"Winter is Coming!" Topic

I live in upstate NY and the temperature is falling fast! I have been trying to get anything I might possibly paint this winter primed while I can but inevitably I will buy something else!

I usually spray prime in the garage but it soon it will be too cold. Anyone have any tips or tricks for priming figures in the Northeast indoors?

Thanks!

I live in Michigan and we have the same situation – getting cold. I do have an insulated garage which is maybe 10-15 degrees warmer – - – maybe.

I still prime in the garage then right away transfer to the basement. I have had no issues with using this method going on years if not decades now.

I live in South Jersey, and long ago stopped attempting to spray prime. Humidity, cold and uneven coverage. I'll stick with my Gesso.

I'm in Winnipeg (look us up) :)
Even in January, at 40 below, Much like Huron, I prime in a heated garage and transfer right away into the basement. I've had very few problems except a slip on ice running into the house and scattering of my primed figures into the snow. Believe it or not I recovered the one 'lost' figure while cutting the grass in the summer!

I've never had any problems priming in the cold. I've used an unheated and uninsulated garage in the past. Now, I generally just prime in the basement.

Huron725 method used for decades by me as well.

" Anyone have any tips or tricks for priming figures in the Northeast indoors?"

Brush-on gesso… ;-)

Wisconsin here. I had an airbooth before I got into gaming and when we bought the house we put in exhaust venting to the outside from my basement. Not an option for everyone but if you are able to do it I highly recommend it for the northern climes. I can spray all year round and a piece of pink foam keeps the cold from coming back in through the vent.

I've been wanting to do that outdoor venting from my basement for awhile. Some day…

I use brush on primer mostly. Cold here in Michigan too.

Yep, I am running out of outdoor spray priming time here in Missouri, too. I have Reaper brush-on primer but I prefer to use spray on, when I can. I have stockpiled many figs to paint already and then I have some to clean and prepare for priming, so I should be alright.

I live in northern Wisconsin and it gets really cold here. I use the same method as Huron725, but I have also used an electric hair dryer to warm/dry the metal figures in my uninsulated garage with no problems. I have not tried this on plastic figures.

Pennsylvania here. Again, like Huron I prime in an unheated garage then transfer figs to the house to dry. I prime fewer figs at 1 time when it's really cold.

I do all my undercoating with brush-on gesso. I use gray but you can also get it in black and white. Down here in central Mississippi we have to deal with high humidity almost year round. I've found the brush-on to be just as easy as a spray. And you can do it indoors without any obnoxious fumes.

Jim

Thanks for the tips! I find some primers are better than others too with regard to the Oder or fumes they give off. I'll try the spray outside, dry inside technique and see how that goes. I think I can pull that off without annoying the family too much.

With regard to the brush on gesso. Any particular brands?

Thanks
Ken

The Southwest is really the best place for spraying. If it's too cold or wet, try again after dawn, or wait a few minutes until the rainstorm passes…

I live in the coastal mid-California mountains and I also have a long period of no spraying in the winter. In October the sun moves south in the sky and then the days are short, cold, and humid until March or April.

I'd also be interested to know if there are gesso preferences out there. I've got huge bottles of Liquitex gesso I'll probably never deplete. They work fine, but I find gesso a bit thick for really small-scale miniatures with fine details.

For fine details or really small miniatures, I prefer the Vallejo surface primer or Testors brush-on primer. Both have disadvantages: the Vallejo has poor coverage, so only works on really small areas and may need multiple coats; the Testors is smelly, dries fast, and needs odiferous paint thinner to clean the brushes.

- Ix

It's worth investing into an airbrush and air compressor. For priming you can buy the cheapest one you want. That way you can prime year round in any temp/climate and do not have to wait for primer to dry out the aerosol chemical from the paint.

I use the Liquitex gesso (white). You can thin it down with a few drops of water, but the secret is to let it dry for 24 hrs before starting to paint…

Although I am in Florida. I use a spray booth and just prime indoors and vent through a window. Temp and humidity remain a constant. Its a little bit of an investment but its worth it.

A friend of mine has a portable spraying booth which one sets up in any room that has a window through which to vent. Very useful and reasonably pressed at under $100. USD

Tamiya Flat White or NATO black brushed on work if it's not a huge undertaking. The paint is on the thinner side and is almost impossible to put on too thickly. Dries quickly and is relatively low odor.

I actually use white craft paint & have not had any problems. Minimal smell problem, and relatively cheap. I've found it works well on both plastics & metal but not too well on resins (which I don't care for anyway).
Paul

I use Tamita spray primer down in the basement.

In the UK I can only successfully spray acid etch primer prime from about late April to early October. I just make sure I do enough during the summer months.