How To Make Oil Washes For Your Miniatures

Tutorial on how to make and use Oil Washes on painted figures and miniature terrain.
• Orc Miniatures used: www.Spellcrow.com
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• Follow Paepercuts on Instagram: / paepercuts

[@markbrown8154]

It's so refreshing to come across a content creator that knows the rule of not painting over oils with acrylics. Great video.

[@normansmith8184]

So good, as a beginner of advancing years this made it so easy to understand. Thank you.

[@familyofgamers777]

I have seen a lot of oil wash videos, and this is by far the best one. Awesome job! Subbed and looking forward to more!

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much!

[@BouncingTribbles]

I'd love to see a comparison with real inks. I use Liquitex professional artists ink and I feel like I get a similar effect. I'm glad you covered the advantage of being able to reactivate and remove the excess.

[@a.b.8606]

Man I learned so much amazing techniques from your videos! Your a Saint!

[@silenttraveler2710]

Total Awesomeness

[@yuridavidov3377]

The best video about washes I'd ever seen! Thanks!

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you and you're very welcome! ;)

[@GhostGuitars]

Excellent video. I love oil washes now such rich colours

[@thehobypainter6622]

Nice video, explained very well the differences between acrylic and oil washes. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheRunesmythe]

I came back to miniature painting after being gone for some time and was quite surprised to find people using oil washes; for quite a while I was unsure as to the reason, but the difference in pigment really stands out. This is something I need to start playing around with more often, as I have a set of oil paints and odorless white thinner I bought specifically for oil washes. Great video; really enjoyed the skit about the cosmetics section.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much ;) Good luck on trying them out i'm sure you'll like it!

[@TheHobbyShack]

Love your videos and sense of humor :) Thank you for posting mate - cheers

[@Paepercuts]

Great to hear that and thanks for watching. Cheers.

[@markjolyn94]

Great info! I had always heard about oil washes being better,but thanks to you I'll be trying it out

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! Good to hear, have fun and good luck on trying them out ;)

[@MKempICI]

Very informative! Thank you, sir!

[@ecMonify]

thanks so much for including the comparison between oil washes and citadel's shade paints! i was looking for an oil paint to use as a wash instead of citadel's seraphim sepia. great tutorial overall! :)

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks and you're very welcome!

[@waynehumber8906]

Great tuterial! Thanks!

[@TwiceTurn]

Great tutorial man! you have a way of explaining things so even the biggest naab like me can follow and somewhat get the same results. Thanks for posting and have a good one :)

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much my friend ;) glad you found it useful! All the best

[@EfectoGatillo]

Muchas gracias, easy and well done tutorial

[@athollmcnicoll256]

Very intuitive video, I learned a lot from, thanks!

[@dibackdraft]

Love your videos! Binge watching alot of them and sharing them with friends. Me and a buddy been using oil washes for a good while, learned about them in the imperial master craft book from forge-world. I use Q tips and sponges but am picking up some make up sponges today.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you my friend, glad you find the vids useful and thanks for sharing! That sounds like a great book, i love Forge World they got some nice stuff. Good luck on getting those sponges!

[@heroesoftheshadow6974]

great job!

[@janetcameron4652]

Thanks. Great info.

[@56Gumball]

Great tutorial, many thanks!

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks glad you liked it!

[@judgeddreddful]

Great Video!! well explained, after you Matt or Satin Coat the mini could you not go back and Dry brush or high lite it or would that not take?

[@nicholasaguilar4255]

Great vid, awesome alternative thank you again, just subscribed!

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much ;)

[@amethystcraft8792]

Very good work!

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! Glad you liked it ;)

[@skynetpuma]

Thank you for this amazing video, and for the comparison with the citadel washes. Oil washes are still a mystery to me, i am trying them , but didnt put the gloss varnish step, so they sometimes remove my acrylic layer of paint. Please keep doing oil techniques on miniatures!

[@jangunnar9978]

Just found your channel, and keep up your good work and exelent videos😊

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much and welcome! ;)

[@pseudonymeantipersonnelle2190]

Great video, thanks!

