What to use under SMS Colourshift Acrylic Lacquer/Paints?

[Interrogator Stobz]

Hey Brainstrust,

Looking to use these and I'm glad I tested them first as they melt all my current undercoat attempts. Rattle can enamel, acrylic and Vallejo primer...they also dissolve my normal GW paints

 

I can't source SMS stuff locally so wondering about generic rules...or specific solutions too 

 

Thanks in advance

Edited October 12, 2023 by Interrogator Stobz

[Magos Takatus]

My apologies for posting without having an answer for you but could you post your work once you are finished please? I've been on the fence about Those exact paints and I'd love to see how they look across multiple models. So far I've only seen it on a model car. That black/red/orange type colour (I think that one is supernova?) is something I'd like to use in a future modelling project.

[FashaTheDog]

I have a little knowledge about these and much of it is secondhand, so take it accordingly.  I was told these are not to be used over water based paints as the reaction causes chemical burns on the material below the primer.  They are also intended to be used with an airbrush and any brush use requires they be "watered" down.  This is something true with many automotive color shift paints as well.  A word of caution with enamel spray paint, and this I know first hand; some companies use water based, not oil based, paint yet still use the word enamel on their spray cans. I know this may not be the full answer you need, but it is all I know on the subject and hope it provides some help. 

[Evil Eye]

I would highly recommend a lacquer-based primer, either from a can or by airbrush. A gloss black will probably give the best results for the colour shifts.

 

If you have an airbrush, I would suggest Mr. Surfacer 1500 Black, which is one of the best primers I've ever used, followed by a coat of a lacquer-based glosscoat. There are gloss black lacquer primers of course, both airbrush and spraycan- Alclad does a decent gloss black primer IIRC.

 

Hope that helps!