New players might wonder: Are there such apps for Warhammer 40K, and in that case, what are those apps?

One of the most useful apps is BattleScribe. BattleScribe is an Army List Creator for 40K. With this app, you can create army lists for your Warhammer games. There are also validation functions regarding army selection and point limits. It’s a great app for new players and veterans. Another great app is the Hobby Color Converter, which is great for comparing and selecting paint.

Now that you know two of the most used apps for Warhammer 40K, read more to find out about other great apps that you can use to greatly enhance your gaming experience.

1. Battlescribe

As I mentioned previously, Battlescribe is one of the best and most popular applications for Warhammer 40K. It’s also useful for other TTRPGs where you want to build armies and keep track of armies.

The app is just really nice to have if you’re new, and not sure how to build your army properly. The app will keep you on track and point out errors with your army list.

It’s free, too, which is always nice. The only “negative” aspect of the app is a somewhat slow update rate at times. I would still say that the app is essential for a beginner player, as it is such a big help when you’re first starting out with playing 40K.

2. ITC Battles App

Another great app for beginners and veterans alike, this app helps you keep track of the score, plus providing reference of rules. You can also submit results from brackets straight to BCP, which is nice.

Instead of keeping time manually, you can use the timer in the app. This helps a lot in my opinion, I have enough to carry around as it is when going to a session of 40K.

Finally, the app can also provide different stats, such as win percentage, for your convenience. The app is in general just a really nice quality-of-life app that I recommend to all beginners of 40K.

3. Wahapedia

Wahapedia isn’t an app per se, but it’s an amazing resource nonetheless. It’s an internet wiki-style page on Warhammer stuff, which can really help beginner and intermediate players get through the incredible amount of information that you need to process when playing the game.

If you want to look up information really quickly about units, armies, or factions, just type in the keyword you want to read about plus Wahapedia into Google, and you should find that information on the website.

Of course, you can also look up information on other players’ armies and factions as well, if you want to gain some insight into their strengths and weaknesses. Another cool thing about this website is that it’s run by one guy.

See the website as a mini-substitute for a codex, although there’s no replacing that. As I mentioned before, however, you can find codex-related info in there and it can sometimes be faster to look that up on Wahapedia.

4. The Official GW Warhammer App

This app came out to a lot of criticism, as it was completely unfinished and furthermore lacked fundamental functions. However, the app has improved somewhat since its release.

In the app, you get access to core rules, which means that new players can learn the game easier. The free version of the app restricts a lot of functions, however, and makes it not that useful.

You can redeem the code on your physical codex, which lets you access it in the app. That’s really nice and is something that only an official GW app could do. It restricts the army building whenever you don’t have a certain codex, however, which has consequences for the army builder.

You can’t theorize and build armies in the app for factions you haven’t redeemed the codex for. This is a disappointing feature since BattleScribe lets you do that for free.

Hopefully, the app gets more love over time. GW has a large team with a bunch of resources and all the licensing, so you would think that it shouldn’t be that hard to design an app that isn’t inferior to free apps, made by a couple of people.

5. Mathhammer

Mathhammer is an expression 40K players throw around. It means using statistics to try to figure out outcomes and effectiveness when fighting. It’s not an exact science, of course, rather it’s an attempt to make use of odds to turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Mathhammer is also an app that lets you do this easier. For example, it lets you simulate a boatload of dice throws and then shows you a statistical analysis for it. All you need to do is put in a unit that attacks another unit, and the app will give you an analysis of it.

This might be overkill for a lot of players, and that’s understandable. At least, you now know that the option is there and if it might be something for you.

6. Hobby Color Converter

The hobby color converter doesn’t have anything to do with gameplay, but model paint. The app lets you find color equivalences across different brands. The app includes a massive database of different colors, with which you can locate different colors.

You can also point your phone camera at say a model, and the app will look up the color for you in the database. If a color that you want to paint in is unavailable, simply look up an equivalent color in this app.

It’s just an amazing quality-of-life app for looking up model paint for 40K. The creator of the app is also great at updating, fixing bugs, and adding content.

7. Reddit

You probably already know what Reddit is. The thing is, it’s arguably one of the best resources for 40K. This goes for the purposes of learning, asking questions, and making choices, simply by the virtue of having a ton of other experienced players weigh in.

It’s also a great way to invest yourself in the game, to get to know a community of people sharing the same interests that you have. I’m not a massive fan of Reddit for other purposes than TTRPGs, but it’s certainly useful for that.

Luckily, in the age of the Internet, you can make these decisions after some research, which is why we’ve compiled the 10 most popular Warhammer 40K armies to date. So, what are the most popular armies in Warhammer 40K?

Space Marines are the most popular army by a good margin, followed by Chaos Space Marines and Eldar. This statistic is based on tournaments, however, and casual players usually pick what they think is cool rather than what’s the most effective to play. This list will be compiled according to some data provided by Tabletoptournaments.net.

Are you pondering what army you should invest in next, or are you just curious? Either way, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our list of the most popular Warhammer Armies, and some potential reasons as to why this is the case.

Read more: Your Guide to the Best Warhammer 40K Miniature Armies for New Painters

10. Drukhari

The Drukhari are Dark Eldar, an alien race of ancient origin. The Drukhari are somewhat popular, some people like them, and some don’t. My and other players’ problems with the race are mostly aesthetical in nature.

The Drukhari are a sadistic race who enjoy things like torture and other not-so-morally correct things. Gameplay-wise, they are really strong. They received a new Codex in 2021, which was a big buff to them.

Another thing that makes the Drukhari place lower on this list is the fact that they’re really difficult to master, so players tend to play something else.

9. Space Wolves

Space Wolves are a faction of Space Marines. Space Wolves are placed pretty high considering this, there are a lot of factions consisting of Space Marines, and the Space Wolves are the most popular of those factions.

The aesthetic of the Space Wolves is… well, wolves. They wear wolf pelts and wolf talismans, which make for a cool look. The aesthetic is not the only reason they’re popular, however.

The Space Wolves have abilities such as night vision and some units have split shooting, which means that their fire can hit two targets. The Space Wolves are certainly the most “odd” Space Marine, but they’re cool in my opinion.

8. Necrons

The Necrons are mechanical skeletons, and one of the oldest races in the entire 40K universe. After laying dormant for millions of years, they awoke again and began looking for dominance over the galaxy. Pretty neat, right?

In combat, the Necrons can resurrect using their Reanimation Protocol. This is a special rule for Necrons. If you want information about this ability, check the 40K Reddit or read the Necron codex.

The Necrons are not very strong in close quarters, but they do have a lot of toughness.

7. Orks

The Orks are one of my favorite races in the 40K universe. They fight amongst themselves as much as they fight other races in the galaxy. The only reason why they’re not the one and only rulers is that they’re constantly at war with each other.

You’ve probably seen the aesthetic of an Ork before. It’s similar to every other portrayal of this race in other movies and games – mean and green.

Orks are super fun to play, and their relative popularity probably comes from their unique playstyle. Orks are rad at aiming their guns, see, but when they hit, it hurts a ton.

This race is fun for those who like coinflips and fun. You win some, you lose some.

6. Tyranids

The Tyranid are an alien race with a great hunger to consume every other race within the 40K universe. That’s how they can reproduce and grow, see. Visually, they kind of look like aliens from the movie Alien. They’re really easy to paint as well, so that’s a plus for new players.

There’s this concept in the Tyranid race called “the Hive Mind”, and it’s basically what it sounds like. It’s a great presence in all Tyranids, steering all of them at once. It’s felt by every Tyranid and is commonly referred to as the “collective consciousness”.

Tyranids’ strong suit lies in melee range. They are really fast and hit a lot. Their ranged options are less good, but the Tyranids would be a bit much with strong shooters.

5. T’au

The T’au are strange. Practically every single race in the entire 40K universe wants to dominate, slaughter, torture, or devour, but not the T’au. They once were a peaceful tribe of people, and they fight by the mantra “the greater good”.

They might not be model citizens or anything like that, but they’re certainly not on the level of the Dark Eldar or the Tyranids.

The T’au’s strong suit is ranged combat. This is something that a lot of players dislike, their ranged combat is so strong that sometimes, the facing army can’t reach the T’au before the fight is over and done with.

As they are this strong at a range, they are equally terrible in close-quarters combat. They die to pretty much anything.

4. Astra Militarum

The Astra Militarum, or the Imperial Guard, are the imperial forces of humanity. They have the largest quantity of fighters in the entire galaxy, consisting of common people like the ones here on Earth. This is a cool concept in my opinion, and the minis look cool as well.

The imperial force’s sole strength is that of numbers, but one by one they fall very easily. The Astra Militarum’s strengths are swarming enemies with soldiers and tanks, and their weaknesses are that they are squishy, meaning they die super easily.

Also, their units are samey. They don’t have an array of options to choose from.

3. Eldar

The Eldar is an old humanoid race consisting of psychics (“psykers” in the 40K universe). In the 40K lore, the Eldars’ luxurious and hedonistic lifestyle leads to the birth of a Chaos God, Slaanesh. The birth of this God almost wipes out the entire Eldar civilization.

Eldars have some of the best weapons in the game, with good tanks, some of the best movement, and efficient units. Their weaknesses consist of low armor units, and dying to rush down (A.K.A. “alpha strikes”).

The Eldar are considered one of the best armies in Warhammer 40K.

2. Chaos Space Marines

The Chaos Space Marines are former soldiers (more specifically, Space Marines) of the Human Imperium, who at some point betrayed the Imperium and decided to serve Chaos instead.

There was a big in-fight between the Emperor of the Imperium and some of his Space Marines a couple of thousands of years ago in the 40K universe. The Emperor won, the rebel leader Horus died, and the rest of the traitor Space Marines eventually created different factions of their own as Chaos Space Marines.

The Chaos Space Marines have access to things like the Mark of Chaos, a buff given to units dedicated to Chaos Gods (very briefly explained, I would suggest reading the Chaos Space Marine codex for detailed information). Furthermore, they have cultists and good CQC in general.

1. Space Marines

I’d like to think that the Space Marines’ popularity comes in part to their exposure to popular culture as well as lore and in-game functions. Multiple video games have been made about the Space Marines, and they’re very well-known outside the game of 40K.

The Space Marines have excellent units, with good stats and weapons. Another nice thing about the Space Marines is the diversity of tactics and ways to play, there are multiple viable strategies to use with them.

The Space Marines are mediocre in CQC, and troops and structures are really expensive, especially after upgrades. One of the last things I’ll say about the Space Marines is how nice they are to paint. I’d recommend this faction to beginners because of this.

When it comes to tabletop strategy games, Warhammer 40K has become one of the most recognizable titles on the market since its introduction in 1983.

With the relatively recent release of the Age of Sigmar line, the franchise is witnessing yet another surge in popularity among those looking to not only play the game but also collect and personalize all of their favorite figures.

Veterans of Warhammer are all too familiar with the difficulty of completing every single figurine due to their small size and high level of detail required.

However, those just starting out or who are new to the hobby altogether, may not have any indication of what the best Warhammer miniature armies for new painters are, what the easiest miniature models to paint are, or even how to start painting them.

In this guide, we will be looking at how you can get started, what to and not to look for in an army, which steps you can take to make the painting process as easy and as smooth as possible, and which army is the best starter kit for new painters.

• Stormcast Eternals
• Kharadron Overlords
• Battleforce Seraphon Starclaw
• Daemons of Tzeentch
• Daemons of Nurgle
• Beastclaw Raiders
• Savage Orruks
• Ironjaws Starter Kit

You might also like: The Ultimate Guide To Airbrushing Warhammer Miniatures

What You Need to Get Started Painting Miniatures and Basic Tips for Painting

1. Figure Out Your Motivation and Base Your Goal Around That.

There is no doubt about it, once you decide to take on painting Warhammer miniatures, you’ll soon realize that this isn’t a walk in the park. It is tedious, it requires a steady hand, and it is very time-consuming. In order to avoid losing interest in the project, understanding your motivation is imperative.

Maybe you want to learn to paint, maybe you want to learn advanced techniques of painting, or maybe you want to become more efficient at it; either way, figure out your motivation and create a goal around it. This will give you an end goal to strive for which will make the process more enjoyable.

