"Tutorial on how to use brush on primer" Topic

With the weather turning cold outside, it is time for me to take my painting indoors. I don't have a spot for an airbrush, so I am using brush-on primer. In the links below, I provide both a video and written tutorial on how to use brush-on primer.

Written Tutorial… link
Video Tutorial… youtu.be/cNasRI14u8M

Written Tutorial… link
Video Tutorial… youtu.be/cNasRI14u8M

I have similar problems here in Mississippi with high humidity. For many years, I've used gray gesso as my undercoating and have not had any problems with it.

I've found gesso also comes in black and white if you normally undercoat in either of those two colors.

Jim

Brush-on gesso is a whole lot easier than dragging out the airbrush (and having to clean it up) and a whole lot cheaper than rattle cans (and the wastage of primer that doesn't hit the figures…)

I've used the gesso. It's good stuff too.

Use gesso as well, in all the colors. Can also be airbrushed.

I've used white craft paint for metal & plastics for years without problem. Cheap, available and easy clean up.

I stopped using spray paint years ago and never looked back.

I stopped using spray paint years ago and never looked back.

I've never ever used spray paint!!

The real advantage of spray paint primer is that you can mass prime many a figure at once. I go back and forth on it. I've used plenty of brush-on primer, but when I have a group of 10+ mini's I need primed, I get the rattle-can out.

I paint fast and simple. I need to maximize my productivity, as I do not paint often. Mass production techniques work the best for me, to get painted figures onto the tabletop. It all depends upon your priorities -- one size, one technique, does not fit everyone. Cheers!

I've always used brush on primer. Mainly because I only paint a handful of miniatures at a time. Quickly done with easy clean up.

I am not a mass production line operation.

I own many boxes of 1/72 fantasy mini's. They come in sets of 12-48, per box. I typically need 50+ figures for an army (150+ Goblins, 60+ Orcs, around 70+ Lizardmen figures). I organize each army by casting, line them up, and paint them assembly-line style, repeating the same brush stroke on each casting type, in line. Takes a long time to finish an army, but when I finish, it is the entire army, not one figure, not one unit of archers/infantry. Spray primer allows me to prime 12-50+ mini's all at once. I set them inside a box on its side, with the open face in front of me, horizontally. The box captures the spray, forming a cloud which envelops the mini's inside. This helps contain the overspray while adhering more paint to the group of mini's inside of the box. Hard to quantify how much the box technique helps the mini's, but it really controls the over-spray.

Like I said, many different ways to prep your mini's for painting, just like there are many styles and techniques for painting. I do some brush-on priming for larger mini's, like big Demons, or Giants -- usually sets of 6 or fewer figures for these critters.

I am an army painter, for the most part, so low-volume, slower techniques are things I avoid. My life is growing shorter, not longer, and I have plenty of toys I want to game with, before my life ends. If you are young, take all the time you want. I'm late middle-aged, so my life is growing shorter, quickly. I intend to wring out as much gaming joy as I humanly can, before I die. Different strokes for us different folks. Cheers!

I have also used brush on grey Gesso for the last few years.

I've tried other brush on primers, but the Gesso wins for me based on cost.

I really don't find it takes much longer, as I usually prime 8-24 x 28mm figures at a time. I do wait a days, give it a second coat, then wait another day before I start paining the figure.

The one type of figure I have not tried brush priming on, are the hard plastic figures that seem to be quite popular. I suppose as my metal pile gets smaller, I'll wind up with the hard plastics.

I also use brush on Gesso with my 1/72nd scale ACW and 1/32nd scale soft plastic figures.

Eric

epturner, buy a used/inexpensive slow cooker/crockpot. The Low heat setting is 170 F, typically. Set your mini's in there for 30 minutes, on Low. They will be fully cured, no risk of vapors, flames, explosions, etc. I do this after I brush on Minwax urethane stain. Otherwise, they take days to fully dry.

I've cured metal, plastic, and resin mini's in my Slow Cooker. I've even cured Model Metal mini's I cast in Prince August molds, without issue. I have also cured soft plastic Army Men figures, and other soft plastic toy figures (painted and Dip'ed) at 170 F, without any issues. They get soft, but they do not melt; thermal plastics typically melt at 300-400 F, so they never get close to their melting point.

You can pick up slow cookers for $10 USD at estate sales, usually. Otherwise, you can buy a new one for $15 USD-$40, depending upon the size you want. I picked up a 17-quart model at an estate sale, years ago. I can cure 40+ minis at a go in that beast. I do it in the garage, to keep the fumes out of the house.

I hate waiting for stuff to dry. When I'm in the mood to paint, I want to git 'er done, Son. Pulling minis out of that slow cooker, ready for the tabletop, is satisfying. Cheers!