If you could teach a beginner painter one thing...

[The Laughing God]

Thin you paints and don't rush. Taking your time on a model will make you happier when you finish it and look at it.

[LordofWar1986]

When all else fails, just dip it in a pot of black paint

[Lord Humongous]

Its very hard to have TO MUCH contrast between highlights and shadows. If it looks fake, its about right. If there's even a hint of a smooth transition, it's good enough.

[AmBlam]

I disagree with thinning the paints being the number 1 tip. Mine would be something I read in a citadel painting guide I think I got free in a WD many moons ago.

Paint the right colours in the right place neatly and your models will look great!

Timeless. They were not the actual words used however

[Lord0rcus]

I'll give a tip that most newcomers find hard: fine detail. For small detail like eyes and what not, one important tip is to make sure you do not have too much paint on your brush. Its very easy for an extra blob to run and ruin a carefully worked item/area. When I am working on fine detail, I do a few strokes on my easel to ensure I have the right amount.

[Cypher, the Emperor]

I have two really:

Always use white undercoat, and get good at painting skin, because a sub-par model will look a 1000% better with good skin.

[snurl]

Never ever paint straight from the pot.

[tortoise]

It ain't over til its over. A model or section of a model will look finished when it is finished.

The most common mistake amongst starting painters is to desire immediate and very visible results, yet even the most carefully painted of models won't look right until everything is done and the model is based.

So I've seen people who won't thin their paints because when they try it the first pass looks awful, far worse than using thick paint, so they go back to using paint straight from the pot again.

I've been with people trying to learn to paint layered highlights and when they paint the first layer and hold the model back a couple of foot they say "I can't see any difference". My reply was of course that if you could see a proper difference at this stage you'd be doing it wrong.

And we've all seen the hundreds of half painted squads and armies on Ebay, abandoned because the painter wasn't happy with their models at the halfway stage.

Having the confidence to know that what you're doing will contribute to the final result comes with experience of course. All models, no matter the skill level involved in the painting, go through a stage where they just look like a horrible mess.

So my advice for new painters is always persevere and never leave a model half painted- you only improve by seeing them through to the end and being able to see what you want to improve upon or do differently based on the final result.

And of all else fails, cover the damn thing in Devlan Mud.

I also agree with Amblam- putting base colours down neatly over the whole model before you start trying to do highlights and shading gives you an already reasonably attractive model. From there your highlights and shading will be improving a good job.

Also, have the patience to get good with a technique before trying others. I know some people for example who give up on layering because they don't get the smooth transitions they want so instead they try wet blending or some other advanced technique. Yet with more practice they will succeed in layering and in any event, untill you can layer semi-successfully wet blending will not be easy for you.

Finally, understand that you can be a good painter if you work at it with patience. One of the high ranking Sensei in my Karate club was speaking of progress through the techniques of karate and one student was complaining that they simply will never be able to attain what is called explosive speed. The sensei replied "not everyone can climb fast, but everyone can climb high"- in other words, no matter what you think you can or can't achieve, patience and practice will always get you there. So take your time painting, take your time learning to paint, and it will be a rewarding and enjoyable pastime for you.

[isaac]

Washes, use them

[Azhrarn]

I have two really:

Always use white undercoat, and get good at painting skin, because a sub-par model will look a 1000% better with good skin.

I'd have to disagree, white undercoats tend to bleach out a fair bit of the more transparent colours unless you slap a foundation under it first.
Personally I would go with always use a light grey primer, it's colour neutral, so regardless of what you stick on it, it will look the way it should. I agree with the skin painting though, well painted skin makes a big difference, even if it's only a small area compared to the rest of the mini.

As for my one painting tip: be patient with your minis.
At first any model will look aweful with still a majority of the primer showing. They'll come alive as you add more colour and there's less exposed primer.

[skeeve]

Stop painting. Spend a week reading up on color theory, color harmony and mixing. Learn how to create colors before applying them. Look at paintings - helps a lot to understand how to combine different colors, mix them and what color scheme and color mood are all about. Believe me, if people spend some time doing this the number of questions about "How to create a color scheme for....." would be cut in half.

Learn from your predecessors - they have made all possible mistakes already - you don't have to repeat them.

Then.... thin your paint

[vladsimpaler]

If you're not having fun with it, take a break, and then come back later.

Thinning your paints and whatnot is good, but if you're not having fun with painting then everything else goes down the drain.


So have fun with it!

[Jimbobjeff]

If in doubt add a badab black wash, this seems to improve 99% of my models anyway

[sukigod]

Having the confidence to know that what you're doing will contribute to the final result comes with experience of course. All models, no matter the skill level involved in the painting, go through a stage where they just look like a horrible mess.

QFT! This is a good one to remember (I know, it attacks me on just about every model I do). It can be tough to remember but it's ALWAYS worth it in the end.

[Eviscerae]

Here's one that I find useful given certain circumstances and especially when doing batch painting (whole squads/units, etc.).

Keep a small notepad or some post-it notes and pencil handy. You'll notice small things you'll want to correct later. Jot them down.

Especially when you're doing a whole unit of models, it can be hard to remember "didn't I see something I wanted to correct on one of these guys?... What was it? Which one was it?"

When you find something you want to correct, but want to finish the step you're currently doing on the whole unit, Just make a note "Model #3 needs touch-up on right thigh", and continue on. Then, you can look at the notes after you complete the step for the whole unit, go back and fix your little flubs and continue on.

Organization, IMHO, is the key to doing anything well. When it comes to painting, it's especially true.

[Llew]

When you go to put a clearcoat on your models, always, always, ALWAYS read the can and be sure you picked up a clearcoat and not a can of primer that looks similar.

[N810]

When you go to put a clearcoat on your models, always, always, ALWAYS read the can and be sure you picked up a clearcoat and not a can of primer that looks similar.

OMG
LMBO

[susu.exp]

- Don´t be afraid. Try things out. Paint 5 test models if that´s what it takes to get you to a color scheme you like (and if the expense scares you: learn to strip)

- A little color theory goes a long way. A little art theory goes further (and don´t be afraid to chuck anything out again that doesn´t work for you).

- Art stores are filled with things that can be used on miniatures. From artist inks to pastels, from various acrylic mediums to some interesting structure and modeling pastes. Don´t be afr...

- Always have a model that isn´t from the army you paint around. You may settle for a consistent standard on your Skaven Horde, but having a single model of some other range to push the boundaries of your painting will keep it fun.

- Keep reading articles on painting, either in WD or modeling magazines or on the web. Remember: This is art. There are no rules. And there are places where you can find them...

[Eviscerae]

...and if the expense scares you: learn to strip

Quoted for non-contextual hilarity!

[Captain Brown]

Have fun.

Seriously, why do it otherwise.

If you have fun you will keep doing it and the rest will all sort itself out after time.

Every Golden Daemon winner started with a badly painted model when they first put paint to model (thicken or thinned or from the pot).

My two cents,

CB