2. Choose a Strategy and Stick With It.

Generally, for new painters, you are going to want to use basic painting techniques and understand that the more you paint, the better your models will get in aesthetic appearance.

Make sure that you pick a small force of models that you want to play with and always pick one that you like the aesthetics of that isn’t too complex. Once you’ve done this, understand which paint scheme you want to go with, and don’t choose too many paints for the project (2-3 for beginners).

3. Tips for Choosing Which Warhammer Army to Buy.

The number one thing to consider here is the aesthetic of the army you choose. If you want to buy something that you want to paint, that’s going to look incredible in your eyes, as that is what will drive you to finish the project.

Other than this, choose an army that matches the play style you want, read up on the lore if you are having trouble deciding, and do not go out and buy a massive set. Always start with a small starter set. If you are a collector, buy the sets that fit your army list.

4. A Note on Color Schemes.

For beginners, consider going with a lighter color scheme as darker colors tend to require more highlighting work to make look good from a distance. With light colors, you can add in some simple shade work and they will look awesome with less work.

Make sure to pick two complementary colors and use them as the foundation for all of your models as this will make it cheaper and easier to work with. Beyond this, for all other colors needed, use muted colors like brown for wood and metal coloring for armor and weapons.

Colors that are easy to paint for beginners include blue, brown, beige, and green while, black, purple, yellow, red, and white are harder.

5. The Tools You Will Need to Get Started.

Consider buying the following tools, a white primer, a cutter or clipper for the plastic pieces, plastic glue, a mold line remover or hobby knife, a wet palette as this keeps your paint moist, miniature brushes, a good soap for cleaning brushes, a base paint set, a shading/washing paint set, some texture paints, a starter set of models, and a cutting mat to work on.

6. How to Cut, Clean, and Assemble Your Pieces.

Generally, most starter kits will come with an instruction booklet that will outline step-by-step instructions on which pieces you will need in which order.

Once you find the right pieces, align the flat end of the clippers towards it and make your cut. You will need to also cut out the piece that it will be glued with.

Make sure to remove all excess plastics and mold lines from the miniature after cutting it away from the plastic framing.

Once you’ve done this, try and “dry-fit” the pieces together to see if they fit seamlessly; if they do not, remove more plastic until they do. Finally, apply plastic glue to all parts that will fit together. Always wipe excess glue away immediately.

7. How to Prime Your Miniatures.

Always place your miniatures on a hard, level surface and line them up with a little bit of space between them. You may want to use an adhesive to stick them to the surface they are standing on so that they do not fall over when you spray them.

Gently spray your miniatures in slow motion and adjust the distance as needed. Always check to see if you missed any spots but do not touch your miniatures before they are dry.

8. How to Get That Base Paint Right.

If you have not glued your miniatures to their bases, you will need to either use a miniature holder or use an adhesive like sticky tac to hold the miniature down while you apply the basecoat.

Paint from the inside out, doing the hardest-to-reach places first, so for example, the inside of a cloak or the tongue of a mouth. If possible, always paint all parts of the model that require the same color and use thin coats. Rinse your brush regularly!

9. Shading, What’s That?

Once your miniatures have a basecoat on, they are going to look pretty dull. To fix this, you add in some shadows, which is where shading comes into play.

You will need a brush that is one size up from the basecoat brush size and use the same color as the basecoat. If you’ve used a green basecoat, you will want a green shade of paint.

Apply the shade to the painted areas and move it around so that it settles in the creases, but keep in mind that it is always better to apply too little shade than too much. Always rinse your brush thoroughly throughout the process (a lot) as the shade can ruin your brush if it dries at all.

10. Adjust and Readjust Your Process.

What works well for someone else is not necessarily going to work well for you. Always be prepared to adjust your painting process to what is easier for you.

You may want to do all bases in one go or you may want to go with less shading, or you may want to try out different color schemes.

Read more: 18 Tips and Tricks To Get Better at Painting Warhammer Miniatures

What To Look For When Choosing Your Beginner Army

Buy New. It’s no secret that Warhammer figures are also one of the more expensive brands of miniatures on the tabletop market, especially the newest models, so you may be tempted to look for pre-owned or older models. Although you may avoid breaking the bank, there are several problems you may run into with this strategy.

The process of painting a miniature is time-consuming and becomes even more time-consuming with having to strip the old paint off of it first.

Provided you’re patient, this is more of an inconvenience than a problem, however, the real issue arises when the miniature is an older model. The older Warhammer miniatures tended to be much more complex, requiring significantly more attention to detail before, and during the painting process.

This involved part clean-up, as parts were made in molds, as well as assembly, which was seldom intuitive, and posing, something that is often already complete for newer sets.

Buy Big. In the case of simplicity, bigger really is better, as larger models result in two major factors: less fine detail, and fewer miniatures to paint. Smaller miniatures can result in a lot of frustration for a beginner, as the level of detail becomes so fine that any and all mistakes become glaringly obvious.

Working with larger figures adds the benefit of eliminating most fine detail, making it easier to blend in small mistakes, all while still allowing you to practice these details via shading and highlighting.

In addition to this, larger sets include fewer figurines and as such, eliminate the dashing of hopes that comes with finally finishing a model, only to realize you still have 29 more to go.

Built like a Tank. As previously mentioned, fine details result in a lot of frustration for new painters, so eliminating as much fine detail as possible will, in turn, prevent a negative experience. One such method of achieving this is to look for sets covered in as much armor plating as you can find.

Armour is one of the easiest textures to paint, as they require minimal detail, and metallic paints are readily available and do most of the work for you.

As an added benefit, armor allows beginners to test out and hone new techniques such as rust effects and battle damage with minimal effort, making it great for practice before tackling more complicated figures.

Believable But Not Realistic. Anyone who has ever taken an art class can speak to the difficulty of trying to recreate a realistic-looking image. In essence, painting miniatures is no different, and you will quickly find that close enough, is good enough.

Try to look for miniatures with a more ‘cartoon’ feel to them, as once again, this will eliminate much of the fine detail that a realistic-looking figurine would have.

Additionally, cartoon looks make it much easier to blend in mistakes in order to make them look like they actually belong there, like an accidental blotch being blended in to look like skin discoloration.

You might also like: How To Store Your Warhammer Miniatures

What To Avoid When Choosing Your Beginner Army

Don’t Purchase High Volume Armies. Do not purchase armies that are considered high-volume; these will have many copies of the same unit which can make painting them feel repetitive and a chore, rather than a hobby.

Make sure that you will be able to finish painting your army before losing the enjoyment of doing so, to do this, purchase small-count armies, to begin with.

Which Materials to Avoid? In most cases, miniatures will be made out of some kind of ABS plastic which is great to work with, but there are some models and kits that will be made out of metal or resin.

The best practice for beginners is to avoid models that are made out of resin and metal as these are a lot more difficult to work with. For example, resin requires much more prep work, while metal has a more involved painting process. Additionally, both lack the amount of detail possible with ABS plastic.

Avoid Too Many Small Parts. Not only do small parts like weapons and shields involve a lot of intricate details, but they can also be difficult to work with due to their small, fiddly size.

Focusing on simpler models will save you the frustration that can come with painstakingly working for hours on one single piece per miniature.

Save the more complex models for when you have acquired the painting experience and advanced painting techniques needed to do them right.

Avoid Missing Hard-to-Reach Areas After Assembly. Remember to think ahead when piecing together your miniatures, as some may end up with hard-to-reach areas once they are assembled.

The easiest way to avoid this is to paint the pieces before piecing them together, and you can get a feel for what they will look like by using temporary adhesives, like a sticky tack.

This way, you’ll be able to make each part fit together seamlessly without the worry of accidentally painting over a part you’ve completed previously. Of course, once the painting is finished, you will need to seamlessly glue the parts together.

Here Are The Best Armies For Beginner Painters

There are many armies to choose from and each of them has its own quirks and perks when it comes down to painting them.

However, it should always be kept in mind that it is important to feel excited about painting your miniatures, so you should try to choose an army you genuinely like instead of just sticking with what’s easy. The following armies listed are those with the most pros and fewest cons from a novice painter’s perspective.

Stormcast Eternals. The positives include only newer models available so you won’t find any metal or resin-based options. Almost all kits come with entirely armor-covered units, have smaller armies to them, and are larger in model size. The only drawback is that they do have relatively intricate detailing.

• Stormcast Eternals Starter Kit

Sylvaneth. The positives include small armies, easy work with colors, and require relatively simple techniques to make all models look unique. The drawbacks include no armor and require you to learn how to paint bark since these are tree people.

• Kurnoth Hunters
• Dryads
• Drycha Hamadreth
• Treelord
• Branchwych

Kharadron Overlords. The positives include larger models, only newer models available, and are mostly armor covered. The drawback is that they are somewhat limited in variety.

• Kharadron Overlords Starter Kit

Seraphon. The positives include that it is possible to create small armies out of them and they support a cartoony art style with bright colors. The drawback to these is that some models still come in resin or metal materials.

• Battleforce Seraphon Starclaw Strikehost Starter Set

Tzeentch. The positives include being easy to work with colors, and most are covered in armor. The drawback is that they come with a relatively large army count.

• Daemons of Tzeentch Starter Set

Nurgle. The positives include, larger models to work with and coming with portions or sections that are super easy to paint with little technique required (green goop, anyone?). The drawback is that while some of these models are easy to paint, some of them also come with intricate detailing.

• Daemons of Nurgle Starter Set

Nighthaunt. The positives include, it’s one of the quickest armies to paint using wet blending basecoat techniques. The drawback is that learning to use a wet blending technique can be a bit of a learning curve.

• The 3 best options include
  • Dreadschythe Harridans
  • Grimghast Reapers
  • Bladegheist Revenants

Beastclaw Raiders. The positives include, that these are not restricted to realistic colors, and have the potential to be the smallest army in the game depending on how many units you want. The drawbacks are that they have limited variety and larger models that are quite complex to paint.

• Beastclaw Raiders Starter Set

Bonesplitterz. The positives include minimal effort required for painting (green and brown mostly). The drawback is that they are limited in variety.

• Savage Orruks Starter Set

Ironjawz. The positives include larger models, limited detail required, and lots of armor. The drawbacks are that they are limited in variety and can have hard-to-reach areas during post-assembly.

• Ironjaws Starter Kit Starter Set

Conclusion

When first starting out, any artistic project can be daunting and difficult to kick off. However, as with any skill, practicing, using guides such as this one, and working at your own pace will eventually lead to you constructing and painting the most intricate of miniatures available.

As the franchise continues to grow, new and exciting options will become available to you, allowing you to continue to expand your armies and your skills. For more tips related to Warhammer 40K, check out this website as it’s a fantastic resource.

Related Articles:

• Why You Should Airbrush Miniature Models
• How To Airbrush Miniatures Indoors

During this time, I’ve come to more than one conclusion, more than one do and one don’t, and I’ve gathered a bunch of tips and tricks that I’ll share with you today.

Painting miniature models is a lengthy task for beginners. The natural flow of things comes with time and practice, however, trying new methods and learning new things will make it easier for you to take your painting to the next level.

Before painting

The best advice I can give to someone who’s painting miniature models is to have patience. Seriously, painting miniature models take time, and mastering the art of painting them is an even longer venture.

Have patience. You’ll get better for every single miniature you paint. Remember what you liked and what you didn’t like about the last miniature you painted and focus on improving that feature on the next one.

Get your paints to the right consistency

Make sure you thin your paint properly to get the right viscosity for the job you’re doing. You can thin your paints using water or paint thinner/glaze – I use Lahmian Medium for Citadel Paints.

When the paint is of the right consistency it should flow from your brush like ink from a fountain pen. That’s the perfect consistency when painting miniatures. Using paint that is too thick can obscure the finer details of the miniature.

Learn how to use proper color schemes to make your models look better

Colors should be easy to understand, right? Well, there’s something called color theory, a set of rules that dictate what looks good in combination and what doesn’t. You don’t need to learn color theory, there are several ways around it.

Trial and Error: Paint a couple of miniatures with the colors you have in mind, then evaluate the results to see if you’re happy with them. If you are – commit fully.

Citadel App: Using the Citadel Paint App you can learn about key painting techniques, tips for basing miniatures, and most importantly, pick suitable color schemes for your miniatures. The app is free.

