How to Prepare Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures Before Painting

Quick answer

You do not need to prime Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures—they come primed and ready to paint out of the box. But you should still clean mold lines, inspect the primer coverage, and decide whether to wash the figure before you start. A five-minute prep routine prevents paint flaking and visible seams later.

Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures are marketed as primed and ready to paint, and that's mostly true. The factory primer is thin and even, which saves you a step that normally adds a day to a painting project. But "ready to paint" doesn't mean "skip prep entirely." Mold lines, release agent residue, and thin primer patches can still ruin an otherwise good paint job.

This guide walks through the prep process in order, from unboxing to the first brushstroke. Each step includes a common mistake to avoid and a checkpoint so you know when to move on. The goal isn't to make prep complicated—it's to make sure the paint you apply actually stays where you put it.

What Nolzur's Miniatures Actually Come With

According to the product packaging, Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures come with highly-detailed figures, primed and ready to paint out of the box. They also include deep cuts for easier painting, and the clear packaging lets you see exactly what you're getting before you open it. That means your prep work is less about adding a primer coat and more about fixing small issues that the factory process can't catch.

The line covers characters, monsters, and scenery from the Dungeons & Dragons universe, so the specific prep needs vary. A small Intellect Devourer has fewer surfaces to inspect than a large Ankheg. But the sequence—inspect, clean, wash, check primer, base—stays the same.

• Don't assume every figure in the line has identical primer thickness; check each one.
• Keep the clear packaging until you've finished painting so you can reference the original sculpt.

Step 1: Inspect the Figure Before You Touch It

Open the package and look at the figure under good light before you do anything else. Check for bent weapons, thin spots in the primer, and visible mold lines along the sides of the body, arms, and base. Nolzur's figures are pre-assembled, so you won't need to glue most parts, but small pieces can still be slightly misaligned.

This inspection step takes thirty seconds and tells you whether you need a full wash or just a spot treatment. If the figure looks clean and the primer is even, you can move faster. If you see shiny patches or heavy seams, slow down.

• Common mistake: skipping inspection and discovering a bent sword after you've already painted the face.
• Checkpoint: you should be able to name at least one spot that needs attention before moving on.

Step 2: Clean Mold Lines with a Hobby Knife

Mold lines are the thin ridges left where the two halves of a casting mold met. On Nolzur's figures, they often run along the sides of legs, arms, and the base. Use the back of a hobby knife blade or a dedicated mold line remover to scrape them away gently. Don't press hard—you're shaving, not carving.

Work in one direction and check your progress often. The primer on these figures is thin, so aggressive scraping can expose bare plastic or metal underneath. If that happens, you'll need to spot-prime that area before painting.

• Common mistake: using the sharp edge of the blade and gouging the figure.
• Checkpoint: run your fingernail across the seam—if you can feel a ridge, keep scraping.

Step 3: Decide Whether to Wash the Miniature

Washing miniatures before painting is a standard step for resin and metal figures because release agents can prevent paint from sticking. Nolzur's figures are pre-primed, so the primer itself is the bonding layer. In most cases, a wash isn't necessary. But if you've handled the figure a lot, or if you notice shiny or slick patches, a gentle wash with lukewarm water and a drop of dish soap won't hurt.

If you do wash, use a soft toothbrush and let the figure dry completely—at least an hour—before painting. Trapped moisture under paint can cause bubbling or flaking later.

• Common mistake: washing with hot water, which can soften or warp thin parts.
• Checkpoint: the figure should be fully dry and feel tacky-free before you prime or paint.

Step 4: Check and Touch Up the Primer

Nolzur's figures come primed, but the coverage isn't always perfect. Look for bare spots, especially on the underside of arms, between fingers, and along the base. If you find any, apply a thin layer of brush-on primer that matches the factory color—usually a light gray or white. Let it dry fully before painting.

Do you need to prime Nolzur's from scratch? No. Adding a full primer coat on top of the factory primer can fill in detail and create a thicker surface that chips more easily. Spot-priming is almost always the better choice.

• Common mistake: spraying a full coat of primer and losing the deep cuts that make these figures easier to paint.
• Checkpoint: hold the figure under a lamp—if you see shiny plastic or metal, spot-prime it.

Step 5: Plan Your Base and Assembly

Most Nolzur's figures come pre-assembled, but some larger kits may include separate parts. Check the packaging or the figure itself for any loose pieces. If you need to attach a part, use a small amount of super glue or plastic cement and let it cure before painting. If the figure is already assembled, decide whether you want to base it before or after painting.

Basing before painting gives you a unified surface and protects the figure's feet from paint chipping. Basing after painting lets you keep the base clean and add texture without worrying about overspray. Either approach works—just pick one and stick with it.

• Common mistake: gluing a part after painting and smearing glue on finished areas.
• Checkpoint: give any glued joints a gentle tug after ten minutes to confirm they're secure.

Your Five-Step Prep Routine at a Glance

1. Inspect under bright light: Check for bent parts, thin primer, and visible mold lines before touching the figure. If you can't find anything to fix, you're ready to paint.
2. Scrape mold lines gently: Use the back of a hobby knife or a mold line remover, working in one direction. Stop when your fingernail no longer catches on a ridge.
3. Wash only if needed: Use lukewarm water and a drop of dish soap if the figure feels slick or you've handled it a lot. Let it dry completely—an hour minimum—before painting.
4. Spot-prime bare patches: Brush on thin primer only where the factory coat is missing; don't re-prime the whole figure. Shiny spots under a lamp mean you missed a patch.
5. Assemble and base: Glue any loose parts and decide whether to base before or after painting. Give glued joints a gentle tug to confirm they're secure.

Prep Notes for Specific Nolzur's Figures

• D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Intellect Devourers: These figures come primed and ready to paint out of the box, with deep cuts for easier painting. Small, detailed figures like these benefit from a careful mold line check around the brain-like textures before you start painting.
• D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Classic Ankheg: This figure features classic designs harkening back to early D&D and comes primed and ready to paint. Larger, flatter surfaces on the Ankheg make primer coverage easier to inspect, but the segmented body can hide mold lines along the underside.
• D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Darkling Elder & Darklings: The packaging displays these miniatures in a clear and visible format so you know exactly what you're getting. Use the clear packaging to compare the unpainted figure against the painted reference before you start, so you know which details to preserve.
• Pathfinder Deep Cuts: Huge Fire Elemental Lord: Pathfinder Battles Deep Cuts come with highly-detailed figures, primed and ready to paint, with little to no assembly required. If you're prepping a mix of Nolzur's and Deep Cuts figures, the prep sequence is nearly identical—just check for any small assembly points on the larger elemental.

Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures are designed to save you time, and a light prep routine keeps that advantage without adding unnecessary steps. Inspect, scrape, spot-check, and start painting. Your figures will look cleaner, and your paint will hold up longer on the table.