Wargamers’ Army Painting Guide From Boxed To To Fully Ful ly Painted In Record Record Time!
1.SPRAY
2. BASECOA
3. QUICKSHADE
4. D ONE!
Live your life in colour! When people say that things are easier said than done they are usually r ight. Oen quite painully so! Allow us to offer an alternative to something that many garners find extremely difficult. Tis booklet is all about getting your plastic and metal soldiers into a rightening army o legend on the tabletop. With everything going so ast these days, getting time or painting is or some, a necessary evil to get gaming. Everybody at Te Army Painter loves Wargaming – and playing with armies o painted miniatures is a big part o this, making the best Hobby in the World even better. booklet and judge.or yoursel.
We want to share our experiences o a different alternative to completing an army, hard but un work as it is. Hopeully giving all Wargamers; newcomers or veterans, a fighting chance to complete their own projects or even start new ones. In record time.
How to use this Wargamer Booklet Once assembled, Te Army Painter technique consists o our simple steps rom start to finish. Each step will have its own section which is clearly marked on the top o the page by an illustrative miniature. Below are the different stages. Assembly
1. Spray
Read through the booklet beore starting the first step. Once you get the hang o it you can choose to completely finish one unit at a time, or one step at a time, ie. spraying all your miniatures beore basecoating them all etc.
2. Basecoat
3. Quickshade
But do not take our word or it, read through the booklet and judge or yoursel. We hope you... GET MORE TIME FOR GAMING!
Overview of the technique: Don’t be a tin-man!
Pre-step
4. Anti-shine & Basing
Pages:
Enjoy the thrill o painted armies...
Planning your army!
We have ound, that the key to painting any army o miniatures is planning. In house, we call this the “RULE o 3”. Here are a ew things worth considering beore going to the store to shop amok. Remember: time used here is time saved!
IP: Less is more! Keeping to a ew simple colours will work well on a whole army and make it look like a coherent entity. Alternatively, some striking bases (like snow) can bind an army together as well i a uniormed look is not possible.
1. Make an Army Roster to shape the project. Tis will guide your purchases. 2. Make a ew colour scheme test mi ni’s. Check i your idea works beore spraying the undercoat. 3. Bases. What are your bases going to look like? Your bases tells an important story about your army and defines the theme. ime invested in bases is never wasted.
Assembly
You will need to have glue, tools and miniatures ready and assemble either a unit or the whole army in one go. Tis section gives you tips on how to cut a ew corners.
4-5
Spray
Tis section describes how to go or the right Colour Primer to save you endless time painting the base colour on with a brush. Also deals with the ultimate time saver: combining colour sprays...
6-7
Basecoat
Picking the right colours are essential and we also take a look at using the right brush. Tis section also shows how to mix any acrylic colour using a simple system, saving you cash!
8-11
Quickshade
Te magic o the technique. Quickshade is ast and easy to use and once you master the technique you can produce a rightening amount o miniatures in record time.
12-13
Anti-shine & Basing
A huge part o the look o an army are its bases. We show the different products and the end result o those. We also look at matt varnish and the effect it has on the overall look o an army.
14-15
Finished Army
Tis section wraps up the whole thing and demonstrates what happens i you repeat the technique 100 times: you get an army! Te Undead are a classic Fantasy army and has been done with the technique eatured in this booklet.
16-17
Galleries
Here we eature different systems and game types all done using the 4 step technique. Hopeully this could work as an inspiration to your next army project...
18-23
Assembly
Plastic miniatures
Preperation: Assembling your army Tere are many tools and different types o glue around. Tis step will ocus on assembling your units/ monsters using the various types o glues correctly. It is important to keep in mind that i you need to use multiple sprays (see next s tep) you should not glue those parts together until afer the spraying.
Using superglue Superglue is wonderul i applied to a pre-filed miniature in small amounts, nasty i you get it on your fingers! Superglue bonds when there’s no air (that is why the bottles always have a lot o air in them), so take care to make the adjoining edges smooth by using a file, to minimize air between the 2 parts. Activator is a rather innovative product which works by creating a split‐second airtight bubble around your superglue instantly hardening it. Put glue to one part o the mini, then press the 2 pieces together and spray burst rom the Activator. Release afer a couple o seconds, the model is now glued.
