As an aircraft and armour modeller who watches a lot of mini painting videos, whenever I feel my part of this hobby is expensive, I just pop into a Games Workshop store and look at the prices they charge. I immediately feel better and then go and splash out on something nice for myself!
What you get with Tamiya or Trumpeter with photo etched brass is so much better than what you get from GW at a fraction of the price. I've seen Tamiya models that were photographed so well they looked like real photos of ships from ww2
Using a hobby knife to remove mold lines : use the BACK of the blade!! It's dull enough to not gouge but still sharp enough to scrape away lines. This also keeps the sharp side usable.
As a sewist, I have to point out that the fabric you’re referencing is actually called interfacing. Just so if anyone goes out to a fabric store to get some, they’ll know what to ask for! There’s lots of different kinds in different thicknesses - you probably want something that’s not too stiff. You could also use pretty much any plain white fabric!
You’re absolutely right about a lot of these products being totally senseless. However, as a new hobbyist, having these ridiculous products available has made it easier for me to identify what I’ve needed or what could make my life easier. They put into material form the solutions to problems I couldn’t articulate. And I feel that’s important, as it’s helped me to grow as a hobbyist. I still sit my models on top of a cardboard box when I prime them for example, so not much has changed there. I don’t use foam tape or anything. But there’s a comfort in knowing there are easier ways identified by others. I don’t feel quite so alone or overwhelmed when I know others have experienced the same trials and tribulations as me and market their solutions.
"You are absolutely correct about almost everything in this video" "I'm new to this, and have little experience" I'm paraphrasing, obviously, but you really sound like you need someone else to make your decisions for you.
@@mattpace1026 If that's what you took away from that post, I really don't know what to say to you. Are you insinuating I can't possibly make both of those comments? That they somehow contradict one another?
@@mattpace1026 Also, you misquoted me in bad faith, so you'll have to forgive me if I make the assumption you're being vitriolic for the sake of stirring the pot.
I've had a pretty good experience with the citadel model holder, I have extremely shaky hands and the ergonomics of the smaller one really does help out with being able to rest it. I'm sure I could recreate it on a lathe but, then I'd need a 300$ lathe
I'm sorry about your shaking, can't be an easy hobby. The point is not that the holder is bad, the point is that overcharge for it. It is so expensive compared to what you get. I also bought the first version they released, and sometimes it's nice, but mostly I'm fine with bluetac/stickygum and a champagne bottle cork.
I'd like to try one. I've found tape and blue tack normally leads to models galling off as I try to reach an area I missed. Maybe wood with nails and elastic might work for me.
If you have the curiosity and desire, machining is an absolutely wonderful hobby. Pick up an inexpensive benchtop lathe and start making chips. Machining and model making go hand in hand.
Excellent video. I have two items to add: makeup brushes are just as good as purpose-made "dry brushes", and are much cheaper. And instead of double-sided foam tape, I just use regular tape (painters is fine, but duct should be stickier). Works fine, I've never had a model come off during painting. Oh, and for handles, I use prescription bottles. They're zero cost (and keep plastic out of the "recycle" stream). Oh, and finally, I feel like every single video which potentially talks to new painters should say "do not buy expensive brushes - cheap synthetic ones will produce identical results for vastly cheaper while you're just starting out, save your money until you've mastered brush control".
As Painting handels i alsways glue a magnet in the bases first. so i use some small jars with meattal lids. Depending on Mini Size you could use this also as "Transport Box)
the makeup brushes vary, there's a few forms of drybrushing when you're going to get better results from a proper drybrush, but the makeup brushes are fantastic for a sort of soft focus drybrush like for terrain, not so great if you want to go full Artis Opus on a model. For any australians, Herron brand paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets (and at least one Coles store-brand paracetamol variety) come in fantastic pill bottles for using as paint handles, complete with a childproof cap which you can use to rotate the model with the thumb that's holding the bottle.
@@victorbeine948 Great idea! It's nice to have magnets in your bases anyway for transportation in a box with a metal sheet at the bottom. Also of you play a game with regiments bases you can put a magnetic sheet on that and minimize the risk of toppling over your minis :)
@@Hudson316 If my painting ever gets good enough that I outgrow makeup brushes (and of course any brushes which I retire from normal use), I'll try "proper drybrushes" sometime. Do you have a recommendation for brand?
On the matter of liquid greenstuff- those weird textures you're getting are actually a silver lining. I love using liquid greenstuff to accomplish things like armor texture, corrosion, or dirt effects on my minis and models.
So, bad for the advertised purpose but good for other purposes? Reminds me of how I use contrast paints: as ready-made glazes, usually to layer over metallics for consistently shiny colours. I can't see myself painting entire models using them, but I'm happy with the ones I have.
I love the hobby handle. My favour bit of it is after I've finished my painting session and putting all my stuff away with cramp in my hand, finding it on the shelf, and holding my misshapen clawhand, thinking that'd have been very handy!
I like mine too. I have to originally one with the fixed handle. I don’t do the rubber band thing though. Instead I use poster tack so I can get the entire base and fit more models on the stick.
I'm very fond of mine too. I've got a big wooden one I use for painting busts and non-based stuff as well, but for blasting through a half dozen dudes without fiddling with dirty blue-tac or anything I love them to bits. Plus they don't give me the cramples, as you mention. Big advantage. 😊
I usually use my hobby knife for moldline removals, but i always do it right after i cut it off the sprue. Never have i glued a mini together, and THEN start moldline removal. No stress about fitting in the smallest places
I have one of those massage guns for knots in my back. Realized one day I could use it for my paints. Works like a charm and I already had it. I bet a lot of painters have one of those laying around.
@@brinx8634 The massage gun he’s referring to is probably a reciprocating one that basically punches you. From what I’ve heard around the internet, not the best device to use to pleasure one’s self due to friction.
really happy to have you share honest opinions while not being negative. you're clear about your sponsorships and you're about what you don't like. havin this type of honesty is rare this day and age and it's really appreciated.
Rattle Can Pro Tip: Rip off the spray tip from an old GW Can you have and replace the non GW Can tip. It helps the generic primer spray more evenly IMO
The GW priming stick has been really helpful for me as I dont have any outside space and I usually have to quickly prime everything on the street outside my apartment. The fact that it rotates on the handle is REALLY helpful, and it holds things really well, much better than blue tack on a peice of wood!
Random small point: I don't see blocking base rims as a big issue because I prime and paint models separately from their base. If you do them both in one go, it's common to create an effect that looks like the mini is standing in holes and base additions are covering their feed in odd, unnatural ways. Sure, some scenic bases don't have this problem, but basing is half the scene of a miniature model to me, so I'm going to be sprucing it up which means it's easier to work with and more natural to keep them separate
I have actually really liked the mold line remover. I have used the Xacto knife blade, but find that most of the time the mold line remover does a great job - to each their own though.
Hey, we can't improve if we don't recognise our inadequacies. Keep at it mate, we all improve with time. I'm interested if you have Instagram or anything, maybe you're being over critical of your work because it's yours and we are usually much more critical of our own work. We can't see past any errors we know are there where as others work, if we aren't aware of the error, we have to look far harder to notice it. Especially in photos.
I have good success with GW's mold line removal tool. I do suppliment it with a) a hobby knife for the tough spots and, b) some small files for restoring flat and round surfaces. There is no one-size-fits-all tool for this but the GW tools gets a lot of work done before i hit the limitations.
I've had good use out of GW mould line removal tool, too. I use a variety of things though depending on the mini and sometimes don't use it at all. Just another tool in the tool box that I use as needed. One can definitely get by without it, but it does its job.
I picked one up after an incident involving hobby knife and 7 stitches. Had to have those afteer market double honed high carbon steel japanese blades...at least it was a clean cut.
I had a hard time finding a painting handle that fit my hands comfortable, so I just 3D printed my own. I found a cylinder-based design online and scaled it up to fit my hand nicely, and I use a little blue tack to hold the mini on. The next upgrade I plan to make to the handle is to magnetize it as I am building out magnetized carrying cases so all my minis will have magnets in their bases anyway.
I did this with my painting handles. I counter sunk a hole in some wood and super glued a magnet in. The biggest problem I've had since then is now I have to put magnets on in the same direction or they won't hold much of anything. After a bit of frustration I just drove a screw into the other side and everything holds fine and I don't have to be as meticulous with putting magnets on models.
@@Florian00 I tried an empty pill bottle but it was a bit too small for me - I had to give it a slight squeeze to hold it comfortably and after an hour of painting my hand was getting tired. But yeah, it’s easy enough to find something suitable for free / low cost if you use a little creativity.
i use random blocks of wood I had lying around as offcuts and sanded them down. stick a bit of blu tack (other tacks are available) on the end and away you go. not something to fuss over really.
Love the rawness and honesty in this video @ninjon. Some of the newer stuff feels a little more hammy. I'm new to the channel, so just my 2cents as i work throught the backlog Thanks for the content you make. IT has been IMMENSLY HELPFUL!
I absolutely love the Citadel Painting handle. All I need is 1 and I can fly through batch painting of 10-20+ miniatures popping them in and out in a fraction of a second rather than having to individually attach holders to every single model. This also allows me to play with said models in-between paint sessions rather than having to tear them on and off poster tack. I hear the gripe on the priming part, but I typically batch prime, so I will prime about 100 models in one session simply using poster tack and larger wooden paint stir sticks from the hardware store.
That genuinely seems like a good use case to me. Thing is - I can't batch paint more than 4 models at a time without getting bored to tears (yes, I know from hard experience) so it's not something that's ever going to matter to me personally.
Yep. I have a thing for 2nd edition metal armies. Shoving super-glued slotta bases down onto poster tack often cracks the superglue and poster tack isn't always strong enough to hold a metal model. The Citadel painting handle is a quick to load and was only about $7 when it came out near me. I have never regretted purchasing a few of them.
I just got back into painting a few years ago to aid in my recovery from a severe brain injury and other issues... GW is way expensive and at first due to not grasping all the core concepts tried to mimic.... Your vids helped me tremendously and save me $ too. Thank you.
I stumbled across a good use for the Citadel mold line remover the other day. It's amazing for cleaning up rough edges on 3D filament prints! It's especially good for scraping stubborn bits of brim off the bases of 3D prints.
I love my mold line remover. I have no idea why people shit on it so much. Sure it can’t get into tight spaces, but where it can hit, it is a joy to use. Then clean up other areas with hobby knife.
@@stephenmel8630 Yeah, it's a great tool for surfaces it can reach, and a lot more forgiving than knives. I have the Monument seam scraper too, which is better at tight spaces but takes more practice to use well. The Citadel scraper is way more intuitive.
