Miniature Literature

Oogabooba

New member
I am looking for any info on how to paint mini\'s. Videos, books, magazines, web addresses. Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 

kmdl1066

New member

Wren

Member
In addition to Cool Mini and Painting Clinic articles, I found the guides at Ellsweb.com pretty useful when I started. There are also some nice hobby articles over at reapermini.com.

For books/video guides, my experiences so far...

I found the Andrea multi-media DVD to provide a good overview of mini prep and painting, with video footage. There\'s not as much detail by far as I would have liked, but it\'s a good starting point. I think it also comes on VCR tape.

I have but haven\'t as yet watched, one of the Painting Wizard\'s DVDs (which again, also come in video.) From what I\'ve heard (and seen in some articles in Undefeated Magazine), these are not what you want if you\'re looking to perfect flawless advanced painting techniques. His focus is speed and painting armies for play. But from a beginner\'s standpoint, he covers the basics.

Speaking of Undefeated Magazine, most of the issues have a painting article, though only one. The magazine is not currently being published, but I know we still have old issues at the game store where I work, so your local store might as well.

Harder to find in the US sometimes, but still in print and much more mini-focused, is Harbinger Magazine. The bulk of the mag is devoted to reviews, news and mini game scenarios, but there are always 1-4 articles on painting and terrain, and several gallery pages of nicely painted minis.

Book-wise, there\'s Darkson Design\'s Painting Guide. It includes articles from a number of miniature painting luminaries, and a wonderful gallery section. I haven\'t read all of this in detail yet, and to be honest, I\'ve found some of the articles kinda confusing, but some of them are literally translations, and I think that\'s part of it. Most of the articles are how-to\'s on specific minis rather than general overviews. That said, Jester\'s NMM article really helped me, and I don\'t regret buying this book at all.

The Warmachine Prime and Escalation rulebooks both contain nice chapters on painting, with lots of pictures. Likewise, there\'s an excellent chapter on painting in Reaper\'s Warlord book which covers all the basic techniques and a few advanced ones, and includes things like pictures of sample paint consistency for various techniques. The Reaper head staff painter is currently working on a book completely devoted to painting, but I don\'t think it\'s expected out until after the new year at least.

There are several books from the historical painting side of the hobby that I\'ve seen people highly recommend, but which I haven\'t yet gotten a hold of myself. These include Painting: Overhead Lighting vols 1 and 2, Black & White, and Painting Girls in Miniature. For diorama type stuff, I have and like Shepard Paine\'s How to Build Dioramas second ed, and Osprey\'s Terrain Modelling Masterclass. Games Workshop\'s how-to terrain book is pretty nice, too. You\'ll find all of these at Michegan Toy Soldier Company, but also at other hobby stores and I think most of them are even on Amazon.
 

Oogabooba

New member
Thank you very much for the info. Dr. Faust (Anthony) Has a great write-up on many things. The Wizard\'s dvd\'d are nice for beginniners, you are correct, but do have some nice pointers in them. I currently have a subscription to Harbringer and it is a great source. I also found that the CMON book from last year, I believe, has a nice write-up in it also. These are all great suggestions and I am greatful for them. What I am most interested in checking out are the books and articles in Wren\'s later part of the post ( the Darkson etc...)

Thank you again for the information. It is a great start. If anyone else has any suggestions, I would appreciate it.

I am sorry if there is a post somewhere on the forums and I was too lazy to look. ???
 

supervike

Super Moderator
Originally posted by Oogabooba

I am sorry if there is a post somewhere on the forums and I was too lazy to look. ???


I think you\'ll fit in just fine...lollol

I have those Painting Wizard thingys (on VCR Tapes). They aren\'t too bad, for a beginner, if you can get past the cringingly cheesey painter/host. If anybody would like those, let me know, maybe we can work out a small trade.

The Darkson Design book is not too bad either, although I was disappointed to find much of it just reads like a recipe book (take this much of this color, mix it with this much of that color). I was hoping for more tips and techniques, not just painting guides. But still worth the price.

Hate to say it (outloud at least) but many of the older GW painting guides are very good and cover a wide range of techniques and tips.

Oh, and welcome to the forums!!
 

Infidel Castro

New member
I\'ve got White Dwarf mags from say 90-something through to 180\'s or so, maybe later. I\'ve taken out most of the decent painting info. A nice collection. if you want everything, I\'ll flog them :D
 

vincegamer

Active member
Originally posted by supervike
Hate to say it (outloud at least) but many of the older GW painting guides are very good and cover a wide range of techniques and tips.
Have to agree. I have the Eavy Metal painting guide circa 1990 and it\'s actually quite a good introduction that I still reference occasionally.
 

supervike

Super Moderator
[size=-5]Christmas won\'t be Christmas without any presents, grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

It\'s so dreadful to be poor! sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

I don\'t think it\'s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all, added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

We\'ve got Father and Mother, and each other, said Beth contentedly from her corner.

The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly, We haven\'t got Father, and shall not have him for a long time. She didn\'t say perhaps never, but each silently added it, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.

Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone, You know the reason Mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can\'t do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don\'t And Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.

But I don\'t think the little we should spend would do any good. We\'ve each got a dollar, and the army wouldn\'t be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from Mother or you, but I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself. I\'ve wanted it so long, said Jo, who was a bookworm.

I planned to spend mine in new music, said Beth, with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth brush and kettle holder.

I shall get a nice box of Faber\'s drawing pencils. I really need them, said Amy decidedly.

Mother didn\'t say anything about our money, and she won\'t wish us to give up everything. Let\'s each buy what we want, and have a little fun. I\'m sure we work hard enough to earn it, cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner.

I know I do—teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I\'m longing to enjoy myself at home, began Meg, in the complaining tone again.

You don\'t have half such a hard time as I do, said Jo. How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who keeps you trotting, is never satisfied, and worries you till you you\'re ready to fly out the window or cry?

[/size]
 

finn17

New member
Oi Vikey!

What is it with you and fonts?

Is this another vice we know nothing about?

On MSN you use a huge bold font that slaps you round the face. Now I see you have opted for the microscopic. I haven\'t even read your post because my 46 year old eyes just can\'t cope.....:(
 

supervike

Super Moderator
sorry....that was my subtle attempt at humor (or humour as you\'d call it)...

You see the title of the thread is Miniature Literature, so I put in some miniature literature....That is an excerpt from \"LITTLE WOMEN\" in the smallest font available....

It made me laugh! (and really, isn\'t that what its all about?)lol
 

supervike

Super Moderator
Model Railroading magazines, which are relatively easy to find, often have articles that would be handy for folks in our line of the hobby....
 

Naukhel

Active member
Ebay almost always has Reaper\'s \'How to paint\' packages for sale.

I can\'t, personally, say if they\'re any good or not. I get all my tutorial information from the forums and articles here.
 

Sjakkie

New member
there\'s a pretty good blending tutorial video on this website: http://www.raginggaijin.com/pages/2/index.htm
It\'s about halfway down the page. Of course the other written tutorials on the page are also usefull.

A few years ago I also saw a video-tutorial on blending on a green window of some battletech or something robot-vehicle-thingy. Does anyone have any idea what I\'m referring to, and where it could be found these days. I kind of lost the ile. Thanks!
 
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