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I'm using the GW primers and also having some Army Painter ones. I was wondering how long everyone lets their models dry for after priming before they start painting. Usually I let them sit until the next day, 12 or more hours. Seems a little excessive but it's what I've always done. I primed a bunch of guardsmen earlier today and itching to start painting them!

I wait about an hour. A quick test is to give them a sniff. If they still smell strongly of paint, they need more cure time. If it is a light smell, paint away

Touch it and find out - I spray prime my stuff and it is good to go within the hour usually.

If you really want to make sure stuff is dry then leave it overnight.

I second the overnight. It's hard sometimes but you know it'll be ready the next day.

1 bacon sandwhich.

Whatever it says on the instructions for the primer you are using.

Some stuff will set in 20 minutes, other stuff takes 24 hours.

I third the overnight thing. There are to many factors that can cause issues. Humidity and temp are both huge factors with drying time. If it's nice an dry outside then you are good to prime. NEVER prime while it's raining or if the humidity is above 70% and never if it's real cold where you prime. Most primers get grainy with high humidity and/or really cold weather.

These are your only real issues with priming and painting. Have fun.

Overnight is your best bet - just prime a bunch of models and start painting the next day - if you have almost finished those, prime the next batch, so you have new ones ready, when the current ones are finished.

I also use Army Painter Primer. If i prime in the morning, say between 10 and 12, i find they are good to go around 1:30ish. I do leave mine hangin up outside in the shade though. So whether that makes a difference or not i don't know.

Leave them overnight. Even if the can says that the primer should set within hours nothing sucks more than starting to paint on un-set primer.

Depends a lot on your particular environmental conditions as well. High humidity will cause longer drying times, etc.

I keep my work space temperature/climate controlled and can usually start painting a primed model in about a half hour or so...

Shepherd23 wrote:I third the overnight thing. There are to many factors that can cause issues. Humidity and temp are both huge factors with drying time. If it's nice an dry outside then you are good to prime. NEVER prime while it's raining or if the humidity is above 70% and never if it's real cold where you prime. Most primers get grainy with high humidity and/or really cold weather.

These are your only real issues with priming and painting. Have fun.

If I was that stringent, I'd never prime at all, neither would anyone else who lives in Scotland; if it's not chucking it down, cold, or humid over here, then it's August 7th The One Day of Sunshine

Seriously though, I wait overnight just to be safe, I'm a bad enough painter when everything goes as planned, the last thing I need is half the paintjob sloughing off the mini before I can get the varnish on.

As far as I know, on the GW sparay paint can it says you should wait one hour .

I spray with white primer, wait 15-20 minutes, touch up spots that were missed, wait 15-20 minutes, spray base coat (also spray paint), wait 15-20 minutes, touch up if required, done.

Primed and based 2 Tyrannofexes, 24 Termagants, and some Tyrant Guard in about an hour ready for the first non-base color.

+1 to overnight.

You aren't just waiting for it to dry, you are waiting for it to cure, for all chemical processes to finish what they are doing.

You certainly CAN paint it after about 20 minutes, and you will PROBABLY be alright, but you just never know. Sealing it before it is done curing could have several unexpected consequences:
1) it might never fully cure, which means the paint job will be more prone to chipping and flaking
2) it might 'settle' under your paints, slightly marring the surface

Whenever you can, just try and let it cure overnight, and avoid any possible complications.