Accurate Miniature Equivalents for Custom Painting your 1940 E&P

A&AP:1940 Initial Setup

I’m going to start getting a jump on Europe now - starting with Russia… Can’t wait for winter camo!

Although I suppose it might hurt my chances at doing this for a living, I’ll indulge some info to everyone that wants to know how to paint your own set:

It takes a lot of practice and patience; trial and error are of course part of this but the success isn’t accidental. Though I don’t necessarily like the term (it carries too much baggage), I’m a professional artist. I’ve done this since I could walk, earned an undergraduate in it, and have worked at a very small scale for many years.

I have basically figured out my whole methodology for painting the minis through a combination of a bit of research and a whole lot of ‘just sit down and do it.’ Like all things difficult yet worthwhile in life, you can’t focus on the grand scheme. It will just be too overwhelming and seem implausible. I recommend breaking it down into steps.

#1 - Supplies

- Brushes: There are lots of different brushes out there, and usually when you get to this scale, the brand and type of bristle doesn’t matter too incredibly much. Mostly only model companies sell the size you’ll want, so you can pretty much bet they’ll function fine for their purpose. Reaper makes some good choices. Remember that once you get below the 0 size for artist brushes, you just keep adding additional zeros for the smaller size (IE 0 > 10/0 > 20/0). I recommend getting one of each of these sized brushes: 0 for large areas, 10/0 for details and spotting, and 20/0 for fine decals and whatnot.

• Paint: There are just as many paints as there are brushes. Paints sold in craft stores seem to fine for their price, however they can sometimes be inconsistent and lack in color options. Acrylic model paints are the best choice. I personally use Vallejo Model Color paints. You should also buy some thinner in the brand of the model paint you use. It’s useful for making certain colors flow out (white particularly) and to add a little more working time to your drying palette. Inks are also important. They flow into the cracks of your paints and pop out the depth of the mini. I mostly use black, but experiment around.

• Water/Palette/Drying Rack: You’ll need somewhere to put your paint and to dry your pieces. I use old lids to plastic containers for my palette and drying racks. I usually paint half of the miniatures, then rest them elevated on the lip of the lid to dry. Later I come back and finish them off, making sure to overlap over the opposite side to avoid visible lines. Any short container works well for water to clean your brushes. Do it often - the paint dries quickly and can clog/ruin your brush faster than you think. Brush Restorer is a good investment for the long run.

• Airbrush: Optional, but saves time. Use small heads, 1-3 gauge. Clean them IMMEDIATELY when finished.

#2 - Research

• How to paint: Use google. It’s your best friend. ‘How to paint miniatures’ is a good starting search.

• Colors: People have asked me for particular colors in my schemes, and I’m reluctant to give them for one simple reason: I don’t want to deny them their personal discovery of earning the right look. Someone else will probably find more accurate colors than me for their own sets, but they might never pursue it if they use a ‘paint by numbers’ approach. Buy a few colors you think are close, then make a master color reference sheet (paint a decent sized dab of each of your colors on one surface and label them). Don’t trust pictures or your computer screen when looking at paint colors - pixels and scale distort them.

• Schemes: I feel like I’ve done an alright job in showing some of the common WWII camo schemes, and it took many, many hours of research and printed images. I’m sure I’ve used up four ink cartridges in the process. Again google helps (IE Search: British uniform WWII). Reproduction uniforms and scale modeler pages are excellent sources. Also graphic eBooks such as the Osprey series (great reading too).

#3 - Sit Down and Do It

• This is the hardest part. Try not to think about the whole project at this point. You’ll become depressed and turn on the tv/youporn. Instead think about each individual regiment. I started with infantry, finished all of them for one nation, then ground forces, then air force, then navy. I also broke them down into individual unit types: tanks/artillery/mechs, etc. It makes it much more approachable. Don’t think about running the marathon, just make it the next 50 meters, then do it again and again until you’re finished.

Certain thin, flexible spots of plastic are more susceptible to paint wear. Try not to handle these areas as much. Also remember to use several coats of a varnish to seal the paint jobs. Brushing or spraying works equally well at this scale, just don’t let the varnish gather too much into corners and deep spots.

@cminke:

how do you wash them?

Dish wash detergent with water and a soft toothbrush.