It’s effective even in cases of long standing — oh, wait, that’s a different letter. Today’s letter is M…for MINIATURES!

In my previous article, I introduced you to the wonderful world of painting miniatures. I gave you a quick overview of the kind of things this column will be covering, and let you know what kind of tools you would need in order to paint your first miniature. Before you get started, though, you’re going to need to prepare your miniature to be painted. Below is a quick list of the things you’ll need for this. Several were explained in the previous article, but the rest were oversights on my part — sorry “˜bout that!

You’ve seen them on gaming tables or in display cases, preserved and painted to amazing quality. If you’re a Dungeons & Dragons player like myself, odds are you have one of your own to represent your fantasy persona. They come separately packaged or in multi-figure kits, typically sculpted from plastic or pewter. These days, they can even be bought pre-painted for the avid gamer who would rather spend more time rolling dice than sitting at a painting table.

But where’s the fun in that?

If you’ve ever looked at a beautifully painted miniature and said to yourself, “I wanna do THAT!” then this, my friend, is the column for you.

I’m sure some of you may be thinking, “There’s no way I could ever be able to paint like that,” but don’t be discouraged! The people who do those incredible paint jobs started off just like you, and with the right guidance and plenty of practice, you could be giving them a run for their money in no time.

For the duration of this column, I will be discussing the techniques of painting your own miniature. I do not profess to being a professional by any stretch of the imagination, but that is the beauty of this rewarding and relaxing hobby… You don’t have to be a professional to share the tips and techniques that you’ve discovered!