Hobby Cheating 248 - Painting Miniatures with Oils

In this Hobby Cheating Tutorial, I take you through how you can use Oil Paints on Miniatures. This is a really fun medium to work with that eliminates so many of the classic problems we face with acrylic paints (while introducing a few new challenges). Hope you enjoy!
James Wappel: • How to Blend with Oils!
Twitter: @warhammerweekly
Instagram: VincentVenturella
Email: [e-mail]
Take a Class with Vince: ckstudios.bigc...
RPG Podcast: podcasts.apple...

[@thumbprintsinputty6168]

As an old oil painter from the 70's you have taught in 50 minutes what took me years to learn, and then forget after working with acrylics. Your oil painting videos are superb.

[@VinceVenturella]

That is awesome! Happy to help. :)

[@Clidefride007]

An amazing tutorial. It's unbelievable that all this excellent content is free. And this isn't even your day job. This one has inspired me to try oils on my titans for adeptus titanicus.

[@celtcelt2669]

Vince, it's so NOBLE of you to share your talent and knowledge with us common folks! :) Whenever I hear about a new technique I want to try, 1st thing I do I go to your channel to learn about it. You are a genius! May the force be with you Master!

[@VinceVenturella]

My pleasure!

[@chaoticpainting1507]

Wow, that is the first time I've seen oil paints used for such an amazing result!! I've been in a slump here lately and so now I think maybe I might try this... I appreciate you bro, and all your contribution to the community!!

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, always happy to help. :)

[@Hushai1979]

This is one of my most favorite oil miniatures figures painting classes… you are a super artist paint and teacher… I been painting and drawing since to early 70’s too like others and you taught me so much in this quick class. I love your art and the ideas of using acrylic, varnish and than oil over… a mixed media. Incredible.. thank you. from Aiken South Carolina 👍✝️🇺🇸

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you so much 😀

[@DaveVedder]

I wish I could like this more than once. Such a great explanation: this made the use of oils as "paint", rather than just washes, click. Thank you!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Mikey__R]

Hey Vince. One thing I've noticed with oils, is their two stage drying process. First, the solvent flashes off, this happens pretty quickly, but the pigment is still loose on the surface. Only when the medium, in this case linseed or alkyd, fully polymerises, do you get a solid film of paint. This can take days or weeks, depending on the thickness of the film. With acrylics, the actual acrylic binder sets up at the same time as the water evaporates, so that you can paint another layer over the top without lifting up the pigment. But even so, acrylic seems to reach full hardness maybe a few hours after this. That explains how I can rub off paint during a session.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, you are exactly correct, I will say, working in this thickness, you are usually looking at 24-48 hours to full cure.

[@GCSportR]

perfect timing, i had bought my first oil paints and thinner earlier this week! great tutorial as always vince!

[@VinceVenturella]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Mini-magnet_monster-40000...]

Imposto means it thickens the paint. Just a fyi could be a bit much for mini painting. In traditional oil painting the rule is thick over thin. Basically you do one layer thin or thick then the next the opposite. It helps control the wet blending effect as thick and thin will blend much less than going with all one consistency. I'm no veteran oil painter I mostly stick to acrylics using airbrush and brush together. My mom was in to oil painting though so I did do a bit when I was a kid in the 90s. Wish I had found mini painting back then this hobby is great thank you for all the amazing tutorials vince your a real hero.

[@sandau44]

Great video, I've just started painting with oils with this type of technique and it's been very enjoyable. I'm still getting used to working with the medium and color mixing. Mr. Wappel has been immensely helpful in this regard :) The man finishes more minis in a week than I do in 4 months, quite amazing.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yes, James is amazing, it's really awesome to just watch him work.

[@scyvvir6393]

963 3

[@AmazonMia]

❤️❤️❤️❤️ the most important tutorial in my life. Thank you so much! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful! :)

[@JesseRiley]

Loving oil paints, your videos got me trying it with washes. James Wappel got me really into it as a way of replacing my painting workflow. With all the responsibilities I have as a dad and working stiff the slow, relaxed drying time is perfect for dropping a session to pick up later!. Thank you for all the videos you put out, they are so helpful for learning and trying new techniques and media!

[@VinceVenturella]

Great to hear!

[@Temporal_Assassin]

Oils were my go to for over a decade. I liked it as it left a natural sheen to faces and wood. Just got back into the hobby and am playing with directional lighting, and slap chop with oils.

[@TheDrouyn]

Thanks so much for taking the time to make this Vince. Just bought the entire abteilung range so you're dead on with your timing!

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help as always. :)

[@jonfoisy1237]

I absolutely agree. I paint all of my figures with oils over an acrylic base. I never really thought about it until you mentioned it but painting with oils is more about subtraction of paint rather than addition. Great way to put it Vince. Another great video my friend!

