DrowPiratRobrts
2019-02-07, 12:20 PM
Edit: Pictures should work now for everyone. I hosted them on Flickr instead of Imgur now. I'll leave the external link just in case though.
Hey everyone, back when I started 5e I got a HeroForge mini created for The Drow Pirate Roberts. I was always afraid to paint it because I'm not artistic in almost any area, so it's still sitting on my table black as night without so much as a primer layer to cast some shadows. I changed my mind when I decided to order Larz Burnbalm, and I decided that I would just commit to painting it as soon as I got it. I have some old HeroScape minis, so I primed a couple of those just for a bit of practice to get to know how much paint to have on the brush and all that. Then I painted Larz just in time for our game tonight. This was my first experience with mini painting, and while it's not great I'm very pleased with it. So much like Shia Labeef would say, JUST DO IT!
Long story short, I want to encourage anyone like me who is scared to mess up to just start painting. I'd also like this to be a place for tips that others with more experience can share. I'll post some of my initial observations and advice below as well as pictures of Larz.
Use a wet palette! This is the biggest thing I can possibly think of. You can buy one online for like $10 or make your own using a Tupperware container, parchment paper (not wax paper), and some paper towels. Look up YouTube videos for all the benefits as well as how to make your own. In short this allows you to mix paints and keep them wet for weeks on end if you do it right. It's a lifesaver if you're pretty busy like me and you also don't want to have to remix your paints every time.
Don't make it too wet or too dry. From experience, there's balance here with wet palettes. Too dry and you're essentially just mixing on paper. Your paint will dry out like normal. Too wet and your paint becomes ultra thin and watery overnight. The colors all run together and you have to start from scratch. I still don't get a perfect palette every time, but when I have I've been able to keep paint for three weeks or more without mold or runny paints.
Buy simple colors and then mix any extras you need, at least for beginners. There are tons of miniature paints and they're fairly expensive for what you get. So don't feel like you need to spend $100 on paint just to do 2-3 minis with the colors you want. Here's a list of the paints I bought and used for Larz (and will use in the future on every mini): White, Black, Yellow, Red, Blue, and a dark wash. Brown, Flesh tone, Metallic Gold, and Metallic Iron/Silver are optional, but I also got those. Learning to mix colors is fun, and it helps you understand/explore color theory and what goes well together.
Paint in thin layers/thin your paint with water. This helps preserve detail on your mini. Don't use thick globs of paint, because it'll absolutely kill the details and make your mini look pretty rough. Take your time and to several layers for each color.
Paint outside the lines then go back and touch up. As a caveat, you do want to be careful not to make too much extra work for yourself. If you get black on an area that should be yellow you'll likely have to do an extra 2-3 coats to get the right color. Still, don't spend all your time trying to paint perfectly inside the lines when you know you're gonna come back and touch up later. This is especially true for your base coats.
Pay attention to how you mix your colors. This will allow you to mix the same color with those ratios of paint in the future. For example if your wet palette drys out or gets too runny, you can just use the same mix of colors to get an almost identical color.
Have fun! I've found that this is just really relaxing and fun, so enjoy it and don't stress over doing everything perfectly. I'm a perfectionist by nature so I know a thing or two about that. Throw on some music, a podcast, or a show that you don't have to watch too closely. Chill out, order some food, and take your D&D to the next level.
I'll end up doing a tiny bit more touch up in the end, but he's pretty much done!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4878/40054586123_555877738a_b.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7877/40054586103_809293025c_z.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7875/46967334212_71092a2d4b_b.jpg
External Link if Images Aren't Showing for You (https://imgur.com/a/ejLixz9)
Hey everyone, back when I started 5e I got a HeroForge mini created for The Drow Pirate Roberts. I was always afraid to paint it because I'm not artistic in almost any area, so it's still sitting on my table black as night without so much as a primer layer to cast some shadows. I changed my mind when I decided to order Larz Burnbalm, and I decided that I would just commit to painting it as soon as I got it. I have some old HeroScape minis, so I primed a couple of those just for a bit of practice to get to know how much paint to have on the brush and all that. Then I painted Larz just in time for our game tonight. This was my first experience with mini painting, and while it's not great I'm very pleased with it. So much like Shia Labeef would say, JUST DO IT!
Long story short, I want to encourage anyone like me who is scared to mess up to just start painting. I'd also like this to be a place for tips that others with more experience can share. I'll post some of my initial observations and advice below as well as pictures of Larz.
Use a wet palette! This is the biggest thing I can possibly think of. You can buy one online for like $10 or make your own using a Tupperware container, parchment paper (not wax paper), and some paper towels. Look up YouTube videos for all the benefits as well as how to make your own. In short this allows you to mix paints and keep them wet for weeks on end if you do it right. It's a lifesaver if you're pretty busy like me and you also don't want to have to remix your paints every time.
Don't make it too wet or too dry. From experience, there's balance here with wet palettes. Too dry and you're essentially just mixing on paper. Your paint will dry out like normal. Too wet and your paint becomes ultra thin and watery overnight. The colors all run together and you have to start from scratch. I still don't get a perfect palette every time, but when I have I've been able to keep paint for three weeks or more without mold or runny paints.
Buy simple colors and then mix any extras you need, at least for beginners. There are tons of miniature paints and they're fairly expensive for what you get. So don't feel like you need to spend $100 on paint just to do 2-3 minis with the colors you want. Here's a list of the paints I bought and used for Larz (and will use in the future on every mini): White, Black, Yellow, Red, Blue, and a dark wash. Brown, Flesh tone, Metallic Gold, and Metallic Iron/Silver are optional, but I also got those. Learning to mix colors is fun, and it helps you understand/explore color theory and what goes well together.
Paint in thin layers/thin your paint with water. This helps preserve detail on your mini. Don't use thick globs of paint, because it'll absolutely kill the details and make your mini look pretty rough. Take your time and to several layers for each color.
Paint outside the lines then go back and touch up. As a caveat, you do want to be careful not to make too much extra work for yourself. If you get black on an area that should be yellow you'll likely have to do an extra 2-3 coats to get the right color. Still, don't spend all your time trying to paint perfectly inside the lines when you know you're gonna come back and touch up later. This is especially true for your base coats.
Pay attention to how you mix your colors. This will allow you to mix the same color with those ratios of paint in the future. For example if your wet palette drys out or gets too runny, you can just use the same mix of colors to get an almost identical color.
Have fun! I've found that this is just really relaxing and fun, so enjoy it and don't stress over doing everything perfectly. I'm a perfectionist by nature so I know a thing or two about that. Throw on some music, a podcast, or a show that you don't have to watch too closely. Chill out, order some food, and take your D&D to the next level.
I'll end up doing a tiny bit more touch up in the end, but he's pretty much done!
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4878/40054586123_555877738a_b.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7877/40054586103_809293025c_z.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7875/46967334212_71092a2d4b_b.jpg
External Link if Images Aren't Showing for You (https://imgur.com/a/ejLixz9)