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[Painting Miniatures] vs the unending tide of grey plastic

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Posts

  • Dr_KeenbeanDr_Keenbean Dumb as a butt Planet Express ShipRegistered User regular
    I've been using Mr. Hobby top coat but it's hard to find and ain't cheap. Testor's dulcote is also good. For cold/wet days (for now, I just bought a house with a garage!) I use vallejo's polyeurethane varnishes through an airbrush.

    But any spray can is liable to screw up in the wrong conditions, Citadel sprays are not any more or less susceptible to this. What I always do it let my minis and spray can sit where I plan to do the spraying for 30 minutes or so. That way the environment, the models, and the can are all the same temperature when I start. Then I shake the can for 2 full minutes. Never less.

    I have a 100% success rate with spray cans using the above method, even living in the swamps of MD. The only screw ups have been nozzles clogging and that only with an Army Painter primer.

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  • ShinyRedKnightShinyRedKnight Registered User regular
    Hmm that's a really good idea, I'll try that.

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  • LanlaornLanlaorn Registered User regular
    Silly question, but what is the sealant meant to protect against? I've never done it but also never noticed an issue with damage to my model's paint jobs, wondering if I'm missing something?

  • ShinyRedKnightShinyRedKnight Registered User regular
    Generally I think it's supposed to keep the paint from falling off due to handling when playing, or dropping the minis.

    I believe it was a bigger issue with metal ones, but still helps with plastic. Some minis like reaper bones shouldn't need them, however.

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  • McGibsMcGibs TorontoRegistered User regular
    With metal minis, it was to give some protection from paint chipping due to handleing/dropping etc. It was pretty essential.
    With plastic, 99% of the time you don't need any sealant (models are lighter and paint sticks better to plastic), unless youre using a varnish for some sort of painting effect (like gloss varnishing a mini to do oil washes)

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  • LanlaornLanlaorn Registered User regular
    Huh, my next project is going to be a 40k army using the new Castellans of the Imperium formation to field Sisters of Battle & Stormtroopers, Sisters are f course all metal and I picked up Kasrkin to use for the Stormtroopers, so I may need to look into that going forward.

  • -Loki--Loki- Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    Sealing is mostly to protect against damage from handling. Even with good primer, paint can and will rub off on commonly touched areas of a model, usually the points where you grab it with your fingers to move it. Also as said for metal models, to protect against general wear and tear as metal models chip easier when they fall (even a small drop, like the model tipping over under its own weight on an uneven surface).

    The style of sealing is entirely up to you. There's a misconception that gloss protects better. Generally gamers will do a gloss layer and then one or several matt layers to kill the shine. What tends to happen is the gloss is a spirit based varnish, which naturally is more durable. If you use a spirit based matt varnish, you'll get similar protection. Added to that the multiple matt layers, giving you multiple protective layers while you're just trying to get that all over flat finish. Also due to acrylic paint absorbency you get a better overall matt finish if you do a gloss first.

    There's a wealth of information in that link about sealing models.

  • Mr_RoseMr_Rose 83 Blue Ridge Protects the Holy Registered User regular
    For sealing, I use Vallejo varnishes through an airbrush. In fact I've basically stopped using aerosol cans for anything hobby related now.

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  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    Mr_Rose wrote: »
    For sealing, I use Vallejo varnishes through an airbrush. In fact I've basically stopped using aerosol cans for anything hobby related now.

    Same here. The only compressed can on my painting shelf is reamer.

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  • honoverehonovere Registered User regular
    I'm still struggling with getting Vallejo's primer to work consistently with the Airbrush. it either dries too fast, clogs up the nozzle, or is too thin to provide proper coverage.

  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    Better to go thin and give it a couple of coats - at least, that's my approach.

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  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Kneel wrote: »
    Better to go thin and give it a couple of coats - at least, that's my approach.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v1epu4d7cs

    What is this I don't even.
  • JJ Rabbit GangmemberRegistered User regular
    Use a higher psi for vallejo primer over your usual paint. I go up to 30 ish

  • ShinyRedKnightShinyRedKnight Registered User regular
    On that topic - how does one set up an airbrush system? What components are needed/recommended? Anything to look for specifically for miniature based painting/priming/sealing?

    How much should one expect to spend?

