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From: [email protected] (Britt )
Newsgroups: rec.games.miniatures.misc,rec.games.frp.misc,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: Miniatures Painting Guide and FAQ
Followup-To: rec.games.miniatures.misc
Date: 21 Jan 1997 22:54:14 GMT
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Summary: A guide to the painting of miniature figures for historical and
        fantasy gaming.
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.games.miniatures.misc:9143 rec.games.frp.misc:130307 rec.answers:27442 news.answers:92692

Archive-name: games/miniatures/painting-faq
Rec-games-miniatures-archive-name: painting-faq
Last-modified: 10/22/1996
Author: [email protected] - with tips gathered from posts
       on rec.games.miniatures and from readers of that group
Comment: Available for FTP from rtfm.mit.edu in usenet/rec/games/miniatures
        or from kewlaid.highfiber.com /pub/rpg/miniatures
        or by email from [email protected] or [email protected].

                      Frequently Asked Items

This document is presented to help the inexperienced miniatures painter get
a grasp of the basics.  Most answers given were collected from months of
discussion on rec.games.miniatures and represent the experiences and tips
of a great many people.  The rest of the answers are Britt's, compiled from
hours and hours of experimentation and practice.  Many answers are not
absolute.  Painting is an art and in art there are few absolutes.

This FAQ is scheduled to be posted monthly, around the 20th of each month.
An informal format is being used because it's easier.

NOTICE:  This document is Copyright (c) 1995 by Brenda Klein.
        Use and copying of this information is permitted, so long
        as the following conditions are met:
          o  no fees or compensation are charged for use, copies
             or access to this information beyond the Internet
          o  this copyright notice is included intact


IMPORTANT CHANGE:  The email addresses of the FAQ maintainer are now:
            [email protected]  and  [email protected]

NEW STUFF:  Section 6: "How do I strip paint" has been updated with new
            information on plastic figures, and two new paint strippers.
            Section 9.A.b: "How do I paint hair" has new and better
            techniques for both blond and red hair.



                            Contents
                        ================
                   (* denotes changed entries)

  1. How do I get started painting?
    *  1.A. Are there books on painting available?
       1.B. What kind of paints should I use?
       1.C. What kind of brushes should I use?
           1.C.a. How should I clean my brushes?
       1.D. What other equipment do I need?
  2. Should I prime?  (Also, what should I do to the miniature before
     priming?)
       2.A. Black, white, or gray?
  3. What's the first step after priming?
  4. What are shading, washing, drybrushing, highlighting and glazing?
       4.A. How do I wash?
           4.A.a. Why do my washes dry badly?
       4.B. How do I drybrush?
       4.C. How do I highlight?
       4.D. What are inks, should I use them, and if so how?
       4.E. What colours should I use for detail work?
  5. What should I use for bases?
       5.A. What's the best stuff to cover bases with?
  6. How do I strip paint?
  7. What kind of miniatures should I start with?
       7.A. Metal or plastic?
           7.A.a. My miniature came in multiple parts, now what?
           7.A.b What is pinning and how is it done?
  8. What is kitbashing?
       8.A. How do I convert miniatures?
       8.B. What kind of glue should I use?
  9. How can I paint details?
       9.A. How do I paint faces?
           9.A.a. How do I paint eyes?
           9.A.b. How do I paint hair?
       9.B. How do I paint insignia?
       9.C. How do I paint armour?
       9.D. What other detailing can I do?
           9.D.a. Can I use anything besides paint and ink for details?
  10. What is an overcoat and should I use one?
  11. How do I keep paint from drying out?
  12. How do I use an airbrush for miniatures?
  13. How/where do I get miniatures?
       13.A. Is there a list of companies?



                          Questions and Answers
                      =============================

  1. How do I get started painting?

     Get some paint, brushes, miniatures, and a space to do your work.
     There is no `secret formula' involved, and despite all the advice
     and information you'll get from this FAQ and other sources, the
     best method of painting is the one that works for you.  If you
     prefer one type of paint to another, that's great.  Painting is
     a hobby, not an exact science.  Pick and choose, practice, relax,
     and enjoy yourself.  Take advice only if you feel right about it.
     Be patient with yourself.  Most painters have a box of the stuff
     they learned on, or have removed old paint and redone several of
     their miniatures.  Good painting's a skill.  Remember: PRACTICE.
     Try different materials and techniques.  Don't take anyone else's
     word for it unless you're sure - and the practice will do you good.


 *  1.A. Are there books on painting available?

         There are several, though probably not all publications will meet
         all painters' needs.  The best descriptions and information
         available at this time are listed below:
           Citadel produces a Painting Guide which is a $1 pamphlet.  It
           was also reprinted in the back of _Golden_Demon_Awards_, which
           covers the finalists and many entries in the 198? Golden Demon
           Awards , and also in _Fantasy_Miniatures_, which is likely a
           later printing of Awards.

           Citadel currently produces a book for its games called
           _'Eavy_Metal_.  The book retails around $20 US and has a lot of
           excellent information, if you remember that the only standards you
           need to adhere to are your own.  Some people love the way GW-
           painted miniatures look, others hate them.  It's all a matter of
           taste.

           The first edition of _BattleSystem_ (TSR, trademark, blah-blah)
           had a nice, though thin, intro to painting with pictures of a
           work in progress.  (Thanks, Coyt!)

        (David Lee McLellan is to be thanked for finding the next two titles.)
          _The_Armory_Painting_Guide_to_Military_Miniatures._  A 24-page
          pamphlet which costs $3.00 US.  They also do a painting guide
          to horses which costs $2.00 US.  Both are aimed at the wargaming
          audience.

          _Building_and_Painting_Scale_Figures_ by Sheperd Paine, available
          from Kalmbach Publishing.

        (Steve Gill kindly listed the following from his personal library.)
          _Making_Model_Soldiers_of_the_World_ by Jack Cassin-Scott
          pub: John Bartholomew and son Ltd 1973, 1977
          Quite a good little book, covers design, sculpting and casting of
          figures as well as sections on painting. Due to it's emphasis on
          54mm Napoleonic figures it has a very good section on horses.

          _The_Encyclopedia_of_Military_Modelling_ gen ed Vic Smeed, con ed
          Alec Gee   pub: Octopus Books 1981, Peerage Books 1985
          Large coffee table size book: has sections on all the major
          historical periods, the different types of figures available,
          equipment, vehicles, dioramas and displays. Sort of a collection
          of long articles from the Military Modelling magazine crowd.

          _Buildings_for_the_Military_Modeller_-_Design_&_Construction_ by
          Ian Weekley    pub: B.T.Batsford Ltd 1989
          Covers Ian Weekleys building techniques, more is spent on describing
          the subject than the techniques used, unfortunately, but very
          inspirational.

        (Gary Leitzell himself kindly provided the information about his
        book.)
          _Brush_Strokes_.  Has been advertised in Military History Magazine,
          had reviews in MWAN and The Courier and had an article published in
          issue 61 of Courier on painting.
          Mail orders to World Games Network, P.O. Box 15834, Pittsburgh, PA
          15244.  Include $12.95 per copy, which includes shipping and
          handling, in check or money order.

         There's also a magazine which might be of some interest to painters.
          Forge has some general interest painting and modelling information
          in each issue and is otherwise dedicated to Warzone.  It is $2.95
          per copy and has a subscription rate.  It's produced by Heartbreaker
          Hobbies.

         Also, Renaissance Ink publishes a monthly newsletter that covers
          painting techniques (12 issues $15.00). We also offer a pocket
          miniatures painting guide with shadeing and highlighting chart for
          paints and inks ($0.50).  To receive these publications mail:
                    Renaissance Ink
                    335 Torrance Ave
                    Vestal, NY 13850
          More information can also be obtained from Jay Worth, publisher of
          the newsletter, at [email protected].


    1.B. What kind of paint should I use?

         This question has sparked some vigorous discussion from two major
         camps: acrylics and enamels.  First, a description of what these
         terms mean:
         Oil- or solvent-based.  These tend to be a bit thicker
         than acrylics and require that you have thinner on hand for
         washing, thinning, and brush cleaning.  These paints are often
         referred to as enamels, but some acrylics can be enamels as well,
         so when in doubt, read the label.
         Acrylic paint is water-base and tends to be smoother, though if
         it gets dry it can become grainy.  All you need to thin or clean
         up with this stuff is tap water.  Discussion on the newsgroup
         rec.games.miniatures has uncovered that more posters prefer the
         acrylics to oils.  (This author uses acrylics.)  Again, a
         matter of taste.
         The basic colours from which just about anything can be mixed are
         white, black, brown (you can mix this yourself, but it's a pain),
         red, yellow, blue, and gray (same as above).  Metallics, various
         shades and hues, practically anything you can think of is available
         through one company or another.  Start with the basics and expand
         as you feel you need it.  Soon enough you'll have more paint than
         you ever imagined you'd need, and likely use every one.
         Most like-type (acrylic or oil) can be mixed regardless of
         brand, but be cautious at first as some brands are incompatible.
         Companies which manufacture miniature-formulated paints:
           Ral Partha  (acrylics and dragonscale metallic creams)
           Floquil/Polly S  (acrylics and oil-base)
           Armory  (acrylic)
           Pactra  (acrylic enamels)
           Model Master  (oil-base and acryylic)
           Humbrol  (oil-base)
           Dragon Colour (acrylic)
           Citadel  (acrylics and specially-formulated inks)
           Howard Hues  (acrylic)
           Tamiya (fine acrylics, almost transparent)
           Gunze Sangyo's Aqueous Hobby Colour (fine acrylics)
           Horizon (acrylics for vinyl models - good on primed surfaces)
           Accuflex  (acrylics - formulated for airbrushing, also makes a
                      good primer)
         There are other companies, of course, these are just the ones the
         author could think of right now.  Most paints are available at
         your local hobby or gaming shop, and places that specialize in
         miniature railroad equipment often have the best selection.
         Railroad paints are often oil-based, but primers and sealers
         of that type are usually quite good at preserving detail.
         Paints may be bought by the individual bottle (usually under $2
         US per) or in sets.  If you buy a set, be sure that you can _see_
         all the paints before purchase.  This way, you'll assure that you
         get what you're looking for and that the consistencies are good.
         SHAKE all paint before purchase, to make sure they mix up well.


