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The big ones at least look good. The small ones can be ruined quickly, but this is true with all cheap brushes, basically. So if they are not expensive, I'd say go for it. Especially if you are just starting to learn how to paint miniatures, it's much better to get lots of cheap brushes and only once you have a good grasp of the basics you should start checking the more expensive ones (Winsor & Newton, Raphael etc.).

The most important thing with brush care is, as it was already said in another comment, never let paint dry on your brushes. So when painting, stop every now and then and clean your brush. This can be surprisingly difficult as you could be in the zone while painting and don't want to stop, but you should. Properly clean the brush and then dry it by dragging it against a paper towel while turning the brush, so that you will end up with nice sharp shape. Diluting your paints helps with this, too.

Never "load" your brush with paint so that it reaches all the way to the metal thingy (can't remember the actual name). If you load your brush too full and the paint dries, the bristles in your brush will be pointing every direction and this will ruin the brush as it is very difficult to clean it afterwards.

Store the brushes in a mug or similar holder and make sure the brush end points upwards. This will help to keep the brush sharp.

At some point I would advice you to buy some brush cleaning agent specifically designed for the job. I and many others use the Master's Brush Cleaner and Preserver, but any soap designed for brush cleaning will do.

That's all I can think of now, but it should get you started. You can also try Youtube for brush care tips by non-miniature painters. Just make sure they use acrylic paints. Good luck!

This particular model might be done already. From what I can see you do not use a wet palette, washes or do highlights. Time to grab another model and once you get more comfortable with your skills you can return to this guy and fix him up.

1. Get/make and use a wet palette and Thin Those Paints!: http://www.fullborerminiatures.com/articles/wetpalette.html
   
2. get/make some washes. GW have a fantastic set of washes right now. Experiment with the them until you get the desired effect. People tend to coat their entire model with the wash which works in a few circumstances but mostly makes models look muddy. Instead focus on the recesses of the model. For this color red, GWs Agrax Earthshade looks good as a shadow color for red armor.
   
3. Get a nice 00 or 000 Kolinsky-Sable brush for highlighting and don't guzzle coffee before you practice. Keep your brushes clean by using this: http://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B001TNR7VM
   
4. Metallics look best in multiple, thin layers. Start with a deeper metallic and work up to gold with a gold/silver super highlight. For gold I use bronze basecoat, basic gold, sepia wash, highlight basic gold again and finally a 50/50 gold/silver for top edge highlights.
   
   As a basic rule for painting minis, you should paint in multiple, thin layers always starting with a darker color than the final one you wish to achieve, building up to the highlights. Painting this way gives you more control over the final result but is of course time consuming. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. Part of the hobby!
   
   Good luck fellow Heretic!
   

Yeah I think Fire Dragon Bright (somewhat sparingly) will really push the areas you want to accent. Maybe I was imagining the WHTV tutorial, but I did find this one which I think would be quite helpful. Obviously this guy is painting to a really high standard so don't beat yourself up, but I think it's helpful to see how the firedragon bright/kislev flesh are used. Note that his process is mephiston>evil sunz>fire dragon>kislev flesh. So yeah, super involved and it gives you an idea of how much subtle effort can go into a really good paint job. He says it in the vid but I'll say it here too: don't be afraid to go back and 'correct' highlights with the base color.

EDIT RE: your brush question -- generally you want to use the BIGGEST brush you can get away with using for the job, because a bigger brush will be able to hold more moisture and keep the paint thinner and more consistent. What makes a good brush isn't how small it is, but how fine a point the tip comes to. If you can get your M layer to form a fine tip, then use it. Personally I use a size 1 Windsor & Newton Series 7 for almost all fine detail, which I'm pretty sure is a good deal larger than the M layer.

Everyone touts the W&N line and natural hair brushes but I've been having no problems with my synthetic brushes. You dont need to pay an arm and a leg for brushes if you dont need to, if you are looking for a decent set here is one on amazon for 26 bucks that has a great selection of sizes. Heck a lot of the reviews for this specific set came from warhammer painters. Here is a set with a few more brushes and costs less, reviews seem good too.

You can save up over time for W&N if you want, look up basic brush maintenance and keep your brushes in good shape and you will rarely have issues. In the end the best brushes are the ones that have good quality while being comfortable to use. W&N is just really good quality hair, but I dont find them comfortable to use so it didn't matter.

I paint on my primer due to living in a complex that doesnt allow aerosol paints on site, so I can really help much there, sorry.

Happy painting.

Proper brush care: rinse the paint out of your brushes in a cup of water as you work. Keep rinsing periodically so paint does not completely dry on the bristles. Then brush out the excess water on a paper towel and THEN put paint on the brush (preferably from a wet palette rather than directly from the pot). Don't stand your brushes in the water cup or any other cup. Never let the weight rest on the bristles.

When finished with a painting session, clean your brushes using this stuff: The Masters brush cleaner

Basically just run the brush under some water, then stroke it over the tub of soap (it will bubble a little bit), then make sure to work the wet soap into the bristles. Then rinse under the sink faucet. Repeat as many times as it takes to restore the spring and get all the paint out of the bristles.

Never ever get paint or anything else (besides water) into the ferrule (the part where the bristles go inside the brush housing). And when you're done cleaning the brushes after a session, replace the protective cap on the end.

You can go el cheapo on pretty much any kind of brush except a detail brush. Drybrushes, base coating brushes, layering brushes, feel free to go as cheap as you want and it doesn't really make that much difference..

But with fine detail brushes, I'm talking the ones you do eyes and teeth with, you REALLY need a sable-hair brush. And that's gonna cost a bit more. A Windsor and Newton Series 7 might cost about USD$15 but it's worth it:

https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Kolinsky-Sable-Watercolor/dp/B0013E68TO

The reason you pay the big bucks for a detail brush is because when you're working with details that small, you need to be able to finely control the amount of paint you have on your brush, and you need your brush to keep a good point, and you need the brush to stay wet rather than drying out - sable hair is great at all of these things.

If you really want to spoil yourself, you can get sable hair brushes for all your other brushes too, and you'll definitely notice a difference, but it makes the BIGGEST impact with detail work.

As for drybrushes - there's going to be some staining of the bristles even if you're super careful. That's just the nature of drybrushing.... as the name suggests you have to get the paint quite dry before you can begin (it's really more like "dusting" the model with dried paint than painting). So it's probably not going to be possible to keep a drybrush in perfect condition, but you can at least restore the spring of the bristles with brush cleaner - any stains, especially red ones, are likely permanent. No big deal, just keep that drybrush for any future jobs with that color or similar colors.

Some things that I would recommend having to start out: Warhammer 40k rule book, Codex for your army, D6 dice(other dice would be useful too as wound/victory point trackers). The Citadel Colour app is a good (free) app to get for deciding what paint to get to paint your army. It also has some good tutorials on how to paint miniatures (which you can also find on youtube). As for assembling your minis, if you search on Amazon you'll find everything you need, just search for miniature assembly kits https://www.amazon.com/Rustark-Gundam-Building-Repairing-Fixing/dp/B071LB1T5D/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3H7CRDBPOZZJ3&keywords=miniature+assembly+kit&qid=1567860206&s=gateway&sprefix=miniature+asse%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-3 < I use this one. You'll also need plastic glue for all your plastic needs and super glue for Resin-cast miniatures. A good glue for plastic would be Testors non-toxic plastic cement. For Resin super glue Loctite is usually a good brand. For brushes, cheaper brushes you can buy in bulk for like 5$ or something are fine to use. Just do some googling for the sizes you'd need. For Priming your models (which you have to do to get the paint to stick to them) do some googling, you can go with spray paint or you can hand paint (I hand paint or use an airbrush using Vallejo primer). It's also worth mentioning that with both paints and miniatures, you can get a good percent of them from third party retailers, either at your local gaming store that carries them, or online (I recommend MiniatureMarket.com or Gamenerdz.com ) for a reduced price.

