Figure Painting (hobby) - Materials

Materials

Most hobbyists use acrylic paint, maybe artists' paint (such as Daler Rowney's Cryla) but more often that sold especially for painting minis and other scale models (such as Acrylicos Vallejo's Model Color and Game Color or Games Workshop's Citadel Colour). Some mini painters use enamel paint (e.g., Humbrol or Testors) or even artists' oil paint. Some hobbyists use synthetic Lacquer paints, such as Gunze-Sangyo's Mr. Color paint line. Lacquer paints are less commonly available in the United States due to safety issues.

Because the properties of oils, enamels, lacquers, and acrylics differ, different techniques suit different paints. Each kind of paint has a different thinner, used to thin the paint for a smoother coverage, and maybe to clean brushes. For acrylic water is used, for enamels enamel thinners or white spirit, for lacquer lacquer thinner and for oil paints white spirit. Thinners for thinning is added to the paint using an eye-dropper (pipette) or similar to avoid contaminating one color with another.

Different agents can be used with different kinds of paint. Retarder makes paints slower drying. Water-based inks can be used for washes. Flow aid is used with acrylics and inks. This reduces the surface tension of the water, to improve washes. Figures are very often varnished, especially if they will be used for game play.

Gloss varnishes are harder wearing than matte varnishes, but matte varnish often gives a more realistic finish. Exceptions are naturally glossy materials, such as polished leather and metals, and wet surfaces. Some enthusiasts use matte varnish over gloss varnish. This can also minimize the tendency of matte varnish to form a whitish residue when applied directly to paint.