IP: Green stuff or gluing! A super trick or gluing big metal parts together is to glue a ball o Green stuff on one component beore adding a tiny drop o Superglue on the other. Press the 2 parts together tightly. Te glue quickly hardens the Green stuff which draws the two components together. ime saver!
Most armies these days have core troops and units in plastic. Polystyrene Cement, or Plastic Glue, “melts” the plastic making the glued components as one – once hardened. o speed up the assembly process, empty the sprues and pile the bits up; right arms, heads, legs, etc. Ten proceed to glue one miniature at a time making sure it ranks up next to the other models in the regiment.
Movement rays
Conversions
I you have large units a movement tray is a very useul addition. o make your own, buy some thick cardboard and cut some 2 ‐ 3mm. broad strips in length and glue them around the unit arrayed on the cardboard or a perect match.
Conversions are a great way to personalize your army. When you glue metal to plastic always use Superglue (and Activator) and make sure each part going together has been filed smooth.
1.Spray
Te “Spray Strip” for plastic miniatures
Step 1: Spraying your army Tere are many tools and different types o glue around. Tis step will ocus on assembling your units/ monsters using the various types o glues correctly. It is important to keep in mind that i you need to use multiple sprays (see next s tep) you should not glue those parts together until afer the spraying.
1.
2.
A perect ast and effective way to spray many plastic miniatures is to use a piece o cardboard or a flat wooden stick and then spray a quick layer o primer on top o it.
Immediately afer spraying the paint onto the Spray Strip, when the paint is still wet, simply put the miniatures on top o it. Face them in the same direction or an even coat.
3.
Te primer will quickly dr y, effectively gluing the models in place. You now have ull control o the mini’s when spraying them, making it possibly to hit them rom every angle.
Using different sprays Available Colour Primers Matt Black CP3001
Matt White CP3002
Matt Varnish CP3003
Desert Yellow CP3011
Skeleton Bone CP3012
Greenskin CP3014
Ultramarine Blue CP3022
Goblin Green CP3024
Leather Brown CP3004
Army Green CP3005
Pure Red CP3006
Alien Purple CP3019
Angel Green CP3020
Wol Grey CP3021
Gun Metal CP3025
Chaotic Red CP3026
Barbarian Flesh CP3007
Plate Mail Metal CP3008
Uniorm Grey CP3010
Aegis Suit Satin Varnish CP3027
Daemonic Yellow CP3015
Fur Brown CP3016
Crystal Blue CP3017
Dragon Red CP3018
How to Spray: 1. Shake can well 2. Max distance o 20cm 3. Move can at all times
All Colour Primers should be applied directly onto your miniatures like a normal primer – no need to undercoat first as with a normal colour spray! Check our website or video tutorials on how to use a Colour Primer.
Te more you can let the spray do the hard work the aster your army will be finished. Shields, helmets, steeds or similar are good examples o where you could use different colours to save time basecoating it with a brush. Glue the models together once dry. o avoid all the light plastic shields flying all over the place, spray them in their sprues.
For larger models, like this Ultraorge dragon, the technique o using different Colour Primers really comes to the ore.
IP: Bases & movement trays Spraying as much as possible will save you time painting it on. You can spray your movement trays in a colour matching your bases – and even spray your bases as well.
Te Zombie regiment has been sprayed Barbarian Flesh while the Necromancer was given a coat o Dragon Red Colour Primer. Te movement tray was sprayed Leather Brown.
2. Basecoat
Rule of 3 to using Warpaints - acrylic colours
Step 2: Basecoating your army Tere is no denying it, there is only one way through this step; hard work! It might eel like getting your teeth pulled out, but ear not; by using only flat layers o acrylic colours it is quite possible to basecoat large proportions o your army ver y ast. Working on one colour at a time, or instance all the Only flat colours should be applied at boots and belts in a regiment, is a very time this stage. No highlighting needed. efficient way o “speed- painting”.
ip: Save money You do not need to buy every imaginable colour. Learn to mix your own colours and save money to spend on miniatures. No need to buy pink, just mix it! It’s really easy!
Greenskin Colour Primer spray and Warpaint = 100% match.