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help as always. :)

[@rmorris4598]

Drying mediums can compromise your paint. Liquin yellows your paint over time. I use artist grade paint right from the tube. I lay out my paints out on a paper towel for an hour or so to absorb the oil. That speeds drying time and doesn't wear down the pigments. Then I paint very thinly or dry brush or put in on thick and brushoff the excess. If you're doing an army of Space Marines under a deadline then that's understandable. Otherwise, what exactly is the rush?

[@VinceVenturella]

I think it' just the want for it to dry and keep working, especially within the time frame on one figure, but realisitically, I've never seen the figure yellow (not saying it wouldn't, just that I know several people who use it on figures and haven't had an issue). I've never had the issue, but for me, it's just about making sure it's dry within the day.

[@katieneece5843]

Liquin does yellow over time. It creates a golden patina so you need to be careful. It does this with canvas painting from experience. I cannot attest to miniatures though, yet.

[@wingwalker007]

Awesome, thank you. That gives me loads to think about and I guess it’s time to get me some oil paints and have a play. Love your videos, so insightful.

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help!

[@reddeaddylan1606]

When I learned how to use oils in high school it was like going from blending noob to blending pro overnight. Loved oils. Hated the dry time, but loved how they blend. Once you understand colour blending and shading they are awesome. Great video.

[@kastyr1984]

I'd be really interested in seeing one of your tutorials on how to paint fire done with oil paints!

[@VinceVenturella]

Great suggestion! I'll see what I can do.

[@vitaemecha]

Starter set of Winton ordered from amazon with all the colours mentioned plus some. 10 tubes for £21. A steal!

[@VinceVenturella]

That's great.

[@13Robzilla]

Another home run Vince! Not only a great video, but those drones man....grabbing all the good ideas. Can't believe the timing of your videos and how they always come right when I (and according to comments quite a few other folks) need it. I was already interested from the wash angle and played a bit with that. In addition to Mr. Wapple I would also recommend Marco Frisoni NJM and more recently Dmitry Fesechko who I think you would really like Vince. Thanks for everything Vince, you rock!

[@VinceVenturella]

Familiar with both and they have wonderful content for sure. Glad this was helpful. :)

[@DeathOfTheGoodUser]

Great video Vince. Point of safety: A lot of artist's oil colors are still made with extremely toxic pigments. Cadmium, for instance, is a heavy metal. The "hue" you have there is safe, as "hue" in the title denotes that it is a synthetic pigment and not the actual metal. However, when using most oil paints for this application I would strongly recommend gloves and heavily varnish when done. Heavy metal poisoning is no joke. Also, if you have pets, kick them out of the room when painting with oils or using mineral spirits. Cover your containers if you leave the room, pets WILL try to drink it. Love your stuff man. Might bust out my old oils lol

[@VinceVenturella]

All good points and yes, you are correct, I am very safe with them. :)

[@nicholascaldwell6079]

DeathOfTheGoodUser the risks of cadmium are a little over-stated. Firstly the preparation into pigment form makes it less bio-available than in other forms. Secondly the oil (or acrylic) medium encapsulates the pigment itself, making it safer again. You definitely don’t want inhale it but I don’t think it’s going to absorb into your skin.

[@Studiocraft71]

This was the best tutorial I’ve seen on this topic. Well done and thank you 🙏

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@keithkraine475]

Always informative and helpful. Another outstanding tutorial my friend. you must have helped thousands of us over the years. Thank you.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad to help

[@erikitter6773]

With oil paints you sometimes want to use terpentine, too. If you do you have to varnish before. The other end would be to work without any additives (the medium is the oil that is just seed oil, linseed, poppy, sunflower - mainly linseed for everything darker than yellow. Yes, you can use your cooking oil as medium just for giggles). Pure oil paints needs months to cure however, so you might want to use sickative (that does provide oxygen directly into the paint. oil does not dry but does oxidate into linoleum).

[@VinceVenturella]

Good tips all around.

[@phillipchronister7035]

I have always been afraid of trying oils since I've never used them. This tutorial has made me reconsider and I think I'll give it a try (have some older but good miniatures to experiment on). Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help as always. :)

[@brianmacgabhann5630]

Fabulous video. Your knowledge is invaluable, your enthusiasm is infectious and your encouragement is inspiring. Thank you.

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, always happy to help. :)

[@GeneralSkibo]

My brother found some super old paints, and used a reciprocating saw with a long blade and the paints attached to it to shake them. it worked pretty well....

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, basically anything that will shake hard will work.

[@ianpettman7482]

Just bought some oil paint's and you have helped me to understand the way they work. Thank you.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad to help

[@raymondthorogood9827]

Massage guns work as paint shakers. Vallejo bottles fit into the recess the Massage head slots into, on my gun.

[@thumbprintsinputty6168]

Another great video. Apply a little heat, incandescent bulb or dehydrator, and the oils dry matt overnight. Even blues. Your tip on making a miniature paint mix in a bottle is priceless.

