Painting & Modelling Guides

[goat major]

As the painting competition is in full swing I thought it might be worthwhile asking which books on painting and modelling people have found most useful and helpful ? For me there are two books on painting that have helped me immeasurably.

First is the Kevin Dallimore's Foundry Guide to Painting and Modelling. This is a beautifully illustrated book with detailed step by step guides on how to apply the 3 colour technique. This is a painting style that you either love or hate - but when well done can deliver very pretty crisply painted results. I bought this book when I was just getting back into painting and gaming after a 10 year+ break. It really transformed my painting style and i've never looked back since (previously i was a dedicated wash and drybrush man). The technique needs some modification when painting 10mm (i tend to use 2 colours - shade and highlight rather than midtone). Ignore the advertising puffery for Foundry figures and paints - its a great guide for getting you into this technique. Having said that i don't tend to refer to it much nowadays - even though there a few chapters for modelling and other details, its pretty much a one trick pony. Its a good trick though.

The second I would list is How to Paint Citadel Miniatures by GW. Now take a deep breath and try to get over the GW bit - its actually very very good and applicable to any type of wargaming figure. Unlike the Dallimore guide it covers a whole range of painting styles (layering, blending, washing, glazing etc. ), tips and techniques with a bit of colour theory thrown in for good measure. Probably the best guide GW have produced even if the paint names appear to have been dreamt up by Finbar Saunders. This is one i regularly go back to get ideas and different thoughts on how to approach a new project.

Are there any other painting or modelling books that people would like to recommend ?

[Maenoferren]

Those are the three I have on my shelf, I have 2 different GW painting guides as well as two of their terrain ones too

[goat major]

yep terrain modelling forgot about that. I have the GW guide which is very pretty and gives a good overview from making gaming tables to constructing individual items of fantasy and sci-fi scenery. It looks great but i was hoping for a few more detailed step-by-step guides - its certainly excellent for inspiration though.

I also have the two Osprey's by Richard Windrow (Terrain Modelling and Advanced Terrain Modelling). Although aimed at dioramas theres a lot here for the wargamer and he goes through each theme (water, trees, snow etc) in a lot of detail. Lots of good hints for materials too.

[Pruneau]

I have been registered at Minimentor for quite some time now, and have all their videos - thats days of HD training video.  They regularly publish a high res film full of showcases for sculpting and painting.  Very advanced stuff, and sometimes -whoosh- it goes right over my head, but the quality and depth is amazing.  To be consumed in small doses!  I also possess the excellent guide in Book and DVD form by Jeremie Bonamant (in French).  The only problem with all of those is that it's for great painters trying to become outstanding, while I am a blotchy painter trying to become decent.