Making a general introduction to model games

[Overread]

Ok I'm putting this down in general because its NOT finished as yet, but I wanted to get peoples feelings and views as I work on this so that, once its all finished up it might get the chance to be a sticky for new members and those new to getting started with models and games.
This isn't focused at just games workshop, but general model games so I'll try to pitch is as general and "brand free" as I can. In addition I'd like to cover a few specifics such as different materials (eg resins, GW plastics, PP plastics, metals, finecast).

I intend to break it into 3 segments. The first is a shorter article on choosing and getting into model gaming in general. Helping people choose their first game, armies and typical other items they might find helpful for gaming.

Second segment is general modelling and likely the longest. Detailing how to go from owning a few sprues and bits to having a completed and paint ready model. I'll try to keep it basic, but I'll also explore a few alternative and advanced methods as well.

Third (and one I cannot write myself and would appreciate some help in crafting up) is the third stage - that of general painting itself. Starting points and a good begging point.


I'm also totally open to people suggesting links to similar articles like this; the net has many and providing alternative wordings and viewpoints can help beginners get more varied inputs.

[Overread]

PART 2 (the part I've thus far worked the most upon)

An introduction to those new to model making.

This article isn't that long, but should serve to introduce those new to the hobby to a selection of concepts and methods which should greatly help getting to grips with some of the basic and more tricky areas to working with models in different materials.


For this we'll first run through the basic clean up to assembly process and then have a look at a selection of tools and methods which can be used.


Purchase to assembly:


1) Purchase your models - simple first step on the road.

2) Open the pack. At this stage you want to go through the bits in the box/blister, make sure all the parts are present and also get your yourself familiar with all the parts. Check any assembly guides as well.

3) Remove any large bits of sprue material from the parts.

4) Washing (nomrally you can skip if you've purchased typical plastic minatures). All resin minatures will require this and most metal ones will benefit from this stage (there is some variation in the market, but most metals will have light traces of mould chemicals on them which is good to remove first). This is an easy stage, just use hot water mixed with typical washing soap. To scrub the minis use an old, slightly worn toothbrush. You don't have to scrub like mad, but you do want to make sure you scrub decently just to help wash all the chemicals off, make sure to get into all the little nooks and crannies.
Wait for the minis to dry fully before continuing (don't use a heat source, such has a hair drier, to speed the drying if working with resin as it will soften and could melt)

5) Remove mould lines, small spare bits of sprue. Any warping should also be corrected (more details on this later).

6) Dry assembly - fit the parts together and see how the model fits. Keep an eye on how parts overlap each other. This is the stage where you want to decide if there are key areas that you want to paint before putting the model together fully. For some models this will be essential otherwise you simply won't be able to get the brush in to paint.
It's also the stage where you'll want to make choices upon any optional parts that you might have (depending upon the miniature you have).

6b) Any conversions or adjustments that you choose to make. As an advanced option you might also consider magnetizing some "optional" parts if they play a key role in the game. Using magnets can let you have 2, 3 or more different model options for the game without having to buy different models for every single option.


7) Assembly/part assembly with glue (more detail later). You may also need to make some minor corrections/fillings into the joints.

8) Spray with undercoat of your choice in preparation for the painting stage.


Seems like a lot just to get the model together, but a little more work at this stage cleaning and preparing and you'll find painting a lot easier and you'll have a better model at the end.

Now we'll take a look at the processes and methods in a little more depth; not many of the outlined processes can be accomplished with the most basic of tool setups. A simple scalpal, clippers, files and glue can do much of the work that you'll need to do. Startup costs need not be high, but the specialist tools should not be overlooked if you want to start to improve your results or deal with more varied situations.


Cleaning mould lines/sprue from models:

Advised tools:
Scalpal (Games Workshop make a good one with a rubber handle and spare blades).
Xacto knife

Clippers (you're typical "plastic" clippers will be fine even on soft white metals for hobby work)

Cutting board/table no one minds being covered in scratches

Jewellers/modellers files, small straight files are good, if you can get them diamond ones will last longer over the regular. Also keep an eye out for curved tip files, they can get into some spots a lot easier than the straight ones can.

Brass bristled brush, needed to brush down the files, this helps declog them of plastic/resin/white metal. This will help prevent them scratching the miniature

Emery boards - games workshop make a good range of these, but are somewhat expensive.

Wet and Dry sand paper, fine grains. With a few lollypop sticks you can make your own emery boards for less.


Mould lines - have a look over your miniature, chances are you'll spy a raised line that runs around the whole part/model. This is a line generated from the moulds used to produce the minature. Sometimes they can be very tiny and in good cases invisible. If you can see them best to clean them away, though be careful in fine detailed areas.

Cleaning here can be very basic through to a bit more involved, depending on the models and your own standards. You can clean a lot of mould lines just with a scalpel (or xacto knife), simply hold the model carefully and gently scrape along the mould line away for you. Don't try and dig in deep, just scrape away in light brushes with the blade. If you try to push in too deep you can end up getting the blade stuck or cutting out larger lumps than you wish to.