[@VinceVenturella]

That's a great thing I actually often do, I really need to mention this in a video.

[@kewlpackstudios]

Hey ya Vince! Thanks for the generous, copious, comprehensive, broad-ranging, and clearly explained/demonstrated painting videos. The Hobby Cheating catalog has proven invaluable even with repeated viewings to catch all the little tips and tricks. I often have you, Marco Frisoni, and James Wappel playing while I paint. I've recently jumped head and feet into the oils world and am already getting much better results than I did with acrylics alone, and at a much faster pace (though I admit, I'm not a fast painter by any stretch). I do have a quick question - when posting some of my minis on FB, people have been asking me which tutorials to watch for painting. If I want to tag you over on FB, what's the best name/handle to @ you with? Keep crankin' out the painting demos! More oils, please!

[@VinceVenturella]

Just my name, and always feel free to tag me. :)

[@daynethompson8453]

Thanks a bunch mate, awesome video. I couldn't understand why I was getting so messy when I was washing my brush in white spirits the same amount as acrylics haha. The subtractive process and reestablishing of highlights are what I think I have been missing, great explanation as always.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it helped :)

[@nikotillmann9764]

Thanks you Vince for this helpful and detailed explanation. Thus far I've been using oil washed, following Marco Frisoni's guides. Now I'm going to do more actual painting with oil paints.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hobbithubby5076]

27:17 This right here is why oils are so cool. I recently tried oils on a mini for the first time and now I’m hooked! It’s like sorcery the first time you see those blends come together.

[@VinceVenturella]

100% agree.

[@Agastui]

Sir! This is such a good video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help.

[@BrunoGomesCamolas]

We might need an updated video of this same techniques, expanded and with better quality and lighting. Do think about this Vince, please. We oil miniature painters are a few but faithful bunch :)

[@VinceVenturella]

Will do!

[@mariocueva8700]

Thanks Vince, you touched on all the areas I was having trouble with like dry blending. Very informative.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dannyeccles1894]

For the love of God, DON'T lick your brush when using oils. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing yesterday and licked my brush after rinsing it in white spirit! Took the whole day to get rid of the taste. 😂

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, you REALLY don't want to do that. :)

[@katieneece5843]

You don't want to become van Gogh! Definitely don't haha.

[@dannyeccles1894]

I've only done it once. So far........ 🤣

[@mrpeanut4075]

I have done that but it didn’t taste that bad, maybe I have a resistance, or it was my taste buds dying

[@Fadeing]

@@mrpeanut4075 best not to have a habit. Many of the colors are named for one of their pigment ingredients. Such as: titanium white, arsenic green, the cadmiums, cobalt blue, chromium, etc Which can be quite harmful in large enough amounts; some stay in the system for years and so can build up. Probably a good idea to read the MSDS for the paints and thinner using when it happens; if not before if prone to doing it. Can be relatively safe if not eaten though.

[@josephgioielli]

I do some oil painting as a hobby. Thee are water miscible oil tubes. You use them like regular tube colors, but you can clean your brushes with warm water and soap. I also think student grade oil colors would be fine for this application as well.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, I know many artists use the water oil paints, they have no issues, but I haven't had a chance to use them, but I am sure they are fine.

[@surfacetension4471]

Great video, this set of techniques is a great way into using oils on minis. I'd like to pick up on what you said about needing to mix your own colours. To me this is not a challenge, but an opportunity to develop a really valuable skill. Easy blending is the seductive advantage of oils but I think learning how to mix colours and the understanding of colour theory that comes with it, did more to improve my painting when I started using oils.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lychanh6403]

I think you have a video for all my miniature questions, thanks Vince!

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help!

[@Grumdy]

I don't know if there's anything in miniature painting that better encapsulates "Hobby Cheating" than using oils. I've loved incorporating them into my miniature painting ever since Jim Wappel truly opened my eyes to it. I'll watch as many videos as you'll post discussing using them. Question for you: Do you have experience using metallic oil paints? Oilbrushers has a few in their lineup, and I know you have a strong opinion on metallics.

[@VinceVenturella]

Haven't tried them yet, but it's something I will get to eventually.

[@toversnoleu8769]

Wow! Looks insanly good!

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, hope it was helpful.

[@jeffreydieterle2399]

Great stuff! I think my next attempt at oils will be markedly less terrible. As for putting the paint into dropped bottles, could you give a rough ratio of paint to thinner? How much is “a bunch?” 😂

[@VinceVenturella]

You kind of have to eyeball it for each paint unfortunately.

[@gmoney1664]

Love it! I've only just started using oils for weathering and that was a revelation, so this is brilliant! Definitely one to try out in future, especially on my 1:12 heads, as those blends can be a pain in the butt!

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, when you go up in scale, the value of oils is just amazing.

