Advice on painting metal Reaper minis

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So, I'm wanting to get into painting some Reaper minis I got for my birthday. I've never done it and no one I know has. I live pretty remote so I'd need to be able to order the stuff I need. I know there are some folks on here who are into the whole miniature painting fun time world, be it Warhammer or what not. What I want to know from those of you who are knowledgeable on such things is what would I need (the basics really) to start painting, what brand would be my best bet to go with, etc..

Any advice would be appreciated as I am literally (figuratively) shooting in the dark here.

OH, edit here, before I forget, I am not looking to spend a whole lot of money on this currently, in case I don't dig it.
 
Well... since no one else has posted.

You do not need much to start... really I'd say two decent brushes (one for large colour application, one for fine detail) and a few paints and you're good to go. I've mostly used Games Workshops paints which many people will agree are decent and get the job done just fine but lately I've been switching over to Vallejo paints and I really like them.

As far as colours... that's up to you but you will for sure need a black and white and probably a silver metallic of somesort. Figure out what colours you would like to paint your miniatures and then select from there. Remember you can use white and black to mix all kinds of lighter and darker versions of colours so you don't need to buy 5 different greens to achieve the effect you want. Really you probably only need to buy anywhere from 6-9 colours (at first anyways).

Everything else is optional, palettes, more brushes, inks, washes, airbrushes, etc. I use an old margarine container for washing my brushes, use paper towel to blot excess water and paint and use an old ceramic tile as my paint palette.

A good light is also very handy and can save you a lot of frustration and eye strain.
 
Azurephoenix had a great post on the stuff you'll need, but he only missed 1 thing from what I see- primer. You're going to want a spray on primer to keep the paint on the model.


I would also suggest a spray on Matte Varnish to prevent the paint from chipping off after the model is done being painted.

I also use Vallejo paints, though I know people who swear by the cheap acrylic paints from Hobby Lobby. I generally avoid anything that comes in a container with a large opening as they tend to gunk up and dry out.

3 years ago I bought one of the large Vallejo paint sets (72) and I have only gone through 1 bottle of paint to empty.
 
I also have a magnifying lens on a stand to help with fine detail. I have used both hobby lobby paint and specific model paint brands and the specific model brands (reaper, games workshop etc.) definitely work better if you want the finished product to look more polished.
 
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