Mini Primer

A few brushes, a handful of paints, no art background needed

Your first miniatures, made easy.

Miniature painting for absolute beginners, with no art background needed. Anyone can learn this with a few brushes, a handful of acrylic paints, and some primer. The core sequence is simpler than it looks: prime the model, lay down your base colors, flow a wash into the recesses, then drybrush and highlight the raised detail. Your first minis only need to look good on the table, not win a contest, and that is a great place to start.

Getting StartedPaints & BrushesPriming & PrepCore TechniquesBasing & FinishingTips & Troubleshooting

Miniature Scale Converter

Convert any miniature scale (1:56, 1:72, and more) to figure height in mm, or the other way around.

1:56 scale is 32.1 mm tall

Based on a 1.8 m (6 ft) reference human. Real figures vary a bit with pose and sculpt, so use this as a starting point rather than an exact match.

ScaleHeightTypical use
1:12015 mm15 mm gaming
1:10018 mm18 mm / smaller wargames
1:7225 mm25 mm historicals
▸ 1:5632.1 mm28-32 mm, the tabletop standard
1:4837.5 mm38 mm+ large display

Base Texture Coverage Calculator

Work out how much texture paste a batch of miniatures needs, by base size, count, and depth.

All free tools →

Latest guides

50 guides
Basing & Finishing

How to Store and Display Painted Miniatures

Learn how to store painted miniatures safely, display them at home, and transport them without chips or scratches. Practical tips for beginners.

July 4, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

Why Are My Miniatures Painting So Thick and Clumpy?

Thick, clumpy miniature paint almost always means unthinned paint. Learn thinning ratios, wet palette tips, and how to fix dried or old paint.

July 4, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

How to Improve Your Miniature Painting Over Time

Practical ways to get better at painting miniatures, from deliberate practice habits to the techniques that actually make a visible difference.

July 3, 2026
Core Techniques

How to Paint Metallics on Miniatures

Learn how to paint metallics on miniatures with simple techniques for armor, swords, and shields that look great on the tabletop.

July 3, 2026
Basing & Finishing

How to Base a Miniature: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how to base miniatures step by step: glue, sand, texture paste, and sealing explained simply for beginners.

July 2, 2026
Paints & Brushes

How to Hold the Brush and Load Paint Correctly

Learn how to hold a miniature brush and load paint for better control. Simple techniques that immediately improve your results as a beginner.

July 2, 2026
Getting Started

A Simple Step-by-Step Plan to Paint Your First Mini

A clear beginner guide to painting your first miniature, from priming to the final highlight, with no art experience required.

July 1, 2026
Priming & Prep

Common Priming Problems (Fuzzy, Thick, or Sticky Primer)

Fuzzy primer, thick coats, or tacky surfaces ruining your minis? Learn what causes each priming problem and how to fix or prevent it.

July 1, 2026
Core Techniques

Base Coating Miniatures: How to Lay Down Your Colors

Learn how to base coat miniatures with confidence. Covers thinning paint, two thin coats, brush vs airbrush, and common beginner mistakes to avoid.

June 30, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

Why Is My Drybrushing Chalky or Messy?

Fix chalky, muddy drybrushing with simple adjustments to paint amount, brush pressure, and timing. Beginner-friendly troubleshooting guide.

June 30, 2026
Core Techniques

How to Paint Miniature Faces and Eyes

Learn how to paint miniature faces and eyes with simple steps, skin tone mixing tips, and beginner-friendly techniques that look great on the table.

June 29, 2026
Basing & Finishing

How to Fix Frosted or Cloudy Varnish

Frosted varnish ruins the look of a finished mini. Learn what causes the white haze and how to fix cloudy varnish fast with a few simple steps.

June 28, 2026
Priming & Prep

How to Mount Minis on a Handle for Painting

Learn how to hold miniatures while painting without touching the model. Covers corks, painting handles, and easy DIY options for beginners.

June 28, 2026
Paints & Brushes

Do You Need an Airbrush for Miniatures?

Find out if an airbrush is worth it for beginner miniature painters, and what you can achieve with regular brushes instead.

June 27, 2026
Priming & Prep

How to Prime a Miniature (and Why Priming Matters)

Learn how to prime miniatures the right way, why skipping primer ruins paint jobs, and which method suits your setup and budget.

June 27, 2026
Getting Started

Common Beginner Miniature Painting Mistakes

Avoid the most common miniature painting mistakes with practical fixes that help beginners get better results from their very first minis.

June 26, 2026
Core Techniques

The Beginner Painting Sequence: Prime, Base, Shade, Highlight

Learn the four core miniature painting steps in order: priming, base coating, shading, and highlighting. A practical guide for total beginners.