I put something into this list: Valejo Pigments. You can get really good artists Pastel chalks for a fraction of the price these pigments costs. In fact, all "Modelers Pigments" are incredibly overpriced.
ì use the normal colours and they are nice, i know pigments are a different thing but i wonder why they seem overpriced when the normal colours are known for a good beginner paint since it doesnt cost much and still does a good job
@@theruintheruin337 Hi, if I may give a pointer: mostly demand. Also you can 'make a lot of paint with a bit of pigment' to make it short, but depend on how you make your paint. But if you look at higher grade paints like extra fine acrylics, they are usually organized in series with different pricing based on the pigments used (for instance you can get a titanium white for 7€ but a cadmium red or a cobalt blue will cost you 14€, same quantity in the daler rowney cryla series). In higher grades paint, pigment is still the biggest cost factor of the paint. Most of the time the biggest "gap" I see are in the oils, for instance in Lefran Bourgeois series, titanium white is about 7€ 40ml, blue turquoise cobalt is 30€ 40ml. For artist grade paint, most of the time, the price are the same accross the whole range, but the quality and quantity of the pigment are often lesser. But you often get a bigger range of color which might be nice for newcomers and the price tag is way bellow, nice for learning, especially when you paint on canvas. EDIT: If you "like pigment" look for "The Library of Rare Colors", a 5min video that show a tour of a huge collection of pigment maintained by the Harvard Art Museum. (maybe the biggest on earth? dunno)
I just got started with painting miniatures. For paint shaking I just use a electric sander, The kind that shake like crazy. I just get a separate piece of sand paper and turn in upside down so it can protect the Army Paint bottles. Does really good! Not as convenient as the vortex, but I already had it and it works ha ha.
Thanks for pointing out gw whites. I was using some a few days ago and I was having a real rough time. They separate in the pot and become a mess. Then when you get them mixed its like a watery goop that doesn't act like paint.
They dry out REALLY quickly, too. That might also be a side effect of those horrid paint pots, but my GW whites (and off-whites) turned in to useless goo very quickly.
@@ArawnNox Ceramite White turns into a ball of solid pigment floating in a pot full of medium. Skull white just dries out. Corax White's brush-on version is just... odd. Like, even fresh out of a new pot it's an oddly thick consistency like a gel.
I got a pot of ceramite white and it was unusable, took it back, exchanged for another same thing, opened another, same thing. The kid at the gw store was embarrassed as anything. Got a pot of uthulan grey... Same thing😂
I had the exact same issue with GW Whites being lumpy and a mess. Added flow improver to the pots, shook it up, left for several days, and it seemed to help, but still lumpy.
6:30 diffusion material use parchment paper. It's cheap, easy to clean, heat resistant, water resistant. We use it on tour for certain lighting situations on stage.
Honestly I've found some decent use from just blue tacing some paints onto my air compressor. They shake alot and if I'm using it for like 20 minutes for one or 2 paints, I can have a few on the back log.
Air compressor and vortex mixer are about the same cost. Though I guess you could call the air compressor a multiuse tool if you use it as a paint mixer too!
@@Micsma yeah it shakes about as well as the nail polish shaker seems to, difference is that I don't need to kill my arm shaking a tough paint for 5 minutes when I can leave it on the compressor for like 40 doing something else first. Find a lazy method before the effective one, if it works go for it.
I got a citadel mould line remover with my first starter paint kit and I occasionally use it after the hobby knife, to clean up sprue connections on concave surfaces that are pretty impossible with the knife. The curved end is perfect for that
Hey ninjon, so that method you use with the resin, it’s called resin welding, I use it for printed minis and props make sure you have a dedicated brush exclusively for that resin, and make sure you wear a respirator and uv resistant goggles as even the reflection off of your mini can damage your eyes!
Hi Legokid, do you know if that same method would work for _repairing_ broken resin miniatures? I have a resin miniature that has shattered (it broke into pieces when I soaked it in isopropyl alcohol for stripping and starting brushing the paint away with a toothbrush) ; the breaks are very clean but so small and fine that I'm not sure superglue would work.
Wearing normal 1.5 hardness prescription glasses reduces the uv light by 98% and if the glasses are made with 1.6 hardness it is increased to 100% uv reduction. Still better safe then sorry but it doesn’t take much to stop uv, there is a reason you will never get a tan sitting in your car or near a window.
The GW moldline removal tool can actually be quite useful, that is in certain situations uncommon for assembling infantry models. For 1:24 scale model cars with a chassis the size of smartphone that have a moldline on the edge it's great, same thing for terrain and tanks. At least if you're buying them from companies that don't properly cast their plastic, a Tamiya, Meng or Tiger model modelling kit will likely not have many uses for the tool.
That's not what a light box is for. Its for even light coverage reflecting light around the box so you don't get any hard shadows. Using different back drops will allow for different light reflections and absorption. They only diffuse light if they have a diffuser but that's a whole other problem and that's based on how strong your lights are.
3:45 gotta admit ... army painter anti shine is still one of my go to products for varnishing my customers models... no weird frosting like i had with some other products
@@Torkijo the main thing is .. i dont feel like switching when im doing a big project.. and the availability over here... i tried some montana cans... but they only work for terrain.. even their best line has some weak pressure.
I actually LIKE the priming crossbow thing. I do 1:72 armies, and double-sided tape doesn't seem to hold them down well enough to airbrush the primer. What DOES work better, is I have a bunch of these things by Tamyia that are short dowels with alligator clips attached. The downside is you can only prime one at a time. (For totally worthless things, Tamyia also sells a "holder" for said clippy sticks that's just cardboard ends stuck together. I buy things like that (for much cheaper) for my cats to use as scratchers)
So do I tbh, you can double or triple up the elastic bands or stretch them across the base itself rather than around the outside and its MUCH more secure than tape or bluetack for holding a mini upside-down, priming metal or anything heavier than usual.
Thanks Jon for that airbrush cleaner recipe! Since its such an investment I've been hesitant to try make my own mix, but that recipe is so simple and definitely amazing on the cost front!
A small revelation from my experience regarding terrain-paste/color. GW made some terrain pastes, like Stirland Mud or Armageddon Dune and whatnot. Since I have a Khemri army here, logically I used a lot of sand. But over the years this sand got everywhere. My table, my transportation devices, my car, EVERYWHERE. So I tried the terrain colors and, holy hell, I fell in love. It looked better than sand, left no gaps, I could paint it better and it made no mess. But, as they are from GW, they were pricey. So later I found the Diorama Pastes from AK Interactive. And these are amazing! They look very realistic and are, compared to GW; dirt cheap. While one pot costs around 9-10€, it contains 250ml of pure goodness. I think one pot will last most of my lifetime. A pot from GW costs 6.3€ and contains 24ml.
For handles, I cut some round dowel and epoxied big round magnets to the dowel. It's worked really well so far since I magnetize all my bases. Need to make some kind of holder because they're a bit top heavy.
For mine I used square stock and drilled holes for the dowels so they can be swapped in and out. I have a handful of individual cubes and one longer piece with multiple holes that I can put a bunch of the dowels in for batch priming.
Honestly, the citadel paint handle is pretty well designed and cheap. I got it as a small Christmas gift from someone who knew I'm into the hobby and i use it and don't feel bad throwing a few coins to GW for it
I did the same thing with dowels, sunk magnets into the top, adhered with epoxy. My solution for standing them up was to take a board and put some screws through it, and drill some holes in the bottom of the dowels for the screws to slot into. Ta-da, batch painting handle array at the ready. I just leave the whole thing on my painting desk.
I actually love the painting handles from cobalt keep. It’s $10 for three handles and your magnetic bases snap right on! They even make an extra large version for larger hands.
Great video! I loved the end where you were all "Okay, now I'm all worked up!", LOL! That's what happens when you rant about crappy things! :D I've really enjoyed your videos over the last year! Glad I found the channel. I'll have to take a look at the Umbrella Games link for sure.
I recently got into Warhammer and mini painting and i really didn't know where to start tool wise. Luckily after doing some research i was already pretty set from my hobby of building Gunpla. But i was still a bit confused on painting and that side of the hobby. I ended up just using really cheap alternatives like using Tack and a plastic Shot glass as mini holder and buying all my spray paints at a hardware store. Same with my acrylics, bought a massive starter set of cheap paints for like 10 bucks and the only thing i bought from Citdel was Nuln oil, for shading. The hobby doesn't have to be expensive or convoluted and so seeing creative ways to make painting and making the models look nicer is always a fun thing for me
5:00 Sand can actually be kind of problematic if you don't live in a region that has the right kind of sand. I live 5 miles from the sea, but the sand on the beaches is too fine to be of any use for anything, and while there might be coarser sand closer to the mouth of the river, I'd have to walk a mile over treacherous slippery rocks and through deep mud to reach it. The next option is sand and grit from pet stores which I can buy in 1 kilo or 5 kilo bags; I do use it sometimes but I've not had much luck finding larger grain sand.
Pretty sure I'm in a region that straight up doesn't have the right kind of dirt to use for models, though beach sand is only about a ten minute drive away.... but I'll stick to my fake stuff because I ain't putting sand or dirt in my oven, considering it's convection and you can't turn that part of it off, so that dirt's just gonna go flying.
I use sharp sand from my local DIY store. £2 for 20kg. Has a nice mix of grain size so when you put it on the base, it looks like a mix of sand, gravel and boulders. Only problem is it comes in 20kg bags, so unless you need it for making mortar or concrete and using the leftovers for modelling, it's more than you will ever need.
Anyone remember the airbrush GW used to sell? It used a can of air (which was around £5 at the time), using a can would give different air pressure the longer you used it, an absolutely terrible product
As someone whose preferred paint handle is blue tack/wood block (over any of the fancy stuff), I actually like the Citadel spray stick. I didn't think I would, but the easy rotation, plus the reusability (not constantly having to change the tape), is actually quite convenient. It didn't look like you actually tried the spray stick before giving it a review. I suggest actually giving it a go.
I have to disagree with the mouldline remover! I agree with what you're saying about the tight spaces and such, but I love that tool! It's easily one of my favorite purchases. Because it isn't sharp you don't risk gouging the model or your fingers! It's great for the really small fiddly bits as well, I have a bunch of Death Guard and being able to scrape away those lines without worrying about accidentally cutting off a horn or spike, or tentacle tip has been really nice. I do still use an xacto for the tight spaces and fiddlier spots where it struggles to get into, but it's a nice tool for your hobby desk! I liked the GW one so much I'm about to buy the Monument one. Great video though, very handy!
I disagree on the mould line remover as well. I used to use the reverse side of the blade for years, and got chatter marks. I don't with this tool. Also, you can use the tip of the mould line remover to ream out the female side of push fit minis, to help them fit together better.
