Have you ever stared at a tiny plastic figure, dreaming of bringing it to life with vibrant color? That moment, right before you dip your brush into the paint pot, is filled with excitement, but also a little dread. Choosing the right miniature paints can feel like navigating a maze. Do you need acrylics or enamels? Should you splurge on a premium brand, or will a budget set work just fine for your first army?
The sheer volume of choices often leads to frustration. Beginners waste money on paints that don’t flow well, dry too fast, or just don’t mix right. Experienced painters constantly hunt for that perfect consistency that makes edge highlighting a joy instead of a chore. Getting the paint wrong means your hard work on the sculpt might look muddy or flat.
This post cuts through the noise. We will break down the essential differences between paint types, explain what those technical terms mean for your tabletop results, and give you clear advice on building a collection that fits your budget and your painting style. Get ready to choose your colors with confidence!
Top Miniature Paints Recommendations
- 【Premium Acrylic Model Paints】 Professional-quality acrylic miniature paints designed for model kits, plastic models, miniatures, scale figures, dioramas, and other hobby projects. Formulated for brush application with a smooth, even flow and excellent surface adhesion on plastic, resin, wood, and metal. Perfect for detailing or full coverage.
- 【Complete 19-Piece Set】 Includes 18 rich colors (16 standard shades plus metallic gold & silver) and 1 acrylic paint thinner to help with advanced techniques such as blending, layering, and airbrushing (Miniatures not included). Each 20 ml dropper bottle ensures precise control, reduces waste, and keeps paint fresh for longer.
- 【Matte, Durable & Lightfast Finish】 Dries to a professional-grade matte surface with strong color opacity and UV-resistant pigments. Ideal for long-lasting display on tabletop figures, scale vehicles, architectural models, or model car paint kits without fading or chipping.
- 【Easy to Use & Highly Versatile】 Pre-thinned for brush painting straight from the bottle—no extra mixing needed. Use the included thinner to adjust consistency for fine detail work, smooth gradients or airbrushing. Suitable for modelers, miniature painters, war game hobbyists, and craft enthusiasts of all skill levels.
- FAVORITE OF BEGINNERS & PROS: The Introduction model paints set is one of the most popular Game Color assortments of our brand. It contains a selection of 16 colors, 4 of them metallic, specially designed to introduce you to the exciting world of painting fantasy miniatures and wargames
- WIDE RANGE OF COLORS: The set consists of 16 bottles of 18 ml (0.60 fl.oz.) with eyedropper and contains the following colors: 72.001 Dead White - 72.034 Bone White - 72.006 Sun Yellow - 72.008 Orange Fire - 72.010 Bloody Red - 72.022 Ultramarine Blue - 72.030 Goblin Green - 72.028 Dark Green - 72.036 Bronze Brown - 72.040 Leather Brown - 72.043 Beasty Brown - 72.049 Stonewall Grey - 72.051 Black - 72.052 Silver - 72.054 Dark Gunmetal - 72.055 Polished Gold
- EASY APPLICATION & FLAWLESS FINISH: The colors have been formulated for brush application, but it can be used with an airbrush if properly diluted with Airbrush Thinner. Colors are easy to apply and blend, offer a matt finish and excellent self-leveling properties that prevent brush strokes from showing on the painted surface. Formulated with state-of-the-art resins, paints provide a high resistance to handling and rubbing
- INNOVATIVE MODELING FORMULA: The new Game Color formulation represents a new approach to painting figures. Developed by our experts together with professional modelers, the new range implies a further step in the evolution of miniature painting by offering an intuitive and easy-to-learn painting method to new generations. The paint spreads very smoothly, is more fluid, opaque and contains a high pigment saturation, chosen for their brightness, maximum stability and resistance to light
- 👩🎨 GREAT FOR BEGINNERS 👨🎨 Designed for every RPG player, miniature painter, and beginner at tabletop gaming. With this set, you have everything you need to create your band of heroes and customise them to look how you want. Gone are the days of settling for pre-painted miniatures that don’t quite capture the essence of your envisioned hero.
- ⚔ Whether you’re new to RPGs, looking for an alternative to Dungeons & Dragons, or wanting to begin your own tabletop role-playing game, the GameMaster: Adventure Set comes with everything you need to bring your adventures to life.
- 🎨 The GameMaster: Adventure Starter Role-Playing Paint Set includes 15 paints, consisting of 10 vibrant colours, 2 Effect paints, 2 Metallics, and 1 versatile Wash. You also get a Painting Guide, an Adventure Starter Guide, a GameMaster Starter Brush, and 5 snap-fit miniatures – FREE!
