After the new year i will be looking to update my zombie miniatures and the question I had is: when it comes to the miniatures what are the difference between metal and resin? Is it just a personal preference? Is one better for a first time painter?
Any and all help with these questions is greatly appreciated.
(12-19-2011 03:46 AM)SoCalRMD Wrote: [ -> ]After the new year i will be looking to update my zombie miniatures and the question I had is: when it comes to the miniatures what are the difference between metal and resin? Is it just a personal preference? Is one better for a first time painter?
Any and all help with these questions is greatly appreciated.
I prefer Metal miniatures, for some reason it seems that my paint sticks better to the material. In my opinion metal miniatures had more detail in their sculpts, but now resin seems to be the way to go. With plastic/resin miniatures it is easier to sand and remove the mold lines compared to some metal miniatures. I also enjoy that the metal minis pack some weight and you know youre holding a mini because you can feel it. All in all it drops down to personal taste.
I prefer resin. Using the right primer is important, it is also important to clean your resin properly with soap to remove the release agent. Once you do that then its much more forgiving to work with than metal due to the fact you can mod your figs with greater ease.
For primer i recommend "army painter". They make toned primer collors that allow your base coat to also be your first coat of paint.
-For painting, I've found no difference between metal and resin models. As Atraangelis said, you should always wash your models before painting them.
-Primer is important because they can really add to the model. Use black primer to emphasize dark colors and white primer for bright colors.
-Resin models are easier to work with with in terms of modifying but its also easy to get carried away and file off too much when getting rid of mold marks.
-I find that since metal models are heavier they break easier when you don't properly reinforce modifications (such as adding weapons or arms). This can be very difficult for novice hobbyists because it requires you to drill into both the parts you attaching together and insert metal pins. They can also accumulate oils from your fingers more easily than resin (in my opinion) which causes the paint to flake off after a while.
-You should apply a finisher to your models (whether resin or metal) when you're done with them. This prevents the paint from flaking off and addresses the problem with metal models I mentioned above.
@ Instant...you nailed it right on the head!
I've painted metals, plastic and resin and you can get good results with each material.
Plastic has really come a long way with regards to detail. It is also really easy to make custom jobs. Within reason they are quite hardy with regards to knocks. (They tend to 'bounce' a bit. It is also the cheapest option. (Unless you buy from GW).
The detail of resins are as good as metal. I have seen poor resin and metal sculpts. This is down to the sculpter not the material. It is also good for customising. Resin is more brittle than plastic with regards to knocks (such as a long bow). Prices for resin is are similar to metal.
For the detail of metal I've commented above. It is indeed true that metal is harder to customise, file, trim, pin etc. Parts of your figure will break if knocked even lightly without being pinned. This can also happen if someone holds the piece tightly at a weak point. (eg someone holding a model in a pincer grip of the model's hands when you've glued the arms on or by a glued on weapon). It is also getting increasingly expensive and harder to get figures with some companies. The price of the metal the miniature companies pay for has gone up and up. Forcing them to charge more or opt for cheaper materials/methods of production.
With any of the above materials they should be thoroughly cleaned and undercoated/primered. Do this and your paint will go on evenly, smoothly and last.
The paint shouldn't flake off or be at least be kept to a minimum if...
Your figures are properly varnished.
Transported in a carry case.
Used carefully (this part's hard if like me children use them on game night and I've had the odd beer).
Stored somewhere safe.
My personal preference is metal just because it's what I grew up with and I can't be educated. One of the fundamentals is the feel of the piece for me. For example (for me) it wouldn't feel right to play chess with balsa wood pieces. I actually use stone pieces (It makes no difference how I play I'm still crap!). I don't know why the weight's a big thing perhaps a failing, but I know what I like and that's it. Thanks for making this thread I've enjoyed reading your views. Hope this helps SoCalRMD.