Color wheels: Use color wheels or online color-scheme websites to gather a mix of colors that fit together.

Watch Tutorials online

There are a ton of tutorials on techniques, miniatures, methods, preparations, color mixing, priming, and anything else you can think of. Take your time to watch a couple of tutorials for beginners before you get going – you might learn a couple of tricks that can come in handy later on.

I recommend

• Warhammer TV
• TheApatheticFish
• The War Gamer on Youtube.
• Luke’s APS

Get a proper lamp

While your living room or dining table lights may do the job decently, they are far from the best option and deliver far from the best results. Seriously, getting your workspace and paint set up in order will drastically increase your chances of success.

You’ll want a regular lamp that delivers light in the sunlight range, about 5000 and 6000 Kelvins, and another lamp, preferably a LED lamp – the benefit of using two lamps is that it gives you light from more than one angle, therefore, it eliminates shadows caused by your hand.

This way, you’ll have better vision and fewer unseen mistakes on your miniature.

It’s a rather cheap way to advance your painting. Here’s a lamp that I’ve been using for the past year or so.

File and clean your models

Miniature models are made by putting resin, metal, or plastic in molds. These molds are often covered in release agents to make it easier to remove the miniature without ruining the miniature or the mold. To remove these release agents you need to wash your models.

This is done by bathing the model in a bath of lukewarm water and soap and simultaneously scrubbing it with a toothbrush. Make sure the water isn’t too hot – it can bend or melt smaller parts of the model.

Get an airbrush

An airbrush is a complementary tool when painting miniature models. The airbrush can paint large areas, the basecoat, and prime in no time.

Using an airbrush for miniature models is time-saving, although, it will not replace the brush entirely – the brush is a beast when it comes to small details. With these two in your arsenal, you’ll be unstoppable.

Here’s a little more about airbrushes, if you’re interested.

• Why You Should Airbrush Scale Models
• The Ultimate Guide To Airbrushing Warhammer Models
• How To Airbrush Indoors
• Selecting The Best Iwata Airbrush

If you’re interested in airbrushes, you’re in luck. We have a massive guide on the topic!

Read more: To Airbrush Warhammer And Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide

Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated workspace

Yeah, this is the scale model equivalent of your grandmother telling you to wear a bike helmet. I know. However, I suggest you take the risks of painting in a room with no airflow seriously.

Essential colors first

Don’t get 50 shades of red if you’re going to use two shades. Instead, focus on getting the basic colors and then expand your palette later on.

When I first started, I bought this. It’s available much cheaper than when I bought it.

Perhaps you can focus on finishing your first army using the same color scheme – that way, you’ll only need a couple of shades of each.

If you’re still interested in the hobby after that, you should consider purchasing more colors to give yourself a few more alternatives.

Store and organize your miniatures and tools

I emphasize this a lot in my articles because

• Miniatures are fragile
• Scraping against a newly painted surface will pretty much ruin the paint job

Other than that, keeping an organized workspace is something to consider at all times – it makes it so much easier to keep track of everything, and as you know, miniature painting often includes a plethora of things taking up space. Make sure you store and transport your miniatures safely to avoid breaking, bending, or scraping them.

Go with your gut

Pick your miniature models carefully – make sure you’re enthusiastic about painting them. Otherwise, pick another model.

Starting with a miniature that just sucks the energy and motivation out of you isn’t the right way to go. Start with something you can accomplish and advance from there – it doesn’t matter if the miniature is “too” easy to paint, you’ll still get better over time – challenge yourself slowly.

For your own sake, opt for a miniature that is “too easy” rather than “too hard”.

3D Print your miniatures at home

Hobbyists can craft their own miniatures at home using a 3D printer. With a 3D printer, you pay an initial cost for the machine but then the costs are reduced drastically. Here’s an article that covers everything you need to know to print your miniatures, including which printer to pick.

Printing your miniatures makes gives you the freedom of painting one miniature from each army before settling.

When painting

Using new tools and techniques will change the results you’re getting right now. By using more efficient methods you can speed up the basic parts of the process and spend more time on the things you’re having trouble with.

It doesn’t really matter if you’re painting miniature models from GamesWorkshop, Tabletop RPG figurines, or your own 3D printed models, these tips should be helpful to anyone who paints miniature models.

Get comfortable with highlighting and shading

First off – the importance of these two techniques is grand for miniature painters who want to take it to the next level. The ultimate goal is to create a paint job that can fool the viewer. Well, adding highlights and shades gives the miniature a lot of depth and as a result, the paint job looks more vivid to the eye.

I recommend learning these two methods and applying them to every job you do in order to get better at them because they are quite tricky to get right.

Use proper tools

Wet palette: Keeps the color from drying on the palette and the brush when painting. For such a low cost (10 bucks) this little tool saves you so much time and effort.

Xacto knife: Makes it easy to remove mold lines on miniatures after removing them from the sprue and prior to painting.

Hobby drill: To drill out bores in miniature model guns.

Clippers & Files: To remove the miniature components from the sprue and to smooth the surface of the miniature after clipping. Make sure you’re using a sprue nipper (clipper) and not a nail clipper, the sprue nipper is flat on one side which allows you to get closer to the miniature when clipping.

Mistakes are reversible (sometimes)

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes when you are just starting out. You’ll probably make a couple of mistakes right off the bat and it doesn’t really matter because bad paint jobs can be removed. Instead, you should focus on improving and practicing.

Basecoat miniatures

The first layer of color that you apply to a miniature is called “basecoat” and it is applied onto the object to cover minor imperfections, create a better surface for the next layer to stick to, and enhance the color and visual results of the last layer called the top coat.

Initially, you should pick your color scheme and then add a base coat of color to your miniature. When base-coating you’ll want to use the largest brush that allows you to control the paint on the model you’re painting.

Going with a smaller brush makes it easier to stay out of areas of the miniature that have already been painted, but it will take much longer to finish the paint job – as you can see, there’s a balance between too big and too small.

When painting big areas of a miniature or terrain/landscape you’ll want to use a big brush or an airbrush while finer details require a much finer brush. Pick your brushes accordingly.

If you plan on “washing” (read down below for more information about washing) the miniatures, the base coat should be a little bit lighter than the shade you want to end up with because the procedure often darkens the color.

Get familiar with methods like dry brushing and washing

Washing is a technique that involves highlighting shadows on the miniature by painting the model with a thin mixture of colors that is darker than the base color and letting it fill the cracks and crevices of the miniature. The mixture needs to be very thin in order for it to flow into every little crack on the miniature.

When the miniature has dried up and you’re done base coating and washing it, you can start dry brushing, a technique that highlights the raised surfaces of the miniature, as opposed to washing, where the focus is to highlight the cracks.

Drybrushing is done by applying a shy amount of paint to your brush. The paint should be a lighter color than the base of the surface you’re painting.

With the paint applied to the brush, you drag the brush across the surface. Because you loaded the brush with such a small amount of paint, the strokes will only leave the raised surfaces painted – simulating how light would make those surfaces lighter.

Get a set of good brushes

Your brush is your number one tool when painting miniatures. Therefore, it is important that you pick the right one. When you’re just starting out you’ll be fine with a brush set from your local craft store.

Just remember to avoid thick-bristled brushes. Once you feel like you’re ready to advance you should focus on getting a set of good brushes. They will make quite a difference.

I’m using the Princeton Velvetouch Series 3950 and I’m very pleased with the results and the quality of the brushes. For detail work, I use the Mini round 20/0, combined with three additional brushes, S 1, 2, and 3 for all-around work.

• Princeton Velvetouch
  • Mini Round 20/0
  • Size One
  • Size Two
  • Size Three

After painting

Once you’re done painting, the first thing you should do, for the sake of your wallet, is clean your brush. It doesn’t matter if you’re using a regular brush or an airbrush. Taking care of your tools is important, they can easily clog and take damage if you forget to wash them after a session.

Take care of your brush

High-quality brushes will last years and perform to their full potential if you take care of them properly – but lose form quickly if you don’t. You will save time and money by giving your brushes a little bit of love.

• Wash your brush after every session
  • If the brush has been used with water-based colors, use a lint-free rag to wipe the brush clean and rinse it under running water then apply mild soap and cool water and stroke the soap-dipped brush against your palm, rinse and repeat until the water comes from your brush runs clear.
  • If the brush has been used with acrylic colors, the same process applies, however, if the acrylic paint has dried you might need to soak the brush overnight in a bath of Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner
• Remove leftover water from the brushes, reshape the brush heads and store them with the bristles facing upwards.

What Warhammer army is easy for a beginner to paint?

The thought of painting an entire army can be quite daunting when you realize how difficult it can be to achieve the look you want. Painting miniature models is all about patience, patience, patience, and more patience.

In order for you to keep that motivation going, I would recommend painting miniatures that you can finish, miniatures that are considered easy for beginners. Continue down below for my recommendations.

Age Of Sigmar

• Stormcast Eternals
  • You only have to do a couple of eyes and faces, otherwise, it’s mostly helmets.
  • The models are a little bit bigger which makes it easier to paint them
  • Because the models are wearing so much armor, you’ll be working with the same colors for the most part of the miniature.

• Seraphon
  • Brighter colors are easier for beginners
  • Simple color schemes are suitable for this army
  • Very beginner-friendly set

Read more: The Best Warhammer Armies For New Painters

Conclusion

Start by doing what you can and advance from there. Initially, skip details if they are too frustrating – you’ll get better at detailing work later on. Remember to enjoy yourself when you paint miniatures.

The process can be extremely relaxing when you get drawn into it but, on the other hand, it can be terribly frustrating when you don’t get it right.

Thank you for reading, I hope you learned something new.

Whether you want to create a little army of miniatures for your next epic dungeon crawl, shape the environment of your next Warhammer campaign, or just add some visual elements to spice up the socialization of your next tabletop gathering, there’s no doubt about why miniatures are appealing among tabletop gamers.

Beyond adding a visual element to an otherwise paper-filled, imagination-fuelled, dice-rolling tabletop session, designing, printing, and painting miniatures can be relaxing, cathartic, and soothing.

However, we all know that buying dozens of miniatures pre-made can get pretty pricey, especially if you are into the Warhammer, DnD, or Marvel Universes. A solution to this is to buy a 3D printer and create your own miniatures, either by buying or downloading design plans or by creating your own from scratch.

In today’s article, we are going to look at what 3D printers top the list for printing your own miniatures, including what you would need to get started, what materials to use, a list of the best printers and their specifications, and what features you want to look for in a printer.

You might also enjoy: To Airbrush Warhammer And Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide

What Are The Best 3D Printers for Printing Miniatures?

Anycubic Photon – Best Inexpensive SLA Option for Minis.

For those looking for an SLA 3D printer that won’t break the bank, has a reputation for being reliable, and can generate stunningly detailed 3D minis, the Anycubic Photon is the best inexpensive option for resin-based printers.

The Photon can print down to a resolution of 47 microns with its 2K (2560 X 1440) LCD touchscreen and comes with a print speed that is comparable to FFF/FDM printers at 2cm/0.75” per hour.

Features include a high level of precision at 0.025-0.1mm, a small build size at 115x 65×155mm, and it comes with its own slicer program. What makes it unique is that it prints from top to bottom and uses LCD for the resin-curing process.

Pros: It is extremely affordable, comes assembled out of the box, and produces high-quality prints at impressive resolutions.

Beyond this, it comes with instructions for assembly, cleaning, and maintenance, has a custom slicer program, and a large online community. This is an excellent option for miniature beginners who do not want to sacrifice build quality due to a budget.

Cons: It has a small build volume, is messier than FFF counterparts due to the resin, it is time-consuming to clean, safety gear is required (comes with the printer though), and post-processing takes patience and time to complete due to how sticky the resin gets.

Ultimaker 2+ – Best Professional Printer.

Although the Ultimaker 2+ is a bit on the expensive side, it is well worth the buy for miniature builders looking for high levels of precision, stability, and ease of use.

The Ultimaker 2+ is capable of achieving a 20-micron layer resolution and has a precision level down to 12.5 microns in the XY axis, and 5 microns on the Z axis. Features include a build volume of 223×223×205 mm, an open filament system, a build speed of up to 24 cubic mm/s, and a travel speed of up to 300mm/s.