[@gmoney1664]

@@VinceVenturella have got my order in for my new oils and odourless thinner 😃

[@grizorstars]

Great video Vincent! Thanks a lot for all the detailed explanations, just starting with oils and I love them!

[@VinceVenturella]

Great to hear! Always happy to help.

[@ProrokLebioda]

Damn! I'm really going to get some of them oil paints soon. I've been watching MarcoFrisoniNJM channel, where he praises oils. I remember that when I was starting I've watched some Buypainted videos, but he used oils for washes only (which also seem like a great idea). And now it's your second video about oils? I'm sold. Need to visit craft store in my city, maybe they will have some good oil paints. Blending easy? You s.o.b., I'm in! (that's totally 'Son of Behemat' and not other way around).

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, the blending is so enjoyable, it really changes the experience of painting. :)

[@TheTomahawkJam]

Hello sir! Just curious what you think the disadvantages of oils are. I feel like I have seen you go back to using mostly acrylics since this video, so I'm wondering what you prefer about those over oils, if oils seem to be so much easier to work with in general, and blending in particular. Is it just the drying time or anything else? Thank you as always for all your amazing content!!

[@VinceVenturella]

I still use oils some time, one of the challenges is just the drying time. BUt they are highly valuable.

[@alternate3787]

It is maybe an initial investment, but considering Citadel paint prices and how long oils last I wouldnt call them expensive. Especially since you can do a lot of blends and filters you would do with an airbrush with acryllics. That makes it a very economic choice I believe.

[@isisnmagic1812]

Been thinking of trying oil paints this video is a godsend, love my mini vortex mixer .

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, they are really wonderful for minis. :)

[@leeroyrousseau]

My oil brushers came in the mail last week. Can't wait to try them out.

[@VinceVenturella]

You'll have fun I'm sure. :)

[@AlwaysDrawing2012]

Hi Vince! Thank you for sharing this fantastic video. You've encouraged me to try oils on my next miniature : )

[@VinceVenturella]

Go for it!

[@xdeacis]

Just discovered this. Thanks for this super clear tutorial! Made me understand what I was doing wrong with my oil pants (just started with them)!! Do you recommend using water mixable oils instead of traditional oil paints if I would like to paint toxic-free? Or are the differences too big between those 2 mediums?

[@VinceVenturella]

Haven't really messed with water-soluable oils yet, but from what I understand from others, they would work fine.

[@Biologifilm]

Awesome guide but I have a question. My local store has the Winsor and Newton Artisan Studio Set and it is described as a water mixable oil color set. Do you have any experience with this kind of product? Could you use it in all the ways you described in the video but use water instead of white spirit to make washes, thin, and remove paint? Thanks!!

[@VinceVenturella]

I haven't played with the water mixable oils but as far as I know, they would work fine.

[@docbun]

Thanks for the tips, Vince! Among the things that one would have an easier time doing with acrylics, where do lining and free hand stand? (I'm sure anything can be done with either paints, but I bet some are easier with one medium and others with the other medium. Since you explained there is a kind of "blurriness" we gain from the ease of getting color transitions, freehand came to mind as an opposition to that.) Have a nice day!

[@VinceVenturella]

Honestly, for freehand and fine detail/line work, I still stick with acrylics. Oils are tough in that very small space.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

I just started my oil journey this month. Very helpful video!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tommyd2235]

Winsor & Newton isn’t quite artist grade but it is very good. Artist grade might be overkill. You’ll notice if you paint on canvas but as you have shown works well on minis. Thanks for the video. I can’t wait to try. Edit: the Winton series isn’t artist grade.

[@VinceVenturella]

Awsome, glad you enjoyed. :)

[@DarkSmithBunny]

Great video! A question if I may, if the highlight or shadows seem to keep cancelling each other out, effectively not being able to highlight or shade after a certain point, does it mean I need to let it dry out a bit and then go back on it once more firm to have a higher impact? Do I need to varnish first? And after varnished can I put more oils on it or should I switch to acrylic once done that?

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, at a certain point, you just let it dry completely and then can work with either over top.

[@DarkSmithBunny]

@VinceVenturella cheers boss!👍👍

[@kofmanmi]

Bonus points for Matchbox Twenty refference. Can you go a little into brands of oil paints that you like? Winsor & Newton Artists' Oil? Abteilung? Any advice?

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, I mean the two you talk about are basically what I would recommend.

[@vascooliveira4740]

Hi Vince great tutorial as always. I want to start with oils but I'm not sure what paints to buy first. There are a lot of reds and blues and browns, etc. If you had to recommend a few basic colors to start with what would that selection be? For example, there are 50 reds... What red would you recommend as a basic red (kind of a mephiston red equivalent) from say Winsor and Newton, same for blue, etc. Thanks in advance.

[@VinceVenturella]

Sure, so cadmium red, burnt siennam indian red, titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, cobalt violet hue, Pyhalo blue and some green you like.