IP: Shake it baby! Matt Black
Matt White
WP1101
WP1102
Greenskin WP1111
Alien Purple WP1128
Anti-Shine Matt Varnish
Skeleton Bone
Necrotic Flesh
Barbarian Flesh
Tanned Flesh
WP1125
WP1108
WP1126
WP1127
WP1103
Goblin Green
Army Green
Angel Green
Oak Brown
Fur Brown
Leather Brown
WP1109
WP1110
WP1112
WP1124
WP1122
WP1123
Pure Red
Chaotic Red
Dragon Red
Lava Orange
Daemonic Yellow
WP1104
WP1142
WP1105
WP1106
WP1107
Hydra Turquoise
Electric Blue
Crystal Blue
Deep Blue
Ultramarine Blue
WP1141
WP1113
WP1114
WP1116
WP1115
Desert Yellow
Monster Brown
WP1121
Uniorm Grey
Ash Grey
Gun Metal
Greedy Gold
Shining Silver
Weapon Bronze
Plate Mail Metal
WP1119
WP1131
WP1132
WP1129
WP1133
WP1130
All acrylic colours consists o 2 elements: resin base and pigment. Generally speaking the more pigment, the better coverage. Warpaints have loads o rich and thick pigment and thereore it is recommended that you shake the bottle rigoursly beore use.
Te Warpaints bottle allows you to administer precise amounts or mixing
WP1118
WP1117
Wol Grey
WP1120
Mix the colours with a brush
Green Tone Strong Tone Ink Ink WP1137
Dark Tone Ink
Blue Tone Ink
Purple Tone Ink
Red Tone Ink
Flesh Wash
Sof Tone Ink
WP1136
WP1139
WP1140
WP1138
WP1143
WP1134
HIN WIH WAER. Te Warpaints have loads o pigment and i you need to thin it just use plain water, applying a bit at a time.
Mixing colours: A simple system!
Te smaller cousins o the Colour Primers are the acrylic, water-based, Warpaints colours.
Available Colour Primers
SHAKE WELL. Due to the high DO NO DROWN HE MINIAamount o pigment in the Warpaints URE IN PAIN. It is always better you should always shake the bottle to apply two thin coats than one thick rigorously beore using it. one obscuring delicate details.
WP1135
White lid: Regular Warpaints. Red lid: Inks. Black lid: Metallics.
Te finished colour ready to use
Seriously, you do not need 18 different nuances o brown. It is your Hamster hording instinct taking over and your wallet is the victim. By having a good base o colours you can mix any colour imaginable.
Below we show you how to mix some o the colours not available in the Warpaints range. Tey are simply used too rarely to be worth buying when they can be so easily mixed.
IP: ouch ups!
Using Inks Inks are cool and easy to use, though not the astest way o shading (wait or step 3!) it is a very precise method o adding depth or extra realistic effects to your miniatures, like a deeper shadow to the eyes, making armour darker, etc. Te Warpaints Inks have the exact same tone as their Quickshade equavalents and are perect to use as washes as well.
Unique to the Warpaints range is the act that all the colours are a 100% match to the Colour Primers o the same name. So when touch up’s are needed just use the equalent warpaint to cover your mistake.
Working smart (and a little hard...)
Don’t take a knife to a gun fight: pick the right brush Make your lie easier and pick a brush in the right size, or what you are about to do. Don’t paint eyes with a Vehicle Brush and do not basecoat with an Insane Detail... Having a good quality
brush designed or the task you are doing is essential. It will save you time and make the, ofen tough and lenghty, basecoating step o painting an army more achievable and enjoyable.
For bulk painting, the Regiment Brush is the key to efficiency and speed.
For tiny details, the Insane Detail is the undisputed king.
For tanks and large monsters, use the Vehicle Brush.
Te 43 degree angle Drybrush is unique and highly effective
o keep his sanity intact Jonas i s working on one regiment at a time.
est model! Beore throwing yoursel into the exhaustive basecoating step, make sure you have tried to apply all the colours you are going to use on one model first to make sure it looks like you want it to. Jonas made three test skeletons beore settling on the ourth as his preerred army look. It is mentioned in the planning; check them out on the inner cover.
