This game will be my first endeavor in painting miniatures. I really don't know much about paint or where to buy or costs etc. Any help would be appreciated. Links to YouTube videos or websites, painting kits, techniques, anything.

Basically, what would you tell someone who asks "I want to paint miniatures. What do I need to get started?"

I'd like to offer some suggestions -

Acrylic paints. If you can clean them with water you want to stick with those. I prefer Acrylycos Velejo (spelling) and GW washes (mainly for availability and consistency) If you are just starting out - buy a lot of cheap brushes. you are going to ruin them and spending top dollar on good brushes is a waste until you learn how to load the paint, thin the paint, and clean the brushes. When you start to get good you will know when it's time to invest in good brushes.

WASH the models really good with degreaser and warm water and let them air dry a day or so before priming. Resin has alot of oil as part of the casting process and you'll know it wasnt clean when you work on a piece and notice paint keeps running off....

To that end - if you mount it on the base before painting dont touch the model - if you mount it after (special bases etc) drill a small hole and insert a paper clip into the part and the other end of the paperclip into a wine cork - makes a great handle.

Keep your paints thinned and/or brush damp. These paints are a bit thicker then they need to be and may clump - you'll see what I mean as you go and will get good at wetting your brush and dipping in in the paint to mix it a bit before you apply it.

Dont get fancy. If you are starting out start with what I call "cartoon colors". Simple 1 color application - ie tee shirt 1 color, jeans another color. just practice brush control and keeping paint where you want it. you can follow up that with a wash or a thinned out ink for fairly decent results.

paint. just paint. buy a few cheap models and go nuts. If you have friends that need stuff painted or spare bits you can make models of - practice. It will give you a way to get better before working on what you REALLY want to paint. To be honest - buy or get a set of GW Space Orks (40k) They have some of the most varied sets of surface that will be a great training ground for almost anything you'd ever want to paint.

I wouldnt suggest any more complicated stuff until you get comfortable with the fundamentals - once you are good with that start adding more techniques like:

drybrushing
wet blending
source lighting (you can also do that with light and dark primer)

once you are satisfied - seal them with a dull clear coat. Good luck man!

You can easily found a lot of tips by searching on the Games Workshop related Websites, because they are the biggest compagny and a lot of people play their games. For exemple these websites :

http://warmaster40k.com/2010/07/07/must ... iniatures/

http://www.wikihow.com/Paint-Warhammer-Figures

I find this video that can help you too :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhX3At2-M_c

But the game worshop product can be expensive and they are alternative for painting with a cheaper price. So I hope someone who is a modelling fan can help you because I always use GW product by lazyness...

I find that who can be interresting for the marines eye :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIzxQP2XxlY

I hope I help you a bit.

EDIT :

I forgot to say that if you prefer you can also paint with an airbrush, I find a video to give you an exemple :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJha39IUztU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-mjrracdCs

As you can see in the second part a classic brush can be useful for the small details.

Welcome to the forum. All of the above is of a constructive nature, but thats a lot to learn, even more to enjoy. Most important piece of advice I can offer, is paint for you self, if you like what you have done, then thats perfect because thats how you will enjoy and embrace this hobby. Ask when in doubt, try all approaches you like, look at others paint style if it suits you, try it. We are all totally different in our style, I have used no primer on plastics or resin in the last 10/12years. I do wash in Methylated spirits and leave to dry. An example of my style is on MC/WZ see Alexander Bastedo in Gallery. I would recommend you start with your Aliens and as a beginner spray,( Not your Runners/ Dog Aliens or face huggers)with a very light spray, not close and heavy, in Matt black (paint or a primer) and leave for 48hr. Whilst they dry, use the time to view as many photos of Aliens for colour shades to dry brush your beasts. Your Runners should be light tan. Leave to dry, burnt siena ink wash, then dry brush with burnt umber. Face hugger flesh , brown ink wash then dry brush bronzed flesh. That's enough information to practice and have fun, remember if "you " don`t like it then strip it start again. Enjoy, its a great hobby, model for you thats all that matters.
Cheers all.

Hey PRJ since1990,
All the other player sugestions are fine, but If you start alone It is going to be really tought.
My sugestion is look for a hobby-shop near your location(There must be something near your place)
Just by finding the shop the shop owner should be really helpfull, you just have to take care is not trying to cheat you.
Once there check if there is any kind of workshop or painting course, or even better, just people who like the hobby and are open to make some friends. You can post an anouncement or just ask the people there.
It doesn´t matter how many tutorials we post you here, (anyway if you want more I am pretty sure there are many), If you find someone to teach you it is going to shadow any help from us .

Just think that the game you have purchaise is really interesting and new and you will fine people willing to play with you and help you with your miniatures.

As well this is universal your first tries are going to be real aborts, even with help nobody is good on the first try (maybe there are excentions), It is really necesary to train yourself.
My sugestion would be to buy another miniatures to practice, just a bunch of cheap but detailed ones and take a look on your results.
Even better post them here and we will help you to improve.

And try to aboid Gamesworshop shops, they are find but they are not going to help you if the product is not of their brand, the best thing is a general gaming store with tables to paint.

I'll chuck in my basic opinion my models are about the gallery so you can see the effect your get.

I work for a model company (Triple Helix Wargames) we do three paint ranges and I use a selection of all 3.
Games workshop citadel main paints
Army Painted primer sprays and their tone inks (tone inks do wonders on top of a basic paint job great for beginners)
P3 Metallics and Armour/flesh wash.

To be honest any of those ranges work well and then apply a Quick shade tone from Army Painter after to have nice looking miniatures for someone new to painting. After that experiment and see what you prefer.
-Lumberjack1988

Even if I'am lazy and use a lot their shop (because there are one near my home), I must admit it's a very good advice. There is a more general gaming store who as open recently near my home and I find their advice clearly more interresting than the one of the GW (in France we give them the nickname Gros Woleur (Big Thief) because they always try to sell you all the stuff you did'nt need).

THREE things that really helped my painting get better and I think are essential.

1) THIN YOUR PAINTS: Whether it's enamel or acrylic, dilute the paint some to make it less clumpy and run more freely but don't make it watery. The detail in the figures will come out better.

2) USE A MATTE OR LUSTERLESS SPRAY: In between coats, spray this on your figure occasionally as a kind of save point. It also seals in what you have painted and the paint won't flake off IF you have to handle it ( by the way, any figures, heads or arms should be mounted on wire or toothpicks when painting them and should NOT, if possible, be touched by your hands until the final matte spray coat.)

3) USE A SHADE WASH: This works wonders when you're done painting up the figure. Shades are thin, watery, ink-like colors that you can buy or make that,when brushed on, go into the recesses and cracks of figures. They create depth and bring out detail. Get a brown one for white skin and lighter uniforms( Citadel Agrax Earthshade) and a black one for black skin and darker uniforms (Citadel Drakenhof Nightshade). I would venture to say that using a wash will help incredibly to make a mediocre paint job or speed painted army of figures look acceptably decent.

As a side note, I think faces and heads can make or break a figure. I like to put eyes and shading on my faces, however I have seen outstanding figures who forego the eyes and simply use a shade to simulate the darkness in the eye sockets and mouth and they come out well.

Good Luck