@@maverickman6486 I have before. The remover seems to do better. I'm not knocking people who don't use it or prefer to use an xacto. And I don't think it's a necessity, but it works a lot better for me. I've had inadvertent slips and gouged models when using the back of the blade too.
@@maverickman6486 No, it doesn't. It has a sharp blade on the other side that I have to be careful about, especially when using it near fragile parts of the model. I tried both and found the tool to be much better. Can you make do with just the knife - sure.
@@oerthling Well to each their own. The "dull" side of the blade works great, especially for tight areas. If it there was something really fragile, a more delicate method should be used than a dull piece of metal.
I honestly really like the GW mouldline remover, it doesn't cut into the model like a hobby scalpel, and you can use very fine scraping movements to get a smooth surface. I also like the GW handle, I use it after priming (never even thought of trying to prime using it), and it's really nice for stabilizing hands for clean painting and looking at the model from different angles that are harder to achieve by holding the model itself.
You can use the back side of the hobby scalpel. It's literally the same thing as the mold remover. You can also use old scalpel blades. Can't go wrong with them.
The one thing about this video I kinda disagree with is the airbrush cleaner. I do make my own and I use Windex with ammonia which works great. But if you're branching out into other brands of paint you may want a branded cleaner. I use mainly tamiya acrylic, which isn't true acrylic, but you need the branded stuff to get the best result.
I think the light box is the only one I'd really argue with. I've used one for ages for a lot more than minis. While your solution is a great option, I don't know that it's any easier to set up, and with a light box, you get a nice clean background aside from just the diffusion for your item that won't distract from the item itself. It's been a priceless tool for my business that does double time helping show off some of my hobbies.
@@IHateRUclipsHandles615 Good idea. I didn't buy one, I built it out of an empty box and some white fabric. I use one a bit bigger because it has to fit things larger than minis, but 1gal jug is probably perfect for most minis.
Okay, I'm not a sediment specialized geologist.... but the size thing on broken rocks is highly dependent upon the environment. Some areas have very homogenous grain size. Some are heterogeneous. So that's food for some thought. Still don't need to buy sand from mini companies though!
What I use is I bought a bag of playground sand from the hardware store (leaves you plenty for terrain, too), so it's already "cleaned", and for rocks, hit up a pet supply store and get a bag of aquarium stones. Works wonders! Oh, and snow? You can get an amazing dusty snow look with kosher salt and baking soda.
12:50 hey there, I'm quite unexperienced when it comes to tabletop paints. Can you explain me why citadel white is bad? I have it and I use it at the moment. I thinned it down a bit. (there's not many white parts on my models tho)
THANK YOU!! Ninjon, you nailed it. Especially the, ahem, "priming stick". Many of us hobbyist already have a magpie mentality (i.e. oooh, pretty, sparkly, shiny - gotta have it), and these gimmicky items just seem to feed into that. This is definitely a case of caveat emptor.
They're quite new, but I really like Artis Opus brushes if you're ever looking for a high quality set of sable brushes. About the same price range as Windsor and Newton. I find them slightly less hardy than W and N, but they feel slightly smoother to use.
I'm just starting, and bought myself some Vallejo primer, but since you speak of other brands, (that o can't find in my country) I was just wondering if those are normal spray paints that can act as primer or are they primer?
In my own personal experience...... the Krylon (and any other "store bought" spray cans) flow and fill features in a way that citadel spray cans don't. I have tried so many different spray brands, and the only one that I have found that comes close to the quality of Citadel spray is Vallejo, which is also expensive. Citadel spray doesn't flow, and has a nicer hold. I've found krylon chips off easier when I'm painting the model. I will say that the low-flow tips on the $12 Vallejo bottles make them well worth the money (IMO! of course)
when it comes to shaking up paint i usually take the ones im gonna use and throw them all in a large sock and pretend its a nunchuck. Does the job pretty well.
I spy some of that new golden matte paint. I'm curious how that will perform for minis. As for liquid green stuff/sprue goo, Tamiya white putty and Mr hobby thinned putty work very well.
heh the mold line remover is my absolute favourite on resin models (but never used it for plastics) - in my opinion it is absolutely without peer to cleaning up the imperfections on larger pieces of resins; but absolutely wrong for fine details
I like the old painting handle, just for comfort since it fits my hand well. But I'm planning on making up some wooden dowels for my mini painting classes
I like the Wraith Bone, Macragge Blue, Lead Belcher, and Runelord Brass sprays because they actually are a Primer and a base coat (confirmed by GW, and Painting Lord 2 thin Coats using Duncan Rhodes) and they help me quickly paint up an army of Ultramarines and Necrons, as well as terrain
I do like the GW mold line tool. Jon is right in that it doesn't fit in all places, but where it does work it works like a dream. You have to decide if it's worth the money for you. You could just use a hobby knife instead, but for me I prefer the tool over the knife where I can get away with it. I also like the GW painting handle. The mechanical hold on the rim is solid so I never have to worry about it falling off and the shape is comfortable in my hand. I don't prime on them (for that I use a dowel with a little blue tack). I do have to take it off to paint the rim, but that it the last thing I do on a painted mini and I don't mind holding it by hand or putting it on a dowel for that one step. For me, the comfort of the handle and the safeguard of a mechanical hold are worth it.
For the priming stick, I got one for Christmas last year. The advantage is I use pill bottles for my handles, so I just tack the model to the lid (which I was going to do anyway) and then put it onto the stick. I get to prime the entire model since the bands are on the lid, not the model.
You can up your game by using those reversible-lid bottles for multi-session paint jobs. reverse and screw the model into its own little safety vault (I have some partials that have been shelved in those jobbers for years). Also, hot-glue some pennies into the bottom to keep it from being top-heavy.
My painting handles are the lids from my asthma turbu-halers - figure I get extra points for repurposing scrap. The thinner end is perfect for 25-32mm bases, but I've just found that the wider, open end is exactly right for my 40mm Stormcasts (it took me too long to work that out). I use blu-tac to adhere them, but since seeing your comments about museum putty, I think I'm off to upgrade :)
I'll get some heat for this but I like the GW model holder, primer, and priming stick. Other people have defended the model holder so I'll defend the primer and priming stick. While the spray cans are the same, I've found that GW primer does a better job that equivalents. As for the priming stick, I've tried using sticky tack and adhesive tape but once you've primed once, you have to re-tape it. Putting enough sticky tack on that it'll allow me to rotate the model and spray them without knocking the model off the stick will also make it difficult to remove the models, and I have to clean the sticky tack off the bottom of the model. I find the GW primer stick to be better mechanically
I've had "beading" issues with Krylon and Rustoleum primers. I know, I know, temperature, humidity, and distance. But I've never had the same issue with GW Primers.
@@Traven158 I think the issue is the Krylon and Rustoleum paints are designed to get much more paint downrange than you’ll ever need on a mini. They’re designed for painting walls n other large projects. The Army Painter sprays that I’ve used in the past(and I imagine most other spray paints designed for minis) put down a much finer layer, perfect for painting models.
Photographer and painter here. Completely disagree with the lightbox. Mine cost me 20 quid from amazon and it make mini photography SO EASY and QUICK. Whether I point a highend dslr or my phone at the mini, the picture is great. If you don't have a lightbox it means faffing around (and paying for stuff) to be able to take a good photo.
I disagree with that statement. I dont have a lightbox, my painting lamp and phone lamp is sufficent enough for interesting 3 point lighting. The sun costs nothing. Enough tinkering with the settings and you don't even need any light source other than your screen monitor(s).
I'd say just save your money and use what you have until you can get an off camera flash and trigger. There are trigger/ flash combos that will connect to your smartphone with bluetooth as well if you don't have a dedicated mirrorless or dslr camera. A flash plus a white sheet of paper or foamcore board to bounce it off of, which you might already have for terrain projects, is pro worthy lighting for not as much money as you might think.
I agree. A light box pops up and folds down in seconds, before that it would take much longer to setup the backing image (even if it was black or white it's still take longer than a light box) and then you've got to get the lighting right etc. A light box provides consistent results everytime for me. Maybe Ninjon isn't using it correctly? What he's using doesn't even look like a light box, it's looks home made so of course it's not going to be consistent or even a time saver if he has to set it up to use it each time.
Honestly you can go pretty cheap on light boxes and get a pretty nice result with them, I have one I got for £13 just to take pictures to show friends. I think Jon is right if you already have quality hobby lamps and equipment, but for most people a light box is a decent investment as they're incredibly cheap to get better than average looking photos. I think Jon forgets that as a mini painting youtuber his set up is a fair bit more elaborate than most people's.
I've also been going with the "double-sided tape on stick" method for priming, but it becomes quite a pain after a while since the spray adheres to the tape meaning you have to retape the stick. That, combined with the fact that you have to be outside and get even coatings, made me go out and buy brush on primer (Surface Primer by Vallejo) and I really cannot recommend it enough. It's like $6 for 60 ml, which is gonna last you a while and you basically just slap it on and don't have to worry about the whole spray-can priming hasssle. Just a recommendation!
The caps to liquid laundry soap bottles work great for holders while painting. A little double-sided tape and you're set. Also, they can double as a water cup for your brushes.
I have been using some special basing materials i have collected from all the way back in my teenage years. I used to break open fireworks and try to make my own firecrackers, cakes, crackling bombs, etc. but i also kept a big mason jar to collect all the clay they use here to close the ends of fireworks. Had a whole jar of cilindrical clay pellets that i broke up using a hammer and a heavy-duty bag and now i have an all-purpose basing material that has extremely fine sand, scale pebbles and small rocks all combined into one. Plus, if i dilute the glue with water and let it dry using a hair drier it turns out it crackles quite nicely. Mixing it directly with craft glue, making a thicker paste i can sculpt puddles and stuff, let that dry, and then use watered down glue and the hairdryer to make dried-up puddles. One of those "i have this, let's see what i can do with this" moments that has payed more in hobby fun than that army painter basing kit i have bought way back when i started the hobby. Will see if i can get some ceramic clay to get more material 😜
Great video, but I've gotta strongly disagree with your comments about spray can primer. Cheap hardware store primer is a much thicker paint. It is usable, and with practice and finesse it can be a good budget option, but after 20 years I still fork over the money for hobby primers. The paint is thinner which makes it easier to have a consistent coat in one pass without saturating the model. I will agree that each brand has their strengths within the realm of hobby primers though. Army Painter spray cans are one of the most difficult to use, but if you can figure them out I've found that they have great coverage and last forever. And in my experience GW primers are by far the easiest and most newbie friendly sprays. I just hate to see people who aren't experienced using krylon or another box store brand. Yes, they can work, but because the paint is so thick and because they take skill to use on small models, I do my best to steer people away from them.