June 26, 2026
Paints & Brushes

Miniature Paints Explained: Acrylics, Washes, and Contrast

Learn the main types of miniature paint, including acrylics, washes, and contrast paints, so you can choose the right product for every step.

June 25, 2026
Getting Started

Tabletop Standard vs Display: How Good Do Your Minis Need to Be?

Learn the difference between tabletop standard and display painting so you can set realistic goals and enjoy miniature painting from your very first model.

June 25, 2026
Priming & Prep

How to Wash Miniatures Before Priming

Yes, you should wash miniatures before priming. Here's how to clean plastic, metal, and resin minis so primer sticks and paint lasts.

June 24, 2026
Basing & Finishing

Matte vs Gloss Varnish: Which Should You Use?

Learn when to use matte vs gloss varnish on miniatures, why many painters use both, and how to choose the right sealant for your project.

June 24, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

How to Batch Paint an Army of Miniatures

Learn how to batch paint miniatures with an assembly-line approach that saves time and keeps your army looking consistent on the table.

June 23, 2026
Getting Started

How to Start Painting Miniatures: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how to paint miniatures for beginners: the tools you need, priming basics, and first steps to a finished mini.

June 23, 2026
Paints & Brushes

Contrast and Speed Paints: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how contrast paints work, when to use them, and how to get the best results from one-coat miniature paints as a beginner.

June 22, 2026
Core Techniques

How to Paint NMM (Non-Metallic Metal) for Beginners

Learn the light-source logic behind non-metallic metal painting and a simple two-tone approach that works on any beginner miniature.

June 21, 2026
Basing & Finishing

How to Varnish and Seal Your Miniatures

Learn how to varnish miniatures to protect your paintwork. Covers matte, satin, and gloss finishes, spray vs brush-on, and common mistakes to avoid.

June 21, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

How to Paint Cloaks and Robes on Miniatures

Learn how to paint cloaks and robes on miniatures with simple wash, drybrush, and layering steps that make fabric look three-dimensional.

June 20, 2026
Core Techniques

Edge Highlighting Miniatures the Easy Way

Learn how to edge highlight miniatures with thin paint and a steady brush. A beginner-friendly guide to brighter, sharper-looking minis.

June 19, 2026
Priming & Prep

How to Assemble and Prep a Miniature for Painting

Learn how to assemble miniatures, clean mold lines, and glue parts so your model is ready to prime and paint.

June 19, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

Color Theory Basics for Miniature Painters

Learn color theory for miniature painting: how to pick color schemes, use complementary colors, and make your minis look great on the table.

June 18, 2026
Paints & Brushes

How to Care for Your Miniature Painting Brushes

Learn how to care for miniature brushes so they last for years. Covers cleaning, brush soap, tip reshaping, and the mistakes that ruin bristles fast.

June 17, 2026
Getting Started

Is Miniature Painting Hard? What Beginners Should Expect

Is miniature painting hard? Honest answer: easy to start, years to master. Here's what beginners should realistically expect in the first weeks and months.

June 17, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

How to Fix Mistakes and Repaint a Miniature

Learn how to fix miniature painting mistakes with simple touch-ups or a full strip. Covers safe strippers, gloves, ventilation, and plastic testing.

June 16, 2026
Basing & Finishing

How to Paint and Finish the Base Rim

Learn how to paint base rims cleanly on miniatures. Covers color choices, edge technique, keeping paint off the top, sealing, and army consistency.

June 15, 2026
Priming & Prep

How to Remove Mold Lines from Miniatures

Learn how to remove mold lines from miniatures with a hobby knife, mold line remover tool, and files. Covers plastic, metal, and resin safely.

June 14, 2026
Core Techniques

Layering Paint on Miniatures for Smooth Highlights

Learn how to layer miniatures for smooth, natural-looking highlights. Step-by-step guide covering thin paint, feathering, and where to place light.

June 14, 2026
Paints & Brushes

How to Use a Wet Palette for Miniature Painting

Learn how to use a wet palette for miniatures, keep paint workable longer, and make your own DIY version with everyday supplies.

June 13, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

How to Paint Miniatures Faster (Without Them Looking Bad)

Learn how to paint miniatures fast with batch painting, contrast paints, slapchop, and more speed techniques that still look great on the tabletop.

June 12, 2026
Getting Started

Setting Up a Miniature Painting Workspace

Learn how to build a miniature painting workspace setup with the right desk, daylight lighting, ventilation, and storage to paint comfortably from day one.

June 12, 2026
Basing & Finishing

How to Add Flock, Grass Tufts, and Static Grass

Learn how to use static grass, grass tufts, and flock to finish miniature bases with a natural, realistic look. Step-by-step PVA glue method inside.

