Love brush painting? Come see this classic hobby hack that’ll get your mini’s glazing hot!
Welcome back hobby Maniac’s! Today, for all you brush painters, I got some not so secret tech that you should be using on all your models from here on out.
Glazing, a lot of people have a hard time with it. But at the end of the day, they’re just thinned down washes of Acrylic Paint. For these white scars, I wanted to add a darker glaze to make the white pop out. By adding the glaze I’ll be darkening some of the flatter areas and introducing some contrast. Glaze is great because it’s like adding filter over certain area’s while creating nice looking transitions from minimal effort.
For this particular tutorial I’m using #106 badger fur, which I used for the base, and I’m taking that same of those paint to make a glaze.
Pro-tip: Save your water bottle tops to use as mini-pallets!
Then add a mix of ¾ water and ¼ Future Floor wax to the paint. There’s no real rhyme or reason to it, just mix it until it’s thinned down. When you pull the paint across the pallet and it’s mostly clear you’ll know it’s just right. It should look translucent (see through) and not just thin pain that drips down into the recess of your model but rather sit on top of a flat surface. (Alternatively, Glazes are available for purchase from various companies like GW and that takes the guesswork out of it, we like to give you options for your Hobby dollar here at the Long War)
Then you just apply liberally to the surfaces. After you apply you’ll want to go back and pull it so that it doesn’t pool up in certain spots or stay bubbly. Just go back over it with your brush until that’s all smoothed out.
I also like to make a slightly darker batch and get into the cracks with a thin brush. Really, you don’t even have to trace it in, just drop a dab and it’ll fill in for you.
I also like using Secret Weapon Mini’s Soft Body Black, it’s great for making darker glazes which I like to use on red.
Also great to use on eyes, all you need is a drop and it’ll fill in for you.
You’ll notice the head on the right isn’t as defined as the two on the left; the glaze will darken the areas the need to be darkened but leave the bright red bright while making a nice looking transition.
Alright hobby maniac’s who’s going back and glazing their old models?!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
