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So me and my brother just got some Warhammer 40k stuff for Christmas and we are pretty new to the hobby. The only painting I did was a trio of space marines for my youngest brother, which I think went okay, considering I was using iffy paint.

I'd like to avoid using citadel paints or sprays for basing since it's expensive. Would it be safe to use normal black spray paint (most likely Krylon) as the base coat? How long would a can of spray paint last?

Also, my brother is playing Blood Angels and wants to know what the point is in painting the whole thing black, only to paint the whole thing red afterwards.

I'd test the spray paint (perhaps on some spare model parts) first, some spray paint is intended to fill gaps/cracks and if you use that without checking you may fill in detail on your models. GW primer is needlessly expensive, I use the P3 stuff (half the price, and better), and people doing it on a tight budget usually go for automotive primer.

The point of priming the model is to make sure the rest of the paint sticks to the model well, and the point of doing it with a spray primer is to do it more quickly and to make sure you've got a thin, even coat. If you just start slapping paint on without it it'll work, but you'll need to lay down a few layers to get the paint to adhere before proceeding anyway and if you're not careful you could end up with too-thick paint that starts to fill in details on the model.

The other point to spraying a model black, especially when you're just starting out, is that if you miss a spot or can't get to it it's just black and looks nice and shadowed, rather than if you were using white primer or just leaving the plastic bare you might have slivers of white or grey where you didn't want them and it'd look nasty.

Most of the expensive tools and GW's mass of different paint lines are there to make things easier, not because they're absolutely essential to painting models. You can get just as much done with cheaper paints, so long as you're patient and careful with them. I use mostly P3 paints, which are all of the same consistency and dramatically cheaper than GW's, so I have to replicate the effect of having four different consistencies of paint (base/layer/dry/wash) with water and patience.

I use a $3-4 a can primer. It is as good as anything I have used that cost $12 a can or more.



Paints, It is worth it to use model paints, GW, P3, Vallejo, it doesn't matter, but don't use the craft paint like Apple crate.

Varnish, I use brush on so I KNOW it won't frost up. Vallejo makes gloss, satin and matt.

Do not use Krylon, it will clog your details and ruin your models. I recommend Army Painter spray for priming. Citadel paints are good for the price, but if you really must avoid them, use Vallejo. Do not use general purpose paint. Do not use enamels.

I primarily use grey rusoleum primer for my armies, at first i messed up a couple of guardsmen by spraying too close and too fast, but I also messed some up the first couple times I painted it happens. I keep more than 12 inches away and spray quick strokes across whatever I am priming to make sure I get a real light coat on, then I repeat if necessary.

I tried army painter primer for like $12 and didnt see much of a difference, I didnt like the way white priming popped my dark colors so I went back to my $4 can. Either way I couldnt really tell a difference.

I got a bunch of Army model paints from my Uncle and they look really cool on my Imperial Guard, maybe these are a bit cheaper online or at hobby stores?

I use the 97¢ matte black spray paint can from Walmart. Never had a single issue with it other than the occasional user error of not holding the can far enough from the mini or not spraying in brisk stroking sprays(but those were back before I understood how to prime minister really)!

I use rustoleum paint I buy at Walmart. You have to make sure you get primer and not a regular spray paint. It won't cover up details if you spray it in light coats, and from 8 -12 inches away.

You don't have you use black primer, they make almost every color primer, so your brother can use a red for Blood Angels and have that as a base coat. The down fall to that, if you mess up, whatever paints you use, might not match so it will look funny. I had that with my Raven Guard, since the spray and the paints I was using after didn't match.

The primer is important, so the other paints you add will adhere to the model, you don't want to spend time painting your models just to play a game and the paint comes off.

I used Rustoleum black primer and it worked well.

There is a $1 flat black primer you can get at Home Depot. Works amazingly. It's the only $1 primer there. Grey can, flat black top. Don't get the gloss one by mistake.