June 11, 2026
Priming & Prep

Brush-On vs Spray vs Airbrush Primer

Brush on vs spray primer miniatures compared side by side: cost, control, weather limits, and when each method actually makes sense.

June 10, 2026
Core Techniques

Drybrushing Miniatures: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how to drybrush miniatures with this beginner's guide: brush prep, paint loading, pressure tips, and how to avoid overdrybrushing.

June 10, 2026
Paints & Brushes

How to Thin Your Paints (the Most Important Beginner Skill)

Learn how to thin miniature paint correctly using water or medium. Covers ratios, consistency targets, and the two-thin-coats rule for beginners.

June 9, 2026
Getting Started

Choosing Your First Miniature to Paint

Learn how to pick the best miniatures for beginners to paint: right size, material, detail level, and where to find affordable practice minis.

June 8, 2026
Tips & Troubleshooting

How to Get Rid of Brush Marks on Miniatures

Visible brush marks on miniatures almost always trace back to paint that's too thick or too dry. Here's how to fix them and prevent them.

June 7, 2026
Basing & Finishing

Simple Basing Ideas and Textures for Beginners

Explore easy miniature basing ideas and textures that make any figure look finished, from desert sand to urban rubble, with no special tools needed.

June 7, 2026
Core Techniques

How to Use Washes to Shade Your Miniatures

Learn how to use washes on miniatures to add instant depth and shadow. Covers all-over vs pinwash, tide marks, and ready-made vs homemade washes.

June 6, 2026
Priming & Prep

Black, White, Grey, or Zenithal: Choosing a Primer Color

Not sure what color primer for miniatures to use? This guide covers black, white, grey, and zenithal priming so you can pick the right base.

June 5, 2026
Paints & Brushes

What Brushes Do You Need for Miniature Painting?

Find out the best brushes for miniature painting, what sizes actually matter, and how to choose between synthetic and natural sable on a beginner budget.

June 5, 2026
Getting Started

What You Need to Start Painting Miniatures

A clear, no-fluff list of miniature painting supplies for beginners — paints, brushes, primer, and a few extras that actually matter.

June 4, 2026

Browse by topic

Getting StartedBegin here. Miniature painting is simply applying acrylic paint to a small model so it reads well on the table, and almost anyone can pick it up. We cover the small starter kit you actually need (a couple of brushes, a handful of paints, a pot of primer, a water pot, and a scrap of palette), how to choose an easy first mini rather than your favorite hero, and how to set up a comfortable, well-lit spot to work. Most of all we set the right mindset: a tidy tabletop standard beats a flawless mini you never finish.Paints & BrushesThe two things you touch on every model. We look at acrylic miniature paints and the newer contrast or speed paints that shade in one coat, and the few brush sizes a beginner really needs, usually a detail brush and a larger one for coverage. You will learn to care for brushes so they last, never letting paint dry up in the bristles and always pulling them back to a point, and why a wet palette keeps paint workable. The single biggest lesson here is thinning your paint, since thin coats are what make a mini look smooth instead of clumpy.Priming & PrepWhat to do before any color goes on. Prep means cleaning the faint mold lines off the model, washing off the factory release agent so paint will stick, gluing any parts together, and mounting the mini on a handle or cork so you are not touching the figure as you paint. Then comes priming: a thin undercoat that gives your paint something to grip and stops it beading off the plastic or metal. We compare brush-on, spray, and airbrush primer, and help you pick a black, grey, white, or zenithal undercoat to match how bright or moody you want the finish.Core TechniquesThe handful of moves that make a mini look great surprisingly fast. We walk through the beginner sequence in plain terms: base coating, where you block in the main flat colors; a shading wash, a thin dark paint that flows into the recesses and instantly adds depth; drybrushing, where an almost-dry brush catches the raised detail and texture; and then simple layering and edge highlighting to brighten the parts that face the light. Done in that order, even a first attempt looks finished and three-dimensional.Basing & FinishingThe last steps that pull the whole figure together. We cover finishing the base with texture paint, static grass or flock, a tuft or two, and a tidy rim color, which alone makes a mini look properly displayed. Then we seal the paint with a protective varnish so it survives handling and gaming, comparing matte and gloss and whether to brush or spray it on. We finish with simple, low-cost ways to display your growing collection so it actually gets seen.Tips & TroubleshootingFixes for the snags every beginner hits. Paint going on thick and clumpy usually means it needs thinning; visible brush marks often mean the paint was too dry or the coats too heavy. We sort out frosted or cloudy varnish, chalky overdone drybrushing, and how to paint a whole squad quickly with contrast paints when you just want them on the table. We also cover easy color and contrast basics, so your models read clearly under normal light instead of turning into a muddy blur.