Editing WIP (section)

===Supplies===

[[File:Sprue Cutters.png|thumb|200px|Metal sprue cutters (top), plastic sprue cutters (middle), and the way to cut from parts trees (bottom)]]

Generally speaking, a hobbyist interested in miniatures needs the following supplies: 
* sprue cutters / hobby knife, 
* glue,
* small paintbrushes, 
* a mixing palette with wells, 
* [[Paint| paints]], including [[WIP#Priming|primer]]. 
Further supplies advanced hobbyists find useful are sandpaper and/or metal files, a supply of [[Green Stuff|kneadite or greenstuff]], a magnifying glass or a crocodile-clip magnifier, and podcasts or music to set the mood or entertain the models being worked on. 

Sprue cutters come in two variants; metal and plastic. Metal cutters have less precision but wear out much slower, and are designed for the extreme pressure needed to cut through both metal and thick pieces of resin. Plastic cutters are more precise, but may break or bend if trying to clip anything larger than a thing piece of a parts tree. Another option is wirecutters from the hardware store. Always orient the flat part of the blades of the sprue cutters towards the model, as cutting with the slanted side will leave remaining parts of the sprue and may damage part of the model. 

It is important to remember that the company which produced the supplies does not matter; a hobby knife from Revell is the same as a hobby knife from [[Privateer Press]] as a hobby knife from [[The Army Painter]] or a hobby knife from Games Workshop, or a hobby knife from the dollar store, for that matter. What DOES matter is that model paint stereotypically associated with Revell-style hard plastic models (enamel) is different from the paints usually used for softer plastic miniatures (acrylic). For more on this, [[WIP#Painting|see the Paint section]]. 

Likewise, paint is virtually identical regardless of [[WIP#Paint_Companies|manufacturer]]. Some companies have tones that others don't have, but if you're mixing paint then [[Vallejo]] is [[Citadel_Miniatures#Paints|Citadel]] is Reaper MSP is whatever else on the market. Some people have said they prefer the thickness of one company, some say the only difference is how long its been on the shelf, but the topic is not considered hot enough to be fairly called [[Skub]]. [[The Army Painter|Army Painter]] however can end up being sub-par with no way to tell beforehand whether your paint is supposed to be base (good, opaque cover) or layer (somewhat translucent), prone to undergo phase separation and having a strange, mucky consistency.  
The positive exception is the [[WIP#Technical|Citadel "Technical" paint range]]. Few other companies produce things like blood, rust, brush-on snow, or paints that dry and crack as they dry to produce an effect like mud or dirt, and no other company has the variety of effects. Even the most ardent opponent to buying from Games Workshop will [[Dwarfs (Warhammer Fantasy)|grudgingly]] admit that Citadel Technical is a great range. Luke's APS of YouTube fame has some nice tutorials on how to make substitutes for those at home though. Life Color and [[Vallejo]] also both produce environmental paints like mosses and lichen that Games Workshop does not offer. For more on this, [[WIP#Paint_Companies|see the Paint Companies section below]]. 

Container can also make a difference; some cheaper paints may come in containers which are of low quality and let in air despite the paint itself being the same. If you happen to use up paints which come in containers you like, consider saving some to transfer paint from bad containers to (or to mix up a large batch of a custom color you use in bulk). Many have complained of the degradation of quality in Citadel paint pots over the years, as those are designed to leave a little gap when closed without the application of brute force, letting in air and accumulating paint, that prevents the pot from getting properly closed next time. 

Sprays (rattle cans) also differ far more from company to company. Its important to remember that spray does not immediately mean [[WIP#Priming|primer]]. Primer coats the model in a base color, which will enhance following layers and make them stick to the model better. Spray gives you a basic color and goes on after the primer, representing either a basic color of the model you can work off of to save time or as a color to easily build up to the desired finished color from. Check the [[WIP#Priming|priming section for more info]].

<gallery>
Image:Citadel Paint Pots.jpg|Citadel has gotten progressively worse over the years.
Image:Other Paints.jpg|Reaper MSP and Vallejo paints with a cameo from P3.  
Image:Army Painter Paints.jpg|The Army Painter paints. 
Image:Can Spray.PNG
</gallery>