    1.C. What kind of brushes should I use?

         Brushes come in a myriad of sizes and several different materials.
         Sizes range from 1" to 20/0 or more.  The more 0s the smaller the
         brush, generally, however companies vary in size so the only true
         scale is to look and compare.
         Materials are sable, fox, camel hair (which is actually squirrel
         tail, BTW), ox hair, and nylon.  Round and flat are also available.
         Red sable is the painters' choice, usually.  A large brush for
         primering and large areas, something between a 000 and 5/0 for
         smaller areas, and anything from a 10/0 to a 20/0 for fine detail.
         Drybrushing destroys good brushes so a couple camel hair for
         drybrushing is a good idea.
         Again, look at them before you buy.  Make sure the tips are smooth
         and end in a point and the sizes are right.  A good brush retails
         anywhere from $3 to $8, so it's a purchase to take time over.
         Brushes are available at hobby and game shops, often at crafts
         stores at a better price.

       1.C.a. How should I clean my brushes?
           It depends on your paint type, mostly.  For acrylics which are
           water-based, a good careful washing with warm water and dish
           detergent is fine.  Remember to re-form the tips into points
           before storage.  For oil-based paints, your best bet by far is
           to buy a bottle of thinner made by the same company as your paints.
           Not all paint is formulated the same and thinner is often
           product-specific.
           Also, Badger brand "Air-Opaque ready-to-use- cleaner" for
           airbrushes does a wonderful job of getting dried paint off of
           paintbrush bristles, either acrylic or oil-based.  It costs $4 for
           16oz. (Thanks to Bill Gilliland for that tip.)
           While we're at it, there are three `nevers' to brush-handling.
           Never let your brush rest in the water or thinner on its tip.
           That's the surest way possible to lose a fine point.
           Never scrub a good brush across either miniature or blotter.
           Never let paint dry on your brush.  This'll fray the bristles
           into an unusable mass.
           When cleaning a brush while painting, gently rotate it against
           the side of the solvent/water container until the bristles stop
           exuding paint.  A gentle wipe across the blotter before washing
           the paint out of the bristles both saves solvent/water from
           clouding prematurely and helps get rid of traces of paint you
           can't readily see.  A clear solvent/water container is desirable
           so you can monitor its cloudiness and how clean the brush is
           coming.


    1.D. What other equipment do I need?

         Not much.  Something to hold your water/solvent (two of them if
         you're working with metallics, one for the regular paint and one
         for the metallic - keeps flecks out of the other stuff, and change
         often to keep from muddying your colours), a palette of some sort
         (professional, ceramic tile, old plate, even the plastic bubble
         from a large miniature or two - Coyt suggests the plastic lid from a
         large margarine tub or the like covered with foil.  When done, strip
         the foil off and discard), and GOOD LIGHTING.  Against a window is
         ideal, if not a good overhead light or adjustable lamp is a must.
         Paper towels or napkins - some for blotting your brushes on and some
         extras for the inevitable spill or splatter.  Time - never enough of
         that so learn to paint bits at a time (also good so that one layer
         can dry before you put on another).  Ventilation, ventilation,
         VENTILATION!  All paints give off noxious fumes, whether you can
         smell them or not, and unless you like having headaches, you'll want
         lots of space, open windows, even a fan or two.
         The above are the _needed_ things.  Below are optional:
         A magnifying glass - useful for seeing fine detail.
          [A tip from Coyt D Watters which might be useful:
          "I started using a magifying visor (jewelers) which gives me 2x and
           flips up out of the way.  Gee what a difference!  Now I can easily
           detail those little things like dart feathers, buttons, and laces.
           My 0 brush looks about 5" around though.  They are a little
           expensive, but a good quality one can be purchased from Micro-Mark
           for under $20.  And, because it's on my head, I don't have to move
           around to get a good clear view, nor is a magnifying glass in the
           way of my brushes."]


         An X-acto blade can be helpful, tweezers can be invaluable if
         you'll be gluing, files and emery boards are used to remove sprue,
         mold lines, and anything else you don't want. Nail scissors get
         into places larger ones can't.
         As you get more practiced you'll start finding other things to use
         in your painting pursuits (such as toothpicks and small brushes),
         so you'll acquire your own personal array in time.



  2. Should I prime?  (Also, what should I do to the miniature before
     priming?)

     Yes.  Primer not only assures for good paint adhesion, but it also
     brings up detail more starkly than on an unprimered miniature.
     Now that that's settled, we go into another major area of controversy
     among painters: how?  The only thing painters seem to agree upon is
     that a spray primer is best, and the primers specifically formulated
     for miniatures are better at retaining detail.  Some folks use Krylon
     with very good results, but it takes a light and even spray to retain
     detail.
     Companies that put out good spray primers are Ral Partha, Armory,
     Floquil, Model Master, Testors, and Citadel.  Krylon is the best of
     the non-hobbyist primers, but other store brands are in the same
     league.  If you use sandable primer, be especially careful to use
     thin coats so as to not obscure detail.  (Many department stores
     and most home improvement centers carry spray primer at much lower
     cost than hoby and other specialty shops.)
     BEFORE APPLYING PRIMER you will need to clean up any bad lines on
     the miniature (use a small file, X-acto knife, or emery board),
     making sure you get rid of the bump under the base, if your miniature
     has a self-molded base (sandpaper is excellent for this), then
     WASH it in a little soap and water.  Various substances are used on
     miniatures to make them come free of the mold, as well as the fact
     that hand oils get on the miniature as it's handled, and these will
     interfere with paint adhesion unless cleaned off.  Now, use a little
     white glue (or rubber cement - thanks Ed Sharpe!) and glue the miniature
     to a base of cardboard, cork, wood strip, popsicle stick, ruler, plastic
     bottle cap...  Anything you can safely handle without touching the
     figure.  This assures that you can handle the miniature during the
     painting process without touching wet paint.  Even a freshly dry coat
     will rub off without the slightest provocation.
     Methods of applying primer are spraying and brushing on.  If you're
     using a brush-on primer, make certain it flows well without being
     too thin and use a semi-large brush to brush over your miniature from
     top to bottom.
     If you're spraying, set up a large box enclosed on three sides in
     which to place your miniatures for priming.  This will keep the paint
     from going everywhere and also tends to give a better coat.  Make
     _sure_ you have good ventilation, outdoors or in a window or set up
     a fan.  Spray paint is nasty.  On the subject of technique, the best
     advice I've seen came from Deep Six ([email protected]), as posted to
     rec.games.miniatures, and is edited and used here without permission:

         "First, be sure you shake the paint well. It says on the can you
         should shake it for a full minute, so I do it for two minutes.
         Shake during use, too.
         The second thing is spraying the figures with the `good' stream
         of spray. You do this by starting the spray before it hits the
         figs and stopping the spray after it hits the figs. The spray
         that comes out of the can when you first start spraying and when
         you stop spraying is incomplete -- it has too much or too little
         paint, and/or too much or too little carrier. What I do is put the
         figs out on newspaper and start spraying the newspaper to one side
         of the figs, when the spray has been coming out for a half-second
         or so, I pass the spray over the figs, and when the spray has
         passed over the figs, I stop. This assures that only properly
         mixed paint is falling on the figs. It takes longer and wastes
         some paint, but the finish is worth it to me.
         Next, keep the can as upright as possible, and keep the nozzle
         about 10 inches from the figs. Any closer and it's too hard to
         control the amount of paint on the figs. Any further and the paint
         starts to dry before it hits the figs.
         And finally, IMO you should never use a whole can of paint (on figs
         anyway). It seems like when the can is about 3/4 of the way empty,
         the paint is really crappy, uneven and it comes out of the can in
         spurts."
         And Coyt reminds us to always make sure you get the underside
         of the miniature as well, particularly if it's a figure in a cloak
         or the like.  Spray upward and at an angle and make passes from
         all sides to assure coverage.


    2.A. Black, white, or gray?

         A thousand answers exist for this one.  The best advice available
         seems to be use what you prefer.  White primer makes colours go
         on brighter and is best for anything on which you want that effect.
         Black primer gives good shadows and is commonly used to base
         modern military and skeleton figures.
         Gray is rather neutral allowing for brighter light colours and
         decent shading.
         The best tip so far is to experiement and see what you like.
         Also, and the author likes this effect, prime in black and then
         drybrush raised areas in white before painting.  This allows for
         the depth of the darker shade but gives the lighter base for the
         brighter colors.


  3. What's the first step after priming?

     Pick the colours you want for the major areas (skin, each piece of
     clothing and armour, hair, shield) and paint them on in layers.
     Think of dressing the miniature.  Start with eyes, move on to face
     and hands, then clothing, armour, hair, lastly weapons.  You aren't
     going for massive detail just now, you're only setting each area's
     base colour.  Make certain the paint goes on smoothly and remember
     to paint from top to bottom.
     Once you have this part done, it's time for detailing.  This is
     achieved by many different techniques such as drybrushing, washing,
     shading, and highlighting.


  4. What are shading, washing, drybrushing, highlighting and glazing?

     These are techniques to give a little realism to your miniatures.

