[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-/guides/how-to-thin-paints":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":100,"date":101,"description":102,"extension":103,"heroImage":104,"intro":105,"lastUpdated":101,"meta":106,"navigation":107,"path":108,"related":109,"seo":112,"shopSearch":113,"stem":114,"tags":113,"__hash__":115},"guides/guides/how-to-thin-paints.md","How to Thin Your Paints",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":92},"minimark",[9,13,18,21,25,33,37,59,63,83],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Almost every common beginner problem - clogged detail, chalky finish, visible brush strokes, patchy coverage - traces back to one thing: paint applied too thick. Learning to thin your paints is the highest-leverage habit in the hobby, and it costs nothing.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"why-thin-at-all","Why thin at all?",[10,19,20],{},"Paint straight from the pot is formulated to survive on a shelf, not to flow off a brush. Applied neat, it dries fast, leaves ridges, and fills the fine detail that makes miniatures worth painting. Thinning lets it flow smoothly, settle into a thin even film, and keep every detail crisp.",[14,22,24],{"id":23},"the-right-consistency","The right consistency",[10,26,27,28,32],{},"Aim for ",[29,30,31],"strong",{},"milk, not cream",". Thinned paint should flow off the brush and self-level slightly, but still cover in two coats. If it runs like water and you can see through it, it is too thin (unless you want a glaze); if it leaves visible ridges, it is too thick.",[14,34,36],{"id":35},"what-to-thin-with","What to thin with",[38,39,40,47,53],"ul",{},[41,42,43,46],"li",{},[29,44,45],{},"Water"," - free and works for most jobs. A drop or two on a wet palette is usually enough.",[41,48,49,52],{},[29,50,51],{},"Thinner medium / flow improver"," - keeps the paint's coverage and finish while thinning, better for metallics and large smooth areas where water can break up the paint.",[41,54,55,58],{},[29,56,57],{},"A wet palette"," - keeps your thinned paint workable for hours and is the best single upgrade for paint consistency.",[14,60,62],{"id":61},"tips-and-common-mistakes","Tips and common mistakes",[38,64,65,71,77],{},[41,66,67,70],{},[29,68,69],{},"Two thin coats beats one thick coat"," - the most repeated advice in the hobby, because it is true.",[41,72,73,76],{},[29,74,75],{},"Thin on a palette, not in the pot"," - never water down the whole pot.",[41,78,79,82],{},[29,80,81],{},"Metallics need medium, not just water"," - water can split the metallic particles.",[84,85,89],"affiliate-shop",{"label":86,"search":87,"tid":88},"Wet palettes and mediums","wet palette miniature painting","how-to-thin-paints",[10,90,91],{},"A wet palette is the single best upgrade for keeping paint at the right consistency.",{"title":93,"searchDepth":94,"depth":94,"links":95},"",2,[96,97,98,99],{"id":16,"depth":94,"text":17},{"id":23,"depth":94,"text":24},{"id":35,"depth":94,"text":36},{"id":61,"depth":94,"text":62},"Techniques","2026-06-28","Why thinning paints is the most important habit in miniature painting, how to judge the right consistency, and the difference between water, medium and flow improver.","md","/images/guides/how-to-thin-paints.webp","The habit that fixes most beginner painting problems",{},true,"/guides/how-to-thin-paints",[110,111],"washes-and-shades","edge-highlighting",{"title":5,"description":102},null,"guides/how-to-thin-paints","Fs08grjAzBxZDc1zvcq24KIaVtehntXtjAY4wp9XMDM"]