I'll second this mate! I work at an automotive paint supplier company and I could take the primers for literally nothing but I still buy the citadel undercoat colours or use my airbrush because I prefer the consistency of the finish and it doesn't cover detail as you run the risk with automotive primer in terms of coverage over detail. Automotive paint and primer is designed to cover better than what you would need from a hobby primer.
I can attest about the primer thickness. I started out using GW primers than moved over using hardware store primers. I have around 8 or 9 different primers. I can tell the difference in primer thickness, I still use the hardware store primers because my FLGS sells GW primers for $30 a can. I know I can get it online for cheaper but shipping eats up the savings.
When properly warmed before use, the primer I use does not obscure noticeable details on my models (just the striations on the most detailed 3d prints). The white is certainly better than Corax White.
@@thelasteinherjar6115 yeah, automotive primer is even worse than hardware store stuff. Years ago we had this kid who would come into the store who insisted on using automotive primer, and it was rough
The citadel handle is better for that exact reason you dislike it 😂 so many minis have been doomed to the pile of shame after a vigorous spray sent them flying off of a Cork 😂😂
8:23 Back in the day, we would use a drop of superglue and glue our minis onto a Testor's paint bottle. Metal cap, glass bottle, easy to hold, we had dozens of them, easy to remove and very little clean up with an X-acto knife to get the glue off the bottom.
Blue tack on a pill bottle is what I use for a painting handle. I can weight the bottle however I want, it's a good grip, I can paint the base rim, and it lets me reuse garbage. Bought the GW handle and the grip is worse, I can't paint base rims, and it feels clunky. Back to pill bottles for me.
Great post. Few questions. For priming, do you see a difference when using contrasts? Or should you stick to the contrast primer. Also, any off the shelf products you would recommend to replace greenstuff? I've tried plastic putty but while it is easier to apply, is still not quite the consistency I need.
I think one reason some might buy things like the mini holder, primer stick and the GW whites is out of convenience and a lack of options. In some situations buying any of those from a local store or ordering online might actually be cheaper (and a LOT less trouble) than getting otherwise cheaper alternatives. For me (without a drivers licence, living in a country with pretty decent busses and trains), getting to a hardware store to pick up free scrap might take almost a day if Im unlucky and it might cost me as much as it would to buy the GW things.
Someone gifted me a GW spray stick and I have to admit I like it more than my scrap wood with double sided tape. I rarely prime more than what it holds and the grip makes it a lot less messy. What can I say, I'm a shill. I'll buy another if this one ever breaks. >D
@@mycatistypingthis5450 I mean, it's a couple of mm on the sides so I just black it over. I don't rim my bases in anything but black, so it's not a problem for me.
The Gw priming stick is indeed one of the dumbest hobby products I've ever encountered. I was so confused when I saw it in the store. It looked like a damned rubber band gun. I'd say EVEN worse than the priming stick is the gw water pot. I have used the same 24 oz yogurt container for the past DECADE.
I've got one and love it lol. You can prime multiple models at the same time and is perfect for also priming all of your sub assemblys. Irrelevant amount of money and has vastly improved my experience of building and priming models.
Don't know if the gw water pot has changed but the one i have had for a number of years has grooves up the inside edge which allow you to squeaze water out as you draw the bruah out of the water. What i don't like about it are the grooves on the bottom which just gather old paint between them and are a pain to clean out.
If you used the water pot, you'd never use anything else again. We are in a hobby where we are spending $1,000's a year on toy soldiers, and we are complaining about a $8 water pot that is *indestructible*?!
Tank-less airbrush compressors. They're sold as a beginner-level product, but because they don't have a tank its basically impossible for them to output consistent pressure. But on the positive side: micro-files aka needle-files. Metal files that come in a variety of shapes, about 2-3 inches long with very tiny filings. Great for finishing up mold-line removal.
I like the GW handle. However i paint base rims at the end of a project when i've varnished the minis, so holding them all by their heads isn't a scary thought xD
Kinda surprised you left out the RGG wet pallette considering you and Scott never had nice words for it on the podcast. I think it fits the descrpition of being an adaquate product but way overpriced compared to the superior Masterson option.
Surprisingly RGG wp has a rubber seal on it and im pretty sure its the only one that does . I have paint in it for 4 months in the dry season . Its still wet and usable .
12:07 Have you tried just using Wiper fluid? Not sure if that's the right term, but I'm talking about the stuff your car uses to clean the windshield. It's basically diluted Iso and the blueish tint diffentiates it from your waterbottle so you don't need to mark it.
I actually like the spray stick. I have always problems with the double sided tape. The spray stick is much more comfortable and make it easier to prime my minis.
My dad have a good tool he use now, it the lunch trays from ikea, he have about 4 of them and he put all parts he use for a project on it, so it all stay together, coz he have 2-3 projects all in process at same time it good to have them on the lunch tray so bits not go missing, and so tools for what u is do it all stay on the tray and not go lost 😊🐶 have great weekend mr NinJon! U a good boy! 🥰🐶
*Instead of double-stick tape, I prefer blue-tac,* yellow-tac, white-tac whatever color that is used for holding posters onto a wall. It's sticky enough to hold well and you can press models into it at different angles than just their flat bases. Currently it's stuck to the top of a UV paint bottle that is thinner and taller. The weight and smooth glass of it makes for a nice handle, and it's heavy enough to sit still if I set it on the table.
I will go to bat for the GW mold line remover for one specific task: terrain assembly. I have been working on Warcry and Necromunda terrain extensively over the past year, and getting to semi-mindlessly scrape away without any fear of consequence while watching a movie or Ninjon video marathon is absolutely A+. I will use it on models too and go back with a hobby knife or sticks on occasion, but I agree that it's not at all ideal for small minis!
The only part that I disagree with were the painting handle...not the points you made because you were dead on, but the GW vs your home made ones. I tried to make my own and failed 5 times in a row with different designs and "tacky" stuff. The spring loaded painting handles beat out every homemade one I could do. They fit my hand better (less cramping and mini claw). They hold the base of the model better (no falling off and messing up the paint I worked so hard on). And as long as I touch up the base edge after, I can move the model in the clamp if needed. But thank you for the amazing video. I was tempted to buy the last item (the batch priming stick) to do my spray on sealing. But I like the stick idea better. Again thank you.
Now as a hobbyist, I’m guilty of 2 things from this video. I use citadel primer and I tend to use higher quality brushes. However, I have my reasons. I said it once on my channel; “The best painting method for miniature making, is the one you’re most comfortable with.” I don’t like using Hardware store primer because it tends to run goopy or thick on the models. You could spray at a further distance sure, but I like how thin and misty Citadel primer is. As for brushes, there are some citadel brushes that are okay, but don’t expect them to last long. The brushes I tend to use are a mix of a few Citadel brushes and Round Princeton Aqua Elite brushes. I love their 1 round, 0, and 00 sizes. For someone who has a crap ton of Tau, I need to get into the cracks of the armor from time to time. Citadel Shade brush mixed with Princeton Aqua Elite brushes help me clean the wash splatter I tend to leave behind.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
In all my 31 years as a Brit I have *never* heard someone refer to a "teabag" as an "instant tea packet"
This made me laugh too as a fellow Brit
I hope he uses a kettle and not a microwave...
In North America, *TEABAG* is being redefined as.. er.. something else... Instant tea-packet is safer.
@@thegrahamsullivanshow566 Yorkshire Gold in the microwave in the morning. Produces tea with the consistency of 10w-30, but it wakes me up. :)
Blue blooded murder of the English tongue!
As an aircraft and armour modeller who watches a lot of mini painting videos, whenever I feel my part of this hobby is expensive, I just pop into a Games Workshop store and look at the prices they charge. I immediately feel better and then go and splash out on something nice for myself!
Hahaha suddenly Tamiya and Great Wall hobby prices are reasonable again
That's why I prefer 3d printing.
Or board games with dozens of models for a reasonable price.
Its certainly something when I'm lamenting the price or a tamiya or trumpateer model but then I look at GW and feel great lmao
What you get with Tamiya or Trumpeter with photo etched brass is so much better than what you get from GW at a fraction of the price. I've seen Tamiya models that were photographed so well they looked like real photos of ships from ww2
That scrap wood and foam tape is one hell of a tool to use!!! I just made one and omg so much easier and dollar friendly! 14:59
Using a hobby knife to remove mold lines : use the BACK of the blade!! It's dull enough to not gouge but still sharp enough to scrape away lines. This also keeps the sharp side usable.
Also if you’re gouging with a hobby knife instead of scraping you can either adjust the angle of your knife and/or apply less pressure
I second this.
Very true, it is like having two tools in one, and it is insane how quickly the cutting edge gets dull if you use it for scraping.
I’ve heard this a million times and still can’t figure it out haha!
Agreed
As a sewist, I have to point out that the fabric you’re referencing is actually called interfacing. Just so if anyone goes out to a fabric store to get some, they’ll know what to ask for! There’s lots of different kinds in different thicknesses - you probably want something that’s not too stiff. You could also use pretty much any plain white fabric!
You’re absolutely right about a lot of these products being totally senseless. However, as a new hobbyist, having these ridiculous products available has made it easier for me to identify what I’ve needed or what could make my life easier. They put into material form the solutions to problems I couldn’t articulate. And I feel that’s important, as it’s helped me to grow as a hobbyist. I still sit my models on top of a cardboard box when I prime them for example, so not much has changed there. I don’t use foam tape or anything. But there’s a comfort in knowing there are easier ways identified by others. I don’t feel quite so alone or overwhelmed when I know others have experienced the same trials and tribulations as me and market their solutions.
Very insightful.
"You are absolutely correct about almost everything in this video"
"I'm new to this, and have little experience"
I'm paraphrasing, obviously, but you really sound like you need someone else to make your decisions for you.
@@mattpace1026 If that's what you took away from that post, I really don't know what to say to you. Are you insinuating I can't possibly make both of those comments? That they somehow contradict one another?
@@mattpace1026 Also, you misquoted me in bad faith, so you'll have to forgive me if I make the assumption you're being vitriolic for the sake of stirring the pot.
@@NineEyedRaven Yes. By definition, they do contradict one another.
I've had a pretty good experience with the citadel model holder, I have extremely shaky hands and the ergonomics of the smaller one really does help out with being able to rest it. I'm sure I could recreate it on a lathe but, then I'd need a 300$ lathe
I'm sorry about your shaking, can't be an easy hobby. The point is not that the holder is bad, the point is that overcharge for it. It is so expensive compared to what you get.
I also bought the first version they released, and sometimes it's nice, but mostly I'm fine with bluetac/stickygum and a champagne bottle cork.
