paint being scratched too easily

[RichardSimons]

recently i have finally decided to seriously get back into painting and actually finish a mini. today i started with a metal gk terminator and primed black with dupli colour sandable primer.

now while i was painting, i noticed that primer was very very very easily being scratched off at corners and it was getting annoying painting over little scratched over and over.
now, im not too sure whats the source of the problem. am i bit too rough with it?(i paint ontop of one of those green grid cutting boards)
is it just my primer that sucks?
what brand of black primer do you use?

also, when im finished painting, for protection am i suppose to give it a spray of varnish and dull coat?

thank you

 

[Dragonsreach]

If you are holding the mini in your hand while painting then chances are that is your major problem.
Skin is rougher than most people think and sharp edges don\'t have a particular affinity for holding primer. Put the two together and hey shiney metal again.

Try to find a comfortable item for your hand roughly about the diameter of a broom shank and that you can hold for a long period and attach the mini to it.
Then you can paint with less chance of accidently removing primer.

 

[freakinacage]

try automotive primer (halfords if you live in the uk). i find them to be very durable. and make a holder

 

[Jericho]

Also, oily/dirty fingers aren\'t the best surface for paint to adhere to. Washing your hands and avoiding touching the model more than necessary is a good idea.

Every now and then I take a perfectly clean brush, brand new water, and rub over the models a little bit to get the oil off if I see any. Not the best method I\'m sure but it helps

 

[Logan]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
If you are holding the mini in your hand while painting then chances are that is your major problem.

What he said.

Are you affixing the miniature to something, paint pot, a cork, old 35mm film cannister? Makes a world of difference.

 

[RichardSimons]

i tried using a pin vice. but i find it very awkward and very constricting to work with.
do you guys think it would be okay to use those spongy cushions that come with single metal minis?

also, what do most people do about protecting their minis after finished? varnish > dull coat?

btw: thanks for the responses so far. i really appreciate it

 

[NGArtStudios]

I know a few painters who just feel more comfortable being able to hold the model instead of attaching it to anything like a cork. If you are like that, then get yourself some thin latex gloves. Will keep the oil off the mini and reduce the primer rubbing off.

I actually use a few layers of Testor\'s Dullcoat for protection. A lot of painters like to first use GW Purity Seal then spray over with dullcoat to dull it back down. I find that the dullcoat alone works just as well.

 

[AllTerrainMonkey]

A pin vice is going to be too narrow to hold comfortably in your hand; go for something larger, like a paint pot, large piece of cork, 35mm film canister, empty pill bottle, etc.

You can paint a mini that\'s laying on top of packing foam, but using it to hold onto and manipulate the mini\'s just going to cause more rub-off.

 

[Amazon warrior]

^^agree. Sponge is surprisingly abrasive, and you\'ll quickly notice a sand-paper effect. I wouldn\'t personally recommend it unless you have ABSOLUTELY no other options. You can use almost anything as a holder; I\'ve used corks, paintpots, bigger chunks of cork, crossed ice lolly sticks, pringles caps (make sure you eat the pringles first!)... Blob of blutack, bit of firm pressure and Robert\'s your mother\'s brother.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
If you are holding the mini in your hand while painting then chances are that is your major problem.

Sounds like the problem.

Richard, previous thread with links on to others:
Paint Rubbing Off Metal

Einion

 

[Sauce Devil]

If I had a penny for every time the primer has rubbed off of the tip of a spike or a horn by now I\'d have enough money for a decent cup of coffee at Starbucks plus a donut.

Check your mini before you start painting to satisfy yourself that you have primed it sufficiently. I\'m pretty bad for rubbing off paint so I\'ve started giving my minis a thin coat of varnish halfway through the job to protect them.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Sauce Devil
I\'m pretty bad for rubbing off paint so I\'ve started giving my minis a thin coat of varnish halfway through the job to protect them.

I think the best thing is to try to avoid the problem by modifying the holding routine.

Other than that, maybe clean the mini more thoroughly prior to priming and/or try a different (hopefully tougher) primer.

Einion

 

[DaRat]

I use either an empty pill bottle (over the counter with a \"child resistant\" cap with raised lettering) or a piece of unfinished, spun craft wood (candlestick cup turned upside down).

Both are good and easy to hold in the hand with the pill bottle having the advantage that you can rotate the cap with your fingers.

The mini is held onto the holder with poster tack. I use both elmer\'s (orange in color) and a white type. The Elmer\'s brand is stickier (more tenacious) and works better with flat bottom minis. The white stuff works better with minis on slotted bases.

I haven\'t done too many large minis, but this method works well for small (man sized or so) minis.

 

[Sand Rat]

Bottle caps (Coke or waterbottles work best) and blue tac work for me -

Except for really oversize figures.

 

[Beelzebrush]

I always cut the tab off and drill and fix a rod and hold with the pin vice. I used to (when I kept the tab on) use a clothes peg the wrong way round with an elastic band around the bit you squeeze to open it. Add a touch of supergue and it holds a treat.

I\'m not sure that the sponge from blisters is soft enough... it seems like it might be slightly abrasive?