The Basics: Inks & Washes for Miniatures

[@JohnSmith-pf5wq]

I hate painting. I probably haven't gotten past base coating in ten years. But yesterday and today, I started working on a vehicle, and your tutorials have been hugely helpful. I'm actually ENJOYING painting models now! Thank you very much for these.

[@capie44]

What a calm, clear, explanation and demonstration. I wish I could have stumbled across this effort first a few months ago when I started learning to wash. It even comes with a "how to eliminate a pitfall."

[@defenderfortheEld]

I don't know if you still read comments but thank you so much. I've been searching for a wash tutorial for awhile and this is the one that has finally answered what I needed.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@anarchopinko A glaze is used to slightly tint the paint. If it's adding shading to the model as well, then it's a wash. You method is fine as well.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@PatrazhTT Haven't tried it myself, but I've heard it works. However I would encourage learning how to apply washes properly with plain water rather than using additives. In the long run you'll learn more and get better results.

[@originalAoitora]

Hi PaintingClinic, my painting skills vastly improved from the tutorials presented on your website, I get lots of compliments on my 40k army now thanks to you. Great to see some youtube tutorials, I wish you all the best in the future.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@tbelcher01 The main reason is the value. Say you buy a bottle of black ink for $3 and a bottle of black wash for $3. Since you have to thin the ink you're actually getting around 2 or 3 bottles of wash for the same price as just one bottle of pre-made wash. The second reason is that inks are more intense in color, giving you a wider range of uses depending on how much you thin it if at all. So, washes = easy to use, inks= better value and more useful if you know how to use them.

[@ravagevii]

Faust you've been around forever! I remember when I was making my transition from regular sci-fi and military kits to minis, you were the first I stumbled upon long ago@painting clinic. I think Diablo2 was the game I was playing at the time, and I was just getting into 40k. So your kinda a celebrity to me! I was living in OR at the time,3 years ago I moved back to the city of Orange and every time I make a visit to BH I keep thinking I'll run into you. Thanks for everything!

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@TheCelsork Water is fine. You can use a mix of 50% water and 50% Pledge with Future Shine that takes care of the tidemark problem, but if you are applying your washes right, you only need water.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@lnerj69 The large bottle of ink shown in the video is calligraphy ink, if that's what you mean.

[@Raatcharch]

This is fantastic! I'd been hoping someone would upload a video like this for a long time. I would love it if you made the "advanced" Inks and Washes vid you hinted at!

[@LordTataraus]

Great timing, I just got my first mini-painting set for Christmas and these are really helping out. I've followed your vids for awhile and done some of the free painting at cons, but nothing to serious yet so I really appreciate the tutorials.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

Washes do work better over a gloss coat, however it's usually not necessary in the case of miniatures due to the small surface area. It's more important with large scale plastic models.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@tbelcher01 Some use purified water, but I use normal tap water. I once used extender for my washes, but slowly learned the right way to apply them and don't need it anymore. If the wash just sits on top it sounds like you are applying too much.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

Yes to both. If you are having trouble use them you can mix in some Pledge with Future Shine. See the Magic Wash vid.

[@loft4me]

Good emphasis on applying the wash after dry-brushing, which serves to unify the whole. Also smart emphasis on allowing the layers to dry, whether it be oil over oil, or Johnsons Future over just laid decals, with the alternative - as you have indicated - being the first layer "coming up" unto a total "ruin."

[@WolfTau]

Wow, very good video. I've been playing for almost 20 years and just within these last five years or so, I have really started to work on my painting skills and trying different techniques (including airbrushing). Very GREAT VIDEO. I will be looking forward to the more advanced skills. It was good that you should how thin the mixture looked.

[@smoko64]

Well done, a great guide, it make a dig difference to be shown not just told. Please keep them coming

[@mrnivek]

Enjoyed the video, thinking about getting a few miniatures and starting up painting again.

[@fubargrinch]

I love the new vids. It adds the pictures to the words on your website. Also, I think it is paint4hire, he makes washes out of cheaper craft paints by thinning with water and matte medium. His stuff looks great.

