How to Paint Historical Miniatures (Step‑by‑Step Guide)

Whether you’re assembling a Napoleonic battalion, a WWII platoon, or a medieval retinue, painting historical miniatures is about clear steps, repeatable recipes, and authentic finishes. This guide walks you through the entire workflow—from prep and priming to uniforms, weathering, decals, and varnish—so you can finish units confidently and consistently.

Before You Start: Plan, References & Scale

• Pick a formation & timeframe: Regiment, battalion, or platoon? Early‑war vs late‑war? Campaign theater influences colors (dusty desert vs muddy Europe).
• Collect references: Osprey plates, museum photos, reenactor kits, and surviving artifacts. Match tones rather than chasing a single “correct” color—real uniforms varied by dye lot, weathering, and laundering.
• Know your scale: 15 mm favors high‑contrast block colors; 28 mm supports layered highlights and weathering; 54 mm+ rewards subtle glazing and texture work.

Tools & Materials (Essentials)

• Hobby knife, diamond files, sanding sticks (400–800 grit), plastic cement/CA glue
• Primer (rattlecan or airbrush), acrylic paints (base, wash/ink, highlight), metallics
• Brushes: #2 synthetic for basecoats, #1 sable for layers, 00 for details
• Palette (wet palette recommended), paper towels, water pot, brush soap
• Transfers/decals (if applicable), Micro Set/Sol, matte/satin varnish
• Optional: oils/enamels, weathering powders, pigments, chipping sponge

Step 1 – Preparation & Assembly

1. Clean components: Remove mold lines and vent tabs with a sharp blade; polish with fine sanding sticks. For resin/metal, wash in warm soapy water and let dry to remove release agents.
2. Sub‑assemblies: Leave shields, backpacks, or large weapons off if they block brush access. Pin heavy parts if needed.
3. Mount for painting: Blu‑tack to corks or bottle caps to keep fingers off the model while painting.

Step 2 – Priming (Your Finish Starts Here)

• Choose a primer tone: Black for gritty figures and fast shading; Grey for balanced palettes; White for bright uniforms and vivid heraldry.
• Zenithal method: Prime black, then mist grey from 45°, and a light white from above. This pre‑shades volumes and speeds later steps.
• Airbrush vs spray: Airbrush gives control indoors; rattlecans are quick—spray in dry conditions, 20–30 cm away, light passes.

Step 3 – Efficient Basecoats (Batch Painting a Unit)

Work in squads/ranks of 5–10 minis for speed and consistency.

1. Map your areas: Skin → tunic → trousers → leather → equipment → metal. Paint largest areas first. Thin paints to milk consistency for smooth coats.
2. Keep contrast in mind: Historical palettes often pair muted cloth with brighter facings, piping, and flags—let those accents sing.
3. Two‑layer base: On 28 mm, a darker base + mid‑tone pass creates instant depth before washing.

Step 4 – Washes & Inks (Shadow in Seconds)

• Targeted > all‑over: Flow a dark brown/sepia into recesses (cloth, straps) and a black/neutral into metals and deep folds. Avoid tide marks by wicking excess with a clean brush.
• Speed option: For 15–20 mm, a controlled all‑over wash can be efficient; re‑touch raised areas after to brighten them back up.

Step 5 – Highlights & Texture (Make Details Read)

• Layering: Re‑apply your mid‑tone on raised folds, then add a lighter mix for an edge highlight. At 28 mm, 2–3 highlight steps read well at arm’s length.
• Glazing: For subtle transitions (faces, cloaks), thin paint to a tinted water and pull it toward the highlight zone in several passes.
• Drybrush (smartly): Perfect for chainmail, rough cloth, fur, and boot dusting. Keep it light to avoid chalkiness.

Step 6 – Faces, Flesh & Eyes (Historical Realism)

• Simple face recipe (28 mm): Mid‑tone flesh base → sepia/brown wash → re‑establish base on nose, cheeks, brow → lighter mix for tip of nose, cheek tops, chin.
• Eyes (optional at 28 mm): Dot a thin off‑white strip, then a tiny dark iris. Don’t overshoot—suggestion beats precision at gaming distance.
• Stubble & grime: Glaze a cool grey‑brown under the jawline; a thin dusty glaze around the collar sells field wear.

Step 7 – Cloth, Leather & Wood

• Cloth: Keep highlights across the fold tops; avoid bright edges on shadowed troughs.
• Leather: Mid brown base → sepia wash → thin edge highlight with a lighter tan. Add subtle scratches with a fine brush or sponge.
• Wood stocks (muskets/rifles): Mid‑brown base, darker wash, then fine horizontal streaks with a lighter tan to simulate grain.

Step 8 – Metals (TMM and Quick NMM)

• True Metallic Metal (TMM): Dark metallic base (gunmetal/bronze) → black wash → bright edge highlight (silver/brass). Add tiny scratches with a nearly dry bright metal.
• Quick NMM (optional on 28 mm+): Paint metal areas non‑metallic grey gradient (dark to light), then a sharp white edge line. Keep it subtle for historical subjects.

