Painting Plastic Minis

Started by BanzaiCat, July 11, 2016, 07:18:50 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Bison

What kind of paints are you using?  I personally like Vallejo Game Colors, but I'm looking at getting some Privateer Press P3 in particular the washes.  I don't use a lot of different colors and use a wet pallet to mix my own colors.  The result is I can sometimes have a very thin paint, which is okay for the most part.  Just learn to layer on the coats and your good to go.

I've found the key to wild brush hairs is brush soap and conditioner.  It not only maintains the bristles, but you can shape them and keep a nice fine point or flat brush.  I should invest in some better brushes, but I've found the Army Painter bushes to work well along with some mid-range priced golden talkon brushes I got at Hobby Lobby.  I buy a couple of my favorite size and then use them for dry brushes when they get fubar.
https://www.amazon.ca/30ml-Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver/dp/B006FHLG7I/ref=pd_sbs_201_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0ZS28QY2F40BMKT4VVF9

Nefaro

#31
I got a set of Army Painter brushes awhile back.  Must've got shafted in the brush lottery because the bristles quickly began to splay out after first use.  Even after using the brush cleaner/conditioner on them.   :-\

Oddly, the ones with the longest-lasting point I've used were fairly inexpensive no-name taklon brushes.  The point was still sticking together wonderfully, after quite a few uses, even though the taklon had started giving out and the brush tips were all permanently starting to curve in one direction.  ;D   

Those brushes also kinda sucked because the paint on the handle would chip off rather quickly.  Odd combination of poor paint and surprisingly uniform bristles.   ???

I've picked up two or three somewhat pricey sable brushes, but their points aren't quite as pointy or cohesive as those were.  I rarely use them over the cheapies these days.   I'm perfectly happy using the latter, despite having to search/replace them more often.


Bison

Hmm...well that's shitty.  I'm hitting up Tabletop Games tomorrow, so I'm hoping pick up some painting goodies.

Silent Disapproval Robot

I was using Tamiya and those were alright apart from washes.  I found if you mixed them with water, they became very glossy.  I ended up buying a big paint kit from Citadel only to learn later that GW/Citadel paints don't have the best rep.  That appears to be true.

Nefaro

Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on December 21, 2016, 11:47:46 PM
I was using Tamiya and those were alright apart from washes.  I found if you mixed them with water, they became very glossy.  I ended up buying a big paint kit from Citadel only to learn later that GW/Citadel paints don't have the best rep.  That appears to be true.

I've used a couple Tamiya colors and they look rather.. plastic-like?.. I dunno how to describe their paint consistency, but it's weird. 

Nearly all my paints are Vallejo.  Been quite happy with them and the dropper bottles make it easy to be stingy efficient with them. 

After using a wet palette, it's also easier for me to water down the paints, and keep them that consistency for longer.  Doesn't take as much extra water since the palette is pretty damp anyway.  I've had issues getting them watered down enough in the past, but it's become easier this way.

Bison

I think Citadel is a fine paint, but I'm not a fan of the pots and they charge you a premium for less paint in them.  I think they do it to dry the paint out quicker.  The Citadel washes, however, are fantastic.  I know dumping more money into paints isn't what you want to do, but I'd look at Vallejo eventually too.

Bison

Finished up the bears minis from Wraith of Ashardalon.  I hated painting these things.  Brown and a little more brown not to mention the model wasn't a very good cast.  Blah.  Oh well I primed a couple of Reaper Bones minis today and hope to sit and start painting those tonight.

BanzaiCat

We had a nice coupon for Michael's craft store usable only today for 40% off acryllic paints, so I went and grabbed a bunch of them, some white primer, brushes, and a tray to store everything in. Gotta jury-rig something in the garage to apply the primer to minis with, but first, gotta figure out which game gets the painting...lol.

BanzaiCat

The more I'm looking at all of my games with plastic minis, the more I'm thinking I just need to put primer on ALL of them at once. I was planning on doing that this weekend with my Star Wars Imperial Assault minis.

Is that a good idea/okay to do? I mean, it might be a while before I get to painting all of them. And in all honesty I might start with a different set; I just happened to put all the SW:IA figs into this container I got to hold my paints and such. Thinking of starting with Shadows of Brimstone, actually, since I want to get that to the table next, or maybe Fortune and Glory instead. I dunno.

While I hem and haw at which set to actually start with, does it matter if I just spray the lot of them with primer and put away the ones I won't get to for a while? Or is it better to just do the primer when you know you're going to start painting in 24 hours?

Nefaro

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 12, 2017, 02:08:25 PM
The more I'm looking at all of my games with plastic minis, the more I'm thinking I just need to put primer on ALL of them at once. I was planning on doing that this weekend with my Star Wars Imperial Assault minis.

Is that a good idea/okay to do? I mean, it might be a while before I get to painting all of them. And in all honesty I might start with a different set; I just happened to put all the SW:IA figs into this container I got to hold my paints and such. Thinking of starting with Shadows of Brimstone, actually, since I want to get that to the table next, or maybe Fortune and Glory instead. I dunno.

While I hem and haw at which set to actually start with, does it matter if I just spray the lot of them with primer and put away the ones I won't get to for a while? Or is it better to just do the primer when you know you're going to start painting in 24 hours?


Just spray prime a bunch at a time.  If there's no extreme temperature or humidity where they'll be drying. 

By it's nature, primer sticks to the mini quite well.  I wouldn't worry about chipping it off or anything.  Less so than actual paint.

Bison

I'd primer my "practice" minis first and start painting.  The first few might turn out less than optimal, because its just the nature of learning to paint.

BanzaiCat

Thanks, Nef and Bison.

I might start with the Shadows of Brimstone heroes (four pieces). I gotta get some ticky-tack to secure the base to something before I start detailed painting (LOL, "detailed"). I don't really have anything that would work and be stable.

I can't wait to see what a disaster these turn out to be.  :D I'll be sure to post pics so you guys can laugh at me.

BanzaiCat

Finally had time to get my Shadows of Brimstone figures to the garage for a primer coat.



I think it went well, though I was afraid I was putting too much on.



These Void Spiders were difficult; I couldn't secure them since they don't have bases, but I just went ahead and flipped them on their backs to spray them, then when they dry I'll flip them over again on their legs and give them another coat.







The more I look at them, the more detail I can see, so I guess I didn't put too much on.



Or maybe I did. It's not like I've done this before.

Can't wait for them to dry! Though I have no idea where to start or what to start with. Stormtroopers would have been easy - those are mostly white to begin with. Oh well there's plenty of vids in this thread and out there so I'll figure it out.

BanzaiCat

I think I'm supposed to be using some epoxy that fills the joints in some of the minis, but I'm not going that far down the rabbit hole.

Nefaro

The spray job does look a little thick, but it could just be the primer color and the light. 

If you are using actual primer spray, you don't really need much at all.  It's just there as a better bond between paint and plastic, not for color.  Having that extra grip, it doesn't need much.  I've even seen people say it's okay to have little speckles of plastic still showing, if the majority of the surface is covered in primer.


Unfortunately the minis in Shadows Of Brimstone aren't all that great regarding details compared to some others.  They're not horrible, but mine had somewhat mushed faces & such.  Compared to boardgame minis with good details, such as Descent 2nd Edition, they were a just a little disappointing.  Especially since some other good ones, like in the Descent example, come pre-assembled and save so much time.  But the theme is cool as is the sculpt art so I'm good with it overall.