     % Shading and highlighting give the illusion that there is light
     shining upon the figure.  Shading details the folds and shadows and
     highlighting picks out the brighter, better lit areas.  Washing,
     glazing, outlining and blending are all methods of shading.
     (See below.)

     % Drybrushing is a highlighting method, as is simply accentuating the
     high spots with a bit of paint a bit lighter than the base.
     (See section 4.B.)

     % Glazing is done with inks, as can be washing and outlining.
     (See section 4.D.)

     % Outlining is simply picking out the line between two seperate parts
     of the miniature (i.e. sleeve and arm) and painting or inking in a
     fine line of either black or a darkened shade of the base in order to
     bring out the division between the two sections.

     % Blending is rather difficult and takes much practice.  To blend one
     changes the tone of the paint as it crosses the surface of any
     non-detailed section, as Mecha armour or unscaled hide.  Darker shades
     are laid into any depressions and carefully thinned and blended into
     the surrounding areas using a damp brush.  (This is NOT a technique
     for beginners.  The author still has trouble getting her blending
     to look good, and finds nothing wrong with not shading miniatures
     at all.  Again, try it and see if you want to practice the technique
     or not.  Another personal-choice situation.)
     Some excellent advice from Coyt D Watters:  "If you're using
       acrylics, you can pick up several TONING MEDIUMs, which alter the
       brightness of the paint without the headache of black.  I've started
       using a drop of white, a drop of black, and a drop of toning and
       mixing all four with equal parts of the color I'm using, so I get
       light - color - toned color - dark
       My first attempt was on one of the mages in Partha's Forgotten Realms
       set, and the cloak looks better than anything I've done, and I haven't
       drybrushed or washed it yet."]
     And a tip from Christian Widmer ([email protected]):  "Use a
       slower on acrylic colours. This slows them from drying but they
       do still not cover if they didn't before.  Warning, oil colours tend
       to lose their colours and go brown-grey when I try this."
     Nick Fogelson ([email protected]) shares his methods, which
       are far better than anything the author could provide (used without
       permission):  "The way I always do blending is to put a smudge of the
       two end colors in a strip, separated about 1.5 inches.  I then use a
       slightly moist brush to mix them together into a spectrum.  The colors
       near the original smudge will be closer to that color, the colors in
       the middle should be fairly even mixes of the two.  You then have a
       nearly infinite palette of color to use.   You can do a nice blend
       with only 5 or so shades that looks really good unless you magnify
       it.  Alternatively: Say you want to go up red to yellow.  Paint the
       entire area yellow.  Put a block of watery red on the top.  Slowly
       draw a moist brush down the area, drawing the red pigment with it.  If
       you're patient, this method will bring the best results (but if you're
       not, you'll get a big mess)."
     Kenneth Creta~ ([email protected]) also has two good techniques:
       "This idea was suggested by Tom Harris and I added a little of my own
       touches.  Let's say you want to fade from green to black.  Just paint
       the whole darn thing green.  At the point where you want it to fade,
       wash with a black ink.  When dry, wash again but a little farther down
       and so on until the bottom is black.  The first ink is not a smooth
       transition so when the washes are done, go back and dry-brush green
       over the first ink line and this will smooth it out.  The washes may
       be diluted to the desired consistency."
       "Start by painting a band at the bottom in dark green.  While it's
       still wet, add some white and paint the slightly lighter green band
       above it.  Use a second brush and paint along the line between.  If the
       paint is still wet, they should blend together pretty good.  I use a
       slightly damp brush.  If you get enough bands, it's looks like a
       gradual color change.  The hardest part is the blending between the
       bands."
     Here's another banding method from Roxanne Reid-Bennett
       ([email protected]):  "I have a Water Elemental that was done
       in this style (Rafm).  The typical way of handling this is to "blend"
       two colors together (which I have a LOT of trouble with).  What I did
       was to paint the base (bottom 1/2") dark blue (RP Paladin) then used
       graduated shades of blue (about 5 different) up towards the top of the
       figure where I used a light blue (Sky) for the upper torso of the
       elemental.  After the bands were in place I went back and used mixed
       intermediates on the band overlap areas.  I kept this up until the
       graduated shading looked right. Some of the intermediates I watered
       down some so they wouldn't go on very thick.  I really wish I could
       "blend" like the books and FAQ say - by mixing the two wet paints in
       the middle - but so far haven't succeeded.
       "For finishing work I used a slightly darker blue for wash on the
       torso to bring out the muscles.  I used white on the tips of the water
       waves and washed in blue.  Just for final effect I washed the whole
       figure in Pearl White (RP).  Gives the figure a nice wet look - even
       with a flat seal cover.
       "So the hard way is to literally to paint stripes on the figure in
       shades close enough to each other that our (human) eyes can't see the
       distinct lines."
     And here's a rather advanced shading/blending/tinting method from
       John Colasante ([email protected]), used without permission:
       "Lets say you want to paint an orange tunic on a figure. Mix the
       base color and plop a pile on your pallete. Next to it, plop down
       a dark tint and a light tint. For orange, lets say dark brown and
       yellowish-white. It doesn't matter what kind of pigment you use,
       water base or oil base. Now, tint the base color with the dark
       tint and paint the entire tunic, or even drybrush the tunic if
       painting over a dark primer. When dry, paint the basecoat over the
       dark tint, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGES. Also, leave tinted
       dark shade in the folds. Next, tint light and highlight the center
       and highspots. Note: this is similar to drybrush except you are
       painting color here, not actually drybrushing, so you get a certain
       effect which it different than pure drybrush. In fact, it often looks
       nice when there is a clear demarcation between the tinted shades on
       certain surfaces, almost like color contours. Use more than three tint
       levels for certain effects.
       It sounds tedious but if you use the palette it's _very_ fast and the
       results often look much better than the purely drybrushed highlights,
       especially for larger, flat areas where drybrushing might miss."

    4.A. How do I wash?

         Washing comes before drybrushing.  Take a shade darker than your
         base color and dilute it until it's about the consistency of milk.
         Now, brush it across, gently.  It'll flow into folds and
         crevasses.  Makes cloth look real good. Remember, you can always
         add wash, so start light and work your way up.  Don't be afraid to
         wash, then darken and wash again, until you've reached the effect
         you like.  Wash yellows with yellow-orange or yellow-brown, flesh
         with light brown, white with bluish-white or gray.  Experiment,
         only you can set your style.


        4.A.a. Why do my washes dry badly?

               It seems that once in a while, even though the inks and
               washes have been mixed properly, they end up drying, not
               in the low spots like they should, but on the high contours.
               It has something to do with the density of the wash and
               the slickness of the surface; on matte surface the effect
               is more prominent than on glossy surfaces. It happens
               because a pool of wash in a recess starts to dry from the
               edges, then the rest of the paint in the wash adheres to
               the already dry paint, producing a ring of paint around the
               recess. There are four methods that can help solve the
               problem:
                  1) Add a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the wash.
                     It lowers the surface tension, and dries faster.  This
                     may be a drawback for some painters.  Some model
                     railroaders have been doing this for a while now.
                     (Thanks to Coyt D Watters for this tip.)
                  2) Add a little dishwashing detergent to the wash.  It
                     helps the wash stick better.  (Coyt again...)
                  3) Use small amounts of wash, allowing each to dry
                     before applying the next.  Blow gently on the wash
                     after applying, from the top, to keep the pools
                     in the recesses where they belong.  If the wash is
                     thin enough, it'll dry with a minimum of blowing.
                  4) Mix a new wash, thicker. It might work better, being
                     thick enough to keep from creeping, or maybe with
                     just little different density.


    4.B. How do I drybrush?

         First off, drybrushing is most effective when used with a colour
         a shade or two lighter than the base.  White drybrushed over
         black primer also makes for a very good painting base.  It also
         looks good as a stand-alone colour scheme on some figures.
         Take your desired colour and an old brush, as drybrushing wears
         brushes out and tears them up (the author has had good success in
         using cheap watercolour brushes for large drybrushing projects
         with acrylic paints, but for smaller areas a better-quality brush
         is still necessary).  Dip it into the paint until the tip is
         saturated, then blot on a paper towel until no paint can be seen
         on a dark brush, or a light one looks pretty clean.
         Take the brush and gently draw it along the raised parts you want
         highlighted.  A little paint will stay on the highest edges and
         give great depth.
         Many painters like to highlight in stages, lightening the shade a
         little with each level.  This can be either overkill and a pain or
         an excellent technique for brightening and preserving detail.
         Practice yourself and decide.


    4.C. How do I highlight?

         Drybrushing is the best method of highlighting any large area or
         area with repetetive detail, such as armour.  For faces, hands,
         buckles and the like, highlighting can be achieved by taking a
         slightly lighter shade of the base (mixed with white or a lighter
         tone) and going along the raised areas lightly.  A fine brushpoint
         is required, as is a steady hand.  For faces highlight the chin,
         nose, and cheeks.  For hands go along the backs and each finger.
         For other detail, pick the spots that should show up best and
         give them the lightest highlights.  It's common to highlight
         twice, each time getting lighter in tone and finer in line.
         A bit of blending is required to keep things looking natural, but
         this blending is easier than the large-surface technique.  Simply
         keep a damp brush handy and brush very lightly toward the darker
         areas.
         Again, this technique takes practice, but is worth the effort when
         the miniature is completed.


    4.D. What are inks, should I use them, and if so, how?

