Spiel Nicht Nur… für eine Szene sorgen!

Build it. Paint it. Play it.

So, you’ve got your new kit, now you’ll prepare, assemble, paint, finish and set the scene.
Read the detailed steps below for technique explanations, tool suggestions, and troubleshooting.

Quick beginner workflow (glossary at bottom of guide)

1. Prepare → trim → sand → wash & dry.

2. Dry-fit pieces with OpenLock clips; mark orientation.

3. Prime (thin, even coats; zenithal if desired).

4. Basecoat (thin coats).

5. Apply washes to recesses to add depth.

6. Drybrush raised textures to highlight.

7. Do detail work: edge highlights, glazes, weathering.

8. Varnish to protect.

9. Assemble (or touch up joints if already assembled).

10. Base scenic elements and final seal.

11. Don't forget to show us your final build! We'd love to see what you've created.

Tools & supplies (recommended)

• Hobby knife / scalpel

• Flush cutters / sprue cutters

• Needle files and sanding sticks (grits: ~220 → 400 → 800 for smoothing)

• Fine sandpaper (400–1000 grit) or sanding sponge

• Soft toothbrush or small soft brush (for washing)

• Warm soapy water & bowl for cleaning pieces

• Primer: spray primer or brush-on acrylic primer (grey or black recommended)

• Acrylic hobby paints (tube or dropper bottles) — water-based (Vallejo/Army Painter/Citadel style)

• Washes/shades (premade or DIY) and a medium for thinning (flow improver or acrylic medium)

• Brushes: a few sizes (0–2 detail, 1–3 round for general work, a stiff flat for drybrushing)

• Palette (wet palette recommended) and water pots

• Paper towels, toothpicks, tweezers

• PVA glue (white glue) for scenic basing; cyanoacrylate (superglue) or epoxy for permanent joins if needed

• Matt varnish (spray or brush-on) to protect finish

• Optional: foam clamps, rubber bands, masking tape, magnets & epoxy (for removable bits)

• Safety: dust mask when sanding, respirator when spray-priming, good ventilation at all times!

1) Preparing your kit prior to painting

Goal: remove print artifacts and give paint a clean, slightly textured surface to adhere to.

1. Remove supports / flash:

   • Use flush cutters to trim away support material and a hobby knife to pare off any stubborn bits. Cut away from your body and work slowly.

2. Remove stringing and layer blobs:

   • Stringing (thin filament threads) can be scraped away with the tip of a blade or trimmed with tiny scissors.

   • For small blobs or ridges (layer lines), use a needle file or fine sandpaper to smooth. Work gently — aggressive sanding can remove fine detail.

3. Sanding:

   • Start coarse only where needed (220–400 grit) to remove bigger imperfections; finish 800–1000 grit for a smooth surface.

   • Use sanding sticks or a folded piece of sandpaper to follow contours. For recessed details, avoid over-sanding — you don’t want to lose sculpts.

4. Cleaning:

   • After sanding, wash parts in warm, soapy water and agitate gently with an old toothbrush. This removes oils, dust, and release agents so primer adheres properly.

   • Rinse and air-dry thoroughly. Any remaining water will spoil the primer adhesion.

Why this matters: PLA holds onto oils and dust; cleaning & light sanding gives uniform paint adhesion and avoids peeling.

2) Building with OpenLock connector clips

What is OpenLock?
OpenLock is an open standard clip/slot system for modular terrain that lets walls, floors and accessories snap together without glue. There are various other clip systems available, such as DragonLock and InfinityLock, but adapter clips are available so there's not much need to worry about compatibility issues as long as you've got a packet of adapters to hand and the type of scenery you're connecting together isn't wildly different.

Assembly tips:

• Dry-fit first. Assemble pieces without clips to check orientation and identify any tight spots.

• Clip fit: If the clip pegs are tight, lightly sand the pegs or the receiver slot, a tiny amount solves most fit issues. Test frequently.

• Avoid paint build-up in clips: If you plan to paint parts before assembly, avoid heavy primer/paint buildup on the clip surfaces, thick paint can stop clips from seating. Paint clips lightly if you have to, or paint after assembly. Most clips will not be visible after assembly so weigh up which ones need attention and which ones will be completely hidden from view to save yourself time.

• Permanent vs modular: Do you want to be able to unclip, reassemble and reuse pieces in different configurations? Best to leave them unglued.
  If you'd rather construct a more permanent arrangement, use a small dab of superglue (cyanoacrylate) or epoxy on clip pins.

• Magnet option: If you want removable sections, consider embedding tiny magnets in recesses with epoxy for a clean removable join. Magnetic OpenLock adapter clips are available in packs of 10 in the store section if this is something you wanted to explore for additional flexibility with your build.

Why this matters: modular systems are flexible — preserving clip action means you can expand or break down scenery easily.

3) Priming: your foundation for painting

Purpose: Primer creates a thin, uniform surface that paint can adhere to and reveals any remaining imperfections.

• Primer choices:

  • Spray primer (fast, even coats) good for large sets.

  • Brush-on primer (Vallejo Surface Primer etc.) fine for touch-ups or indoor use.

• Colour choice:

  • Black primer gives natural shadows and is forgiving for messy jobs.

  • Grey primer is neutral and good for mid-tone painting.

  • White primer makes colours pop but shows mistakes.

  • Zenithal primer black first, then a light grey/white sprayed from above to simulate top lighting; great for preshading and depth.

• How to prime (spray): Hold can ~20–30 cm away, use thin passes, don’t try to cover in one heavy coat. Let each light coat dry before the next. Avoid runs and pooling.

• After priming: Inspect, if primer hides detail or forms orange peel, lightly sand and reprime.

