Short answer: Batch painting means working a whole group of miniatures together instead of finishing them one at a time; you apply the same step to every model first, then move on. So you prime them all, then do all the skin, then all the armour. Reach for it when you have a large army and want playable, table-ready troops in a sensible amount of time.
The logic is simple. For each colour you open the paint once, set your brush once, and warm your hand into one motion, but you spend that setup across ten models instead of one. The payoff runs two ways: you save time, and you gain consistency between figures. It is a workflow built for an army you will actually play with, not a single display piece.
What is batch painting and what is it for?
The name sounds technical, but the idea is familiar. Batch painting means painting a group of miniatures step by step, applying each technique to the entire group before moving to the next. In the classic single-model workflow you finish one figure start to finish, then start another. In batch, the process becomes the axis instead of the model: you apply one step (say "base coat the skin") to every model in front of you, and only then move to the second step.
So what does it give you? Two things. First, speed: your time per model drops sharply. Second, consistency: because you apply the same paint, at the same consistency, in the same sitting across the whole unit, the army looks like it came from one hand. As Handful of Dice puts it, the method saves time, reduces mental fatigue, and gives a more consistent look across the unit.
How does it work?
Batch painting draws its efficiency from two distinct sources. Understanding both helps you set the method up correctly from the start.
- Economy of repetition: Laying down the same colour ten times in a row is faster than painting ten models one by one, start to finish. That is because you do the setup once, opening paint, loading the brush, adjusting consistency, and your hand warms into the motion, so by the third model you work far more smoothly.
- Consistency: Applying the same step to the whole group at once erases colour and technique drift between models from the outset. You never have to re-mix that same blue tomorrow; they are all finished today, in the same tone.
The decision that all of this turns on is your undercoat and base colour choice. The right undercoat makes every colour on top easier and lowers the number of coats needed across the whole group. With the wrong one it is the opposite: every extra coat you lose gets multiplied by your model count.
As Goonhammer's Zach stresses: "Choosing the best basecoat for your models is a really important step in batch painting… I pick either the colour that makes all the colours on top easier, or the colour that saves me the most time."
That is why undercoat choice is a mastery decision on its own. For the details, see undercoat colour strategy.
How do you do it step by step?
Enough theory; here is the practice. The flow below turns a bare, unprimed group into table-ready troops. Finish each step across the whole group before moving on, and do not break the order.
- Pick a group size: Take a manageable number, usually 5 to 20. Too large a group is mentally draining and gives an "it will never end" feeling. For your first try, start with 5 to 10.
- Plan the scheme and order: First set the colour order; the classic logic runs inside out (skin, inner clothing, armour, detail, metallics). Choose your undercoat strategically to fit that plan.
- Batch prime: Prime the whole group together, black, white, zenithal, or coloured. Do it by brush, spray, or airbrush, whatever you prefer, as long as you finish it all in one sitting.
- Apply each step to the group: Lay the first colour on every model, then the second colour on every model, then the third. Do not move on until a step is done across the whole group.
- Set break points: Each colour or step is a natural break. Tracking your progress keeps motivation up.
- Detail, base, and varnish: Near the end come eyes, symbols, and metallic highlights; then the bases; then varnish last. Do these in batch too.
Which paints, brushes, and materials?
The good news is that batch painting needs no special materials. Still, the right gear makes all the difference, because here you multiply every mistake by your model count.
- Handles or a holding tray: A painting handle, magnetic base, or tray so you can turn each model comfortably. A grip that does not tire your hand is the quiet key to long sittings.
- Wet palette: Keeps your paint fresh and at the same consistency across the whole group. It is the single most useful tool in batch work; for details, see using a wet palette.
- A well-planned limited palette: A small palette focused on the dominant colours boosts both speed and consistency.
- Speed paints: Contrast, Speedpaint, or similar one-coat systems combined with batch are the peak of army speed; see Contrast & Speedpaint systems.
