Painters arsenal

Miniature painting tutorial cards

A unique collection of miniature painting tutorials

from top artists worldwide

Must-Have Hobby
Tools

Redgrass is a company dedicated to providing high-quality tools for miniature painting, establishing itself as a unique and specialized brand in the creative market. For serious miniature painters, having the right tools is crucial to achieving precision and quality in their work. Master your Painters Arsenal cards with our selection of must-have hobby tools.

Everlasting Wet Palette v2

The world’s first advanced wet palette with a reusable membrane, this palette keeps paints fresh for longer, crucial for detailed work. Made in Europe with superior quality control, it offers up to 20% more painting space, an airtight case, and a unique accessory lock system. Its patented hydration membrane is reusable and economical, enhancing paint freshness and blending ease.

RGG360° Painting Handle

Globally recognized for its ergonomic design, this handle minimizes strain, allowing painters to focus for extended periods. It features controlled miniature rotation, a strong magnet for securing work, and swappable caps for batch painting. The handle fits various base sizes and shapes, providing versatility and ease of use, and is highly endorsed by professionals worldwide.

Redgrass R9 Desk Lamp Series

With two LED lamps to choose from, the award-winning R9 Desk Lamp Series is the top choice for artists and professional miniature painters worldwide. Its unparalleled, color-perfect technology will literally blow your mind. Bring your creative vision to life!

Painting techniques

The Painters Arsenal cards are easy to understand and follow. If you have any doubts about a specific miniature painting technique, we’ve compiled a list of techniques with key information on the right dilution and a quick step-by-step guide.

Base color

To achieve a smooth base coat in miniature painting, thin your acrylic paints to a 3:1 or 2:1 paint-to-water ratio, depending on the paint brand.

Using a Redgrass wet palette helps keep the paint at a consistent consistency and prevents it from drying out too quickly. This helps the paint flow smoothly and prevents it from covering up fine details on your miniature. Applying two thin layers is usually enough to get even coverage without hiding intricate features. This method ensures the primer is properly covered while preserving the miniature’s details, providing a strong foundation for further painting and detailing.

Blending

Blending creates smooth transitions between colors or shades, adding depth and realism. There are two main methods: layering and wet blending.

Layering: Apply thin, semi-transparent layers of paint to build up a gradient. Start with a base coat, then mix a lighter or darker shade and apply it over the base color in thin, controlled layers. Gradually add more layers, focusing on highlights and shadows until the transition appears smooth. Thinning the paint to a 3:2 paint-to-water ratio on a wet palette helps control flow and ensures smooth coverage without hiding fine details.
Wet Blending: This direct method requires you to work quickly. Start by applying the base color, and while it’s still wet, introduce a second color where you want the transition. Use a clean brush to mix the two colors directly on the miniature, adjusting until you create a smooth gradient. Wet blending works best on larger surfaces and curved areas like cloaks and muscles.

Tips:

Use a Wet Palette: For both techniques, using a wet palette helps maintain paint consistency and prevents it from drying too quickly

Glaze

Glazing is a miniature painting technique where you apply thin, translucent layers of paint over a base color to subtly alter its hue, value, or saturation. This method enhances depth and richness, allowing for smooth transitions and nuanced shading on your models.

How to Glaze:

1. Prepare the Glaze:
Mix a small amount of paint with a glazing medium or water to achieve a translucent consistency. The ratio varies depending on the desired effect and the paint’s opacity. We recommend at least a 1:2 paint-to-water ratio.
2. Use a Wet Palette:
A wet palette helps maintain the glaze’s consistency and prevents it from drying out too quickly, providing better control during application.
3. Load the Brush:
Dip your brush into the glaze mixture, then remove excess by lightly dabbing it on a paper towel. The brush should be damp, not overloaded.
4. Apply the Glaze:
Gently brush the glaze over the area you wish to modify, using smooth, even strokes. Allow each layer to dry completely before applying additional layers to gradually build up the desired intensity.

Tips:

Patience is Key: Glazing is a subtle technique that often requires multiple layers to achieve the desired effect.

Wash / recess

Washing is a miniature painting technique that enhances depth by applying a thin, pigmented solution over the model, allowing it to flow into recesses and crevices. This accentuates shadows and details as the wash settles into low areas, creating natural shading.

How to Apply a Wash:

1. Prepare the Wash:
While many commercial washes are ready to use, you can create your own by diluting acrylic paint with water or medium to a thin consistency. We recommend a 1:3 paint-to-water ratio.
2. Apply the Wash:
Using a brush such as our size 2, liberally apply the wash over the targeted areas, allowing it to flow into recesses. For controlled shading, focus the application specifically on the crevices.
3. Manage Excess Wash:
Be attentive to pooling, where excess wash accumulates undesirably. Use a clean brush to wick away surplus wash from raised surfaces or areas where it doesn’t belong.
4. Allow to Dry:
Let the wash dry completely before proceeding with additional painting steps. This ensures the shading effect is preserved and prevents smudging.

Tips:

Control the Flow: Gravity affects how the wash settles. Position your model so that the wash flows into the desired areas, enhancing natural shadowing.

Dry brshing

Dry brushing highlights raised details to enhance depth and texture. Choose a flat, stiff brush, such as our size 4 dry brush. Use paint straight from the pot without dilution. After dipping the brush lightly, remove excess paint until it feels almost dry. Then, lightly brush over raised areas, gradually building up highlights to achieve natural, subtle results.

Stippling

Stippling involves applying tiny dots of paint to create texture, shading, or smooth color transitions. It’s excellent for simulating wear, creating realistic textures, and achieving subtle blends. Use the tip of a fine brush, such as our size 2/0, to apply small dots gently. Ensure your paint consistency is slightly diluted—not too thick or too watery—for precise control.

Edge highlight

Edge highlighting is a technique in miniature painting where you apply lighter shades of paint to the edges of your model to create contrast and emphasize its contours, adding depth and definition. To achieve clean edge highlights, use a fine, sharp-tipped brush that holds its point well such as our size 2/0 brush. Prepare your paint using a Redgrass wet palette and dilute it to a 3:1/2 paint-to-water ratio, depending on the paint’s thickness. This helps maintain smooth flow and control without losing opacity. Load the brush by dipping it into the paint and removing excess on a paper towel. Instead of using the tip, run the side of the brush along the edge for more stability and consistent lines. For tighter spots, carefully use the tip with a steady hand.