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Hello!

I have painted over 300+ minis with the Citadel Contrast (using the official primers too).

I had an issue a while ago but repriming the mini fixed it. It happened again, with 2 different primers (grey seer and wraithbone).

Basically, when I apply the contrast paint, it pools in the recesses, leaving most of the areas unpainted.

I tried letting the primer dry longer (I usually paint after 6-8h and tried up to 24h).

I tried repriming and shaking the primer can a lot more before using it.

I tried shaking my contrast paint pots a lot more.

The same pots of contrast paints worked before on other minis.

See picture attached for an example. In this example I had covered all the center part of the back.

Any ideas what is causing this or how to fix it?

I’d happily bet it’s the spray.
Certain batches don’t seem to be all that great with contrast paints.

I’ve had to respray almost an entire army as my corax white spray gave the same issue.

I used a different can (and hand primed a few) and no more issues.



Leadbelcher spray seems particularly bad for contrasts.

My guess is the finish to the spray is way too smooth.

A bit of "tooth" would allow the fairly thick paint to have something to grip onto and spread around (smear) rather than slide, that is why most painting surfaces are prepared with "gesso".
A tiny bit of a powdery or uneven surface also helps break surface tension and allows the paint to wick over the surface.
I would suggest using a thin layer of "proper" primer first, then apply the GW base coat which really is more a paint rather than primer.

Inverting and shaking hard the paint and/or primer to ensure it is well mixed will be important about 2-5 minutes if it had been sitting around for an extended time... however you do that.
You may not have an even mix coming out: too much solvent or too much pigment.
Also make sure it is at room temperature (keep in the house) prior to spray as well as the model (especially metal ones).

One other thing is that the surface may have been contaminated by handling or some overspray of some kind, try giving it a wash with a scrub with a brush (it may score up the primer too which would help).

If desperate, Liquitex or some other company's "flow-aid" could be used to help reduce surface tension and allow the paint to level out better.

Seconding primer. It seems like the can wasn't shaken enough or sprayed too close. Or sinply bad batch of spray.

You might actually benefit from spraying too far at this point so that you gain a bit of grainy texture for the paint to bite onto.

 skchsan wrote:
Seconding primer. It seems like the can wasn't shaken enough or sprayed too close. Or sinply bad batch of spray.
You might actually benefit from spraying too far at this point so that you gain a bit of grainy texture for the paint to bite onto.

Good thought!
I have suffered from too much distance or humid air and get the "fuzzy" model so go easy on this but paint partially drying before hitting the model will give a more grainy surface which may be needed.

I actually bought one bottle of GW primer and now only get the standard primer from Home Depot. Works great, no pooling, good color. Priming with Corax White by hand works as well (characters only). Rank and file get the spray primer.

Tried varnishing it?