[@Paepercuts]

You're very welcome!

[@giantorres3352]

My mom was quite surprised when she saw makeup sponges in my Warhammer drawer.

[@bethanygraham427]

Very informative. Many thanks

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! Glad you found it useful ;)

[@13Robzilla]

You think you know what you're doing, as you have been doing it for years. Then you see a video like this... On the plus side now you can start doing it. On the down side superglue won't help put your blown mind back together. All nonsense aside, thank you for this video.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you and you're very welcome!

[@Commander-Lokk]

Cool!!!

[@GatorDave]

Awesome video, I love your work. I'm curious how you feel about ink washes?

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! Well inks have their uses. They are more pigmented than regular acrylic washes. If i use them it is usually to stain things like leather or cloth, or as a pre-shade. I like the Army Painter inks they have some nice brown tones. Cheers ;)

[@kldzk]

great video thank you very much!!!. do you think oil wash will work on a surface painted with acrylic spray-cans?do you think it is possible with the clean up you done with the spirit, can remove the base color.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! I think that will work fine. Spray cans work on solvents that usally provide a stronger bond than regular acrylics. Few things you may want to keep in mind though if you want to avoid any chipping happening: Make sure your miniatures are washed in slight soapy water and fully dried after before priming, even plastic ones. An unclean surface may cause problems. Lot of time they carry some grease from the mould or even from picking them up. Give your spray layers plenty of time to dry. If not, the solvent from the mineral spirit may reactivate the one from the spraycan. Try using an artist quality odourless white spirit, they cost a bit more but are made from less aggressive minerals. Try not touching your miniatures at all during the painting process. Your hands generate warmth that will affect the paintlayers, this is especially the case with resin. I usually wear a latex glove on one hand for this reason. Good luck and have fun with the hobby ;)

[@felipeeliasdonascimento9870]

thanks for the tip

[@CMDRJoobs]

Great tutorial vid! I'm just getting into oil washing and this has helped. I have found that my washes are creating a slightly broken finish when dry, and leaving very prominent tide marks. Is this because my mix is wrong (too thick or thin)?

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks great to hear that! Oil washes don't have a lot of binder in them, especially when made very thin. It's best used to outline things when it pools into the details, the excess gets a bit grimy so that's what the cleanup is for. If applied to flat surfaces it'll usually just roll off because it has little binder, or give this finish you mentioned. You'll notice that the oilpaint separates quickly from the spirits so keep stirring it when applying. The pigment granules in oil paint usually aren't very fine so that'll become noticeable when heavily diluted and applied on a flat surface. The dilution ratio doesn't make a big difference or at least i didn't notice much. If you want a wash with less tidemarks you may want to try an acrylic wash first with glaze medium and/ or drying retarder added ( water gives these tidemarks aswell ), if the wash dries slower it has more time to flow even. You can follow this up with an oil wash to outline the details and do the cleanup after. Hope that helped and good luck!

[@kaygolob8639]

Hi! Amazing video! Small question though: Would regular turpentine/ oderless white spirits from the Action (I am Dutch as well) work?

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! Well it would probably work but i'd make sure it's odourless white spirit ( aromaatvrije terpentine ) Regular turpentine is more agressive, better not to gamble on damaging your acrylic paint layers. I often use the brand Bleko ( 2-3 euro/ liter ) Good luck!

[@T_Kempf]

Best video I've seen for miniature oil washes. I've tried them but I never saw a video that specified you had to let the wash dry before cleanup so I kept pulling everything off which was very frustrating. Thanks ;)

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful ;)

[@GazJClayton]

really great tutorial, will have to give this a try. Just one thing though, the ork holding the torch, it looks like the fire is the wrong way round, should it not be more red/darker towards the tips?