         Inks are just that, semi-transparent tones that can be used to add
         colour and shading to a miniature.  If you wish to go beyond the
         range of paints, you might wish to try working with them.
         Unless using for outlining, inks should always be thinned
         slightly for glazing and rather a lot for washing.  A milk-like
         consistency is best for washing (or even thinner, since you can
         always wash again if more is needed) and about 50-50 ink and water
         is best for glazing.
         If you do not get the specially formulated for miniatures inks
         (the only brand known to the author is Citadel, and they're very
         good), then the best information available comes from Wade
         Hutchison ([email protected]), as posted to rec.games.
         miniatures and is edited and used here without permission:
             "A tip about Inks.  If you go to the art supply store to buy
             your inks, be sure and get _pigmented_ inks, not transparent
             ones.  Pigmented inks, especially brown, work much better for
             a wash than the transparent ones.  Red and blue don't seem to
             matter as much.  For shading white, there is a really good ink
             color called "Payne's Grey" whick is a kind of blue-grey.  It
             does a much better job than black when washing white or very
             light tans and greys."
         Recommended also have been Windsor & Newton inks.
         Inks are best used as washes, for outlining, and as glazes.
         When washing with inks on a matt surface (or on any other,
         actually), a gentle blowing of air from the top to the bottom
         of the miniature helps keep the ink from drying back up into the
         raised areas.  The author usually blows lightly until the wash
         stops looking slick-wet.

         % Glazing is done with inks.  In this technique, a slightly darker
         tone than the base is thinned and then brushed over the entire
         surface and allowed to dry.  Glazing brings out a richness of
         colour not possible with paint alone.  Glazing should be done
         after highlighting and shading and tends to bring up detail of
         these well.


    4.E. What colours should I use for detail work?

         Here's a standard chart on what looks good together (remember,
         nothing is absolute.  Try new blends and develop your own
         preferences):

          Base colour       Highlight             Shade
          -----------       ---------             -----
          White             (none)                Gray or blue-gray
          Light gray        White                 Dark Gray
          Dark gray         Light gray            Black
          Red               Red-orange            Red brown
          Red brown         Orange-brown          Dark brown
          Dark brown        Light brown           Black
          Pink              Pink+white            Red
          Human flesh       Flesh+white or tan    Red brown
          Tan               Orange+yellow+white   Brown+orange
          Black             Black+green or blue   (none)
          Light blue        Light blue+white      Medium blue
          Medium blue       Medium blue+white     Dark Blue
          Dark blue         Medium blue           Dark blue+black
          Purple            Purple+white          Purple+dark blue or black
          Bright green      Green+yellow+white    Medium green or dark green
          Medium green      Green+yellow+white    Dark green
          Dark green        Medium green          Dark green+black
          Yellow            Yellow+white          Yellow+brown
          Orange            Orange+yellow         Orange+red-brown or red
          Gold              Gold+silver+yellow    Orange-brown
          Silver            (none)                Black+blue
          Brass or copper   base colour+gold      base colour+black

         NOTE: colour+colour means two or more colours mixed, colour-colour
         means either a commercial shade of that name or colours mixed.


  5. What should I use for bases?

     This depends entirely on what you're using the miniature for.  If
     it's a display model, then you can get fancy.  If it's for military
     gaming, you'll want a durable, realistic look.  If it's for fantasy
     play you'll want durability and likely not too much fuss.  Standard
     materials for bases are: the plastic slottabases many companies both
     supply with their products and sell seperately, pennies or flat
     washers, cardboard (not recommended - bends too easily), tiles, wood,
     sheet metal, matt board (available at art supply stores), and magnetic
     strips (often bonded to one of the above materials).  Filler and water
     putty have both been used with success, and someone also has claimed
     to make his own bases out of hot glue.
     The general rule, of course, is the more use the miniature gets, the
     stronger the base material should be.


   5.A.  What's the best stuff to cover bases with?

          Again, a matter of how natural-looking and/or durable you want
          the base to be.  For foilage, the hands-down favourite material
          is the model railroader's groundcovering.  Woodland Scenics has
          an excellent selection and it's inexpensive (particularly when
          you figure that the small bags of the stuff can do 100 miniature
          bases or more).  Bill Gilliland ([email protected]) uses
          something called GRASS (es, all caps) from Life-Like Scenery,
          which is ultra-fine sawdust which has been coloured.
          Verlinden is another recommended brand, available in Europe.  A
          product called Basetex, from Colour Party Paints, comes in various
          colours and is available in the UK.
          Other materials that can be used are sand, sifted clay cat litter
          (not the scoopable stuff), aquarium bottom material, or sawdust.

          First, paint the base a neutral-type or natural colour.  When it
          dries, take an old brush (or a cheap watercolour brush) and paint
          a 50/50 mix of white glue and water over the surface you want to
          cover.  Painting the glue on gives more precise coverage than
          simply squirting it on.  The base covering material may be applied
          either by having it in a tray about 1/4" deep and dipping the
          glue-covered bases into it or by shaking a spoonful over the wet
          glue.  Give it an hour or so to dry and shake the miniature over
          the container holding the rest of the base covering.  If needed,
          just dab the bare spots with a little more glue and reapply the
          covering.  Mix different colours or drybrush for an irregular
          look, if wanted.
          Apply details, like rocks and the like (also available from model
          railroad suppliers) by dipping into the glue and setting in place
          with tweezers.
        Here are some specific methods used by gamers:
        Bill Gilliland ([email protected]) contributes:
          "It is handy is to keep a dry brush handy while you're doing this,
          and if you get flock on wrong areas, flick it off with the second
          brush.  Old red-sable brushes will work for painting the glue on,
          but they're kind of soft and they can be hard to get the glue right
          where you want it.  I use nylon brushes, they're stiffer.  And
          painting the base before flocking is important.  I use  Citadel
          Goblin Green which is the same color as the WD photos, but I've used
          black before and that works fine as well."
        Joshua Buergel ([email protected]) adds:
          "As for the sand method, I've used it on a couple of titans I
          painted, as the bigger area you cover with this particular variety
          of flock, the sillier it starts to look.  I use aquarium sand from
          a pet store and do the above process, only dipping the miniature in
          sand.  After waiting a couple of hours or more for the glue to dry
          (if you don't, when you do the next process the sand starts coming
          off), I use a heavily watered down woodland green and paint all of
          the sand.  After again waiting a long time for this to dry
          completely, I dry brush sunburst yellow on top.  "Dry brushing"
          isn't entirely accurate, though, as I do not wipe the paint off the
          brush completely.  Rather, I take one swipe on a piece of paper to
          rid the brush of a little paint, and then use a dry brushing sort of
          motion.  This makes the top of the sand yellow but leaves the
          bottom bits clearly green."
        Then back to Bill:
          "I use this method on all my 28mm models and titan-bases.  The stuff
          was white sand (I forget if it was coral or dune sand) and 3$ got
          me about 4 kilograms.  I've also used sand from playgrounds, but
          this is more irregular than aquarium sand.  Again, flick off sand
          then let dry.
          "Painting 28 mm bases can be done any number of ways.  For fantasy
          I paint Goblin Green all over the sand and sides, then `damp brush'
          (as Josh described, pretty much) `bilious green' on the top of the
          sand.  This provides a neutral texture to accentuate the model
          yet not detract from it.
          "For 40K-types I do the same, but when I'm done I go over the side
          with black paint.  This is because I started painting for space
          hulk, and this looks better in the corridors, but on the table both
          black and green edges look fine.
          "Also, the best looking 28mm bases I've ever done were painted all
          black to begin with, then drybrushed dark green-mid green-yellow
          green-yellow, and the edges were kept black, but this took FOREVER
          to do.
          "You can also just paint the base black and have unpainted sand on
          the top (sandbox sand looks better than white sand -- it's speckled)
          I did this on all my Blood Bowl miniatures and it looks fine.
          "But whatever specific method you choose, try to do the same thing
          to all the models in an army, and at least the same thing to all
          the models in a unit.  A simple unit with neatly done bases often
          looks better than a well-painted unit with sloppy or completely
          unpainted bases."


