How to Paint Your 3D Prints for Tabletop Adventures: A Step-by-Step Guide
At The Flaming Feather, we believe every 3D-printed item deserves to shine on your tabletop — whether it’s a magical potion bottle, a majestic dragon, or a detailed dice tower. But if you’re new to painting PLA, it can feel a little intimidating. No worries! I’ve got you covered with easy, effective techniques that’ll help your creations shine (or stay perfectly matte 😉) for all your gaming sessions.
Looking for the perfect magic item to paint? Check out our magical products!
Let’s dive in!
Choosing the Right PLA for Painting
When you’re buying or printing your 3D pieces, we always recommend opting for matte PLA colors. Why? Matte finishes provide better paint adhesion, making them easier to cover and buff compared to shiny or glittery filaments. Shiny prints can often be textured or even more fragile when sanded, so keeping it matte gives you a smoother and more stable base to work with. Here are our matte colour options:
One important tip that can make a huge difference in the final look of your 3D prints: avoid using white as your base color when painting. While white can be tempting for a clean, fresh start, it can actually make your paint job harder to perfect, especially in detailed areas.
For example, if you’re painting a wooden object, like a chest or a staff, opt for a base color like peanut or wood brown instead of white. Why? When you can't reach every tiny crack or hole with your brush, the white base will stand out much more than a color closer to the natural tones of your object. This is especially important for textures like wood, stone, or metal, where you might have intricate details that need some extra love.
Choosing a base color that’s closer to the end result helps hide those little imperfections and gives your piece a more polished, professional look. For most projects, it's best to choose a less saturated base color that matches your finished product.
However, if you're aiming for a darker metallic look, black can be an excellent choice for your base. It gives a deep, rich foundation that really makes metallic paints pop, perfect for things like swords, armor, or dark magical items.
Sanding for Smoothness (But Not Too Much!)
If your print has visible lines or imperfections, sanding is a great way to smooth things out. But remember, 3D prints are often hollow or have internal patterns, so sanding too much can create holes in your print. Keep it light and gentle! Focus on obvious bumps or lines, but don’t go overboard. Lines are unavoidable when 3D printing, but we do print at a very high quality which makes the line work very minimal, you can check our products here.
For best results, start with a finer grit sandpaper and work your way to a smooth finish. Some people use acetone smoothing (though I haven’t personally tried it), but gentle sanding tends to be enough for most prints! You can see it here in our Dragon Skull dice mug
Priming: The Foundation of Great Paintwork
Now that your print is prepped, it’s time to prime! A good filling primer, like Rust-Oleum, helps create a smooth base for paint, and it’ll fill in some of the micro-imperfections. If you don’t have access to a spray-paint-friendly environment, Mod Podge is a fantastic option. It’s affordable, easy to use, and works really well for this purpose. But if you have some money to spend, a good primer that is meant for 3D-prints will always be the best.
The key is to apply thin layers of primer. This avoids clogging up fine details and ensures the paint will stick properly. Stay away from products like plastidip, since those often peel off when you are painting and have a hard time sticking to small details.
Choosing the Right Paint
Quality paint makes a huge difference in the end result. I swear by Amsterdam acrylic paints (not sponsored), which are perfect for covering large areas with rich pigment in a single coat. Acrylic paints dry quickly, are available in an amazing range of colors, and are super easy to work with.
For larger prints, I prefer to use high-quality acrylic paints rather than miniature paints, as they can get pretty expensive. But for smaller, detailed pieces, miniature paints might be perfect if you're looking for precision.
Building Layers: Start Simple, Then Add the Magic
When it’s time to paint, I recommend starting with color blocking. This means painting large sections of the print in its base color before diving into finer details.
For example, on a recent print, I started with a brown base for the majority of the piece. Once that layer dried, I moved on to more detailed parts, like the skull. Instead of starting with bright white, I mixed a soft off-white (white with a touch of brown) for a more natural, bone-like look.
Washes and Highlights: Let the Texture Do the Work
A big game-changer for adding detail is the wash technique. This is where you dilute your paint with water, creating a wash that naturally flows into cracks, crevices, and engraved details. No need to fuss with a tiny brush — just apply the wash to the areas where you want shading, and watch the magic happen as the paint settles into the fine details.
For highlighting, we’ll do the opposite — this time we want to use dry-brushing. For this, you’ll need thick, almost dry paint on your brush. Wipe off the excess paint on a paper towel, and then lightly brush over the raised parts of your print. The paint will only stick to the high points, which is perfect for bringing out textures like metallic elements or adding subtle highlights to bone or wood.
Special Effects
What if you want your 3D prints to look even more magical? I’ve got some special effect tips that will make your creations truly stand out. If you’ve already read our How to Make Colour-Changing Potions blog, you know we love experimenting with mica powders — and for good reason! Some mica powders are color-shifting, meaning they change hues as the light hits them, creating an enchanting, magical effect.
Here’s how you can use them:
Color-Shifting Magic
Mix mica powders with Mod Podge or another paint base to create a painty texture, and apply it to magical parts of your prints — think dragonscales, potion bottles, or even our Magic Item Mug. The best part? This creates a stunning color shift, adding depth and complexity to your paint job. You can use this effect on smaller details, like glowing runes or enchanted items, to really make them pop.
Mica Powder as a Finish
If you want a subtle shimmer, you can also mix mica powder with Mod Podge and apply it as a finishing layer. This seals your print and adds a beautiful, glittery effect. Perfect for any piece that needs a magical glow, whether it’s a treasure chest or a mystical creature!
Fire and Light Effects
For those glowing fire or light effects, the key is to work from dark to light. Start with the base color — for example, a deep red for fire — and gradually layer lighter hues as you work toward the center. Finish with almost white or completely white highlights to make the light effect really shine. This technique works wonders for creating realistic, fiery effects or magical light sources.
With these special effects, your prints will have a magical, otherworldly feel. Whether you’re making a dragon’s scales shimmer or creating glowing potions, these techniques will add that extra bit of magic to your work.
Finishing Touches: Protecting Your Masterpiece
Now that your paintwork is finished, it’s time for a protective layer! Varnish is your best friend here. Whether you use spray varnish or something like Mod Podge, it will protect your hard work from scratches and wear during tabletop sessions. I do have to admit that I myself didn't varnish it and it is all fine! But I do recommend it when you want to travel a lot with your products.
Make sure your paint is completely dry before varnishing to avoid smudging. You can choose a matte, silk, or glossy finish, depending on the look you're going for. Want a shiny dragon’s teeth or a mimic with a glossy, slime-covered tongue? Go ahead and mix and match your finishes for a unique touch!
Ready to Paint? Let’s Get Started!
We love seeing our customers’ painted creations come to life! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, these simple techniques can help you transform your prints into true works of art.
Looking for inspiration or the perfect pieces to start your painting journey? Check out our collection of 3D-printed designs, ideal for practicing your techniques:
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Celtic Dice Tower: This piece is perfect for showcasing your detailing skills!
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The Dice Tome: A fantastic canvas for experimenting with layers and textures and are available in multiple designs!
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Dice Guardian (Beholder): A fun, detailed print that’s easy to work with, ideal for practicing washes and dry-brushing.
👉 Explore our full collection and don’t forget to tag us on social media when you share your painted pieces — we love seeing how your creativity comes to life!