Before you do anything with human type figures hot glue them to a plastic coke bottle cap. If you don't have hot glue use white glue, but the hot glue is quicker and easier.
Always use primer, the paint job lasts much longer. Now, the question arrises, which primer? As far as I am concerned all the primers for miniatures are trash. They glop, they cover detail, overall they are attrocious. So what do I use? Krylon sandable primer. If you use light coats the stuff is wonderful. For bright miniatures use white, for most other things use grey, if you are doing really dark minis than use black. Where to get it? Well, I get mine over at the local home improvement store, Lowes.
Before primering was the mini in dish soap, rinse well and let dry. This removes finger oils.
Primering technique, always start your spray off to one side and spray across the mini, otherwise anything applied with spray will glop.
Paints - I like Aleene's craft paints. Get them at your local craft store. About the only time I use miniatures paints is when they have a flesh color I like.
Overcoat - I have had problems with colors fading after a year. I tried all the minis overcoats, but it seems the Krylon artists gloss coat works better than any of the minis overcoats. It is a bit expensive and you will probably have to pick it up at an art store. If you want to knock the gloss off hit the mini with testors dull coat after the gloss is dry. Sometimes I go back and paint the shiny bits will gloss again.
Base - I almost always attach my miniatures to a 1 inch base. I grew tired of them falling over and off the table. I picked up the bases from B.R.Snasis, Target games is the manufacturer, use the 25mm bases. Many don't like super glue, but I just superglue the mini to the base, use wood filler to even things out, and paint an appropriate color. Then paint with Mod Podge and attach flocking. After the Mod Podge dries cut some more about 1:5 with water, saturate the flocking. Viola, something that looks good and was easy. Oh, pick up flocking from a model railroad store.
For many good painting suggestions and where to locate miniatures check out the following links:
The painting clinicTMP.
Miniatures pictures to come.