Grand Noobness enters the mini arena.

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Apom

New member
I recently moved from NYC to Florida and the new atmosphere and larger apartment size:D, I decided to take up painting minis as a hobby.

My only painting experience comes from airbrushing scale models some years ago which I had to give up after moving out of my parents\' home and moving into a 1 bedroom apartment.

I am basically coming into this hobby as a newbie and I hope to practice practice practice...

I actually got into this hobby about a week ago and haven\'t actually painted 1 mini yet.

I am setting up my little work station atm, buying tools, paints, etc. I\'m also bookmarking tons of websites on techniques, forums etc, to get as much info as possible.

I\'m hoping someone might give me advice on good brushes I will need as I begin my venture into sniff---- err painting minis. I\'d like to buy good brushes and not cheapos and from reading the forums people swear by Windsor & Newton?

What sizes will I need for techniques, overall, etc..

I\'ve also bought a few GW paints because most sites offer tips using mixes from these paints..but I realized its a pain getting the paint out of those bottles..

So i checked up and found Western-Plastics selling dropper bottles... Should I buy squirt tops or dropper tops?

I\'ve already purchased my first mini I want to pait (Ork Nob with heavy armor) and will be putting on the first primer coat this coming weekend!

Just need to get some brushes and a few more paints and Im off on this hobby..

Sorry for the long post..but this being my first post ever... you are allowed to forgive me.
 
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EricJ

Active member
hey! welcome to cmon and welcome to the hobby. I hope you find you enjoy both, it really can be satifying (it can be agrivating too, but we try not to talk about that ;) )

But you should be fine with Windsor and Newton brushes, that\'s what I use. I only use size 1 for everything I do from basecoats to eyes, but I think some people also like 0, so if you got these 2 sizes you should be fine. Any smaller and they have trouble holding enough paint, any larger and they\'re bigger than your minis :)

GW paint should be great, I learned on the stuff and still use it, and it\'s quality stuff. You might later find you like the qualities of some other brand, but GW should be fine. Now I\'m one that likes to paint out of lids, so the bottles they come in are fine for me. But really if you\'re changing to other bottles, anything really should work, and seem a lot of people like to use droppers, but again, i don\'t have experience at either, so someone else might know.

And finally, post your works, even if you\'re a beginner you should be able to get tons of tips here, there are some amazingly helpful people :)

Again, welcome, hope you enjoy your stay!

PS: you might find good use for your airbrushing skills too, lots of uses on larger pieces like tanks :)
 
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Ritual

New member
Start out with getting a size 0 and a size 1 brush. Those are the sizes I use most commonly. If you find you need a smaller one (or a bigger) you can always add those later on. I use really small brushes for some things, but the larger ones can do most things really.

I like dropper bottles so I don\'t think that\'s a bad idea at all. Some people like the dropper bottles and some don\'t, but it\'s definitely worth trying. I found that I mix paint a lot more after getting paints in dropper bottles and very seldom use paints straight out of the bottle anymore. The down side to it is that I may not remember how I did certain things if I want to do something similar.

Also, make sure you get some good quality tools as well. A good, sharp modelling knife, a set of needle files (preferably diamond files), fine-grit wet and dry sandpaper, modelling putty, a couple of sculpting tools (I can recommend a colour shaper), a pin vice for pinning multipart minis (you\'ll need a drill bit of 1 mm diameter but preferably smaller ones too), and probably more but these\'ll get you started. Preparing a mini is important so you\'ll need the tools to assemble it, clean it from flash, mould lines and surface irregularities, fill gaps and hide joints etc.

Enjoy your stay here! There\'s truly no better place to learn! :)

Cheers! :beer:
 
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Sage

New member
Heh well I am getting back into paining after a number of years away. Some tools I\'d recomend at least considering a pair of jewler glasses they are cheap enough on ebay. GW paints are ok but I\'ve seen some fantastic models done in paint that was bought from a hobby shop cheaply. I\'ve been a fan of having many sizes of brush I own everything from 20/0 to 2 though as it has been mentioned a 0 and 1 should cover alot of your needs. I\'ve been lucky with choosing minis that have no molding lines or almost none so files have not been as needed. Perhaps the most important tools are a good light source and a steady hand.
 
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Modderrhu

New member
Originally posted by Apom
I\'m hoping someone might give me advice on good brushes I will need as I begin my venture into sniff---- err painting minis. I\'d like to buy good brushes and not cheapos and from reading the forums people swear by Windsor & Newton?
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Oh goodie, another mini sniffer. When you start rubbing them on your cheeks, that will be your transcendence into mini-zen. Yes, many people swear by W&N Series 7 brushes, as do I. But be careful about getting them immediately, they are fine tools that can be more difficult to use than synthetic brushes. They require some extra care, and all that sort of thing. If you want to start painting with the best, and are willing to put that little extra effort into brush control, then a fine quality sable brush (W&N, Da Vinci, Rosemary & Co.) is a good buy.
Originally posted by ApomWhat sizes will I need for techniques, overall, etc..
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Like others, I also like to use size 0 and 1. However, you might find it easier to use a 00 and a 0 at first. Using a larger brush for the smallest details can be taxing on the confidence.
Originally posted by Apom
So i checked up and found Western-Plastics selling dropper bottles... Should I buy squirt tops or dropper tops?
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I went to a local packing shop, and bought a hundred little plastic dropper bottles, and moved all my GW paints into these bottles. Only GW paints are easily available here, but I do far prefer to use dropper bottles.
Originally posted by ApomSorry for the long post..but this being my first post ever... you are allowed to forgive me.
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Listen, matey... it\'s got sweet bugger-all with being \'allowed\' to do anything. In fact, most of the people here will do things only if they\'re not allowed to. It\'s all about what we want to do, and what we want to do, is usually puerile in the extreme. Man, what a n00b! :D
 
Dragonsreach

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
Welcome Apom.
Now say goodbye to your life and sanity.

I recently moved from NYC to Florida
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Whereabouts as there are quite a few painters in that state and you might be close to one or two.
 
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Apom

New member
I\'m living in Altamonte Springs, a few miles away from Orlando.

PS.. I dont miss NYC one bit. :twisted:
 
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Hinton

New member
Hi...welcome...et cetra....crazy people...blah, blah, blah...brush licking bad....so on and so forth.

(Seriously, welcome to the boards!)
 
freakinacage

freakinacage

Well-known member
welcome. if you are looking for help etc, i honestly think this is one of, if not the best site on the internet. paint loads of w.i.p.s, practice loads and you are sure to improve
 
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electrolito 77

New member
Hi and Welcome to CMoN! Well to echo Freak, post all your work here with some not perfect but decent pictures and have people comment and advice you, it will be your best bet. Another thing is take a really good look at the articles section of this website which is a bundle of knowledge and ranges from very basic stuff to really advanced tips allowing you to progress while you are here, also remember if you dont find it in the articles section... do a search in the forums and you will most definately find it there (several threads on the same too;) ).

In the future you might want to invest in a good camera too...
 
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rosac

New member
welcome to CMON, may your minis be better than my model in the bottom ten.:(
where can you buy winsor and newton brushes?(in N.yorks)
 
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Apom

New member
Pearl Paint Co. in NYC should carry them. NYC is loaded with art supply stores.... it\'s a painter\'s paradise to be exact.
 
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