>1- What brushes would anyone specifically recommend? Where can these be acquired? I'd prefer an actual store (I'm in the states!) that I can walk into, but I'll settle for ordering online if that's what it comes down to.

The best brushes are Windsor and Newton Series 7. That's a more or less undisputed fact amongst minipainters. Rosemary & Co (UK company) come 2nd, IMO.

>2- What does everyone recommend for brush maintenance? How do I keep my brushes in good condition so that they last long and paint cleanly?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver-1-Ounce/dp/B001TNR7VM

Again, more or less the "go to" for minipainters.

>3- Brush storage. How do you recommend storing them so nothing happens to them between painting sessions? To this end, I was thinking of getting some kind of tackle box to store all of my 40K 'kit'. Would this work for the brushes as well or should I look at some sort of alternative storage?

I have a dedicated painting area. That's where I store my brushes (usually just laying around). To be honest, the best container I've used is a cup/glass (storing brushes upright, ofc!).

I'm giving this advice assuming you've never painted a single miniature before. And you know what they say when you assume, but I love donkeys.

1. Two (or more) thin coats are better than one thick.
   
2. Thin your paints: water works, I like "retarder." https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M559I2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. Plan your color scheme. Two or three test models and stripping them will take MUCH less time then deciding you hate your color scheme half way through.
   
4. Unless you have basing ideas, literal dirt is amazing for basing. I wash mine a bit to drain the super loose and small particles, then PVA and boom. EZ.
   
5. Weather your vehicles. Tamiya's weathering powder, the sponge-metal technique, typhus corrosion, ryza rust, all very good!
   
6. Have. Fun. I know right? Take your time. Don't make painting them into a chore, or you won't finish with such pride (IMO).
   
   GL. HF.

1. An Airbrush uses the same paints you would normally brush on. It thins them down and applies them in a similar way to using a aerosol spray can, but with a smaller spray patter and significantly more control.
   
   2.) Once you get the hang of it, you can do fades, highlights, preshading, base coating and priming in a fraction of the time it would take to do with a normal brush.
   
   You also use a LOT less paint when applying base coats and primers. Less than half of an $8 bottle of Vallejo grey primer has done over 200 space marines for me!
   
   3.) If you're in the US, Amazon has a package deal that gives you a brush, compressor, and cleaning supplies for $300! That's a really good deal, and will save you a lot of money on paint in the long run.
   
   4.) You need to thin your paints to use an airbrush, GW and Vallejo make airbrush paints that are almost 100% "out of the pot" ready to be used. I really like them for both airbrushing and normal painting, they cost the same as regular paints do.
   
   If you're spraying lacquers or varnishes you absolutely want to use a respirator (that stuff is NASTY!). If you're just spraying regular acrylic paints, a face mask is usually enough.
   
   5.) Airbrushes aren't a "Easy Button" to painting. They take time to understand and become comfortable with, but that time is well spent. The internet is full of amazing tutorials on how to do awesome stuff with an airbrush.
   
   They also require constant cleaning to maintain proper function, it can be really daunting to take your brush apart for the first time.

Kill Team is a good starting point especially if you get one of the teams you can do with one box like harlequins and Grey knights. One thing to get is a hobby kit with clippers and hobby knife for sure and most likely a cutting mat then you can use plastic glue or super glue to put the models together. For painting you can probably start with citadel and they have a Citadel Paint app that details how to get certain looks on the app stores plus there is Warhammer TV for tutorials and many many more tutorials out there Miniac for one is a great one for beginners. Besides at the store check out Amazon for things since with traffic it might be easier but the store manager would be a great resource of information.

And people are generally very friendly and would welcome someone new and teach them the game and ropes.

Also, on Facebook check out the Independent Characters community and the podcast they live in the Bay area and they mention quite a few other locations where they play and most likely could welcome you to a game or someone in the community would offer help as well.

Looks like a solid start to me! I would recommend not fully assembling your models before you paint them, some places can be hard to reach when fully assembled.

1. The army painter range of brushes is a solid starting point, I think they have a starter pack with a few essential brushes. Get a tub of brush cleaner and clean your brushes throughout your time painting, I like to clean them when I change colors. This will keep in good condition and extend their life!
   
   
2. I like the GW plastic glue, it melts the pieces together for a strong connection! Super glue is also good and if you need to change a model up you can freeze them and they will snap apart.
   
   
3. I like the GW brand primers, though they are expensive! I've used army painter before and had mixed results, some good some terrible.
   
   
4. I do not have any experience with sealers.
   
   Necessary Hobby Items
   
   

• Brush Cleaner
  
• Hobby Knife
  
• Cutters
  
• Pin Drill
  
• Desk Lamp W/ Magnifier
  
  
  

My advice? Start with cheaper paints and better brushes. GW paints are high quality but prohibitively expensive when starting out. So you get your 'must haves' - black, white, leadbelcher, your base color and a couple washes - then fill out the rest with cheap hobby paint. Replace those over time with higher quality GW or Vallejo paints as you get more involved with the hobby.

Brushes though are so important - painting with a high quality brush just makes such a huge difference. Your brush quality is what's going to determine whether you have a relaxing time painting or you're crying with frustration. GW brushes are... ok. But certainly not worth the premium prices they charge.

You really only need a size 1 and a size 0 for painting infantry. A dedicated drybrush for bases, but the drybrush can be a cheap $1 brush from the local craft store. This is what you want for your primary brushes:

https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Kolinsky-Sable-Watercolor/dp/B0013E68SU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495811846&sr=8-3&keywords=sable+brush

Commonly regarded as THE best brush for miniature painting, it's now super affordable. And you'll want a good brush cleaner too, to care for your fancy brushes:

https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Cleaner-Preserver-Ounces-Carded/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1495812254&sr=8-11&keywords=brush+cleaner

BTW if you end up painting Blood Ravens, PM me. I spent quite a lot of time experimenting with color pallettes for them and can give you some more detailed tips.

For a compressor get one with a tank, it assures a good even flow of air.

The one I have is:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001738DXU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The compressor I linked is pretty quiet as well.

For airbrushes I have:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013NBQLA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The airbrush has worked great for me and looks very nice, it provides a good flow of paint and is very easy to clean.
For paint I use Vallejo model air, is needs to be thinned down a decent amount. I have also tried Citadel air paint and while it needs a small amount of thinning it worked well. There are lots of other good airbrushes as well, I have been very impressed with Badger's airbrushes, they are a little expensive around $100 but they are very good quality. Make sure you get paint reducer and airbrush cleaner as well, the reducer helps thin down the paint to prevent clogs in the airbrush.

Stuff that you need:

• Compressor - What I use There are lots of different compressors out there but you want to at least get one that is designed for airbrushing IE: oil-less and preferably one with a tank. Airbrush compressors are designed to be quiet as opposed to like a shop compressor that is loud as fuck.
  
  
• Airbrush - What I use This is an Iawata eclipse which is more on the expensive side but honestly since the airbrush is what is doing all of the work I opted for quality here. This is not to say that you cannot find good quality airbrushes for less but this particular name and model is fairly well known for being one of the best. You might want to shop around on this one to find one within your budget. The main thing is that you want gravity feed with the cup on the top of the airbrush, and dual action meaning that you press the trigger down for air only and pull back for paint. Single action airbrushes (paint and air together when you depress the trigger) are garbage.
  
