Miniature Painting Starter Kit: Brushes, Primers, Paints 🎨

Imagine this: You crack open a box of fresh minis—Warhammer troopers, D&D heroes, maybe a cozy diorama set—and wonder, “What’s the least I need to get clean tabletop results without wasting money?” Good news: you don’t need a studio or an airbrush. With the right starter kit—a few brushes, smart primers, dependable acrylic paints, and a couple of “why didn’t I do this sooner?” accessories—you’ll be cranking out crisp, durable paint jobs by next weekend.

This warm, no-gatekeeping guide walks you through brush sizes that actually matter, primers that don’t frost, paints that behave, and the workflow that takes a mini from grey plastic to proudly-playable. We’ll keep it beginner-friendly but seriously useful—with tips, tricks, hacks, and a full cost breakdown so you can build the kit that fits your budget.

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What You Truly Need (and Nothing You Don’t) 🧰

• Brush trio: a Base/Layer brush (size 1–2), a Detail brush (00–0), and a Drybrush (small/medium flat or rounded).
• Primer: rattle-can black/gray/white, or brush-on if you’re indoors; optional zenithal highlight.
• Acrylic paints: a tight palette—black, white, warm brown, cool brown, red, yellow, blue, skin tone, metallic silver/gold, dark wash—plus matte varnish.
• Wet palette: keeps paint workable and thins consistently (DIY or store-bought).
• Cleaning & prep: hobby knife, mold-line remover, 400–800 grit sanding sponge, dish soap + old toothbrush for wash-down.
• Safety & sanity: nitrile gloves (optional), table cover, good light (5000K), cup for water, paper towels.

That’s it. You can add airbrushes, fancy mediums, and ten more shades later, but you don’t need them to start strong.

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Brushes: The Point Is Everything 🖌️

Brush Types & Sizes that Matter Most ✅

• Base/Layer (size 1 or 2): A healthy belly holds paint; the fine tip lays smooth edges. Size 2 scares beginners but often paints cleaner because it carries steadier, thinner paint.
• Detail (00 or 0): Eyes, rivets, tiny trim. Don’t go smaller than 00; micro sizes dry out fast on the tip.
• Drybrush (S/M): Stiff synthetic or natural-blend; oval/flat top. This is your shortcut to quick texture.

Synthetic vs Natural:

• Synthetic (nylon/PBT): affordable, resilient to abuse, great for basecoats/drybrushing.
• Natural (sable/Kolinsky): elite tip control and paint flow—amazing for layering/glazing—but pricier and needs gentle care.
  Starter move: run synthetic Base + Drybrush, and add one sable Detail when you’re ready for smoother blends.

Brush Care That Doubles Lifespan 🧼

• Rinse frequently; never let paint creep into the ferrule.
• Roll the tip on a damp palette edge to keep a needle point.
• Use brush soap at the end of each session; reshape and let dry horizontally.
• Reserve one older brush for metallics (they’re abrasive) and another for varnish.

Hack: Dip just the first third of bristles in paint. The belly should hold moisture, not pigments.

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Primers: Your Paint’s Best Friend 🧪

Pick Your Primer Color 🎯

• Black: hides misses, great for metallics and grimdark schemes.
• Gray: balanced; shows details well; versatile for most schemes.
• White/Ivory: bright, perfect for vibrant colors and speed paints.

Delivery Options 🚚

• Rattle-can: fastest coverage; spray 8–12 inches away in light passes. Ideal temp: 65–75°F; low humidity.
• Brush-on: weather-proof option for apartments; thin with a bit of water for self-leveling.
• Zenithal (optional): prime black, then mist white from above (45–60°). Instant pre-shading—colors read better with fewer coats.

Avoid Frosting: Shake for 60–90 seconds; test spray on cardboard; keep the can and mini warm; thin passes; never blast in high humidity.

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Paints: Simple Palette, Pro Results 🎯

Bottles & Consistency 💧

• Dropper bottles waste less and make thinning easy.
• Thin with a little water or acrylic medium until paint leaves light brush marks but still covers.

Starter Palette (Works for 90% of armies/parties) 🌈

• Neutrals: matte black, titanium white, dark gray
• Skin: fair/medium skin tone (mix with brown for shades)
• Earths: warm brown (leather/wood), cool brown (mud/shadows)
• Primaries: true red, sunny/yellow, deep blue
• Metallics: steel/silver, antique gold
• Wash: dark brown/black wash (panel line magic)
• Varnish: matte (satin for leather/armor accents)

Speed Paint/Contrast Options: Great for fast tabletop. Over a zenithal undercoat they do 3 jobs at once—base, shade, hint of highlight.

Metallics vs NMM: Start with true metallics (TMM) for sparkle; explore non-metallic metal later for style points.

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Essential Techniques (Starter to Tabletop-Ready) 🧱

1) Basecoating 🧴

Thin paint to milk consistency. Two thin coats beat one gloopy pass. Pull strokes in one direction; avoid back-and-forth scrubbing.