Beyond this, it comes with a heated bed, premium construction materials for extreme stability, quick-swap nozzles which allow for greater print detail or faster print speed, and it allows you to create custom bits for your miniatures.

Pros: The Ultimaker 2+ is incredibly easy to set up and use, it is not very loud, it comes with a large selection of filaments, a high resolution, and lifetime support, and it works with Windows, OS X, and Linux.

Cons: It has a high price point and it does not have any auto-calibration system built in.

FlashForge Creator Pro – Excellent Mid-Range Printer.

The FlashForge 3D Printer Creator Pro is an affordable option and is perfect for individuals who want a lot of variety in the miniatures they create.

This printer can work with ABS, PLA, PLA Color Change, Pearl, ABS Pro, Elastics, Nylon, PVA, HIPS, PETG, TPE, TPU, conductive filaments, flexible filaments, and even metal and wood-filled filaments.

The FlashForge has a print speed of 40-100mm/s, a build volume of 22.5×14.5×15cm and can print most small objects in about an hour. The minimum layer height is 100 microns while the maximum is 600 microns and it comes with an XY precision of 11 microns. This means you are looking at a layer thickness between 0.1-0.3mm.

Pros: It is highly versatile in its material choice, easy to set up, comes with an all metal frame, has a large community of users, flexible extruders, and impeccable customer support.

Cons: It takes a ton of patience to learn how to align and print projects, it requires adjustment during the printing process, it comes with a high noise level and it is a bit bulky.

LulzBot Mini 2 – Precision Printing.

Although the LulzBot Mini 2 looks similar to its predecessor, it comes with some technical upgrades. The build volume comes in at 160×160×180 mm, is packaged with a 0.5mm nozzle but also comes with a 0.4mm nozzle, which great for laying down detail on miniatures.

Unlike other 3D printers in the same class category as the LulzBot Mini 2, it comes with a 3mm (2.85mm) filament and can, therefore, be used with almost any type of filament, making it incredibly versatile.

The LulzBot Mini 2 can be used with PLA, ABS, Nylon, wood and metal filaments. It comes with USB connectivity, an SD card, and can print in resolutions between 50-400 microns. It comes with a print speed of 70mm/s and a movement head speed of up to 300mm/s.

Pros: A huge selection of filament types to work with, comes with a reliable metal construction, and is incredibly quiet, operating at a low hum.

Cons: It comes with an open-frame, which allows toxic fumes to be released into your home and it means that the temperature isn’t always stable. In addition to this, it comes with a relatively flimsy warranty.

Wanhao Duplicator 7 V1.5 – High Layer Resolution.

The Wanhao Duplicator 7 V. 1.5 is a DLP SLA resin-based desktop printer that utilizes vat photopolymerisation 3D printing technology and digital light processing to cure your miniatures layer after layer.

What makes this printer advantageous for miniature hobbyists is that it works well with off-the-shelf resins and the manufacturer has a variety or resins in orange, green, red, clear, black, white, and yellow.

In terms of the specifications, the max printable area is 12-x68×200mm, the printing speed is 30mm/hour, and the resolution is 2K at 2560 X 1440. The accuracy is on the Z axis and is 0.004mm with a layer thickness of 0.035-0.5mm.

Pros: It comes with a large community and proactive manufacturer support as well as a larger build volume than what is seen on other 3D printers of this price range. It has a sturdy frame, a low price point for SLA printers, and an open material system.

Cons: Slow print speed is unsuitable for mass production and you cannot stop and refill the resin basin during the printing process so make sure to plan ahead. 

Sindoh 3DWOX DP 200 – Best High-End Printer.

If you truly want a plug-and-play printer system that is new and user-friendly, the Sindoh 3D WOX DP 200 may be for you. It has an effortless 3D printing experience through its easy mode for brand-new users, which mimics what you would experience with paper printing.

It is an FFF/FDM 3D printer that has a wide range of connectivity options including USB flash drive, USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, a 5” color touch screen, one single nozzle with a diameter of 0.4mm and a layer thickness of 0.05 -0.4mm. The build size is 210×200×195mm and the overall machine weighs about 45 pounds.

It comes with assisted bed leveling, standby heating, a resolution of 50 microns, a remote viewing camera, and filament cartridges with an easy refill.

The filament cartridges can be pricey to buy and there isn’t a lot of selection in the Sindoh brand. You can only use proprietary filaments and if you want to exercise your warranty, you must register your printer on their website.

Hictop CR-10S – Best Budget for Large Terrain/Props.

If you are a miniature enthusiast who wants to do a lot of designing with props and large terrain pieces, the Hictop CR-10S is the best budget option on the market due to its large build-size area. The print size is 300×300×400mm, it comes with a printing accuracy of 0.1mm and a layer thickness of 0.05-0.4mm which is adjustable.

The body structure is aluminum, it comes with a standard-sized nozzle diameter of 0.4mm but does have two swappable nozzle options at 0.3mm and 0.2mm.

These nozzle options are perfect for the miniature enthusiast that wants to get the finest of details into their builds. The LCD screen is 3 inches, the hotbed is aluminum alloy and tempered glass, and the print speed range is 80mm/s to 200mm/s.

Pros: Comes with a large print area, has dual Z lead screws, prints resume after power outages, leveling is semi-automatic, and has a filament sensor. It is also largely affordable, making it a suitable option for those on a tighter budget.

Cons: Instruction manual isn’t complete, filament and SD Card are low quality, only prints PLA, and has a very simplistic design.

Creality Ender 3 – Best Budget for Minis.

If you have an insanely tight budget but want a high-quality FDM/FFF 3D printer that comes with some of the features that you would normally see in thousand-dollar models, the Creality Ender 3 is worth a look at.

Coming at a very small price, the Creality Ender 3 has a decently sized build volume of 220×220×250mm, a heated build plate, the ability to fully recover after losing power or becoming disconnected from the internet, and an LDC display with a control wheel.

The nozzle diameter is 0.4mm, it comes with a 1.75mm filament that can print PLA, ABS, and TPU and has a max layer resolution of 0.1mm. The precision of the Creality Ender 3 is 0.1mm, max print speed is 200mm/s and it comes with an SD card and USB for connectivity.

Pros: Extremely easy to assemble, extremely affordable, compact design, high-quality prints, upgradable with open source software, and tight filament path for flexible filaments.

Cons: The print bed leveling can be tricky for beginners and the bed is magnetic which you may or may not like, filaments can be too brittle at times, and some additional adhesion materials are needed.

Monoprice Mini Delta – Extra Tight Budget for Minis.

If you would prefer to have an FFF/FDM 3D printer that has professional quality for an even lower price point than the Creality Ender 3, the Monoprice Mini Delta is the go-to. Coming with a pretty bearable price tag, the Monoprice Mini Delta has some impressive features that you would expect to see on more expensive models.

Features include a removable bedplate, automatic bed leveling, Wi-Fi connectivity, an all-metal body construction, and free choice on filaments. It is ready to print out of the box, requires no hardware to put it together, and even comes with auto-calibration, a layer resolution of 50 microns and a 1.75mm filament option for ABS and PLA.

It is able to print up to 150mm/s but reliably at 100mm/s, has a 0.4mm nozzle diameter, one extruder, and a build area of 110×120mm.

Pros: Insanely cheap, has a sturdy construction, reliably prints, and print quality is decent.

Cons: It does have a steep learning curve and a very small build envelope.

Formlabs Form 2 – Best Enthusiast Printer.

This is an excellent option for enthusiasts who want a beautifully designed SLA printer that prints in high-quality, high-resolution layers.

Although it comes in at a higher price point, the product features include an automated resin-fill system, auto-generation for rotation, scaling, and duplication, auto-mesh repair, and auto-orientation for obtaining the optimal print position.

The connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB, and it comes with a maximum layer resolution of 100 micron and a minimum resolution of 25 microns. The build area dimensions are 350×330×520, making it one of the largest 3D print areas on the market and a great option for landscape/terrain prop makers.

Pros: The print quality is excellent, it is easy to set up, it is reliable with predictable results, it comes with a good software slicer, and the operation is almost silent.

Cons: Post-processing is required, it is slower than FFF/FDM printer, consumables are expensive, changing resin is a chore, customer support is not great.

How to Print 3D Miniatures at Home – Everything You Need to Get Started

If you are interested in printing 3D miniatures at home but don’t want to go through the entire process of designing them from scratch, you can download designs or blueprints from a wide variety of sources. Websites such as Thingiverse, Hero Forge, and ShapeWays. Several of these websites have individual designers on them, so just search around to find some prints and designs that you like.

The one extra thing that you will need, other than having a 3D printer, of course, is a slicer program that is tailored to your printer’s capabilities. This 3D printer slicer program takes the designs that you have downloaded and cuts them into layers, which is what your printer will use to create the layers during the process.

If you do want to create your own miniature designs from scratch, you would need to use a 3D printing design program to create your model. This process involves, determining the scale of your mini, creating the base for it in a software like OpenSCAD, rendering the base and exporting it for later printing, and creating a model in a program like Meshmixer.

You will need to scale and render the entire body of your model, cut the body into layers, and have your 3D printer use those layers for the printing process. Although this is a process that takes a long time, it’s perfect for those who have very specific designs, details, and model purpose in mind.

What Materials Should You be Using with 3D Printing

The materials of choice when 3D printing your miniatures will be fully dependent on which 3D printer you purchase. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) printers are the most common, easiest, and cheapest to operate and so they have more options when it comes to material choice.

With these printers, you are going to use either ABS, PLA+, or PLA thermoplastics, which require some post-processing work after the piece is printed in order to get a smooth finish.

Post-processing work ranges from light sanding to an acetone vapor bath. If you are worried about damaging your mini when removing it from its support structure, using PLA+ thermoplastics adds extra durability and toughness to the piece.

If you purchase a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer, the material of choice here is a liquid resin. Unfortunately, you will not have as many material choices with this type of printer as you are limited to the resin supplied by the same manufacturer as the printer, in most cases.

Beyond this, when printing miniatures with an SLA printer, you will want to buy a translucent resin as this is fundamental for the UV curing process to function. UV curing involves having an ultraviolet light to pass through the resin in order to harden it.

If you are looking to cast your own resins using molds, you may be able to work with other types of materials like bronze, aluminum, and other metals.

The Difference Between FFF and SLA 3D Printers – Are They The Best for Printing Minis?

There are two primary options on the market for 3D printers, fused filament fabrication (FFF/FDM) and stereolithography (SLA), also known as resin printers.

Trying to decide between each type can be difficult as they have very different processes, material types, and price tags. Here are the main differences between each type and which models are the best for printing miniatures in each category.

Working Material: you will get a much larger variety of materials when using an FFF/FDM printer as they can use nylon, OVA, TPU, PLA, ABS filaments as well as PLA blended materials with wood, metal, ceramics, and carbon fiber.

Due to the variety of options, you can find a large selection of colors. With SLA printers, you are limited to a set amount of colors such as black, translucent/clear, white, and grey. Beyond this, the resin materials are not standardized and often come in proprietary blends that cannot be exchanged between printers.

Strengh of Part: generally, you are going to get a strong and durable miniature when using an FFF 3D printer due to the variety of material types you can print with, however, these materials can be prone to warping if left in extreme heat for instance.

If you choose specialized materials for your SLA printer, you are going to get more durability in the spheres of heat resistance, and flexibility. The only thing to keep in mind is that SLA resins tend to come out very brittle due to the hardening process, so a lot of care is needed here.

Surface Finish: when using an FFF 3D printer, you are going to have a rougher build finish which will require some post-processing like paint application, sanding, and vapor baths.

This is because the bonding force between the layers is relatively weak, sometimes causing warping and misalignment of layers. SLA 3D printing comes out with a smooth finish and a higher resolution build as the printing process applies less pressure to the model.

Due to this little to no post-processing is required. However, you will need to remove extra sticky resin from the piece using isopropyl alcohol.

Ease of Use: fused filament fabrication printers are commonly bought over stereolithography printers for their ease of use, as they have a much simpler process that is less messy and easier to understand for beginners.

When using an FFF printer, you create a 3D model using design software, connect it to the printer, load in the filament to the printer, and hit print.

