There’s a moment every new miniature painter experiences.

You finish your first model, set it on the table, and think:“…Why doesn’t mine look like the ones online?”

Good news: it’s usually not talent.

Most beginner painters struggle with a handful of very fixable problems:

• Paint going on too thick

• Details disappearing

• Colors looking flat

• Shaky highlights

• Washes pooling everywhere

• Paint drying too fast on the palette

• Feeling overwhelmed by “advanced” tutorials

The truth is that tabletop-ready miniatures are built on a few simple fundamentals. Once you learn those, your models improve fast.

At Monkey Llama Games, we love helping new painters level up without turning the hobby into homework. Whether you’re painting your first goblin, Space Marine, dragon, or investigator, these five beginner-friendly techniques will immediately improve your results.

And if you want hands-on help, join us for Mini Painting Monday at Monkey Llama Games — a welcoming space where painters of every skill level hang out, learn together, and swap techniques.

1. Thin Your Paints (Seriously)

If there’s one tip nearly every experienced painter repeats, it’s this:

Thin your paints.

Miniature paints are often thicker than they should be straight from the pot or bottle. Thick paint fills in tiny sculpted details and leaves rough brush marks. Thin paint flows smoothly and preserves detail. Beginner guides and community painters consistently recommend multiple thin coats instead of one thick coat.

The Beginner Problem

Your mini looks “chunky” or loses facial details, armor lines, or textures.

The Fix

Put paint on your palette and add a tiny bit of water with your brush until the consistency resembles melted ice cream or whole milk.

You’ll usually need:

• 2 thin coats instead of 1 thick coat

• Less paint on the brush than you think

• Patience between layers

Suggested Tools

• Size 1 round synthetic brush for general painting

• Size 0 detail brush for smaller areas

• Wet palette

• Brush soap for cleaning

A wet palette is one of the biggest quality-of-life upgrades for beginners because it keeps acrylic paint workable longer.

Beginner Pro Tip

Before touching the miniature, wipe a little paint off the brush onto your palette or a paper towel. Overloaded brushes cause most beginner mistakes.

2. Let Washes Do the Hard Work

Washes are magic.

A wash is a very thin paint designed to flow into recesses and shadows automatically, creating instant depth and contrast.

The Beginner Problem

Your model looks flat and “toy-like.”

The Fix

After your base colors dry, apply a wash over textured areas:

• Brown washes for leather, bone, and warm colors

• Black washes for armor, metal, machinery, and dark shadows

Watch the details suddenly pop.

Suggested Tools

• Medium layer brush

• Water pot with clean rinse water

• Paper towel for wicking away excess wash

Important Beginner Mistake to Avoid

Don’t let washes pool on flat surfaces. If you see puddles forming, dry your brush and use it like a sponge to pull excess wash away. Community painters specifically warn beginners about this because it creates blotchy surfaces.

At Monkey Llama Games, we carry a variety of:

• Base paints

• Layer paints

• Contrast paints

• Washes and shades

If you aren’t sure which wash works best for your project, we’re happy to help you pick one out.

3. Drybrushing Makes Texture Pop Instantly

Drybrushing is one of the fastest ways to make a miniature look dramatically better.

The Beginner Problem

Fur, stone, chainmail, wood, or textured surfaces look dull and unfinished.

The Fix

Load a brush with paint, wipe almost all of it off on a paper towel, then lightly drag the brush across raised surfaces.

The remaining paint catches only the raised details.

Suddenly:

• Fur gets depth

• Stone gets texture

• Metal gets highlights

• Armor edges stand out

Suggested Tools

• Cheap makeup brush or dedicated drybrush

• Paper towel

• Texture-heavy miniatures for practice

Beginner Pro Tip

Use less paint than you think. If the brush leaves streaks instead of subtle highlights, it’s still too wet.

Drybrushing is popular because it’s forgiving, fast, and extremely satisfying for beginners.

4. Use Contrast Paints for Faster Results

Contrast paints changed the hobby for a lot of beginners.

They act like a base coat and a wash at the same time, automatically creating shadows and highlights in a single step.

The Beginner Problem

Painting feels too slow or complicated.

The Fix

Prime your miniature with a light primer like:

• White

• Light gray

• Bone/Wraithbone-style colors

Then apply contrast paint evenly over the surface.

The paint naturally settles darker in recesses and lighter on raised areas.

Suggested Tools

• Light-colored spray primer

• Larger round brush

• Painting handle

Beginner Pro Tip

Contrast paints work best when applied smoothly and confidently. Don’t overwork them while drying or you’ll create streaks.

And yes — we stock contrast paints at Monkey Llama Games alongside traditional base, layer, and wash paints.

Not sure whether traditional painting or contrast painting is better for your first project? Come ask during Mini Painting Monday and we’ll help you choose the right approach.

5. Use a Painting Handle (Your Hands Will Thank You)

This is one beginners almost never think about.

Holding the miniature directly makes your hands shake more, rub off paint, and cramp over time.

The Beginner Problem

Tiny details feel impossible and your hand keeps touching wet paint.

The Fix

Use a painting handle.

A painting handle stabilizes the miniature and gives your off-hand something comfortable to grip.

Painters also recommend bracing your hands together or resting elbows on the table for extra stability.

Suggested Tools

• Citadel painting handle or similar grip

• Cork with poster tack

• Pill bottle + sticky tack DIY setup

Beginner Pro Tip

Good posture matters more than people realize. A comfortable chair, decent lighting, and stable hand positioning can improve your painting overnight.

Your Starter Tool Kit

If you’re just getting started, you do not need a professional studio setup.

A fantastic beginner kit includes:

• Size 1 round brush

• Size 0 detail brush

• Drybrush or makeup brush

• Wet palette

• Water pot

• Paper towels

• Spray primer

• Painting handle

• Base paints

• Layer paints

• Washes

• Contrast paints

That’s enough to create miniatures you’ll be proud to put on the table.

The Best Way to Improve? Paint More Minis.

Every painter you admire once painted messy first miniatures.

Improvement comes from repetition:

• Learning brush control

• Understanding paint consistency

• Experimenting with washes

• Trying new techniques

• Finishing models instead of endlessly restarting them

And honestly? Painting with other people helps a lot.

That’s why we host Mini Painting Monday at Monkey Llama Games. Bring your current project, ask questions, learn new tricks, and paint alongside a welcoming community that loves helping beginners grow.

Whether you’re painting your very first goblin or trying to finally master highlights, we’d love to paint with you.

Happy painting — and remember:A painted miniature on the table always beats a perfect one still in the box. 🎨