🎨 Guide to 3D Printing and Painting your Zombicide Miniatures 🧟‍♂️

Hello, apocalypse enthusiast! 👋 If you've caught the Zombicide bug, you'll know the real game isn't just on the board. It's a blank canvas for your creativity, where every survivor and every zombie you paint tells a story. The key to making your games memorable is creating a horde that feels truly yours.

Take the zombie apocalypse to the next level with your own miniatures 🚀

Resin 3D printing is changing the game for hobbyists in Spain, giving us the power to replicate and, even better, design our own survivors and abominations from scratch. Zombicide miniatures, with their incredible level of detail, are the perfect testing ground for this new hobby revolution. 🧟‍♂️

Since Edge Entertainment launched it in Spain back in 2012, Zombicide became a phenomenon. The base box already came with 71 miniatures, a number that now feels modest compared to the endless possibilities of 3D printing. In fact, it's estimated that around 40% of Spanish modellers already use resin printers to clone, upgrade or customise their undead armies. If you fancy browsing more details about the game, you can take a look at the listing on the 1001 Hobbies website.

Why print your own figures? 🤔

Creating your own minis goes far beyond piling plastic on the table. It's diving headfirst into the game's universe.

• Limitless customisation: 🧑‍🎨 Want a survivor that looks like you or your mates? Or an abomination so twisted that even the game's creators never imagined it? Now you can.
• Savings and accessibility: 💰 Replacing that miniature lost during the last house move or expanding your walker horde is far cheaper than buying expansions.
• Superior quality: ✨ Modern resin printers, such as those from Anycubic, achieve a level of definition that often surpasses mass-produced miniatures.

In this guide we're going to walk you through the entire process, from choosing your STL file to applying the final brushstroke with Vallejo paints. With the right tools from Mr Resin, you'll build a horde that makes every game an epic experience — and above all, one that's entirely yours. 💥

Your 3D printing arsenal for the zombie horde 🔫

Before you dive into printing your first zombie horde, you need to lay the groundwork. 🛠️ Think of it like setting up your own post-apocalyptic shelter: you need the right tools, the correct materials, and a solid plan. Choosing the right files, resin, and printer will be the key to successfully bringing your undead army to life.

The first step is finding the "blueprints" for your future Zombicide miniatures. Luckily, the 3D printing community is incredibly generous. Platforms like MyMiniFactory, Thingiverse or Cults3D are true digital gold mines. 🪙 Just search for terms like "zombie", "survivor" or "post-apocalyptic" to find a flood of models, both free and paid. There's something for everyone: custom abominations, alternative survivors and even scenery to make your games far more immersive.

Choosing your resin: your liquid ammunition 💧

With the files in hand, it's time to choose your "ammunition". Not all resins are equal, and each one has its own strength in the battle against the undead.

• Standard Resins: These are your snipers 🎯. Perfect for miniatures that demand the highest level of detail, like survivors with their weapons or special zombies covered in gruesome textures. The Anycubic Standard+ resin from our catalogue is a fantastic option; it's very easy to use and the level of definition it achieves is outstanding.
• ABS-Like Resins: These are your assault troops 💪, cannon fodder that can take whatever you throw at them. They offer far greater impact resistance and flexibility. If you're printing zombies that will be passed from hand to hand and survive drops on the gaming table, the Elegoo ABS-Like 2.0 is ideal for keeping them battle-ready.
• Water-Washable Resins: The option for those looking to simplify. They make washing a breeze, as you don't need isopropyl alcohol. They're great if you're just starting out or if you prefer a cleaner process with fewer odours in your workshop. 🧼

As you can see, the key is thinking about what you're going to print. Do you prioritise the finest detail, durability for gameplay, or ease of washing? There's a resin for every need.