[@vascooliveira4740]

@@VinceVenturella awesome. Thank you so much for your time and reply. Keep up the awesome work and channel.

[@arvetis]

One thing to bear in mind: yes, the white spirits will dry quickly, but oil paints aren't done "drying" until the linseed oil in them finishes curing and polymerizing, which can take weeks or months. If you varnish before that's done, the paint film will contract underneath the varnish and make chipping more likely.

[@VinceVenturella]

You are absolutely correct on the process, when you're using oil paints in this small of a quantity, especially when they also have white spirits thinning them, it will tend to happen faster. I've ben following this process for many years, never had any issues as long as I give it 48-72 hours.

[@egyptian316]

I don't think it got mentioned, but another reason you need separate brushes for oils is that oils and acrylics will not mix. Even with really careful cleaning you're bound to end up with some trace amounts of paint on your brush. If it's acrylic and you try to pick up oils, it's not going to want to work. Same works in reverse. Oils are fantastic to work with just because you have that option of erasing and doing something again. The drying time is measures in days, not minutes, so if something isn't where you want it use some spirit to lift it off. If you're doing terrain or vehicles, dot washes are very good for breaking up large flat surfaces and creating visual interest-check out Night Shift or Panzermeister36's videos. They really go in depth with it.

[@VinceVenturella]

Correct on the brushes, thought I mentioned it, but I am not sure, it's good to put a fine point on it.

[@JesseRiley]

Thanks again Vince! Any ideas why manufacturers don't reccomend using a water based varnish over oils? Have you had issues months/years down the line with the acrylic and/or varnish layers peeling from the oil due to adhesion issues? Thank you!!!

[@JesseRiley]

Just readyour reply to a similar question below. Thank you!

[@VinceVenturella]

Never had an issue, do it all the time for years.

[@spacetoy4584]

very useful! I have recently started on my oil journey, and chucking in learning nmm at the same time, so quite a challenge for me.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Nathantherat1]

Hey, Vince! Fantastic video as always. Could you provide some details about over painting oils with acrylics? I believe I saw you once comment here on YT in a reply to someone that you sometimes, once the oil paint is dry, simply go back to acrylics over the top and sometimes you varnish it before doing so. What kind of varnish do you use? How long would you give it to dry before you considered it ready for overpainting with acrylics? If you are overpainting with acrylics is there anything to bear in mind to avoid poor adhesion or peeling? Are there certain types of overpainting that are more "safe" than others? Sorry to bombard you with questions!

[@VinceVenturella]

So in general you don't *have* to varnish, for example, I don't varnish my metallics when I oil wash or anything. That being said, in a case like this where I am using a good amount of oils, I will generally give it 48 hours and then give it a coat of varnish that is a mix of vallejo satin varnish and AK Interactive Ultra Matte varnish. That's more to create a save point than anything else, but it also helps to even out all the finishes as some oil paints can be quite glossy. Never had any issues with peeling or adhesion or anything.

[@tasarith76]

Question about the varnishing step. When I've tried to apply Vallejo satin varnish to the dried oil paint with a brush, the varnish tends to bead up on the model. Would airbrushing the varnish work better? Is there a varnish for oils I should be using? Also, are you painting acrylics over oils after the varnishing step? It would be amazing to be able to let the oils do the heavy lifting while using acrylics for fine detail work but I've been warned against doing so. Maybe that's only if you are painting on canvas? Thanks so much for making this video!

[@VinceVenturella]

So answers in order: 1) You really have to make sure the varnish completely cured. 2) The airbrush is better for sure. 3) Any varnish can work, but the oil paint needs to be completely cured, like several days after application. 4) Once that varnish is on, you can put acrylics over the top.

[@tasarith76]

@@VinceVenturella Thanks for the information. Now I've got a new project for the weekend!

[@jaepic1780]

Hey Vince, thanks for the amazing video. I had a few questions: Why do the deep purple shadow as last step of the preperation, instead of tying it in with the zenithal undercoat? (also is the purple like a glaze consistency). Secondy, do you have a recomendation on colours to get started with like 10 must have's or something like that? Thanks:)

[@jaepic1780]

Also any recomendation on synthetic brush sizes, seems you can go a bit bigger than brushes you use for acrylics

[@VinceVenturella]

The undershade will mostly disappear under oils, they are thicker, hence the last step. Colors to start with are like the primaries, cyan, magenta, a few good browns, black and white. As to brush sizes, I buy a big pack of size 3 and 6's they are perfect for the task.

[@emilymegan40]

SKIGG!!!! Wait - where is his bag of popcorn?😂 Excellent video, oils are in my to try list this year!

[@VinceVenturella]

You'll enjoy them, it's a whole new game.

[@matthewweber6207]

Hey, great video. Why do you use a 50/50 satin and ultra matte varnish rather than just the ultra matte?

[@VinceVenturella]

Satin Varnish for durability, ultra matte for grip of the next layer and to remove shine.

