[GUIDE TO ACRYLIC LAYER PAINTING]- Most Important Skill For Miniatures, Models, Dioramas & Wargames

[@jamesevans886]

It's great to see a back to basics video. We tend to forget just how daunting each of these steps were to learn and finally master. There is also a complete lack of confidence in doing something. Mine was mixing my own tonal colours. So I went to get paints that were as close as possible to the tones I wanted. Today, I mix my tonal colours without really thinking about it. However, this lack of confidence also taught me an important lesson. That was not to be too dependent on any one brand or type of paint. As lighting on the wargames table can vary, I've been experimenting with varnishes to help my models pop in most lighting conditions. For maximum protection, I use high gloss varnishes. In the next steps, I brush on the next layers, as I find it quickest. First layer I paint shiny metals with a high gloss, such as rifle barrels. Painted metal I paint over with semi gloss. Flesh areas, cloth, and soft leather I use a Matt varnish. It's still earlier days with this, and a number of rules are still to be discovered. Such as possibly utra-high gloss on up pointing blades and points or ultra matt in the deepest shadows. I will be using this the next time I paint an important figure in an army, such as a general or major. The main point is for making your models pop under local lighting conditions. Vain, possibly.

[@MiniatureLandscapeHobbies]

I(nteresting idea. I think the utility of varnishes remains and area that remains largely unexploed in miniature painting.

[@jamesevans886]

@MiniatureLandscapeHobbies I started hobby painting in the 1970s. However, for me, acrylic paint technology over the past 15 years has simply exploded. So, in light of this, I am rethinking all my trusted techniques and how to make the best use of them with all the new types of acrylic paint.

[@rogerjclarke]

Thanks for the tutorial, I'd forgotten about Filters.

[@MiniatureLandscapeHobbies]

Happy to help!

[@dancingpotplant]

Really interesting video. Ive been painting off and on for years but find it hard and tedious. This however has the expected result that as I don't enjoy it, don't hace natural talent for it, my output looks meh and so I don't enjoy it rinse and repeat. Bring on the day I can get preprinted 15mm armies I can print from a machine with magic goo! But I don't want the talent of sculpers to go, so i shall endure lol.

[@MiniatureLandscapeHobbies]

Thanks...I don't believe in natural talent in miniature painting. I have some of my earlier stuff around and though it is not great...it shows incremental improvements. The good thing about miniature gaming however is that you can enjoy it with or without the art aspect. So if you don't like to paint that is ok too.