Watch as your miniature comes to life on the build platform. SLA, on the other hand, is not beginner-friendly as the handling of liquid resin is messy, can be dangerous if improperly handled, and requires UV curing to harden up the piece after it is created. Beyond this, liquid resin can burn, can be hot, and cannot be reverted back to liquid form if a mistake is made.

Cost of Operation: FFF/FDM printers use standardized filament rolls which are not costly and can be bought from a variety of suppliers. SLA printers, on the other hand, have a resin tank that requires 2-3 liters of resin to be used during the printing process, and with resin costing anywhere from $80-150+ per liter, it can get costly fast.

Not to mention that you will need to replace the build platform from time to time if it gets smudged with excess resin and the resin tanks also need to be replaced due to smudging.

Which One Is the Best for Printing Minis?

This will be dependent on what you are looking for in your miniatures. If you want a highly precise, smooth finish, that takes little to no post-processing work, and the price is not a factor, choose an SLA printer.

If you are a beginner/hobbyist and don’t have the budget or time to learn a complicated process, and do not want to wait a long time to get your minis, then choose an FDM printer.

FFF/FDM: these types of printers have a plastic filament or spool of material that gets passed through an extruder, is melted with a hot-end filament, and deposited down onto the build platform where it is layered one layer at a time based on the build instructions given to the computer.

With these models of printers, there is no messy based resin, there are a wide variety of filament options and colors, and the miniatures you do make may need some post-processing work with regards to sculpting and painting.

These printers generally have a larger build volume or print area, which means that they are great for making larger pieces like terrain and replica props. Although they can print out quite a bit of detail, they are not at the same level as what you would get from bought miniatures.

SLA: these types of printers use a photo-polymer liquid resin which is placed into a basin called a vat. This resin is then exposed to a light source which causes it to harden one layer at a time.

This process can be hazardous and is often done through ultraviolet rays, known as UV curing.

Although these printers are more difficult to maintain and use, come with more limited print areas, and have steeper operating costs, they are outstanding for making extremely high-resolution miniatures with great accuracy and precision.

So, the one that is best for printing miniatures and small detailed figurines are SLA 3D printing models, if you are willing to deal with higher operating costs and messier maintenance.

Otherwise, the FFF/FDM printers are excellent for those who are on tighter budgets and want an easier time creating items like landscapes and terrain props.

What Are The Best Specifications and Features You Should Be Looking For in 3D Printers

Nozzle Diameter: you want to look for a 3D printer that has the smallest nozzle possible if you are going to be printing highly detailed miniatures. Generally, the smallest nozzle is going to be around 0.44mm to 0.2mm in size on most printer models, however, there are pricier models that come with smaller nozzles.

If you can, find a 3D printer that comes with swappable nozzles, as this will give you more versatility in your printing options. Keep in mind that the smaller the nozzle, the slower the print, but the higher the detail and overall quality.

Layer Thickness: if you are planning on printing just 3D miniatures, you want to look for a printer with the ability to print layers that are 0.1mm thick or less. The reasoning here is that the lower the layer thickness, the more detailed you will be able to go with your miniatures. This means a higher degree of clarity, detail, and intricacy.

The XY Precision: you want to look for a 3D printer that has a high-resolution output with a high level of precision, as the level of quality is directly impacted by these. 3D printers use an XYZ coordinate system in order to precisely pinpoint where the extruding nozzle needs to be placed during the printing process.

Printers that extrude filament on the XY axes have the highest amount of precision. To figure out a 3D printer’s precision aptitude, use a printing benchmark model to determine it’s capabilities.

Material Type: ABS and PLA thermoplastics are the most common materials available for 3D printing, however, for those who want to create detailed miniatures without any post-processing, will want to buy a 3D printer that is more versatile than just ABS and PLA.

Look for one that can print other types of thermoplastics, wood, and ceramics, as this will allow you to assimilate these materials right into the print, cutting down on how much post-build work you will have to do.

3D Printer’s Structure: you do not want to buy a 3D printer that has unstable, weak or plastic parts that shake and vibrate during use. Not only will this affect the details and intricacies of your miniatures, but they are also more likely to break down and fail.

When browsing through purchasable 3D printers, try to set your sights on one that is made out of metal parts as this will make the structure of your 3D printer more durable. The higher the stability of the printer, the more likely you will have miniature characters with proper detailing.

Reliability: the issue with buying a cheaper 3D printer is that they may not be all that reliable when it comes to being successful during the printing process. One of the worst experiences you can have is watching your 3D printer create this gorgeous design, to have it fail at the halfway point, or heaven forbid right before it finishes the build.

Thus, reliability is one of the more critical features you want to look for in your 3D printer of choice. Just remember though, that a 3D printer that is designed for small, fine-print miniatures is going to suffer a little bit in the sphere of reliability as printing finer details can take a toll on the machine.

With this said, always buy a 3D printer for miniatures from a reputable brand that has been in the industry for some time and not one from an untested company.

Ease of Use: if you are completely new to 3D printing, you may want to start off with a simpler machine as this will make getting into the process a whole lot easier. The only downside to this is that you may sacrifice some XY precision, as a simpler model may not come with top-of-the-line features.

In the end though, how user-friendly a 3D printer completely depends on your willingness and determination to learn how to use it. Of course, if you already have experience with 3D printers, this will only help make your experience that much better and smoother.

It is highly recommended that if you are interested in learning how to 3D print miniatures, that you take some time to learn the basics of 3D printing, what to expect, and how these types of machines function.

Extra Possible Features: if your budget allows and you are looking at getting a 3D printer in a higher price range, you will find that several of them will come with extra bells and whistles.

For instance, some 3D printers come with touchscreens that have buttons, some come with a filament detection system to alert you when you are running low on filament, and others come with pre-constructed cartridges that eliminate the need for threading your own when you replace them.

An excellent additional feature to look out for are the failsafe options that prevent you from losing hours of work if your workshop or home experiences a power outage or one of your filaments runs dry. Some printers will resume work once the power comes back on and others, as mentioned above, come with filament detection systems.

Which Settings Are Best in 3D Printing for the Following Categories of Minis

One of the easier ways of determining which type of printer you should purchase is to look at what type of category of miniatures you would like to be involved in. Although some 3D printers will be able to create terrain, miniatures, and small figurines all at once, it doesn’t mean that they will execute these categories to perfection.

So, if you are looking at one specific category, whether it be miniatures for your dungeon crawling campaigns or large terrain pieces and landscape options, you will want to go with a printer that has optimal settings for what you are planning on creating.

Terrain Pieces and Landscapes or Props: If you are planning on creating large terrain pieces, prop replicas, or detailed landscapes, FFF/FDM 3D printers are generally recommended.

The reason being is that they can replicate details down to 0.1mm and up with perfect execution but still have the build volume to create large prints.

Take a look at FFF/FDM 3D printers that have a build volume of 200mm x 300mm or larger as these printers will give you enough space for those large replica pieces. The two that come to mind here are the Ultimaker 2+ and the Hictop CR-10.

Miniatures: If you are planning on creating miniature figures that are 54mm in height or greater, generally it is a good idea to go with an FFF/FDM 3D printer as these will be able to adequately print large to medium details that you want without costing a lot in materials along the way.

However, you will need to do some post-processing like painting and sculpting work to get those fine details in. If you truly want intricate or extremely fine detailing without the post-processing work, investing in an SLA printer is the better option.

Unfortunately, if you are planning on doing larger objects than the 54mm, the resin gets expensive quickly.

Small Detailed Figurines: Now, if you want to create a miniature that is between 54mm and 28mm in size or less, not only will you need some patience but investing in an SLA 3D printer is an excellent choice with these.

However, if you do not mind adding or subtracting some print lines on your miniatures by hand, you can replicate the fine details with more expensive FFF/FDM 3D printer models.

When possible, always prioritize the quality of your build and print over the size that you are printing in. This is because larger landscapes, props, and terrain pieces can always be broken down into smaller parts, printed, and then bonded together after being built.

This will allow you to get the best quality out of the printer that you can afford, without sacrificing anything but patience and time.

Wrapping It All Up: 3D Printing Can Be As Expensive or Inexpensive As You Need it to Be.

Hopefully, this article has provided you with enough insight in order to jump-start your ability to make a decision on which type of 3D printer you would prefer to go with.

Whether you choose to go with an FFF/FDM or an SLA resin-based option, there are both expensive and inexpensive options in either category and it truly comes down to deciding on which features are a must-have for your tabletop miniatures.

If you are still unsure of which printer you would like to go with, consider taking a second or third look at the Ultimaker 2+ or the Creality Ender 3. Both provide some excellent flexibility, reliability, and quality when it comes to miniature creations specifically, as both have a wide range of material types, good build volumes, and standard-sized nozzles.

The only thing to keep in mind between these two is that the Creality Ender 3 will not completely replicate the tiniest of details on minis but it can and usually does exceed expectations for the price point it is at.

You might also like:

• Why You Should Airbrush Miniature Models
• How To Airbrush Miniatures Indoors

The tools you use should spark your creativity, engage your imagination, and continually push you to make your art come alive. The Iwata brand of airbrushes delivers peak performance to all types of artists, and are designed with the highest of standards in mind, with each series providing a distinct advantage and application purpose.

In this article, we will review several different Iwata airbrush line-ups, make note of which are the best for beginners, model and miniature painters, and provide an in-depth review of each airbrush’s features and their most effective implementation.

The Best Iwata Airbrushes for Beginners: Neo for Iwata CN, & Iwata Media Revolution CR

The Neo for Iwata CN is part of the NEO series and is one of the most affordable gravity-fed airbrushes you can buy within the airbrush marketplace.

The NEO CN offers precision control, a high paint flow, and is capable of providing you with fine detail despite its medium-sized spray pattern. It comes with a 0.35mm needle, has a large 1/3oz feed cup which can be interchanged with a medium-sized cup whose capacity is 1/15 ounces.

This particular brush works extremely well with small air compressors that produce a maximum of 20 psi but can be used between 5-35 psi. The only drawback to it is that it does require you to correct paint thinning and is not suitable for wide surfaces or fine lines.

Thus, it should be used for small and medium-sized projects such as fine art, model aircraft, R/C cars, model builders, and body art tattoos.

The Iwata Media Revolution HP-CR is part of the Revolution series line-up, is also a gravity feed airbrush that is perfect for beginners who do not have a large budget to spend. Although very similar to the Eclipse HP-CS, this airbrush comes with an internal mix spray type, a dual-action top-feed trigger style, and a gravity-fed paint feed system.

It comes with a 1/3oz (9ml) cup size, has a 0.5mm standard tip size, and has a spray range of about ~.25mm to ~01.5 inches. It has a replaceable internal PTFE needle which allows it to be used with solvent-based paints, an ergonomic handle design, and a larger needle-chucking for easy assembly and maintenance.

This airbrush is perfect for general-purpose art and craft projects, beauty applications like make-up, and model railroad detailing, plastic kits, automotive painting, and R/C car body painting.

The Iwata High Performance HP-C Plus is part of the High Performance Plus Series and is an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced airbrush artists.

Although this brush comes with a much higher price point than others listed in this review, it has earned the right to be more expensive, coming in as a workhorse of a brush with numerous applications.

It has a 0.30mm screw-on needle/nozzle combination with a 1/3 oz (9ml) tapered cup with a lid. It has a PTFE packing needle that can be used for solvent-based paints and a spray pattern that ranges from fine details up to medium details of one inch in diameter. It does have a cut-away, pre-set handle which allows you to control the paint flow and makes it super easy to clean.

The optimal working pressure for this airbrush is 15-25psi and it comes with a dual-action trigger style, internal spray mix type, and has a gravity-fed paint feed system.

The Iwata High Performance is perfect for fine art, illustrations, hobbyists, model aircraft, ink and dye, watercolors, model builders, miniatures, cosmetics, and even fingernail art.

The Best Iwata Airbrushes for Body Model Painters & Miniature Painters

The Iwata HP-CS is part of the Eclipse line-up, is a gravity feed airbrush that delivers fine detail spray characteristics through a high paint flow capacity. The airbrush is beginner friendly and remains one of the more popular models due to being extremely easy to clean, maintain, and use.

