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Assemble Da Red Gobbo’s Tinboy in subassemblies, keep Da Red Gobbo and any obstructive chimney or scenic parts separate until your brush can reach the details, then prime, basecoat, shade, highlight and finish the model. Games Workshop’s 24 October 2025 beginner video demonstrates a Tinboy build and paint job with ten paints. The 2023 Da Red Gobbo’s Surprise guide uses a White Scar undercoat, recommends Contrast paints for speed and notes that removing Gobbo from the chimney improves access to small details. The two releases are different sculpts, so identify your kit before following a color plan.
Identify which Da Red Gobbo miniature you own
“Da Red Gobbo” is used for more than one seasonal release. The assembly principles are similar, but parts, poses and color placement can differ. Match the name on your box or instruction sheet before cutting plastic.
| Release | Useful official guidance | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Da Red Gobbo’s Tinboy | Games Workshop’s 24 October 2025 beginner-friendly video builds and paints the model with ten paints. | Follow the Tinboy-specific parts diagram and keep the mechanical body, Gobbo and scenic elements as separate working groups where possible. |
| Da Red Gobbo’s Surprise | Games Workshop’s 10 November 2023 painting article uses ten colours, a White Scar undercoat and says Contrast paints work well. | The chimney and snowy scenic details can block access. The painting team found it easier to paint Gobbo after removing him from the chimney. |
The Tinboy is a multipart plastic kit supplied unpainted and requiring assembly. Do not assume that a photograph of the Surprise variant is an exact assembly reference for Tinboy; use the diagram supplied with your own release.
Tools, paints and preparation
Core kit and tools
- Da Red Gobbo’s Tinboy multipart plastic kit.
- Plastic cutters for removing parts from the sprue.
- A mould-line tool, scraper or hobby knife.
- Plastic cement. A retailer listing specifically recommends Citadel Plastic Glue for the Tinboy kit.
- Tweezers for holding small accessories.
- A fine detail brush and a larger brush for basecoating. The Surprise guide specifically mentions using the tiniest brush for small details.
- A smooth primer. White Scar is the documented official example for the bright Surprise color scheme.
- Citadel Colour paints. The Tinboy video is designed around ten paints; the Surprise guide also presents a ten-colour recipe.
Optional finishing supplies
- Wet palette to keep thin coats workable.
- Texture paint for the base.
- Snow product or another snow effect.
- Varnish to protect fully cured paint.
Ten paints are a practical beginner limit, not a restriction on what you may eventually use. Start with the documented ten-colour route, then add extra highlight, weathering or basing colors only after the main scheme is stable.
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Plan subassemblies before cutting anything
Small festive miniatures become harder to paint when every scenic element is permanently attached. A useful plan divides the model into the Gobbo figure, the Tinboy or mechanical body, the scenic base and accessories such as explosives, ornaments or other loose details.
- Read the parts diagram from beginning to end.
- Compare every numbered part on the sprue with the diagram. Set aside anything whose identity or orientation is uncertain.
- Decide which joints will be easy to reach with a brush after assembly. Mark the Gobbo, chimney and scenic pieces that could hide boots, clothing folds, lenses or the inside of the mechanical body.
- Dry-fit each proposed subassembly without glue. Check that tabs, sockets and contact surfaces meet cleanly.
- Only glue a part when its position is confirmed and you have decided that painting it attached will not block access.
The official Surprise guidance gives a concrete example: keeping Da Red Gobbo off the chimney made it easier to paint his little black boots without getting black paint onto the snowy top. Apply the same access test to Tinboy: if a part sits in front of a recess, leave it separate until that recess is painted.
Assemble the plastic cleanly
1. Remove parts from the sprue
Cut the attachment points rather than twisting pieces free. Leave a small amount of the gate on the part if that lets you avoid gouging a visible edge; trim the remainder after the piece is detached. Keep each group in a tray or sealed container so small accessories do not mix.
2. Clean mould lines and gates
Use a scraper or hobby knife to remove raised mould lines and the remaining sprue gates. Work with light strokes and keep the blade pointed away from your fingers. Inspect curved surfaces, boot edges, the chimney, the mechanical body and the scenic base from several angles; a line that is subtle on bare plastic can become obvious under a glossy red or metallic coat.
3. Test-fit every joint
Press parts together without cement and look for gaps, steps or incorrect orientation. If two surfaces do not meet, remove plastic gradually and test again. Do not use paint as a gap filler: paint belongs on a fully seated joint and can prevent cement from making a strong bond.