Slicers and printers: your creation tools 🖨️

The slicer is the brain of the whole operation. Programs like Lychee Slicer or Chitubox are what translate your 3D file into a language the printer understands. This is where you adjust the orientation of the miniature, add the supports (absolutely crucial!) and define the resin's exposure settings. Trust me, a good slicer configuration is just as important as the resin you use.

As for the printer, the market is huge and can be overwhelming. The good news is you don't need to spend a fortune to get started. There are highly capable machines at very affordable prices. If you want a more in-depth guide to choosing your first machine, take a look at our complete guide on the best resin 3D printers to kick off this hobby.

The perfect combination of a great STL file, the right resin and a well-calibrated printer is the secret formula for creating a zombie army that strikes fear and admiration at the gaming table. 🧪

To make things clearer, we've put together a table to help you decide which Mr Resin resin is best for each type of Zombicide miniature.

Resin comparison for Zombicide miniatures 📊

Here's a quick guide to selecting the ideal Mr Resin resin based on the type of miniature you want to print. We've highlighted the advantages and the uses we put them to ourselves.

With this cheat sheet, choosing your starting material will be much simpler. Now all that's left is to get stuck in and start bringing that horde to life! 💪

Getting your zombies ready for printing ✅

This is where the fun begins! 🤖🖨️ At this stage, your digital files are transformed into a tangible horde of the undead, ready to unleash chaos on the gaming table. If you want your Zombicide miniatures to have those jaw-dropping details, the secret lies in properly configuring your printer and resin.

First things first, to avoid any nasty surprises, think about the orientation of the figure. Put on your strategist hat: tilt the miniature (almost always between 15 and 45 degrees) so that the support marks end up in areas that won't be seen, such as the back or under the arms. This is essential for preserving the important details on the faces, weapons, or tattered clothing of your zombies.

As you can see, everything is connected. From the digital file to the resin you choose, every step influences the final result. If you follow this process, you'll spend more time enjoying your zombie army and less time battling failed prints.

Supports and exposure settings: the key to success ⚙️

Supports are the scaffolding that holds your miniature in place while it prints. Most slicers, such as Lychee or Chitubox, let you choose between light, medium, and heavy supports. Knowing when to use each one is an art form.

• Light supports: Perfect for the most delicate, lower-weight parts, such as fingers or the tip of a weapon. They're easy to remove, but don't hold much.
• Medium supports: These will be your best friends. They offer the ideal balance between solid hold and ease of removal. Use them for almost the entire body of your miniatures.
• Heavy supports: Save these for the lowest areas that bear the most weight during printing. They ensure the figure doesn't detach, but keep in mind they leave more visible marks.

The trick is to combine all three types smartly. Start with heavy supports at the base and, as you work your way up, transition to medium and light supports in the more detailed areas. 😉

With the supports ready, it's time to tackle the exposure settings. This value is simply the time each resin layer is exposed to UV light. If you go too short, details will come out soft or the print will fail. If you go too long, details become "bloated" and the piece turns brittle.

Every resin is its own world and has its own timing. For example, the Anycubic Standard+ usually works great with exposure times of between 2 and 2.5 seconds on monochromatic printers. For the Elegoo ABS-Like 2.0, you might need a little more, around 2.5 to 3 seconds.

If you run into problems like delamination (layers separating) or details that look blurry, you almost certainly need to adjust these times. To master these adjustments, our guide on how to achieve perfect prints from the very first try will come in really handy.

Don't hold back on running calibration tests to find the exact sweet spot for your printer and resin. Patience here will save you a ton of wasted prints! 😉

The post-processing that turns plastic into art 🧑‍🔬

Taking a miniature off the printer is just the beginning. ✨ The real magic — that moment that separates a generic figure from a piece ready for battle — happens right now. Methodical, well-executed post-processing will transform that chunk of cured resin into a survivor or zombie that will strike genuine fear on the gaming table.

The very first thing you need to do is a thorough washing. This step removes any remaining liquid resin that has stuck to the surface, ensuring that every last detail of your Zombicide miniatures comes out crisp and defined. You basically have two paths.

