Hello again everyone, it's been a long time since I wrote my last article, so I am afraid this new one is a long time overdue. First off, let me mention that the techniques and theories I discuss here are not the 'right' way to paint, only one particular way to paint. The object of the article is not so much to teach anyone how to paint in a specific manner, but more to give some insight into the processes and thoughts that I personally go through when I am painting my own figures. Hopefully this is interesting to somebody out there!

       Everyone has their own way of painting, and that is how it should be – you should never feel like you need to copy someone exactly. In my opinion, you are better off if you listen and watch a variety of other painters, and take on board the elements of their technique which appeal and work for you, yourself. Not everything works for everyone, and when it comes to high-level painting, personal taste plays an ever increasing role in the way painting is approached. I think one of the most important things to do when painting is to simply think about what you are trying to achieve when you set out to paint a figure, before you even begin.

       The figure I have chosen to use for this article is Urmuth, Scars of War, from the Andrea 'Warlord Saga' 54mm range. This figure was a commission painting job, so many thanks to the client for allowing me to use it for this article.

       First, a quick look at the figure before undercoating. I spend a lot of time cleaning and preparing my figures for painting. After the mould lines have been removed, I gently file rough areas, and then use very fine grade sandpaper to ensure a smooth surface. The sandpaper I use on most metal figures ranges from grade 600, up to 1200. Little rectangles of sandpaper stuck on the end of a small stick-like instrument (I used a piece of brass rod flattened at one end) can help to reach the smallest areas of the figure.

       Following this, I scrub the figure all over with a stiff-bristled brush, like a black synthetic dremmel brush. If your figure is of a harder metal, such as the GW figures, you can even use a rougher brush – I have a brass bristled one that I use carefully on a lot of metal figures. But be sure to test it first on something unimportant – you don't want to be overzealous and use a brush that will leave your figure scratched to oblivion and ruined! After this, I give the figure another scrub in hot water with some dish-washing liquid, using an old toothbrush. This makes sure that any oils from your hands etc. are removed from the surface before the undercoat is applied.

       Once the figure is dry, if there are still some rough or pitted areas, I use some very thin washes of Milliput dissolved in water to fill in the rough texture on the surface. In my opinion, the best Milliput to use for this is the standard yellow-grey variety – I only use this type, and it works especially well for the 'Milliput washes'. It works like this: I mix up a little putty, then stick it to the bottom of a well in my palette. Then I add some clean water, and stir things up with an old brush, until I have a milk-like, opaque, beige-coloured mixture. Then I carefully paint layers of this mixture onto the surface of the figure in the problem areas, similar to applying a wash. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 coats before the pits and texture on the surface are filled in. And if you feel the surface may still be a little rough, you can wait until the Milliput is dry and carefully sand the surface with very fine sandpaper (1000-1500 grade).

       In this photo, you can see the evidence of the Milliput washes if you look carefully. I have drawn some red areas to some of the areas where it can be seen on the figure. Notice also that the axe has not been cleaned as well as the main body of the figure. This was because the axe was quite fragile and bendable, and I was not able to be quite to vicious with my scrubbing and cleaning.

       And now here is a quick photo of the figure after the undercoat has been applied. I used GW white spray in this case, in two very thin layers. The most important thing to remember, is to make sure that you do not apply too thick a coat of paint. A very light coat is best; do not worry if there is still some metal showing through – that is as it should be. Because the layer is so thin, the surface actually appears light grey, rather than white.

       Using a thin coat of undercoat in this way aids the painting process. A light 'dusting' of undercoat results in a slightly textured surface, allowing the paint to grip the surface, and causing the layers of paint to spread evenly over the figure, aiding the blending process. If the undercoat is too thick, the paint will not adhere to the surface as readily, making smooth painting more difficult.

       Now at last we are ready to paint! The preparation process may seem tedious, but I think it is a very important step to obtaining a nicely painted miniature. The foundation needs to be solid before you can start to build the tower, right?