How to Paint 3D Printed Miniatures: The Complete Mr. Resin Guide

Painting 3D printed miniatures is easier than it looks — the real secret isn't in the painting technique itself, but in flawless preparation. To achieve a professional finish, you need to properly clean and cure your resin, remove supports without leaving marks, and apply a solid primer coat before you even think about adding colour.

How do you prepare a 3D miniature for painting?

Preparing a resin figure is 90% of the battle when it comes to painting 3D printed miniatures. This first step ensures the paint adheres properly and every detail pops. In my experience, following a consistent routine from the moment the piece comes off the printer to when it's ready for priming makes all the difference. I've tried everything, and this is the method that never lets me down.

1. Cleaning and curing your miniature

The first and most important step is cleaning. You need to remove every last trace of liquid resin. Skip this step and you'll end up with tacky spots that will ruin your paintwork and obscure the fine details of your mini.

My method is pretty straightforward:

• Double wash in isopropyl alcohol (IPA): I always use two containers. The first holds "dirty" alcohol to remove the bulk of the resin, and the second contains clean IPA for the final rinse. I use a soft brush to make sure I get into every nook and cranny.
• Air drying: After the wash, I let the piece dry completely — usually 30 to 60 minutes. Sometimes I use compressed air to speed things up. The key is making sure not a single drop of alcohol remains.
• UV curing: Once the mini is clean and dry, I place it in the UV curing station (which hardens the resin using ultraviolet light). Curing time depends on the resin and the size of the piece, but typically runs around 3–5 minutes. Make sure to rotate it so the light reaches all sides evenly. Be careful — over-curing can make the resin brittle.

A tip from experience: Noticing a sticky spot after curing? That means it wasn't cleaned thoroughly enough. Don't worry — just dab a cotton swab in IPA, go over that area, and cure it again. Works 99% of the time.

2. Support removal and sanding

Once the miniature is cured and hard, it's time to perform some "surgery" and remove the supports. Precision is everything here. I use a good pair of flush cutters and snip the supports leaving a tiny stub — never cutting flush to the surface.

Once the supports are off, I sand down those small stubs with fine-grit sandpaper (between 400 and 800 grit) or modelling files. Patience is your best friend here; proper sanding makes a huge difference and is the real secret to making whatever miniature resins you choose truly shine.

The 3D printing community keeps growing, and many makers report dramatic improvements in their finished pieces simply by paying more attention to this step. If you want to learn more about the process before this point, check out my guide on how to 3D print miniatures.

3. Filling imperfections

No matter how careful you are, the occasional small mark is inevitable. To fix these, I use plastic putty or a small amount of UV resin. My go-to is Green Stuff or Vallejo putty — both apply beautifully with a small spatula.

Apply a minimal amount, smooth it out with a water-dampened brush, and once dry, finish with a gentle final sanding pass. Your miniature is now ready for glory.

Why is priming so important for resin miniatures?

Priming is the most decisive and underrated step when painting 3D printed miniatures. It acts as the bridge between smooth resin and paint, creating a surface with real tooth and grip. Without this base coat, paint slides off, chips at the slightest touch, or leaves a patchy finish — ruining all your hard work.

I've lost count of how many times I've seen fellow hobbyists get frustrated because their colours look dull or the paint keeps lifting. And I can tell you that 99% of the time, the culprit is missing or poorly applied primer. In my experience, skipping this step is a complete waste of time.

Your best friend: primer spray

For me, the most effective tool is a quality primer spray. It lets you apply an ultra-thin, even coat in seconds. I highly recommend trying a Vallejo primer spray, which delivers exceptional adhesion and a finish that preserves every fine detail.

The right technique is to use short, quick passes at around 20–30 cm distance. It's always better to apply several thin coats, allowing drying time between each, rather than one heavy coat. And of course, always do this in a well-ventilated area.

What colour primer should I use?

Your primer colour shapes your entire paint scheme. It's not a decision to take lightly, as each tone creates a different canvas for the colours you'll layer on top.

To make it easy, I've put together a quick-reference table to help you decide which colour to use based on the finish you're going for.

My personal tip: No airbrush? No problem — you can achieve a stunning zenithal prime using nothing but spray cans. Start with a basecoat of black. Once dry, do a quick pass with grey spray at a 45° angle. To finish, a very light dusting of white spray from directly above. The effect is incredible!

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, check out my full guide on priming miniatures and why it matters.

How do I apply base colours to my miniature?

Applying base colours is the stage where your miniature really starts to come to life. This step involves covering each area of the miniature with its main colour in a clean, even coat. The secret isn't how much paint you use — it's thinning it properly so you don't obscure all those fine details you worked so hard to print.

My golden rule: always apply two thin coats. Don't paint straight from the pot — that just creates a thick, gloopy layer that kills the detail.

The two thin coats technique

In my experience, the perfect consistency is somewhere around skimmed milk. To get there, I drop a small amount of paint onto my wet palette and add one or two drops of water. The first coat will be thin — almost translucent. That's exactly what you want!

Leave it to dry for around 5–10 minutes, then apply the second coat. You'll see the colour become solid, rich, and perfectly smooth.

Pro tip: Do yourself a favour and invest in a good wet palette. It keeps your paint workable for hours. Once you try one, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it.

What paints and tools do I need?

Before you start, think about your colour scheme. When it comes to paints, I'm a firm believer in acrylics. In my experience, Vallejo's Game Color range is outstanding — excellent pigmentation and a huge colour selection.