  
• Airbrush Flow Improver - link This is what makes airbrushing thick acrylics especially GW paints possible. It allows you to thin down the paints while maintaining good coverage but won't speed up drying time like thinner or pure water will.
  
  
• Misc other stuff - You will also want latex gloves for the hand that you hold models with. Find at auto parts stores or in the first aid section of a drug store in boxes of 100. Masks, either the paper disposable ones or get a painters respirator mask at the hardware store. Simple Green for cleaning your airbrush. I run a full paint cup of it through followed by a full paint cup of water in between colors and when I finish for the day. Gun/Pistol oil for oiling up the moving parts of the airbrush. Find at any place that sells firearms (walmart, academy, outdoor goods stores). I use it to oil up the trigger, as well as all of the threading. I also dip the needle itself in the oil which lightly lubricates the spray nozzle and helps to prevent clogs.
  
  
• Final tip - everything that I learned about airbrushing I have learned from this dude on youtube: Next Level Painting I suggest watching his videos as well as videos from other youtubers to avoid a lot of trial and error. Lastly ... don't be intimidated... it takes practice but once you feel comfortable with using the airbrush it really ups your painting game.

Dang that looks way better than my first models haha.

​

Though, I do have advice. I would recommend trying out dry brushing in small layers (bunch of youtube vids on how to do that). What I typically do is dry brush abbadon black as a base coat of sorts, 2-4 coats will do, and then adding mephiston red in thin layers (2-5 will do). It may be overkill but I personally like it that way.

This way, you won't have clumps of paint over your models, nor will there be many brush marks.

​

Note: this technique works well if you get a specific dry brushing brush thing. GW sells one as well and it works pretty well :D

Link: https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/M-Drybrush

​

Also, get a brush soap. An absalute neccessity if you want your brushes to work for the years to come.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B001TNR7VM

​

Hope this helps and Emperor bless! FOR SANGUINIUS!!

​

Edit: had to add stuff and remove [REDACTED]

​

​

I use a Badger Patriot 105 along with a Super Fine Conversion Kit. I use a Badger Aspire TC910 compressor, but I also used a variant of this little mini air compressor for about a year which worked great.

For paints I used Citadel; what you see here is Incubi Darkness, followed by Kabalite Green and then Sybarite Green. I did a final brush edge highlight with Gauss Blaster Green. I get these at my FLGS.

I recently got the the Vallejo GameAir set for my birthday, and the paint is great. I didn't use it here though, this is all Citadel paint.

As for technique, I based the whole model black (with the riders separate) and then applied a fairly broad highlight of Incubi Darkness on the higher (where the light hitting the model was more prevalent) spots, then moved the brush a bit closer to catch the inner parts with Kabalite Green, then a bit closer using the same technique with Sybarite green. As for the edges I just purposefully over-sprayed so only half the paint hit the model, giving it a sharp edge.

The GameAir set from Vallejo comes with a color conversion chart but doesnt cover most of the "Dark Eldar" colors, only the basics. You can thin down Citadel paints with water, but the pigment in them is thicker than actual air brush paint, so your brush will clog, and paint drying on the air brush needle is a real annoyance. Other than that, I'd recommend watching a few videos on airbrushing 101, this effect was really not hard to apply at all once you get a gist for trigger control and aiming.

Other than that, the Wyches were painted following pretty much every Dark Eldar armor/flesh painting video you can find, haha.

I'd recommend getting a hand-drill like this.

Not a power-drill, and not the cranking type of hand-drill. You want the type you hold and twist like a screwdriver. It gives you more control and you can go at a snail's pace to make sure it's perfect until you build more confidence.

These are some of the best minis I've ever seen, so your hand control is already top notch. Don't sell yourself short, you'll be drilling out barrels with the best of them.

At the end of an evening of painting I will dampen the brush I've been using in clean water (not the cup of water I have been using while painting, thus full of paint and potentially metallic flakes) and brush back and forth in my little cup of brush soap. Looks like this. Then rinse in clean water. Wipe off moisture on paper towel. Restore the tip of the brush by dragging it along towel or crease in the palm of your hand while rotating the brush. Replace the brush cap and store the brush vertically if possible, bristles down. Once a month, take a very tiny amount of hair conditioner (not shampoo/conditioner combo), brush the bristles in it for a bit to work it in, leave it sit for a minute or two. Rinse and store. If you do that, the brush will last a huge amount of time. Also don't use your best brush for dry brushing, washes, or applying the GW technical paints. Dry brushing is punishing to the tip of the brush, washes will get into the ferule (where the bristles are attached) and when it dries it forces the bristles apart, and technical paint typically has things in it that, like dry brushing, are just hard on the bristles. I would recommend cheap nylons for these uses.

When you dip a brush in a water pot, and I know this sounds excessive, you should avoid having it touch the bottom of the container or banging it into the sides. The bottom can do a lot of damage, the sides less so. I try to swish the brush around when it's a brush I care about. Crap brushes I'll bang them into the side, scrape the bottom.

Brush brands I use are Raphael, but I'm buying some Windsor & Newton Series 7 Miniatures today. There are a bunch of quality brands though. Windsor & Newton are very well respected.

Best of luck in your endeavors! Should you have more questions, need advice, really anything... let me know. I really enjoy passing on what I've learned. I've made mistakes so you don't have to!

I use mostly Warcolours paints, which are listed on their website as "designed for use with paint brush and/or airbrush", but you need to thin them out quite a bit. I use Vallejo Airbrush Flow Improver to thin them down.

Don't use any Citadel paints in an airbrush, besides their new Air paints. The pigment particles in their regular paints are too large, and will clog up your airbrush no matter how much you thin them.

I've never tried any Vallejo paint of any kind, so I have no opinion on them. I just back in to the hobby with 8th Edition, and read nothing but good things about Warcolours paints, so I bought the full line (literally). All base coats, all layers, all metallics, something like 140 paints. Last time I played, I never used anything but Citadel, and I remember them being such a pain to use because they are so thick, and seem to dry out extremely quickly. The Warcolours paints have the awesome dropper bottles like Vallejo, which makes it super easy mix, and keep them air tight.

I still use Citadel for washes and shades, and some metallics, they probably have the best metallics.

well, the most important part of this is how thin do you want your paints to be? Most advice on the internet says to aim for "milky" consistency. This results in the paint being just thin enough that it takes multiple coats to apply a color, but not so thin that it just runs off of the model. Something you could do to acquaint yourself with the way this looks is to buy a small bottle of 2% milk, pour it into a plastic cup and use your paintbrush to "paint" it up the sides of the cup. This should give you an idea of what your final goal could be.

As for materials to thin paint with, you can use several different products:

1. Water - very basic.
   
   
2. Water + future floor polish - the floor polish supposedly helps to break the surface tension of the paint, and gives it a gloss coat, but I have little experience with it.
   
   
3. water + Matte Medium - An acrylic medium that does not alter the color and dries into a matte finish. Can be used with water to thin thicker paints, especially artists acrylics. I like to use some combination of this with most of my paints.
   
   
4. water + Glaze Medium - another medium, does not alter the color, but gives the paint a glossy sheen. Can also be used to make a glaze, similar to a GW Glaze pot.
   
   
5. water + Flow Aid - Flow aid is an acrylic medium that acts similarly to future floor polish, in that it helps to break the surface tension of the paint and let it flow smoother.
   
