I don't really do big batches, but I keep a supply of unpainted and partially-painted figures next to the workbench. Whenever I am painting something, anything, I pick out a few figures that I think could use that color paint and dab them. I eventually spray them with dull coat, keeps the paint from fading or chipping as well as taking the shine off; and then put them into a bead-craft box for eventual use.
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I actually have another of these boxes with a few more categories like "Hardhats", "Road Workers", "Firemen/Police" and others, but I don't have a picture of it. I have about 425 in this and the other box for ready use. Somewhere else, I have a stash of farm animals, mostly cows, also ready for use. Fellow forum member
Chet, unexpectedly sent me 85 cows to add to the 30 or so that I already had. Some of them ended up in the background of the recently completed neighborhood project that I documented here.