Brush painting - best Primer

[ChuChu]

Hi,

 

I am looking for advice which primer is the best for brush painting.

 

Any advice? I saw a lot of comments about miniatures painting, but not too many in terms of vehicles/aircrafts. I know that material is more or less the same, but size is different.

 

In the past I painted few of my models with Vallejo paint without primer. I did not have too much or almost any issues. Unfortunately yesterday I had huge issues with Jeep Willys. Parts were washed in soapy water and IPA and despite this, I were able to remove paint from edges when I just held model. Disaster.

[Nerazzurri]

Not brush painted, I know, but not airbrush either - if you can accept rattle cans, that's the way to go I'd say. If you're careful with your application they don't flood models the way some suggest, and they shrink right back to reveal all the detail.

 

Tamiya and Army Painter are the two I'd recommend, with AP being the most economical - a bigger outlay, but a much bigger can.

 

If you absolutely must brush on, you're probably looking at something like Ammo One Shot or a Stynelrez type. I've not been happy with results brushing those.......but that could just be my lacking!

[Beard]

Acrylics can be a right so-and-so when brush painting large areas but you don't necessarily need a primer.

There's some advice here: 

I'll also tag @Troy Smith because he knows a bit about the subject.

[ChuChu]

1 hour ago, Nerazzurri said:

if you can accept rattle cans, that's the way to go I'd say.

Unfortunately I do not have place to use cans

 

35 minutes ago, Beard said:

Acrylics can be a right so-and-so when brush painting large areas but you don't necessarily need a primer.

I did this in the past and have no idea why it did not work now... I checked topic. Thank you!

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, ChuChu said:

In the past I painted few of my models with Vallejo paint without primer. I did not have too much or almost any issues. Unfortunately yesterday I had huge issues with Jeep Willys. Parts were washed in soapy water and IPA and despite this, I were able to remove paint from edges when I just held model. Disaster.

Acrylics while they dry fast,  minutes, they take time to cure, 1-3 days depending.    You need to build up a shell of paint, as in multiple coats of paint, and then let it cure.  

Until cured they are very fragile.  

 

You can try using Tamiya acrylics as a primer, it has a bit more grip on plastic,  but no acrylic really bonds to plastic,  but forms a shell around it.

 

@Casey  maybe able to explain the paint curing better.

 

HTH

[Casey]

9 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

Parts were washed in soapy water and IPA and despite this, I were able to remove paint from edges when I just held model.

As Troy said, Vallejo needs a bit more time to get cured. Acrylic paint starts curing the moment it is dry, but it takes even up to a week, depending on the environment.

 

But here is a thing - Acrylic paints do not "stick" to the surface, if the surface is an edge or is very smooth, they are more forming a "glove". If you want them to stick, use a matt primer - they offer rough surface where paint can latch on. 

 

Acrylic paint, before it cures is fully possible to be handled but you need to be gentle.

[ChuChu]

7 hours ago, Casey said:

If you want them to stick, use a matt primer - they offer rough surface where paint can latch on. 

 

I did quick test on spare parts: instead of #3000 sanding sponge, I used #1000. Difference is huge. Only after few hours, it is really hard to remove paint.

Probably this is the main point, which solved my issues in the past (if I am not wrong, I used Scotch Brite to make parts surface rough).

 

I also tried to use Vallejo Surface Primer. It stick to plastic really nicely, but it is hard to paint good, even layer.

 

Before I start next model, probably I will make some more testing on spare parts.

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 05:31 AM by ChuChu

[szeregowy]

I would avoid Vallejo primer for brush painting, especially on small surfaces. I've made an error of trying to prime a set of tracks using a brush and the results were terrible. Primer clogged small gaps between links and made the tracks very stiff, even though I was trying to go as thin with the layer as possible.

 

Like @Casey mentioned, try to roughen up the surface, so that the paint have something to stick on.

[ColonelKrypton]

VMS has recently released a new primer product called "VMS No Peel Primer".

 

Available in a number of different colours and is airbrush ready ( i.e. no thinning needed ) but can also be applied with a brush. So far I have found good reviews but have yet to try this product myself but do intend to.

 

https://www.vms-supplies.com/product-page/vms-no-peel-primer-100-ml

 

Quote

VMS No-Peel primer is a high performance primer combining adhesion and durability levels of solvent-based primers and working ease of water-based products. Simply put, an odourless, sure-fire primer that will adhere to any surface and not peel away like generic acrylic and acrylic polyurethane primers. Suited to prime plastic, metal, resin and 3D printed parts to give your paints an adhesion and durability boost.Thinned for airbrushing and self leveling...

 

cheers, Graham