A miniature can be beautifully sculpted and still fight every brushstroke if the surface has not been prepared properly. Preparing your miniatures for paint is where a clean, durable finish begins: before colour choices, before highlights, and well before the details that make a figure feel complete.
The goal is not to make preparation elaborate. It is to remove the small physical problems that become obvious once paint is applied. A missed mould line, oily release agent, visible joint, or poorly chosen primer can distract from otherwise careful painting. Working methodically at this stage gives acrylic paint, washes, and drybrushing a far more reliable surface.
Start by Identifying the Miniature Material
Plastic, resin, and metal miniatures need similar attention, but they do not behave exactly the same way. Most gaming miniatures are injection-moulded plastic and are generally ready to assemble after inspection. Resin pieces often retain mould-release residue and may arrive with thin casting gates or more delicate details. Metal figures can have slight bends, seams, or uneven joins that require extra fitting.
Before cutting or gluing anything, examine the sprue or parts under a good task light. Look at faces, armour plates, capes, weapon shafts, and broad flat areas from several angles. These are the places where mould lines and seams tend to show most clearly after priming.
A sharp hobby knife, sprue cutters, sanding sticks, and a fine file will cover most basic preparation. Use a light touch. The purpose is to refine the surface, not carve it away. On detailed areas such as chainmail, fur, or scales, scrape gently with the back of a knife blade rather than sanding aggressively and flattening the sculpted texture.
Remove Mould Lines and Casting Gates
Mould lines are among the most common preparation issues because they are easy to overlook on bare plastic. Once primer and paint catch the raised edge, however, the line can read like an unintended ridge across a cloak, helmet, or cheek.
For plastic parts, cut pieces away from the sprue slightly outside the connection point. Then trim the remaining nub carefully with a knife or sanding stick. Cutting flush against the piece can tear the plastic and leave a deeper mark than the sprue gate itself.
Resin requires more patience. Trim larger casting gates in small stages rather than trying to remove them in one cut. Resin dust should not be inhaled, so wet-sand resin parts where possible and clean the work area afterward. A dust mask and sensible ventilation are worthwhile when sanding any resin model.
Metal miniatures may have heavier mould lines. A fine file is useful here, followed by a sanding stick if needed. Test the surface with a fingertip after filing. If you can still feel a pronounced ridge, primer will not hide it.
Wash Resin and Metal Before Assembly
Washing is not mandatory for every plastic kit, but it is good practice for resin and older metal castings. Mould-release agents, handling oils, and workshop dust can interfere with primer adhesion. This can lead to paint that scratches, beads up, or lifts more easily than it should.
Use lukewarm water, a small amount of dish soap, and a soft toothbrush. Gently scrub the parts, rinse them thoroughly, and allow them to dry completely. Do not use very hot water on resin, as it can soften or warp delicate components.
If a resin piece is bent, warm water can help reshape it. Soften the part briefly in warm water, adjust it carefully, then set the shape with cool water. This works well for swords, banners, spears, and thin scenic elements. Check the fit again once the part has cooled, since a corrected piece may sit differently in its joint.
Dry-Fit Before You Commit to Glue
Dry-fitting means placing the parts together without adhesive to check alignment. It is a simple habit that prevents tilted weapons, floating shoulders, awkward gaps, and bases that do not sit level.
Pay particular attention to multipart torsos, two-handed weapons, wings, capes, and mounted figures. Some joins appear correct from the front but leave a noticeable opening at the back. A few seconds of test fitting can show whether a connection needs light sanding before assembly.
For most plastic miniatures, plastic cement creates a strong bond because it lightly melts the contact surfaces together. It gives you a short working time to adjust the pose, but it is not appropriate for resin or metal. Use cyanoacrylate glue, commonly called super glue, for resin, metal, or mixed-material models.
Apply adhesive sparingly. Excess glue can fill detail, harden into an unwanted texture, or create shiny marks that remain visible under paint. If a joint is under strain, pinning may be worth the effort. This involves drilling matching holes in both parts and reinforcing the join with a short piece of wire. It is especially useful for heavy metal components and large resin pieces.