[@thumbprintsinputty6168]

A key is the dry smoothing brush. Any spirits on it will result in mud. Learned by experience

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, that's exactly right. :)

[@JustinEganCG]

Sorry to necrpost or ask a question that may have already been answered, but what ratio (spirits to paint) di you use to make the paints you put in the dropper bottles? I know it isnt a science or a baking recipe, but it helps to have a good starting point.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, its tough, there is no set ratio as you are right it does vary, but generally, about a 1/3 of the bottle to start, then plenty of paint, then mixing it and testing it to see if it has the consistency of thicker miniature paint.

[@zakhoskins6404]

Unrelated, but have you tried Warcolours Contrast Medium? It's supposed to be mixable with their layer paints and work similar to Citadel's contrast paints. Haven't tried it yet, but would love to hear your thoughts. Also, which seller did you get your dropper bottles from? I keep asking Wappel, but he always gives me a vague answer of "some guy in Boston" without letting me know exactly where to go. I'm not trying to be rude, I just need something more specific than "I got it off Amazon".

[@VinceVenturella]

I haven't tried the contrast medium. As to the dropper bottles. THis is what I bought - www.ebay.com/itm/20PCS-30ml-Empty-Dropper-Plastic-Bottle-Drop-Eye-Liquid-Squeezable-Bottles/123958459591?hash=item1cdc7ffcc7:g:IhwAAOSwR8hduqUM

[@zakhoskins6404]

@@VinceVenturella Much obliged!

[@noamisaac]

What do you think of the MIG Oilbrushers? Are they basically just pre-thinned oil paints? And why do you choose to pre-thin your oils, and not just thin them on-pallet?

[@VinceVenturella]

I like them, yes, they are basically just pre-thinned, but they are very nice to work with.

[@DBLt4p]

Sorry if I missed it, or if you said in a different video, but how do you seal oil painted minis? I generally use vallejo rattle cans for varnishing, will those work? Or do you need to use a non-acrylic varnish? Thanks!

[@VinceVenturella]

Acrylic varnish is just fine. :) (I use a mix of 3-1 ultra matte to satin varnish).

[@NYIKAZENO]

Great! Fun and super informative lesson, and right on time. I have recently invested in some of W&N oils as well as a few of the Abteilung 502 paints. I have just primed a nice large mini, bit I will follow suit and add a few contrast colors in to block out some different materials and textures> Thank you again for the content and the precognition. ;-)

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@AB-ik2nc]

Vince, I know it's off topic, but what do you think about the secret weapon's washes? I heard they are why stronger than normal, so I am curious, are they similar to using contrast paint? Do they have a watery effect?

[@VinceVenturella]

They are pretty much just a more intense wash than the GW washes, more glazes or weak inks. They are useful but they are potent.

[@AB-ik2nc]

@@VinceVenturella thank vince, I will keep that in mind. I am struggling to find a kind of color to use that I feel confortable with - i tend to zenital prime and then glaze the color over that, but i'm troubled by the watery look of washes and weaknesses of glaze, so i put multiple layer of them on the miniature, defiting my effort to speed paint them...

[@actionairestudios]

Have you used Abteilung 502 oils? I understand it's made more specifically for miniatures which contains less linseed oil as compared to Winsor Newton oils.

[@VinceVenturella]

I actually just got a set, I will be experimenting with them and using them in future videos.

[@benstaffordson7163]

Two questions if you don't mind vince. a) opinions on Abteilung 502 compared to W&N Oil colour? Abteilung seems like it has neat colours for our hobby, but if the quality is worse than no point burning money. Currently just have flesh tones, a couple of umbers and a cobalt violet. No blues, reds, yellows or greens. Heh. I've seen you use both, but not sure if one is better/more suited, or you're just using what you have b) You'll have to forgive me if this comes across poorly, but would you recommend any other miniature painters who use oils in videos like yours? I've watched all of your oil videos and find myself still struggling to apply it in practice, aside from washes. I wasn't one for art in school, and certainly never learned with oils, but I genuinely enjoyed using them over the last few models. Maybe I just need to keep practising - and I intend to! - but at present it feels like I'm doing something wrong. I wound up with the paint so thin the underlying resin was visible at points. Maybe that's just old forgeworld models with sharp edges on flesh (?? It's a wild time) but it seems like I'm doing something majorly wrong still. I did use a smoothing brush, but on such a large model - Shar'Torr - it was a much larger brush than yours. Paint went on relatively thick, but while blending and subtracting it went back to bare resin on edges, and it was a pain to get it covered again. Edit: and a third question! Hah, you are tricked. Would you say the Votann minis apply well to this? Seems like a lot of panels I can blend with. Also wonder about Adeptus Mechanicus - all that cloth looks fun, and then using metallic acrylics for.. well, metallics afterwards. Not sure it'd work for vehicles, but the airbrush isn't going away.