   
6. water + Flow Aid + Slow-Dri - Using this combo both makes the paint flow smoother off of the brush, as well as increases how long it takes for the paint to dry (both on and off the model!). useful in dry climates or when using some of the more time intensive techniques. Must be used with water, as the slow-dri doesn't work without it.
   
   As you may have noticed, water is a fairly consistent theme. I've hear that you can also use windex + water, but that seems like a waste of a good bottle of windex ;)
   
   Another option, if you are finding it hard to consistently thin the paints, is to use a wet palette. If you keep the wet palette fairly full with water, it will automatically thin down the paint to a certain degree, after which you can add mediums or more water to push it further. It also has the added benefit of keeping the paints wet for an extended period of time. Here is a guide for making your own wet palette to try out: http://www.miniwargaming.com/content/Zpt5gLOoldY1

Excellent choices but you forgot two necessities that no one ever seems to cover when they recommend upgrading to quality brushes. Especially ones as expensive as Newtons, which can run in the $40 dollar range for the larger sizes.

[Brush Shaper] (https://www.amazon.com/Speedball-2-Ounce-Brush-Shaper-Restoration/dp/B000UXHBP4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520405791&sr=8-3&keywords=brush+shaper)

This will save you a lot of money and headache in the future and keep your brush tips nice and sharp. I often see people complain about bristle quality and return their brushes because they weren't educated on proper brush care technique or the existence of this product. To give you an idea I have some old Davinci brushes I bought when I first started the hobby 15 years ago and they hold their points like new. Hell even cheapo brushes become actual workman's tools when you use this stuff.

Brush Soap

-Masters: if you prefer solid bar type soap. One of these will last you for a decade if you keep the lid tight and the soap moist.

or

-[Pink Soap] (https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Soap-12-Ounce-Cleaner-Conditioner/dp/B0027A79I2/ref=pd_sbs_201_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0027A79I2&pd_rd_r=5FGK26S58JK2D46M7DK3&pd_rd_w=7U2UF&pd_rd_wg=jjUmB&psc=1&refRID=5FGK26S58JK2D46M7DK3&dpID=31GCq6nHuxL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail): If you prefer liquid.

Remember these are art brushes designed to be handled by an experienced artist with a light touch. Their intended use isn't mini painting which can be quite brutal on brush fibers. Miniature hobbyists and modelers aren't, in general, what I would call trained painters (no shade thrown) so using them as a resource in handling artists tools can be a bit limiting or downright pricey. As such I recommend it to anyone to watch this brush care vid by someone who uses the products I linked to maintain his gear. Proper brush care will save you a ton of money over time allowing you to spend that saved cash on new minis rather than on replacing your tools.

here is my set up. nothing to complain about. and the badger 105 is a great starter. its use of good machining means it only has one o-ring and its dead simple to clean.

https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Patriot-Gravity-Airbrush/dp/B002W84GTO

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Fitting-Conversion-Adapter/dp/B0038NJYHG/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_201_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9CTBV4FN6C10RQSFJXPG

https://www.amazon.com/AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-Airbrush-Published-Exclusively/dp/B001738DXU/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1505354405&sr=1-4&keywords=master+airbrush+1%2F6

then you will need cleaning supplies such as

https://www.amazon.com/Naturebelle-Airbrush-Cleaning-Holder-Nozzle/dp/B01D41W04U/ref=pd_sim_201_12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3SG1JR28SAK6TVWHEZ03

https://www.amazon.com/Iwata-Medea-Airbrush-Cleaner-16-Oz/dp/B003TJA0SQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1505354507&sr=1-1&keywords=iwata%2Bairbrush%2Bcleaner&th=1

I'm pretty happy with the quality of everything and it makes painting a base coat of pure white or yellow super simple. also makes painting a color shift or pattern very easy. if you have the cash i would highly recommend it

here are some of my projects i have completed with it

https://imgur.com/a/N4mhr

This is the one I started with: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Multi-purpose-Dual-action-Compressor/dp/B001TO578Q

I still use the compressor but I've since upgraded to an Iwata Airbrush that I got for pretty cheap on sale last year. The compressor is on its last legs though.

I can tell you that I did not like the airbrush that it came with. It was cheap and got clogged a lot. But for what its worth it's still an airbrush and will give you a good start.

If you're going to use gw paints they have an airbrush line that I've had great success with, and they came out with their own thinner for air brushes called the air caste thinner.

Looks like everything you would need! Good choices :-)

While you don't need this right away, you may want to consider it:

http://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Airbrush-Improver-200ml-Paint/dp/B00QD780G0?ie=UTF8&keywords=flow%20improver%20airbrush&qid=1463514084&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

It really helps to let the paint run in the airbrush and doesn't "Gob up" on the tip of the needle. It's not mandatory while you're learning how to use the airbrush (It's not mandatory at all actually) but it helps to improve the quality of what you're painting.

I hope to see some pics of your finished work soon! :-D

Great advice thank you. I got a set of 12 synthetic detail brushes on amazon for a little over $20 that seems like a great jumping-off point: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7UFLP5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Once I am more confident in my brush care I will spring for W/N. I got the pick of masters brush cleaner too, and set up a wet palette in a small Tupperware box the way I saw on the Tabletop Minions channel: https://youtu.be/96mjmqWTPfM

Airbrushing still seems miles away (advanced) and I don’t think I have a workstation set up for it. I’m going to rattle-can prime the dark imperium box next.

Honestly stay clear of the GW brush and stuff. A small retail shop will tell you propellant is great because it is no commitment. You buy a can for like $15 bucks and you are done (and you can buy it from them). They don't tell you that the pressure fluctuates depending on how long you use it. Also, you cannot adjust the pressure on a can of spray, I can adjust the PSI on my compressor to whatever I need at the moment.

There are some sweet deals on beginner air brush kits. Like this one on Amazon There are cheaper kits too, but they are iffy.

Just look around at different stuff, research properly. If you are going to spend a lot of money, get a great airbrush. If you are going to spend a little money, remember that it might be a little harder than if you had used the good stuff.

Source: I used a propellant kit from a hobby shop, then a +20 year old badger with dying compressor (dirty too) Now I use a nice Iwata Eclipse with dual engine variable compressor.

Looks good! That's a great setup, better than what I am working with.

I'd suggest adding a few things before ordering:

http://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Airbrush-Improver-200ml-Paint/dp/B00QD780G0 (Buy it!! Trust me)

http://www.amazon.com/Yueton-Nylon-Nozzle-Brush-Handle/dp/B010NDQWLE (Will need for cleaning)

http://www.amazon.com/Plaid-44250-30-Piece-Craft-Brush/dp/B003ZZ3PHW (Cheap, disposable and super useful for mixing in bowl, won't scar the sides.... Cheaper at Wal-Mart)

This one has been working great for me. Pretty cheap and comes with a nice assortment of different size bits. Feels well made too. Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072M35LDZ?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Yeah man, all you do is cut into some cork, super glue in some wire (in this case mine is 15 gauge I think?), find a drill bit that matches said wire and then drill where ever you desire on the mini for mounting. You can find hobby drill bits/vices online pretty easy. Corks I had lying around, wire I got from Hobby Lobby (general arts and crafts store) and my drill stuff I got off Amazon (link https://www.amazon.com/tool-home-Precision-Model-Drill-Twist/dp/B010BV7190/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510382874&sr=8-3&keywords=hobby+drill&dpID=51x%252B7gNAlgL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch ) EDIT: When I did my Primaris arms, I just drilled out the barrels and the wire fit perfectly in them too.