The age-old question: brush or airbrush?

• Brush: The essential tool. You'll need at least a couple of decent brushes: a medium one (size 1 or 2) for larger areas and a fine detail brush (size 0 or 00) for intricate work.
• Airbrush: If you're after speed and smooth finishes, an airbrush is your go-to tool — perfect for base coating vehicles or large monsters.

The best approach is to combine both. I typically use the airbrush for main colours and switch to a brush for detail work. Want to know more? Check out my beginner's guide to painting miniatures.

How do I add depth with washes?

A wash is the technique that transforms a flat miniature into a piece with real depth and realism in just minutes. It involves applying heavily thinned paint that pools into recesses, creating natural shadows that bring out detail in an almost magical way. The visual impact is incredible.

If you've just laid down your base colours and your mini still looks a bit "toy-like," a wash is your next essential step.

How to apply a wash correctly

The key is controlling where the paint flows. I'm a huge fan of Vallejo Game Color Washes, which come ready to use straight from the pot at the perfect consistency.

My method is straightforward:

1. Load your brush: Use a medium brush (size 1 or 2) and load it well.
2. Remove the excess: Wipe off the surplus on a paper towel. The brush should be damp, not dripping.
3. Apply to targeted areas: Focus on folds, cracks, and around rivets.
4. Control pooling: If too much accumulates, clean your brush, dry it, and use it to wick away the excess.

The goal is for the wash to settle into the recesses, not to stain the entire surface. This technique is not the same as glazing. If you're curious about the difference, check out my guide to the glazing technique.

A Mr. Resin tip: Applied too much and left a blotchy mess? While it's still wet, a damp cotton swab works wonders. If it's already dried, simply repaint that area with your base colour and redo the wash with more control.

How do I paint highlights and finishing details?

Highlighting your miniature is the most enjoyable part — and where the real magic happens. This step is what separates a simply painted figure from one that looks ready to leap off its base. It involves applying lighter colours to raised surfaces to simulate how light falls on them, creating incredible depth and realism.

The best techniques for highlighting miniatures

Here are my two favourite techniques — one for beginners and one for a more professional finish.

• Dry brushing: Ridiculously easy and delivers stunning results on textures like chainmail, fur, or stone. Load an old brush with a light colour, wipe off almost all the paint on paper, then gently drag it across the surface. The paint will only catch on the raised areas. Don't use your good brushes for this!
• Layering and edge highlighting: For a cleaner finish, build up progressively lighter colours over smaller and smaller areas. Edge highlighting is the finishing touch — draw a thin line of a very light colour along all the hard edges to define the shapes. A well-pigmented paint like Game Color is your best friend here.

One more thing — primer makes all the difference. A Vallejo spray primer bonds far better to resin than to FDM filament, which means these techniques come out much sharper and more precise. For in-depth technical breakdowns, I highly recommend checking out the experts at Art-W Studio.

The small details that tell a story

The details are what bring a miniature to life. For eyes, my go-to approach is to paint the eyeball off-white and draw a thin vertical line in black. For gems and lenses, blend from dark to light and finish with a small dot of pure white in the upper corner.

Why should I varnish my painted miniature?

Varnish is the invisible shield that protects your work. This final step takes just five minutes but keeps your colours looking fresh for years, guarding them against scratches, fingerprints, and dust. It also unifies the finish and eliminates any unwanted shine.

Your choice of finish completely changes how your miniature reads:

• Matte: You'll reach for this 90% of the time. It kills any sheen and is ideal for cloth, skin, wood, and stone.
• Satin: A middle ground with a subtle sheen. Perfect for leather or certain types of armour.
• Gloss: Use this sparingly on specific areas to simulate wet effects, slime, gems, or polished metal.

My personal trick: I coat the entire miniature with a good matte spray varnish. Once it's dry, I go back in with a brush and apply gloss varnish to any details I want to pop. The contrast is stunning.

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, I've written a full guide in my article on varnishing miniatures.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about painting 3D miniatures

Here I've rounded up the questions I get asked most often so you can get started with confidence.

Can I paint a 3D miniature without priming it first?

The short answer: you shouldn't. Without primer, acrylic paint has nothing to grip onto — it'll chip easily and you'll need so many coats that you'll end up burying all the fine detail.

What type of paint is best for resin miniatures?

In my experience, water-based acrylic paints are the way to go. I recommend ranges like Game Color — they clean up with water, dry quickly, and the pigmentation is excellent.

Do you need an airbrush to paint well?

Not at all. An airbrush speeds things up, but it's far from essential. With a decent set of brushes and a solid grasp of basic techniques like drybrushing and washes, you can achieve truly professional results.

My paint looks thick and shows brushstrokes — what am I doing wrong?

This is the most common mistake. The fix is simple: always thin your paint to a milk-like consistency and apply two thin coats instead of one thick one.

Is varnishing the miniature at the end really necessary?

Absolutely, yes. It's the step that protects all your hard work from dust, scratches, and fingerprints — making sure your paint job stands the test of time.

Final Thoughts:

And that's a wrap! As you've seen, painting 3D printed miniatures is more about patience and preparation than any kind of natural-born talent. Start with a thorough clean, never skip the primer, always thin your paints, and don't be afraid to experiment with washes and highlights. Trust me — follow these tips and your next figures will level up in ways you wouldn't believe. Now get those brushes moving!