[@VinceVenturella]

1) They are about the same as the Student ones, maybe a little better, but not as good as the more expensive Artist grade. They are fine for miniatures. 2) No issue at all, I love recommending other artists I respect. :) - Marco Frisoni uses oils, but James Wappel (mainly on Twitch) is the lord of all things oil. 3) Absolutely.

[@benstaffordson7163]

@@VinceVenturella I'm shocked at how few views James Wappel has - his minis are mindblowing. Just watching a few of his videos since you reocmmended him, would never have considered a drybrushing technique with oils and then letting it just slightly diffuse over time as they interact. Definitely a lot to learn from him. Also enjoying Marco Frisoni and how he's changing from acrylics, to oils, then back to acrylics again as he sees it being the right option for a given process. I must admit, a small part of me wonders if I'm trying to force oils, rather than using the best tool for a given job. Not that it matters, it's fun, but when I was discussing oil paints with someone the other day their response was "contrasts look good" and for some reason that hurt, just a bit. I know my brown blends wasn't winning awards on the cow, but still lol

[@joinmeinthesun5731]

Thanks for the awesome vid Vince! I now have the Oil painting bug and am obsessed! Out of interest, what ratio do you thin the oil paints roughly?

[@VinceVenturella]

It varies, but until they are flowign in some way is the general rule. Different paints will thin differently.

[@Sargide]

Thank you Vince, it's the third time (I think) that I watch this video. Yesterday I bought my first oils, thinner and solvents and I'm preparing myself to try. I have a question on mixing in my own bottles: what kind of consistency you went for? Did you use leenseed oil/something similar and white spirit or did you went straight for white spirits? I think I'm confusing myself with too much info😅

[@rustyglass5993]

What quality of oil paints are required? Just wanted to play around with oils and trying to do it cheap as possible. Will the cheaper brands on Amazon suffice or does W&N make the baseline of quality needed for miniatures? Might just end up buying a few primaries and practice mixing as well. Thanks

[@VinceVenturella]

Honestly, you want to stay away from the cheapest ones. The ones I use here, or something like the Abtelung 502s are what I would recommend base.

[@VladimirKharchenko]

Hi, Vince, Really like your content, Thanks you for it. And I have a (probably really dumb question, sorry) but can I put varnish over oil paint with a brush? I do not have an airbrush and aerosol varnishes are hard to get in my area, so I could only apply varnish by brush. I want to get into oils but that is worries me. Thanks again, keep up the good job!

[@VinceVenturella]

You can, but they need to be completely dry or you will pull up paint with the brush pressure.

[@VladimirKharchenko]

@@VinceVenturella Thanks!

[@paintalist4391]

I think you need a better light setup and camera. Sometimes the miniature is out of focus for approx 5%. Oils a great tho. I discovered them for myself too.

[@VinceVenturella]

I suspect that's just my own ineptitude to be honest, the camera is actually quite nice, but I am terrible at staying in frame and focus.

[@Jbvain]

Thanks for the great video, Vince. I want to go back and add areas of shine and highlights on black Star Wars Death Trooper armor with oil paint. Can this be done straight over the black acrylic paint in only small areas or should the entire armor panel be painted in oils to get the proper blend? I'm not only trying to understand for this instance but also other possible uses of oils for highlights. Thank you!

[@VinceVenturella]

You could 100% do that, you are using VERY small amounts, but it's doable.

[@Shockwave724]

Hey Vince, i love your vid and i think i will try oil paint. i just have a question, some really good painters has differents technics and Sam Lenz work like its oil paint (with many wet blending) do you think he use oil paint too? and if it's acrylic i think these fades are just excellent not to mention the fact that his acrylic seems to dry slower than mine do you have any advice for a mediocre but passionate painter? :)

[@VinceVenturella]

So Sam doesn't really use oil paints too much, it's just acrylics, but Sam works thicker and uses a big brush to work them quickly. It's just wet blending.

[@marconovello8020]

Since I wouldn’t want to use turpentine or mineral spirit when I’m painting, I was thinking about buying some water mixable oil paint (ex. W&N artisan line). Are they good for miniature painting or should I buy regolar oils instead?

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, as I mentioned on the other video, I haven't used them, but they are perfectly fine from other artists.

[@henry-yu2ju]

I just started painting minis with acrylic. Should I stop and switch to oils? Do we incorporate both?

[@VinceVenturella]

If you just started, I would stick to Acrylics, but it's something to explore as you go, start with washses or pin washes and go from there. :)

[@jdrpodcast6390]

Why not use artist oil to dilute the paint instead of the white spirit to make the "miniature ready bottles"? One would keep the slow drying property?

[@VinceVenturella]

Well, basically because I want to use the solvent in this case for the fast evapoiration. THey still take about 12-24 hours to dry (sometimes even a little more) based on thickness, it's an advantage. That kind of working time is still 100x acrylic paint and easily lets me make adjustments.