It’s definitely incredibly worth it. With just a brush, from base coat to detail work, it’d take me probably about 3-4 hours for a tactical marine/intercessor. But with an airbrush, the work on it went from 3-4 hours to about 20 minutes just from the time I’ve saved base coating. Just go for a cheapy one on Amazon, mine is this Master one that comes with a compressor too. The compressor is great, and you won’t be doing any detail work with the brush but just the time being saved on base coats is crazy. I finished a whole Rhino in about 45 minutes just by doing the first coat with the airbrush. Definitely one of the best hobby investments you can make

Awesome work. Perfect for the table top. If you want to push yourself here are a few things you can do.

• Drill out the barrel on the gun with a pin vice.
  
• After you use a wash, reapply the base paint to the flat areas avoiding the recesses. Bone color especially.
  
• Watch out for mold lines a little more carefully as you build to model.
  
• As you get better and more comfortable with edge highlighting, mix a bit of white into the highlight color and apply a second highlight to corners and upturned edges that would naturally catch light.

Man there is a lot to cover.

But to start, get a compressor with a reservoir so you can have extended paint sessions without overheating the pump. Something like this, Also some Dentist supply depot have oilless compressors with reservior ( the oiless part is very important for painting) that are really quiet but can get a bit expensive.

Get a good airbrush, you can find good quality airbrush in amazon but skip ANY of this type you won't get much out of those. This is a very good gravity fed airbrush.

You may want to invest in a couple nicer sable brushes and some brush soap to help clean em. Stuff like:

Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Watercolor Brush https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013E68SU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sUgOBbBD2VWYV

General Pencil 105-BP The Masters Brush Cleaner & Preserver 2.5 Ounces Carded- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EZgOBbP7Q1W7N

Maybe get the brush cleaner first and then get the sweet kolinsky brush ;-)

So Windsor Newton series 7 are beautiful and super long lasting if well treated.

Even just one size 1 is better than a bunch of varied cheaper brushes as they keep their point.

Also Masters brush cleaners is miraculous. De gunks gunk you didn't even know was gunking :)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Pencil-Masters-Cleaner-Preserver-1oz/dp/B001TNR7VM/

I just picked up a generic set of Drill bits(these ones actually) and have been happy with them, they're also great for working with styrene rods and the like as they match up perfectly.

Tl; dr: start with a brown and layer from there. It will take multiple layers no matter what. If you plan on doing this hobby for a few years an airbrush is worth it in the long run.

An airbrush is the best way to do it! I just started painting my bad moons and it saves so much time. Sooo much. You can get a starter set for 80 usd if you're in the states. I got this and it treated me quite well http://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Performance-Multi-purpose-Compressor-The/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415676001&sr=8-1&keywords=air+brush if you don't want to drop 80 bucks try basing the model brown. Like a flat brown or a little brighter. It helps with the layering (it'll take 12 layers instead of 22. Yes yellow takes a thousand layers. Dat patience) if you plan on staying in this hobby for years (this is pretty much my main addiction) I do suggest and airbrush .

Flush Cutters: https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A07771002JJJMUPKY9LNZ&url=%2FIGAN-330-Electronic-Clippers-Powerful-Precision%2Fdp%2FB07RW8VTSX%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa%3Fkeywords%3DFlush%2Bcutters%26qid%3D1568614943%26s%3Dgateway%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1568614943&id=3287567174581193&widgetName=sp_atf

Hobby Knife:

https://www.amazon.com/Hobby-Excel-Blades-Safety-American/dp/B0006O5JHE/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Excel+hobby+knife&qid=1568614967&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Testor's Model Glue:

https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Cement-Plastics-1-oz/dp/B0006N6ODS/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=PLastic+glue&qid=1568615017&s=gateway&sr=8-9

​

As for paint, I usually buy off of Games Workshop's website. Any order over $60 gets free shipping in the US. Models depend on if I can get them at my local store, or Amazon first. Anything not available at those two I go to the GW website for. Have fun, and good luck.

I was in the same boat as you. This is all the stuff I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0067BAYNO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001738DXU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KS1II96/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TJA0SQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1,https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BN5RUU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 .

I also bought an assortment of paints I thought I'd need. I went with the Vallejo Game Air line. If you look around, you'll see the stuff I bought recommended by many people for novice airbrushers.

Also, when I bought all that stuff, I signed up for the Amazon Prime credit card as well, so I ended up getting like $120 off that order. It worked out pretty well.

I bought 1x1 foot galvanized steel sheets from Amazon, found here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W6ZMQY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

And the boxes are the Really Useful Box, 9 Liter ones. They're heavy duty plastic, solid snaps, and stack really easily without adding pressure to the bottom boxes middle, super well designed.

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Performance-Multi-purpose-Dual-action/dp/B001TO578Q

this guy, it's quite cheap and I'd definitely say that you'll wanna upgrade eventually, but as a learner/first it's pretty good! also buy a stand for it instead of cheaping out like I did...

Grab a pin vise and some bits off of Amazon, they’re cheap and work like a charm!

Bastex Precision Pin Vise Hand Drill with Twist Bits - Set of 11 Pieces. Great for models and Hobby. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072M35LDZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-tCaBb8K804S1

do it. Easily the best money you'll ever spend and it's only like $9 for the masters kind, which will last you a year at least.

Linky: https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B0009RRT9Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1523038510&sr=8-5&keywords=brush+soap

EDIT: bought mine in July 2016 and it's still only about a quarter used up...so yeah. lol

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7UFLP5/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apap_VXeK8UhVERMpw

This brush set was the single best (and one of the cheapest), investments I made early on in this hobby. There's a great variety of sizes and styles, and it really let's you figure out what you're comfortable with.

I have this compressor, which I got as part of this kit. I'm only a beginner with the airbrush, but I highly recommend both. The compressor delivers a steady stream of air and doesn't heat up or make serious noise. I can easily use it at night without disturbing anybody even across the hall in my house.

Like OneWhoGeneralises said, GW's paints need to be thinned a lot. They're very thick for an airbrush to begin with, and tend to clot up even more as they dry out over time. I had a lot of trouble at first using mine without clogging up the airbrush. i can do it now, but mostly use Vallejo Air. I also found that Jay Adan video really helpful.

well imo, Testor's Liquid Cement For Plastics is the best thing out there for assembling plastic models. Stuff only works on plastic so if you get it on your hands or anything else, you can wipe it off and it's fine. Also it gives you some time to adjust the model unlike super glue. http://www.amazon.com/Testor-Corp-Liquid-Cement-Plastics/dp/B0006N6ODS

I have seen a lot of people recommend Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver, as linked below.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver-1oz/dp/B001TNR7VM

I've got myself a pot and it is really good, the first time i used it I was amazed how much paint came out of what I thought was a 'clean' brush.

Quite cheap as well, and it will last forever.

Definitely the Masters Brush Cleaner/Preserver. Most commonly recommended stuff out there. I've been using this for a good amount of painting the last 4 months and have hardly made a dent in the amount I have. 100% worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B0009RRT9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1479362298&sr=1-1&keywords=the+masters+brush+cleaner

Edit: It also smells like lemons and happiness.

The only reason to stay away from GW brushes is the price. You can buy comparable brushes for slightly less that's all.

At the end of the day, whatever brush you buy: TAKE CARE OF THEM.

