Best Undercoat for Miniatures When Using Contrast Colors & Washes Part 2

[@patrickbetts5504]

Putting spray cans in warm water (not hot or boiling!) for about ten minutes also helps with thinning the paint , it expands the gas and helps it spray in a finer mist. You should also dunk the can from time to time while using it, as the propellant will cool the can when you spray.

[@gaminggeek241]

I'll definitely try it out! Thanks for the tip!

[@Emloch]

Vallejo primers come with a fine-mist cap, which I have found to be excellent for spraying minis. Howbeit, I only use an airbrush now anyway.

[@Higzilla]

Kinda hard to judge.. looks like you were priming outside in fairly high winds. Pooling with the airbrush means you are too close or too high pressure

[@DriveThruReview]

I live in North Idaho and use rattle cans in the dead of winter all the time. Just take them inside the day before you want to spray. Then when ready, go ahead and spray outside or in the garage (where I spray). The can should be good for some time.

[@HasteHobbies]

Yeah, and you can go the extra mile and put the cans in some hot water before you use them to make sure its really fluid

[@gaminggeek241]

So there's really no issue with sub-freezing temperatures? I've used rattle cans as cold as 35 degrees F, but not into the teens or lower.

[@DriveThruReview]

@@gaminggeek241 I don't know that I would do it "in the elements"... but if you have a garage and don't spend more than 10-15 minutes out there, should be OK. I've done it fine. Again, I wouldn't spend a lot of time out at that temp. To be clear, I do try and prime while it's NOT that cold :)

[@gaminggeek241]

@@DriveThruReview Okay, I'll try it this winter! I do have a garage so can be protected from the wind.

[@HasteHobbies]

@@gaminggeek241 Miniac made a silly video about it, he seems to think it can works in the super cold (though he does say it may depend on your brand). I can't speak from experience on it though. kzbin.info/www/bejne/navMlnR9n5iLgZY

[@NargSmart]

Thanks for the ranking and breakdown. I agree with previous comments about warming the can in water and a good shake before. I had the same speckled effect with white, but after warming for 5 min beforehand I was able to get a smooth white zenithal with citadel cans.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, that has worked for me too.

[@HasteHobbies]

I love your comparison videos! This one is no exception. Thoughts on... Spray paint application: I wonder if the high winds were contributing to the speckling. If it is so, I don't have a solution for it off hand. Also, I would recommend letting spray can sit in a bowl of hot water before spraying them to get'm fluid. That may also allow them to work on super cold days. Airbrush ink application: Ink is very thin, it looks like you may have been applying to much to an area resulting in spiderwebbing / pooling. The ink won't reach full opacity in one coat. For speed painting a zenithal with inks I would recommend a "2 quick thin pass approach." Also adding a little matt varnish to the ink will make it tougher and a little less shiny. That said, it seems like you were doing really well with thinned stynylrez primer, doing 150 models without a clog is amazing! :)

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, I think I was putting on too much of the ink in one go. Someone else suggested the same thing, to do multiple thin passes. I might stick with Stynylrez for now though since I'm getting good results with it. I'll also try placing the Montana can in warm water too--thanks for the suggestions!

[@jasoncoder]

Excellent breakdown! My take: for tabletop quality any will work. I've used rattle cans for years (currently using tamiya ultra fine white) for zenithals and get great results. If you're trying for a golden demon buy an airbrush and get gud with it. Because that's the only time someone is getting that close and caring :)

[@thebrewgeek]

Rustoleum “chalked” white spray paint (linen white I believe) works quite well and has much less speckling for me. Ive been using it over black and been pretty happy.

[@thebrewgeek]

I should add that you can also use the Rustoleum satin colors like heirloom white to great success with contrast paints. They do stay sticky on soft plastic board game minis, but just hit it with a light spray of Rustoleum frosted glass and you are ready to paint. Frosted glass kills the sticky on everything, including bones white material.

[@gaminggeek241]

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to try it.

[@TrezonasReptiles]

You’re a painting god. After work, then time with the wife and kids I have about 2 or 3 hours to paint at night to get maybe 1 model done lol.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, but you probably don't have 1,400 miniatures coming in the next seven months!

[@RobOngrui]

I'm late to the party. But I'm having a blast with army painter primer - I have 2 models where I just touched up the zenithal with a glaze or a wash and called it a day. No gritty texture at all.

[@tp6498]

I was bummed out in part 1 that you didn't include using a rattlecan as a 4th option when applying a zenithal highlight. My concerns were obviously premature since you make that comparison here in part 2. After viewing both videos I think I'm going to go with a black or dark gray base primer covered by a heavy dry brush of white or light grey, depending on the mini. Im thinking that if I don't leave as much of the black or dark gray base coat showing in the flat areas it will make the shadow detail in the folds and creases pop more and the mini look less dirty and splotchy overall. Thank you so much for the inspiration! Another big 👍from me.

