This article will deal with painting miniature vehicles to use with your tabletop minis. While the author does not make any claims as to being a master painter by any stretch of the imagination, his painted vehicles have been enjoyed by many folk, both young and old alike. However, before we begin, we need to answer the age old question: Why bother to paint the minis at all? Believe it or not, I have seen this discussion topic up on The Miniatures Page (www.theminiaturespage.com). I have seen grown men play microarmor games in a hobby shop with ALL the minis in their pure lead / pewter form. The owner of the microarmor seemed to be OK with it. Now I would be more understanding, if the owners were people who had just bought their miniatures and wanted to play with them right away. Speaking for my friends & I, this would never do. After all, painting your miniatures is one aspect of the hobby that many people enjoy. Personally, I find painting to be a relaxing thing to do. For many of us, regarding this hobby, it is all about the eye candy. Also, what will attract more people into this hobby, painted or unpainted minis? That's not too hard to figure out. Bottom line: Your last platoon of Panther tanks will look much better than your first platoon! Why bother doing the research? Not so long ago a friend of mine was able to obtain a number of nicely made World War 2 N Scale plastic tank models that are made and sold in Japan. Many of these tanks were painted in various camouflage schemes / markings that would make any N Scale military enthusiast proud. Now these tanks were sold along with some candy packaged and marketed in a similar way we package and market baseball cards. Their limited edition tank (in this first series, it was a Tiger I) was painted in a PURPLISH RED color! Granted that this is an extreme, but we are talking about historical miniatures, not fantasy or alternate history. This might appeal to an 8 year old (most likely the target market group), but for those of us who know better... Besides, the general idea with the color scheme of the various military vehicles was not to be seen! Where do I begin? Welcome to another aspect of this awesome hobby ... that of doing the research. There are many sources to choose from. A good starting place would be the Internet as there are many websites dedicated to modeling, AFV history, military history and yes, even painting. Other sources would be the Osprey or Squadron series of books that focus on various vehicles and AFVs. Take the time to put your vehicular mini together: This first step is such an important one as any flash leftover from the molding process will leave its mark even when you put the finishing touches on an otherwise awesome looking mini. Make sure the wheels and tracks are properly aligned. Also, make sure the body parts of the vehicle fit properly. I know this sounds a bit nitpicky, but the final result is well worth the extra effort you're putting into it. Primer coat your mini: Spend a little extra money and buy a good primer spray. Remember, this coat is what will help your awesome paint job stick to the pewter or lead surfaces of your mini. If you do not primer your minis, don't expect your fabulous paint job to stay on as inevitably, the paint will flake off over time and with use. What color of primer to use? I have heard the various reasons to use black, white or gray colored primers. Marc's rule of thumb is simple. The lighter the primer color, the more painting of darker colors one will do. Conversely, the darker the primer color, the more painting of lighter colors one will do. When you spray your primer, please spray in a well ventilated area. Painting the main body of the vehicular mini: There are different ways one can accomplish this. If time is a factor and you want to use the minis fairly quickly, spray a base coat of paint. Be careful not to overdue the spraypaint though as paint can accumulate in places and ruin some of the fine detailing. Many vehicles from the US, USSR, Britain and even Germany at the beginning of World War 2 had a single color scheme! For some people, they are done with their vehicular mini and are ready to use them once they are dry. Detailing: This would include the tracks, tires, wheels, machineguns, gas cans etc. By doing this, your mini will start to look more like an individual mini that stands out from the rest. Granted that this part can be time consuming, but the overall appearance is the payoff. Blacklining: This is a technique that is easy in concept, takes some practice, but is ultimately rewarding. Blacklining will bring out details on your vehicular mini. One needs to take some black paint and dilute it with water in another bottle. Start with two parts water to one part black paint and adjust as needed. You do not need much of this mixture to do the job. Use a small fine brush (a 000 size brush, or smaller will do nicely) and a little bit of the mixture then look for the various lines and indents on the surface of your vehicle. A great example of this is the split line that separates the two closed halves of a tank commander's hatch. Another example of this would be the indentations that form the truck's door. Drybrushing: This is an old modeling technique and I would use an old brush for this type of a job as it will kill any paintbrush you will use for this. Use a paint that is a little lighter in color than the main body. Dip the brush in the paint and then remove the excess paint by painting a rag or a newspaper until the paintbrush is almost dry. Now you're ready to drybrush your vehicle. Remember, the lighter color will present a slight contrast to the main body edges and bring them out. You can bring out realistic looking detail on your vehicle the same way by using rust and mud color paints to give your vehicle that worn in look. Remember, practice makes perfect and vehicles that look like they just came off the assembly line do not stay that way on the battlefield. Sealing: How you seal your painted minis is up to you. There are those who like to see a glossy shine in their minis. Then there are those, (like myself) who want the matte finish or the finish that does not shine. There are a number of finishing sprays out there on the market. Again spray your minis in a well ventilated area. In finishing this article up keep in mind that practice makes perfect and there are always new techniques to be mastered. One item that is very handy (and takes practice, much to the author's chagrin) to use in painting your minis is the airbrush. Another option would be for you to have someone else paint your minis for you. Ultimately though, there is nothing like the satisfaction of watching your painting skills grow as time passes and that next batch of minis will look even better. Back to Table of Contents The Messenger February 2003 Back to The Messenger List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by HMGS/PSW. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles covering military history and related topics are available at http://www.magweb.com