I'd say for anything that's smaller than a vehicle, a well maintained 1 is a fine brush. If the tip is good, you can go as high as a 3 but will need some good control. I do edge highlighting with a 000 to 0, I have an 18/0 for eyes. I'll base with a 1 or larger depending on how quickly I want it done.

Here's a Brush Cleaner I, and a lot of people I know, use

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TNR7VM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523285574&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=paint+brush+cleaner this is the brush cleaner I use. I get my brush wet and then "paint" the cleaner, getting it mushy, and then massage my brushes and rinse a couple times. Helps me a lot. For brushes, Michael's is a good resource or some place local to you. Don't be afraid to spend 5-10 dollars on a single brush. Like OP said a no 1 and no 00 are good, I also like to get a filbert style, no 4 I think, maybe 6, for base coating and wider models like vehicles.

I used a hand pin vise drill https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07FJ6VD2P?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

The drilling went really well and wasn't too hard but getting started on the shoulder was tough because it was round. It kept slipping off but eventually it stuck. The holes the biggest drill bit made fit these magnets perfectly https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076CJL649?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_pd_title

Priming is absolutely necessary. There's a lot of ways to do all the painting, the order of priming, assembly and painting can vary, but you DO need to prime. Without primer the paint will just pool and dry weirdly, and then you'll go over it with another two or three or four coats to get solid color, and your first coat will act as "primer".

​

First, a word on glue.

​

You want plastic glue like this. This stuff is great. Easy to apply just enough, economical, and bonds the parts together permanently. This made me into an assemble-then-prime guy.

​

Before, I used this stuff. EM-2000 Starbond cyanoacrylate. Before I got this stuff, for a year or more I trudged along using watery superglue from the dollar store. I had no idea what I was missing. This is thick, like honey, it stays where you put it (mostly) and has microtips for the spout so you can control where it goes. It's great stuff.

​

>\> Should I fully build the figure then prime it and paint it?

When I use plastic glue to glue, that's what I do. I realized that if I had been using plastic glue earlier, some of my Weirdnob's staff coming apart and arms coming off of orks in transport might not have happened at all, so I wouldn't open my boxes to unpack for a game and go, damn, where's the glue...saved some frustration and panic.

​

>\>Should I build it in sections and prime them and then glue it together then paint?

​

What you'd actually want to do is prime on sprue, then assemble say, the torso, then paint that. Assemble the arms, paint, then glue the arms on the torso. Or assemble partially, prime, then paint, then do final assembly of the whole thing. So you're working on only the right arm, only the torso, etc. This is called painting in subassemblies. It can be very helpful if you're kinda anal about getting every...single...spot that's hard to reach when a model is based and assembled (which used to be me), or if you're doing a big model with lots of parts and color borders and stuff.

I can't stand any of my GW brushes. Recently got some Winsor Newton series 7. The difference is night and day. I can do small details with a size 1 ( M layer brush in GW speak ). I also picked up some cheap synthetic, Foundation series, Winsor newtons from WH Smiths for £4. Even they are better than the GW brushes.

Winsor Newton series 7

Click the link above buy one in size 1 and one in size 0, thank me later ;).

On a side note the best thing I bought recently for painting is a pair of these
Magnifying Glasses. Now I can actually see where the end of my paint brush is going!

Get a manual precision/ jeweler's drill with a few bit sizes, such as this one: In-tool-home Precision Pin Vise Model Hand Drill Set with Twist Drill Bits Set of 11 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010BV7190/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Sya3AbWQQ6DFA

All you'll need to do is find a good-sized bit, attach it to the drill, place it against the desired spot and spin while holding in place with your pointer finger. Hope that helps!

Pledge floor wax, under plastic wineglasses from Walmart to keep the dust out while drying.

Put the pledge into a dropper bottle, you can apply a drop directly to the area you want to work with and push around with a brush. Because it takes a few minutes to dry, it self levels out the brush strokes, but you should cover it while drying to keep clean of dust and hair.

Use as protective layer, mix with paint as glaze, apply before doing chipping, or seal whole mini and then airbrush, because overspray is much easier to remove from clear coat than from paint.

Thin coats, and try to leave surface level while it dries, since it dries slower than other products, you don't want it sliding down hill.

Frankly it has so many uses I'm still exploring.
Use anywhere you would use lahmian medium, and most places you would use ardcoat. It's about seventy times cheaper, so you can afford to experiment.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ARPH4C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_xSd8BbJQS4J8Q

Thin your citadel paints with some flow improver and a little water and they'll work great with an airbrush. I personally use vallejo flow improver: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vallejo-Improver-Airbrush-Model-Bottle/dp/B00QD780G0

I use these and love them, they aren't too expensive either which is great

https://smile.amazon.com/Miniature-Brushes-Detailing-Painting-Watercolor/dp/B01M7UFLP5/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=26021GRETRWYH&keywords=minature+paint+brushes&qid=1567396526&s=gateway&sprefix=minature+%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzNUdBS0k2M0VDQTRPJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzc2OTg2MkdBUkpSSEo0VUVPVCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDgwMTIxMU5ZM1pDVkpFUlNENyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

FIRST, Read this guide (It should answer most questions)

https://miniarmyhugetimesink.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/so-you-want-to-airbush-a-beginners-guide-part-1/

Then, My intro recommendations: (I've included Amazon links, but you can likely find better prices elsewhere)

Badger Krome (a solid intro airbrush) https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-RK-1-Additional-Regulator/dp/B0078MEXX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494523163&sr=8-1&keywords=badger+krome

Compressor (make sure it has a moisture trap and hose or purchase these seperately)

https://www.amazon.com/AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-Airbrush-Published-Exclusively/dp/B001738DXU/ref=sr_1_5?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1494523192&sr=1-5&keywords=airbrush+compressor

Respirator (a must have for safety):

https://www.amazon.com/3M-07193-Cartridge-Respirator-Assembly/dp/B00079FOK0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494523296&sr=8-3&keywords=respirator+mask

Cleaning pot (pipe cleaners optional)

https://www.amazon.com/Naturebelle-Airbrush-Cleaning-Holder-Nozzle/dp/B01D41W04U/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1494523444&sr=8-6&keywords=airbrush+cleaning

Other things you will probably want

• Airbrush medium for thinning paints
  
• A spray booth
  
• pipettes for transfering and mixing
  
• wash bottles for cleaning
  
• airbrush cleaner (I use windshield fluid)

It's ok lol, I had the same question (started in March)

I used one of these to drill a small hole in its foot: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJ6VD2P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BsIiDbXZK8B5K

I then used a cutting plier to snip off part of an office clip. Then you can use a vise grip to force it into the cork at a decent depth, depending on how long you snipped it.

I put a bit of glue at the tip of the clip that's sticking out of the cork, and also a bit in the foot hole I drilled. Glue them together, and voila. Make sure you use both hands to hold it in place while the glue bonds, for a few seconds.

If you decide to do this for separate parts instead of a wholly assembled model, you can skip the hole drilling step. I.E. if you want to have a head, arm, weapon etc, just glue them directly to the tip of the office clip. You can very easily snap it off when you're done painting. Be sure to glue it to a place where that part won't be visible once the model is assembled.

I have a hand drill that i use for pinning, would probably work for the magnets. I got mine from amazon pretty cheep. On mobile but will try to get a link.

Edit: not the exact one but pretty close

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B072M35LDZ?psc=1

I'd imagine it would. You could use this regulator to get it down to 30psi to airbrush with using this regulator http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00171BFKK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00171BFKK&linkCode=as2&tag=theplacrablo-21&linkId=B2UA7GBYXFXSCCFS

It's one I have attached to my compressor.

