The Dipping Process

As I’ve already said, I’m using a technique similar to ‘dipping’ to add shading to the rank and file miniatures – thus allowing me to paint the figures a whole lot quicker than if I was painstaking highlighting/shading the miniature layer by layer.

So to start with here is a photograph of a miniature with a simple base coat applied to all the right areas:

I’ve tried to keep the colours to a minimum to allow the miniatures to be painted quickly, and used a mix of GamesWorkshop and Ral Partha paints (I can list the exact colours if anyone is interested).

Next I simply cover the miniature from head to toe (using a large brush rather than actually dipping) with the woodstain – though the stain itself is watered down (1 part water to 2 parts woodstain). Then I take the miniature and shake off the excess woodstain-mix into a nearby box and then put the miniature to one side to dry.

Once dry, I do the same again with a 1 part water / 1 part woodstain mix.

When that is dry, the base is drybrushed and the edge tidied up, and then the whole figure is given a coat of matt varnish (as the woodstain leaves the miniature rather glossy).

And here is the result:

Admittedly miniatures painted this way aren’t going to win any competitions, but it sure speeds up the painting process and gets them done to a reasonable tabletop standard with minimal fuss.