Once the larger strips have been removed with the scalpal you can come in with files/emeryboards/wet and dry. Note that with these there will be different gradings, a less fine grading will file away more surface, but give a less smooth finish.
Always work from the harsher to the finest grades. Personally I find that files work better for a harsher grade and for taking off more extensive marks (note if you wish you can even clean all mould lines with a filing setup). After that emery boards or wet and dry paper can be used to "polish" for a smooth finish over the model.

When working with the files always use the brass bristled brush to clean the file every so often. This helps prevent the soft metals/plastics/resin from building up upon the file, which will reduce its performance and can cause scratches upon your minature. For emery boards tapping the board on the table and using a sticky surface (tape/greenstuff/bluetac) you can pull some of the build up material off, however these are essentially disposable tools and will eventually clog up to no use.
Wet and dry sand paper, when wetted, will last far longer as the wetted nature prevents the paper building up the clogging materials.



Removing lumps of sprue.
Tools needed:
Clippers
Scalpal/blade
+ mould line cleaning setup

Removing larger sections of sprue can be done easily with a regular pair of clippers, just cut away the offending part and then clean the remaining stub with the mould line cleaning method described above.
You can also reomove some of these lumps with a sharp blade, however if you choose to do this always use a sawing motion with the blade as you apply pressure. Also always make sure you are pushing away from yourself. If the blade starts to bend at all or if you find that you have to push very hard - stop. Shift to clippers or saw slower and with less pressure. This is especailly important for fine blade options, eg a scalpal (you don't want to snap your blade).


Cleaning up join lines and correcting minor imperfections
Tools needed:
Greenstuff/greystuff (privateer press/P3)/modelling putty

Greenstuff general working tool (GamesWorkshop)

Clay working tools

Colour shapers (also sometimes called clay shapers). These are silicon tipped paintbrush tools. They can be great for allowing you to give a smooth finish to your greenstuff and thus voiding the need to file and clean after working with it to add/fix areas of a model. Note that you'll generally want to buy size 0.
The general cone shaped tools are often the most versatile, however there are typically 5 varied heads and, in addition, 3 hardness values (white = soft; grey = medium; black = hard (black oft also called clay shapers). For beginners the grey or black cone is likely the easier to get to work with. However, like many tools, a wider variety is better to work with as you gain experience (and packs of 5 varied heads tend to be cheaper than individual).

Water/vegitable oil (clean)

Sometimes join points between two parts might not fit together perfectly, you might also have a couple of minor imperfections that you might want to fill in. This can be easily done with modelling putty, commonly greenstuff, although there are other products on the market.
This is composed of 2 colour strips which you mix together with your fingers until the blue and yellow strips turn a deep green in colour (ergo greenstuff). Note that for a general mix you want an even balance of yellow to blue. If you increase the blue component ;whilst if you add more yellow you'll get.
In addition I find that the middle of a strip of blue and yellow tends to be half formed and quite hard, so I typically cut out the very middle between the yellow and the blue so that the harder bit isn't part of the putty.
Further always mix it in small quantities, greenstuff is best built up and used in smaller amounts and layers so that you don't end up wasting it once you've finished your work.

Once you've worked it into a soft and green putty you've got it to work with. Now you'll have a good while before it will start to cure and harden, however if it starts to cure before you're finished just massage the greenstuff again and it will soften up. You can now cut off very tiny parts of the blob you've made and work them into any joints or points that need filling upon the model. When doing this always use the greenstuff general tool. Furthermore always keep the toop tips wetted (water works well, oil works a little better, however if you use oil you will have to was the model after this process to remove the oil residue, otherwise it will mess up painting).
A good early tip is to also cut in half any bit of greenstuff you're about to add to the model; remember work it up in layers as its much easier to add a little more than it is to remove too much.

Now you can do a lot with your fingers, the general working tool and water/oil - however sometimes you'll want a slightly better end result. One good way to helping is the use of colourshaper tools which can be used to produce a much smoother finish to the line between the greenstuff and the model. This means that, once the greenstuff is solid you won't have to file and clean it to produce a smooth and flush blend to the model itself (note cleaning green stuff is tricky as it will clog up any file/emery/sanding paper pretty fast).


If you want to take working with greenstuff further you can use it (and other modelling putties) to craft whole segments, even up to full models if you so desire. More tools, methods and a lot more practice will be required, but there is a wealth of info out there if you hunt for it. Indeed greenstuff (and other putties) are the starting foundation for a vast number of the miniatures that you can purchase on the market.

[Hive Carnithrope]

Looks pretty good Overread. I didn't read it all, obviously, but what I did was pretty good.

A few points. There's a few spelling mistakes, but none glaringly obviously. My major nitpick is that it's a large wall of text that blends together, if that makes sense.

Maybe break up sections more with bold, large font titles, and large gaps, just so it's easy to navigate. If it gets really big, maybe even a contents section at the beginning.

Otherwise, very good. A mod should definitely sticky this.

[Overread]

I agree, it needs some editing and formatting for proper reading. At the moment I'm mostly building up the core content and making sure that I don't miss anything out. From this one I've still got a proper assembly guide to get through (scoring, pinning, glueing) as well as touching up the greenstuff part (which reminds me which way around is it with the greenstuff, one of the colours is the fixer that makes it harder and the other is the more "detail" retaining if softer material - I've a feeling that blue is the fixer?)

[WestRider]

Yeah, the blue is the catalyst. More blue makes for a harder finish, more yellow leaves it softer.