What to consider / pros & cons
| Feature | Why it matters for miniatures |
|---|---|
| Tip size/type (fine brush, bullet, chisel) | Miniatures have small, detailed areas. If the tip is too thick you’ll lose detail, paint blobs easy. Brush or very fine bullet/needle tips are best. |
| Opacity / pigment strength | You want strong pigment so you don’t need many layers. Thin/translucent marker paint can be frustrating. |
| Flow / consistency | Too thick → clogs, blobs; too runny → loses control or bleeds over edges. |
| Drying time | Slower drying can let you blend or correct mistakes; too fast and you might get streaks. Also, layers might lift earlier coatings if not dry enough. |
| Adherence & primer | Marker paint may not stick well on smooth plastic/resin if unprimed. Priming helps a lot. Also sealing afterwards helps protect the work. |
| Durability | Miniatures get handled; you want paint & sealer that resist chipping. |
Best practice tips
- Wash and prime the miniature first. Even good markers don’t adhere well to bare smooth plastic/resin. A light spray or brush-on primer helps.
- Test on a spare mini or underside to see how many coats + what tip you need.
- Work in thin layers rather than trying to get full coverage in one pass.
- Seal the finished piece (matte or gloss varnish) to protect the marker paint.
- For fine details, pair markers with fine brushes; sometimes you’ll need brushes for highlights, washes, etc.
Brands people recommend
Here are some that are commonly praised for acrylic paint markers or comparable tools, with notes:
| Brand | Pros / what people like |
|---|---|
| Molotow One4All | Very good quality; strong pigmentation; reliable flow; refillable options. Art Side of Life with Iva+2TS Central+2 |
| Posca (by Uni / Mitsubishi Pencil) | Widely available; good range of tip sizes; opaque; water-based and reasonably durable when sealed. Art Side of Life with Iva+1 |
| Arteza | Affordable; lots of colors; decent performance for beginners. Art Side of Life with Iva+1 |
| Ohuhu | Cheap; good starter sets; useful for base colours, but may need more layers or careful sealing. TS Central |
| Sharpie Paint Markers | Easy to find; durable; some line weights are fine enough for larger miniatures. But may not be fine enough for very small details or clean layering. TS Central |
| Deepcut Studio Speedpaint markers | https://www.deepcutstudio.com/product/speedpaint-markers-full-set/ |
| Army Painter Speedpaint markers | https://thearmypainter.com/pages/speedpaint-marker |
| AK Interactive Real Colours Paint Markers Special Box SKU # RCM150 | https://www.magicstronghold.com/store/category/AK%20Interactive/item/412621/AK_Interactive_Real_Colours_Paint_Markers_Special_Box_ |
| DSPIAE Markers | https://dspiaestore.com/collections/markers |
