New to painting miniatures? The short version: prime your mini, paint from the largest areas down to the smallest details, add a wash to create shadows, then pick out highlights — and seal it when you're done. Below is the full beginner's workflow, using an unpainted resin mini as your canvas.
What you'll need
- An unpainted resin miniature
- Primer (grey or white, brush-on or spray)
- Acrylic miniature paints
- A couple of synthetic brushes (one detail, one basecoat)
- A pot of water and a paper towel
Step 1: Wash and prime
Resin prints carry a little release residue, so rinse the mini in warm soapy water and let it dry. Then apply a thin, even coat of primer. Primer gives paint something to grip — skip it and your work will rub off. Grey primer is the most forgiving for beginners.
Step 2: Basecoat the big areas
Block in your main colors first — skin, armor, cloak, base. Two thin coats always look better than one thick one; thinned paint preserves the sculpt's detail instead of drowning it.
Why thin your paints?
Thick paint pools in the recesses and hides the fine lines that make a mini read well on the table. A milk-like consistency is the goal.
Step 3: Add a wash for instant shadows
A dark wash — a very thin, flowing paint — settles into the crevices and creates instant depth. One pass over a basecoated mini makes it look dramatically more finished. This is the single biggest beginner win.
Step 4: Highlight the details
Pick out edges and raised areas with a lighter color to make them pop — belt buckles, blade edges, knuckles, hair. This is where a single mini becomes unmistakably yours.
Step 5: Base and seal
Finish the base with flock, sand, or paint, then protect everything with a matte varnish so it survives real games.
Practice on a pack
The fastest way to improve is repetition. A Heroes Pack gives you four minis to experiment on, and a mistake on a $9.99 mini costs far less than your nerves. Prefer to skip painting entirely? Order a hand-painted commission and we'll finish it for you.
Ready to start? Browse single miniatures and pick your first canvas.