Step 9 – Weathering for History (Subtle Sells It)

• Mud & dust: Drybrush boots/trouser cuffs with a mid‑tan. Stipple darker mud near the soles; glaze thinned brown up the legs for splatter.
• Chips & wear: For helmets/vehicles, sponge a dark brown on edges, then a tiny bright metal inside the darkest chips.
• Oils/enamels (optional): Pin‑wash with dark brown oil into deep recesses for soft, realistic shading. Let cure, then matte varnish.
• Pigments: Fix with pigment binder or thinned varnish on boots/tracks; keep it restrained.

Step 10 – Heraldry, Facings & Unit Markings

• Napoleonic facings: Match facing color (collars, cuffs, turnbacks) to regiment—use references. Thin, clean lines elevate the look.
• Flags & standards: Paint or use printed flags. Weather lightly at edges; a smoke glaze tones down brightness.
• WWII markings: Keep insignia and stencils low‑contrast and slightly weathered; avoid overly stark white unless freshly applied.

Transfers/Decals (Clean Results, Fast)

1. Gloss the area (small patch): reduces silvering.
2. Apply with Micro Set (helps adhesion). Position with a wet brush.
3. Softener (Micro Sol) to conform over folds. Don’t touch while wrinkled—it will settle as it dries.
4. Seal with satin or matte varnish; glaze a little dust/dirt over the edge to integrate.

Basing (Tell the Theater Story)

• Europe (mud & grass): Texture paste → brown paint → drybrush tan → static grass tufts + tiny leaf scatter.
• Desert: Light sand base → tan/yellow‑ochre drybrush → sparse scrub tufts. A thin pale dust glaze on boots ties model to base.
• Winter: Dark mud → gloss puddles → snow effect (bicarbonate mix or premade) with thin patches, not full carpets.

Varnish (Protected & Period‑Correct)

• Matte overall: Best for cloth and realism.
• Satin spot coat: Use on leather boots, oiled slings, or gun stocks for subtle sheen.
• Sequence: Gloss (for decal stage) → matte final. Spray in light coats to avoid frosting; warm the can in lukewarm water in cold climates.

Color Recipes (Fast Starters by Era)

These are tone guides—match your paint ranges accordingly.

• WWII German Field‑Grey: Dark grey‑green base → sepia wash → grey‑green highlight → add a pale, desaturated edge mix.
• WWII US Olive Drab: Olive drab base → brown wash → olive highlight → small tan edge hits on sharp creases.
• WWII Soviet 4BO Green: Rich green base → dark brown wash → lighter warm‑green highlight → dust glaze for Eastern Front mud.
• Napoleonic French Blue: Deep blue base → dark wash → mid‑blue highlight → small light‑blue edge on lapels.
• British Redcoat: Deep red base → brown wash → layered scarlet highlights → tiny orange‑red on highest folds.
• Ancient Bronze & Linen: Bronze base + brown wash + bright brass edge; linen = khaki base → sepia wash → bone highlights.

Batch Painting Workflow (Finish a Platoon without Burning Out)

1. Prime & zenithal the whole unit.
2. Color by area across the squad (all trousers, all tunics, etc.).
3. Targeted washes per material (cloth/metal/leather).
4. Quick highlights (one strong pass) on cloth; edge highlight on gear.
5. Weather & base together for cohesion.
6. Varnish & decals last; photograph the finished formation for your notes.

Troubleshooting (Common Issues & Fixes)

• Chalky highlights: Paint too thick or too pale. Thin more; mix in a little mid‑tone to soften.
• Shiny patches after wash: Matte varnish spot‑coat, or glaze with thin mid‑tone to knock back gloss.
• Silvered decals: You skipped gloss. Carefully prick tiny holes and re‑apply softener; seal with satin.
• Grainy primer: Humidity or too close spraying. Lightly sand smooth; reprime in thin passes.
• Faces look “muddy”: Re‑establish the mid‑tone on raised areas, then do a small, clean highlight—don’t over‑wash.

Safety Notes

• Ventilate when spraying or using enamel/oil products; wear a mask if airbrushing.
• Use cutting mats and pull blades away from fingers.
• Label thinners and keep them capped; dispose of paper towels used with oils safely.

Image Suggestions

• Step collage: Prep → zenithal prime → basecoats → wash → highlight → varnish.
• Uniform plate: Side‑by‑side early‑war vs late‑war examples with weathering differences.
• Close‑ups: Leather wear, wood grain on rifle stocks, subtle dust on boots and hems.

Link to Shop

Build your paint stack (primers, acrylics, washes, varnishes, weathering) here: Miniature Paints & Hobby Essentials.

FAQs – Painting Historical Miniatures (tap + to expand)