The head holder is a game changer too.
I'd like to try one. I've found tape and blue tack normally leads to models galling off as I try to reach an area I missed.
Maybe wood with nails and elastic might work for me.
If you have the curiosity and desire, machining is an absolutely wonderful hobby. Pick up an inexpensive benchtop lathe and start making chips.
Machining and model making go hand in hand.
Would it be easier to get something 3D printed that you could slot stuff into?
Excellent video. I have two items to add: makeup brushes are just as good as purpose-made "dry brushes", and are much cheaper. And instead of double-sided foam tape, I just use regular tape (painters is fine, but duct should be stickier). Works fine, I've never had a model come off during painting. Oh, and for handles, I use prescription bottles. They're zero cost (and keep plastic out of the "recycle" stream).
Oh, and finally, I feel like every single video which potentially talks to new painters should say "do not buy expensive brushes - cheap synthetic ones will produce identical results for vastly cheaper while you're just starting out, save your money until you've mastered brush control".
I’ve started using a pill bottle that has the push to open function on the top and it’s great because I can rotate the model as I paint it.
As Painting handels i alsways glue a magnet in the bases first. so i use some small jars with meattal lids. Depending on Mini Size you could use this also as "Transport Box)
the makeup brushes vary, there's a few forms of drybrushing when you're going to get better results from a proper drybrush, but the makeup brushes are fantastic for a sort of soft focus drybrush like for terrain, not so great if you want to go full Artis Opus on a model.
For any australians, Herron brand paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets (and at least one Coles store-brand paracetamol variety) come in fantastic pill bottles for using as paint handles, complete with a childproof cap which you can use to rotate the model with the thumb that's holding the bottle.
@@victorbeine948 Great idea! It's nice to have magnets in your bases anyway for transportation in a box with a metal sheet at the bottom. Also of you play a game with regiments bases you can put a magnetic sheet on that and minimize the risk of toppling over your minis :)
@@Hudson316 If my painting ever gets good enough that I outgrow makeup brushes (and of course any brushes which I retire from normal use), I'll try "proper drybrushes" sometime. Do you have a recommendation for brand?
On the matter of liquid greenstuff- those weird textures you're getting are actually a silver lining. I love using liquid greenstuff to accomplish things like armor texture, corrosion, or dirt effects on my minis and models.
I thought the same thing when he mentioned it adds texture--sounds like a plus!
So, bad for the advertised purpose but good for other purposes?
Reminds me of how I use contrast paints: as ready-made glazes, usually to layer over metallics for consistently shiny colours. I can't see myself painting entire models using them, but I'm happy with the ones I have.
And the texture was a non-problem for me. I just go over it with a wet brush - texture gone.
@@oerthling The shrinkage is still an issue though. All plastic putties shrink though, some more than others.
I use Bondic UV cure glue to fill in seam gaps, works great and is fast
I love the hobby handle. My favour bit of it is after I've finished my painting session and putting all my stuff away with cramp in my hand, finding it on the shelf, and holding my misshapen clawhand, thinking that'd have been very handy!
I like mine too. I have to originally one with the fixed handle. I don’t do the rubber band thing though. Instead I use poster tack so I can get the entire base and fit more models on the stick.
I'm very fond of mine too. I've got a big wooden one I use for painting busts and non-based stuff as well, but for blasting through a half dozen dudes without fiddling with dirty blue-tac or anything I love them to bits. Plus they don't give me the cramples, as you mention. Big advantage. 😊
I usually use my hobby knife for moldline removals, but i always do it right after i cut it off the sprue. Never have i glued a mini together, and THEN start moldline removal. No stress about fitting in the smallest places
Finally a use for the glycerin I have left over from all those bombs I've been making! Thanks so much. You always have the best hobby tips, Mr Hanks!
Sum1 wants their house raidin, godam
Yes FBI, this is the guy
Fbi is encouraging violence. Let's go Brandon
Yep, we got him. Take the shot
oh I just had some left over from making my own vape juice
I have one of those massage guns for knots in my back. Realized one day I could use it for my paints. Works like a charm and I already had it. I bet a lot of painters have one of those laying around.
What are you saying about my posture?
You're not wrong, but still
You absolute genius.. finally my army painter paints might work now!
Is "massage gun" another name for vibrator?
@@brinx8634 The massage gun he’s referring to is probably a reciprocating one that basically punches you. From what I’ve heard around the internet, not the best device to use to pleasure one’s self due to friction.
@@brinx8634 I would definitely not use it like that unless you want it beaten and bruised
100% agree with the sanding sticks, they where 100% a game changer for me
really happy to have you share honest opinions while not being negative. you're clear about your sponsorships and you're about what you don't like. havin this type of honesty is rare this day and age and it's really appreciated.
Rattle Can Pro Tip: Rip off the spray tip from an old GW Can you have and replace the non GW Can tip. It helps the generic primer spray more evenly IMO
The GW priming stick has been really helpful for me as I dont have any outside space and I usually have to quickly prime everything on the street outside my apartment. The fact that it rotates on the handle is REALLY helpful, and it holds things really well, much better than blue tack on a peice of wood!
Random small point: I don't see blocking base rims as a big issue because I prime and paint models separately from their base. If you do them both in one go, it's common to create an effect that looks like the mini is standing in holes and base additions are covering their feed in odd, unnatural ways. Sure, some scenic bases don't have this problem, but basing is half the scene of a miniature model to me, so I'm going to be sprucing it up which means it's easier to work with and more natural to keep them separate
I have actually really liked the mold line remover. I have used the Xacto knife blade, but find that most of the time the mold line remover does a great job - to each their own though.
same, its the only tool that i got from GW, other than that, i got tools from those amazon hobby kits or hardware stores
Most useless thing in my painting space? Propably me....
bruh..
Hey, we can't improve if we don't recognise our inadequacies. Keep at it mate, we all improve with time. I'm interested if you have Instagram or anything, maybe you're being over critical of your work because it's yours and we are usually much more critical of our own work. We can't see past any errors we know are there where as others work, if we aren't aware of the error, we have to look far harder to notice it. Especially in photos.
I have good success with GW's mold line removal tool. I do suppliment it with a) a hobby knife for the tough spots and, b) some small files for restoring flat and round surfaces. There is no one-size-fits-all tool for this but the GW tools gets a lot of work done before i hit the limitations.
I've had good use out of GW mould line removal tool, too. I use a variety of things though depending on the mini and sometimes don't use it at all. Just another tool in the tool box that I use as needed. One can definitely get by without it, but it does its job.
I picked one up after an incident involving hobby knife and 7 stitches. Had to have those afteer market double honed high carbon steel japanese blades...at least it was a clean cut.
I had a hard time finding a painting handle that fit my hands comfortable, so I just 3D printed my own. I found a cylinder-based design online and scaled it up to fit my hand nicely, and I use a little blue tack to hold the mini on. The next upgrade I plan to make to the handle is to magnetize it as I am building out magnetized carrying cases so all my minis will have magnets in their bases anyway.
I did this with my painting handles. I counter sunk a hole in some wood and super glued a magnet in. The biggest problem I've had since then is now I have to put magnets on in the same direction or they won't hold much of anything. After a bit of frustration I just drove a screw into the other side and everything holds fine and I don't have to be as meticulous with putting magnets on models.
I used an empty pill bottle, I really wonder why people spend their money on handles while there are so much free things you can use as a handle
@@Florian00 I tried an empty pill bottle but it was a bit too small for me - I had to give it a slight squeeze to hold it comfortably and after an hour of painting my hand was getting tired. But yeah, it’s easy enough to find something suitable for free / low cost if you use a little creativity.
i use random blocks of wood I had lying around as offcuts and sanded them down. stick a bit of blu tack (other tacks are available) on the end and away you go. not something to fuss over really.
Instead of a magnet you could also use some magnetic metal on your handle.
That way you wont have an issue with the way of the magnets on your bases.
Love the rawness and honesty in this video @ninjon. Some of the newer stuff feels a little more hammy. I'm new to the channel, so just my 2cents as i work throught the backlog Thanks for the content you make. IT has been IMMENSLY HELPFUL!
I absolutely love the Citadel Painting handle. All I need is 1 and I can fly through batch painting of 10-20+ miniatures popping them in and out in a fraction of a second rather than having to individually attach holders to every single model. This also allows me to play with said models in-between paint sessions rather than having to tear them on and off poster tack. I hear the gripe on the priming part, but I typically batch prime, so I will prime about 100 models in one session simply using poster tack and larger wooden paint stir sticks from the hardware store.
The thing is that the old mk1 model was perfect but they changed it and the current wine glass model is terrible in my opinion.
That genuinely seems like a good use case to me. Thing is - I can't batch paint more than 4 models at a time without getting bored to tears (yes, I know from hard experience) so it's not something that's ever going to matter to me personally.
Or you could just hold the base with your fingers, just sayin. :p
Yep. I have a thing for 2nd edition metal armies. Shoving super-glued slotta bases down onto poster tack often cracks the superglue and poster tack isn't always strong enough to hold a metal model. The Citadel painting handle is a quick to load and was only about $7 when it came out near me. I have never regretted purchasing a few of them.
@@ColonelSandersLite glad to know I'm not alone
I have a bunch of metal miniatures, and I find the priming stick holds them more securely than blu-tac on a wooden batton does.
Hot glue my friend. Just be careful of stringing
I just got back into painting a few years ago to aid in my recovery from a severe brain injury and other issues...
GW is way expensive and at first due to not grasping all the core concepts tried to mimic....
Your vids helped me tremendously and save me $ too. Thank you.
I stumbled across a good use for the Citadel mold line remover the other day. It's amazing for cleaning up rough edges on 3D filament prints! It's especially good for scraping stubborn bits of brim off the bases of 3D prints.
I love my mold line remover. I have no idea why people shit on it so much. Sure it can’t get into tight spaces, but where it can hit, it is a joy to use. Then clean up other areas with hobby knife.
@@stephenmel8630 Yeah, it's a great tool for surfaces it can reach, and a lot more forgiving than knives. I have the Monument seam scraper too, which is better at tight spaces but takes more practice to use well. The Citadel scraper is way more intuitive.
I put something into this list: Valejo Pigments. You can get really good artists Pastel chalks for a fraction of the price these pigments costs. In fact, all "Modelers Pigments" are incredibly overpriced.
Do you have any amazon links for good artists pastels please?
Oh, I do this too. I cant be bothered buying a small pot of pigment for twenty dollers.
ì use the normal colours and they are nice, i know pigments are a different thing but i wonder why they seem overpriced when the normal colours are known for a good beginner paint since it doesnt cost much and still does a good job
@@biowiener7825 Not sure why they cost so much. You would expect them to cost less as they are paint but without the medium.