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  • LanlaornLanlaorn Registered User regular
    Is there a consensus best brand for sealants? A gloss and a matte to be used in tandem I guess, and I'll give it a try.

  • frayfray Registered User regular
    -Loki- wrote: »
    Sealing is mostly to protect against damage from handling. Even with good primer, paint can and will rub off on commonly touched areas of a model, usually the points where you grab it with your fingers to move it. Also as said for metal models, to protect against general wear and tear as metal models chip easier when they fall (even a small drop, like the model tipping over under its own weight on an uneven surface).

    The style of sealing is entirely up to you. There's a misconception that gloss protects better. Generally gamers will do a gloss layer and then one or several matt layers to kill the shine. What tends to happen is the gloss is a spirit based varnish, which naturally is more durable. If you use a spirit based matt varnish, you'll get similar protection. Added to that the multiple matt layers, giving you multiple protective layers while you're just trying to get that all over flat finish. Also due to acrylic paint absorbency you get a better overall matt finish if you do a gloss first.

    There's a wealth of information in that link about sealing models.

    Interested to read this since I've been using Vallejo matt but it still seems to come out a bit shinier than I'd like. I guess maybe I'll try a coat of gloss first.

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  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    My Vallejo matte varnish always seems to come out a smidge glossy, regardless of how I apply it (bristle vs. air brush). Dullcote seems to solve that decently, though.

    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • ArchArch Neat-o, mosquito! Registered User regular
    Kneel wrote: »
    Fixed with PVA.

    Panic avoided.

    @Kneel

    What does this mean, and can you explain how to do it. I've got a few minis where I didn't notice the seam line before painting, and it is bugggginggggg me

  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    Sorry, I wasn't very specific!

    I carefully added thin layers of PVA glue over the seam line, smoothed it out with some paper towel to wipe away the excess, and then painted over to mask the seam, wet blending into the existing paint.

    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
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  • ArchArch Neat-o, mosquito! Registered User regular
    Kneel wrote: »
    Sorry, I wasn't very specific!

    I carefully added thin layers of PVA glue over the seam line, smoothed it out with some paper towel to wipe away the excess, and then painted over to mask the seam, wet blending into the existing paint.

    Thanks buddddyyyyy

  • ShinyRedKnightShinyRedKnight Registered User regular
    Does citadel chaos black spray (or any of the other colors) act as a primer? The guy at my local GW store says yes, but I've seen people saying otherwise online.

    I'd like to use the colored sprays to base coat, but want figure out if the they'll act as a primer as well.

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  • JandaruJandaru New ZealandRegistered User regular
    This guy had been sitting 3/4 finished for months, until now!

    IMG_20170303_182823_zpst8j63v0a.jpg
    IMG_20170303_182802_zpsvy70k3fo.jpg
    IMG_20170308_204832_zps1wyjt4q6.jpg

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  • Dr_KeenbeanDr_Keenbean Dumb as a butt Planet Express ShipRegistered User regular
    Does citadel chaos black spray (or any of the other colors) act as a primer? The guy at my local GW store says yes, but I've seen people saying otherwise online.

    I'd like to use the colored sprays to base coat, but want figure out if the they'll act as a primer as well.

    It is specifically a primer, same as Corax White. Their other, colored sprays are not primers.

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  • ShinyRedKnightShinyRedKnight Registered User regular
    Good, I may pick up colored sprays as well to base coat over it.

    Last I painted my first AoS figure, and it was pretty slow and painful due to the basecoat (gold) not layering well over black primer. I was using ancient gold from Reaper MSP.

    However, I may try to get a gold from the HD line to see if that goes on better before I go with a spray. The HD paints were fantastic and made painting way more fun. It feels like you need less layers, and they blend very easily.

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  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    edited March 2017
    Does citadel chaos black spray (or any of the other colors) act as a primer? The guy at my local GW store says yes, but I've seen people saying otherwise online.

    I'd like to use the colored sprays to base coat, but want figure out if the they'll act as a primer as well.

    It is specifically a primer, same as Corax White. Their other, colored sprays are not primers.

    Actually, since the latest edition, the black and white sprays are NOT labelled as primers (they do mention they might be used for priming on the website though).

    Mayday on
  • ShinyRedKnightShinyRedKnight Registered User regular
    edited March 2017
    noqkqoi7xxaf.jpg

    First Warhammer figure painted in ~12 years, 4th figure of any kind painted in the last 3.