  6. How do I strip paint?

     There are several substances which will work, outlined below.  Other
     than the top two (which are the author's personal default choices),
     they're in no particular order.
        a) Pine Sol for a 24-hour soak then brush off remaining paint with
           a soft toothbrush.  Works great on metal.  Brian Lojeck
           <[email protected]> ran extensive tests on Citadel plastic
           genestealers and Pine Sol for paint removal.  Here are his
           results:
           "I soaked the plastic genestealer in about 50-50 Pine Sol/water
           solution for 7-8 hours (a nights sleep).  The plastic didn't seem
           softer, the detail didn't seem any worse, and the paint came off
           pretty well (as it always does with Pine Sol. it was hard getting
           the paint out of the cracks (I soaked in acetone to do that)."
           Then he soaked some unpainted Citadel plastic figures in another
           50-50 Pine Sol/water solution:
           "The figure survived whole, without softening or loss of detail.
           The solution turned milky white about 30 minutes after the
           experiment started, but had cleared back to golden by morning."
           <Britt's note - that's the standard Pine Sol reaction in water,
           does same when I'm cleaning the toilet.>  Brian left the figures
           soaking another 48 hours and they didn't mar under the toothbrush
           bristles, but he was able to stick his fingernail into the plastic
           about 1/16".  It looks like the 50-50 mix is the key.  Certain
           other pine-oil cleaners of less strength than Pine Sol are on the
           market.  Anyone who tests these on plastic figures is encouraged
           to send the author your results for inclusion here.
        b) Chameleon model paint stipper from Custom Hobbyist, Inc. found in
           model railroad shops.  Sort of expensive, but _reusable_, water
           soluable, and really fast.
        c) Floquil/Polly S Dio-Sol.  Also purportedly dissolves glue.
           Won't harm your plastic as much as Pine Sol, but reportedly loses
           detail due to the amount of scrubbing necessary for the recesses.
        d) Brake fluid.  Won't melt your plastic, but might melt your hands...
           2-3 hour soak _maximum_, usually works faster.
        e) Dettol, the pharmaceutical cleaner.  Works much like Pine Sol, but
           I have no information on its potential to melt plastic.  Though it
           didn't melt the base on the test figure, bases probably aren't
           polystyrene.  It did remove glue, though.  (Thanks to Steve Gill
           for this bit.)
        f) "The Sainsbury's home brand pine disinfectant (UK).
           It actually gives pine oil as one of it's ingredients.  In testing
           it works very well and costs roughly 99p per 750ml bottle."  (More
           thanks to Steve Gill who found this product and tested it.)
        g) Acetone nail polish remover.  Smells, peels skin, melts plastic,
           takes paint off metal like a champ.
        h) Isopropyl alcohol, the stronger the better.  Lab grade, if you
           can get it.  This seems to be the safest product for use on plastic
           miniatures, and also the most universally available.   "It takes
           off acrylic paints in almost no time, but reportedly doesn't do as
           good a job in crevices as Pine Sol does.  As for oil-based
           paints...  "after several days of soaking, renewing renewing the
           solution, scrubbing... the figurine I tested has still a good
           portion of its paint on, mainly on the zones that I cannot access
           with a toothbrush." - Magali Mathieu
        i) Easy-Off oven cleaner.  And wear gloves.  It reportedly will not
           harm metal or plastic minis.  Remember to use GOOD ventilation.
           (Thanks to Richard Kurtin for this information.)
        j) "Bix Paint Stripper.  Buy the sprayable, rather than the jelly
           mix. It smells bad, is volatile, and will go after your skin if
           you forget your gloves.  It will remove enamel paint with minimal
           scrubbing, and does a pretty good job on acrylic. It _WILL_ eat
           plastic, so don't even think about putting your Genestealers (tm)
           in it. Also, you'll probably find yourself replacing your
           toothbrush more often." - Pete Siekierski
        k) "Methylene Chloride.  One of the components of Bix Paint Stripper,
           MC is rarely available in its purest form (I've no idea where my
           dad got his can, and neither does he!). It is extremely volatile.
           Do not light up near a can of methylene chloride! It will also do
           a number on your skin, making it wrinkled like you've been all day
           in the bath. Wear gloves! Also, be sure not to wear metal jewelry.
           Because of its high rate of evaporation, MC "chills" metal, and
           this can be very uncomfortable if you immerse a ring in it...
           On the plus side, pure methylene chloride is even more effective
           than Bix, which contains only a small amount. It burns right
           through any kind of paint that you'd care to put on a miniature,
           and will reduce plastic Genestealers (tm) to shapeless lumps (big
           deal, heavy flamers do that too!). It will "chill" lead or pewter
           miniatures, so they will feel cold to the touch, but in a room-
           temperature environment, this will wear off quickly. Like the Bix
           stripper, you'll find yourself replacing your toothbrushes more
           often." -  Pete Siekierski <[email protected]>
           (Archiver's note: Proper dental hygene suggest that you replace
           your toothbrushes every other month anyway...)
        l) Poxy Scum <[email protected]> in Australia also offers this
           info:  "I found that Rexona(tm) Sport pump spray, not the aerosole
           works quite well, almost immediately on acrylic Citadel paints.
           It is best used for spot cleaning as it works almost instantly to
           soften paint and is quite safe on plastic and metal.

     As you can see, there are a lot of products that will remove paint.  Most
     are caustic.  The author recommends a non-caustic product.  Pine oil
     cleaner will remove any type of paint (acrylic, oil-based, Rust-O-Leum,
     fingernail polish, etc.) from miniatures with no loss of detail, no
     caustic residue, and no hazardous fumes.  It's safe for metal miniatures
     and will not dissolve the glue holding parts together.  Pine-Sol is the
     best brand, as it's 19.9% pine oil, but any percentage over 5% pine oil
     will strip paint (it just requires a longer soak in the less-powerful
     cleaners).  It also works on paint that's been on for several years (the
     author successfully removed 10-year old Testors from a metal miniature
     with a 2-day Pine-Sol soak).
     For plastic miniatures, Pine Sol in a 50-50 solution with water, else
     isopropyl alcohol is your best bet.
     Dettol, a product from the UK, seems to work as the US Pine-Sol does
     in preliminary testing.  More information will be made available as
     testing continues.
     Simply place the miniature in a container which will allow full
     coverage, pour in enough pine oil cleaner to cover, and let it soak
     for 24 hours or more.  The longer the soak, the better the stripping
     (the author has soaked metal miniatures for over a week with no damage
     resulting).  If you're doing multiple miniatures, it's best to soak
     them seperately, if possible.  Once the paint starts to dissolve, it
     causes a sliminess that can get on the others.
     After the soaking, take an old toothbrush (dry) and scrub.  A soft
     bristled toothbrush is best, however using soft then stiff will get
     most everything without special work.  The finest details are kept,
     the paint comes off easily, and the smell doesn't try to knock you
     out.  If some paint remains stubborn, another soak will do the trick.
     (The tip of a toothpick is also good for crevasse-cleaning as are
     standard pipecleaners.)  Do wear gloves if you're skin-conscious.  The
     author doesn't and has never suffered for it, but others report peeling
     and irritated skin.
     NOTE:  Many people have complained about the pine-cleaner soak
     darkening the metal of the miniature.  The author just finished
     cleaning a lead miniature on which the acrylic paint had been for
     two years.  It soaked for 24 hours and was first scrubbed with a
     soft toothbrush then a stiff one until all the paint was removed.
     Then the soft brush was washed clean and hand soap (the bar of
     Ivory by the sink) was applied to the brush and the miniature was
     brushed down vigorously, as one would do teeth.  It took about 5
     minutes, but the lead shined up as good as the fresh-from-the-package
     figures it ended up beside on the shelf.  So the `dark metal'
     syndrome can be taken care of, if it's important to you and you
     care to spend the time.


  7. What kind of miniatures should I start with?

     25mm is easier to detail than 12mm or 6mm, some miniatures are less or
     more detailed than others.  Again, this is much a matter of personal
     preference and what you want the miniatures for.  Look over as much
     as you can before selecting starter miniatures, unless you have your
     heart set on something.  Just don't pick something so fussy or detailed
     that you'll get frustrated with your new hobby on your first project.
     Also, refrain from doing that `special' one until you've had a little
     practice.
     Some offerings of types in the 25-30mm range are:
        Citadel: tend to have large areas and broad features, and
         are recommended `beginner' pieces if you can't find something
         better.  Once you have the feel of painting, can be masterpieces.
        Heartbreaker: Everything good about Citadel plus some of the most
         excellent modelling ever done in this style of figure.  And costs
         less, too.
        Metal Magic: again, heavier features, thus good for the novice.
        Mithril: pre-primered and a little above 25mm, broad detail
        Ral Partha: tend to have sharp detail, good once you have the basics
          down.
        Grenadier: detail can be hard to follow, but that can be a plus.
        Soldiers & Swords: Good variety in both individual figures and
         quality.  Some are excellent, some aren't worth the purchase.
        Simtac: Good figures with fine features and nice detail.  A little
         difficult for the beginner.
        Various military miniatures: varies greatly, use your own judgement.


    7.A. Metal or plastic?

         Opinion varies.  Some favour plastic because it's cheaper, some
         prefer metal for better detail.  Choose according to your own
         budget and preferences.


        7.A.a. My miniature came in multiple parts, now what?

               Get the smallest file you can find, a pair of scissors, and
               some glue.  If it's a plastic miniature, you can use model
               cement or super glue, if it's metal use Zap-A-Gap, super
               glue, or any model formulated cryanoacrylate.  On plastic,
               first clip in as close as possible with scissors (nail scissors
               are excellent) then file.  On metal, carefully file the edges.
               The goal is to get the pieces to fit together as closely as
               possible.  Once they do, clean them with soap and water to
               remove all shavings, dry, and glue.  Hold for about twice as
               long as is recommended for the glue to set.  The innovative
               miniaturist can come up with a great many ways to clamp,
               fasten, or hold parts together until everything's dry.
                (Regretfully, the author has forgotten who posted this
                  tip [likely it was Tom Harris], but it's excellent:
                  "A little note, if you're working with super glue keep
                   a wet teabag handy.  If you spill super glue on your
                   hands wipe it on the teabag and the teabag will absorb
                   it - teabags are highly absorbant of chemicals. It works
                   great for me and I don't end up with shells on the ends
                   of my fingers of dried super glue.")
                 (This one comes from John F. Bailey <[email protected]>:
                   "If you do become adhered to yourself or pieces via
                    superglue (cyanoacrylate), most of them can be dissolved
                    with acetone.  May take a little soaking, but it works.
                    Unfortunately it also removes skin oils almost completely.
                    Follow it with isopropyl alcohol to neutralize the acetone
                    then lots of soap and water to neutralize the alcohol, and
                    then a good moisturizing lotion to replenish skin oils and
                    avoid those nasty dry skin diseases (eczema, etc.).  A bit
                    of a pain, and it eats most plastics, but a whole lot
                    better than surgery to remove that battle-axe.  A
                    preventive technique is to use "barrier creme", not a lot
                    of mechanics in this country use it even though it is very
                    common in the UK, but I have obtained it by asking for it
                    in pharmacies/drug stores.  You put it on like hand lotion
                    before you get into something.  It dries to a thin film
                    that protects your skin from most solvents, gas, oil,
                    etc., and washes off with soap and water.")
               Note:  If working with cryanoacrylate, have the acetone (nail
               polish remover is the most available form) on hand and nearby.
               When you aren't prepared, you'll end up stuck to something.
               Murphy loves modellers.

