Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

It has only been after delving into the world of infinity that I have felt a particular need to improve my painting (looking back most of my previous stuff looks TERRIBLE). I have only just started delving into the world of layering and highlighting and am shocked to see the difference it makes even at a simple level. Here are two of my most recently painted models, I would be grateful for any tips on how to advance my painting. As of now im working on very fine brush control (the eye lenses are quite messy) and blending to make the "joins" between different layers less stark.

The very first thing that jumps out, for me, is the rough texture (especially on the first model). First step to improving on these would be model prep, before you even pick up a brush or spray can. A hobby knife, files and/or sandpaper/emery boards, fine steel wool or a brass brush, and a bit of elbow grease go a long way towards giving you a smooth, even finish on metal models and it shows through the subsequent painting.

It can be painstaking, but trim the flash, remove the mold lines, and knock down any rough texture from a cold pour and you won't end up fighting the model to showcase your painting. The second model looks much better than the first, without there appearing to have been any change in your painting - it's all about the cleaner surfaces.

Also, take care in how you handle the models. I'm seeing a lot of small chips when I zoom in (as well as tiny fuzz/hairs) that accentuate all that rough texture. Attaching the base to a handle (some poster tack on top of a paint or pill bottle works nicely, if the base is already attached) will help keep you from damaging your work until the painting is done and you can hit the model with some protective varnish.

I do routinely clean my models before painting, I have no idea why the first model is so much more rough than the second. I may have to get some more abrasive tools in future (I usually just use a toothbrush). The paint chips have been annoying me somewhat, I have experimented with varnish before but I quite often end up with a sort of fuzzy, translucent layer which gives the appearance of very thick paint. Any recommendations on any particular brands of varnish?

If you are getting that "gritty or fuzzy" look, more than likely you are having "gritty primer" problems.

It exceptionally common - in fact, there is another thread on it recently here.

Basically, when spraying primer the can is being held too far from the model for the current air temp and humidity, and some of the droplets are starting to dry in mid air and when they hit the model they form a gritty surface.

Regarding varnish, I like the liquitex brand quite a bit.

best of luck

A toothbrush is fine for scrubbing away mold release agents, but you'd wear your arm out trying to knock off oxidation, let alone remove actual metal. For metal models, I pretty much always follow the same cleaning regimen:
1. Clip off all gates (and tab, if the model will be pinned to the base) and file the pinched nubs flush.
2. Cut away any large bits of flash and lingering vents with a knife.
3. Remove visible mold lines - fine ones can be scraped/burnished away with a knife, but most require files (I prefer single-cut metal files over diamond grit, as they leave a finer finish while still cutting quickly).
4. Scrub the whole model with a brass brush (by hand - a brass wheel in a rotary tool will gouge the hell out of it) to remove oxidation and minor irregularities in the surface.
5. Examine the now shiny model closely under raking light, using the reflections to find any mold lines or surface pitting missed in the first pass.
6. Use abrasives to knock down any remaining bumps or putty to fill in pits. Refine hard edges, etc.
7. Quick wash to remove hand oils, dust, etc. and I'm ready to prime (I assemble first, obviously, if that's applicable).
It sounds like a lot and it sort of is, but I like to give metal models the full treatment that really lets the material shine [rimshot], especially on sculpts as fine as CB's. It may just be me, but I rather like the process - feels more involved than the comparatively mechanical scraping and gluing of plastic parts.

Davethepak is correct about gritty primer issues. The fact that some areas seemed smooth and others rough led me to believe that the underlying surface was to blame, not the primer, but it may also have been your issue - I really couldn't say without having seen the bare mini. If the spray was to blame, at least you can rest assured that if you ever strip and repaint the model, you've got less work ahead of you for round two!

On the chipping, I would first ask what you used to prime the model. Varnish is mostly about resisting abrasion, but nothing (short of a thick, rigid shell) will stop chipping if the paint can't properly adhere to the underlying surface. Metal models are much more demanding than plastics, when it comes to priming. Plastics take just fine to cheap aerosol enamels which metal will shed in minutes. You need to use an actual primer, but opinions vary on what type, exactly. Plenty of threads on that topic, already, so do a search if you want to read up. Personally, I've taken to airbrushing Vallejo PU primer on just about everything, but I've mostly been painting metals and Reaper Bones figures, lately, both of which it works on. Before that, I used Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Primer. In either case, give the spray plenty of time to cure - not just dry - before handling.

Regarding varnish, I can't stand Liquitex for miniatures. I'll use it on canvas paintings, but that's it. Others use it quite happily, though, so YMMV. I've found gloss varnishes to be pretty forgiving, so I'm not too picky about brands. I've used Testors Glosscote and Krylon Crystal Clear quite happily in the past, but now airbrush on Pledge FloorCare (a Future/Klear alternative). If I want a matte finish (which I usually do), I go over the initial gloss coat(s) with Testors Dullcote. I've tried several matte aerosols and nothing comes close to giving as fine a finish and as consistently. Until I start experimenting with airbrushed options, I won't use anything else. Search for threads on "frosting" to familiarize yourself with the common pitfalls of varnishing that lead to that hazy effect.

I have a feeling the primer I used for these was a little too thin, hence the chipping. I have struggled with primers that are too thick for a while, loosing all the detail on the model. Now it seems im having the exact opposite problem.
Im mostly convinced that the underlying model was the problem for the fuzziness as I have never experienced the same problem on any of my other models. I probably dont need to say that the photo makes the fuzziness seem far more apparent than it looks to the naked eye (as is the case with all painting imperfections). Are there any main brand primers that are widely recommended as the "right" consistency for metal models.

The thing about primers is that they aren't about coverage or color so much as they're about adhesion. If you were losing detail, you were likely applying way too much, attempting to get a nice even color coat, as if painting. All you really need is a good, thorough dusting (it's fine if a black or white primer coat comes out a little grey from a hint the underlying metal showing through, as long as you don't have shiny spots indicating that you outright missed parts) to give successive layers a solid anchor to the metal. If you want to then work from a solid black, white, or any other color basecoat, you can break out the spray paints (typical aerosol flat/matte enamels, many of which go on nice and thin) and shoot for full coverage. That's one of the reasons I used the Krylon primer in grey - it was easy to lighten or darken the main colors as the scheme warranted.

Either of the brands I mentioned (Krylon being the only aerosol of the two) work beautifully, in my experience, but either is equally capable of gumming up details if you overload the model. With a sufficiently light touch, though, you can use nearly anything. Duplicolor sandable primer is another popular option which proves that point - it's designed to build quickly and fill in minor surface irregularities, but, when used sparingly, apparently works great on miniatures.

Oh, and never fear - we all know the horrors that a zoomed in camera can unveil, even on minis that seem flawless, in person. I know some high-end painters actually do a "photo check" before they call a miniature finished, specifically because it magnifies all those little flaws.