- 🏆 In this updated GameMaster Adventure Starter Set, the paints are now Warpaints Fanatic, easy-to-use, high-quality acrylic paints with unsurpassed coverage and intense pigmentation. They are set in a premium resin base with proprietary stabilisers, making it possible to thin the paint down to extreme levels while retaining pigment dispersion.
- 🎨Safety guarantee & High quality- Made of premium paint material, conforming to ASTM D-4236 and EN71 standards,HissiCo acrylic paint set is in rich pigment, creamy, non toxic and safe for adults, teens and kids’ creative art painting time
- 🖌Nice Color Blending- Acrylic paints can blend, layer and mix well to produce an array of unlimited shades for any craft projects. Each paint has a fantastic thick consistency for art paintings, which will keep brush or spatula marks well and give brilliant texture for your art masterpieces
- 🎨Easy to Use & Store- The acrylic paint set in flip-top squeeze bottles makes it easy to control the flow while applying the paint to arts painting. Comes in a sturdy nice flip-lid cardboard box, the paint set will be easy to store and safe keeping
- 🖌Multifunctional Acrylic Paint Set- HissiCo acrylic paints are versatile in canvas art, painting, scrap booking and even nail arts, suitable for most surfaces, including stretched canvas, wood, glass, card decorating, plastic, craft foam, ceramic, decorative wallpaper, terracotta, blackboard easel, paper and tin
- Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000: Paints + Tools Set (2023 Edition)
- Assemble, prepare, and paint your miniatures
- Base paints - Abaddon Black, Corax White, Wraithbone, Naggaroth Night, Macragge, Leadbelcher, Balthasar Gold, Bugman's Glow, Mephiston Red
- Other paints - Thunderhawk Blue (Layer), Magos Purple (Contrast), Agrax Earthshade (Shade), Armageddon Dust (Technical)
- The VM Pigment Model Set is the culmination of extensive global research, integrating cutting-edge pigment technologies to deliver over 200 scientifically curated color libraries. Designed for professional coating, model-making, and artistic creation, our multi-color configuration system facilitates color mastery from novice to expert level.
- VM Water-based Model Paints feature exceptional opacity and self-leveling properties that minimize brush marks, achieving spray-like finish quality. The high-flow formulation ensures natural film leveling, enabling uniform surface application even with rudimentary tools (e.g., toothpicks), significantly reducing tool dependency.
- 5ml/0.169oz micro-containers incorporate glass agitator beads for optimal pigment homogenization. Our compact packaging reduces pigment waste by 90%, ensuring maximum utilization efficiency with every opening.
- Formulated with non-toxic, odorless components meeting international environmental regulations. Our eco-conscious composition ensures safe domestic use with complete peace of mind.
- COMPLETE MINIATURE PAINTING KIT: The professional miniature painting kit includes 18 colors model paint, thinner, miniature painting handle, triple wet and dry palette, 8pcs miniature paint brushes and 3pcs drybrush, 2pcs gray sponges, 50pcs pallet paper, brush rest holder and elastic band, all-in-on painting kits can meet the needs of modelers, hobbyists, and artists
- ACRYLIC MODEL PAINT: Professionally formulated and pre-thinned for smooth application, brush-on coverage that dries to a durable matte finish. 20ml dropper bottle for precise control, ready to achieve precise and professional results, perfect for professional miniature or model painting enthusiast and hobbyist
- MINIATURE PAINTING HANDLE: The ergonomic painting handle is engineered for precision and comfort. Its universal mounting putty securely holds most miniatures, while the smooth 360° rotation and swappable caps provide effortless access to every angle. Enhanced with a magnetic dock for stability, it includes 3 metal disc, 4 swappable caps and putty to transform your painting workflow
- STAY WET PALETTE: Use in combination with gray sponge and palette paper, the wet pallet is designed for keeping paint wet, paint pallets with lid not only prevent paint from drying out during painting, also saves leftover acrylic paint for nest time painting. Please tie elastic bands to ensure a complete seal (Size: 9.6 x 6.2 inch)
- The VM Pigment Model Set is the culmination of extensive global research, integrating cutting-edge pigment technologies to deliver over 200 scientifically curated color libraries. Designed for professional coating, model-making, and artistic creation, our multi-color configuration system facilitates color mastery from novice to expert level.
- VM Water-based Model Paints feature exceptional opacity and self-leveling properties that minimize brush marks, achieving spray-like finish quality. The high-flow formulation ensures natural film leveling, enabling uniform surface application even with rudimentary tools (e.g., toothpicks), significantly reducing tool dependency.
- 5ml/0.169oz micro-containers incorporate glass agitator beads for optimal pigment homogenization. Our compact packaging reduces pigment waste by 90%, ensuring maximum utilization efficiency with every opening.