Practice! Work on one colour at a time. A bit boring to paint all the boots on thirty models in a row but well worth it as you pick up speed and get better with practice.
Extra attention! Te ront rank or your characters deserve a little extra attention as these are the ones you see amongst the massed ranks o an army.
All Wargaming brushes have a proessional triangular handle giving you the perect grip thus increasing your accuracy with details.
Drybrushing: a useful technique in your arsenal
Move the Drybrush gently back and orth over the raised areas.
Te simply drybrushing technique can create truly spectacular effects and is ofen employed in the 4 step Army Painter technique. Apply paint to the brush and wipe it off in a cloth or similar, removing all visible paint. Using small swipes o your wrist, move the brush gently over the raised area.
Te Zombie regiment and the Necromancer basecoated in flat colours, the depth and shading is next...
3. Quickshade
Te “Splash-on” technique Te “Splash-on” technique is just that: soak the mini in QS with a brush, let it settle or 30 seconds and “suck up” excess with a piece o pointed tissue or an old brush. Do not use QS as ink, but soak the mini in it, to achieve the abulous shading effect. As QS dries it withdraw into and around the recesses and details and “shrinks”, so it is vital to leave QS on the model and not remove too much.
Step 3: Quickshading your army
A Han Chinese soldier beore and aer a dip in Quickshade Dark one.
Te Quickshade is the most controversial product used in the 4 step technique. In 10 seconds a model will go rom being basecoated in flat colours to being shaded and have incredible depth. Te Quickshade comes in 3 tones and which tone to use is down to personal preerence and what the army’s main colours are. Check the galleries later in this booklet or more input on cool combinations.
Te three tones available.
A guide to Quickshading and dipping
DIP
. Te dipping technique is by ar the astest technique when involving Quickshade – and that is saying something! With a pair o large pliers physically dip the miniature into the QS, all the way to the edge o it base. Allow the excess to drip back into the can or later use.
SHAKE
ip: Keep it warm In cold weather, a cool little tip to keep your Quickshade nice and thin is to put it on a radiator or warm “bath” beore using it. Tis will thin the ormula and make it flow easier. ake care not to make it too warm as the pigment will simply run off without shading properly.
Tinning Quickshade Quickshade can be thinned with tiny amounts o mineral turpentine. While the QS ormula is perected when opened the first time, it can thicken over prolonged use. Add a little turpentine one teaspoon at a time until you are satisfied with the consistency. Stir thoroughly beore use.
. With a firm grip (careul not to crush the base) shake the miniature hard 6-7 times and leave to dry. Tis is messy and old shoes/trousers are recommended. est this technique on some old mini’s first to get the hang o it.
DRYING
. ake a look at the miniature afer the QS has settled about 30 seconds. I there is too much QS still on some areas or it has pooled up slightly you can remove this with an old brush (more on next page). It is important to leave enough QS on the miniature, as it will draw itsel into the recesses when drying.
Tree tones Quickshade has three tones which each has a separate look. Te Darker the one the more contrast the models will achieve.
Te Zombies and their master shaded in a matter o 10 minuttes. Te Zombies were dipped in Quickshade Strong one, whereas the Necromancer was shaded using Quickshade Dark one befitting a sinister and evil character.½
4. Anti-Shine & Basing
Making your bases Apply PVA (wood glue) to the base with a brush. ake care not to cover the eet o the mini. Apply rocks first by hand. Dip the base in a tub with your preerred Battleground colour sand. Once the glue is dry, drybrush the sand and rocks with a lighter colour to create effects.
Step 4: Anti-Shine & Basing Applying basing to your army is very important, as it binds the miniatures together as a coherent orce with the same character and theme. But first you will need to remove the gloss look rom the Quickshade with a matt varnish like the Anti‐Shine which is conveniently acrylic and very, very matt – leaving you a perect oundation to add urther highlights and details with Warpaints or other acrylic colours.
You have a wide choice to make your bases unique. Te ufs are really cool and realistic, the razorwire brings about it the illusion o war and the many types o flock will theme you army. Pick careully and be coherent throughout the whole process.
A Roman Priest beore and aer a ew thin coats o Anti-Shine matt varnish. Viking Ulfednar with added Snow and Winter us.