It is made out of durable stainless steel that has a polished chrome finish, and a large spray head that has threading that utilizes preventative stripping measures. The rather large 1/3oz (9ml) cup size and the 0.35mm self-centering needle provides dual functionality for fine line and wide spray patterns of up to two inches in diameter.

The funnel-shaped cup has a removable lid, holds up to 0.30 ounces of paint, and is top-mounted, hence the gravity-fed feature. It comes with a single cut-away handle, making clogs extremely easy to remove. All you need to do is move the chuck front to back a few times to get the clog unstuck.

Finally, for cleaning purposes, it is as simple as loosening the rear chuck and pulling the needle through the front of the airbrush. If you really need to, the back portion of the handle also disassembles for easy cleaning.

Suitable for base-coating, varnishing, highlighting work, and shading and perfect for fine art, illustration, photo retouching, watercolor, ink and dye, custom automotive, hobbyist, model builders, miniatures, murals, and cosmetics among others. The Iwata HP-CS is one of the best airbrushes on the market.

Finally, the Iwata Custom Micron CM-C is part of the Custom Micron Series and is considered the airbrush go-to for professionals who want very fine detailing only. This is an airbrush that is specifically geared towards fine details and is not a workhorse brush.

This brush is NOT beginner friendly but is being included in this review for professionals who need to do extremely fine detailing work on projects like miniatures, photo retouching, fine art, fingernail art, and model builders. It comes with a 0.23mm needle and nozzle matched head system that can be converted into a 0.18mm option.

It comes with a hardened stainless steel needle that creates smooth transitions between detailed and mid-range spraying. It also comes with an adjustable main lever tension, pre-set handle, crown cap, and a 1/3oz (9ml) gravity-fed cup.

The trigger system is dual-action and the spray pattern is micro-lines (60 microns) up to 1 inch or 25mm. This airbrush does require prior experience in thinning and straining paint and it can only be used with non-viscous liquids, otherwise, it clogs up immediately.

In Summary: Choosing the Best Iwata Airbrush in 2022

When trying to choose between the above airbrushes, it is important that you base your selection on what type of projects you will be working on and what type of technique you want to develop.

In most cases, selecting an airbrush with a gravity-fed system will work well for all types of artists and an internal mix spray works well for versatile lines, splatters, and detailing.

It is highly recommended that when you do decide on an airbrush, take note of the drawbacks and what the maintenance process is for cleaning and unclogging.

Read more: To Airbrush Warhammer And Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide

Lately, I’ve also used the airbrush to latex-coat. I do have to modify the latex a bit before using it but I’ve seen great results here too. I’ve been able to put close to 15 coats and a color change onto a blade or mask in under 2 hours. This is very beneficial when you’re a larper with a ton of props to paint/coat.

When airbrushing latex paint, I always work one section at a time, spraying it from every angle at a distance of 3-6 inches from the objective (depending on the pressure used).

Applying light layers allows me to continue coating the second layer when I’m finished with the first. Because the layers are so thin, I can very quickly produce 3-4 smooth layers.

Does latex paint need a primer? If the surface you’re airbrushing has been painted before, it might not require a primer. However, if the surface is painted with an oil-based color and you’re planning to paint it with latex paint, you’ll have to use a primer suitable for the material you’re painting. This will make each layer of the coat stronger and you’ll need fewer layers to achieve a smooth finish.

To find out if the existing paint is latex or oil-based

• Rub the surface of the objective with denatured alcohol on a piece of cloth.

• If the paint starts to come off, the existing paint is latex paint.

How To Mix Latex Paint

Not too long ago, airbrushes were only used to spray oil-based colors (Oil based colors are petroleum solvents). However, things have changed and they can now be used to spray latex paint – a thicker paint that can clog the airbrush if it isn’t thinned properly. Getting the paint to the right consistency is important to the end result too.

You want the paint thinned to the consistency of 2% milk. No matter what airbrush you’re using. Then, before use, you’ll want to filter the paint through a mesh screen/funnel to make sure there are no lumps.

The lumps can ruin the brush and render it useless. Therefore, be very thorough when filtering and stirring the paint.

Here’s how to mix latex paint

1. Pour your paint into a bucket
2. For every gallon (3.8 liters) of paint, add half a cup of water.
3. Stir meticulously
4. To make sure the paint is thin enough, run it through a funnel. If the paint doesn’t contain any lumps and runs freely, you’re probably good. If it doesn’t – add more water. Go easy with the water at this stage.

Read more: To Airbrush Warhammer and Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide

Safety Is Very Important

When using an airbrush, safety is crucial. Before you go ahead and get started – make sure that you’re well-informed of the risks and how to prevent them.

• Your airbrushed paint will produce fumes that are harmful to your lungs and your central nervous system.
  • Always use a respirator mask when airbrushing to protect yourself from the consequences of breathing in fume particles.

• If the hose isn’t connected properly, air under pressure might leak and do damage to your eyes or nearby objects
  • Wear protective eyewear to minimize the risk of getting paint or air in your eyes.
  • Make sure the hose is connected properly.

• When airbrushing indoors, fumes will accumulate in your living space.
  • Make sure that your workspace is very well-ventilated if you plan on airbrushing indoors. There are great solutions for indoor airbrushing – here’s an article on indoor airbrushing. If can’t be arsed to read the entire article, here’s the shorter version: Get a spray-booth like this.

• Latex is very sticky – when airbrushing, you’ll get sticky particles everywhere. Removing latex is a painful process, especially on the skin. The solution to this problem? 1) Wear enough clothes – clothes you don’t care about – preferably a coat of sorts. 2) To protect everything you own, use the spray booth I talked about above when spraying.

Always Clean Your Airbrush

The first thing you should do after you’ve used your airbrush is cleaning it. Dried-up paint is your airbrush’s worst enemy. Cleaning the airbrush before everything dries up is so much easier. Additionally, the airbrush will be ready to use right away the next time.

To remove paint from nozzles and hoses you can use a pipe cleaner. If the paint has dried up, let the airbrush parts soak in a cleaning solution – this will loosen the paint, and eventually it will fall off.

I’ve used an ultrasonic cleaner for the last few years and it has made cleaning the airbrush a breeze. I fill the ultrasonic cleaner with a simple ammonia solution and then dip the airbrush parts in the bath. The ultrasonic cleaner takes care of the rest.

I’ve used ammonia solutions that are pretty dilute to avoid damaging the chrome – with years of use, I haven’t witnessed any damage to the chrome so far. Instead, my airbrush looks like it came right out of the box after every single bath.

Best Airbrush For Latex Paint

To airbrush latex, you don’t need anything impressive. You can go cheap and still get the job done. The best alternative for latex would be a dual-action, gravity-feed airbrush in combination with a small compressor capable of churning out a minimum of 25-30 PSI. This entire setup shouldn’t cost you more than 60-80$. Here’s what I would go for.

Both the airbrush and compressor in that kit will provide what you need.

Related Questions

Can I use latex paint in an HVLP Paint Gun? Yes, you can. The latex paint has to go through the same process for the HVLP as the airbrush before using it. Make sure the paint is thinned and mixed properly before using it to avoid lumps or clogs.

When mixing latex with acrylic paint – how much latex should I use? I’ve found a ratio of 1:8 up to 1:10 to be the best when painting with a brush. That’s 1/10th latex and 9/10ths paint. However, to make the mix suitable for an airbrush I’ve had to dilute it with water.

How do I achieve the metallic look on a latex surface? Metal colors are always hard to achieve when working with latex. It’ll be hard to reach that perfect look you want. You can come pretty close though! Here’s what I would do.

Related article: Selecting the Best Iwata Airbrush in 2022

Method 1)

• Basecoat the object using a dull grey color 1-2 times
• Apply a layer of acrylic silver over the dull grey
• Seal it

Method 2)

• Basecoat using black latex
• Do several coats of a darker silver
• Coat with a brighter silver (preferably with some white paint added)
• Shade it by airbrushing a very dark color, preferably black.
• Seal it

This should bring you pretty close. Modify the color and your technique until you reach the results you wish for. Thank you for reading. I hope you found what you were looking for.

With boxes of unpainted miniatures stacked upon each other in the garage, I came to the conclusion that getting an airbrush would make me efficient enough to finish what I’ve started before buying something new.

The procedure of painting miniature models has always been pure relaxation for me. However, I’ve gathered way too many miniatures to go about it the old way.

If you, like me, own several armies I’m sure you’re looking for a quicker method to paint your miniatures without sacrificing the final results – I’m recommending airbrushing. It’s quick, easy and yes, you can do it indoors – even in an apartment.

Why do I recommend getting an airbrush?

Painting with an airbrush and painting with a brush are two different things. I’m not saying one method should cancel out the other, instead, I think they can complement each other to achieve incredible results with much less effort and time. These methodologies require different skill sets but mastering them will provide an extremely broad arsenal of painting techniques.

Read more: To Airbrush Warhammer and Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide

Even for intermediate painters, airbrushing will be the way to reach a higher level of execution when it comes to miniature painting.

So instead of speculating if an airbrush is better at painting models than a brush, think of them as two different tools. The airbrush can base-coat and prime in a couple of seconds while the regular brush is irreplaceable when it comes to detailing work and small aspects of the miniature model.

Therefore, they are complementary to each other.

The airbrush can be used for a lot of different effects and is super effective if you’re painting armies or larger-scale models. If you only paint several figures now and then I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on an airbrush, you might even be better off with your brush at first.

However, if you’re the owner of more than “a couple” miniature models and paint them frequently, I wouldn’t wait a second before getting an airbrush. The airbrush will deliver table-top-level results quickly. I use my airbrush for everything except the detailing of my army figures – this has cut down my time spent on a single miniature model by more than half. 

Even though the time spent on each figure has been reduced drastically, the quality and final results are better than ever before.

The benefits of airbrushing scale models

So, you might be wondering if there are any benefits to airbrushing scale models. Well, I’m here to tell you that there are.

• You can effortlessly apply an exceptionally even coat
• Lacquers will dry very quickly if used with the airbrush
• The airbrush is good at delivering some top-level gradients and blends
• The most efficient way to base-coat models
• Superior finish on larger models and areas
• Using the Zenithal Prime method
• Incredibly smooth coating
• Very quick in comparison to the brush

As you can see, the airbrush is a very versatile tool that can achieve various effects depending on how you use it. Over time, you’ll learn how to maneuver the airbrush and find your own techniques.

That’s why I use an airbrush for my Games Workshop miniatures. There are guidelines but most of the time I’ve come up with my own strategies, trial and error style.

In addition to techniques and methods of painting, the airbrush itself has a lot of different functions and features. I’ve written this buyer’s guide to help beginners pick an airbrush. Some airbrush features are good for painting miniatures, some are even better and some are just very bad. I’ve taken all of this into consideration when writing the buyer’s guide.

When I first started airbrushing I was over-analyzing everything, In the end, I was doubting my ability to airbrush properly. It turned out to be much easier than I thought. Of course, I had to stick with the basics at first.

What I’m trying to say is that learning how to airbrush miniatures isn’t very hard for beginners – at first, you’ll only know some basic moves and techniques. That’s the way life goes, as you use the airbrush more frequently you develop your own skills and techniques.

In the end, you’ll handle the airbrush like a true artist.

Earlier I mentioned that I only recommend getting an airbrush if you paint scale models regularly and own more than a handful of them. Come to think of it, the quantity of the collection might be the primary way to justify the purchase of an airbrush, either that or priming.

Yeah, priming alone makes the airbrush worth it.

Why?

Well, I know I’ve been sugar-coating the airbrush for a while but it does have its downsides too. Of course.

An airbrush is a rapid tool when painting miniatures – it can be time-consuming when preparing and finishing a session. Getting set up for a session of miniature painting can be a minor hustle and afterward, the airbrush will need a final cleanup, that’s why you don’t save too much time if you only plan on painting a single miniature.

What you need to start airbrushing models

• Airbrush
• Compressor
• Paint, preferably the airbrush-specific paint lines.

All of the information you need is included in the aforementioned buyer’s guide. Getting started is easy – picking the right airbrush can be quite difficult without guidance.

How much does an airbrush cost?