[@rhettuk]

Your painting guides are fantastic and have really helped my painting improve. Thanks!

[@ChrisChapman195]

Well done sir. I just painted my first miniature figure and am some what pleased with it. Going to spend the day watching your vids to get a better idea on how to do this miniature thing. Then off to learn how to airbrush them lol.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@trejosam00 I'm touching it to a paper towel to remove extra liquid. Real inks dry glossy. "Fake" inks like GW's dry flat.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@lnerj69 I guess the answer is no. I don't see why one would use that medium when acrylics are easy to use. What is the benefit?

[@TonganJedi]

Definitely looking forward to your advanced ink video. This was very useful. Thanks!

[@skippen]

Ha..I watched that last night too for some reason.

[@UnitedWarGamers]

Im really injoying this and learning alot. Could you do one on brushs and different paints?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@mch12311969 GW's latest inks? I know their older stuff dried glossy, but I was fairly sure their new easy-to-use inks were more flat.

[@mch12311969]

Addendum, my last post should have said that I have used inks and washes for a few years now. Thanks again.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

@mch12311969 Yes "real" inks dry glossy. However "inks" like GWs do not, since they are really ink. Like I said, it's hard to define the words inks nowadays.

[@ModelManTom]

Cool little series!

[@conanpace9250]

Great tutorial. How do you avoid too much pooling in the recesses? And with dark washes, should I go back and re-highlight?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+Conan Pace If it's pooling, then you are putting on too much. Re highlighting may be necessary depends on the colors.

[@ced1106]

Did you create the next ink video? Would love to see more of this!

[@Generalsplatton]

Very nice tutorial mate, well done!

[@newbiesculptor1926]

Very good tuto. I'm new to sculp and new to painting. I sub for more basic tuto!!!

[@trejosam00]

As you moved your brush out of frame between brushes were you going for water? And will a flat or gloss look depend on the ink used?

[@dumpstatint]

Great vid. Leaves me with one question, and I guess not one that will come up that often, but how would you suggest doing a wash on an item with multiple colours. I'm thinking of something like the Eldar Harlequin's jumpsuits where you have a single item but with potentially multiple colours. The reason I'm asking is I'm looking at painting up the Colette du Bois character from Malifaux. The corset has colour panelling, but doesn't appear to have too much separation on the miniature itself.

[@cobrawingman]

Loved the video - how do inks go over other acrylic (tamiya, gunze )and enamel mediums ?? This looks like a better medium for pin washes on panel lines, etc. When inks dry, will it be easy to remove with water ?

[@mikebreazeale2563]

I am watching some of the oldies but goodies and you keep saying articles...in the next article. Where are they cause I would like to read them. Thanks very much...

[@ThePaintingClinic]

They should work roughly the same over any medium. When acrylics dry you cannot remove them with just water.

[@SMConsortium]

Love these series!

[@krusty1796]

Thanks for the video. I like your style of presenting things. May I ask you if you had any trouble by painting over ink. I heard 1st layer ink might come over a 2nd layer of paint applied after, changing the color of the paint. Did that already happen to you?

[@STKS1991]

Can I water down vallejo acrylics to make a wash? I was thinking of a 1:10 ratio for a brown / muddy tint on a tank

[@ThePaintingClinic]

Yes, but that sounds a bit too thin. Play around with the ratios.

[@mch12311969]

@ThePaintingClinic The older ones. I don't even think they make "inks" anymore, their "washes" however usually dry flat in my experience and they rock IMO, just restocked this week.

[@TheCelsork]

GReat video thank you. One question, what the best medium to thin inks and washes? i have use water in the past but was wondering if theres something better.

[@enveritas4948]

Subscribed for inadvertently drawing the Eye of Horus in the diagram!

[@brainofjung]

Thanks mate. Can't wait to try it!

[@lnerj69]

Thanks for doing these videos, I have a question, have you tried doing this with regular writing ink at all?

[@mch12311969]

@ThePaintingClinic The GW inks I have always have dried glossy, which is great for certain applications, but has kept me away from inks from Reaper and Vallejo.