A guide to matt varnish Anti-Shine matt varnish.
ip: Teme through basing Tere are endless possibilities to theming your army. Are they mindless killing anatics, elegant Wood Elves or rock hard soldiers rom an unorgiving World? Your bases will tell the tale so it is worth planning this into your army rom the start.
Tin coats. Any matt varnish, not just the Anti-Shine, needs to be used properly. Always apply the varnish in very thin coats and make sure the Quickshade has hardened at room temperature or 48 hours.
Rain & humidity. Tis can Frost & cold. I you can ‘rost’ your miniatures and make a snowman you i in doubt, always test on should never use your matt one model first! varnish outside. Never!
Masterclass: From gaming to tournament standard Tere is ofen a distinction between “Gaming” and “ournament” standard. Te 4 steps will give you a solid gaming standard whereas adding a ew highlights and details will raise the army to a antastic, cool looking tournament standard army.
Te finished Zombie Regiment and Necromancer. Extra attention has been given to the ront rank, standard bearer and a masterclass highlight on the Necromancer.
Step 4: Anti-Shine & Basing “Count Jurhnaz’s Shambling Hordes”
Even with Te Army Painter echnique, it is still a daunting task to paint an army but the efforts are well worth it. Jonas’ Undead army is ready or the table top and is a great example o what a ew simple steps will look like as an end result. Whatever rules system, Fantasy or Sci‐Fi setting, the size o the miniatures, etc: it does not matter as the 4 steps are the same to finishing any army.
Having repeated the technique numerous times over and saved many weeks o painting, Jonas can now finally enjoy more time or gaming!
Te colours of war! Knowing what your ew basic colours will b e, it is quite easy to plan out the look o the rest o your army. Using the same limited colour palette will work well and the overall eel is a very coherent army which looks stunning on the battlefield. Repeating the 4 steps over and over again will very quickly get you a large army to play games with.
Wight Cavalry: Tis unit has been done by spraying the horses Plate Mail Metal and the riders Dragon Red.
Heavily armoured Wight regiment
Army General: Count Jurhnaz
Corpse Cart.
IP: Banners
Te centrepiece o the army is the really cool Corpse Cart. Jonas has gone about it in the usual 4 step way but has used multiple sprays to save time and make sure he could afford to spend a little extra attention on all the many details.
Like bases, banners are a very visible eature in your army. It is well worth spending extra time on these. Photocopy them out o the army books or paint the ones included in the boxes. Simply use the 4 step technique you have just been through.
It is important to be very neat when you base-coat a large model, even when you use flat colours as you can better spot mistakes and small slip ups. Combining different Colour Primers.
Fantasy
Sometimes a little inspiration is all you need to get an idea or your next army project. Over the next ew pages we’ll show you the 3 main genres o wargaming and how to apply the simple 4 step Army Painter technique.
Minotaurs
Goblins CP: Desert Yellow
CP: Demonic Yello w
WP: Gobli n Green, QS: So one Leather Brown, Pure Red
WP: Pla te Mail, Pure Red, Oak Brown
QS: Str ong one
Bla ck Battleground, Swamp u, Meadow Flowers
Anti-Shine
s e r u t a i n i M e n o z e m a G
s e r u t a i n i M e n o z e m a G
Cavalry
Dwarf Berserker
CP: Fur Brown, Crystal Blue
CP: Barbarian Flesh
r a W f o s r a t a v A
WP: Lava Orange, Gredy QS: Strong one Gold, Leather Bown, Shining Silver.
WP: Pla te MailMetal, Bla ck, Dragon Red.
QS: Strong one
Brown Battleground, Hillside Rocks, Jungle u, Moss Green Flock
Brown Battlefields, Field Static Grass
Tis Dark El on Cold One has been sprayed using both CP: Alien Purple (rider) and Greenskin (steed), beore final assembly. Aer a basecoat o WP: Greedy Gold and Plate Mail Metal, the miniature was shaded with QS Dark one using the “Splash On” echnique. Te base was finished off with Black Battleground, Hillside Rocks and Winter us.