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much! Hmmm well you might be right on that one i didn't check that beforehand hehe. I will just hide behind the fantasy theme of the orcs then! Cheers and good luck ;)

[@Trazynn]

Fire has a bright-dark gradient that goes in all directions. So it's better to think 'inside/outside' than 'top/bottom'. Which means the orc's torch is realistic on the lower end but needs some sooth tapering at the top end. The middle is perfect.

[@olschoolgamer1869]

Great video, always look for alternative materials to wash miniatures with. You stated that the oil paint has linseed oil as a base, have you thought about diluting the paint with linseed oil instead of white spirits?

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! Good question on that. The linseed oil will dilute things nicely without breaking the pigment, but because it's oil it will basicly take ages to dry and adding that much for a wash will also give problems staying on the miniature. But maybe i'll give it a try next time on a test model it's worth a shot. I paint on canvas too and there i use the refined linseed oil often. I pre-wet the canvas with a thin layer of the oil so that will give a nice wet-blend and also increases drying time significantly. It will usually take 7-10 days drying time that way. Thanks for your comment, cheers ;)

[@jake7499]

cool video!

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you glad you liked it!

[@hackhenk]

For how long do you let the wash dry before removing excess paint? By the way, love your videos! I use your dioramas as inspiration when basing miniatures because of the great craftmanship.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! I usually give it 2 hours, but you can use a hairdryer to speed it up as long as you're careful not to overheat. I used to do it within 1 hour, but got better results when i waited longer. Good luck!

[@rdubayoo]

Very interesting technique. Acrylic washes are much easier to work with, of course, but you're pretty much stuck with the result, even if it didn't turn out right. I'll give this technique some serious thought.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! Yea acrylics are fast and easier and have their use, but i personally don't like the way they dry. Especially on straight surfaces they tend to leave streaks and marks. If i use acrylics it's usually in the beginning as a pre-wash and layer over it to clean up. Good luck on trying oils! Cheers ;)

[@alexandergonzalezblandon1604]

Tengo una confusión y sería muy grato de tu parte aclarar una duda: después de aplicar el wash de óleos cuánto tiempo lo dejo secar para luego quitar el exceso?.

[@cstewart9008]

Great video! Question for you, at 11:52 you mention you cannot paint acrylic over oil apart from varnishes. I see that you use Vallejo Acrylic Varnish right after that. Have you tried painting over the satin varnish coat with acrylics then varnishing again? If so, what were the results? Thanks!

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! Well on areas that are cleaned with white spirit and varnished you 'could' paint over, but it's the recessed areas where the oil paint has settled that are harder to paint, especially with a brush. Oils tend to leave a slight glossy and grainy surface ( depending on pigment type ) and acrylic paints do not stick to that very well. Especially if you want to build up layers with brush work like thin glazing it may cause problems. I sometimes do some touch ups with an airbrush after varnishing that works for me, but in general i try to avoid it. A good option would be to use a solvent based varnish ( spraycan ) that'll provide more strength. Remember to give your oils plenty of time to dry before varnishing because oils dry through oxidation, and when sealed it cannot breathe anymore. You could always experiment with it on a test model and see how it turns out of course, good luck!

[@lucdumadirand6550]

Très intéressant, merci.

[@Vallant85]

What size needle do you use on your CR plus when applying the Gloss Varnish? Also, would it be as effective to use a more diluted varnish?

[@Paepercuts]

If you have multiple needles, i would pick the largest one for varnishing. I usually use a 0,6 or 0,4, but have used smaller ones when i only had those ready. It just clogs your nozzle quicker since varnish is thick. I usually dilute my varnish 2-1 or 3-1 varnish/ distilled water ratio. If you use good quality white spirit it won't eat through it that quickly so no need to apply a heavy thick coat. Good luck!

[@MrAshutts]

What's the song at 13:44? You use it in a lot of your videos. Thank you for this too. I'm just starting to look into oil washes so glad you made this video. Your dioramas are my favorite.

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you glad you liked the videos, i believe the name of the song is Desert Sky - Silent Partner. Cheers.

[@petersavik5007]

Thanks for the tutorial! Btw what track is playing starting at 10:56?