    Edit: some thoughts - the paint brush that came with the citadel starter paint set is surprisingly good. It has longer bristles and keeps a very sharp, stiff but flexible tip. I hope it stays that way.

    I wish I had done this assembly line style, but I also wish I had used a different gold to basecoat. The MSP paints served me well on bones minis, but here they seemed harder to control and layer. The HD line of MSP was okay, however.

    The new paints from citadel disappointed me at first as they seem to dry too quickly in the starter set pots, but when they're fresh they seem to be much smoother than MSP HD paints (at least from what I've seen in the tutorials on YouTube).

    The texture paint was a great surprise. I didn't even know those were a thing when I got the starter paint set. I was worried the cracks would flake, but they seem to hold well after testing them. A varnish would probably strengthen it further.

    I'm tempted to get the retributor spray as I mentioned to speed up basecoating and to get some citadel paints. I'm unsure why, but I felt the MSP paints were much easier and enjoyable to use on bones with no primer, than on these with spray primer. I would actually not want to paint primed warhammer figures with MSP at all, but I would be okay with using them for bones.

    I also wish I could paint as well as the warhammer tv guy.

    edit2: Wow sorry, I did not realize it was that big. Spoilered.

    ShinyRedKnight on
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  • SmokeStacksSmokeStacks Registered User regular
    The texture paint was a great surprise. I didn't even know those were a thing when I got the starter paint set. I was worried the cracks would flake, but they seem to hold well after testing them. A varnish would probably strengthen it further.

    I got started with 40K a few months ago and the first thing I picked up was the Build and Paint Space Marines 3 pack (specifically this set), and the paint from mine has flaked a tiny bit since then. They've been going into and out of a battle case and brought to and from my LGS every week though, and if I was more careful with them they would probably still be fine.

    It was pretty cool seeing the way it dried though, going from brown sandy toothpaste to an actual convincing sunbaked mud look.

  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    edited March 2017
    Hey you guys.

    Hey, you guys.

    Done. I present...

    "OLD ONE EYE - SCOURGE OF CALTH"

    v49hp57o0b4l.jpg

    Already started on the next project:
    rvqzrim018bt.jpg

    Kneel on
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  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    Hats off, that is amazing work. I love the little details, like the gaunt peeking out to see the action.

  • KoregKoreg Registered User regular
    Wow that's amazing.

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  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    Mayday wrote: »
    Hats off, that is amazing work. I love the little details, like the gaunt peeking out to see the action.

    Thanks man. All the small models around them are supposed to be corpses, but the clear resin of the water masks the yellow gore I'd added to the dead gaunts.

    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
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  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    Oops. Okay, in the diorama's defence, I did read all the others as corpses :P

  • WatcherWatcher Registered User regular
    Man, Kneel, from concept to finished in a month! That is nicely done.

  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Kneel wrote: »
    Mayday wrote: »
    Hats off, that is amazing work. I love the little details, like the gaunt peeking out to see the action.

    Thanks man. All the small models around them are supposed to be corpses, but the clear resin of the water masks the yellow gore I'd added to the dead gaunts.

    Also to be fair, a dead-looking Nid suddenly rising up and biting off your arm is pretty classic horror.

    What is this I don't even.
  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    Watcher wrote: »
    Man, Kneel, from concept to finished in a month! That is nicely done.

    26 days from first WIP shot to lightbox photos. I think it's a new personal record.

    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
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  • JJ Rabbit GangmemberRegistered User regular
    Please come paint all my stuff.

  • Dr_KeenbeanDr_Keenbean Dumb as a butt Planet Express ShipRegistered User regular
    All I've managed in the last 26 days is trying to hate @Kneel to death.

    And I couldn't even do that.

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  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    All I've managed in the last 26 days is trying to hate @Kneel to death.

    And I couldn't even do that.

    I can arrange to have a particularly heavy nosebleed if it would help.

    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
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  • JJ Rabbit GangmemberRegistered User regular
    Do you generally paint most evenings?

  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    J wrote: »
    Do you generally paint most evenings?

    A couple of hours per night, four or so nights a week. If I have an hour or two spare in the afternoon after the housework is done, I'll use that time too.

    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
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This discussion has been closed.