Get Started Painting Miniatures for Age of Sigmar

Follow this 9-step beginner’s guide to assemble, paint, and base your first model with confidence.

Choosing the right colors is the foundation of a great paint job. In this guide, you’ll learn how to build color schemes that reflect your faction’s lore, enhance contrast, and stay consistent across your army. Whether you want bold and heroic or dark and menacing, this step will help you choose a palette with purpose and confidence.

Now that you’ve picked your colors, it’s time to apply them with intent. This step dives into practical examples of how to use your chosen palette across different parts of a miniature—armor, cloth, weapons, and more. Learn how strategic color placement brings balance, contrast, and storytelling to your models.

Before you can start painting, assembling your miniatures correctly is essential. This guide walks you through the process of preparing, cleaning, and gluing your models, ensuring they’re ready for priming and painting. Learn the best practices for handling sprues, removing mold lines, and using the right adhesives to achieve a sturdy and clean assembly.

Priming is a crucial step that prepares your miniatures for painting by ensuring better paint adhesion and durability. In this guide, you’ll learn the importance of priming, how to choose between brush-on and spray primers, and the best practices for applying primer to achieve a smooth, even surface without obscuring fine details. Proper priming sets the foundation for vibrant colors and a professional finish.

The base coat lays down the core colors of your miniature and sets the stage for all the layers, shading, and highlights to come. In this step, you’ll learn how to apply smooth, even coats of paint, avoid streaks, and build up rich color coverage. A solid base coat is key to achieving a clean, professional-looking model.

Shading adds definition and drama to your models by creating contrast in the recesses and around details. In this step, you’ll explore techniques like washes and recess shading to deepen shadows and enhance the sculpted forms of your miniatures. Learn how to bring out texture, increase realism, and set the tone for your finished paint job.

Layering is where your miniatures really start to come alive. In this guide, you’ll learn how to apply progressively lighter shades over your base coat to create smooth transitions and subtle depth. Whether you’re aiming for bold contrasts or gentle blends, mastering layering will give your models a polished, professional finish.

Highlighting adds the final pop of brightness and sharpness to your models. This step focuses on picking out raised edges and light-catching details using techniques like edge highlighting and dry brushing. Learn how to make your miniatures stand out with crisp definition and eye-catching contrast that draws attention to their best features.

Basing is the final touch that ties your miniature to its world. In this step, you’ll discover how to create scenic bases that reflect the setting of Age of Sigmar, using texture paints, tufts, and thematic color choices. A well-painted base not only enhances the presentation of your model but also helps tell its story on the tabletop.