Fill Gaps Where Paint Will Draw Attention
Not every joint needs filler. A narrow seam hidden beneath a shoulder pad or inside a cloak is often not worth disturbing. A gap across smooth armour, a creature's neck, a vehicle hull, or a prominent cloak is another matter. Paint tends to emphasize shadows inside these openings.
Use a suitable modelling putty or acrylic gap filler in small amounts. Press it into the joint, smooth it with a damp tool, and let it cure fully before sanding. For fine hairline gaps, a brush-on acrylic filler can be quicker than putty. For larger joins, two-part epoxy putty gives more control and can be shaped before it hardens.
Check filled areas under primer rather than assuming bare material tells the whole story. Primer reveals surface changes clearly. If a seam remains visible, sand lightly and apply a second small amount of filler instead of trying to bury it under thick paint.
Choose Subassemblies for Better Brush Access
A fully assembled miniature is not always the easiest miniature to paint. Shields held close to a chest, weapons crossing the torso, riders on mounts, and figures standing inside vehicles can create areas that are nearly impossible to reach cleanly with a brush.
This is where subassemblies help. Paint certain parts separately, then attach them once the difficult interior areas are finished. Keep the number of separate pieces practical. Too many loose components make handling, matching colours, and final assembly more complicated.
A useful rule is to keep a part separate only when it blocks a significant painted area. A shield covering an entire torso is a strong candidate. A small pouch touching a belt usually is not. Before priming, temporarily hold the components together and consider where your brush will need to go.
Attach subassemblies to handles for painting. Corks, old paint pots, and dedicated miniature holders all work well. A small amount of removable putty can secure a foot, pin, or mounting point without damaging the piece.
Build or Plan the Base Early
The base is part of the miniature's preparation, not an afterthought. Whether you are using the supplied gaming base, a scenic plinth, sand, texture paste, cork, or small rocks, decide early how the figure will sit.
Test the model's balance before adding texture. A wide stance may need little support, while a dynamic running pose or large creature may need pinning into the base. If you plan to paint the miniature separately from its base, leave a clean mounting point so the final attachment is secure.
Avoid applying thick basing material against areas that will later be hard to paint, such as boots, hooves, or low-hanging cloaks. It depends on the effect you want: building the entire base first creates a more integrated scene, while painting the figure separately keeps the main colours cleaner.
Priming: The First Paint Layer That Matters Most
Primer gives later paint layers something to grip and helps create a consistent surface across plastic, resin, metal, putty, and filler. It is not simply a colour choice. A good primer coat should be thin, even, and detailed enough that every sculpted feature remains sharp.
Black primer is forgiving and supports deep shadows, metallics, and darker schemes. White primer makes bright colours, pale skin, and vivid yellows easier to establish, but missed recesses can be more noticeable. Grey is a balanced choice for many projects. A zenithal approach, with dark primer followed by lighter paint or primer from above, can help establish natural value direction before you begin painting.
Spray primers work efficiently, but temperature and humidity matter, especially in Canadian weather. Cold conditions, high humidity, or poorly shaken cans can cause a rough, powdery, or uneven finish. Prime in a well-ventilated area within the product's recommended conditions, use several light passes, and let the miniature dry between coats. Do not attempt to cover bare material in one heavy spray.
Brush-on primer is slower but gives excellent control for small projects, touch-ups, and indoor work. Thin it only as directed by the manufacturer, then apply a smooth coat with a brush you do not reserve for fine detail work. It may take two thin coats to achieve full coverage, particularly over metal or darker materials.
Inspect the Primed Surface Before Painting
Once the primer has cured, inspect every surface under strong light. This is the final checkpoint before colour. Look for missed mould lines, rough primer texture, unfilled gaps, fingerprints, and areas where the primer has pooled.
A small correction now is much easier than repairing a visible flaw after several carefully painted layers. Lightly sand rough areas, clean away dust, reprime the spot, and allow it to cure. Then begin painting with confidence.
Careful preparation does not make a miniature less personal. It gives your colour decisions, brushwork, and materials the surface they deserve. If you are uncertain about a primer, filler, or tool for a particular kit, bring the miniature or a photo of its parts to 2 Rockers and start with the materials best suited to the job.