How to Paint Monster Scenery Unpainted Hills and Tree Tops

Quick answer

Prime the unpainted pieces with a matte spray, base coat them with craft acrylics, drybrush lighter tones to catch the texture, then seal with a matte varnish. For the small hills, a tan-to-brown progression works; for tree tops, layer greens from dark to light. Always test your paint on the underside first.

Prep the pieces before any paint touches them

Unpainted scenery often carries mold release agent or fine dust from manufacturing. Wash each piece in warm water with a drop of dish soap, scrub gently with an old toothbrush, and let them air-dry completely. This step prevents paint from beading or flaking later. While drying, inspect for flash or seam lines; a quick pass with a hobby knife or fine sandpaper smooths them without changing the sculpted texture. If you plan to base the pieces for stability, glue them to a thin MDF or plastic card now, before painting, so you can handle the base instead of the painted surface.

Prime with a matte spray made for miniatures

Use a matte gray, white, or tan primer designed for plastic or resin. Shake the can well, then spray in short bursts from 8–12 inches away in a well-ventilated area. A gray primer gives neutral coverage and makes both light and dark base coats predictable. White primer brightens subsequent colors, which suits tree tops and light-colored hills; tan primer reduces the number of base coats needed for earthy hills. One or two thin coats are enough. If you see glossy patches, stop and let it dry before adding more—heavy coats obscure detail and can remain tacky.

Base coat with thinned craft or hobby acrylics

Choose a base color that matches the terrain type: a mid-brown for dirt hills, a dark green for tree tops. Thin the paint with a little water until it flows like milk, then apply two thin coats rather than one thick one. Thinning preserves the sculpted texture and prevents brush marks. For the large hill, a 9.5 by 3 inch piece, work in sections so the paint stays workable and you can reach the edges without touching wet areas. Let each coat dry completely before the next.

Drybrush to bring out raised texture

Load a dry, flat brush with a lighter shade, wipe most of the paint off on a paper towel, then lightly drag the brush across the surface. The paint catches only the raised areas, creating natural highlights. For hills, use a tan or pale brown over the mid-brown base. For tree tops, use a yellow-green or light green over the dark green base. Build up in two or three passes rather than one heavy application. If the contrast looks too strong, a thin wash of the base color can blend it back.

Seal with a matte varnish for handling

After the paint is fully dry—usually 24 hours—apply a matte varnish. Spray varnish works, but a brush-on matte varnish gives more control and avoids chemical reactions with some primers. Two thin coats protect against fingerprints, dice, and miniature bases sliding across the surface. Avoid gloss varnish unless you want a wet look; matte keeps the terrain natural. Let the pieces cure overnight before stacking or storing them.

Step-by-step painting process

1. Wash and dry the pieces: Scrub with warm soapy water and a soft brush to remove mold release, then air-dry completely. Common mistake: skipping this step causes paint to bead and flake later. Checkpoint: water should sheet off evenly, not form droplets.
2. Prime with a matte spray: Apply one or two thin coats of matte primer from 8–12 inches away. Common mistake: spraying too close or too heavy, which fills in texture. Checkpoint: the surface should look evenly coated but still show all sculpted detail.
3. Base coat with thinned acrylics: Use two thin coats of mid-brown for hills or dark green for tree tops. Common mistake: applying thick paint that obscures texture. Checkpoint: the color should be opaque but the surface texture still visible.
4. Drybrush lighter tones: Drag a dry brush with a lighter shade across raised areas, building up in two or three passes. Common mistake: too much paint on the brush creates streaks. Checkpoint: highlights should appear only on edges and raised spots, not in recesses.
5. Seal with matte varnish: Apply two thin coats of matte varnish after paint is fully dry (24 hours). Common mistake: varnishing too soon traps moisture and clouds the finish. Checkpoint: the surface should be dry to the touch and uniform in sheen.

Monster Scenery pieces used in this tutorial

• Monster Scenery: Unpainted Small Hills (x2): Includes two unpainted small hills, each about 2 inches by 1 inch. Their small size makes them ideal for testing your color scheme and practicing drybrush control before moving to larger pieces.
• Monster Scenery: Unpainted Large Tree Tops (x2): Includes 2 unpainted large tree tops, each measuring about 4.5 by 3.5 inches. The broad surface area lets you layer multiple greens and add flock or static grass without the piece becoming overcrowded.
• Monster Scenery: Unpainted Large Hill: Unpainted large hill terrain piece, approximately 9.5 inches long by 3 inches tall. Its size provides a substantial elevation feature, so plan your base coat in sections to avoid visible brush marks where wet and dry paint meet.