[@Paepercuts]

You're very welcome! Track is Silent Partner - Parasail

[@martinthewarrior5016]

always good to see a knew Paepercuts video :-) one question, 7:22 ,where are those orcs from?

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! The orcs are from Spellcrow Miniatures, they are metal sculpts. www.Spellcrow.com Cheers ;)

[@martinthewarrior5016]

cool, thankz !

[@LaLaObeRoT]

I crossed this boundary before. I know how it feels...

[@andreabriglia4789]

so if you wanted to make a nuln oil let's say you'll have to use some black, brown paint and then white spirit right?

[@Paepercuts]

Make sure it's oil paint then you can mix and get the shade you are after. Good luck.

[@MrCQrity]

Thanks for the video! Unfortunately all my oil washes dry grainy and seem to pull themselves out of soft recesses. Do you have any idea why? Really makes me sad, as I would love to use them properly :( I have some Abteilung 502 oil colors and odourless turpentine. I also use the same actylic warnishes as mentioned in the video. Gloss under oil and satin or matt varnish over the oil after cleanup.

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! That's sad to hear hope i can give you some tips on this issue: *The gloss varnish may be too thick (don't apply with brush) try diluting it with 50/50 with distilled water, make sure your varnish is well shaken and mixed in your airbrush cup and apply thin layer. Let it dry much longer than you used to do, just to make sure. *If the model has little surface for the wash to get a grip on, you may want to use satin varnish instead, and once the wash is on let it dry horizontally so the wash doesn't run down (i do that sometimes, stick it into the side of a foamblock) Oils are not very well suited for large straight surfaces without detail, it's uses are outlining and shading recesses. *Try diluting it with less thinner, if you add too much it will seperate the pigments too much (just like adding water to acrylics, it breaks the pigments) as white spirit isn't the natural binder of oil paint, make a relatively thick wash to see how that works. If it does, you can then try and see how far you can dilute it with that brand of oil paint. *Try using a thinner that says 'Artist Quality White Spirit' as turpentine is more aggressive, i started with Talens Artist Quality White Spirit (little bottle in video) I did use other brands of white spirit without problems aswell, but it may solve the problem. *Try thinning it with the same brand thinner (Abteilung) this sometimes works as not all brands use the same formulas. I hear Abteilung has a fine pigment so that shouldn't be the problem, i never used that brand but it may not bond with the specific thinner you used. (It may be enamel based, so Humbrol Enamel Thinner may work on that brand, not sure of course) *You could try and get a sample of Talens or W&N oil paint at an art store, Talens has the Van Gogh and Rembrandt line, where the Rembrandt has a bit finer pigment but i can't really notice the difference, also try some Talens Artist quality White Spirit (or W&N) just to make sure. *Oils are always a bit grainy because they have rough pigments, if you see me apply them to the sheets of paper in the video, you can see a little transparent lining around the colour appearing also. That is basicly excess white spirit, but the line of colour should hold. If it doesn't, it's diluted too much. Make sure your wash is stirred until you are sure all solids are diluted, and to stir everytime you dip your brush in the wash. *Practice on paper until you see your wash streaks are smooth and even, and then try it on a testmodel to give it a try. Just a 'few' tips here haha, but i want this to work out for you. Best of luck and feel free to message me anytime, Cheers ;)

[@MrCQrity]

Wow, thanks for the long answer!!! Actually my odourless terpentine is from Abteilung, therefore I'm scratching my head even more about how it is not working. I will give your advice a try, thank you very much!

[@Mikey__R]

Just out of interest, have you tried thinning with a little boiled linseed oil along with the white spirit? That might give more medium to hold the pigment - I don't know, I'm just guessing, but if you are using a linseed based paint then that might help. EDIT: You might also try Danish Oil or something similar instead of the boiled linseed oil. It would dry quicker.

