Dust Or Full Cover?

[Rugne]

Elllo all,
Was just wondering, do people tend to just dust a mini with undercoat or do they go for full coverage?

I've always gone for full coverage, but that can sometimes end up being far too thick.

So what do you guys do?

Marc

 

[alextheartist]

I dust metal minis, I read seb archers artical ages ago which said that if you used white spray on a metal mini, the mini should only be covered enough so that the spray looks grey.. but with black spray I tend to go a bit heavier

 

[freakinacage]

i cover finely, more than a dusting though

i probably do too much!

 

[Friar]

I use a brush on primer (crap weather for any spraying) and just go for a thin covering usually looks grayish then do a base coat in black using JoSonya acrylics works great thinned down covers like a champ with out filling in details.

In short I use primer to get a thin coat enough to cover the piece in what ends up being a semi-transparent wash and then I base coat from there with regular acrylics.

 

[Phoenix492]

Whats the advantage of using a dusting and then a watered down black, instead of just a thin coat of black?

I've always just used a thin coat of black..?

 

[Eggroll]

Whats the advantage of using a dusting and then a watered down black, instead of just a thin coat of black?

I've always just used a thin coat of black..?

Dusting will preserve maximum detail in the model while still giving the paint something to adhere to. Thin coats are fine too but 'thin coat' is all relative to the actual painter and it all boils down to personal preference.

 

[Einion]

I try for full coverage when I spray, although not aiming to get into every recess any more as that's a sure way to apply too much primer on the high spots, even when the primer can is warmed and shaken thoroughly before and during use.

I don't advise a dust coating of primer. This has specific problems, both of which I've experienced myself and are quite obvious when you think about it - in addition to the texture this can add each dot of primer doesn't bond as well to the surface as it would when blended into a cohesive film.

Einion

 

[daGoz]

I prime with an airbrush. This way I can control all aspects of the primer and apply very thin coats, while still getting 99% of the model (by spraying the nooks and crannys first, then catching any missed spots). I then usually cheat and basecoat the mini with the major colour (in the appropriate places anyway).
I agree with Enion that a full coat holds far better that dusting, the trick is to get a thin full coat...

 

[Rugne]

Yup, that's what I was afraid of the general agreement being, full coats, lol

Marc

 

[airhead]

Undercoat: a base color coat applied onto the primer coat.

Primer: a product specifically designed to promote adhesion between a substrata (metal, wood, fiberglass, etc.) and the following paint layers.

***

I very seldom spray an undercoat. I do spray a nice thin coat of primer (usually Krylon) on minis. 4 or 5 passes and turning the mini a quarter turn each pass with a final pass across the top. I'll try to do several minis at once to maximize the use from the spray can.

After that is dry, then I do either a base mid-tone coat and work each direction (shadow wash - highlight), or I do a dark-tone coat and work toward the light.

 

[Sand Rat]

Little from Column A - little from column B

 

[Eggroll]

I prime with an airbrush. This way I can control all aspects of the primer and apply very thin coats, while still getting 99% of the model (by spraying the nooks and crannys first, then catching any missed spots). I then usually cheat and basecoat the mini with the major colour (in the appropriate places anyway).
I agree with Enion that a full coat holds far better that dusting, the trick is to get a thin full coat...

Just curious, when you prime with an airbrush, do you load it with a special airbrush primer paint or do you simply use normal acrylics?

 

[daGoz]

Normally I would use an enamel primer such as Testors, but I have also used acrylic primers and even just good acrylic paint if I don't have an actual primer ('cause I live in the middle of no where, nearest hobby store is 3 hours of driving, one way).

 

[mickc22]

Normally I would use an enamel primer such as Testors, but I have also used acrylic primers and even just good acrylic paint if I don't have an actual primer ('cause I live in the middle of no where, nearest hobby store is 3 hours of driving, one way).

So that'd pretty much be a full days outing then?
And I thought going to Maidstone (30 mins tops!) was a pain in the ass!


I've been using Plasticote primers of late, they cover nicely, are nice to paint on, and reasonably priced. And also come in several colors