Brand new to minature painting: Advice please

[Terman8er]

Hey all, I have recently been pulled into Dark Age and painted my very first miniature yesterday...meh, not too bad.

But I am looking to get my own stuff. So I have a couple questions:

1. Do I have to use miniature-specific acrylic paints? I am painting both metal and plastics. For example would these work? http://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-BASI...401746873&sr=8-8&keywords=miniature+paint+set
2. I have heard of people using a piece of marble (or other stone) as a pallet. Would any piece work or is there a specific type I should be looking for?
3. Brushes, is there a good pack of them I can purchase?
4. Wearable magnifying glasses or the articulated round lighted magnifying glass you can attach to the table?
5. Wat other basic items (I am purchasing the Army Painter starter set) should I get?

Thanks to anyone and everyone that can assist.

 

[BloodFather of Kharnath]

Welcome to the hobby and I hope you continue to ask questions as they come. While I have heard if people using Liquitex acrylics, especially their metallics and additives, I would get something else. As a beginner you are going to see all sorts of paint jobs that you'd like to copy, and people are going to likely give you their recipe in a GW or Vallejo version. Plus those liquitex dry to a satin finish. You want a matt finish. If you get even remotely involved in this hobby, you will quickly wish you went a little more main stream with your paints.

Brushes- if you want the best order a Winsor and Newton Series 7 size 1 or 2 watercolor brush off amazon. I use a brush of similar quality but it's much cheaper. I use a Reaper Kolinsky Sable. It does the trick for me but won't last as long as a W&N. Also Raphael 8404 is a good brand. However, these are more often for expert painters that are going for display quality minis. If this isn't your intent, and you think it never will be, then go to a michaels or a craft store and pick up some I think white sable brushes. I can't quite remember, but there is an article here that describes brushes for beginners. Read this.

I wouldn't worry about a magnifying glass at this point. Unless your vision is failing, in which case get some rx glasses.

Build a wet pallet. It is so simple and will save you so much time and money. PM me if you need details.

Id buy some decent files. And some 400-600 grit sandpaper for those hard to reach areas. Get some automotive primer,Kraylon is the brand. Get a white and a black, they are cheap. Get some greenstuff or milliput or some kind if putty for gap filling. Get some basing supplies. There's always a lot to get that may or may not be essential to your purposes. Like blue tac, cork, etc. just buy a little here and a little there and before you know it your wife Is throwing everything out in a rage!!!!

 

[Webmonkey]

Basics,... primer, paint, glue, and brushes

Add-ons,.. green stuff, sand paper, files, xacto knife, basing flock

More advanced,.. inks, washes, sculpting/shaping tools, wet pallet, airbrush/compressor

There are of course more items, and collecting it all can take a bit of time and money. You likely can't afford it all up front,.. but be patient,.. it'll all come with time.

 

[Amazon warrior]

...people use marble as a palette? Really? I'm pretty sure that's a bad idea, marble can be porous and could absorb pigments. I would suggest getting a porcelain palette though, along with making some wet palettes. Porcelain doesn't absorb colours and cleans brilliantly well.

 

[Ritual]

xacto knife

This! Probably the tool you'll use more than anything else (except for the brushes, of course).

Also a good pair of cutters. Preferrably side cutters, so that one side of the cut gets a flat cut.

 

[Dreamworker]

Beside my wet palet i use a porcelain tile (the ones you put up at a wall) as a palet for mixing. You can buy the tiles for a few dollars.