2) Wash/Shade 🕳️

Load a dark wash into recesses—let gravity work. Wick away pools with a clean, damp brush to avoid coffee-stains.

3) Drybrushing 🌬️

Wipe most paint off a drybrush; feather across textures. It’s instant detail on hair, fur, chainmail, stone, and cloth.

4) Edge Highlights ✨

Use the side of the brush, not the tip. Hit raised edges with a lighter tone. On black armor, go gray → light gray.

5) Layering & Glazing 🍯

For smooth transitions, thin paint a bit more. Multiple translucent passes > one chalky jump. Keep layers small and deliberate.

6) Varnish Shield 🛡️

After 24 h cure, apply matte varnish to kill shine and protect. For metal, spot satin on blades/trim.

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30-Minute Tabletop Workflow (Speed Recipe) ⏱️

1. Prime gray (or black → white zenithal).
2. Block colors: armor, cloth, leather, skin, base.
3. All-over wash: dark brown/black, lift puddles.
4. Drybrush: light neutral on armor/cloth edges.
5. Edge pop: brighter highlight on weapons/helm lines.
6. Spot color: eyes/gems in white → glaze color → tiny white dot.
7. Matte varnish.

Looks clean, reads well at arm’s length, finishes games fast.

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Starter Kit Loadouts (Cost Breakdown) 💵

Kit	What’s Inside	Approx. Cost (USD)
Budget	Syn. Base #2, Syn. Detail 0, Small Drybrush; Brush-on primer; 10 core dropper paints; dark wash; matte varnish; DIY wet palette	$55–$75
Balanced	Syn. Base #2, Sable Detail 00, Med Drybrush; 2 primer colors (rattle + brush-on); 14–16 paints incl. metallics + skin set; wash; matte & satin; compact wet palette	$95–$140
Premium Starter	Sable Base #2, Sable Detail 00, Pro Drybrush; tri-color primers (B/W/G); 20+ paints incl. speed paints; mediums; matte & satin; pro wet palette; brush soap	$160–$240

Spend smart: better light and good primer beat buying your 17th red.

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Surface Prep (The Secret to Clean Paint) 🧽

• Wash sprues in warm soapy water; rinse; air-dry.
• Remove mold lines with a scraper; swipe 800-grit to smooth.
• Test-fit parts; glue after painting sub-assemblies if needed (e.g., cloak blocking chest details).
• Pin big parts; let glue cure fully before priming.

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Color Recipes You’ll Use Weekly 🧪

• Leather: warm brown → dark wash → re-hit with warm brown → add a tiny drop of ivory for edge.
• Steel: gunmetal → black wash → bright silver drybrush → precise bright silver edge on blade.
• Gold: rich gold → sepia/brown wash → re-layer gold → add a speck of silver for final glint.
• Skin (medium): mid-tone skin → brown wash in recess → mid-tone layer → mix a little ivory for cheek/knuckle taps.
• Black cloth: dark gray highlight (thin), then glaze black into recess to keep it black, not gray.

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Troubleshooting (Real Fixes, No Panic) 🧯

• Chalky paint: you’re over-thinning with water; add a drop of medium or use fewer, thinner layers.
• Streaky metallics: two thin coats + light gloss undercoat helps them lay smooth.
• Frosted primer: too cold/humid or heavy passes; strip gently with isopropyl + toothbrush and reprime warm and thin.
• Fuzzy edges: switch to size 2 for basecoats; it carries smoother paint.
• Shiny after matte varnish: humidity or heavy coat; switch to light passes, or tint matte with a drop of thinner.

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Tips, Tricks, Hacks & Local Secrets 🧠

• Wet Palette Bead: Drop a stainless mixing bead into each bottle for quick shaking.
• Two-Cup Water Rule: one for metallics, one for everything else—keeps sparkle out of flats.
• Handle > Base: Stick a mini to a bottle cork with poster tack; you’ll paint steadier lines instantly.
• Zenithal Speed: Black prime → mist white from above → use transparent/speed paints and call it good.
• Edge with the side: put just the edge of the brush on the edge of the mini—robot-steady highlights.
• Lighting lift: a cheap 5000K lamp does more for painting than three new paint sets.
• Label caps: write color names on caps with a paint pen so you grab fast mid-session.
• Batch smart: paint 5–10 models in assembly line—same step on all; you’ll finish a squad faster than one by one.
• Varnish sandwich: gloss (durability) under matte (look). Micro-satin on leather/metal makes it pop without glare.
• Travel kit: altoids tin + mini wet palette + 3 brushes + 6 paints = hotel-room hobby therapy.

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FAQs (20+ — bold Q, plain A)

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Final Thoughts 💬

Miniature painting doesn’t have to be complicated—or expensive—to look awesome on the table. Start with a tight brush trio, a reliable primer, and a smart, limited paint set. Practice the core moves—basecoat, wash, drybrush, edge—and add flair as you go. With a wet palette, good light, and a couple of humble habits, your minis will leap from “grey shame” to game-ready heroes—and you’ll actually enjoy every step.