Editing WIP (section)

==Before you begin==
The most important thing in beginning tabletop modeling is this: download books and guides from /tg/ WIP threads, watch youtube channels, and participate in online communities such as the /tg/ WIP threads and [https://www.dakkadakka.com/ DakkaDakka] where people actively experiment with new techniques and materials that can put you ahead of even pro painters.

===Youtube Channels===
* [https://www.youtube.com/user/tabletopminions/videos Tabletop Minions], Uncle Atom gives not only his discoveries but also his opinions on various topics and general tutorial advice alongside commentaries on such topics as trying to clear your backlog of unpainted models or the learning curve of pro painting.
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9XTzwex6rGLVUGS9cLKFLw Midwinter Minis], Guy makes really well done painting tutorials, including some retro designs, as well as very good small scale battle reports that make the game easier to understand.
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgptSaRLvd1QH0SURdQNYgg Vince Venturella], Makes painting tutorials for pretty much anything (seriously, over 300 videos in his Hobby Cheating series). Very good for trying to learn various techniques, also has really good videos covering various paint ranges.

===Purchasing===

[[File:Buying Cheaper Models.png|left|thumb|200px|Some ethanol, an old toothbrush, and 15$ that stay in your pocket]]

==== Buying new models ====

Go to your [[FLGS]]. Even if you can't find the product you're looking for in said store, ask the staff who should have a catalog to order what you want. 

If you live in the middle of nowhere, the website of the game you want to play should have a list of authorized resellers and shops, be they online or brick-and-mortar.

==== Buying used models ====

Models do NOT need to be first-hand. Bartertown and eBay are popular resources for obtaining secondhand miniatures. Remember to factor in shipping, as this may be what decides if and how much cheaper buying used is. It is important to remember that in [[Games Workshop]] stores, only models made by them may be used. A convenient loophole is Games Workshop does not care what the particular model is. A player wanting [[Vampire Counts|Zombies]] may want to get creative with [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|Empire State Troops]], or a player wanting [[Space Marines]] may decide to give [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)|Dwarfs]] [[Pauldrons]]. Even older lines, like [[Valley Of The Four Winds]] (which predated Warhammer) or [[Slotta|pre-slotta]] models are viable. The only requirement in Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40k is correct base size; in [[Age of Sigmar]] any base, even none at all, suffices if you're only interested in open play. 

===== Getting rid of the previous paint job on a model =====

Models which are being sold cheap due to a bad paintjob can be stripped back down to plastic via a day soak in Simple Green (for plastic or un-lacquered paint) or Dettol/Super Clean (for metal models, or paint that just won't come off) or similar products, and a scrub under warm water with an old toothbrush. As a general rule of thumb, you can use theoretically anything that contains some sort of solvent that isn't plain water. Practically, concentrated Ethanol solutions (especially desinfectants like the German brand Sterilium) work the best, since stuff like paint thinners might strip the color right off, but melt your model as well; this of course doesn't apply to metal models, which you can strip with anything, including afromentioned paint thinners. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqBjt1wKZfc| Goobertown hobbies compares six different paint stripping products here].