Differing Primer and Basecoat colour

[Blender]

Hi all,

 

So I have a problem that I have trouble solving.

 

I recently bought a Krylon Black primer. It dries in a Satin finish (a tiny bit glossy). However, my basecoat black is a FolkArt Artists' Pigment Pure Black and this colour dries in a flat finish.

 

How do I get the colour to be all the same? Currently some of my models are glossy in some areas while flat in others haha. Currently I am giving a wash of Badab black over the flat black areas and it makes it a bit glossy (but not enough to match the glossy black from the Krylon Black).

 

Thanks for your help!!

[crazychib]

Apart from painting over the primer, a coat of matt varnish once you have finished painting the miniature may help dull the satin finish.

[Blender]

Ok thanks for the ideas.

[Subtle Discord]

Apart from painting over the primer, a coat of matt varnish once you have finished painting the miniature may help dull the satin finish.

 

Totally correct, clear coats and matte vanish will 'unify' Blacks. One thing to remember is that there are different types of Black. Blue-Black, Red/Brown-Black, and Green-Black. You might even notice the difference when they are side-by-side, but it's really noticeable when you add white and find that you're getting Blue/Brown/Green grey colours. I mention this because sometimes the varnish or clear coat can't unify the different blacks.

 

I paint a lot of Black, and two major insights I can give are; After priming give the miniature a quick wash of very thinned down base colour - Read: Black. Be sure to use the same paint you'll be actually painting to the model with and take the opportunity to get in all the places that the primer didn't get to. And, I've found any unevenness from slightly noticeable brush strokes, oils from your hands, and the 'shiney'-beside-satin/matte look, will all but vanish once you give it the final protective spray varnish coat. Whatever that might be.

 

On a related note, most miniature painting acrylic paints will dry in the 'satin' range and I've found that craft acrylic paints tend to lean more to the matte range. If black is a major colour, you might want to consider biting the bullet and buying 'miniature' paint. I know it's painfully expensive beside 'craft' paint, but it really is better due to how it handles and dries - Read: it's easier to paint with, and actually dries much tougher.

 

When in doubt, test it! Prime some sprew, scrap bits, or use the bottom of a vehicle, then paint large swaths of all of the 'problems' you might encounter. Then, rub one end of those test swaths with your finger, and leave a bit of oil/sweat on it. Finally, give it all a very light and smooth varnish coat, and see what might be unacceptable. Naturally, avoid the unacceptable when you paint.