Essential Tools for Miniature Painting – Everything You Need to Bring Your Miniatures to Life

1. Imagination
2. Determination

There you go… that’s a comprehensive list of the tools you need to paint minis successfully. OK, there are probably a few more things you need, but these two are essential: 

1. the imagination to find solutions to the many creative challenges you will face along the way, to find painting methods that give you the results you want, and to visualise the finished product and pathway there,
2. and determination to keep pushing when you don’t seem to be ‘getting there’, and to look your mini straight in the eyes and accept when it doesn’t look good, and rejoice with honest pride when it does look awesome!

Presuming you’ve got those two most essential miniature painting supplies sorted, what are some other things you’ll need? I’ve done a lot of mini painting, made a lot of mistakes, bought a whole lot of equipment, and if you read on, I just might be able to give you a few shortcuts to getting your setup for painting that big library of tabletop roleplaying game miniatures sorted.

So if you have a big ‘pile of shame’ glaring at you from the shelf, get stuck in and we might see if we can get some of those pesky bits of plastic coloured in!

Getting Started with Miniature Painting

Having the right miniature painting supplies and setup can make a huge difference to just how fun this teeny tiny hobby can be, from the brushes you choose, to paint pigments that suit your chosen model painting style, to everything in between, let’s explore the basics you’ll need to get started.

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

• I am going to make actual specific recommendations, directly from my experience. I’ve been messing around in this hobby for many years, but I certainly wouldn’t claim to have discovered every option out there, so please jump in the comments with your thoughts too. You just might come up with something I’ve never heard of before.
• I’m going to assume you’ve never painted minis before. You may well be a near-pro, in which case still read on, you never know what you might learn.

Essential Tools for Miniature Painting

Priming Your Miniatures – Setting the Foundation

Before you start the pretty part of painting your minis, it’s crucial to apply a primer to your miniatures. Whether you’re into miniature painting or model painting (like tanks or larger figurines), a good primer is essential. It creates a surface that paint can adhere to, preventing flaking and ensuring vibrant colors. My preference is to use spray on primers for both model painting and minis, which produce a very thin, even coat that takes away as little of the detail as possible (don’t hold that trigger too long). 

Zenithal Highlighting – my most recent, most loved discovery

If you get ONE thing out of this article, I would love it to be you learning about Zenithal Highlighting. This trick is the best, fastest, easiest method for getting amazing contrast and depth out of subsequent layers of DnD mini paint. So, how do I zenithal highlight? 

1. Undercoat completely in dark. First give a good complete cover with a dark(ish) undercoat (I use Mechanicas Standard Grey from Zitadel Paint). 
2. Let it dry. Don’t do the next coat until that first one is dry or you might get horrible runs. If you have access to the Australian sun, that’s a big advantage, because it will dry that first coat instantly.
3. Undercoat again with a white spray (I use White scar from Zitadel Paint). You’ll do this coat from just ONE angle, usually above (the zenith). This is your light source. You can try different light source positions too, for some fun results. Doing this coat, I do like to twist a little bit to get a bit on both the front and back. 
4. Admire your results!

The result of this undercoating method is a natural shading that looks like natural lighting.The undersides of things will be darker, recesses and dips will be shadowed and high areas will have a built in highlight. As long as your subsequent coloured paints are at least a little transparent, you now have pre-built shading and a really cool point lighting effect.

Give it a try!

Once you’ve mastered Zenithal Highlighting, don’t fail to add some additional manual miniature highlighting on top. Use a fine brush to accentuate edges (like armor or facial features). This layered approach pairs perfectly with speed paints (below) for a dramatic sense of depth.

Choosing the Right Miniature Paint Brushes

IMPORTANT → don’t just use any old brushes! This is where I recommend you spend a bit of extra money. The quality of your brushes will significantly impact your painting results. Better brushes maintain a better point far longer than cheaper alternatives. For me, when it comes to miniature paint brushes, the only choice is… natural. Natural brushes, like sable, offer excellent paint retention and a fine point. I have no strong opinion about one brand over another, but I’ve found Army Painter, Taklon, and Citadel paint brushes have all brought me success.

Buy these:

1. A medium brush for painting cloaks and arms and legs. 
2. A tiny brush for painting fine details and those pesky eyeballs (though a pin does a good job for eyeballs too).
3. And something broad and loose for dry painting (this one can be cheaper and synthetic).