[@redbeardboss]

just a heads up Winton is the Winsor Newton student grade oil paint. I don't think it matters because youre not trying to match colors from life so mixing hues or mixing single pigment paints makes little difference though

[@VinceVenturella]

Good to know. I've never had an issue, but it's a good note.

[@Sean-ch4vn]

Another outstanding tutorial, greatly appreciated! With the medical issues I'm dealing with I was advised to use the water mixable oils, not an issue as this at least lets me have oil paints in my tool box. With that being said, have you tested the water mixable oils?

[@LinglongPingPongChingChong]

I use the winsor and newton ones and they perform fine.

[@Sean-ch4vn]

@@LinglongPingPongChingChong Good to know, thank you for the info!

[@VinceVenturella]

Haven't tried them, but I know many people that haveand like them.

[@michaelanderson670]

So, you can dilute the oil paints with white spirits but you don't want any white spirits on your brush when actually painting?

[@VinceVenturella]

During the painting, you can have some white spirits in your brush, but it shouldn't be any actual liquid (that should be wicked out), it should just be moist. Once you've applied the paint, the smoothing out of the paint, for that, you want a bone dry brush.

[@the_elder_medium]

I've been painting with artist oils and getting results I'm very happy with quite easily. I'm curious why I see KZbinrs post a video about oils as a great alternative to acrylics while demonstrating how much easier they can be to paint with, but then switch back to acrylics for the next many videos. Is there a less obvious limitation of oils that I haven't hit? Is it a requirement of the algorithm to use acrylics or risk losing viewers? Just curious. Thanks for all you do!

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, most people just don't watch oils videos. Also, sometimes it's just more comfortable to many I suppose. :)

[@the_elder_medium]

@@VinceVenturella Yeah, I thought it might be a viewers issue.. that's too bad. They're a joy to paint with, but very different workflow than acrylics. Thanks!

[@brianmacgabhann5630]

Could I get your opinion on something please? I've seen some tutorials which mention using ordinary, store-bought white spirits, (mineral spirits), to thin oils, and others who say this is a big no-no, as the commercial stuff contains additives that make the paint behave in unpredictable ways, and therefore one should only use artist's oil thinners. Do you have any thoughts on this subject?

[@VinceVenturella]

Spend the money to get something like Gamblin or Mona Lisa, they are just better quality and have much less odor.

Great video and explanation how to work with oils on the miniatures! I have been around to jump in and try oils for a while and I have a question related with "water soluble oils" if they are ok and work similar to normal oils (with the vantage to avoid the white spirits)

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, I've never used the water soluable oils, but I know people who have and they have said they have no issues.

@@VinceVenturella thank you Vince! I probably add some oils to my whislist

[@deleriom]

If I were wanting to dip my toe into oil painting on miniatures, would the winsor newton studio set be an "OK" intro that could provide decent results, or would I need to jump to the artist range from the get-go?

[@VinceVenturella]

They would be just fine.

[@noamisaac]

Won't putting the paint into bottles instead of tubes cause them to oxidize? And how do you determine the paint/white spirit proportions?

[@VinceVenturella]

So I haven't had any issue with them drying in the bottle, as to how to determine the proportion, it's sort of something you have to do by eyeball, there is no set ratio as every paint is different. You are sort of aiming for thick acrylic paint.

[@dennisfranks1510]

I love your clear precise instructions. Have you used any of your pieces for gaming? If so, have you noticed any increase of wear and tear? Or does varnish protect it enough. Trying to see if i paint entirely with oils if it should be a display-only piece.

[@VinceVenturella]

I use it for some gaming pieces, the varnish will generally protect it.

[@halleysonli2041]

may I ask when you mix your 30ml pot, what's the ratio between the paint and the white spirit? I never touch the oil paint before, your recent video really makes me want to try them out😂

[@ODA204SBD9]

Each color will be different on how much white spirit it needs based on the formulation

[@jeffaugustine6071]

I'm interested also, just a rough estimate would be awesome. I end up putting the paint on too thick

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, the real answer is I have no idea, I really wish I could help, I filled about a 1/3rd of the bottle up with paint, I can say that, and then just kept adding white spirits and testing until I got to something that was roughly the consistency of miniature paint, it was a very experiemental process.

[@halleysonli2041]

@@VinceVenturella ok thx man, love ur oil tutorial😊

[@AFoulOdor]

This is a great video. I’m still new to painting minis and blending has been a challenge with acrylics. I got some oil supplies for washes but I think I will try jumping in on blends also. What approximate mixing ratio are you using for your bottles? Is a mix something like a bottled acrylic a good goal? Thinner? Thicker? Also, do you protect your minis from dust while they’re setting? If so, what steps do you take?

[@VinceVenturella]

Trying to get them to a miniature painting consistency, it varies per color, there is no one ratio sadly.