@@theruintheruin337 Hi, if I may give a pointer: mostly demand. Also you can 'make a lot of paint with a bit of pigment' to make it short, but depend on how you make your paint. But if you look at higher grade paints like extra fine acrylics, they are usually organized in series with different pricing based on the pigments used (for instance you can get a titanium white for 7€ but a cadmium red or a cobalt blue will cost you 14€, same quantity in the daler rowney cryla series). In higher grades paint, pigment is still the biggest cost factor of the paint. Most of the time the biggest "gap" I see are in the oils, for instance in Lefran Bourgeois series, titanium white is about 7€ 40ml, blue turquoise cobalt is 30€ 40ml. For artist grade paint, most of the time, the price are the same accross the whole range, but the quality and quantity of the pigment are often lesser. But you often get a bigger range of color which might be nice for newcomers and the price tag is way bellow, nice for learning, especially when you paint on canvas.
EDIT: If you "like pigment" look for "The Library of Rare Colors", a 5min video that show a tour of a huge collection of pigment maintained by the Harvard Art Museum. (maybe the biggest on earth? dunno)
I just got started with painting miniatures. For paint shaking I just use a electric sander, The kind that shake like crazy. I just get a separate piece of sand paper and turn in upside down so it can protect the Army Paint bottles. Does really good! Not as convenient as the vortex, but I already had it and it works ha ha.
Lol I use a sawzall with one of my wife's hair ties!
Thanks for pointing out gw whites. I was using some a few days ago and I was having a real rough time. They separate in the pot and become a mess. Then when you get them mixed its like a watery goop that doesn't act like paint.
They dry out REALLY quickly, too. That might also be a side effect of those horrid paint pots, but my GW whites (and off-whites) turned in to useless goo very quickly.
@@ArawnNox Ceramite White turns into a ball of solid pigment floating in a pot full of medium. Skull white just dries out. Corax White's brush-on version is just... odd. Like, even fresh out of a new pot it's an oddly thick consistency like a gel.
I got a pot of ceramite white and it was unusable, took it back, exchanged for another same thing, opened another, same thing. The kid at the gw store was embarrassed as anything. Got a pot of uthulan grey... Same thing😂
I had the exact same issue with GW Whites being lumpy and a mess. Added flow improver to the pots, shook it up, left for several days, and it seemed to help, but still lumpy.
Any heavy body acrylic titanium white is better than Citadel whites. Golden, W&N, Scalecolor Artist, Jo Sanja etc.
6:30 diffusion material use parchment paper. It's cheap, easy to clean, heat resistant, water resistant.
We use it on tour for certain lighting situations on stage.
Or wax paper, whichever is already in your kitchen!
Honestly I've found some decent use from just blue tacing some paints onto my air compressor.
They shake alot and if I'm using it for like 20 minutes for one or 2 paints, I can have a few on the back log.
Air compressor and vortex mixer are about the same cost. Though I guess you could call the air compressor a multiuse tool if you use it as a paint mixer too!
@@Micsma yeah it shakes about as well as the nail polish shaker seems to, difference is that I don't need to kill my arm shaking a tough paint for 5 minutes when I can leave it on the compressor for like 40 doing something else first.
Find a lazy method before the effective one, if it works go for it.
That's an amazing idea, I will try this next time painting.
I tried using my ultrasonic cleaner to shake my paints but it didn’t work. 😂. Maybe it’s just too cheap and not powerful enough.
I got a citadel mould line remover with my first starter paint kit and I occasionally use it after the hobby knife, to clean up sprue connections on concave surfaces that are pretty impossible with the knife. The curved end is perfect for that
I use it as a punch for breaking hard to reach printed resin supports, since it's a sturdy piece of steel
Hey ninjon, so that method you use with the resin, it’s called resin welding, I use it for printed minis and props make sure you have a dedicated brush exclusively for that resin, and make sure you wear a respirator and uv resistant goggles as even the reflection off of your mini can damage your eyes!
Hi Legokid, do you know if that same method would work for _repairing_ broken resin miniatures? I have a resin miniature that has shattered (it broke into pieces when I soaked it in isopropyl alcohol for stripping and starting brushing the paint away with a toothbrush) ; the breaks are very clean but so small and fine that I'm not sure superglue would work.
Wearing normal 1.5 hardness prescription glasses reduces the uv light by 98% and if the glasses are made with 1.6 hardness it is increased to 100% uv reduction. Still better safe then sorry but it doesn’t take much to stop uv, there is a reason you will never get a tan sitting in your car or near a window.
Brush lickers, beware.
@@herculeholmes504 For resin it can work but I mostly use it for larger pieces. I would recommend miliput, that's what I use to fix my resin models
The GW moldline removal tool can actually be quite useful, that is in certain situations uncommon for assembling infantry models. For 1:24 scale model cars with a chassis the size of smartphone that have a moldline on the edge it's great, same thing for terrain and tanks. At least if you're buying them from companies that don't properly cast their plastic, a Tamiya, Meng or Tiger model modelling kit will likely not have many uses for the tool.
That's not what a light box is for.
Its for even light coverage reflecting light around the box so you don't get any hard shadows. Using different back drops will allow for different light reflections and absorption.
They only diffuse light if they have a diffuser but that's a whole other problem and that's based on how strong your lights are.
exactly
This guy lightboxes
Personally I love my seam line remover. Mine was an own brand version from a store in the UK called hobbycraft. It was only £3 when I bought it
3:45 gotta admit ... army painter anti shine is still one of my go to products for varnishing my customers models... no weird frosting like i had with some other products
Same. It's my usual anti-shine and I'm quite happy with how well it works.
+1 for the antishine, but have switched to Colourforge primers - 500ml cans that cover well at half the price GW and slightly cheaper than AP
@@Torkijo the main thing is .. i dont feel like switching when im doing a big project.. and the availability over here...
i tried some montana cans... but they only work for terrain.. even their best line has some weak pressure.
I actually LIKE the priming crossbow thing. I do 1:72 armies, and double-sided tape doesn't seem to hold them down well enough to airbrush the primer.
What DOES work better, is I have a bunch of these things by Tamyia that are short dowels with alligator clips attached. The downside is you can only prime one at a time. (For totally worthless things, Tamyia also sells a "holder" for said clippy sticks that's just cardboard ends stuck together. I buy things like that (for much cheaper) for my cats to use as scratchers)
So do I tbh, you can double or triple up the elastic bands or stretch them across the base itself rather than around the outside and its MUCH more secure than tape or bluetack for holding a mini upside-down, priming metal or anything heavier than usual.
Thanks Jon for that airbrush cleaner recipe! Since its such an investment I've been hesitant to try make my own mix, but that recipe is so simple and definitely amazing on the cost front!
A small revelation from my experience regarding terrain-paste/color.
GW made some terrain pastes, like Stirland Mud or Armageddon Dune and whatnot.
Since I have a Khemri army here, logically I used a lot of sand. But over the years this sand got everywhere. My table, my transportation devices, my car, EVERYWHERE.
So I tried the terrain colors and, holy hell, I fell in love. It looked better than sand, left no gaps, I could paint it better and it made no mess.
But, as they are from GW, they were pricey.
So later I found the Diorama Pastes from AK Interactive.
And these are amazing! They look very realistic and are, compared to GW; dirt cheap.
While one pot costs around 9-10€, it contains 250ml of pure goodness. I think one pot will last most of my lifetime.
A pot from GW costs 6.3€ and contains 24ml.
Vallejo also makes a wide range of similar products that are very cost effective.
For handles, I cut some round dowel and epoxied big round magnets to the dowel. It's worked really well so far since I magnetize all my bases. Need to make some kind of holder because they're a bit top heavy.
For mine I used square stock and drilled holes for the dowels so they can be swapped in and out. I have a handful of individual cubes and one longer piece with multiple holes that I can put a bunch of the dowels in for batch priming.
Honestly, the citadel paint handle is pretty well designed and cheap. I got it as a small Christmas gift from someone who knew I'm into the hobby and i use it and don't feel bad throwing a few coins to GW for it
I did the same thing with dowels, sunk magnets into the top, adhered with epoxy. My solution for standing them up was to take a board and put some screws through it, and drill some holes in the bottom of the dowels for the screws to slot into. Ta-da, batch painting handle array at the ready. I just leave the whole thing on my painting desk.
I actually love the painting handles from cobalt keep. It’s $10 for three handles and your magnetic bases snap right on! They even make an extra large version for larger hands.
I was so pleased to see the stir stick. It’s exactly what I use, and it’s such a peach. Thanks for the great vids!
Great video! I loved the end where you were all "Okay, now I'm all worked up!", LOL! That's what happens when you rant about crappy things! :D I've really enjoyed your videos over the last year! Glad I found the channel. I'll have to take a look at the Umbrella Games link for sure.
I recently got into Warhammer and mini painting and i really didn't know where to start tool wise. Luckily after doing some research i was already pretty set from my hobby of building Gunpla. But i was still a bit confused on painting and that side of the hobby. I ended up just using really cheap alternatives like using Tack and a plastic Shot glass as mini holder and buying all my spray paints at a hardware store. Same with my acrylics, bought a massive starter set of cheap paints for like 10 bucks and the only thing i bought from Citdel was Nuln oil, for shading. The hobby doesn't have to be expensive or convoluted and so seeing creative ways to make painting and making the models look nicer is always a fun thing for me
5:00 Sand can actually be kind of problematic if you don't live in a region that has the right kind of sand. I live 5 miles from the sea, but the sand on the beaches is too fine to be of any use for anything, and while there might be coarser sand closer to the mouth of the river, I'd have to walk a mile over treacherous slippery rocks and through deep mud to reach it. The next option is sand and grit from pet stores which I can buy in 1 kilo or 5 kilo bags; I do use it sometimes but I've not had much luck finding larger grain sand.
Pretty sure I'm in a region that straight up doesn't have the right kind of dirt to use for models, though beach sand is only about a ten minute drive away.... but I'll stick to my fake stuff because I ain't putting sand or dirt in my oven, considering it's convection and you can't turn that part of it off, so that dirt's just gonna go flying.
If there's a nearby park, grab a handful from the kids'playground?
Bases of swings & slides, maybe a sandbox if your lucky..
I use sharp sand from my local DIY store. £2 for 20kg. Has a nice mix of grain size so when you put it on the base, it looks like a mix of sand, gravel and boulders. Only problem is it comes in 20kg bags, so unless you need it for making mortar or concrete and using the leftovers for modelling, it's more than you will ever need.
A buddy of mine turned me on to your channel, and so glad he did. Love your content, and your sense of humor. Pure Gold!