You can get models for as little as 25-50 bucks on Amazon but I would recommend paying a bit more to get a high-quality brush. Iwata, Badger, and Paasche are top-quality brands in the industry and some of their state-of-the-art models will cost you a couple of hundred bucks.

I’m using an Iwata brush and I’ve got nothing but love for it. Paying for performance and quality is the best option in the long run. This is the best brush I’ve used and the one I use now.

Then there’s the factor of seasonality – painting in the garage or backyard works fine during summer but it might not be an option when it’s below zero. In past years, I have taken a hiatus from my hobby during winter. Like a bear, I was forced into hibernation. This bear will no longer hibernate during the colder months of the year.

Some people don’t trust their ability to control the airbrush well enough to paint inside for fear of over spraying nearby furniture – I’ve found this to be a rare problem considering the fact that regular airbrush paint will dry long before reaching anything further away from the airbrush than the miniature, only leaving a dust-like coat.

Nevertheless, most attempts to persuade your roommate, parents, or significant other into believing this will most likely be fruitless, at least mine were. But I’m thankful for that – I did some research and found out that the paint I used could be quite harmful if my airbrush station wasn’t set up properly.

And the dust particles we talked about earlier – they might have a bothersome effect on people who are sensitive to chemicals and even worse, the long-term consequences of breathing leftover paint might do some serious harm. The same thing applies to our lovely pets.

If your workspace doesn’t provide enough ventilation, the chemicals in the acrylic paint can be harmful. However, there are ways around it. It’s possible for someone living in an apartment to airbrush miniatures at home – without endangering your entire family in the toxic environment or driving them insane with the messy aftermath of a high-pressured airbrushing session in your living room.

Read more: To Airbrush Warhammer and Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide

Airbrushing Paint Indoors

When you’re airbrushing in an apartment you have to think about the number of chemicals that gather in the room if it doesn’t provide enough ventilation. The atomized paint might not be a risk for your furniture but your lungs can take a big hit in the long run.

From my own experience, airbrushing acrylics indoors isn’t as toxic as airbrushing enamels. Spray-canned acrylics seem a little bit nastier than airbrushed acrylics though.

There are two things you need to look out for

• Fumes
• Micro Particles

The use of acrylics will reduce the risk of fumes but your lungs can and will still collect paint particles. Even though the acrylic isn’t as toxic as say, lacquers, breathing sprayed paint isn’t something you want to do. Some acrylic paint bottles still come with a “Warning” etiquette though.  Because of that, we choose to be cautious when spraying.

Here’s what I recommend you do before you start airbrushing at your house.

Wear a mask

Sometimes when I spray my miniatures with alclad or acrylics without a mask I get headaches, sometimes pretty strong headaches.  No matter how ventilated your room is there’s always going to be sprayed paint particles in the air. These masks have filters installed to prevent those particles from entering your lungs. In addition to that, they are cheap.

After a 20-minute session of airbrushing my brush is usually stained, there’s paint on the needle opening and the cup – and it’s quite hard to remove. We do not want that same coat of paint setting in our throat, lungs, or nose.

Respirator masks are disposable and manufacturers recommend that you get rid of them after numerous hours of use – this applies to most of the cheap ones. They aren’t bad – just not meant for frequent use.

I decided to buy a better mask considering the fact that I spend quite some time airbrushing at home, and even though the disposable ones are cheaper – you will still need to buy another one, in the end, it will add up.

Here is what I recommend you get. I’ve included a very affordable alternative that will keep you safe for a while and a pretty expensive alternative that will work a lifetime as long as the filters are changed. Both are very good but If you plan on spending quite some time airbrushing then I would either buy the cheap ones in bulk or go for the full-face piece right away.

• Dual Cartridge Respirator. This mask is supposed to be thrown away when the vapor cartridges are used up, the manufacturers estimate about 40 hours of use. It’s an Amazon Best Seller and I would agree. I haven’t felt the slightest sign of a headache or odor when using the Dual Cartridge. If you can feel the smell through the mask then you know it’s time to throw it away and replace it.
• 3M Full Face Piece – The full facepiece covers your eyes, lungs, throat, and nose – it’s got everything you need to keep yourself safe when airbrushing.

If you have the budget for the 3M Full Face I think you should get it. It will handle acrylics, enamel, and lacquer well.

Use a spray booth

In addition to the mask, It would be a good idea to consider getting a spray booth for your miniature ventures. While the mask protects your lungs, the spray booth will provide a ventilated, safe space to airbrush miniatures for you and your surroundings.

The fumes from lacquers linger in the room for hours after you’ve sprayed them. To extract them requires ventilation.

A spray booth is a kind of like a pop-up airbrush studio with filters that collect all the particles. Equipped with a fan, the spray booth will handle overspray and extract the fumes from your workspace.

This is done by opening a window and sending the vent hose right out the window for the duration of your brushing session, this will keep the spray, odor, and particles inside your apartment to a minimum.

It’s a perfect way to airbrush Warhammer models and miniatures at home and many models come with a turn-table and LED lights. The model I’m using is very easy to use and store – when I’m done using it I fold it into a regular suitcase and store it under the bed.

Big enough to hold most models, the spray booth I’ve been using has been the perfect pop-up workspace for me. I haven’t painted anything that’s been too big yet, however, if that were to happen the spray booth could be attached to a second unit to create a larger area.

Does everyone need a spray booth? I would get an indoor airbrush booth if 

• I’m spraying indoors (If you’ve got a shed or a garage then I think you’re fine with the respirator but if you actually care about the room and your surroundings then I would get the booth too)
• If your workspace doesn’t provide enough ventilation
• If you have others living with you

The booth is a great purchase for your hobby and safety. Here’s the spray booth I’ve been using and the one I recommend.

Be aware of flammable paints when using a spray booth, read their description to make sure if they are safe for use or not. Do the same with the spray booth, some are designed for the use of flammable paints while others aren’t.

I hope you found the answers you were looking for in this article. Now ask yourself – Can I airbrush indoors?

Yes. Apply safety first.

I know.

My mind was overwhelmed right away. First, there was the process of painting, then the tools, maintenance, features, accessories, and paint.

Woah… go easy on me.

But as always, it turned out to be less scary than I initially thought.

With a little bit of help from local hobby painters and tattoo artists, I have gathered all of the information I have stumbled upon during my years as an apprentice airbrusher. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get you going and save you a bit of money.

For a beginner, I would recommend a dual-action, gravity-feed airbrush with a smaller needle, somewhere in the 0.25-0.5mm range, and a narrow nozzle with a diameter of 0.3mm in combination with a workplace that offers constant air flow, preferably a spray-booth and a good compressor that doesn’t make too much noise. Continue reading to find out what models I recommend and what I’ve based my recommendations on.

Getting started with airbrushing

I’m guessing you don’t own an airbrush just yet, so you’re hoping to find some kind of information on which one to get. Yeah, we’ll get there. Click a link to jump to the selected section of the article.

• 1. How To Pick An Airbrush
• 2. Best Airbrushes For Beginners
• 3. Airbrush Accessories/Maintenance & Extras
• 4. How To Paint Figures With An Airbrush

It can be frustrating to look at a product page and not understand a single of the terms describing the product. With terms like single/dual action, external/internal mix, gravity or siphon feed, and a myriad of other alternatives it will be hard to justify what makes one airbrush better than the other.

It depends entirely on what you’re planning to do with the airbrush, one needle size might work wonders for miniature models while another size can do a better job at something else. The same thing applies to all of the functions and properties of the airbrush.

Because this article is focused on painting miniature models, I’ll focus on the airbrushes and accessories that ARE good for miniature models. If you’re looking for good airbrush settings for something else then I can’t promise that my recommendations will deliver.

The recommendations I’ll be making are made on my own experience, the information I have gathered, other people’s experience, input from people with expertise in this area, and consensus. I consider myself well-read on the topic with more than 5 years as an avid user of airbrushes.

Enough about me. 

In this article, we’ll cover everything a beginner needs to know to start airbrushing miniature models, including the purchase of an airbrush.

Read more: Why You Should Airbrush Miniature Models

Getting the right airbrush

This picture shows the prime parts of an airbrush. The functionality of an airbrush depends on the cooperation of these parts. However, with so many different parts and functions comes insecurities.

Well, ask yourself this: What am I going to use the airbrush for?

Yes, painting minis, I know. 

But will you be painting extremely detailed figures or coating larger figures/terrain? Let’s tear them pieces down one-by-one to get a little clarity.

Feeds

What kind of feed the airbrush has will determine how the paint is fed into the airbrush. There are gravity-fed and siphon-fed airbrushes. Both have their advantages so let’s compare them.

If you want to read more about painting in Warhammer, read our article on it!

Read more: 18 Tips & Tricks To Get Better At Painting Warhammer Minis

GRAVITY FEED AIRBRUSH: The paint is transported from the paint cup on top of the airbrush down to the inner parts of the airbrush by the force of gravity alone.

Using a gravity feed can be very useful when painting detailed parts of your minis, the natural flow of the paint requires less air pressure making it easier to paint with precision without overdoing it.  I’ve been using a lot of gravity feeds over the years and I’ve come to love them for all kinds of miniature painting.

Gravity feeds call for more frequent paint refills because of the smaller paint cups, this in combination with the added precision makes them very suitable for small models but they work for both and are generally used for models of all sizes.

SIPHON FEED AIRBRUSH: Instead of storing the paint on top of the airbrush, siphon feeds have their paint cup attached to the underside of the airbrush. The paint is then fed to the paint container with a tube, in the container the paint waits for air pressure to pass through the tube which then siphons it into the mixing chamber.

Because of the added pressure needed to force the paint into the mixing chamber, the siphon-fed airbrushes work better for large models and base coating. In addition to the increased pressure, the siphon-feed brushes usually have storage for more paint making them more suitable for larger models.

Because of the finesse offered by the gravity siphon, I find it well-suitable for the miniatures I plan on painting. The smaller cup is no problem for me as I do a lot of detail work and need to put the airbrush down once in a while no matter what to avoid getting tired which causes my hands to shake a little.

My recommendation is to go with a gravity feed for your miniatures.

Single versus dual-action

If an airbrush is single or dual-action will determine if the brush can adjust both the amount of air and paint flow when you paint. The ability to change and adapt both as you go makes the dual action very attractive for painting miniatures but requires a little bit of skill.

You see, the flow of air and paint will have an impact on your ability to control the airbrush when painting.

SINGLE-ACTION AIRBRUSH: Single-actions, as the name describes, can only adjust the flow of air. To adjust the paint flow the user must stop painting, open up the airbrush and change the depth of the needle. Pair that with a small cup and you’ve got an obstacle at every 5-minute mark.

Operating the dual-action might be slightly harder because of the manual adjustments that can be made. However, I think most painters will move from single-action to dual-action sooner or later because of its versatility.

DUAL-ACTION AIRBRUSH: In comparison to its counterpart, the dual-action airbrush allows the user to adjust both air and paint flow mid-session without trouble. The trigger can be pressed down/up but also forward/back, pressing it up or down controls the amount of air that flows through while sliding the lever/button forward or backward determines the flow of paint.

This allows for real-time changes when the painter requires. Changing the air/paint flow back and forth can be done effortlessly, therefore, the dual-action airbrush is the way to go for someone who paints complex miniatures. 

I’m not saying single-actions are bad, they are awesome. I just like how adaptable the dual actions are when painting complex figures that require fine-tuning.

Internal or External Mix?

The term internal and external mix explains where the paint and air mix or atomize. The internal models mix inside the tip of the airbrush while external airbrushes mix outside of the airbrush’s tip.

Well, how does it affect the actual results?

INTERNAL MIX: Internal mix airbrushes generate a very soft spray, somewhat reminiscent of a photography dot pattern. Internally mixed airbrushes produce a smooth, fine finish to the objective. When painting miniature models that’s something we prefer. 

EXTERNAL MIX: In an externally mixed airbrush the paint and air are atomized outside the tip, resulting in a rude spray, ideal for spraying large areas but not the best pick for miniature models. Of course, you can mix with the paint and still get a somewhat smooth finish to the external mix but it’s not the easiest way to go about it.

I recommend using an airbrush with an internal mix for miniature models.

