Simplest way to paint white armor on black undercoat?

[chosen40k]

So I undercoated all my Berzerkers black initially planning for them to be in my black legion army. However I now decided to paint them in their pre-heresy/heresy era colors (white and blue).

 

So what would be the simplest way to paint them into a good white?

 

Thank you!

[Major_Gilbear]

At the risk of stating the incredibly obvious... Start with a white primer coat instead?

Failing that, you need to do a colour-jump or two. So, black > grey > light grey > two coats of white (or more if you want a really solid white).

The blue areas can be added after either of the grey stages if you want a non-streaky decent bright blue.

Without the colour-jumps, you will be stuck painting layer after layer of white until it's solid.

Also, better to get to white and then wash/glaze/shade down rather than the opposite of trying to get an off-white. You have more control and it will give you a better paint job in the end.

[GrandMagnus]

Well its not simple but it sure looks amazing, here is how I paint white (always over black undercoat since its the only one I ever do):

 

1st. Base coat it with layers of administratum grey, you might need a couple of layers (thin layers!) to get it nice.

2nd. Start painting the armour with Celestial grey, leaving the base coat in the recesses. Remember thin layers always even if you have to paint 3 or 4 times.

3rd. Now start mixing white and celestial grey in a 1:1, still thin layers.

4th. Celestial grey and white 1:2, but this time star leaving a bit of the previous layer and start going for the highest points of the armour.

5th another mix of the same but 1:3, now really go for shapr edges.

6th Final highlights with pure white of the highest points of the armour.

 

As I said, not simple and takes a lot of time, but the results are great.

[mactire]

I'd really suggest going with a spray undercoat over the black to start with, you could then use the white base coats,otherwise you'll be more berserk than the WE by the time your done.

[chosen40k]

So looks like a gray basecoat would be the best option then.

 

Thanks for the replies so far!

[CovertToaster]

I'm doing my deathwing from a black undercoat, through 2 grey coats, and into one or more coats of a grey/white mix. I only use pure white for highlighting so it creates the illusion of white while staying just off an actual white finish. It allows me to easily keep black armour joints and deep recesses but make sure your final coat is at least 2:1 grey/white or the model can look too grey when finished. 

[Hemal]

Echo the use of pure white for highlighting - using an off-white as the main base colour (maybe dawnstone for deepest recesses as this sits well on black, couple of thin coats, then dawnstone  + White Scar  couple of thin coats (or ceramite white), then a smooth layer of ceramite + a few drops of dwnstine.  Means you can blend in pure ceramite for the highlights and it also means that you'll probably have max 6 thin layers of paint over black to almost pure white.  Alternatively , undercoat coat using a grey so you can shade down and highlight up depending on the component (badab blac/nuln oil in the recesse like flexible armour will mean you have the shade and highlight in one go..)

This won't be bright white apart from extreme highlights - its three layers in though, but demonstrates a good coverage of a pale colour over white

[LongGone]

I would start with a white base coat. You can use a wash (black or blue, I've even seen a brown) in the recesses (or all over) to get your desired 'blackline' effect in the armour joins. Then build back up to white with a layer or two of ceramite white. The only bad thing about the color jumps mentioned above is that, if you're not careful, you can layer all those small details into obscurity.

[Xenith]

Ceramite white goes over a black base coat perfectly. You may need 2-3 slightly thinned coats, but it works like a charm.

[FashaTheDog]

My method look decent and starts from a black undercoat I use Ceramite White followed by Nuln Oil then drybrush on Scar White and call it done.  No Golden Daemon awards here, but it is simple, easy, and consistent.  There are better methods, but I like to think of mine as the "so simple, a grot can do it" method.

[Black Templar 307th Comp.]

Ceramite white goes over a black base coat perfectly. You may need 2-3 slightly thinned coats, but it works like a charm.

 

This is how I do my Black Templars.

[Trevak Dal]

A light grey primer works wonders-though I recommend a badab black/nuln oil wash/shade after priming and before putting on the white.