03 9818 8593
Hawthorn
LucasA fresh box of miniatures can make painting feel like a choice between two extremes: buy every colour on the rack, or put it off because you do not know where to begin. The best beginner miniature paints sit comfortably in the middle. They give you reliable coverage, sensible colour choices and a finish that looks great on the gaming table, without turning your first project into a chemistry lesson.
For new painters, the brand matters less than having paints designed for miniatures and a small, useful selection of colours. Dedicated hobby paints are finely pigmented acrylics formulated to flow over detail without burying it. They are easier to control than craft paint, clean up with water and are made to work with the techniques you will learn first: base coating, washing, layering and highlighting.
What makes the best beginner miniature paints?
A good beginner range should be forgiving. That means paint that thins easily with water, covers well in two thin coats and comes in clearly labelled colours you can identify at a glance. A dropper bottle can make it easier to dispense small amounts onto a palette; flip-top pots are quick to use and convenient when you are painting at the table. Neither is automatically better. Choose the format you find least fiddly.
Colour selection is just as important. A starter set with a sensible red, blue, green, yellow, brown, black, white, a flesh tone, metallic and wash will carry you further than a huge set filled with near-identical shades. You can mix brighter highlights, darker shadows and intermediate colours as your confidence grows.
Finally, look for ranges with an established ecosystem. Miniature painting is easier when the same brand offers primers, metallics, washes and brushes that are intended to work together. You do not have to buy everything at once, but it helps to know your next step is there when you need it.
The paint ranges beginners should consider
Citadel Colour
Citadel Colour is a natural entry point for Warhammer players and anyone who wants a guided route from bare plastic to a finished miniature. Its range is organised by job: Base paints for strong initial coverage, Layer paints for building colour, Shade paints for recessed detail, and Dry paints for drybrushing. That naming system removes much of the guesswork from a first project.
The major advantage is support. Citadel colours appear in official painting guides, boxed-game instructions and countless hobby conversations, so finding a recipe for armour, monsters or fantasy skin is straightforward. The pots are quick to open, although some painters prefer decanting paint onto a palette rather than working from the pot. Citadel can be a more expensive way to collect a very large palette, but a small, carefully chosen group is excellent for learning.
Vallejo Game Colour and Model Colour
Vallejo is a strong choice for painters who like dropper bottles and want to build a collection one colour at a time. Game Colour is aimed at bold fantasy and science-fiction miniatures, while Model Colour offers an enormous range of military, historical and natural tones. Both reward a little thinning and patient application, giving you very smooth coats across fine detail.
The dropper bottle is particularly handy when using a wet palette because you can place exactly the amount you need without waste. Vallejo's broad range can also be its complication: it is easy to overthink every possible shade. Start with core colours and add specialist tones only when a project calls for them.
The Army Painter Warpaints
The Army Painter is well suited to a new hobbyist building a practical painting station. Warpaints sets commonly combine core acrylic colours with metallics and washes, making them useful for fantasy adventurers, board game figures and rank-and-file wargaming armies. Their colour choices tend to be direct and tabletop-friendly rather than overly technical.
This is a particularly good option if your aim is to get a whole unit painted and playing rather than spend several sessions perfecting one miniature. Shake the bottles thoroughly before use, especially metallics, and thin each coat on a palette. Like any acrylic paint, results improve dramatically when you avoid trying to cover everything in one thick pass.
Reaper Master Series and colour triads
Reaper paints are worth considering if you learn best through colour recipes. Many of their colours are arranged as triads: a shadow, mid-tone and highlight that naturally work together. That makes it easier to paint believable skin, cloth and leather without having to mix every transition yourself.
They are often thinner than some beginner expectations, which is useful for smooth blending but can feel unfamiliar if you are seeking instant opaque coverage. Apply several controlled coats and the benefit becomes clear. Reaper is a thoughtful choice for character miniatures, roleplaying figures and painters who want to explore highlights early.
Start with a set or individual paints?
A starter set is usually the better first purchase. It limits your choices in a helpful way and gives you colours that work together before you understand exactly what you enjoy painting. If the set includes a brush and a miniature, even better - you can start immediately and decide whether the hobby suits you before adding more supplies.
Individual paints make more sense when you have a specific miniature or army scheme in mind. For example, a Space Marine force might need a particular blue, gold metallic and dark wash, while a Dungeons & Dragons party could call for a wider mix of skin, leather and cloth colours. In that situation, buying deliberately avoids a drawer full of rarely used bottles.
Do not judge a starter set only by the number of paints. Twelve well-chosen colours, a wash and a metallic are more useful than 24 colours with no dark brown, black or shading option. Those practical colours do much of the work.
A first miniature paint kit that earns its place
Paint is the headline, but a few supporting tools make beginner results far more satisfying. Prime your miniature first. Primer gives acrylic paint something to grip and reveals mould lines you may want to remove. Black primer is forgiving and creates natural shadows; white or light grey primer makes bright colours easier to paint. Grey is often the safest all-round choice.
You will also need a medium-sized brush with a good point, a smaller detail brush, a palette, water pot and paper towel. A wet palette is a worthwhile upgrade, particularly in Australia's warmer months, because it keeps acrylic paint workable longer. It is useful, not mandatory. A ceramic tile or plastic palette works perfectly well for a first session.
For a versatile opening collection, aim for these essentials:
- black, white, dark brown and a mid-grey
- red, blue, green and yellow in mid-tones
- a skin tone, bone or off-white, and a leather brown
- silver and gold metallics
- one dark wash, such as black or brown
That compact group can paint knights, goblins, spaceships, heroes and board game miniatures with more variety than it first appears. Mix white into a base colour for highlights, or add a little brown or black for shadows. Keep mixtures simple and make a note if you create a colour you want to repeat.
Techniques that matter more than buying another paint
Thin your paint until it flows off the brush without flooding details. The usual advice is two thin coats, and it is repeated for good reason. A first coat may look patchy, especially over dark primer. Let it dry, then apply another. You will get a cleaner, sharper result than one heavy coat can deliver.
After base colours, use a wash to settle into creases around belts, faces, chainmail and folds of cloth. This is one of the fastest ways to make a miniature look finished. Use it with restraint on large flat surfaces, where it can dry unevenly, and guide excess wash away with a clean brush if it pools.
Then highlight raised edges using a lighter version of the base colour. You do not need to highlight every detail. Focus on the areas the eye notices first: shoulders, weapon edges, facial features and the top folds of clothing. A neatly painted miniature with a dark wash and a few selective highlights will often look better on the table than an overworked one.
Choosing paint for your kind of hobby
Board game miniatures benefit from a fast approach: primer, base colours, wash and a few highlights. Wargame armies need consistency and speed, so choose colours that can be repeated across dozens of figures. Roleplaying miniatures and display pieces invite a slower approach, where triads, layered highlights and carefully selected skin tones earn their keep.
If you are buying a gift, a beginner set plus primer, a brush and one or two miniatures is a safer choice than an enormous paint bundle. It feels complete, gives the recipient a clear first project and leaves room for them to choose their own colours later. Mind Games staff can also help match a paint range to the miniatures, game system and painting style you have in mind.
Your first painted miniature does not need perfect eyes, smooth blends or a competition-standard base. It only needs to be yours, finished and ready for the table. Pick a small set of paints, start with a miniature you genuinely want to play, and let the next colour be chosen by the project in front of you.
