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First Dice Down

Painting

Painting your first model

By the end of this page you'll be able to paint a model that looks good on the table, the classic way or the quick way.

Universal 2 min read · 1 hour or more for a first model No experience needed

The goal for a first model is tabletop standard: it looks good at arm's length, on the table, as part of an army. Nobody looks at a model in a game from two inches away. Aim for that, and painting gets a lot less scary.

My first painted model was a Reclusian, and it took me well over an hour. That's normal for a first model; you get quicker with practice.

The finished Reclusian: bright orange armour, a blue cloak and a big axe, on a white base.
My first painted Reclusian.

Two routes

The classic route

  1. 01

    Step 1

    Base coat

    Paint each area its main colour: armour, cloth, skin, weapons. Two thin coats look better than one thick one.

  2. 02

    Step 2

    Wash

    A wash is a thin, dark paint that runs into the recesses. Brush it over an area and it adds shadow and definition in one go.

  3. 03

    Step 3

    Drybrush or a simple highlight

    Drybrushing picks out raised detail: wipe almost all the paint off a brush, then flick it lightly across the model. Or paint a lighter shade along a few edges by hand. Either brings the model to life.

The quick route: one-coat paints

Speedpaint-style paints do the base coat and the shading in one go: they're thin, they pool in the recesses and stay light on the raised parts. They work best over a light primer, like the White Scar I use (see Priming your models).

The Speedpaint Marker set I bought has been a game changer for me, but it isn't essential: the classic route works just as well, with paints you may already have.

Habits that help

  • Thin your paints. A little water on the palette, so the paint flows instead of clogging the detail.
  • Don't overload the brush. Paint only on the front half of the bristles, never up to the metal part.
  • Rinse often, and dab the brush on a paper towel before the next colour.
  • Look after your brushes. Rinse them well, reshape the point, and never leave them standing in the water pot.
  • Test new colours first, on spare sprue. "Zealot Yellow" turned out to be very orange on my Stormcast, which is how they ended up orange (see Common building and painting mistakes).

Varnish (optional)

A coat of varnish protects the paint on models that get handled a lot. It's entirely optional for a first model.

The whole story of my first painted Reclusian, primer and orange armour included, is in my Journey post Glue, Gaps and Orange Armour.

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