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.

So I have been reading around on the internet for advice on painting, as I am still new to the hobby. I quickly learned the importance of priming and base coating. However I have the small issue that spray painting the primer is not an option for me. During my experiments with painting I used the imperial primer from the GW hobby starter set with some mixed results.

My real issue is that I would love for my new lizardmen to be as vibrant as possible, so will the dark grey/blackish colour of the imperial primer adversely affect the vibrancy of the colours? If you kind people could offer advice on perhaps how best to apply the primer with a brush or offer alternative brush on primers that might work better for me.

Many thanks!

What is your problem with useing spray primers? I have used spray primer both from GW and Army painter and had no real problems with them. You just need to be carefull to avoid overspraying.

So i can't really help you with brush on primers. But if you want vibrant colors i'd think a white or light grey primer would be the best way to go.

Its not really that I have a problem with spray primers its more I have no where to do it currently, I could wait a few months by then I'd likely have somewhere to do it.

I used to live in a flat and took my stuff out into the street to spray it.

I personally always use a white primer - Plastikote and other companies make good ones for a fraction of the cost of GW sprays and you can get them in places like B&Q, Wilcos etc... also check out automotive shops like halfords as many of them do good quality, reasonably cheap primers in many colours.

A white primer should allow you to do some really bright colours really easily without having to do a million coats or really thick layers over black. It is also a lot easier to paint on a white primer using primarily washes as you are going from light to dark rather than from dark to light as you would be with a black/grey primer.

Thats not a half bad idea, had not considered doing it on the street. I guess if you put down some cardboard or something first so you dont cover the pavement in paint it would be ok?

Thanks for the tip with on the spray primers the local B&Q is closer than the hobby store so winning all around there!

I used some plastic sheeting (from B&Q I think - look at their painting section for dust sheets and things for protecting furniture when painting) clipped onto some railings and weighted down with stones. You will want to cover quite a large area with the sheet as spray paints do have a wide area of drift, especially if it is windy, or find a shaded spot.

Thanks again for those tips, looks like a trip to B&Q is in order. hehe

No problem - anything else Dakka can help you with and I am sure there will be someone who has some input, even if it is about painting in the street

I had similar problem with priming: lack of space, living in city center. And solution was pretty easy:Vallejo Polyurethane Primer.
There is a black, grey and white available and all come in 200ml bottles.

You can get these from amazon or ebay for about 10£. These primers are very easy to work with and they don't smell as spraycan ones.
If you plan to go with these: shake it very well and do not dilute. Put healthy amount on the model - it will shrink when it dries. Do a test model... or two.

Side note: I know some people are not very pleased with Vallejo primers - my advice: ask them why, what went wrong, etc.

/ painting in the street: remember to shield your model from dust, leaves, insects... you will probably discover any "attachments" after your primer is dry, which may be a not-so-good surprise.

Good luck, Cheers.

/edit: streetpriming and typos.

All sound advice, ill research those vallejo primers, perhaps the hobby shop near by has some. Would hobby craft have these types of items, I have never been in one of those stores lol.

I don't think hobbycraft carries that line of paints - check out somewhere like element games (click on the "view all ads" button under the Dakka banner and they have a banner which will earn Dakka some money if you buy through their referral link) - they stock a wide range of paints from what I remember and have a flat shipping fee (which is quite reasonable even for smaller orders).

I put in an order with them last week for a random selection of stuff and was very impressed with how fast it came out. If you want a referral code to earn some extra crystals (basically cashback for future orders) let me know.

Wow that website sounds amazing! Will also save me trundling out into the harsh weather! Many thanks for that, I used the add and instructed a mate of mine to do the same.

Denras, instead of putting cardboard down and spraying onto the street, which can be iffy as spray paint isn't really meant to be held at a high angle for long, you can get a yard stick(I'm assuming they have yard long rulers where you are, so I may be wrong). But basically a long, flat piece of wood around a yard long), and you can then roll a piece of tape (producing double sided tape effectively), attach the models temporarily to the stick, and spray while holding the stick. Just put a glove on the hand holding the stick and you'll come out clean.

Now thats thinking, so many ideas and advice, ill have to see what works with some experimentation. Only problem is I have run out of minis to experiment on! Guess its time to look on ebay.

When using spray can primer, I just use a cardboard box with one open size facing me and place the model I'm priming inside the box. I do this in the garden, but a yard, driveway or so should be just as good. Just be clever and don't soil someone's white wall with your black primer. The box provides cover against wind-borne pollen and crap like that and avoids lines of primer wherever you are are spaying.

I've swapped to using Vallejo Airbrush Primer. That works well for me. Simliar to GW Spray Primer, the consistency isn't exactly the same between black, white and grey. Test seperately. Note that strictly speaking grey is the best colour primer for anything besides white or yellow models, since you don't need to plaster it completely with a basecoat to get a solid colour. I do my airbrushing inside the flat, just using a cardboard box and sheet on my table to catch the overspray. A real airbrush is much more precise than the spray can or the GW flamethrower, so there isn't as much overspray/mess to deal with.

I second the stick and tape method - I usually use that for more intricare models where I want to easily spray "up" at them to get harder to reach areas painted. You will want a glove or something though as otherwise your hand (and possibly arm ) will get a nice layer of paint on them.

The cardboard box method can be hit and miss - I find you have to either sit on the floor to spray or raise the box up so you can get a good angle for spraying sometimes. You also still get paint spray hitting the back/side walls and coming out of the open face, especially if you are doing some heavy spraying.

White basecoat will make colors pop,but will show any errors you make. Also white can also make some models look cartoonish if certain colors are not blended right or shaded. Ive noticed this with orks.

Black will give the model a more "dark grim" Look. And will hide any errors you make.

I love the vallejo airbrush surface primer....but, when I have to use can primer, I used old pizza boxes to carry my project outside to spray it.

best of luck!