Anyone remember the airbrush GW used to sell?
It used a can of air (which was around £5 at the time), using a can would give different air pressure the longer you used it, an absolutely terrible product
Thanks for the content. I've been off hobby for 15 years but got back into it last year. I find your videos chill, thanks man.
As someone whose preferred paint handle is blue tack/wood block (over any of the fancy stuff), I actually like the Citadel spray stick. I didn't think I would, but the easy rotation, plus the reusability (not constantly having to change the tape), is actually quite convenient. It didn't look like you actually tried the spray stick before giving it a review. I suggest actually giving it a go.
this is a great series. Helps us hobbyist cut to the chase and get products the yield good results.
I have to disagree with the mouldline remover! I agree with what you're saying about the tight spaces and such, but I love that tool! It's easily one of my favorite purchases. Because it isn't sharp you don't risk gouging the model or your fingers! It's great for the really small fiddly bits as well, I have a bunch of Death Guard and being able to scrape away those lines without worrying about accidentally cutting off a horn or spike, or tentacle tip has been really nice. I do still use an xacto for the tight spaces and fiddlier spots where it struggles to get into, but it's a nice tool for your hobby desk! I liked the GW one so much I'm about to buy the Monument one.
Great video though, very handy!
Use the back of the xacto blade. It does the same thing as that tool.
I disagree on the mould line remover as well. I used to use the reverse side of the blade for years, and got chatter marks. I don't with this tool. Also, you can use the tip of the mould line remover to ream out the female side of push fit minis, to help them fit together better.
@@maverickman6486 I have before. The remover seems to do better. I'm not knocking people who don't use it or prefer to use an xacto. And I don't think it's a necessity, but it works a lot better for me. I've had inadvertent slips and gouged models when using the back of the blade too.
@@maverickman6486 No, it doesn't. It has a sharp blade on the other side that I have to be careful about, especially when using it near fragile parts of the model.
I tried both and found the tool to be much better.
Can you make do with just the knife - sure.
@@oerthling Well to each their own. The "dull" side of the blade works great, especially for tight areas. If it there was something really fragile, a more delicate method should be used than a dull piece of metal.
I honestly really like the GW mouldline remover, it doesn't cut into the model like a hobby scalpel, and you can use very fine scraping movements to get a smooth surface. I also like the GW handle, I use it after priming (never even thought of trying to prime using it), and it's really nice for stabilizing hands for clean painting and looking at the model from different angles that are harder to achieve by holding the model itself.
You can use the back side of the hobby scalpel. It's literally the same thing as the mold remover.
You can also use old scalpel blades. Can't go wrong with them.
I've found the citadel primer dries a lot faster, nicer and usually more matte but that's just my experience.
You didn't try the other ones though...
7:30 I recently got into the hobby and so far I've been using a cork with a little bit of adhesive mass to hold the minis.
The one thing about this video I kinda disagree with is the airbrush cleaner. I do make my own and I use Windex with ammonia which works great. But if you're branching out into other brands of paint you may want a branded cleaner. I use mainly tamiya acrylic, which isn't true acrylic, but you need the branded stuff to get the best result.
I think the light box is the only one I'd really argue with. I've used one for ages for a lot more than minis. While your solution is a great option, I don't know that it's any easier to set up, and with a light box, you get a nice clean background aside from just the diffusion for your item that won't distract from the item itself. It's been a priceless tool for my business that does double time helping show off some of my hobbies.
A decent light box can be made by cutting out the side of a 1 gallon plastic milk jug.
@@IHateRUclipsHandles615 Good idea. I didn't buy one, I built it out of an empty box and some white fabric. I use one a bit bigger because it has to fit things larger than minis, but 1gal jug is probably perfect for most minis.
Okay, I'm not a sediment specialized geologist.... but the size thing on broken rocks is highly dependent upon the environment. Some areas have very homogenous grain size. Some are heterogeneous. So that's food for some thought.
Still don't need to buy sand from mini companies though!
What I use is I bought a bag of playground sand from the hardware store (leaves you plenty for terrain, too), so it's already "cleaned", and for rocks, hit up a pet supply store and get a bag of aquarium stones. Works wonders!
Oh, and snow? You can get an amazing dusty snow look with kosher salt and baking soda.
@@VisionFromAfar I use cactus potting soil. It's nice and smooth, clean, and a 5lb bag lasts forever.
Depends if it's Rock based stone or Crystal based (Sand). Or go in between for sandstone ;P
12:50 hey there, I'm quite unexperienced when it comes to tabletop paints. Can you explain me why citadel white is bad? I have it and I use it at the moment. I thinned it down a bit. (there's not many white parts on my models tho)
Umbrealla games has an amazing amount of hobby supplies much to my surprise. One of the few places ive found with the new Ak interactive paints.
Where is the affiliate link?
THANK YOU!! Ninjon, you nailed it. Especially the, ahem, "priming stick". Many of us hobbyist already have a magpie mentality (i.e. oooh, pretty, sparkly, shiny - gotta have it), and these gimmicky items just seem to feed into that. This is definitely a case of caveat emptor.
They're quite new, but I really like Artis Opus brushes if you're ever looking for a high quality set of sable brushes. About the same price range as Windsor and Newton. I find them slightly less hardy than W and N, but they feel slightly smoother to use.
I'm just starting, and bought myself some Vallejo primer, but since you speak of other brands, (that o can't find in my country) I was just wondering if those are normal spray paints that can act as primer or are they primer?
In my own personal experience...... the Krylon (and any other "store bought" spray cans) flow and fill features in a way that citadel spray cans don't. I have tried so many different spray brands, and the only one that I have found that comes close to the quality of Citadel spray is Vallejo, which is also expensive. Citadel spray doesn't flow, and has a nicer hold. I've found krylon chips off easier when I'm painting the model. I will say that the low-flow tips on the $12 Vallejo bottles make them well worth the money (IMO! of course)
Usually because a lot of these store bought spray cans are meant to fill in details for car paint jobs
when it comes to shaking up paint i usually take the ones im gonna use and throw them all in a large sock and pretend its a nunchuck. Does the job pretty well.
I spy some of that new golden matte paint. I'm curious how that will perform for minis.
As for liquid green stuff/sprue goo, Tamiya white putty and Mr hobby thinned putty work very well.
Heck yeah Tamiya white putty!
Jon has been talking a lot about those Golden paints on the Trapped Under Plastic podcast.
Great channel! The GW primer stick is actually pretty good. I bought it as a newb, but even after 150 primes, I find it works very well.
heh the mold line remover is my absolute favourite on resin models (but never used it for plastics) - in my opinion it is absolutely without peer to cleaning up the imperfections on larger pieces of resins; but absolutely wrong for fine details
I like the old painting handle, just for comfort since it fits my hand well. But I'm planning on making up some wooden dowels for my mini painting classes
I like the Wraith Bone, Macragge Blue, Lead Belcher, and Runelord Brass sprays because they actually are a Primer and a base coat (confirmed by GW, and Painting Lord 2 thin Coats using Duncan Rhodes) and they help me quickly paint up an army of Ultramarines and Necrons, as well as terrain
I do like the GW mold line tool. Jon is right in that it doesn't fit in all places, but where it does work it works like a dream. You have to decide if it's worth the money for you. You could just use a hobby knife instead, but for me I prefer the tool over the knife where I can get away with it.
I also like the GW painting handle. The mechanical hold on the rim is solid so I never have to worry about it falling off and the shape is comfortable in my hand. I don't prime on them (for that I use a dowel with a little blue tack). I do have to take it off to paint the rim, but that it the last thing I do on a painted mini and I don't mind holding it by hand or putting it on a dowel for that one step. For me, the comfort of the handle and the safeguard of a mechanical hold are worth it.
For the priming stick, I got one for Christmas last year. The advantage is I use pill bottles for my handles, so I just tack the model to the lid (which I was going to do anyway) and then put it onto the stick. I get to prime the entire model since the bands are on the lid, not the model.
You can up your game by using those reversible-lid bottles for multi-session paint jobs. reverse and screw the model into its own little safety vault (I have some partials that have been shelved in those jobbers for years). Also, hot-glue some pennies into the bottom to keep it from being top-heavy.
My painting handles are the lids from my asthma turbu-halers - figure I get extra points for repurposing scrap. The thinner end is perfect for 25-32mm bases, but I've just found that the wider, open end is exactly right for my 40mm Stormcasts (it took me too long to work that out). I use blu-tac to adhere them, but since seeing your comments about museum putty, I think I'm off to upgrade :)
I'll get some heat for this but I like the GW model holder, primer, and priming stick. Other people have defended the model holder so I'll defend the primer and priming stick. While the spray cans are the same, I've found that GW primer does a better job that equivalents. As for the priming stick, I've tried using sticky tack and adhesive tape but once you've primed once, you have to re-tape it. Putting enough sticky tack on that it'll allow me to rotate the model and spray them without knocking the model off the stick will also make it difficult to remove the models, and I have to clean the sticky tack off the bottom of the model. I find the GW primer stick to be better mechanically
I've had "beading" issues with Krylon and Rustoleum primers. I know, I know, temperature, humidity, and distance. But I've never had the same issue with GW Primers.
@@Traven158 I think the issue is the Krylon and Rustoleum paints are designed to get much more paint downrange than you’ll ever need on a mini. They’re designed for painting walls n other large projects. The Army Painter sprays that I’ve used in the past(and I imagine most other spray paints designed for minis) put down a much finer layer, perfect for painting models.
Have you done a video on what you do after painting your models? Where you store them or what you do in-between painting?
Photographer and painter here. Completely disagree with the lightbox. Mine cost me 20 quid from amazon and it make mini photography SO EASY and QUICK. Whether I point a highend dslr or my phone at the mini, the picture is great. If you don't have a lightbox it means faffing around (and paying for stuff) to be able to take a good photo.
I disagree with that statement. I dont have a lightbox, my painting lamp and phone lamp is sufficent enough for interesting 3 point lighting. The sun costs nothing.
Enough tinkering with the settings and you don't even need any light source other than your screen monitor(s).
Ymmv no? :)
I'd say just save your money and use what you have until you can get an off camera flash and trigger. There are trigger/ flash combos that will connect to your smartphone with bluetooth as well if you don't have a dedicated mirrorless or dslr camera. A flash plus a white sheet of paper or foamcore board to bounce it off of, which you might already have for terrain projects, is pro worthy lighting for not as much money as you might think.
I agree. A light box pops up and folds down in seconds, before that it would take much longer to setup the backing image (even if it was black or white it's still take longer than a light box) and then you've got to get the lighting right etc. A light box provides consistent results everytime for me. Maybe Ninjon isn't using it correctly? What he's using doesn't even look like a light box, it's looks home made so of course it's not going to be consistent or even a time saver if he has to set it up to use it each time.
