"Painting on the sprue?" Topic

I've seen some tutorials in which smaller scale minis are painted while they are still attached to their sprue, and it seems like a bad idea to me. I think you have much more control if you cut them off first and mount them on a stick or bottle cap before hitting them with primer. If the mini isn't attached to the sprue by the bottom of the base, you also will have a little unpainted spot when you cut it that you need to prime, paint and wash separately. Wouldn't that kind of stand out and ruin the overall effect? Does anybody do this? Am I wrong with my criticism? Why is it good?

Thinking of Victrix as an example, I now paint on the sprue. I first cut off the supporting sprues with a sprue cutter or scalpel. At Hobby Lobby, I saw a stand where you can make the sprues to stand on the sprue edge. (Note to self- pick one up soonest!) Painting in this manner allows me to paint the entire fig without having to pry off of a bottle top or such as the fine detail is prone to breaking by my fat fingers.
Hope that helps. Remember, the only right way is your way!

I paint epic ACW figures on the sprue, but I cut away the part of the sprue that attaches to anything but the base. Other than that, I have very few plastics, which I assemble and then paint. Oh, I forgot, I have painted a number of 1/72 of the sprue but, as with the Epic troops, I cut away the sprue if it attaches to the head, arm, etc. prior to priming and painting.

I paint on the base.

I paint on popsicle sticks, for almost everything.

I do the same as 79th PA for Epic. 28mm I assemble first.

I paint Warlord epic figs & Perry Travel Battle figs on the sprue. I use Rustoleum satin spray paint, so no artistry to it.

I paint on the popsicle sticks.

I paint metals on a popcicle/tongue depressor sticks but when the OP said "sprue" I immediately disregarded metals.

It isn't something I've ever done, it doesn't really suit my painting style. I can see how it might work for some things, but I prefer to stick all the figures onto temporary painting sticks which stand up when I spray undercoat them.

I may have done it on some plastic model kits for the main color.

Years ago I bought several 1x1/2 inch wooden trim strips. I think there were 6 to 8 feet long. Cut them into 12 inch pieces and mount 20mm and below on them for painting.

Once the the jobs is complete, I pop off the figures and (using a dermal with sanding wheel) clear off the glue/paint.

Sometimes I paint on the sprue.

Most of 1/72 Airfix were spray-primed and at least base coated on the sprue.

I've block painted on the sprue before assembly – this would be 25/28mm fantasy.

The trouble I found is, at some point you have to cut them off, assemble them on bases, and fill gaps and abrade off the mold lines. Invariably you have areas that need to be not only touched up, but re-primed. This feels counter-productive.*

So anyway I find the way to go is a light primer coat on the sprue, then assembly onto bases, and brush touch up of primer. Then paint on the base as usual.

*-- admittedly I don't time myself. Who knows, maybe if I timed myself for a large enough batch, the average time per figure would make it worth it?