Introduction
Many hobbyists today prefer to use resin 3D printed models to create their own tabletop experience. Compared with traditional plastic miniatures, resin 3D printed models can be more fine-detailed, flexible and compatible. Whether you are creating custom characters for campaigns in the Dungeons & Dragons, building armies for tabletop wargames and skirmishes, or preparing figures for dungeon-crawling board games, 3D printed miniatures will help to transform an imaginary scene into a fully realized world ready for adventures.
While customizing your characters or armies, painting is one of the most enjoyable parts of the hobby. After printing and post-processing your 3D resin model, painting allows you to bring the miniatures to life with colors, shading, and texture. Learning how to paint 3D printed miniatures models can dramatically enhance your gaming experience, as painted miniatures add atmosphere and personality to every campaign.
This beginner guide will briefly explain the basic miniature painting workflow, helping you turn raw 3D prints into visually striking miniatures suitable for tabletop RPGs, wargames, and board games.
Preparing the Model Before Painting
Before starting the painting process, the miniature must be properly prepared. Good 3D printed model post-processing not only improves the overall appearance of the piece but also preserves fine details that are essential for high-quailty miniature painting. A well-prepared surface allows primers and paints to adhere more evenly, resulting in smoother color application and better shading effects.
Common preparation steps include:
- Removing all 3D printing supports from the model
- Trimming any remaining support marks
- Sanding rough areas or small bumps
- Cleaning the model to remove dust, oils, or resin residue
Primer Applying: The Base for Your 3D Prints
Miniature primer provides a base layer that helps paint adhere to the miniature and reveals surface details that might otherwise be difficult to see.
In the priming stage of miniature painting, both airbrushes and spray cans are commonly used to apply an even base coat to the model.
An airbrush offers greater control over paint flow and spray pressure, allowing hobbyists to apply thin, smooth layers of primer for 3D prints. This helps preserve fine details on the miniature and is especially useful when working on highly detailed Chimova 3D printed models.
A spray can, on the other hand, is a simpler and more convenient option. It is quick to use and requires no additional equipment, making it ideal for beginners or for priming multiple models at once.
In addition to tools, color is also a key consideration in the priming stage. Different primer colors can significantly influence the final appearance of a miniature, as they affect how subsequent paint layers look and behave.
Black primer is one of the most commonly used options. It naturally darkens colors and helps create deeper shadows, making it ideal for darker color schemes or grimdark-style miniatures.
White primer provides a bright base that allows colors to appear more vibrant and saturated. It works especially well for bright palettes, vivid fantasy schemes, and techniques that rely on thin layers of paint.
Gray primer offers a balanced middle ground between black and white. It allows colors to remain relatively true without becoming too dark or overly bright, making it a versatile choice for many different painting styles.
Colored primers (such as bone, red, or green) can also be used to speed up the painting process. By starting with a primer close to the model’s dominant color, painters can reduce the number of basecoat layers needed while maintaining strong color coverage.
Besides, some techniques also use mixed primer colors to accomplish pre-shading or pre-highlighting, which is often referred to zenithal priming. This method uses multiple primer colors to establish light and shadow before the main painting begins.
Painting
Painting is actually a highly creative and flexible process with tons of methods. Here, we are going to talk about a simple and effective way for beginners -- the BSL method.
BSL stands for Base, Shade, and Light. This technique is widely used in miniature painting because it quickly produces clean and readable results.
Base
The basecoat is the first layer of color applied to the miniature. At this stage, the goal is to establish the primary colors of the model, separating different color areas. Paint should be slightly thinned to ensure smooth coverage. Applying multiple thin layers helps preserve fine details.
Shade
The shade stage adds depth to the miniature. A wash or shade paint is applied over the basecoat and flows naturally into recesses and creases, automatically creating the darker area. Shading greatly improves contrast and helps define the sculpted details of the miniature.
Light
The final step is highlighting, which restores brightness to raised surfaces after shading. Painters apply lighter colors to sharp areas such as armor edges, blade tips and cloth folds. This step makes the miniature more visually readable on the tabletop and gives it a more realistic appearance.
Together, the BSL workflow provides a simple and efficient painting method. It is quite suitable for beginners to get started with or for experienced painters to color up their whole army in a short time.
Base Making
The base of a miniature is often overlooked, but it plays an important role in the overall presentation of the model. A well-designed base can add context and atmosphere to the miniature, whether it represents a dungeon floor, battlefield, or wilderness environment.
Thanks to 3D printing technology, we can now easily get bases with pre-designed texture or even with detailed scene. However, there are also many materials that can be used on base making, such as texture mud, static grass, dirt powder, etc., which will make the base even better.
Sealing
Once the painting is complete, applying a protective varnish is recommended.
Varnish helps protect the paint from scratches and wear, especially if the miniature will be frequently handled during tabletop games. Generally, Matte varnish is the most popular choice for miniatures. It pervades a smooth matte finish for models. On the other hand, Gloss varnish is sometimes also applied on models with reflection effect, such as eyes, shining armor and light effect.
Final Thoughts
Painting 3D printed miniatures is both creative and rewarding. With proper preparation, priming, and a BSL painting workflow, even beginners can achieve impressive results.
Whether you are painting characters for role-playing campaigns, monsters for dungeon encounters, or armies for miniature wargames, miniature painting adds personality, immersion, and storytelling to every 3D printed model.