[@krusty1796]

You might consider using off with like pale yellow instead of grey and purple instead of black even brown. If you look are the big red guy in the part 1 the darker part feel strange because shadow is not really black in reality but more the complement of the lighted part. B&W are better for undercoating cold color and of yellow Purple/brown better for warm color.

[@southpaw5483]

Appreciate your videos. Do you apply a "seal coat" after the Zenithal and before you apply the ContrastPaint/Washes ?

[@gaminggeek241]

Nope, I just paint on top of the zenithal.

[@southpaw5483]

@@gaminggeek241 Thank you kindly.

[@doremicocoparis9410]

I'm using corax white rattle can outside with no wind and it's smoother than the rattle can I see you using. Maybe it's the brand or the lack of wind (or both) that improves the zenithal results

[@gaminggeek241]

Definitely less wind is better. I think the finer the particles, the better the effect.

[@michaelholts1598]

Citadel and Army Painter both sell rattle can primers. Probably a better choice than rustolium

[@Quijanos1]

Superlative analysis.

[@jackmausshardt3930]

Great video as always

[@gaminggeek241]

Thanks again!

[@alexandrezambeaux]

Use liquitex white ink, you will much smoother white than the fw.

[@recowabunga7200]

Random upvote for the algorithm

[@leestride2285]

I was looking at using Montana for general priming (not zenithal) would it do the job? My local game store keep running of wraith bone/ grey seer for contrast base. These are also cheaper so I'm wondering if these will do the job.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, definitely, although I've moved to just using regular spray primer from Rustoleum 2X Ultracover because I am not seeing enough difference to warrant paying 3x the amount.

[@MasonPeatross]

Rattle cans add up in cost. Using an airbrush will initially be more expensive, but eventually you'll save money.

[@drewgrgich]

I come here for the GGGG stinger.

[@j453]

Whats shadows of brimstone? A game, or a line of 3d printed minis?

[@gaminggeek241]

SoB is a game from Flying Frog that is a Warhammer Quest clone but in a western/gothic theme. Forbidden Fortress is their Japanese version of the game. If you want an overview, check out my video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6PKoIeIisiAaK8

[@Scubasgamecorner]

Awesome follow up video :) Which game are the Ninjas from ?

[@gaminggeek241]

All minis are from Flying Frog's Forbidden Fortress which is part of their Shadows of Brimstone line of games.

[@Scubasgamecorner]

@@gaminggeek241 Awesome , Thanks

[@mambru34771]

How does it take paint after primed with montana when I used with the contrast paints it would not stick to the primer it would just keep pooling and not painting any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[@gaminggeek241]

I've had no problem with the paint sticking to the primer, as you can see from the video. Are you washing your minis before priming? Sometimes the mold release will cause problems and a little bit of warm water with dish soap and working it with a toothbrush will help.

[@mambru34771]

@@gaminggeek241 yeah I wash them with warm soapy water and i don't have that problem with the rust-oleum or krylon brands only with the montana but the one I was using wasn't gold it was a white can with the number 94 I wonder if that's the problem. Thanks for the response and keep the videos coming

[@gaminggeek241]

@@mambru34771 Sorry to hear about that. I can affirm the Montana Gold Shock White takes contrast colors very well.

[@custardstuff5178]

You can't put inks straight onto plastic, it requires a flat primer base. If those models were primed before applying the ink, you're probably too close.

[@cabe_bedlam]

Yeah, I always throw a coat of Vallejo black primer (but really, whichever brand works for you) down first before starting the zenithal coat with inks.

[@gaminggeek241]

Those minis are primed black (I use Rustoleum 2X Ultracover Flat Black). Others are saying my pressure is too high with the ink so I'll adjust.

[@custardstuff5178]

@@gaminggeek241 I spray at 25PSI and never saw the issues you had, good luck!

[@gaminggeek241]

@@custardstuff5178 All right, I'll try lowering my pressure--I've been spraying at 30 so far.

[@cabe_bedlam]

@@gaminggeek241 It definitely looks more like the pooling/beading I would expect on unprimed minis rather than spiderwebbing (it pushing the paint around on the surface), but like yourself, I am pretty green to airbrushes. Have you tried other primers? It might just be something in the Rustoleum that thinner inks just don't like. Certainly not something I have seen with the Liquitex inks I have, but I batch prime and do several really thin coats as I am not necessarily looking for ultimate speed. I wish you luck in the quest, 200 minis a month is about 100 times more than I am doing :)

[@doctorbandage]

Can you make a video sharing how you're painting this stuff so fast?! 50 minis per week is absolutely nuts.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, if you watch any of my speed painting tutorials, you can see how I'm basically doing one coat of contrast colors/washes over the primed model. I don't do any highlighting. In this next Friday's video (11/13/20), I'll include a step-by-step tutorial using contrast colors so you can see how it works.