Paints, Washes, and Special Effects

Paints are where the magic happens, whether you’re layering DnD mini paint on the teeny tiny cheekbones of 1 inch tall hobbits or tackling larger model painting projects. Modern contrast and speed paints have revolutionized both miniature painting and model painting.

When I started painting miniatures, if I wanted a gradual transition from the darker recesses of a model to the highpoints where the sun (or torchlight) should be shining, I would have to mix multiple paint colours and paint multiple layers, blending between each colour as I transitioned from dark to light. This was a time consuming process. Then, in 2019, Citadel invented contrast paints closely followed by Army Painter’s Speedpaints, extraordinary paint technologies that allow the dark components of a pigment to sink into the grooves, leaving a lighter/thinner coat on the tops of curves. When combined with Zenithal Highlighting (as described above), speedpaints and contrast paints offer the closest thing you can get to an instant fix, providing a massive shortcut to good looking minis. 

A quick google will reveal the intense debate re contrast paints vs speed paints. Some say that contrast paints are best at providing depth with just a single coat, while others claim speed paints are superior for rapid applications. Having tried both, I suggest you try speed paints first. There are some good starter pack available such as the Army Painter: Speedpaint 2.0 – Starter Set, and I would recommend also grabbing yourself a couple of extra colours, such as a Holy White, Polished Silver and Golden Armour.

The other essential part of your pigment toolkit is washes, one final useful step to help bring even more distinction between details and shadows, or dirty up minis for that rugged Aragorn’s-been-on-the-road-for-months-without-access-to-a-proper-bath look.

Tools for Precision and Detail

Two more tools I would definitely recommend are something like Citadel Colour Painting Handle and a good tiny file, to remove printing marks or casting imperfections. Something like Citadel File Set will work well for you. The painting handle provides stability, and keeps your fingers clear of the paint. Oh, and don’t forget Superglue (such as Selley’s Adhesive Fix & Go Supa Glue 3mL), not just for assembling models, but also for gluing them back together when you (inevitably) drop one. Ouch!

Setting Up Your Painting Space

Keeping Your Workspace Clean and Efficient

OK, so what else do you need when you are model painting? Obviously a water cup to rinse your brushes. I recommend something that does NOT look like your drink.

Don’t forget to protect your table. Whereever you come down on the contrast paints vs speed paints debate, neither of these should be ending up on your table, and trust me, you WILL at some point knock over a whole pot of paint, or your colourfully tinted water jar, so put something more than just a single sheet of newspaper down.

A recent discovery for me is Latex Finger Cots, tiny little gloves for individual fingers. I don’t like wearing gloves for a long time, becasue of the sweat that builds up, but it’s still good to keep these paints off your fingertips and nails, they aren’t entirely nontoxic and they are sometimes VERY hard to wash off. Also, wearing these makes for a good conversation starter!

Palettes and Wet Palettes – Extending Paint Longevity

A genius tool for miniature painting I’ve more recently discovered is the wet palette. You can do most things you want on a standard palette (any piece of plastic at all), but a wet palette can be very useful. It keeps your paints moist, allowing for smoother blending and prevents waste. I often find I’ve mixed just the right colour without really paying attention to how I did it, and then need that mix again an hour later (because I’ve missed one leg of just one orc). When I am using a wet palette, my colour will more than likely STILL be usable. When this happens to you, promise me you’ll give me a tiny cheer!.

Creating the Perfect Atmosphere for Painting

And finally, since I have claimed right at the start that imagination is your number one important tool in painting miniatures, how do we fire that up? Having the right tools and painting supplies will make your job easier, but it is the right atmosphere that can really enhance your painting experience. Playing the right music or ambience can boost focus and enjoyment, making the hours fly by. For a model painting soundtrack that screams tabletop roleplaying game immersion, Syrinscape offers an audio tool that adds an extra layer of ambiance, making your painting sessions feel like part of the adventure. Trying it out for free right now here:

Conclusion – Preparing for Success in Miniature Painting

Embarking on your miniature painting journey is an exciting endeavor, filled with endless possibilities for creativity and the occasional DnD mini paint spill catastrophe. By equipping yourself with the right miniature painting supplies—from miniature paint brushes, to miniature gloves, you’ll be setting a firm undercoat for success. Make a start with my suggestions, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different products and techniques to find what works best for you.

Happy painting, and may your miniatures and Syrinscape bring your tabletop worlds to life!