- Universal compatibility with exceptional chromatic fidelity delivers smooth, uniform finishes and superior detail reproduction. Demonstrates excellent weather resistance and chemical compatibility with most commercial water-based pigments.
The Ultimate Miniature Paint Buying Guide
Welcome, fellow hobbyists! Painting miniatures brings your tabletop armies and role-playing characters to life. Choosing the right paints makes a huge difference. This guide helps you pick the perfect colors for your next project.
Key Features to Look For
When you buy miniature paints, look closely at these important features. They tell you how well the paint will work.
Pigment Load and Coverage
- Pigment Load: This means how much actual color is in the paint. High pigment loads mean you need fewer coats to get a solid color. Good paints have a high pigment load.
- Coverage: This is how well the paint hides the surface underneath. Thin paints might need three or four layers. Thick, high-quality paints often cover well in one or two layers.
Consistency and Flow
Consistency is how thick or thin the paint is. The paint should flow smoothly off your brush. If it is too thick, it hides the tiny details on your model. If it is too thin, it runs everywhere and provides poor coverage.
Durability and Finish
Once dry, the paint needs to last. Look for paints that resist chipping or scratching if you handle your miniatures often. Also, check the finish. Do you want a matte finish (no shine), a satin finish (slight sheen), or a high-gloss finish?
Important Materials and Types of Paint
Miniature paints usually fall into a few main categories based on their base material.
Acrylic Paints
Acrylic paints are the most common choice for miniatures. They are water-based. This means they clean up easily with water when wet. They dry quickly. Most major brands use acrylics.
Specialty Paints
- Inks and Washes: These are very thin paints. They flow into the cracks and recesses of the model. This technique darkens the shadows naturally.
- Metallics: These paints contain tiny metal flakes. They give a realistic shine to armor or weapons.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
What makes a paint great or just okay? It often comes down to the ingredients and how the manufacturer prepares them.
Factors That Improve Quality
- Fine Milling: High-quality paints have pigments that are ground down very finely. This prevents the paint from looking grainy on the model.
- Binder Quality: The binder holds the pigment to the surface. Good binders make the paint stick well and create a strong, flexible layer.
Factors That Reduce Quality
Cheap paints often use too much filler or water. This lowers the pigment load. Also, if the paint separates quickly in the pot (the water floats to the top), it shows a lower quality binder was used. You must shake these paints constantly.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about what you plan to paint. Different models need different paint styles.
Beginners
If you are new, choose beginner-friendly acrylic sets. These often come in starter kits. They are usually easy to thin with water and offer good coverage. They help you learn the basics of layering and shading.
Advanced Techniques
Experienced painters often seek out highly pigmented, specialized paints. These paints handle advanced techniques like blending (smoothly transitioning between two colors) better. They also work well for detailed work like painting faces or eyes.
Remember, the best paint is the one that helps you achieve the look you want for your miniatures!
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Miniature Paints
Q: What is the best way to thin miniature paints?
A: Use distilled water or a dedicated acrylic thinner. Add it slowly until the paint coats your brush smoothly, like thin cream. Do not add too much water, or you lose all the color.
Q: Do I need to use a primer before painting?
A: Yes, always prime your miniatures. Primer helps the paint stick to the plastic, resin, or metal surface. Unprimed paint often flakes right off.
Q: How long do acrylic miniature paints take to dry?
A: They usually dry to the touch within 5 to 20 minutes, depending on humidity and how thick you applied the coat. You can usually apply a second coat after about an hour.
Q: Should I shake or stir my paints?
A: Always shake or stir your paints before use. Pigments settle at the bottom of the bottle over time. If you do not mix them, you paint with mostly water.
Q: Are expensive brands always better than cheaper ones?
A: Often, yes. Expensive paints usually have much higher pigment loads and better binders. This means they look better and require fewer coats, saving you time in the long run.
Q: What is ‘brush-on primer’?
A: Brush-on primer is a thick paint designed specifically to act as a base coat. You paint it on like a regular color coat, and it grips the model very well.
Q: Can I use craft store acrylic paints on my miniatures?
A: You can, but craft paints are very thick and have low pigment quality. They often cover up the fine details on small models. They work better for large base coats on bigger terrain pieces.
Q: What is ‘layering’ in miniature painting?
A: Layering means applying thin coats of slightly lighter colors over a base color. Each layer builds up highlights slowly, creating smooth color transitions.
Q: How should I store my leftover paint?
A: Keep the lids tightly closed. Store bottles upright in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. This keeps the paint from drying out or separating too quickly.
Q: What is a ‘wash’ used for?
A: A wash is a very thin, dark paint used to define shadows. You apply it over a dry, lighter color, and it naturally flows into all the recesses and gaps, making details pop out.
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