Monochromery

When I need a miniature for a game real quick, this is the sort of paint job I'll do as a stop-gap. It's a bit more interesting than a pure white plastic blob, and it only takes ten minutes or so.

The process is very simple, but it does rely on having an airbrush:

1. Base-coat completely in black
2. Zenithal shading (from above only) in white
3. Gentle wet-brush in pure white to pull out main highlights
4. Slap on an overall wash to give it a slight colour tint (in this case, Agrax Earthshade)
5. Come back in with further pin-washes to accentuate specific points of interest if need be

And that's it. The result is a miniature that looks a bit like aged, patinated ceramic or bone rather than a featureless lump of white.

Note: You could do this without an airbrush, but it would be almost as much trouble as actually doing a proper paint job.