Chest of Colors forum

Hey, I started playing Warhammer Fantasy around 8 years ago, and picked up 40k about a year later, I played for around 2 years, and in that time, my armys consisted of primed black models with white shoulderpads and giant blobs of red paint where the eyes would have been had I not butchered them with globs of mistreated paint. Over the years I came and went from the game, but I was mostly intrested in playing, not painting. I havent picked up a model in about 2-3 years, and I have recently got a very stressful job, so I have decided to pick up model painting as a relaxing hobby, and I convinently have probaly 10k+ points total of gamesworkshop models in my attic begging to be painted (or re-painted.) So I had a couple questions:

Any suggestions on what to use to get paint OFF of plastic models that I have allready painted terribly? I have somthing that I used for the metal models (cant rember what it is off the top of my head) but I vaguley rember trying it on a plastic model and melting it into a puddle.

I never really learnt any painting techniques before, is there a book/guide you would suggest reading to explain and or show basic techniques like drybrushing, highlights, shadows, watercoloring etc etc

I have fairly large hands and always have. This seems to create a coulple problems for me: Sometimes I find it hard to hold my hands perfectly steady when painting in very cramped spaces/small areas (such as eyes) and even have problems with things like the rim on spacemarines shoulderpads (pathetic I know) so I find my hand twitch a tiny bit and the paint brushes up against another area I find this extremly frustrating.

Also, does anyone use a magnifying glass / lamp of any type? I have one, but strangley enough I did not find it very helpful. I thought it would make a huge diffrence, but it almost seemd to make it worse for me.

So is there any hope for me? I will probaly start playing the game again soon, and if I do, I will make a fairly large order and have an army painted with #2-3 quality, with 1-3 general's / centerpeices painted at 4 quality, because I will never have the time to invest to do all that, but i WOULD like to be able to knock out a decent model every now and then for relaxation or to supplement my armys. I will post my first attempt at painting probaly tonight or tommoro so you can laugh at it. Any help at all is greatley appericated.

welcome aboard
adbout the techniques - check the TUTORIALS and PAINTER'S DICTIONARY sections here on forum, hope You'll find some informations there;
and about the lamp-o-magni'glass: I tried to use it but all in all decided to back to my own eyes but I know some painters prefer such device

as for removing paint, people use variuouss tuff - from acrlic paint remover to pipes cleaning gels (I mean hydraulic not smoking pipes)...

as for the magnifying glass - I believe I could use one, but am not used to working with it.

last but not least WELCOME have fun and enjoy your stay here

If you're in the US, get some Simple Green (available at most Home Depots and similar places, with the cleaning stuff). It will strip metal models, plastic models, resin, etc. It doesn't melt the plastic at all. We've currently got some Eldar sitting in Simple Green that have been there for at least a month now. The paint is coming off fine, but the models are not damaged at all. I'm not sure about availability outside of the US, but if you can find it, this is what I recommend for stripping models. This has even worked on enamels as well as acrylics.

Angel_of_Menoth wrote:...get some Simple Green...

I will not only confirm that SG works wonders on all types of miniatures, I will tell you how it works best for me.

#1. Get a glass jar with a lid (peanut butter jar, jelly jar, pickle jar, whatever). The lid doesn't have to be air tight or anything...we just don't want any accidents.

#2. Place minis in said glass jar (er umm...remove the lid first if it's still on). Try to get your minis to lay down flat. Plastic and resin figs may end up just floating in the solution...this is fine.

#3. Fill up jar with Simple Green enough to completely submerge your mini(s). Replace lid and let them soak for a minimum of 4 hours.

#4. If it's old paint that's been sealed, 8-24 hours may be needed. Once you take them out of the SG solution, scrub them with an old beat up toothbrush (do not rinse them yet). Once you scrub them from head to toe, turn on your water and keep scubbing under it. The paint should literally peel off.

#5. That's not it yet. Simple Green is non-toxic, however it can leave a residue on your mini. It's a good idea to wash your mini with WARM water and soap (using the same tothbrush will be fine).

#6. That's it. Let it dry (use a hairdryer to speed up if needed). Primer and repaint.

I just found this thread and was wondering if there was an English equivalent to that stuff available, I've used neat Acetone with poor results and am now trying Car Brake Fluid in the slim hopes that it'ss "burn" the paint off like it does to car bonnets The only thing I got left to try if this don't work is Hammerite Paint Stripper

I used brake fluid for metal minis, it worked ok. Never used it on plastic minis, but people say it doesn't damage plastic.
Don't use it on resin minis though! Don't. Never

Well I left the model soaking for 24 hours and then got to work with the tooth brush, I'm fairly happy with the result but there are bits I can't get the brush into so I might have to go at it with a mangifier and pin

I have never tried it personally, but Pine Sol (pine oil-like cleaner for floors) works. I got that advice in the HeroGames forum on how to remove paint from MiniClix mini's. Soak 10min then try paint brush. Careful it can damage plastic if used too long.
Since brake fluid worked you may not need this suggestion.

Cyberpaddy66 wrote:I just found this thread and was wondering if there was an English equivalent to that stuff available, I've used neat Acetone with poor results and am now trying Car Brake Fluid in the slim hopes that it'ss "burn" the paint off like it does to car bonnets The only thing I got left to try if this don't work is Hammerite Paint Stripper

For plastics, the equivalent stripper to simple green is dettol acetone is awesome on metals but it will melt the plastics so be careful with that.

There are painting guides out there to help you get started but i do find just practice and taking your time helps alot, read tutorials and guides by all means, in fact youtube has some nice painting videos to give you a visual example too. One thing is to take pictures and get comments and criticisms and start from there