If you've followed my beginners guide, you should have minis that are basecoated. Perfectly good for the tabletop, especially if you're a GM and you are collecting monsters. They never seem to last long against the heroes. However, you might be wanting to try new techniques to improve the look of the minis you paint.
The New Techniques series is designed for just this. Try them out and see which ones work for you. Some are techniques that you will apply from the start when painting minis, others can be added to your already painted collection.
In the Basecoat post I mentioned blacklining when I painted the studs on the goblin's belt and sword. This is a very simple technique that can add a lot of depth to a mini. When I was just beginning to paint minis (1970s) we discovered blacklining and it was hailed as an amazingly realistic effect. I still think it adds something if used sensibly. It's certainly a great way to add interest to hordes of monsters, and its good for painting buttons, studs etc on any mini.
When and Where to Blackline. Blacklining separates different areas on a mini and makes it easier for the eye to pick out, say, belts or straps, or small details that otherwise might get lost. The term is slightly misleading, as you can use different colours, I rarely use straight black; any dark colour can be used, and some are particularly appropriate, depending on the surrounding colours. Black or very dark blue is good for armour, weapons etc. Dark brown is good for leathers, hide and many fabrics. A dark brown/flesh mix can even be used on skin; paint the margin of the face where it meets the hairline and the gaps between the fingers. If you're feeling especially brave you might even try lining the eyes and the mouth, though I'll look at faces properly another time. Certain companies sell liner, such as Reaper, but its easy to make your own.
Mixing the Liner. On the goblin I painted over the studs in black, then carefully painted the top of the stud with metal. This works perfectly well for small items. For larger areas, such as the line between a belt and a tunic, its better to paint in a thin line of the dark colour. This is much easier if the paint is thinned. You are looking for a consistency not quite as runny as water, we want the paint to run along the gaps. painting guides usually refer to the consistency of milk, though that can be subjective. Skimmed or full fat? What if you're lactose intolerant?
Seriously, I find that mixing the paint with roughly equal amounts of water is about right. If its too thin its much easier to add another coat than if its too thick and clogs the detail.
Applying the Liner. Don't overfill the brush. It's tempting to put too much thinned paint on the brush simply because its not as evident on the hairs. Also beware, thinner paint will tend to wick up the hairs, and you don't want it drying in the ferule, that's a great way to ruin a brush. Use a thin brush and draw the hairs along the gap you are lining. Use the side of the brush rather than the tip, more so that when you are normally painting. You are using the thin shape of the brush hairs to help you form a nice smooth thin line on the mini.
This will take some practice, but its a technique easily added to minis you've already basecoated, so if you have loads of practice minis, you should be fine.
Quick Tips. As with painting the studs, there's a 'cheats way'. For thin items like belts, simply paint the whole belt in the dark colour making sure to paint the edge you want lined. Then when its dry, paint the belt again with the colour you want it, making sure to leave a little of the lining showing around it.
Examples. I'm using a Wizkids Deep Cuts Guard to show blacklining. The mini has several layers of clothing which will benefit from this technique. The mini comes pre primed, so straight on with painting.
The guard mini unpainted. The primer is a pale grey rather than straight white.
Basecoated. I've left the various straps unpainted as I want to show the quick method on these
Black lining around armour plates etc, dark brown around tunic etc. Belts and straps painted dark brown or dark red.
Belts etc painted up leaving a thin line of the lining showing
The completed guard.
And there you have it. I realised as I was painting in the belts that she is wearing another layer between the leather armour and her tunic, so I quickly painted this in blue, then lined it with black.
This is a nice mini, though the detail is a bit fine for my eyes to pick out.
Practice blacklining where you think it works best. Not all of a mini needs to be treated this way, and there are other methods for showing shading that we can look at later. It's still a very good way of picking out small detail.
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