As we have dealt with earlier, a lot o time can be saved by spraying the steeds in a different primer to the riders. Above are just 2 examples o this, but the possible combinations are endless.
r a W f o s r a t a v A
Be they alien, planetary human militia or super human marines the Army Painter technique is the same. On these 2 pages we show a ew inspirational examples o different sci-fi miniatures.
Sci-Fi
Marines
Space Orcs CP: Wol Gr ey QS: Strong one
CP: Pure Red
WP: Greenskin, Plate Mail Metal, Black, Daemomic Yellow.
WP: Oak Brown, GreedyQ S: D ar k o ne Gold, Barbarian Flesh.
S no w, B la ck B at tl e ground,Hillside Rocks
Brown Battleground, Hillside Rocks.
s e r u t a i n i M r o b i c S
Guardsmen
h c e l m o r K & i n i M x a M
Vehicle - Space Orc Looted Wagon CP: Ar my Gr een
CP:Dragon Red & Plate Mail Metal
i n i M x a M
WP:Plate Mail Metal, FurBrown, Dragon Red
WP: Fur Brown, Matt QS: Str ong one Black, Plate Mail Metal.
Brown Battlefields, Razorwire, Swamp u.
QS: Strong one
Resin. Tis Space Orc looted Wagon is a detailed resin kit rom Max Mini. Beore assembly and spray, the resin pieces were washed in warm soapy water to remove the greasy lubricate lef over rom the casting process. Rinse with clear water and leave to dry. Now the Orc Wagon is ready or spraying.
h t o m m a M n a b r U
Historical
Other Era’s
On these two pages we show you some Historical miniatures rom different periods, scale and games systems. Following the 4 easy steps in the Army Painter technique, creating massive Historical armies is no longer impossible.
Ancients CP: Ultramarine Blue spray.
s e r u t a i n i M e d a g e n e R
Dipped in QS Dark one For basing: Brown Battleground, Wilderness + Winter u
CP: Dragon Red
WP: Wol Grey, Bla ck, White, Dessert Yellow
QS : Da rk o ne
CP: Matt
CP: Crystal
White spray.
Blue spray.
Dipped in QS So one
Dipped in QS Strong one
For basing: Brown Battleground, Moss Green Flock, Meadow Flowers
For basing: Brown Battleground, Moss Green Flock, Swamp us
Br ow n Ba tt le fie ld s, Winter u, Moss Green
15mm/WWII s e m a G d r o l r a W
Dark Ages CP : Uni o rm Gre y
t s a e B g n i p p i r G
CP: Plate Mail Metal CP: Dragon Red
WP: Desert Yellow, Oak QS: Str ong one Brown, Greedy Gold
Brown Battlefields, Wilderness u
W P G un Me ta l; Bar bar ia n F le sh, Matt Black
QS: Dark one
Black Battleground, Razor wire
s e m a G d r o l r a W
Flames of War Army s e m a G d r o l r a W + t s a e B g n i p p i r G
s e r u t a i n i M t n o r f e l t t a B
Don’t be a tin-man - live and play in colours Lack of time? Less of an artistic nature? Don’t know how...? If these or others are your excuses to never quite finishing your army projects - this booklet could be your path to redemption. Tis booklet is all about Wargamers and how to get their many army projects finished to a very good gaming standard – in a matter o weeks or even days. An exclusive insight into the many loopholes and shortcuts you can take – to get that army o yours done in record time. Tis is a FREE booklet or all Wargamers. Inside you will find: •
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From box to finished army in record time! A comprehensive look at the basic 4 step technique rom Te Army Painter. ips, tricks and invaluable timesavers. utorial galleries or all major genres o Wargaming More time or Gaming!
“It’s simply the most significant development in hobby painting or years. I take my hat off to them. Well done Te Army Painter team. May your bristles never wilt!” RICK PRIESTLY
Creator o Warhammer & Black Powder
Goodbuy tin-man: www.thearmypainter.com Te website has loads o galleries and video tutorials on how to use the products and techniques eatured in this booklet.
Te website has loads o galleries and video tutorials on how to use the products and techniques eatured in this booklet.
Beore you put brush to miniature, go and seek inspiration and tips/tricks that can save you valuable time painting your army, allowing you More ime or Gaming!