[@PatrazhTT]

Great video! can't wait to see the advanced part! I started experimenting with inks half a year ago (comming from GW-Washes) and when i bought my first bottle the shopowner told me best to thin it with water with a drop of dishwashing detergent (in the waterpod) to break the surface tention. do you have any experience with this? Due to very limited paintingtime i haven't come to far, but it seems to work quite well. keep it up and thanks for the series! cheers

[@ThePaintingClinic]

It's won't turn into a different color if you thin it. If you are using ink on tan, then you should be using a brown or sepia, not black.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

Uh, not sure how you can use a clear water product in place of a color ink. If you can't use inks, use paint.

[@oasisrising]

wow that just happened to me! A thinned down wash dies only at the sides of the depressions. Thanks so much for the explanation!

[@mch12311969]

Thanks for the great tutorial, I have used inks for a few years now, was never sure why I wasn't getting the effect I saw other pinters getting. Question: do inks generally dry glossy (as is my experience) or is it that I have not shaken/diluted them enougn?

[@thehobypainter6622]

Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing.

[@brittanyc3282]

Do you still dilute the ink when painting clear acrylic parts?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

Only cheap craft paint could have a problem using to create washes due to roughly ground pigments. Virtually any hobby paint should be fine.

[@GeneralKetchup57]

Do you use Future Wax instead of water with inks? Would that eliminate tide marks?

[@krazYFaic]

Would fountain pen inks work the same as these inks used for painting? Would it also stick to the model? I want to wash my gundam and I have some Lamy Black lying around.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

It should work. That's what old schoolers once used for washes.

[@krazYFaic]

I see. Thanks!

[@nobleclonetrooper]

i'm planning on putting a light black wash on one of my miniatures, will the black morph into a different color if i thin out the pain too much? Also the base coat had wrinkles and is a dark tan. Can you offer me any advice as to how to accomplish this effectively?

[@maxencebarbier5718]

Hi Doctor Faust, excuse me to comment on an old video, but can you tell me were i can find these miniature please, it's for a little projet and after some long research, i can't find it... And Thanks a lot for your great tutorials ! Helpfull and realy well commented ! (Sorry for my english)

[@maxencebarbier5718]

@@Photon987 Thanks mate

[@emny88]

6:50 Where’s the advanced video on washes and inks? :)

[@adof7257]

hi dr. would flow improver help preventing those stains? greetings

[@AlfonsoTheTraitor]

This is the stuff I love to see thanks for sharing .

[@HQBunker]

Great stuff:) Always happy to listen to your advice:D

[@wowkalfas1977]

would the ink/wash go better if you did a quick clear coat over the mini first?.. i know this maybe a silly question but im new to painting.

[@BLDTHEGAMER]

Could I use Vallejo black color instead of an ink? Would that work? Also do you use the dip method?

[@Nobleshield]

So are the VGC Inks more like the Citadel glazes under the new range? Since the Vallejo Wash is the Citadel "Shade"? I've never quite understood the difference between a glaze and an ink as far as usage; I get that the glaze is meant to just tint and the ink was made to shade, but that seems to be different now.

[@ThePaintingClinic]

I don't use Citadel paints so I cannot say what their glazes are formulated for. They read like a traditional glaze, but that doesn't mean much. My best guess would be to say no since glazes are supposed to be pre-thinned inks and are used differently.

[@brainofjung]

what do you classify as good and bad paints? i.e. GW, vallejo, reaper etc... and which do you think would do a better job in creating washes cheers

[@lnerj69]

@ThePaintingClinic HI, actually I meant non-acrylic inks, sorry I should have said that, I meant your more traditional Fountain Pen type inks. Cheers Iain

[@mast3rsword]

so you are just using ink and water? did I understood correctly? also I dont plan to paint miniature but more like bigger plastic models, figures and resin. would I approach it the same way? ink and water?

[@DasKatze500]

Are there different colour washes to use and should one have many different colour washes? Or is just a generic dark coloured wash suitable for any mini?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

There many colors of washes. Best to have a selection, but brown can shade many things.

[@Escapsim]

Hey, can I use a wash/shade in "water effect"(got Vallejo Still Water) instead of ink? - got no idea where I can buy ink where I am.

