| Winston Smith | 24 Jul 2014 6:23 a.m. PST |
I do not paint individual figures. I paint regiments or battalions.
My method is " If it's Tuesday I paint red !"
My reasoning for this is that I have to let each coat dry overnight. My friend brought 2 boxes of Battlefront plastic Pershings, 6 tanks.
So I took about 20 minutes per tank, taking my time.
I left them to dry overnight. I used liquid cement btw. The next day I sprayed them with Testor's Olive Drab. Again I left them to dry overnight. The next day I painted details and dry brushed with hobby acrylics. Left them to dry overnight. Today I will stain and dip with Tudor Satin.
Dry overnight. Decals. Dry overnight. Coat decals with Future. Dry overnight. Dullcote. Etc. How many of these "dry overnight " steps could I legitimately skip? |
 Doms Decals  | 24 Jul 2014 6:30 a.m. PST |
If varnish is involved (either as the thing that's drying, or as what's going on next) I always dry overnight, otherwise I consider it non-essential. |
| Griefbringer | 24 Jul 2014 6:31 a.m. PST |
Personally, I would plan on letting figures dry overnight after assembly, after undercoating and before varnishing. Other than that, I have not found any need to do any long drying steps during the main painting process. |
| streetline | 24 Jul 2014 6:32 a.m. PST |
It depends how fast the previous colour is. I suspect only trial and error will tell you. Often I've rushed dry brushing over a basecoat and the next day it's been a nicely blended but more subtle effect as the layers have leaked into each other. I would undercoat about half an hour after the glue dries though. That's the only shortcut I'd be fairly certain of. |
 Extra Crispy | 24 Jul 2014 6:35 a.m. PST |
When I paint in units the first color is dry enough by the time I get to the end to do the highlight pretty much immediately. I don't do plastic so can't comment on the glue, but I do let varnish go at least overnight… |
| jeffreyw3 | 24 Jul 2014 6:42 a.m. PST |
I'm with Dom and EC--before varnishing, overnight sounds good, but otherwise, unless I've added retarder (which I do for blending horses), the first coat on the first guy is dry by the time I've finished with the last in the group. |
| haywire | 24 Jul 2014 6:46 a.m. PST |
It depends on what I am painting or doing. Some things require time to dry. For instance: Glue
Putty
Primer
Varnish or Varnish Protective Coat
Matte Coat
Decals (if I am painting over them)
Inks and Washes (if I am not blending) |
| nazrat | 24 Jul 2014 6:46 a.m. PST |
I rarely if ever have waited overnight for ANYTHING to dry. I generally forge right through and get stuff done. In all the years I have been painting I haven't noticed any ill effects on the miniatures from not waiting. |
| boy wundyr x | 24 Jul 2014 7:04 a.m. PST |
I also give any use of Future/Klear overnight (or 24 hours), just to be sure that either what it's going on is dry, or it is dry before I do the next step (apply decals, varnish). |
| nochules | 24 Jul 2014 7:17 a.m. PST |
My rule of thumb is that if it still smells I'll let it dry longer. |
| nazrat | 24 Jul 2014 7:21 a.m. PST |
That's how I used to judge my dates… |
| 45thdiv | 24 Jul 2014 7:28 a.m. PST |
@Nazrat. You made me spit coffee out. :-) Matthew |
| Inner Sanctum | 24 Jul 2014 7:38 a.m. PST |
I always let thinks dry overnight, even superglue, some things like linka several days. |
| Trebian | 24 Jul 2014 7:45 a.m. PST |
Using acrylics (including acrylic varnish) in a warm environment then I've never bothered to dry overnight. Glue, on the other hand, always dries overnight. |
| VonTed | 24 Jul 2014 7:48 a.m. PST |
I tend to let me paint dry for months, sometimes years between coats. But I am a really slow painter….. |
| Martin Rapier | 24 Jul 2014 8:13 a.m. PST |
With normal acrylic paints and even enamels, you don't need to leave it overnight, particularly if painting batches of figures as it dries really quickly. Stuff you may wish to leave include washes and varnish, nothing quite so fun as seeing the varnish ruin your wash, or smearing half dried wash everywhere or your varnish end up covered in flock as you were a bit hasty with the basing. Most glue dries pretty quick too, and slapping a bit of paint onto superglue works quite well as an accelerator although you risk sticking your paintbrush to it, which isn't ideal. |
combatpainter  | 24 Jul 2014 8:25 a.m. PST |
Myth/Urban legend. If you use acrylics, just paint and wait a few minutes and continue. No harm done. This isn't rocket science. |
| Trebian | 24 Jul 2014 8:51 a.m. PST |
The point Martin R makes about washes & varnishes is why I now use Ronseal Quick Drying Wood varnish (antique pine). I finished a load of Companion cavalry this morning, varnished them at 4pm & have just glued them to bases now (4:45pm). On the glue thing, – I always let superglue dry overnight, precisely because it ruins brushes. If I want a quick fix I can paint immediately I use hot melt. |
| MajorB | 24 Jul 2014 8:57 a.m. PST |
In the current warm weather in the UK, I daren't paint at all because acrylic paints dry too fast to work with! |
| jeffreyw3 | 24 Jul 2014 9:07 a.m. PST |
When that happens MajorB, I mix a little retarder into the water I use to thin the paint and it gives me extra time. |
| Fizzypickles | 24 Jul 2014 10:58 a.m. PST |
Yup, only when the next stage is varnish/sealer. Especially if you use pre made washes or retarder in your paint. |
| Bandolier | 24 Jul 2014 4:48 p.m. PST |
MajorB – an acrylic extender or a wet palette is your friend in warm weather. |
| Henry Martini | 24 Jul 2014 6:31 p.m. PST |
As far as assembly-line painting more than one colour per session where colours overlap or are superimposed goes, acrylics are sufficiently dry almost immediately; enamels if you're doing a big run of figures – say at least 40 28mm or 100 15mm. Of course this will vary to an extent with the temperature too. |
| CAPTAIN BEEFHEART | 09 Nov 2014 8:13 a.m. PST |
I'm with combatpainter. The only exception is spray primer. It felt dry enough one time so I painted over it.
The next day primer color like veins of marble broke out all over. Lesson painfully learned. |
| colonneh137 | 17 Mar 2015 10:21 a.m. PST |
I've been doing this miniatures wargaming since 1969, so what do I know. I prime with Krylon "Crystal Clear". When it doesn't smell it's dry, about 5-10min. Then paint-paint-paint until my eyes hurt. I paint with Delta "Ceram Coat" acrylics. I use Winsor&Newton Galeria acrylic medium Fluid Retarder as a wetting solution. Then another spraying with Krylon "Crystal Clear" to seal. Can you say "Wal-Mart"?
And yes, I did have dinosaurs for wargame buddies.
8-). No velociraptors, though. They would get so testy if they got a lousy dice roll. 8-\ |
| cwlinsj | 30 Mar 2015 12:20 p.m. PST |
Regarding spraypaints like Krylon, you should follow the instructions and let the paint fully dry before applying the next coats. -What do they know, they're chemists who work with paints all their lives. I'd let that spraypaint finish outgassing before taking it inside, whether that's 2 -hours or 24-hours. This also allows the paint to cure properly and adhere to the model. Sprays contain chemicals like tuolene and acetone. They won't just make your eyes hurt, but they also do things like cause brain damage and cancer. Water-based paints? When the water has dried, they're good to go. |