               Once the glue has dried, take an X-acto blade or razor blade
               and carefully clean off the excess glue, if any.  A file or
               emery board will also do the trick.
               You'll have to wash the miniature again before primering, to
               remove hand oils and glue remains.
               After you've gotten the basics of gluing your miniatures,
               the best stuff you can use is epoxy.  It's permanent, filable,
               and works exceptionally well on miniatures that will get a
               lot of handling.

        7.A.b. What is pinning and how is it done?

               Pinning is a method of securing multiple-piece miniatures
               by drilling small holes and inserting wire before gluing
               in order to reinforce the joint.  Required are a pin vise,
               suitable size drill bit, thin wire (copper wire, paper clip
               wire, anything like that) and either cryanoacrylate model
               glue or epoxy.  Complete instructions come courtesy of
               Bill Thacker ([email protected]): "Either adhesive, properly
               applied (that is, to _clean_ surfaces) will give you a joint
               strong enough to withstand normal handling.  Neither is
               guaranteed against serious abuse (poorly-packed figures
               rattling around the trunk of your car, or being carried `by
               the handful').  If you want a _very_ strong joint, get a very
               fine drill and some piano wire.  Using a shoulder joint as an
               example: drill a hole in the center of the joint, a quarter
               inch or so into the body of the figure. Insert the piano wire
               into the hole (you want a gauge of wire that fits well, but not
               so snugly that you have to force it in the hole) and, using
               side-cutting pliers, snip it off flush with the hole.  This
               will leave you with a chisel-point on the piano wire, just
               slightly protruding from the hole.
               "Now take the loose arm, align it to the figure the way you
               want it set up, and press firmly.  The chisel-tip on the piano
               wire will have left a nice gouge showing you where to drill
               the mating hole.  Remove the piano wire and discard it; drill
               the mating hole about a quarter inch into the arm (or as deep
               as the figure allows).  Cut another piece of piano wire, a half
               inch or more, and insert it into the figure; then attach the
               arm.  You may need to trim this down until the arm fits flush
               with the shoulder joint. Epoxy or superglue this in place and
               the joint will never fail.
               "This technique is rarely needed for something like an arm or
               hand, but for assembling large figures (dragon wings!) it's
               invaluable."


  8. What is kitbashing?

     Kitbashing is the colloquialism used by miniaturists to describe the
     process by which a miniature is converted from its original form to
     another permutation, such as taking a fantasy miniature and making
     it into a figure for superhero roleplaying, or changing gender.  Most
     properly, it refers to the instances when two or more figures are used
     for components in the final version.


    8.A. How do I convert miniatures?

         It's an acquired skill.  To convert a miniature requires a lot of
         imagination, steady hands, patience, and a few out-of-the-ordinary
         tools.  Costumes have to be obliterated, faces changed, weapons
         removed or added or changed.  In all honesty, the processes
         involved are more numerous than can be addressed in this FAQ.
         Therefore, only the most common modifications will be addressed.
         Tools:  To properly modify a miniature, you're going to need:
            files (round, triangular, square, flat), the smaller the better
            X-acto knife and several replacement blades
            glue, preferably Zap-A-Gap, possibly epoxy
            nail scissors or tiny wire cutters
            needle-nose pliers, the smaller the better
            sandpaper and/or emery boards
            a hacksaw, the finest you can get
            any new pieces you want to add (weapons, etc.)

         % The most common modification is to change one weapon for another.
         For purposes of explaination, a fantasy figure will be used, the
         change being from sword to battleaxe, assuming the sword had been
         molded as one with the hand.  First, clip or cut the sword off on
         either side of the hand, being very careful not to damage the hand.
         The new piece may be one cut from another miniature, or one
         acquired from a weapons pack.  If it is the latter, you will need
         to measure it against the hand and cut out part of the handle to
         compensate.  The next step is to make holes in either side of the
         hand where the handle enters in order to insert the new parts.
         An X-acto blade or file may be used. A pin drill would come in
         handy about now.
         Once the holes are made, a drop of glue is placed in each one, then
         the handles are carefully set in place.  The glue should show, as
         the extra is needed to keep the parts in place.  Hold until set,
         possibly reinforce with a little tape, a brace, or some sort of
         clamping arrangement, and let set.  After the glue is thorughly
         dry, a file or emery board can be used to clean up the excess,
         Avoid using a knife or razor blade, as you're likely to take off
         too much glue and the weapon will simply fall off again.

         % Another common modification is to make a miniature suitable for
         superhero use.  The easiest way to do this is to file and sand
         the clothing smooth with the rest of the body, then paint on the
         costume of your choice.

         A note on drilling, thanks to Andrew Reibman ([email protected])
           "A useful tip for figure converters and folks drilling out
            spears to replace them with wire. Before drilling (with
            either pin vice or dremel tool)
            dip the bit in Johnson's tube wax (what the pros in the
            machine shop use), dryed-out  Simonize car wax (my choice),
            or other wax. Even a bar of soap may work.
            "Since a buddy of mine who spent his career
            in  machine shop recommended this, I've cut bit breakage
            down by a huge fraction, and starting and drilling are both much
            easier. I use to break my .014 bits, used for starter
            wholes in tough 15mm jobs, about once every ten holes -
            well that's an exaggeration, but I did break a lot of bits...
            The wax lubricates the bit, and "keeps the flutes from
            filling/jamming", allowing the cutting end of the bit
            to do the job more effectively."
            Brian Oplinger ([email protected]) says that turpentine,
            mineral spirits, and paint thinner also make good bit lubricants.
            If things get hot, though...  And remember to ventilate.


    8.B. What kind of glue should I use?

         The common miniaturists glue is Zap-A-Gap, available at nearly all
         stores which sell paints.  It's thick, holds well on both metal
         and plastic, and fills gaps and cracks.  Also of this type are a
         line of cryanoacrylates which come in various-coloured bottles,
         each coded to its type, and a blank space for the local store's
         name or Wargames West (in the US, of course).  Super glue is often
         used to join pieces; it dries brittle and a good drop might snap the
         connection.  Its redeeming feature is speed of bonding.  Epoxy is
         excellent for permanent bonding and building up areas when
         modifying.  The bonds it makes don't break when jarred, and almost
         nothing will remove it once it has set (the author has never heard
         of set epoxy being removed, but refuses to use absolutes and be
         later proven wrong).  Epoxy also comes in different formulas for
         different materials.  Duco cement is a good all-purpose bonding
         agent.  White glue, such as Elmer's or Aleen's Tacky, is good for
         adhering paper and groundcovering to plastic and metal surfaces.
         White glue does fatigue, however, so if it is used, a sealing agent
         overall will help keep your pieces together.
         For building up areas and the like, nothing beats ribbon epoxy.
         For more information on cryanoacrylate see section 7.A.a. above.


  9. How can I paint details?

     Finest brush you can get, a steady hand, lots of patience, and good
     lighting.  Fine detailing includes (but is by no means restricted to)
     faces, eyes, jewelry, shield devices and banners, small clothing
     details, weapon decoration, insignia, and armour detail.  For many of
     these, some of the highlighting/washing/drybrushing tips above apply,
     for others a whole new range of techniques are necessary.


    9.A. How do I paint faces?

         Start with the eyes.  Then do the face in whatever shade you
         choose.  Now add a touch of white to the flesh tone to get a
         slightly lighter shade and go back over the nose and cheekbones.
         A light orange makes defined but natural-looking lips.  Remember,
         red lips are a product of makeup, not nature.
         Some painters prefer to put the eyes on last, but others say it's
         too hard to keep from making the effect pop-eyed when done last.
         Try whatever method you prefer.
         Moustaches are best if dry-brushed, paint beards a slightly redder
         or darker shade than the hair and dry brush with the same colour
         you use on the hair.  There's nothing wrong with a 5-o'clock
         shadow on an appropriate figure, either.  Dry-brush it on in a
         shade slightly darker than the hair.  Once you get comfortable
         with faces, experiment with scars or tattoos.  You might amaze
         yourself.

       9.A.a. How do I paint eyes?