Badgers are great and I have a velocity and it's the best I've ever had (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0013NBQLA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B0013NBQLA&linkCode=as2&tag=theplacrablo-21&linkId=JBYG4F6UTGNAA6PD), however it might be worth getting a cheaper one to learn with as they get broken easily because the needles and parts are so fine. So maybe pick one up like the iwata neo. That was my second one and the only reason I replace it was because I fucked it up in my ultrasonic cleaner by keeping part of it together.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00792I04U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00792I04U&linkCode=as2&tag=theplacrablo-21&linkId=ODKBVSRHLROHJ7KI

Definitely use a wet pallet! That will help a lot. But the water question is tricky and something you need to develop a feel for. Too much water and your paints will run and you'll ruin the blend. Too little and your paints will dry as you blend them -- leaving brush marks and stains at the edges of dried pools. Practice on a primed piece of plastic first and you'll eventually get a feel! The thinner the better and you might want to try drying retarder if you find that you don't have enough time to blend before it starts drying and you start ruining your model! I would recommend first setting up your wet pallet tonight (it can be as simple as a wet napkin underneath parchment paper) and trying to blend from white to black on a primed sprue. Easy, cheap, and will give you an idea of whether you need drying retardant or any other fancy gadgets!

Thanks! I've been using liquitex fluid retarder I feel like I'm having difficulty getting the right mix. Like whenever I try to thin it more than a little I kind of get runny paint that doesn't really stick. Though it's been a little easier since I put it in a dropper bottle. Uh... tips?

(link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M559I2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

If you want to just prime, base, and seal, this is more than you'll ever need, for cheap: Master Airbrush Multi-purpose Gravity Feed Dual-action Airbrush Kit with 6 Foot Hose and a Powerful 1/5hp Single Piston Quiet Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DvGSzbCAEW7Z4


I love mine.

Also, if you want to upgrade, you could put an iwata on this compressor.

Understandable, although you can get hand drills really cheap on Amazon. We're talking $8, for real.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/tool-home-Precision-Model-Drill-Twist/dp/B010BV7190/

Hope this helps! O7

If you're just doing base coating, this kit is more than capable of giving you good results.

I did a lot of research/reading reviews/watching videos when i was getting my airbrush. I think I waited almost 3 months before making a purchase. The two that everyone always suggested to start with is an Iwata Eclipse or a Badger Patriot 105. I decided on the Badger. Then it sat on a shelf for a year because i was trying to decide on a compressor. Never really wanted to invest the money for a nice silent one. Instead, I bought a 10 gallon tank and some fittings and plummed it up. I fill it up with our compressor in the garage. It lasts me about 2 hours til I have to fill it back up.

If you are not worried about the noise, you can just buy a cheap pancake compressor from a local hardware store. I do suggest getting one with a few gallon tank though so that it doesn't kick on as much since they are loud as fuck. You will need a filter whatever route you go since non-airbrush ones usually don't have one.

List of the things you will need to buy:

• Airbrush
  
• Airbrush Hose (suggest 10ft)
  
• Air supply (compressor or tank)
  
  I also suggest you invest in:
  
  
• An airbrush stand (Didn't realize I needed it until I got it)
  
• Airbrush thinner/flow improver (Vallejo's is what I buy)
  
• Odorless paint thinner
  
• Small cup/shot glass/container to soak parts in overnight after use
  
  
  I am by no means an expert on this subject. I am a hobbyist and enthusiast at best. I always suggest you do your own research. Let me know if there is anything else I can answer for you.

You can do what op did with this.

Master Airbrush Multi-purpose Gravity Feed Dual-action Airbrush Kit with 6 Foot Hose and a Powerful 1/5hp Single Piston Quiet Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0PI4Bb7CYCWCW

It doesn't take an expensive setup to produce great results

I use the #000 #00 #0 and #1 and these brushes have lasted me quite awhile!

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013E68TO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, get some of this if you haven't. Helps clean and preserve the brush.

https://smile.amazon.com/General-Pencil-105-BP-Masters-Preserver/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/131-2149549-6038615?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0027AEANE&pd_rd_r=533843ec-7519-49ee-a39c-81fa8611380e&pd_rd_w=ZuAym&pd_rd_wg=0i5GD&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=5NSS7XH1XETBK19CAXCD&psc=1&refRID=5NSS7XH1XETBK19CAXCD

You can't really go wrong with brushes so long as you use the right kind for the right paint. Hope whatever you get him he enjoys!

If you ever need brush cleaner, this works really well. I have used alcohol before though, and it definitely works well for dried on paint with a bit of soap.

A small hand drill for better control. I would avoid power tools. Mark the spot with a pointy metal tool before drilling for good centering.

Example: https://www.amazon.com/tool-home-Precision-Model-Drill-Twist/dp/B010BV7190

Love the scheme, you seem very gifted with painting, how did you get that orange?

​

you should try to do something about those mold lines though. I recently bought this kit which really helped me with it as well as for other modeling stuff ( i am not affiliated with them)

Winsor and Newton Series 7, I do 99% of my work with size 0 and 1 brushes, and just use my 000 for faces and extremely small highlights.

Also, if you're destroying your brushes that quickly you need to take better care of them. Make sure you're not using them to mix paint, don't let paint get in the ferrule (the metal part), and clean them regularly with this magic stuff

Thanks for the advice. Is this the right winsor brush? Was reading that size 1 is the most useful one. https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Kolinsky-Sable-Watercolor/dp/B0013E68T4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540943258&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=winsor+newton+series+7+size+1&dpPl=1&dpID=21P033YjgvL&ref=plSrch

for moving paint around you can use a drinking straw, just dip it into the pot a little, then cover the end with your thumb, move it to the palette. if you're feeling fancy you can get some pipettes

I use about a 1:1 ratio on my palette, and I get a couple hours good use out of it just using a cheap plastic watercolor palette from Michael's. You can also make up a wet palette, I know a lot of folks like these.

for even longer lasting paint, or for wet blending, you can get some acrylic retarder

I saw a lot of people online recommending The Master's Brush Cleaner and Preserver. I got the following and it does a good job of prolonging the life of brushes. Basically looks like a little pot of soap that you swirl your brush in. I paid about £10 for the 2.5 oz pot.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6AvMAbJJYDZXM

Thanks!

I was thinking of putting some airbrush advice on here, but I figured that most newbies are a long way off from getting an airbrush.

Regarding thinning for airbrushing: I use future floor polish. It's a really thin, clear acrylic that I learned about during the hours of research I did before buying an airbrush. I think it's an old scale modeler's trick.

Yeah I didn’t get some high end one, maybe in the future when I decide to do more than just base coating, I got the airbrush/compressor etc for 80 bucks off amazon

Master Airbrush Multi-purpose Gravity Feed Dual-action Airbrush Kit with 6 Foot Hose and a Powerful 1/5hp Single Piston Quiet Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tXNQCbJ11P11V

This shit, right here.

And specifically that one. The metal applicator is fantastic, as it is easy to clean (seriously, why would you use a fat plastic need for plastic cement applications?) and being a thin needle allows you to apply it in hard to reach nooks and crannies.

Air brush, compressor, respirator, paints.

Here is a good one.
Comes with the first 2 and all the bits. Just be sure to thin the paints a bit. AND GET A RESPIRATOR!

My wife and kids got me THIS KIT for my birthday. It works great!

Amazon!!!!