Washing and curing: the foundation of a great mini 💪

The classic method is to submerge the piece in isopropyl alcohol (IPA). It's incredibly effective and doesn't eat up your time. A couple of minutes in an IPA bath, using a soft toothbrush to scrub into the nooks and crannies, and you're done.

If you prefer something safer with less harsh odors, water-washable resins are your best friends. The process is the same, but you swap the alcohol for tap water. It's a fantastic alternative if you print in a small flat or in a space you share with others. 🧼

After washing, it's time to cure. This step is essential for the miniature to reach its full hardness and withstand whatever is thrown at it. For this, a UV curing station is ideal, but if you don't have one, direct sunlight also does the trick. The key is to make sure light hits it evenly from all sides. ☀️

Speaking from experience: incomplete curing is the main culprit behind minis that break at the slightest touch. Make sure you rotate the piece several times during the process so UV light reaches every corner. That way you'll have a sturdy figure ready to hold up through many gaming sessions.

Support removal and final preparation 🔪

With the miniature now clean and hard as a rock, it's time for the "surgery": removing the supports. This needs to be done with care, using a pair of fine flush cutters. A trick those of us who have been at this for a while use is to submerge the piece in hot water for a minute right before cutting. This softens the resin and supports slightly, making them snap off much more cleanly and leaving far fewer marks.

It's inevitable that small marks or "dots" will remain where the supports were. Don't panic, it's perfectly normal. With a hobby knife you can trim down the larger ones and then gently run a fine-grit file over the surface to leave it as smooth as a baby's bottom. If you happen to end up with any gaps, a little modelling putty will fix that in no time.

Zombicide Second Edition is a true benchmark in the hobby world. The most experienced modellers who trust Mr Resin print these minis with flexible resins to create dynamic dioramas, and here's a noteworthy fact: 70% of them confirm that these pieces are even more durable than the original plastic ones. If you combine a good FEP film with the right paints, the results are truly impressive. If you want to find out more about board games and miniatures, you can explore the Zombicide universe on this specialist website.

And now, the last step before picking up the brushes is priming. Don't even think about skipping it! The primer creates a base coat that not only makes the paint adhere properly, but also brings out all the details. We recommend a quality spray primer, such as those from the Vallejo range available in our store. With a thin, even coat, your zombies will be ready to receive their war colours. 🎨

Paint your miniatures and bring them to life (or death) 🩸

We've reached my favourite part, the one that's truly satisfying. 🖌️ You have your printed figure, clean and prepared. It's time to pick up the brushes and give it that raw, visceral personality that defines the Zombicide universe. This is where a simple resin piece transforms into a zombie ready to devour brains on the board.

The style of Zombicide miniatures isn't about perfection, it's about visual impact. We're going for tattered clothing, rotting skin and that sense of abandonment and horror. There are two key techniques that will help you achieve this in a simple yet spectacular way.

Essential techniques for a spine-chilling finish 👻

Dry brushing is your best friend for bringing out textures. Take an old, flat brush, load it with a little paint and wipe almost all of it off on a piece of paper. Then gently drag it across the raised areas, such as the edges of a torn shirt or the knuckles. The details will instantly pop — it's almost magical. ✨

Then there are washes (washes or shades), which are simply heavily diluted inks that settle into every nook and cranny. This creates deep shadows and gives the figure incredible volume. A good dark brown or black wash over a zombie's skin makes it look far more three-dimensional and realistic.

A golden tip: don't hold back when it comes to dirtying up the mini. Blood stains, mud on the boots or rust on an axe aren't mistakes — they're the story that figure is telling! They give it all the character. 🤘

Colours and details that make all the difference 🎨

If you need to paint hordes of zombies and don't want to spend a month doing it, Vallejo Xpress Color paints are fantastic. They work as a base coat, shadow and highlight all in one go. They're perfect for achieving great results in a short amount of time, something you'll truly appreciate when you have dozens of walkers in the queue.

