No spray paint option

[INKS]

I live in a fairly small apartment. I don't have a place that I can spray paint primer onto models. What is the alternative. I think back in the day I used to just paint either black or white onto the model and then go from there but I don't know if this is a proper base coat. Is there a difference? Do I have to worry about thickness of paint?

[Arkhanist]

I live in a fairly small apartment. I don't have a place that I can spray paint primer onto models. What is the alternative. I think back in the day I used to just paint either black or white onto the model and then go from there but I don't know if this is a proper base coat. Is there a difference? Do I have to worry about thickness of paint?

 

I live in a flat, so when I want to use spray cans I take a cardboard box out into the downstairs parking lot and spray into that so I don't stain the concrete (amazon boxes are usually quite useful!). Back in the day, our GW store used a spot in the alley out back of the shop with a BIIIG box to catch overspray.

 

But assuming something along those lines isn't possible, then you can use brush-on primer. Primer is designed so it grips to plastic better than paint, and also provides a good smooth surface for subsequent layers. It's always a good idea to use a primer instead of just normal paint on bare plastic, so subsequent layers don't literally rub off the model.

 

Most airbrush primer paints are also suitable for use as brush on ones. Badger stynlyrez comes in a variety of colours and works just fine using a big brush instead of an airbrush as it's self-levelling (i.e. evens itself out), but obviously don't slop it on super heavily - as duncan always said, two thin coats is better than one thick one!

 

If you can't get stynlyrez, then army painter also do a small bottle of brush on primer in a mid-grey tone that's not bad.

 

Most people buy an airbrush at first so they can prime models in any weather without the time and hassle of brushing it on (I did!), but obviously that's a fairly hefty investment.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Way back in the Time of McVey (early 1990's), the GW how-to-paint guides mentioned undercoating by hand, so it certainly is something you can do and get a good finish from.  My experience with the Vallejo Surface Primer range is that you can paint it on by hand, but it goes on better by airbrush, and (despite being advertised as airbrush-ready) will want thinning.  I've found that some colours are oddly thin compared to others (Grey is more fluid and wants to run off high points, or produce bubbles), and that you'll probably need 2 coats to get a solid base (this is less the case with Black).  Other primers are available (e.g. Badger), but I've not used them.

 

It is possible to airbrush indoors, although you'll likely want a spray booth to catch over-spray and errant particulates.  Obviously, a spray booth and compressor may or may not be compatible with the amount of space you have.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[MaliGn]

I've never liked spray cans, never really got my technique down and always seem to need to put a layer of the same colour on with a brush after anyway so I've been undercoating with a brush forever. I did recently switch to a brush on primer, it's spirit based rather than acrylic and needs a covering coat of acrylic over it but it does seem to make the paint slightly more resilient.

[No Foes Remain]

I use Vallejo Black Surface Primer and I brush that on, sometimes needs patching up as its quite runny as its made for airbrushes but with the current world 'situation' masks are in high demand and spray cans and air brushes are not really an option for me (having got asthema) so I use the 'old way' of just brushing it on and it works just fine.

 

 

Plus there is something therapeutic about brushing on paint while listening to music, or maybe thats just me.

[sarabando]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Black-Model-Airbrushing-Extractor/dp/B01E2NLLGM/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=spray+booth&qid=1593985266&sr=8-6

 

pick up a spray booth defo worth the investment.....the buy and airbrush and leave the caveman rattlecans behind :D

[Sky Potato]

If your apartment has an extraction fan above the oven or stove top, you can use that in conjunction with a cardboard box to rig your own spray booth for use with an airbrush.

 

Failing that, as mentioned, Stynylrez can be brushed on and works quite well.

[INKS]

Thanks, I'll look into Stynylrez

[Fajita Fan]

I’ve tried this and went back to Rustoleum rattle cans.  The Vallejo I brushed on just scrapes off with a fingernail in some places feels a little too satiny for me. I tried Stynelrez too but I get little frothy bubbles that dry on there, maybe I’m just bad at it. 
 

Some people swear by gesso meant to prime canvas but I only tried it a bit before I went back to spraying. 

[INKS]

Anyone know how to solve the problems above?

[sarabando]

Use an airbrush to apply it XD it always acts a little funny with a brush, on metal models it goes on amazing litterally feels like it's being soaked into the metal but on plastic not so much

[Arkhanist]

Anyone know how to solve the problems above?

 

Sorry, missed this question! Acrylic and polyurethane primers, i.e. brush-on or airbrush primers are not _as_ robust as rattlecan primers as a rule, mainly because they don't have the etching (toxic) solvents discussed above. I've had car body primer withstand a long bath in IPA which stripped every layer above it, and was even robust to a file! You don't *need* primer to be that tough - that's what varnish is for, because the rest of the paint certainly won't be.

 

Vallejo primer in particular doesn't actually stick that well whether it's airbrushed or otherwise - it's why I stopped using it! It is very weak initially (when it looks dry), but cures stronger over 48 hours, at which point it will cope with usual handling, and is still better than just ordinary paint.

 

Badger stynylrez primer, when cured (which takes about 30 mins) passes the fingernail test, but can still be removed with a metal file or scraper. It does sand down nicely, which can be an advantage if you've missed a mold line, while vallejo tends to peel.

 

I can't say I've had any problems with bubbles from stynylrez when painting on. I've literally hand brushed on the grey primer and the black primer in the last week, very slightly thinned with flow aid with a size 2 brush, and both worked just like normal paint. It just takes about 30 minutes to dry (and self-level). I've previously slapped it on neat pretty heavily, and also had no issues then.

 

For the grey, I was touching up the Contrast underlayer on a plague marine, and for the black, I was re-priming base edges that I sanded down smooth after getting texture paint on it. 

 

Stynylrez does tend to settle if left for long periods, as many paints do, so it does definitely need a good robust shake occasionally to make sure it's properly mixed. I use it like a large dropper bottle onto my palette when brush painting, it's possible that's why it works for me.

 

I've tried gesso, and wasn't at all impressed, but others have had good luck with it.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Arkhanist

[Fajita Fan]

I have some white to touch up so I’m going to try brushing on Stynelrez again, I wish I could find my Flow Aid bottle. 

[Razblood]

Army Painter have a grey brush on primer that works pretty well, no issues with rub off like some others.

 

If you're gonna try the gesso route I'd recommend liquitex, however the only colour I can recommend is the black as the grey and white seem to dry a lot thicker.

[Bloody Legionnaire]

My friend you're just going to have to invest in an airbrush setup. It will save you money in the long run and will ensure you wont have to worry about things like solvents. If you want to have nice looking models with a good finish then brushing on primer is not the way to go. Getting started on airbrushing isn't that expensive and amazon has pretty good selection. Stynylrez is an excellent water based primer that I airbrush indoors all the time. I wear a mask because it's not healthy to breathe in polyurethanes but otherwise it's absolutely fine to spray indoors. I used the stuff even before I invested in a spray booth (for airbrush lacquer varnishes indoors during the winter). 

[BadgersinHills]

Vallejo primer brushed on works ok for me. I've had good experiences with Gesso, but as it dries it shrinks so you'll probably put on a second coat. It doesn't need to be thinned, though, so I've reserved mine for terrain. :)