Multi-piece miniatures advice

[Cpt_kirstov]

Ok, I have a question about miniatures that have more than once piece. Do people usually paint them before gluing/pinning them, or after? or does it depend on how hidden the area around the other parts are? or how well it looks like the two pieces will connect?

[ghettowedge]

I think the rule is to paint them and then scrape the paint off where glue will be applied.

I, however, always assemble first and paint later. My minis won't win any awards and I'm not selling them, so if there's a tiny nonpainted or sealed spot or a place where some paint smudged another surface it's no big deal to me. The model still looks awesome at the table.

[Morgen]

Most of the miniature painters that I hang around with, as well as myself, will assemble the model first and then paint it unless there is something that will obviously be nearly impossible to get a brush in against properly.

[DeathQuaker]

It's largely a matter of preference; I prefer to assemble and then paint. Usually because I've had experiences where multi-piece minis ended up needing gaps filled in with greenstuff and similar issues, and I'd rather discover that before painting rather than after. A dragon model comes to mind, where the leg had just been mangled in the mold, and I not only had to fill gaps but resculpt scales...

However, very awkwardly shaped miniatures can be easier to paint first, then assemble. Just be sure you do a "test assembly" without glue to make sure everything fits together like it's supposed to.

[Balfic-graa]

I paint as I assemble. Its alot easier to do detail work, and you have alot more room to play with using your brush. It all comes down you how much time you want to spend painting/detailing your model? How much time do you want to spend to get your miniature the way you want it to look like?

Or are you okay with just getting it close enough?

Both styles have there own rewards. Its up to you what you are after.

[Xabulba]

Assemble then paint, that way you can fix defects and fill in gaps before applying the primer coat.

[Bluenose]

It does depend on the miniature. I'll do a trial assembly first without glue, and then if there are bits that look as if they'll be hard to get at afterwards I'll make sure they're painted before I assemble the model properly. Usually that means painting body/torso, assembling, filling any gaps with putty, and then finishing.

This assumes I'm not painting and basing 400 Russian napoleonics for the new year, of course.

[Sean K Reynolds]

I assemble, then paint. IMO, it's too easy to paint something, then damage the paint job when you're assembling it, and then have to repaint it.

If I see something that looks like you'd need to paint it and THEN assemble it, I probably won't buy it.

[Halidan]

I usually assemble, then paint. The exceptions are when the painted piece will be mostly or totaly covered by other parts of the figure.

This most often occures when an arm comes across the front of the figure and makes it difficult to impossible to get a brush into the obstructed area. Hair covering the neckline or shoulders of a figure is another case.

Then I'll paint first, carefully asseble with as little glue as possible, and pray that none of the glue shows. If it does, then I remover both glue and paint and start from scratch.

[Mandreth]

I usually assemble before painting.

Although i do leave the heads off (if already seperate) to paint seperately, as i find it easier to paint.