Dry times: follow product instructions; typical acrylic primers are touch dry in 15–30 minutes, fully cured in a few hours.

4) Painting techniques & explanations

a) Thinning & basecoating

• Why thin paint? Thinned paint flows better, reduces brush strokes, and builds smooth layers.

• How to thin: Aim for a milk consistency for basecoats; roughly 1:1 paint to water as a starting point (adjust to your paint brand). Use a wet palette to keep paint workable.

• Basecoat: Cover large areas with a mid-tone colour. Use 1–2 thin coats rather than one thick coat.

b) Washes (adding depth)

What is a wash?
A wash is a very thin, pigment-rich solution that flows into recesses and creates natural shadow and definition.

How washes work: The wash pools in crevices and around details, darkening sheltered areas and defining edges. This simulates natural shadow and makes sculpted details pop.

Using pre-made washes: Brands make ready-to-use washes/shades (they’re designed not to lift underlying paint). Apply generously, let gravity and capillary action pull it into recesses.

DIY wash: Mix acrylic paint with water and a little flow improver or matte medium, a 1:3 or 1:4 paint:water ratio is a good starting point for a thin wash. (Adjust: more water = thinner wash.) Test on a scrap to ensure it doesn’t lift the basecoat.

Application method:

• Use a large soft brush and pull the wash over the area, letting it sink into recesses.

• If it pools too much, use a clean damp brush or paper towel to wick excess before it dries.

• Drying time: 15–60 minutes depending on humidity.

Where to use: stone cracks, wood grain, seams, recessed panel lines, under eaves.

c) Drybrushing (adding texture and highlights to your model)

What is drybrushing?
A technique where you load paint on a brush, wipe most off, then drag the nearly-dry brush over raised surfaces so paint catches only the highlights.

When to use: Great for stone textures, brick, wood grain, and rough surfaces where you want textured highlights quickly.

How to drybrush:

1. Load a flat, stiff brush with a lighter shade than the base.

2. Wipe most paint off on a paper towel until almost dry.

3. Lightly drag the brush over the raised details with a quick motion, remember that multiple light passes work better than one heavy pass.

4. Rotate the brush to vary the effect.

Tips: Use a dedicated drybrush for each general tone family; too much paint = chalky, ugly results.

d) Layering & edge highlighting

• Layering: Build up lighter colours in progressively smaller areas to create depth, blend edges where layers meet by thinning paint and feathering.

• Edge highlighting: Use a small brush and a lighter colour to pick out sharp edges and corners, this makes shapes read at a distance and adds definition.

e) Glazes

What is glazing?
A glaze is a very thin, transparent layer of paint used to shift tone, smooth transitions, or tint highlights.

How to make: Thin paint heavily (much more than a wash) with medium or water and apply thin coats until the desired tint is achieved.

f) Weathering and effects

• Sponge 'chipping': Use a small torn piece of sponge, dab into dark undercolour or metallic, then dab on edges to simulate chipping.

• Stippling: Use a stiff brush to dot paint for texture (rust, dirt).

• Pigments/powders: Apply powdered pigments with a brush for dust and dirt effects; fix with a diluted PVA or pigment fixer.

• Mud & gloss: Mix texture paste with brown paint for mud; seal with gloss varnish for wet look if needed.

5) Sequencing & assembly strategy

• Paint-then-assemble vs assemble-then-paint:

  • Paint pre-assembly if parts are small and have hidden recesses that are hard to reach later.

  • Assemble then paint if clipping/gluing will be messy or if you want a uniform finish and to protect clips from thick paint.

• Tip for OpenLock clips: If you paint pieces before assembling, avoid thick paint layers on the clip surfaces; mask clip regions or file them lightly after painting to ensure fit.

• Touch-ups: Expect to do minor touch-ups post-assembly where joins were glued or masked.

6) Sealing & finishing

• Why varnish? A varnish protects the paint from handling, dust, and light wear.

• Types: matte (most common), satin, or gloss. Use gloss only for specific wet or metallic effects, then seal with matte if you want a uniform finish.

• Application: Thin, even coats. Spray varnish is fast, use light passes. Brush-on varnish works too but can slightly alter texture. Allow full cure before play.

7) Basing & scenic touches

• Texturing bases: PVA glue & fine sand/grit → paint base colour → drybrush highlights.

• Flock & tufts: Apply PVA where you want grass; sprinkle flock or press in tufts. Seal with a diluted PVA layer or matte varnish.

• Small scatter: Add tiny rocks, broken barrels, or rubble glued in place to increase visual interest.

Glossary (quick definitions)

• Basecoat: the main mid-tone layer of paint.

• Wash / Shade: a thin, watery paint that flows into recesses to create shadows.

• Drybrush: painting technique to highlight raised details by brushing almost-dry paint across surfaces.

• Zenithal priming: two-stage priming (dark undercoat, light topcoat from above) to predefine lighting.

• Edge highlight: a light thin line of paint on an edge to make it pop.

• Glaze: a thin transparent paint layer used to tint or blend.

• OpenLock: a clip/slot modular system for scenery.

Troubleshooting & common fixes

• Paint pooling or runs: Stop, wick excess with a clean brush or paper towel, let dry, then rework.

• Wash lifts basecoat: Wait until basecoat is fully cured before applying wash. If it lifts, let dry and repaint that area, then try a thinner wash or a premade wash product.

• Clips won’t fit after painting: Carefully sand the clips or scrape paint from the peg hole with a hobby blade. In future, avoid thick paint on clip surfaces.

• Glue fogging: Superglue can fog clear parts, use a tiny amount and clamp gently; for scenic joins, PVA is kinder but slower.