Honestly you can go pretty cheap on light boxes and get a pretty nice result with them, I have one I got for £13 just to take pictures to show friends. I think Jon is right if you already have quality hobby lamps and equipment, but for most people a light box is a decent investment as they're incredibly cheap to get better than average looking photos. I think Jon forgets that as a mini painting youtuber his set up is a fair bit more elaborate than most people's.
I've also been going with the "double-sided tape on stick" method for priming, but it becomes quite a pain after a while since the spray adheres to the tape meaning you have to retape the stick. That, combined with the fact that you have to be outside and get even coatings, made me go out and buy brush on primer (Surface Primer by Vallejo) and I really cannot recommend it enough.
It's like $6 for 60 ml, which is gonna last you a while and you basically just slap it on and don't have to worry about the whole spray-can priming hasssle. Just a recommendation!
The caps to liquid laundry soap bottles work great for holders while painting. A little double-sided tape and you're set. Also, they can double as a water cup for your brushes.
I have been using some special basing materials i have collected from all the way back in my teenage years. I used to break open fireworks and try to make my own firecrackers, cakes, crackling bombs, etc. but i also kept a big mason jar to collect all the clay they use here to close the ends of fireworks. Had a whole jar of cilindrical clay pellets that i broke up using a hammer and a heavy-duty bag and now i have an all-purpose basing material that has extremely fine sand, scale pebbles and small rocks all combined into one. Plus, if i dilute the glue with water and let it dry using a hair drier it turns out it crackles quite nicely. Mixing it directly with craft glue, making a thicker paste i can sculpt puddles and stuff, let that dry, and then use watered down glue and the hairdryer to make dried-up puddles. One of those "i have this, let's see what i can do with this" moments that has payed more in hobby fun than that army painter basing kit i have bought way back when i started the hobby. Will see if i can get some ceramic clay to get more material 😜
Great video, but I've gotta strongly disagree with your comments about spray can primer. Cheap hardware store primer is a much thicker paint. It is usable, and with practice and finesse it can be a good budget option, but after 20 years I still fork over the money for hobby primers. The paint is thinner which makes it easier to have a consistent coat in one pass without saturating the model. I will agree that each brand has their strengths within the realm of hobby primers though. Army Painter spray cans are one of the most difficult to use, but if you can figure them out I've found that they have great coverage and last forever. And in my experience GW primers are by far the easiest and most newbie friendly sprays. I just hate to see people who aren't experienced using krylon or another box store brand. Yes, they can work, but because the paint is so thick and because they take skill to use on small models, I do my best to steer people away from them.
I'll second this mate! I work at an automotive paint supplier company and I could take the primers for literally nothing but I still buy the citadel undercoat colours or use my airbrush because I prefer the consistency of the finish and it doesn't cover detail as you run the risk with automotive primer in terms of coverage over detail. Automotive paint and primer is designed to cover better than what you would need from a hobby primer.
I can attest about the primer thickness. I started out using GW primers than moved over using hardware store primers. I have around 8 or 9 different primers. I can tell the difference in primer thickness, I still use the hardware store primers because my FLGS sells GW primers for $30 a can. I know I can get it online for cheaper but shipping eats up the savings.
When properly warmed before use, the primer I use does not obscure noticeable details on my models (just the striations on the most detailed 3d prints). The white is certainly better than Corax White.
@@thelasteinherjar6115 yeah, automotive primer is even worse than hardware store stuff. Years ago we had this kid who would come into the store who insisted on using automotive primer, and it was rough
Nothing better than the fusion between Matt Demon and Tom hanks to explain some mini painting hacks , one of my favourite channel ! Go Ninjon !!
Haha always thinking about Tom hanks when watching his vids
The citadel handle is better for that exact reason you dislike it 😂 so many minis have been doomed to the pile of shame after a vigorous spray sent them flying off of a Cork 😂😂
what kind of hurricane spraycans/airbrush are you using 😂
Are you spraying them with the same sprayer you use to paint a house?
I just throw handfuls of pigment at a leaf blower is this not how it's done?? 😂
8:23
Back in the day, we would use a drop of superglue and glue our minis onto a Testor's paint bottle. Metal cap, glass bottle, easy to hold, we had dozens of them, easy to remove and very little clean up with an X-acto knife to get the glue off the bottom.
Blue tack on a pill bottle is what I use for a painting handle. I can weight the bottle however I want, it's a good grip, I can paint the base rim, and it lets me reuse garbage.
Bought the GW handle and the grip is worse, I can't paint base rims, and it feels clunky. Back to pill bottles for me.
I've got a drawer full of empty pill bottles. I use them for painting handles and to safely discard of used blades.
Exactly what I use too. Plus, at my age, pill bottles are an unlimited free resource :p
Great post. Few questions. For priming, do you see a difference when using contrasts? Or should you stick to the contrast primer. Also, any off the shelf products you would recommend to replace greenstuff? I've tried plastic putty but while it is easier to apply, is still not quite the consistency I need.
I think one reason some might buy things like the mini holder, primer stick and the GW whites is out of convenience and a lack of options. In some situations buying any of those from a local store or ordering online might actually be cheaper (and a LOT less trouble) than getting otherwise cheaper alternatives. For me (without a drivers licence, living in a country with pretty decent busses and trains), getting to a hardware store to pick up free scrap might take almost a day if Im unlucky and it might cost me as much as it would to buy the GW things.
Where do you get all your paint racks? Shelf and hole style! Thankyou!
Someone gifted me a GW spray stick and I have to admit I like it more than my scrap wood with double sided tape. I rarely prime more than what it holds and the grip makes it a lot less messy. What can I say, I'm a shill. I'll buy another if this one ever breaks. >D
Hey man, good on ya! If you like it, no shame!
How do you prime the bits that are obscured by the elastic bands though?
@@mycatistypingthis5450 I mean, it's a couple of mm on the sides so I just black it over.
I don't rim my bases in anything but black, so it's not a problem for me.
Awesome stuff, I agree about the pro acryl white being the go to.. Even if the end gets crusty... Make sure you clean the tip after use
The Gw priming stick is indeed one of the dumbest hobby products I've ever encountered. I was so confused when I saw it in the store. It looked like a damned rubber band gun. I'd say EVEN worse than the priming stick is the gw water pot. I have used the same 24 oz yogurt container for the past DECADE.
God damn right 😂
I've got one and love it lol. You can prime multiple models at the same time and is perfect for also priming all of your sub assemblys. Irrelevant amount of money and has vastly improved my experience of building and priming models.
I use a store brand Solo cup myself.
Don't know if the gw water pot has changed but the one i have had for a number of years has grooves up the inside edge which allow you to squeaze water out as you draw the bruah out of the water. What i don't like about it are the grooves on the bottom which just gather old paint between them and are a pain to clean out.
If you used the water pot, you'd never use anything else again. We are in a hobby where we are spending $1,000's a year on toy soldiers, and we are complaining about a $8 water pot that is *indestructible*?!
Tank-less airbrush compressors. They're sold as a beginner-level product, but because they don't have a tank its basically impossible for them to output consistent pressure.
But on the positive side: micro-files aka needle-files. Metal files that come in a variety of shapes, about 2-3 inches long with very tiny filings. Great for finishing up mold-line removal.
I like the GW handle. However i paint base rims at the end of a project when i've varnished the minis, so holding them all by their heads isn't a scary thought xD
I'd never thought about using the makeup sponge for backflow on my airbrush🔥 thank you so much!!!
Kinda surprised you left out the RGG wet pallette considering you and Scott never had nice words for it on the podcast. I think it fits the descrpition of being an adaquate product but way overpriced compared to the superior Masterson option.
I really like my red grass wet pallet!
Surprisingly RGG wp has a rubber seal on it and im pretty sure its the only one that does . I have paint in it for 4 months in the dry season . Its still wet and usable .
12:07 Have you tried just using Wiper fluid? Not sure if that's the right term, but I'm talking about the stuff your car uses to clean the windshield. It's basically diluted Iso and the blueish tint diffentiates it from your waterbottle so you don't need to mark it.
I actually like the spray stick. I have always problems with the double sided tape. The spray stick is much more comfortable and make it easier to prime my minis.
My dad have a good tool he use now, it the lunch trays from ikea, he have about 4 of them and he put all parts he use for a project on it, so it all stay together, coz he have 2-3 projects all in process at same time it good to have them on the lunch tray so bits not go missing, and so tools for what u is do it all stay on the tray and not go lost 😊🐶 have great weekend mr NinJon! U a good boy! 🥰🐶
*Instead of double-stick tape, I prefer blue-tac,* yellow-tac, white-tac whatever color that is used for holding posters onto a wall. It's sticky enough to hold well and you can press models into it at different angles than just their flat bases.
Currently it's stuck to the top of a UV paint bottle that is thinner and taller. The weight and smooth glass of it makes for a nice handle, and it's heavy enough to sit still if I set it on the table.
I will go to bat for the GW mold line remover for one specific task: terrain assembly. I have been working on Warcry and Necromunda terrain extensively over the past year, and getting to semi-mindlessly scrape away without any fear of consequence while watching a movie or Ninjon video marathon is absolutely A+. I will use it on models too and go back with a hobby knife or sticks on occasion, but I agree that it's not at all ideal for small minis!
The only part that I disagree with were the painting handle...not the points you made because you were dead on, but the GW vs your home made ones. I tried to make my own and failed 5 times in a row with different designs and "tacky" stuff. The spring loaded painting handles beat out every homemade one I could do. They fit my hand better (less cramping and mini claw). They hold the base of the model better (no falling off and messing up the paint I worked so hard on). And as long as I touch up the base edge after, I can move the model in the clamp if needed. But thank you for the amazing video. I was tempted to buy the last item (the batch priming stick) to do my spray on sealing. But I like the stick idea better. Again thank you.
Now as a hobbyist, I’m guilty of 2 things from this video. I use citadel primer and I tend to use higher quality brushes. However, I have my reasons. I said it once on my channel; “The best painting method for miniature making, is the one you’re most comfortable with.”
I don’t like using Hardware store primer because it tends to run goopy or thick on the models. You could spray at a further distance sure, but I like how thin and misty Citadel primer is. As for brushes, there are some citadel brushes that are okay, but don’t expect them to last long. The brushes I tend to use are a mix of a few Citadel brushes and Round Princeton Aqua Elite brushes. I love their 1 round, 0, and 00 sizes. For someone who has a crap ton of Tau, I need to get into the cracks of the armor from time to time. Citadel Shade brush mixed with Princeton Aqua Elite brushes help me clean the wash splatter I tend to leave behind.