Topic: Spray Guns and Undercoating

[Braunmi]

Has anyone used an airbrush to prime there mini's caos black or skull white instead of using the spray (bomber cans) of primer?  I have bomber cans, I have a really good Badger airbrush and want to start priming my mini's with bottled caos black, I am just not experienced enough with GW paints to know if this will work for priming black as I am don't know what kind of paint is int he GW primer bomber cans vs the paint jar paints.  Anyone?

[Dux Aurelius Elysius]

Don't.  If you get hold of a primer paint that can be watered down to be used in an airbrush that'd be fine, but the spray cans have a different mix in them to normal paint.  They're designed to bond to unpainted plastic/metal, and also provide a chip resistant base for your painting.  If you spray on Chaos Black of Skull White it won't provide as good resistance to chips and there's also a good chance it won't settle evenly on the bare model and you'll end up with it collecting in patches rather than having an even finish.

[scottdsp748]

The bottled black and white paints aren't primer and won't adhere well to bare metal or plastic.  Stick to the spray cans.

[Marauderk]

there are  primers made for using in airbrushes but honestly a good can of spray is much easier to use

[JaPizzy]

Not to go against what other people are saying, but I do it all of the time.  I've used chaos black, skull white, tamiya paint, vallejo game color primer (really good).  I just thin with some windex (or tamiya thinner in the case of that paint) and there ya go.  I also varnish with my airbrushes.  I can do it inside, and in the winter.

A great trick is to print black, and then from around a 45 degree angle dust white paint to give you a nice idea of highlights and shade.

Rattlecan primer will always stick better, but if you varnish then you'll be okay.  You might notice a difference if you handle the mini a lot while you paint, but I atach to a handle so that isn't an issue.

Cheers

James

[small_furry_spider]

You can always use GW's paint on primer and water that down. It will give much better "hold" than the standard paint. Unfortunately, they only do one in white not black, but you could always use a thin coat of this and then a thin coat of chaos black over the top.

[Raktra (So long, I guess)]

Just a quicky here - I have no spray, but a lot of pots of Chaos Black and the Hand Flamer. Would this be able to undercoat in the same fashion?

[JaPizzy]

It's pretty much how I prime these days.  I've used many different types of paint to prime with.  As long as you varnish afterwards you should be fine.  Make sure that you wash the minis first so you have a good clean surface.

[Tritium Glowstick]

I'd shy away from it if you tend to take a long time on your models. If you prime them, then pretty much paint them in the next day or two, you should be fine, but if you take weeks and bounce around between models, the paint will probably get rubbed off before you get to varnish them.

Just something to keep in mind.

[JaPizzy]

Your paint will get rubbed off if you handle your minis, like play with them or something before you paint them.  I find that happens with spray primer anyways especially on metal miniatures.

I don't use a miniature until it's finished which is where my point of view is.  If I use an unpainted miniature in a game then I don't usually prime them.