How to Wet Blend Miniatures

Wet blending is how you get a smooth, seamless transition from one colour to another - the gradient on a cloak, a glowing power sword, or a sunset on a banner. It is a showcase technique that takes practice, but the principle is simple: blend the colours while they are still wet on the model.

What it is

Instead of building a gradient from many thin layers, you place two colours next to each other on the model and work the wet edge between them back and forth until they merge into a smooth transition - all before the paint dries.

How to do it

1. Work fast and small. Acrylics dry quickly, so blend one small area at a time.
2. Use a wet palette to keep your paints workable, and thin them slightly.
3. Place both colours on the model next to each other.
4. Feather the join - brush gently back and forth along the wet boundary, picking up a little of each colour, until the line disappears.
5. Extend your working time with a touch of medium or flow improver, or a drying retarder for larger blends.

Where to use it

• Cloaks, robes and large smooth panels.
• Object-source lighting (glowing weapons, energy, fire).
• Skin and faces on character models.

Tips and common mistakes

• A wet palette is almost essential - it keeps the paint open long enough to blend.
• Small sections. Don't try to blend a whole cloak at once; do it in patches.
• Practice on flat areas first before tackling curved armour.