[@fuzzayd4601]

Great video, i love using oil washes but i hate how long they take to dry

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you! Yea haha it does take much more time, i paint on canvas with oils too and those take a whole week to dry. Tests your patience for sure. Cheers ;)

[@dewaynemcquillan4592]

great vid ,i did share this one on facebook , lets get you more subs

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you very much, i really appreciate that! Cheers ;)

[@frankblaker8294]

Nicely paced, well presented and very clear. This has taught me a lot for wich I am very grateful.

[@Arnlith]

How well can you keep the washes after mixing them?

[@Paepercuts]

Well at least a few hours, the paint slowly will separate from the mineral spirits but if stirred they can be used again. White spirit evaporates so if you keep them in a sealed container i think they can last a while. Not tried it on long term though i usually mix up small amounts. Good luck!

[@AlexBabcock-hw9iz]

Great vid but I have to say I am kind of unsure about the wolves. To me they looked very good before the oil wash was added. Don't get me wrong they looked good after but different. Now the Orcs it made a real good difference they look fantastic with this wash. Thanks for sharing this.

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! I agree with you on the wolves, i'm not a fan of heavy washes myself. I used these old models more as an example for the technique, i prefer painting shadows rather than relying on washes. Thanks for your feedback!

[@Mikey__R]

Cheers, I've subbed for more tutorials! I really learnt a lot from that. I have one question - I'm unclear, is there any reason why, once you have varnished over your oil stains, you couldn't paint more acrylic over the top? Thanks! Oh, and turquoise is pronounced "terk wise," at least in the south eastern English accent. :-)

[@Paepercuts]

Thanks! Well basicly acrylics tend to not bond well on oil paint layers, even when varnished. You could get away with it using thicker paint but i wouldn't recommend it. Especially when blending with thin glazes that could be more difficult this way, and thanks for the heads up on the pronouncing! Cheers ;)

[@Mikey__R]

If we are trying to achieve a wash that can be reactivated with a solvent, I wonder if spirit stains desolved in alcohol would work. Specifically the ones used for staining wood. The pigments might not be so concentrated though. But possibly worth a try.

[@Paepercuts]

Yea it's worth a try for sure. Another option is enamel paint diluted with their own brand thinner. The pigment in that isn't as grainy as oils. Only thing is you need to make sure you have the right thinner because white spirit and enamel don't mix. I've even seen people use lighter fluid but i never tried it. Good luck ! ;)

[@Mikey__R]

Thats interesting - when I started out scale modelling as a kid (over two decades ago) used Humbrol enamels. I'm pretty sure I used to clean up with white spirit. I've noticed Humbrol and a few others have made enamel washes. They might be expensive, but you could just buy a couple to see if you like them.

[@benjimlem1284]

Say, can you notice any difference between 'grades' of oil paints when it comes to washes? I can see you have here van gogh (which is 'medium' grade) and rembrandt (which is 'high' grade) paints, do the more expensive ones flow better? I got me some local entry-grade paints and I feel they don't flow quite as well when I mix them dark enough for my liking, so I figured more expensive paints would do better with more pigment and less filler, but perhaps squeezing those I got on a piece of cardboard first to drain some of the oil would fix that...?

[@Paepercuts]

Hi there. The cheaper oil paints have less fine pigments, they tend to separate quicker when diluted with spirits and dry more grainy. I started using Schmincke 'Mussini' paints they are excellent with fine pigment but way more expensive. For terrain I still use my cheaper ones so they don't go to waste. If you put the paint on cardboard it removes some of the excess linseed oil but I don't know if that will influence your washes, just rub the tube a bit before using so it gets mixed properly. Have fun!

[@benjimlem1284]

@@Paepercuts hey, thanks for the answer :) Guess I'll get a tube or two of better paint and see if I can tell any difference, don't really want to toss those I already got but at my (low) level the difference probably will be negligible anyway ; ^)

[@yrii4572]

I also use oil / dry for a long time (

[@kevinishki]

What did you use to pin the Ork feet?

[@Paepercuts]

I drilled holes using a pin vise drill, then super-glued some bits of paperclip into those. Cheers.