              Depending on the size of the miniature, there are a couple of
              good methods.  On a 15mm or smaller miniature, don't try too
              hard for absolute detail until you've gotten a lot of practice
              in.  On 25mm and larger, though, eyes can be done rather easily
              (with practice, of course).
              Below are several methods:
                % Before painting the face, paint the eyes white.  When
                  that's dry, dot them black.  Then paint a slightly darker
                  shade than you're going to use for the rest of the face
                  around the eyes to define them (mix a touch of brown or tan
                  into the flesh tone for this).  Then paint the rest of the
                  face.
                % [This method is courtesy of Andrew Cameron Willshire
                  ([email protected]) ]:  "Another easy way is to
                  paint the white of the eye with a brush.  Let it dry.
                  Then, take a tech pen (architectural or engineering) and
                  draw the iris.  With another tech pen, dot in the pupil.
                  Note that this requires a few different pens since you'll
                  want a few different colours - say black, blue, brown and
                  maybe green.
                  "This is a really easy technique, and since the ink is
                  water based if you muck up you can just rinse it off (this
                  is assuming you use enamels for the rest of the figure,
                  like I do)."  [Author's note: even if you use acrylics, if
                  the white is already dry you can still blot the ink off
                  with a damp Q-tip or the tip of a damp, fine brush.]  "It
                  also works great on monsters, say orcs.  However, they tend
                  to look better with `reds' instead of `whites' in their
                  eyes, then having a white iris and black pupil - very nasty
                  looking!  Tech pens may be a little pricey to pick up, but
                  you can easily find sets with a few in them that are
                  reasonably cheap.  They also work magnificently for such
                  things as flag details, shield heraldry and so forth."
                % Steve Harvey ([email protected]) has some advice
                  regarding affordable tech pens: "Most tech pens are
                  obscenely expensive, but there are two brands of non-
                  refillable tech pens that I am aware of.  Sakura makes
                  an excellent series of tech pens called Pigma - these
                  come in a variety of colors, in sizes ranging from .005mm
                  to .8, and cost about $2 each.  I like these so much that
                  even though I have a set of Pentel professional tech pens,
                  I use these instead.  Schwan/Stabilo also makes a series
                  of pens called OHPen 96 (or at least that's what it says
                  on the barrel of mine...) which also come in numerous colors
                  and several sizes.  They are not as fine as a true tech pen,
                  but they will write on ANYTHING - glass, plastic, etc.
                  without the ink beading.  The one thing to watch out for is
                  that they come with either permanent or water-soluble ink;
                  the latter are popular as overhead transparency markers,
                  but for miniature work, the permanent is what you want."
                % [This method is given by Allan Wright ([email protected])
                  and has been edited]: "I paint eyes on 25mm (and 15mm
                  officers, standard bearers, etc) with a technique taught to
                  me by a friend.
                  1. Fill the eye socket with white.  I use an OOO brush, one
                  stroke horizontally across each socket.  Be sloppy, it's OK.
                  2. Paint the middle of the eye, Black, Dark brown or Dark
                  blue.  Paint a vertical stripe down the center of the eye -
                  taking up the middle third of the eye socket - don't worry
                  about going over the top/bottom edges. Again I use an OOO
                  brush. In both let the brush 'fan out'
                  3. Eyebrow - paint with hair color of your choice.  Paint
                  the eyebrow on the ridge above the eye socket in a slight
                  crescent shape, cover the white and black from 1 & 2.
                  4. Under eye: use tan or slightly darkened skin color (under
                  the eye is usually darker or shadowed).  Cover the white and
                  black from 1 & 2 with a slightly crescent stroke."  [The
                  author has adapted this method slightly and finds it most
                  effective thus far.  Suggest you try this at least once.]
                % Bill Gilliland <[email protected]> says:  "For humans,
                  I paint the entire eye socket black.  Then, on either side
                  of the center where the pupil is, I put a small white dot
                  to show the whites of the eyes.  On character models, I
                  paint the iris a solid circle (usually blue or green) with
                  a highlight in an upper corner, then put a smaller dot of
                  black in the center.  This method gives you outlining of
                  the eye for very little effort.
                  "For evil creatures (such as orcs) I paint the socket black,
                  then put a white oval inside, leaving an outline all around.
                  The white is then overpainted with red.  On characters the
                  corners of the eye are spotted with a translucent yellow to
                  accentuate the red pupil."
                % Derek Kingsley Schubert ([email protected]) explains his
                  method:  "Faces/eyes: Shade/highlight the face completely
                  first.  Paint dark brown or black in an area just slightly
                  larger than the eye itself.  Then paint white for the eye,
                  and finish with a dot of dark brown or black for the iris.
                  Colored irises don't look good unless surrounded by a dark
                  ring to set them off from the white; but this is darn
                  tricky, so new painters should paint only dark irises on
                  figures that should have humanlike "white-and-iris" eyes."

           9.A.b. How do I paint hair?

                  It's honestly not as hard as it looks, though you do
                  need to both wash and drybrush it.  Base in a good
                  neutral tone for the colour you want (a dark yellow
                  for blondes [tan, dun, khaki, yellow], dark red for
                  redheads, lighter for auburn, orange for strawberry
                  blondes, any shade of brown for brunettes, and black
                  or dark blue for black hair).  Then darken it or select
                  something a couple of shades darker and wash.  Let that
                  dry, then wash thicker and darker.  Let that dry and
                  drybrush with the original colour.  Then a lighter shade.
                  (For black hair, drybrush in dark blue and leave it at
                  that, drybrush in dark gray, white or light for salt-and-
                  pepper, or don't even bother to drybrush if you like
                  the colour it ends up after washing.)
                  Black hair can honestly be achieved with a dark, dark blue
                  base, two black washes (one light and one heavy), then
                  a very light dark blue drybrush.  A royal blue drybrush
                  achieves a nice punkish-look.
                  Blonde starts out best with a dark base then lightening
                  with drybrushes.  Wash chestnut or light brown.
                  Redheads are best if understated a little.  Don't use
                  red unless you want something impossible to nature.  Dark
                  red-browns are best (Polly S Demon Deep Red is great, too)
                  washed in brown and highlighted with first the original
                  shade, then something lighter in that line, then perhaps
                  a dark orange or yellow-brown brushed very, very lightly.

                  Here are some extremely good tips from Chris Pierson
                  <[email protected]> for specific hair colors:
                  "Golden blond: Polly S Canine Yellow-Brown, drybrush with
                  Polly S Griffin Hide (_don't_ use the "real" yellow as a
                  base coat. That oughta keep it from looking like Loni
                  Anderson. :) ) This one works well for elves.
                  Ash blond: Sort of a Norse-type blond, very pale. Polly S
                  Manticora Tan (a light tan), drybrush with Ral Partha Ivory.
                  I've got three redhead styles:
                  Auburn (dark redhead): Base coat Ral Partha Dark Brown or
                  Polly S Kobold Dark Red-Brown. Drybrush with Ral Partha
                  Red- Brown.
                  Redhead (standard): Base coat Partha Red-Brown. Drybrush
                  with Polly S Rust.
                  Strawberry Blond (light goldy red): Base coat Polly S
                  Rust. Drybrush with Polly S Manticora Tan.
                  For the Polly S impaired, Rust = reddish tan; Manticora
                  Tan = light sandy tan."  Griffin Hide = dusty yellow

    9.B. How do I paint insignia?

         Two good methods have been presented in rec.games.miniatures.  The
         first comes from Steven Loren Lane ([email protected]), and
         is used without permission:
         % "Well, on top of getting the smallest brushes available, you can
         always cut them down to an even smaller size.  I have several
         brushes that have only a few hairs on them.  These are very useful
         brushes.  I would also recommend for the very fine detail to set
         the object up so you can use both hands to hold the paint brush
         as still as possible."
         And was followed up by Steve Gill:
         % "Another useful tool is a 0.13 mm spirograph ink pen, a couple
         of splodges of colour in the right place and you can pretty it up
         with the pen. I used this technique for 6mm heraldry."
         Yet another use for tech pens.  They are also very good for shield
         devices and clothing patterning.


    9.C. How do I paint armour?

         For fantasy and historical, some suggest not priming the miniature,
         then washing or drybrushing (or both) the bare metal, but to others
         this looks sloppy and unfinished.  Besides, not much armour looks
         like lead, and lead certainly doesn't make good armour (nor do any
         of the alloys of which miniatures are cast).
         Paint the armour a base-metal colour, usually silver or one of the
         like tones, and let it dry.  Don't be afraid to use bronze, or gild
         it, though.  Then take a black wash (ink is excellent for this) and
         go over it carefully.  Let that dry, then take either your original
         colour or a lighter shade and drybrush.  Remember to use a seperate
         water/thinner for the brush you're working the metallics with, so
         as to not get flecks in the other colours.
       Steve Gill ([email protected]) shares his method of painting
         chainmail:
         a) If the links are sculpted clearly enough that you can see the
         leather underneath then base coat should be leather (whatever colour
         required by the figure). If not ignore this step only paint leather
         around the edges where it should show under the links.
         b) The links are painted in dark metal.
         c) Drybrush the links in lighter metal.
         d) Highlight drybrush in very light metal.
         In general I would choose gunmetal as the dark metal, steel as the
         lighter colour. Heroic figures could use steel with silver, but try
         to keep this rare.
         Darker chainmail is probably much more historically correct than the
         usual hollywood style silver armour.
       Dan Evans ([email protected]) has a method suitable for SF figures
         as well as fantasy:  "I've come up with a way to get interesting
         results with metallic colors.  (Maybe someone else has done this
         before...)  Basically, the trick is just two steps:
         1) paint your figure (or part of it) silver.
         2) when it's dry, apply colored ink (I have the Citadel set) over
         the silver.  The cool part is, you get unusual control over the
         degree of tint by applying the ink straight from the bottle or by
         watering it down (a wash.)  Another cool part is, you can blend one
         color into another.  Suppose you have a warrior with a shield, and
         you want it to fade from metallic blue at the top to metallic green
         at the bottom.  Paint the whole shield silver first, and then when
         it's dry, apply blue ink to the top half.  Next, apply green ink
         to the bottom half, mixing it up with the blue in the middle.
         "Yet another cool part is light-to-dark shading done this way:
         Suppose you have a Space Marine and three shades of silver paint.
         (The shades of silver may be sold as "aged metal" or "chain mail" or
         "gunmetal" or "silver".  Use your eyes: buy a blackish silver, a dark
         silver, and plain old silver.)  I'll just call them dark, medium,
         and light.  1) Paint the entire figure with the dark silver and let
         it dry.  2) Drybrush the entire figure with the medium silver and
         let it dry.  3) Drybrush the entire figure again, concentrating on
         raised details, with the light silver and let it dry.  4) Right now
         your Space Marine should have a pretty nice shaded metal look.  Now
         go over the whole figure with red ink, and you'll have a shaded RED
         metal Space Marine.  Hey, you could even try technique B at this
         point, maybe with purple or orange blended into the red."
       There is a caveat to this, however. Be careful using inks with acrylic
       metallics. There is often a reaction between the two which give some
       nasty effects. At the very least allow the metallic to dry for 24 hours
       before adding inks.  Some people have had only bad results from inking
       over acrylic metallics...  Test it before you begin your masterpiece.

    9.D. What other detailing can I do?