4. Glue the planned subassemblies
Use plastic cement on polystyrene contact surfaces, applying only enough to wet the joint. Hold the pieces in alignment while the cement grabs, then set the subassembly aside. Avoid flooding details, because excess cement can soften surrounding texture and leave a shiny scar.
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5. Let the cement cure and inspect seams
Allow a full cure before priming. Recheck every seam and scrape away any softened ridge. A seam hidden by a separate Gobbo or accessory can be dealt with while the part is loose; a seam behind a permanently attached chimney may be inaccessible later.
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The assembly booklet described for this kit takes the builder from the plastic sprue to a fully assembled model ready to paint. Use that booklet for exact part order and orientation, while treating the subassembly choices above as a painting-access decision.
Choose an assembly and painting approach
| Approach | Speed | Access | Finish | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten-colour Contrast route | Fastest coverage and built-in shading. | Good if Gobbo and obstructive scenery stay separate. | Tabletop-ready with selective highlights. | Beginners or a seasonal model needed quickly. |
| Classic basecoat, shade and highlight | Slower because each layer must dry and be controlled. | Requires careful subassembly planning. | More control over bright reds, clean whites, metal and lenses. | Painters who want sharper color separation. |
| Detailed finish | Longest; adds edge highlights, weathering, snow and varnish. | Best when small parts remain removable through detail work. | More visual definition and a finished scenic base. | A display-oriented or centerpiece result. |
Contrast paints are not mandatory. Games Workshop says they “work wonders” on the Surprise model, so they are a defensible fast route, while traditional thin basecoats give you more control when a surface needs a very even festive red or a crisp white.
Prime for a bright festive scheme
- Ensure the plastic is clean, fully cured and free of loose dust.
- Arrange the subassemblies so every exposed surface receives primer. Do not hide contact points that must remain bare for later gluing.
- Apply a smooth, even coat rather than a heavy spray that fills rivets, fur or snow texture.
- Let the primer dry completely before handling the parts.
White Scar is the documented Games Workshop undercoat for Da Red Gobbo’s Surprise. It gives bright reds, whites and metallics a light foundation and is a sensible starting point for a cheerful Tinboy interpretation, but it is not evidence that every release requires that exact primer. If your Tinboy instructions or own color plan call for another foundation, follow that plan.
Paint in an order that protects detail
1. Establish the largest areas
Begin with broad, easy-to-correct surfaces: the main mechanical body, large clothing panels, chimney or other major scenery and the base. Use thin coats and allow each to dry before deciding whether a second coat is needed. Thin paint preserves panel lines and rivets; one thick coat can obscure the details that make Tinboy readable.
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Paint metal after the main colors are secure. Keep metallic paint on the intended mechanical panels, fittings and tools. If it strays, let the area dry and restore the underlying color with a thin coat rather than scrubbing at semi-cured paint.
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3. Paint clothing and trim
Block in the red festive cloth, contrasting trim and any white fur or snow. Red is easier to keep bright over a light primer, while white benefits from several controlled coats instead of a single overloaded brushful. Leave tiny borders between adjacent colors where possible; those borders make later shading easier.
4. Paint skin and the face
Work on exposed skin only after nearby clothing is dry. Use the fine brush for the face and hands, and keep the brush lightly loaded so it does not pool around goggles or facial details.
5. Pick out lenses, ornaments and explosives
Paint goggles or lenses, festive ornaments and explosive accessories after the surrounding surfaces are stable. These small high-contrast elements attract attention, so correct their edges before adding highlights.
6. Shade
A Contrast workflow can combine color and shading in one pass. With classic paints, place shade selectively into recesses and folds rather than covering every surface indiscriminately. Let each shade dry fully; touching a damp layer is a common cause of streaks and lifted paint.
7. Highlight
Add controlled highlights to the raised edges of red cloth and metal. A narrow edge highlight on a shoulder, panel or boot separates forms under normal room lighting. Keep the brightest marks for the upper-facing or most prominent edges so the model does not look uniformly outlined.
Keep Gobbo and chimney parts separate when access matters
Painting separately is not a rule that applies to every joint; it is a way to prevent blocked brush access. Leave the Gobbo off the chimney when the contact is secure enough to assemble later and when the chimney would hide his boots, lower clothing or the snowy top. Keep other scenic elements loose if they obstruct the inside of a pipe, a recess in the mechanical body or the edge of the scenic base.
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- Separate it: the part blocks a brush angle, contains a different material or would make an accidental color transfer likely.