The most common mistakes
The maths of batch painting is a little unforgiving: a small error stays small on one model, but becomes 20 times itself on 20 models. So it pays to recognise the most common traps up front.
- Too large a group: Batching 40 models at once breeds burnout and a never-ending feeling. 5 to 20 is the ideal range.
- Wrong undercoat choice: A bad undercoat demands an extra coat on every colour, and that time loss compounds across the whole group.
- Not planning the colour order: Going outside in makes overspill hard to fix; that is why you plan inside out.
- Losing consistency: Giving some models more work and others less ruins the army's cohesion. Make sure you truly apply the same step to the whole group.
- Obsessing over per-model perfection: The aim of batch is consistent speed, not single-model perfection. If you want a showpiece, paint it separately as a single model.
Pro tips
Here are a few practical rules learned over years at the table. They look small, but they change the batch experience completely.
- Match group size to your motivation: For a sense of completion, groups of 5 to 10 are psychologically better. Finishing one group and starting the next is far more sustainable than staring at a mountain of 30 models.
- Choose the undercoat strategically: Pick a tone that makes the dominant colour easier. The biggest time saving in batch comes from exactly here.
- Set break points: Mark the end of each colour as a break; seeing progress cuts burnout.
- Combine with speed techniques: Zenithal prime plus Contrast plus batch is the fastest recipe for army painting. It also pairs perfectly with slapchop; see slapchop.
- Remember the "three-foot rule": On an army, consistency and speed beat per-model micro-detail. That is because models are seen from three feet away on the table; cohesion stands out, brush marks do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many models is ideal for batch painting?
The general advice is 5 to 20 models. For your first try, start with 5 to 10; this size is both manageable and motivating, because it gives a sense of completion. Since batching 40 models at once creates burnout and an "it will never end" feeling, it is wiser to split large armies into smaller groups.
Is batch painting suitable for beginners?
Yes, and it is practically tailor-made for getting started. Batch painting is a beginner-to-intermediate skill and the core method for painting armies. It needs no advanced brush techniques; the real mastery is in planning, choosing the right undercoat, and never breaking the order. If you are painting your first army, it is the ideal way to start.
Which colour should I start with?
The classic logic runs inside out: skin first, then inner clothing, then armour, then detail, and metallics last. This order makes overspill easier to manage, because outer layers cover the small mistakes of the inner ones. Plan the order up front and keep it identical across the whole group.
Is batch painting lower quality than single-model painting?
No; it simply has a different goal. Batch lowers time per model while raising consistency between models; the aim is an army that looks cohesive on the table, not display perfection. If you want exhibition quality on a character model, you are better off painting it separately as a single model.
Is a wet palette essential for batch painting?
It is not essential, but it is very useful. A wet palette keeps your paint fresh and at one consistency across the whole group and long sittings, which is the direct source of consistency. Since paint drying on the palette during batch work is a big loss of time and cohesion, it is fair to call it the single highest-return investment.
Can I combine batch painting with Contrast or Speedpaint?
Absolutely, and it is one of the fastest recipes. Laying one-coat Contrast or Speedpaint over a zenithal prime and applying it across the group is the most efficient army-painting combination. The slapchop approach also pairs perfectly with batch; both deliver volume and shadow in a single pass.
How long does a batch sitting take?
Batch painting sharply lowers time per model, but in return it demands a long time block per sitting, because you must finish a step across the whole group. So match group size to the time you will have. If your sessions are short, take a small group so you can complete a step in one sitting.
Key takeaway and next step
The essence of batch painting fits in one line: consistent speed beats single-model perfection. Choose the right undercoat, cap the group at 5 to 20, plan the colour order, and truly apply every step to the whole group; then your army arrives at the table both fast and looking like it came from one hand.
Before you start your next unit, it is worth rounding out the right gear. Handles, a wet palette, a limited palette, and speed paints make the whole job far easier. You can pick all of them from our paints, brushes & hobby supplies.