

It depends on where you buy from.

The 6 color sets are around $20 at my FLGS, while 6 individual bottles are around $20. Online orders don't really save when you add in shipping costs.

Thanks for the great tutorial. I am a total beginner and I have started with the infantry so I can build up my skills before I tackle the walkers. I appreciate the step by step improvements and look forward to your infantry tutorial.

I agree with your changing the color of the bases as a first step. I am not sure if I want to base my units. While I am painting, the green base of the allies has bothered me as I do like the "natural" green color for part of the ally uniform but it is simply too much green base "staring" up at me.

If I don't base the units, I will probably at least color the base in (I washed the base a little yesterday on a squad and that improved it slightly, but it needs a clear difference).

It I do it will probably be a sand base similar to what you did. I have noticed that some people have different bases for different squads. I don't see myself getting that adventurous. Any recommendations on whether to keep a visual difference between Axis and Allies bases? How would it look if all the bases were about the same? I guess it must be better than all green/gray.

GorFrag said:

GorFrag, thanks for putting this together. I have started with my infantry before working my way up to my walkers. I think the squads are really coming together.

My biggest problem when looking at my squads is the green of the ally bases, they really distract from the rest of the model and make it all look "too green". I am not sure if I will "sand" base them, do you have any particular color preferences for ally bases and since I am asking for Axis bases as the grey can be a bit much since I want grey in the units.

I am looking forward to your infantry, "not so master class" class

ItsUncertainWho said:

Interesting. I dont buy paints online as the stores by me have all I need but the individual price has been lower overall. Now my savings is not great maybe $18 versus $20 but its still a savings. Are you in the New Jersey area?

mgentile7 said:

North Carolina.

One store near me only sells the FoW boxes, one on the other side fo town sells individual bottles of Vallejo. The boxes might be $1 more, but driving costs take that out of considertion.