[@dumpstatint]

I figured that might be the case, but thanks for replying. I'll probably go with a thin black wash if I go for one at all, otherwise it'll be a case of building something up.

[@AnActualRealPotato]

What can I do to avoid this problem where the wash only drys on the sides when I use thinned regular paint as my wash? I just started out painting and haven't bought regular washes or inks so I'm using water to thin down my paint to a wash consistancy. I'm painting Tau right now and they have these really small and narrow gaps in their armor and I want them black so they contrast with the white armor, but I always get the problem where it just looks like I haven't painted the gaps at all. Do I really need a wash or is there a trick to thinning down the paint?

[@GamerAse]

You may be thinning down your paint too much. It's supposed to have a similar consistency to milk.

[@Quick-Silver206]

And you can do this once your other, previous colors dry? You don't need to do a protective coat beforehand?

[@Phaelen2003]

Correct. You don't have to coat it first. You CAN use a protective coat, and I still do sometimes if I'm afraid I'm going to mess up my wash and then just wipe it off if I do. The effects are going to be different though depending on whether you do or do not apply a protective coat over the paint before washing.

[@raymondvjr7747]

Great tutorial !

[@thomasrossa4988]

How to remove a ink wash off a Varnish surface ie-Model Aircraft

[@GeNGiM]

Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic How do you thin those Acrylic inks for washes then? By the way, thanks for this, this is a great tip :D

[@ThePaintingClinic]

Just add water.

[@GeNGiM]

Thanks! :)

[@jvera828]

Can I use a clear matte laquer on a kit as a primer before I apply an ink wash?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+j vera I suppose you can if you want a crappy surface to paint onto. I'd use actual primer.

[@jvera828]

Cool, thanks! I'm planning to do some Star Wars pieces and hopefully that will add to the dirt and grime.

[@pnkssbtz]

Very informative video!

[@Jrez]

So basically nowadays inks and washes are the same thing? Even by the same brand, say P3?

[@Steve-ps6qw]

Can't a glazing medium help with inks to keep them from staining?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+Stephan Quintavalli Thinning inks reduces staining, and glaze can thin inks, so yes.

[@PatrazhTT]

@ThePaintingClinic makes sense to me :) I'll go and practise... thanks

[@andystephenson3705]

just wanted to say thanks for the tips helped a lot

[@mythzerous]

Great tutorial thanks!!!

[@arscheerio]

I just recently tried oil washing but it turned out gritty and it dried unevenly. Any suggestions? (ps. I know you didn't talk about oil washes)

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+Blake Piercy I've had that happen, but not sure why. Could be either it's too thin or cheap oil paint.

[@arscheerio]

Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic I'm not sure. it may have been too thin. The oil paint is winsor but it's the cheaper of the two kinds

[@hankrearden20]

Have you used alcohol as a thinner instead of water?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+James Estrada Nope.

[@Suiseiseki00Rozen]

try it, i use pen ink and cheap vodka to make washes

[@ThePaintingClinic]

That is not a good situation for a wash unless you are doing a generic black or brown wash.

[@shawnm4kq]

how are you thinning your inks, water?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+Shawn Manny Yes.

[@shawnm4kq]

+Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic Thank you, your series has been so helpful in my figure painting and techniques in general. Thank you!!

[@dacliff]

Did you ever get around to the advanced ink/wash tutorial?

[@ThePaintingClinic]

+James Bulen Not directly. I cover some in other tutorials.

[@wowkalfas1977]

thank you

[@nobleclonetrooper]

Thank you! I will use brown than. :P

[@graveofmonsters4076]

Where is the advanced ink tutorial?

[@haz-mattstudio6074]

good lord, are you Mark Crilley?

[@georgiygerman2251]

I use ink out of the bottle, cant stand the wash look

[@johnnyromero407]

nice video

[@cessatiolux6250]

Nurgle-tastic

[@Greatscott88studios]

Mystery Science theater 3000! Awesome!

[@kickorybot]

Knew that but cool video anyway

[@thorgoan]

4:08 sauron