[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-/guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":157,"date":158,"description":159,"extension":160,"heroImage":161,"intro":162,"lastUpdated":158,"marketEditions":163,"meta":164,"navigation":163,"noShopFooter":165,"path":166,"related":167,"seo":170,"shopSearch":144,"stem":171,"tags":172,"__hash__":173},"guides/guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit.md","Miniature Painting Starter Kit - What You Actually Need",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":149},"minimark",[9,13,18,68,72,76,80,108,111,114,118,123,127,139],[10,11,12],"p",{},"You need far less to start painting miniatures than the hobby's mountain of products suggests. Here is the genuine essentials list, plus the few extras that are worth buying early - and what you can safely skip for now.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"the-essentials","The essentials",[19,20,21,40,50,56,62],"ul",{},[22,23,24,28,29,34,35,39],"li",{},[25,26,27],"strong",{},"Paints"," - a starter set is the cheapest way in. You want a handful of base colours, a metallic, and at least one wash. We rank ",[30,31,33],"a",{"href":32},"/guides/best-miniature-paint-sets","every paint set by value","; for which brand suits you, see ",[30,36,38],{"href":37},"/guides/best-paint-for-miniatures","the best paint for miniatures",".",[22,41,42,45,46,39],{},[25,43,44],{},"Brushes"," - one decent size 1 brush, one detail brush, and a cheap old brush for drybrushing. See ",[30,47,49],{"href":48},"/guides/best-brushes-for-miniatures","the best brushes for miniatures",[22,51,52,55],{},[25,53,54],{},"Primer"," - a spray or brush-on primer so paint actually sticks. Black, white or grey; white or zenithal is best for contrast paints.",[22,57,58,61],{},[25,59,60],{},"A wash / shade"," - the single most transformational pot you'll own.",[22,63,64,67],{},[25,65,66],{},"Water pot and palette"," - two pots (clean and dirty) and something to thin paint on.",[69,70],"accessory-products",{"ids":71},"army-painter-most-wanted-brush-set,citadel-synthetic-base-medium,army-painter-wargamer-detail,citadel-synthetic-drybrush-medium",[73,74],"paint-products",{"ids":75},"citadel-chaos-black,citadel-grey-seer,citadel-nuln-oil,citadel-agrax-earthshade",[14,77,79],{"id":78},"worth-buying-early","Worth buying early",[19,81,82,92,102],{},[22,83,84,87,88,39],{},[25,85,86],{},"A wet palette"," - keeps paint workable and improves everything. See the ",[30,89,91],{"href":90},"/guides/wet-palette-guide","wet palette guide",[22,93,94,97,98,39],{},[25,95,96],{},"Contrast / speedpaints"," - a fast track to finished models. See ",[30,99,101],{"href":100},"/guides/best-contrast-paints","best contrast paints",[22,103,104,107],{},[25,105,106],{},"Brush soap"," - makes good brushes last years.",[69,109],{"ids":110},"army-painter-wet-palette,redgrass-painter-lite-wet-palette,gsw-ultimate-wet-palette,artis-opus-brush-soap-conditioner-10ml",[73,112],{"ids":113},"citadel-black-templar,citadel-ultramarines-blue,citadel-snakebite-leather,army-painter-blood-red",[14,115,117],{"id":116},"skip-for-now","Skip for now",[19,119,120],{},[22,121,122],{},"Airbrushes, huge paint collections, expensive sable brushes, and pigment/weathering sets. They're great later, but none are needed to start - and a beginner's money is better spent on a wet palette and one good brush.",[14,124,126],{"id":125},"next-step","Next step",[10,128,129,130,134,135,39],{},"Got your kit? Read ",[30,131,133],{"href":132},"/guides/how-to-start-painting-miniatures","how to start painting miniatures"," for the step-by-step first-model walkthrough, then pick a scheme with the ",[30,136,138],{"href":137},"/tools/scheme-generator","scheme generator",[140,141,146],"affiliate-shop",{"gear":142,"label":143,"search":144,"tid":145},"gw-paints-tools-set,vallejo-game-color-starter","Shop starter kits","miniature painting starter kit","miniature-painting-starter-kit",[10,147,148],{},"An all-in-one starter kit covers most of the essentials in a single buy.",{"title":150,"searchDepth":151,"depth":151,"links":152},"",2,[153,154,155,156],{"id":16,"depth":151,"text":17},{"id":78,"depth":151,"text":79},{"id":116,"depth":151,"text":117},{"id":125,"depth":151,"text":126},"Buying Guides","2026-06-28","A no-nonsense checklist of what you need to start painting miniatures - paints, brushes, primer, palette and the few extras worth buying - without overspending.","md","/images/guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit.webp","The gear checklist to start painting, without overspending",true,{},false,"/guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit",[168,169],"how-to-start-painting-miniatures","best-paint-for-miniatures",{"title":5,"description":159},"guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit",null,"vbFD0_-5H6hljr_AWk04tU5HHlHU-1ra-cORveRgZ7w"]