- Attach it first: the joint is structurally important, the seam will be visible, or painting separately would leave an obvious unpainted contact area.
- Use a temporary handle: mount a loose part on a removable holder or a small blob of temporary adhesive so you can rotate it without touching wet paint.
Before final assembly, paint the contact areas in their intended colors, remove any paint from the actual glue surfaces and test-fit once more. Apply cement only to clean plastic; painted contact faces can weaken the bond.
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Finish the scenic base
Paint the base after the model’s main colors are secure, especially if the base includes snow that could be damaged by later handling. Block in the ground or structural color, shade recesses, then add texture or snow product if desired. Keep snow effects away from areas that must receive glue when you attach a separately painted figure.
Use the base to reinforce the festive contrast: a light snowy top can frame dark boots and bright clothing, while darker recesses keep the white texture from flattening into one mass. The exact texture and snow products are optional; the official guidance establishes the value of a snowy scenic element, not a mandatory recipe.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Final assembly, corrections and protection
- Check that every paint layer is dry, especially Contrast or shade pools in recesses.
- Remove paint from all intended glue points.
- Attach Gobbo, chimney and accessories in the order that preserves the cleanest access and strongest joints.
- Repair any scuffs with the original colors, then add a final small highlight where handling dulled an edge.
- Inspect the model under bright light from front, back and above. Look for unpainted undersides, visible mould lines, stray metallic flecks and snow on the wrong surface.
- Apply a suitable varnish only after the miniature is fully cured. Use a light, even coat so it does not pool in lenses, rivets or snow texture.
Common problems and practical fixes
Paint will not cover the primer
Use thinner coats and let them dry between applications. Heavy paint tends to obscure detail and still may dry unevenly.
A seam is visible after priming
Stop painting that area, scrape or sand the seam carefully, clean the dust, reprime and resume the color layers. Do not try to disguise a structural gap with a thick highlight.
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If the parts are not permanently joined, remove him from the chimney or scenic element and paint the blocked details separately. The Surprise painting team used exactly this access solution for the boots and snowy chimney top.
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Metallic paint spread onto cloth
Let the metallic dry completely, repaint the cloth with a thin coat and then re-establish the edge highlight. Working back from the base color is cleaner than dragging a wet brush across both materials.
White snow looks chalky or uneven
Build it with several controlled coats, keep the brush lightly loaded and reserve the brightest white for the final raised surfaces. Avoid flooding recesses, where pooling can create a glossy or lumpy finish.
A painted subassembly no longer fits
Paint may have accumulated on the contact surfaces. Scrape those faces back to clean plastic, test-fit again and use only a small amount of cement for the final join.
A beginner-friendly ten-paint workflow
The official Tinboy video presents ten paints as enough for a complete beginner route, and the Surprise guide also uses ten colours. A practical sequence is:
- Prime the cleaned subassemblies.
- Assign the ten paints to the major body color, festive red, light trim or snow, skin, metal, dark details, lenses, accessory color, shade and highlight needs according to the recipe for your release.
- Cover large surfaces first.
- Use the dark color for boots, recesses and other small definition points.
- Apply metallics and bright detail colors with the fine brush.
- Use Contrast paints where their combined color-and-shade behavior saves time.
- Correct edges, add a few highlights and finish the base.
This approach keeps the materials list manageable while leaving room to add specialty effects later. Extra colors are most useful after you can identify a specific problem—such as a highlight that needs to be lighter or a weathered metal area that needs variation—rather than before the basic scheme is complete.
Recommended checklist before you start
- Confirm whether the box is Tinboy or Da Red Gobbo’s Surprise.
- Read the supplied parts diagram and count every piece.
- Prepare cutters, a mould-line tool, plastic cement, brushes, primer and the ten-colour paint set.
- Dry-fit the Gobbo, chimney and scenic elements before gluing.
- Decide which contact points must stay free of paint.
- Prime only after seams are cured and cleaned.
- Paint large areas before metallics, skin, lenses and ornaments.
- Keep obstructive parts separate until small details are finished.
- Complete the base and snow effects after the principal colors are stable.
- Varnish only when all paint and cement have cured.
What result should you expect?
With ten paints, thin coats and a sensible subassembly plan, a beginner can reach a coherent tabletop-ready miniature without buying a large paint collection. The model will look more refined if you spend additional time on edge highlights, clean lenses, controlled metallics, weathering and a finished snowy base. The largest quality improvement usually comes from preparation and access: clean mould lines, fully seated joints and a Gobbo that can be reached without brushing paint onto the chimney snow.
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