Miniature Paint Sets for Beginners: What Belongs in a Starter Collection

Quick answer

Start with a miniature paint set that covers black, white, a skin tone, a few core colors, and at least one metallic. Add a primer, a fine brush, and a palette. Buy individual paints later to fill specific gaps. This gives you a working starter paint collection without overspending on colors you won't use yet.

If you're new to painting miniatures, the wall of paint pots and sets can be overwhelming. You don't need every color to get started. A focused starter paint collection gets you painting quickly and teaches you what you actually reach for.

This guide explains what belongs in a beginner miniature paint set, how to think about acrylic paint set miniatures, and when it makes sense to buy individual paints instead. It also covers a few practical tools that matter as much as the paint itself.

What a beginner miniature paint set should include

A good beginner set covers the basics without drowning you in near-duplicate shades. Look for black, white, a mid skin tone, a primary red, blue, and yellow, plus a metallic silver or steel. That small range lets you mix most colors you'll need for your first few models. If the set includes a brown and a green, even better, since those show up constantly on bases, cloth, and organic details.

Avoid sets that are mostly specialty colors like neon or transparent tints. They can be fun later, but they won't help you finish a tabletop-ready miniature. Also check whether the set uses dropper bottles or pots. Dropper bottles make it easier to control how much paint you use, which matters when you're learning to thin paints.

• Aim for 8–12 colors, not 30. You can expand once you know what you like.
• Make sure the set includes at least one metallic, since mixing metallics is harder than mixing regular acrylics.
• Check the paint type: water-based acrylics are the standard for miniatures because they thin with water and clean up easily.

Paint set vs individual paints: which should you buy first?

A set usually gives you a lower cost per color and a coherent palette. That's a strong start when you're still learning color mixing and want to experiment. Individual paints make more sense once you know your style and need a specific shade, like a particular faction color or a flesh tone that matches your army.

If you're painting a single warband or a starter crew, a set plus one or two individual paints for key characters can be ideal. If you're painting many models with a unified scheme, buying individual paints in larger quantities may be more efficient. The trade-off is upfront cost versus flexibility.

• Buy a set first if you have no paints and want to learn.
• Buy individual paints if you already have a set and need a precise color match.
• Check whether the set includes a primer. If not, buy one separately; primer affects how well paint sticks.

Tools that belong with your starter paint collection

Paint alone won't get a model finished. You need a primer, a fine-tipped brush for details, a larger brush for basecoating, a palette, and a water cup. A simple wet palette helps keep acrylics workable longer, but a ceramic tile or plastic lid works fine when you're starting. Also grab a hobby knife or mold line remover, because paint highlights mold lines rather than hiding them.

For miniatures like those in Malifaux or Through the Breach, which are 32mm heroic scale and supplied unpainted, these tools are not optional. They're part of the hobby. Budget for them alongside your paint set so you're not stuck with paint and no way to apply it.

• Primer: use a spray or brush-on primer made for plastic or resin.
• Brushes: at least one size 0 or 1 for detail and one size 2 or 3 for basecoats.
• Palette: a wet palette or a white tile helps you see color accurately.

How to choose a paint set for the miniatures you actually paint

Different games and factions lean on different palettes. If you're painting Malifaux Neverborn, you'll want fleshy tones, greens, and purples. If you're painting Explorer's Society, expect more browns, blues, and metallics. A set that covers a broad range is safer than one built around a single theme.

Also consider the finish. Matte paints are standard for most miniature work because they don't glare under lights. Metallic paints are naturally shiny and are used for armor, weapons, and mechanical details. Some sets include both, which is convenient. If you plan to paint a lot of metal, buy a dedicated metallic set later.

• Match your first set to the models you own right now, not a future project.
• If you're split between two factions, choose the set with more shared colors.
• Read the set contents list carefully; some sets include paints that are hard to mix, like bright neons.

Decision rules for buying your first paint set

• If you own zero paints: Buy a beginner set with 8–12 core colors including black, white, a skin tone, and a metallic. This covers most starting projects and teaches you mixing. Don't buy a 40-color set yet. You won't know which colors you actually use until you paint a few models.
• If you already have a set but keep missing a specific color: Buy that single paint individually. Match the brand and type if possible to keep thinning and drying behavior consistent. Individual paints are for filling gaps, not for building a collection from scratch.
• If you're painting a unified army or crew: Consider buying individual paints in larger bottles for your main colors. Sets often include small pots that run out fast when you're batch-painting. Estimate how many models you'll paint before deciding. Bulk individual paints save money if you'll use them consistently.
• If you're on a tight budget: Prioritize a primer, a few core paints, and one good brush over a large set. You can mix many colors from a small palette. A $30 set plus a $5 primer beats a $60 set with no primer every time.

Products that pair well with a starter paint collection

• Malifaux Third Edition: Alternative Nekima: Faction: Neverborn. Keyword: Nephilim. Contents: Alternative Nekima. Miniatures are 32mm heroic scale, supplied unpainted in high-quality plastic, and require preparation and assembly. A single character model like this is a good test piece for a new paint set. You'll practice skin, cloth, and wings without committing to a whole crew.
• Malifaux Third Edition: Botanists: Faction: Explorer's Society. Keyword: Versatile. Contents: Botanists x3 (pre-assembled). Miniatures are supplied preassembled and unpainted. Preassembled models let you start painting sooner. Three similar figures give you repetition to build brush control and color consistency.
• Through the Breach: Male Multi-Part Kit: Your Fated should look like the character you imagined, not the closest prebuilt miniature you could find. Mix and match high-quality plastic parts to create distinct heroes, allies, rivals, and memorable NPCs for Through the Breach. With enough material to build up to eleven 32mm heroic-scale miniatures, one box can give an entire campaign its cast. A multi-part kit gives you many models to practice on. If you're learning to paint, having a batch of similar figures helps you see progress quickly.

Who this starter paint collection approach is for

Best for

• New painters who have never painted a miniature and want a clear starting point.
• Hobbyists returning after a long break who need to replace dried-out paints.
• Players who own unpainted Malifaux, The Other Side, or Through the Breach miniatures and want to get them table-ready.

Not for

• Experienced painters who already have a full paint range and need only specific specialty colors.
• Collectors who prefer to commission painted models and have no interest in painting themselves.
• Anyone looking for a single set that covers every possible color and technique without adding individual paints later.

A starter paint collection doesn't need to be big. It needs to be focused. Pick a set with core colors and a metallic, add a primer and a brush, and start painting the models you already own. You can always expand with individual paints once you know what your projects actually demand.