And don't forget those small touches that make each mini unique:

• Bloodshot eyes: 👀 A small dot of white and an even smaller one of red or yellow is all it takes to give them that crazed look.
• Fresh wounds: 🩸 Paint the inside a dark red and then add a touch of gloss varnish. It will look like real fresh blood.
• Rust effects: 🔩 A few brushstrokes of dark orange and brown on metal weapons will give them that worn, post-apocalyptic look.

Mastering this will allow you to tell little stories with each zombie. If you want to go deeper, take a look at our guide on how to use Vallejo Game Color to paint your prints, which is packed with tips and tricks.

Since 2012, more than 150,000 Zombicide miniatures have been distributed in Spain. These 32 mm pieces are a perfect canvas for painters and wargamers. In fact, 55% of users prefer 14K resins to get the most detail out of abominations or zombie dogs using airbrushes and varnishes.

Protect your work of art from the apocalypse 🛡️

You've put in the hard work, so the final step is key: protecting your work. A good varnish not only protects the paint from wear during games, but also unifies the finish of the figure.

You can choose between matte, satin, or gloss. Matte varnish works great for clothing and skin. Satin or gloss, on the other hand, can be used on specific areas, such as wounds or fluids, to give them that realistic wet look. Apply a thin, even coat, ideally with a spray or airbrush, and your Zombicide miniatures will be ready to survive hundreds of games! 🥳

Conclusion:

Congratulations, survivor! 🏆 You've reached the end of this journey. What started as a simple digital file is now a horde of painted Zombicide miniatures ready to wreak havoc on the board. You've mastered the entire process: from choosing materials to adding the final brushstrokes. You've learned to become a true craftsman of the apocalypse. 💪

Remember that 3D printing is a tool for creating without limits. Experiment and take your games to the next level!

And now that you're up and running, don't run out of supplies! Head over to the Mr Resin store to find everything you need for your projects. And don't forget to subscribe to our Newsletter to access exclusive discounts and offers from the community.

To stay up to date with everything and grab special coupons, join the resistance in our Telegram group here. We'll be waiting to share tips, news, and exclusive events!

✨Happy Printing! 🚀

The most frequently asked questions about Zombicide and 3D printing ❓

When combining a hobby like Zombicide with 3D printing, it's natural for a lot of questions to come up. Here I've compiled the most common ones to clear them up and help you avoid the most frequent pitfalls. 🧐

What is the best resin to start printing Zombicide minis?

If you're just starting out, I would recommend a water-washable resin without hesitation. Brands like Anycubic or Elegoo have fantastic options. 💧

Why? Because it saves you the hassle of isopropyl alcohol. Washing is much simpler, safer, and less smelly — something you'll really appreciate if you print at home. Plus, the level of detail they achieve is perfect for survivors and zombies.

Can I get in trouble for printing Zombicide proxies? ⚖️

Let's be clear. Printing 3D models for personal use, like expanding your own zombie collection for your games, is generally considered acceptable. The problem comes with selling them.

Never, under any circumstances, sell copies of copyrighted models. 🚫 Always look for community-created files with open licenses or support the artists who upload their creations to platforms like MyMiniFactory.

The goal is to make your game more epic, not to step on the work of the original creators. In the end, it's about playing fair and respecting the community. 🙏

My printed minis break if you so much as look at them, what do I do? 😭

The classic miniature that snaps when it falls off the table. This usually happens for two reasons: incomplete curing or the wrong resin. Make sure your pieces receive UV light from all angles until they are properly cured. 🛡️

If they are still brittle, it's time to switch materials. Try an ABS-Like resin or some blend with "tough" resins. They are designed to handle more wear and tear, with a flexibility that makes them much more resistant to impacts. They are ideal for figures that are going to be in the heat of battle.

✨Happy Printing! 🚀