Airbrush needle and nozzle size for miniatures

The needle is the point that projects the air/paint mix onto the object. The bigger the diameter of the needle the bigger the spread of the spray, when painting miniature models you want to spray fine lines and those require smaller needles.

For miniature models, I would recommend getting a needle with a diameter anywhere between .2-.5 depending on the size of the miniatures you plan on painting – for bigger ones I would lean towards .5, and for smaller ones .25mm.

• 0.15mm and smaller: Very delicate detail work
• 0.2mm-0.25mm: Fine spray patterns and coating of small bases.
• 0.3mm-0.35mm: Well-suited for fine detailing and freehand work. My recommendation for miniature models.
• 0.4mm-0.5mm: For larger models and base coating of such models. Not the best option for very detailed models.

Aiming for a 0.3 needle will cover most of your needs when airbrushing miniature models. Smaller needles require more precision and skill to use, as a beginner you should let yourself evolve as a painter before you pick the smaller needles.

Every brush model doesn’t accept needles of all sizes – choosing a more versatile airbrush will allow the user to try different needles until they find the size that fits their work and ability.  Most airbrush needles cannot withstand bending, causing them to either break, bend or clog up entirely – handle the needle with care to keep it operable for as long as possible.

The airbrush nozzle, also known as the tip, has an effect on the breadth of the spray, choosing a smaller, more narrow nozzle will result in a smaller, more narrow spray line and is therefore recommended to use for detail work and fine lines.

Picking a wider nozzle will instead result in a wider spray.

The nozzle and needle work together to produce the result you want. Airbrush nozzles come in numerous size variations but the majority of airbrushes come with needles and nozzles when bought – buying a set will however give you the option of changing between a couple of nozzles and needles.

Nozzle diameter

• Fine 0.2mm
• Medium 0.35mm
• Heavy 0.5mm

If you want to paint finer lines I would go with a 0.25-0.4mm needle and a 0.3mm nozzle. Thicker paint demands thicker nozzles. If your paint hasn’t been pre-thinned it will need to be thinned.

Try to be as cautious as possible to avoid clogging. Clogging won’t render your airbrush useless – there are methods of unclogging it but we’ll cover that later…

Grip

Two grips can be used on the airbrush, either you go with a pistol grip or a normal grip.

• The pistol grip is, just as you’d imagine, shaped like a pistol and, unlike the regular grip, you start the airflow by pulling the trigger slightly and then pulling more to adjust the flow of paint.
• The regular grip has a trigger on top of it, to start the airflow you push it downwards and then pull it back to determine the amount of paint you want flowing through.

I can’t tell you that either of these is better, it comes down to personal taste. I’ve used both and I prefer the regular grip because I’m very familiar with it but I can’t say anything bad about the pistol grip.

Needle stops

Needle stops allow the user to restrict the trigger from being pulled too far, making it possible for the user to keep a constant flow throughout without worrying about pulling too hard on the trigger.

Best airbrush brands for miniatures

These are my recommendations and luckily enough for my legitimacy, they seem to be quite popular with miniature painters.

Badger, Paasche, Harder & Steenbeck, and Iwata have been the go-to brands for my miniature airbrushes and the ones I have recommended to my friends. These brands offer models for beginners at very reasonable prices – they also have a collection of quite expensive models for the painter who wants the best of the best.

Read more: Selecting the Best Iwata Airbrush in 2022

You should find everything you could ask for among the brands I’ve mentioned. They have, over the years, delivered some over-the-top airbrush models for professionals and hobbyists. I have for periods of time used all of these brands and I’m very pleased with what they have to offer.

Best airbrush for Warhammer

Now that we know what we’re searching for in an airbrush we can take a closer look at some of my favorites for airbrushing Warhammer figures and miniature models. As a total beginner, it would be smart to stay away from the 300$ models – you will see great results from much cheaper models. I’ve included two Itawa models that I recommend – both very affordable.

1. Iwata Eclipse HP-CS.

• High-quality brush
• Perfect for fine and medium spray patterns such as miniatures
• Easy to clean and remove clogs
• Feels great to operate and work with
• Economical with paint
• Great for beginners

The Iwata Eclipse is a very popular airbrush used by artists and model painters all over the world. Within the series, the HP-CS model is probably one of the most popular models for both beginners and professionals.

The Iwata Eclipse is a high-class internal mix airbrush that puts the quality of other manufacturers to the test – and with the 5-year-warranty it seems like the company knows it. For the hobby painter, I would see no reason to upgrade or exchange the Eclipse for something else after 5 years.

The airbrush features a gravity feed and dual-action, just as we want it. In addition to that, the Eclipse comes with a drop-in self-centering nozzle and a 0.35mm needle to house the paint fed from the rather big cup on top of the airbrush, measuring 1/3 oz – the design offers a new funnel shape that makes paint flow more effectively and cleaning the airbrush becomes a breeze.

If the hairline-thin spray pattern offered by the 0.35mm needle, which is just awesome for painting detail, isn’t big enough for you – don’t worry, the Iwata Eclipse includes a bigger 0.5mm nozzle that’s perfect for beginners. This makes the Iwata a versatile worker that excels at fine detail work, varnish, highlighting/shading, and base coating.

Another thing to note is the weight of the airbrush  In use the airbrush felt steady and well-balanced because of the extra weight added to the instrument, I found the extra weight to help stabilize my quite shaky hands when painting.

Overall, it’s just an awesome airbrush for fine-line and medium spray patterns for both beginners and pros. The Eclipse will last a lifetime if handled correctly – cleaning and maintenance become a walk in the park thanks to the cut-away handle which makes it easy to dismantle the brush.

Conclusion: Nothing I’ve tried can match the all-aroundness of the Itawa Eclipse. For a pretty reasonable price, you get an airbrush that will cater to all your needs for years to come. This is my all-time favorite.

2. NEO for Iwata CN

• A better choice for someone on a budget – very affordable.
• Does well with smaller compressors that produce a maximum of 20 psi
• Includes two cups – large 1/3 oz and medium 1/16 oz.
• Easy to clean
• Smooth and efficient paint flow

The saying “you get what you pay for” doesn’t apply to this airbrush – it exceeds the bang per buck ratio of most airbrushes in the industry – and just like they did with its relative, the Eclipse, the manufacturers offer a 5-year-warranty for Neo.

It’s another gravity-feed airbrush by the groundbreaking team at Itawa. With its 0.35mm needle and nozzle combination the Neo provides the user with excellent fine-to-medium spray patterns and lines.

To further improve your painting, the Neo can deliver perfect lines with minimal amounts of air pressure, somewhere between 5 and 35 psi will do wonders, as a result of the Neo’s low demand for air pressure it produces great quality detail with smaller compressors (maximum of 20 psi).

Armed with the dual-action feature that we’re looking for, the airbrush allows the user to keep a steady flow of air while varying the amount of paint flow. It feels like a quality product in hand and the trigger is really smooth. For such a reasonable price the Neo is perfect for beginners who want to try their luck at airbrushing without spending their life savings.

Conclusion: While I do favor the Eclipse, the Neo can still achieve greatness for such a small price. Possibly the best choice for a total beginner who doesn’t want to get ruined. The Neo delivers perfect, smooth spray lines.

Airbrush accessories

Now that we’ve got the actual airbrush, what else do we need to make sure it works and stays operable for as long as possible?

The first thing we need is a compressor.

What kind of compressor should you use for airbrushing Warhammer/miniature figures? Well, that depends. Unlike compressors used for bigger tools, these compressors aren’t nearly as loud or clumsy. However, there are options that we need to evaluate – two different alternatives.

Do we want a compressor with a tank or one without a tank? 

The tank inside the compressor will fill up with air for the airbrush to use when the trigger is pulled and refill when needed – to always have air on supply makes for a very smooth, constant flow of pressure. Instead, with the tankless compressor, you will have to battle a pulse of air coming through the hose regularly. For that reason, I have always favored the compressors that come equipped with a tank.

Let’s evaluate the ups and downs

Tank

• Smooth constant flow
• Better for longer sessions
• Downside: Costs a little bit more

Tank-less

• Cheaper
• Smaller in size
• Good for shorter sessions
• Downside: The pulse that is sent through once in a while can disrupt the smoothness of the flow.

I recommend going with a tanked compressor for beginners but It doesn’t make all the difference in the world. There are a lot of low-quality compressors from China on the market – therefore, I recommend paying a little extra to get some of the better compressors manufactured by trusted brands.

To pair with the Iwata airbrushes I’ve chosen a high-quality Iwata compressor: Iwata-Medea Studio Series Ninja Jet

• • Low maintenance, oil-less single-piston air compressor

• • Working pressure from 0 psi to 18 psi.

• • Includes 3m coiled vinyl hose

• • Pressure Adjustment knob

• • Comes with an attached airbrush holder

• • Noise: 55 – 57 decibels

• Use per session: Cycles of 30 minutes of continuous use. Let compressor rest for 20 minutes after finished cycle before using it again.

Here’s an alternative if your budget doesn’t allow the purchase of an Iwata compressor.

Cleaning & Maintenance

For the sake of keeping your airbrush functioning as long as possible, this step might be the most important of them all. If you don’t take good care of your airbrush, sooner or later it will take damage or, even worse, stop working.

This includes regularly cleaning it after use, using the right paint, and overall carefulness. The paint inside the airbrush will clog after some time, make sure to remove and clean the airbrush regularly to avoid clogging, also make sure to check your paint to make sure it isn’t clogged.

To protect your airbrush from harm, I would recommend getting these items:

• Medea Airbrush Cleaner
• This cleaning cup

With these, it’ll be easy to keep the airbrush as good as new. Here’s a video tutorial on how to clean your airbrush.

Alternatively, you could use an ultrasonic cleaner for your airbrush.

What paint to use with an airbrush

The brands you’ve used when painting your figures with a brush will most likely offer products that are well-suited for airbrush painting. Vallejo and Badger have specific parts of their product line made for the airbrush, Vallejo Model Air, Vallejo Game Air, and Minitaire.

The difference between these and the regular acrylic paint lines is that these come pre-thinned, ready to mix in the airbrush and spray. The benefit of using airbrush paint is that it doesn’t clog nearly as much as regular color and won’t require as much cleaning.

However, it is possible to use your regular paint as long as it has been thinned accordingly. If it hasn’t, thin it yourself with water or airbrush thinner – I use water but using a thinner is beneficial because it keeps the tip of the airbrush from drying.

I’ve heard of painters who mix water and vodka and use it as thinner but I can’t recommend that as I’ve never tried it. Me myself, I use Vallejo Game Air paint it has worked wonderfully.

Best airbrush paint for miniatures

• Badger Minitature Set
• Vallejo Game Air Paint Set – This is what I’m using.

To prime miniature figures

I wouldn’t avoid prime when painting figures, it makes quite a difference. Prime helps the paint stick to the model, kind of like a nice basecoat – covering the grey plastic, leaving a solid base to start painting on.

To prime with an airbrush is simple. You’ll need a primer, preferably something by Vallejo or Badger, and a room with ventilation. Yeah, you can apply the primer in-house. I’ve had much success with the Vallejo primer over the years – a quick spray leaves my figures covered in a very smooth, thin coat.

I’ll say it again: Don’t forget to apply a layer of primer when painting your figures. If you have metal figures – spray the figure several times to avoid paint chipping.

How to paint miniature models with an airbrush

First make sure that your paint is mixed to the right consistency – to do this – drag a little paint from the bottom of the airbrush cup up to the edges and see if the paint runs down without leaving a trace, then you’re good. The paint is thin enough to paint with.

If the paint is thick it will stick to the cup or move down very slowly and leave a trace of paint – add water or airbrush thinner.

Read more: How To Airbrush Miniatures Indoors

The next thing is adjusting the airbrush pressure. When painting miniatures we want a PSI of 12-18 for pre-thinned paint. Thicker paint will most likely require more pressure.

After applying the primer, let it dry, and then start painting the figure with your color of choice.

I distance myself about 4 inches from the target when I paint – 4 inches isn’t always the right distance though, an indicator that I go by is the way the paint behaves when landing on the model – if it splatters and spreads, then I’m too close and if it atomizes before landing on the miniature I’m too far.

Thank you so much for reading this guide. I hope it has been helpful!

Here’s a video that goes through some basic airbrushing techniques for beginners.