Gilded Goblin miniature paints

How to Use Gilded Goblin Paints

Gilded Goblin Paints are water based acrylics developed and  mixed in house in Texas. Designed for miniature painting, they offer smooth brush control, a matte finish, and the flexibility to work with different painting techniques.

From your first basecoat to your final highlights, this guide will help you understand our paints, explore color combinations, and get the most out of every bottle.

Before You Start Painting

Shake Well: Give the bottle a good shake before painting. Each bottle includes two 5 mm mixing balls to help redistribute any pigment that settles over time.

Use a Palette: Add a small amount of paint to a wet palette. This makes it easier to control, thin, and mix your paint.

Slightly Dampen Your Brush: Start with a clean, slightly damp brush, not a soaking wet one. This helps the paint flow smoothly and gives you better control.

  • Basecoating

    Start with a slightly damp brush. Use the paint straight from the bottle or add a little water if needed. Build coverage with thin coats, letting each one dry before adding the next.





  • Layering

    Add a little more water so the previous color still shows through. Apply controlled layers to gradually build highlights, shadows, and transitions.

  • Glazing

    Thin the paint until it leaves a light, transparent layer of color. Remove excess paint from your brush and build the effect gradually with multiple glazes.

 Understanding Pigments & Coverage 

Not every color has the same opacity. Illuminator Yellow, Cinnabar Orange, Alchemist Pink, and Golden Ochre allow more of the underlying color to show through, particularly over black or dark surfaces.

Start light for brighter results

For these colors, we recommend white primer or an opaque white basecoat wherever you want a bright finish. If your miniature is already primed black, you can paint those specific areas white before applying your color.

A zenithal or slapchop underpainting is another option. Build the areas you want brightest up to white; areas left dark will produce a darker result.

Apply thin, even coats and let each layer dry before adding another. Avoid trying to cover a dark base with one heavy coat.

Golden Ochre tip: Try Ancient Bone underneath for a warmer foundation, or white for a brighter starting point.

 Color Wheel Basics with Gilded Goblin Paints 

The color wheel helps you choose a main color, find accents, and explore new mixtures.

Create Contrast with Complementary Colors

Complementary colors sit across from each other on a traditional artist’s color wheel. Try these pairings on different parts of your miniature:

Imperial Blue + Cinnabar Orange
Blue armor with orange accents.

Royal Violet + Illuminator Yellow
Violet robes with yellow details.

Goblin Green + Herald Red
Green skin with red clothing.

Let one color dominate and use the other in smaller areas to draw attention.

Build Harmony with Neighboring Colors

Analogous colors sit near each other on the wheel and help create a connected color scheme.

For a warm palette:
Herald Red, Cinnabar Orange, and Illuminator Yellow.

For a cool palette:
Imperial Blue, Arcane Azure, and Deepwood Emerald.

Include lighter and darker areas so your miniature’s details remain easy to read.

Explore More Muted Shadows

Mixing a small amount of a complementary color into your base color can reduce its intensity.

Try a tiny amount of Royal Violet in Golden Ochre as a starting point for an earthy shadow.

Add the stronger color gradually and test the mixture on your palette before applying it.

The Power of Multiple Thin Coats

A few thin coats will usually give you a smoother finish than one thick coat. Let each layer dry before adding the next so you keep the details sharp and the coverage even.

  • Drybrushing

    Work most of the paint off your brush on a drybrush palette or any textured surface you do not mind painting. Then lightly brush across raised details to build highlights.

  • Stippling

    Tap the tip of your brush against the surface to build texture, weathering, or smooth transitions. Use less paint for more control.

  • Edge Highlighting

    Use a fine brush with a small amount of paint to carefully trace raised edges and make details stand out.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Paint Separation

Some settling during storage is normal. Give the bottle a good shake until the paint looks evenly mixed. Each bottle includes two mixing balls to help.

Paint Too Thick

Add a small amount of water on your palette and mix. Start with less than you think, you can always add more.

Low Coverage

Make sure your miniature is primed and avoid thinning the paint too much. Let the first coat dry, then build coverage with another thin coat.

Visible Brush Marks

Use a slightly damp brush and thin the paint a little if needed. Avoid going back over paint once it starts to dry.

Crafted in Texas

Foundry Paints are developed, mixed, tested, and bottled by us here in Texas. We make every batch with the same care we put into everything at Gilded Goblin, and we are proud to finally share them with other miniature painters.