Jump to content

Whats the best way to base coat vehicles?


Recommended Posts

Spray can for primer - then airbursh base coat is the best.

 

I find that for base coating a Single Action is good enough (actually GW's Spray Gun is actually good enough).

 

I use a basic Paasche Model H Single-Action Airbrush myself with a TC-20 compressor.

 

Otherwise, spray cans for base coat too.

If all you want is solid colour overall, then a spraying can is your easiest option. For priming, spraying cans are easier than airbrushes anyway, since you can buy spraying cans of primer that you don’t have to mix. If your army has a colour you can get in a spraying can (or close enough to it), then again, that’s the simplest option to paint your vehicles overall in that colour. An airbrush would come in handy mainly if you have lots of vehicles to paint, or also want to use it for other models.

 

As for the type: again, it depends. For simple, solid colour all-over, don’t bother with single- or double-action airbrushes, just buy a spray gun (“external mix” airbrush), which will set you back a couple of tens of euros, dollars or pounds – as opposed to 100+ for a “true” airbrush. Sure, you can’t do detail painting with one, but to paint a whole tank a single colour, it’ll work just fine and it’ll be far easier and quicker to clean when you’re done painting.

I use the GW sprayer and have found it very effective for vehicles. No, it is not a "real" airbrush-- but if you set your expectation for it to be a "base coat application system", I think it works great.

 

Below is my land raider-- I used the GW sprayer for all three colors on it:

 

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n60/geektom/imagejpg2_zps3ac3e9ca.jpg

Airbrushes are great for tanks. Not only can you lay down a smooth base coat, you can pre/post shade and modulate colour once you've had a bit more experience. You can get a chinese air brush and compressor kit from Ebay and other sources for less than the cost of an Imperial Knight.

 

The GW spray gun is fine for laying down a base coat, and that's about it. Without a compressor though, you'll be relying on canned air which is mostly awful. The pressure drops in the can as it gets colder through use, and as you get half way through the can

What about base-coating vehicles with just a brush? I dont have an airrbush and probably wont be getting one any time soon for various reasons, but have a number of vehicles to paint.

 

Id imagine a nice, wide brush would be best for this kind of thing, but this chap offers some interesting information.

 

Has anyone got any experience/wisdom to pass on regarding base coating vehicles without an airbrush?

What about base-coating vehicles with just a brush? I dont have an airrbush and probably wont be getting one any time soon for various reasons, but have a number of vehicles to paint.

 

Id imagine a nice, wide brush would be best for this kind of thing, but this chap offers some interesting information.

 

Has anyone got any experience/wisdom to pass on regarding base coating vehicles without an airbrush?

 

Good Primer - Big Brush - Thin Layers:

 

Get a good primer coat down. Use a really big brush for the next base coat. May need a palette too.

 

Then either - put less paint on the big brush and essentially 'dry brush' it on. Or water the paint down.

For either, don't try to get it all smooth with just one layer. Paint the layers on very thin. Let dry, then repeat with a few more layers as needed.

Personally I would not use a brush for a vehicle. No matter how careful you are you will have problems getting a smooth finish.

 

The best option if you are only going to spray base coat is a spray can. Reasonably cheap, no hassle - no cleaning and now becoming available in more and more colours.

 

It is worth looking at different manufacturers, Army Painter, GW, Tamiya to name just a few.

 

I have a large collection and just use cans ;)

I've found that GW's colored primers are pretty good for big projects like a vehicle. I used it to start my fellglaive, and I haven't regretted it yet. I actually like it better than Army Painter's similar products: AP's stuff goes on gloopy and then tightens as it dries, which stresses me out, while GW's stuff goes on smooth.

It is worth looking at different manufacturers, Army Painter, GW, Tamiya to name just a few.

And don’t forget paints marketed to others than modelers and gamers — car spray paint usually works quite well, for example. Okay, most of the “other” paints are high-gloss, but all it takes is a layer of matt varnish to cure that problem.

Huh. Didn't know they started doing that again. Must be a late reaction to Army Painter.

They used to sell that stuff way back in the day. I still have a Blood Red can laying around that I think still sprays. Not that the paint would be any good I wager. Oh, and to know how old this can is, this is the orange Blood Red. laugh.png

Whilst I've used GW'S White Skull and Chaos Black sprays in the past, I've taken to using Halfords (a UK automotive parts retailer) sprays recently. They're cheaper (which is unusual, as Halfords are not known for their low prices), you get more paint in the can for a couple of pounds less (they also have two sizes of can, so the larger can is even better value) and the coverage is far more consistent smile.png They also have a fair range of colours to choose from.

Painting a vehicle with a brush is definetly not the way to go, in my opinion. It will take forever and any mistakes can make the base-coat look wrong and uneven. But I went down to the local paint store the other day (they have loads of good quality spray cans) and I think I found one quite similar to khorne red. 

Sounds like spray cans are the way to go, then!

 

As an Emperor's Children collector/painter (40k, but 30k paint scheme), my general colour scheme is as follows:

 

  • Base - Naggaroth Night
  • Layer - Xereus Purple
  • Wash - Leviathan Purple (old paint; not sure what its called these days)
  • Highlights - Xereus/Genestealer etc.

 

Army Painter has a purple spray (Alien Purple) which, from what I can see and read about elsewhere, closely resembles Xereus. Which is great. However, for my purposes, this still leaves the Naggaroth unaccounted for spray-wise, and so I would have to come back to the idea of brushing that on initially. 

 

However again, if I were to do that and then spray over a coat of AP Alien Purple, I would essentially cover over the Naggaroth, which is a key aspect of the scheme I have been using (my ECs are quite a dark, rich purple). I guess there is the possibility of trying some sort of direction/zenith spraying with the can.

 

And so I am left with the quandary of whether to remain with just the brush for everything, or perhaps use the Alien Purple and somehow work in the Naggaroth Night afterwards by hand. 

 

Without sounding like a whiny so and so, it looks as if I am resigned to using a brush for the bulk of the vehicle regardless (as mentioned earlier, an airbrush is not an option for the foreseeable future sadly).

 

Nonetheless, I turn to you, fellow brethren, to offer your wisdom unto me as to what would be the best way to approach this obstacle. Which do you think would yield the best results:

 

  • base coat with Naggaroth, then spray (trying to retain the base coat as much as possible)
  • spray with Alien Purple then work some Naggaroth into the recesses (or would a simple wash suffice? Something to test out on a smaller model first, me thinks)

My fate is in your hands!

 

Fortis

Is the Naggaroth Night darker than the Xereus Purple? If it is, why do you apply a wash of another purple over it? Is that darker than the first purple?

 

If that’s indeed the case, then I’d say spray the model with the Alien Purple, then apply the Leviathan Purple wash, and once that’s dry, add another, thinner wash of Naggaroth Night so it only flows into the deeper areas, leaving the first purple wash visible.

Thanks Gurth. That sounds like a good shout.

 

Naggaroth Night is indeed much darker than Xereus, and by extension, Alien Purple. Not sure how Leviathan fits in, but it is probably equivalent to Naggaroth. Ill run some experiments and let you know how I get on.

 

Apologies to the OP btw. I didnt mean to hijack the post!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.