[@StalkeraBg]

I dont think my country sells the White Spirit anywhere, and buying from abroad will be very costly.. Any idea if Paint thinners or Kerosene will work in smaller quantity ? Not even the 2 Major hobby shops sell this.. and the 4 large Hardware shops + the 2 other ones dont have it either, just cheaper or more expensive paint thinners.

[@Paepercuts]

Well paint thinner is usually used for enamel paints. It's too aggressive for oils and it may bite into your acrylic layers. You may want to check an art/ painting store they may have it, it's sometimes branded as odourless mineral spirit ( artist quality preferred ). Good luck!

[@southpaw5483]

What is the difference between a home made "Oil Wash" and a purchased "Enamel Wash" ?

[@TeeeCeee]

I have a question. If for example I want to paint acrylics after using wash, if I need to varnish again?

[@Paepercuts]

Only if you want to protect the paintlayers or if you want to reduce/ improve the gloss of your model. Good luck!

[@TeeeCeee]

Paepercuts Thank you

[@joshfoss7407]

One point needs to be corrected. You absolutely can paint acrylic over oil paint, you just need to varnish it first. Otherwise, great video.

[@johnnypenso9574]

11:52 "Apart from varnishes you can't paint oils over acrylics".

[@ho-2036]

How come you can apply acrylic varnish, but not acrylic paint over the oil wash?

[@Paepercuts]

Good question, i do that because i'm spraying the varnish as a finisher. It's main purpose is to remove most of the gloss. You could technically airbrush acrylics over oils as touchups for example, but it is not recommendable. Especially when brush painting like glazing, oils tend to make an unstable surface. Cheers.

[@JXZ-JAM]

I dont know why but those wolves are really reminding me of my Direwolves in Ark. R.I.P. :'(

[@Paepercuts]

Must have been a great game, these wolves are old Warhammer Wolf Rider models

[@jimottele538]

Does this also work with matte varnish?

[@Paepercuts]

You can try, but gloss gives a harder shell and smoother surface so the wash flows easier into the cracks. Good luck!

[@OrgangrinderYT]

The make up section :P

[@isaacc1230]

Why do you say you can't paint over oil washes?

[@SebastienlovesCookieswirlc]

Hi, great video. Are you Afrikaner?

[@Paepercuts]

Thank you glad you liked it. I am Dutch but i can read and understand Afrikaans for the biggest part ;) Cheers.

[@zoltanbiropal6321]

Are these games workshop orks?Or where can i buy these miniatures?

[@Paepercuts]

They are from Spellcrow Miniatures, link is in the in the video description

[@zoltanbiropal6321]

Paepercuts Thanx...I have time now,to watch the whole video.The miniatures and painting is great.

[@madDdog67]

Amazon stops you from actually having to cross that boundary in person :)

[@baffledturtle8293]

Can i use thinner instead of spirits

[@Paepercuts]

If you mean enamel thinner i wouldn't recommend it. It's more aggressive towards acrylic paint layers and not really suited to thin oil paints. That said, it is possible to use an enamel wash, and then clean it with enamel thinner ( best used for pin washes on vehicles and aircraft models etc.) . The thinner will basicly eat away the varnish layer so you'll have to be careful and only use the slightest amount, and not work it for too long. Good luck!

[@baffledturtle8293]

@@Paepercuts What about water?

[@Basboy93]

Alie-express pipetts (100pcs for 2 euro), pallets from the action for 0,35 cents.haha, you do the same as i do :D

[@Paepercuts]

Haha yes indeed! We know where to go to get the best deals.

[@Basboy93]

@@Paepercuts Its good enough quality to last for a while, and they are so cheap u do not think twice about buying a stack of them :D

[@beksinski]

Good tips. I just need to add that oil paints and mineral spirits are quite toxic and gloves should always be used when handling them.

[@hobbyhuman]

LOL @ "visit a place unholy to men, which is the make-up section"

[@weskandel]

I literally hit the like and subscribe button when he said that. :-)

[@jeremiahembs5343]

Visit the place unholy to men? Never. :)