In-tool-home Precision Pin Vise Model Hand Drill Set with Twist Drill Bits Set of 11 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010BV7190?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Master Airbrush Multi-purpose Gravity Feed Dual-action Airbrush Kit with 6 Foot Hose and a Powerful 1/5hp Single Piston Quiet Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7-zWDb53H6RRV

This is what I’m using. One of the cheapest on Amazon. It’s worked flawlessly so far.

I just got this about a month ago. I'm in love so far. Good kit to get you everything you need to start.

http://www.amazon.com/AIRBRUSH-Airbrush-Compressor-Instructional-Quick-Connector/dp/B001BO4X8Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396252600&sr=8-2&keywords=iwata+hp-cs

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

this stuff

---

^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

If you dont have it also pick up some masters brush cleaner. Great for cleaning and preserving brushes.

I bought this one. You can get it cheaper if you don't want prime shipping. The smaller bits are also great for drilling out barrels.

Detail Paint Brush Set 12pc Minute Series XII Miniature Brushes for Fine Detailing & Art Painting. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7UFLP5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ylINzbFVDJHES

If these ever come back in stock, they are really nice brushes for the money. Been using them almost exclusively recently. They get more use than my Windsor and Newton brushes.

I’d take small scissors and cut any frayed/split bristles.

They I’d recondition it, you can use hair conditioner, but I swear by this for my brushes.

You can always try to get the straightness back by wrapping it right in thread or twine, like start at the base and wrap around tight until the tip is barely showing. Then get it wet (water and more conditioner/brush preserver) they let it dry on its own. The thread should allow the liquid to get to the brush while maintaining the straightness.

Yes, yours is a better deal, the exact one I got was this listing. The packaging on the one you found reads more or less identical minus a website so I imagine it might be from older supply explaining the lower prices for volume.

Definitely magnets. Not just so that you can switch out weapon configurations to allow your units to adapt and change roles as you add more units to your army, but also to future-proof your collection.

GW likes to do things like make a certain weapon loadout stomp face in one codex, and then be mediocre in the next update. The most notable time that this happened to me, I had recently finished building four broods of tyranid termigants with fleshborers. 60 models. There was no other way to go in that codex; if you built your 'gants any other way, you were wasting points. The new 'dex came out, the weapons didn't work the same anymore, and you were a fool not to take devourers. That was a bad day.

Magnets don't take much time (I spend less time magnetizing parts than I do scraping mold lines), and they don't really take a substantial investment, either. Here are the tools I use: pin vice with different sized collets (in the handle), $9.95USD; Dremel bits to gradually increase the size of the hole, important to start with a guide hole and gradually work up to the size of your magnet, $6.21, 200x 3mmx1mm magnets, 4.01. For $20.17, you can make your units super versatile, and know that you won't have to buy a new squad if GW changes the rules.

Although you're new to the game, magnetizing is a cool skill set to have. You have a lot more latitude when you make army lists (especially important for players that are developing a feel for the game, army, or local metagame), you can make dual-purpose squads (need jump troops? Good thing there are magnets on those backpacks!), and you can keep GW from making you choose whether to buy 60 more 'gants or try to pry off all of their stupid little arms and replace them.

Is this the item / brand you're referring to?
If so it's on amazonUK :)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver-1oz/dp/B001TNR7VM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498143113&sr=8-2&keywords=masters+brush+cleaner

https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B001TNR7VM



This is the brush soap that everybody recommends.



Make sure you don't get paint in the ferrule (the metal bit where the bristles meet the brush). Paint will dry there and cause the splaying. Frequently rinse off the brush in a cup of water while you're painting.

If you are ever looking, I picked up this one. Works really good for priming and mass base coloring with some shading.

airbrush

As you should, get some of this wax. Rinse, run brush across paper towel until it's mostly clean, dip in water, swirl brush gently in this stuff, rinse, run across towel, do until the brush is back to normal color, do one more time but this time focus on reshaping the tip

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009RRT9Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522148457&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=brush+cleaner+and+preserver

Give this stuff a go it’s saved me many pounds on brushes
https://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Pencil-Masters-Cleaner-Preserver-1oz/dp/B001TNR7VM

Master Airbrush Multi-purpose Gravity Feed Dual-action Airbrush Kit with 6 Foot Hose and a Powerful 1/5hp Single Piston Quiet Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_d1.0Ab5D5X1K4

I just use this cleaner for all my brushes. I use those that I linked a few of the Army Painter ones and I really like the citadel shade brushes.

Hear him Op! Hear him very well!

You need to get some of this stuff in your life. This stuff is a necessity for mini painters and it will pay for itself.

Masters brush cleaner

Thanks for the info, astrozombie had this as a suggestion, here, not sure if this is a good starting set or not.

I use a set like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000302Z3/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1465749577&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=dremel+drill+bits&dpPl=1&dpID=413x6KLCXBL&ref=plSrch

I use some brush cleaning soap like this one after painting: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B001TNR7VM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_p7b6AbGXXKP4R

I use the Badger 105, which was recommended all over the internet. Pretty cheap, reliable, and easy as hell to operate. https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Patriot-Gravity-Airbrush/dp/B002W84GTO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496004574&sr=8-1&keywords=badger+105

I just picked up on Amazon a pin vise hand drill set, some flush cutters (the ones I've been using aren't flush and it's been annoying when trimming off sprue bits), and a lighted clamp magnifying class set, total was about 25 bucks.

I have this one and it never turns off. I bought it used elsewhere and can’t return. Ive read how to fix the problem of never turning off, but I haven’t figured it out yet. I don’t have anything to compare to, but it works really well besides never turning off.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001738DXU/ref=cm_cr_srp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

Vallejo Flow Improver on Amazon. And I found this description on the internet: This additive increases the flow of acrylic colours, by breaking down the surface tension of the water. It is ideal for the application of areas of flat and even colour without changing colour strength.

Is this the fabled cleaner?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0027AEANE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498146717&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=brush+soap&dpPl=1&dpID=51DBwP0kf2L&ref=plSrch

I use this on my brushes and it has fixed many a brush.

General Pencil 105-BP The Masters Brush Cleaner & Preserver 2.5 Ounces Carded- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ibyxCbTYSBGT2

I'm sure Dawn soap will clean them, but I don't know if other chemicals in there will hurt them long run. I would recommend Masters Brush Cleaner. I found some in a local art supply store.

https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Cement-Plastics-1-oz/dp/B0006N6ODS

I use this and swear by it.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B0009RRT9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1479362298&sr=1-1&keywords=the+masters+brush+cleaner

Series 7 breaks down into regular brushes and Miniature brushes. Miniature ones will say 'Miniature' on it and they're all far fatter shaped than regular watercolour ones.

See miniature versus non-miniature

NEW Quiet 1/6 hp MASTER AIRBRUSH TANK COMPRESSOR-(FREE) AIR HOSE and Now a (FREE) How to Airbrush Training Book to Get You Started, Published Exclusively By TCP Global. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001738DXU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_STDFzbGK3DMFA

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver-1oz/dp/B001TNR7VM

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_ooDsDbZMATW71

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Multi-purpose-Dual-action-Compressor/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1446958700&sr=8-2&keywords=master+airbrush

Get some of this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AEANE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I've got you, brother.

Winsor & Newton Series 7. Not the "miniature" series... This will cover your bases!

This stuff is the mutts nuts for cleaning brushes. - Masters Brush Cleaner

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001738DXU
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KJDXHQ
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VADIVC

That's what I have. A compressor with a tank makes all the difference and a decent but cheap airbrush to mess with. Plus that stand/cleaning station thing is a life saver. It's so handy.