         Get in the light and give your miniature a good look-over.
         Usually a dot of paint or careful drybrushing will bring out the
         final details.  Certain specialized questions have been asked, the
         answers to which are given below:

         % Does anyone have a decent method for painting torches?
         This answer came from D.R. Splatt ([email protected]):
         "The best I've personally seen was to paint the flames red at the
         base, orange for highlights, yellow for the bulk of the flame and
         a light drybrush of white (or black for a smoky flame).  Try to
         get the flames predominately yellow, eg:

                   |   <--------- White
                  | |
                 |   | <--------- Yellow
                | ._| |
               |  | |<-|--------- Orange
                \_(o)_/
                   !------------- Red

          Also a 'ragged' orange layer looks good."

          % From Kent Reuber ([email protected]):
          "People doing micro-armor have been using this sort of thing to
          simulate burning tanks for quite a while. Paint the torch itself
          black. Then tear off a small bit of cotton, paint the upper part
          grey-black and the lower part red-orange. Glue this bit of cotton
          onto the torch."

       9.D.a. Can I use anything besides paint and ink for details?

              Of course you can.  The simplest are decals, which are sold
              by the sheet and have many different styles to choose from.
              Technical pens can be used for a lot of intricate work, as
              can fine tip permanent markers.  There's a catch to the
              markers, though, they can bleed when overcoated.
              Alec Habig ([email protected]) has a good
                remedy: "I used some fine tip permanent markers to do letters
                and lines on some minatures.  This works well, giving better
                results than painting the same sort of stuff.  The problem -
                the marker would bleed when I coated the minis with the
                obligatory DullCote lacquer.  The solution - I rubbed a
                little bit of good old Elmer's white glue on the spot that
                I'd lettered with the marker.  Just a bit, and rubbed it
                around till I couldn't see it anymore.  This stopped the
                bleeding, without altering the finish in any noticable way."
              Mariano Flores ([email protected]) gives these tips
                for decals (used without permission):  "For best results of
                decals adhering to the surface of your miniatures:
                1.  Spray miniature with a shiny gloss coat (I use
                    Testors Gloss Coat).  You will find that decals
                    adhere better to smooth surfaces.
                2.  Let gloss coat dry, maybe an hour or two.  I
                    usually let the coat dry for a whole day.
                3.  Apply decals to model.  It is suggested to use
                    distilled water, since tap water is not that
                    pure and may contain some contamination (i.e. iron).
                4.  Let decal dry for a day.  The wrinkling effect on
                    decals is usually caused by applying the dullcoat
                    or semi-gloss coat to a decal that still contains
                    some moisture.
                5.  Apply dullcoat to model.
                These procedures seem a bit drawn out, but patience is
                a virtue.  These procedures work for me."
              There are probably dozens of other common and unusual detailing
              tips out there that the author hasn't heard of yet.  She'd love
              to have them sent in for inclusion here.


 10. What is an overcoat and should I use one?

     An overcoat is a coat of clear paint that protects those colours you
     so carefully put onto your miniature.  Even an unhandled figure will
     begin to dull after awhile, and one in regular use will lose its paint
     even faster from hand and carrying case friction.  So you should put
     a protective coat over the miniature to make sure the paint remains
     unmarred.
     Overcoats come in three (possibly four) types: gloss, matte, flat, and
     lusterless.  Though four types are named, one company's matte is
     another's flat, flat and lusterless are often interchanged, and matte
     occasionally is labeled semi-gloss.  When in doubt, test or ask.
     Overcoats also come in two different applications, brush-on and spray.
     Spray is easier to use when you want a uniform coating, brush-on is
     good for when you only want certain parts covered.  Spraying overcoat
     on a miniature is much like spraying primer, though 3-5 coats is
     recommended for maximum protection.  Remember to begin and end the
     spray beyond the miniature in order to get the cleanest application.
     Gloss is just that, shiny.  It is most usually used on cars and other
     items that should shine.
     Semi-gloss (satin, sometimes called matte) is low-luster, and very
     durable on a figure that will be getting a lot of handling.
     Unfortunately, it tends to look artificial on humans and some animals.
     It's excellent on scales, however, and hard leather.
     Flat (also sometimes matte) is nearly without shine.  It's a good
     all-around people coating, exceptional on animals, where it simulates
     fur's natural shine.
     Lusterless is absolutely flat, it doesn't even look like it's there.
     It's perfect for people and cloth and anything else that should have
     no shine whatsoever.  Several coats can be applied and it never shows.
     A good method of overcoating a realistic-looking human/humanoid is to
     use a spray lusterless overcoat and put on 3-5 coats, then after the
     last coat is dry, use a brush-on matte or gloss to go back over all
     metallics, jewelry, eyes, lips, and anything else that should have a
     shine to it.  This is the author's favourite method.
     Companies making overcoats are (+ denotes brush-on, = is spray):
       Armory (water-based acrylic):  Glass  -  a high-gloss +
                                      Matte Sealer - low gloss  =
       Floquil (oil-based enamels):   Flat Finish  -  completely lusterless +
                                      High Gloss  -  very shiny, looks wet +
                                      Crystal-Cote  -  not quite as shiny +
                                      Al-Pro-Cote - flat finish +
                                      Glaze  -  a lovely matte/satin finish +
                                      Figure Flat - a low-shine matte =
       Floquil Flo-Stain (oil-based,
             for wood or over paint): Glaze  -  as above  (I use this) +
                                      Crystal-Cote  -  also as above +
                                      Al-Pro-Cote  -  flat finish, no shine +
       Humbrol (oil based):           Dull Cote - flat finish +
       Krylon (spray only)            Clear Matte - low gloss =
       Model Master (oil-based):      Lusterless  -  another lusterless =
                                      Gloss Finish  -  high-shine =
       Pactra (water-based enamels):  Flat Clear  -  lusterless +
                                      Gloss Clear  -  shiny +
       Polly S (water-based acrylic): Gloss Finish  -  high shine +
                                      Flat Finish  -  lusterless +
       Ral Partha (acrylic)           Spray Clear Matte Sealer - low gloss =
                                      Clear Sealer - matte finish +
       Testers (Oil-based enamels):   Flat Finish  -  again, lusterless +
                                      Gloss Finish  -  shiny =
                                      DullCote - absolutely flat =

     There are others, of course, these are only what the author knows about.


 11. How do I keep paint from drying out?

     Shake or stir them often, put plastic wrap between the cap and bottle
     on paints that come in glass jars.  Acrylics reconstitute fairly well
     with the addition of water and a good stirring.  Oil-based do same
     with thinner.  Try and keep your paints in a place where temperature
     remains fairly stable.
     Users of both Polly S and Humbrol have had good results from storing
     their paint upside-down.  The paint itself augments the seal and
     keeps all air out.


 12. How do I use an airbrush for miniatures?

     The best paints for airbrushing are Accuflex and Humbrol, with Polly S
     and Testors each selling an airbrush thinner for their paints.
     That's the bulk of what the author knows on the subject.

     Some excellent information was posted to rec.games.miniatures by
     Mike N. Tassano ([email protected]), much in regard to advising
     a novice airbrush painter, and is reproduced here without permission
     and with minor editing:
     "I've done a lot of airbrush as well as regular airgun painting, so
     maybe I can get you pointed in the right direction.
     "There is a relationship between the airpressure used and the rate at
     which the thinner evaporates.  Ideally, the carrier or thinner is still
     liquid when the paint strikes the surface to be coated, but not so
     liquid it runs off.  Inks have a really slow thinner, relatively, but
     since you're doing a wash, you don't care if it's really wet on
     contact.  The idea is to puddle ink in the low spots anyway.
     "The primers usually have a fast thinner, allowing a good coating
     without running. Spray cans _usually_ are balanced between pressure
     and range and thinner and particle size.
     "Second, the pressure in the air-cans varies wildly as you use it up.
     And as the temperature changes.  (So does the moisture content from
     condensation caused by cold air)  Even the best airbrush will behave
     in a cranky way with canned air.
     "Third, the type of paint or ink used may not be too friendly to
     airbrushing. Particle size needs to be pretty consistent for spraying.
     A lot more consistent than brushing requires. If you intend to stay
     with airbrush priming, I can offer some possible helps:
     "1. If you can ONLY use canned air, shoot for shorter sessions. Let
     the can warm back up a little more.
     "2. Try an alternate air source, a compressor or an innertube filled
     at a service station.  You want as little pressure difference between
     your air source and the spraying pressure as you can manage.
     "3. Use a primer designed for spraying.  There are some hobbyist
     brands around that might be available where you are.
     "4. Practice, practice, practice!"

     And a word about priming, thinning and cleaning from
     Ed Sharpe ([email protected]), which is also edited and used without
     permission:
     "After carefully cleaning, washing and drying the figures, I prime
     them with Testor's flat white mixed 50/50 with airbrush thinner by
     Testors.  I apply the paint using an air brush.  It usally takes 2
     to 4 coats.  Take your time and do not rush any of the steps.  I use
     the Testor's air brush thinner only to thin the paint.  I use general
     paint thinner from the hardware store to clean my air brush."


 13. How/where do I get miniatures?

     Game stores are, naturally, the best choice.  Some comic and hobby
     shops deal in miniatures, so ask around.  And a lot of companies do
     mail-order for those who live bereft of their product sold locally.
     The yellow pages is where to start, after that you get the feel of
     where to look.


   13.A. Is there a list of companies?

         Thanks to immense assistance from many, many readers of and
         posters to rec.games.miniatures, there is.  It was kept by
         Keith Lucas for awhile and will be again, is currently kept by
         [email protected], and is posted sometime near this FAQ
         to rec.games.miniatures.  It is on archive for ftp at
         ftp.indirect.com in /pub/rpg/miniatures and also by email from
         [email protected] (yes, that's me again) who would be glad to
         send it out to anyone who wants it.
--
 Descriptiones habeo catapultae novae quae saxos multos separatim et simul
     iaciant.  Si illas prehendat, sit finis terrae qualem cognovimus.

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