Ultimate Guide to Primer - HC 318

In this Hobby Cheating Tutorial, I take you through everything Primer. All the types of primers, colors, application and everything you've (hopefully) ever wanted to know about this essential first step of getting your miniature ready to paint. Hope you enjoy!
0:00 Intro
1:06 Rattlecan Basics
2:35 Airbrush Primer Basics
3:29 Brush-On Primer Basics
5:05 Rattlecan vs Airbrush
10:52 Applying Primer
14:43 Colored Primer
18:50 Undershade & Zenithal
24:58 When to Prime Black
27:07 Wrap-Up
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[@stefanblackadder5236]

I’m a “historical figure painter “ and I’ve learned so much from you. If this is your creative outlet, then, and I’m not kidding here, you’re a national treasure.

[@scomae5445]

I'd say international because I'm not from the USA and really love vince's video :)

[@ArchBunBun]

No kidding! God I wish he would just go get a patreon so that I could start giving back a little. This is the best resource out there by far.

[@VinceVenturella]

Well thank you, yes, this is my creative outlet and hobby and I am always glad to help people. That means a great deal to me and happy to help. :)

[@stanlee2200]

Historical painter...does that mean youre really old? Lol im kidding

[@stefanblackadder5236]

@@stanlee2200 actually yes…haha haha

[@superlurkeable]

I found a very particular use of brush-on primer to be for broken pieces. Sometimes part of a mini will chip slightly, or I'll have to re-glue a piece which might require me to sand the bit before glueing. Brush on is nice to have to re-prime a specific area after you glued it and then re paint over it!

[@tamsinp7711]

Another use for colour primers is when you want to desaturate the paint colours going on top. As an example, for my WW2 Australians I used Vallejo red-brown primer which helped to tone down the greens of their uniform and provided a good base for the flesh.

[@VinceVenturella]

100%, I actually use this pretty frequently in videos, I can't believe I missed it. :)

[@MaskedRiderChris]

I'm starting to use my colored Vallejo primers more often to this end as well, as it happens!

[@ScytheNoire]

One useful thing to do after a zenithal highlight is to take a picture of it. This lets you call back to it to make sure you are getting your shades and highlights correct. Just another reference point tool to use. Can also then use an graphic edit program to do test paint schemes. I think Lyla Mev was the first place I heard about doing this.

[@drizzitdude]

My favorite primer is Vallejo Surface Primer black. Even when applied with a brush, it is almost like magic how well it comes out and it actually saves you on paint! I have a large brush I generally use for priming when I am working and can't use an airbrush. With Vallejo Surface Primer you can put one drop of black on a wet pallet and is that will be enough to get through an entire miniature, what is really crazy about it is how thin it comes out, it never mucks up details or crevices even when I feel like I got too much on a brush. It feels like it is somehow noob-proof primer. I cannot recommend it enough.

[@VinceVenturella]

I am a big fan for sure.

[@endlessfight]

You always have such a concise delivery, while remaining personable. I truly appreciate your ability to suggest what we may already know, without condescension. It is with this approach that we are able to proceed and grow in a safe space with a safe mentor. I can’t thank you enough for your contribution to our hobby.

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, that means a great deal and I am always happy to help.

[@Butter2731]

Your channel is an absolute treasure trove for new painters like myself! Thank you so much for all the work you put into these videos!

[@VinceVenturella]

You're very welcome!

[@grumpymeggo]

I would say one advantage of "miniature rattle can primers" e.g. Army Painter is that you can get specific colors that match with the colors of their miniature paint range.

[@kobold_ts]

Not sure how about AP but sprays from GW don't match their pot paints, like, at all. You get two products of the same name (e.g. Mechanicus Standard Grey), one in a can, one in a pot - and the shades will be completely different.

[@grumpymeggo]

@@kobold_ts The AP sprays I had in the past did match! 👍🏻

[@DMNKLR_official]

@@kobold_ts yeah the TAP ones are guaranteed to match. Oddly, the bigger issue is that their paints in the bottles don't always match, so when buying a replacement bottle, one need be picky and see it in person or spin the roulette wheel and hope for the best.

[@VinceVenturella]

I get that and I can see where that is valuable I suppose. For myself, any red that looks close is basically going to be fine.

[@MrMockigton]

@@VinceVenturella agreed. even if i prime in the "correct" colour, i never just leave that primer layer as it is.

[@kevinhayes517]

A very useful “primer” on primers…..really appreciate the time you spend and the clarity you bring to each subject. And thanks for talking about the curing times on the primers: this will save me a lot of time as I usually wait at least 1-2 days to make sure it’s fully dry and set. Thanks again!

[@VinceVenturella]

Always happy to help. :)

[@philipspringall7068]

Love seeing ya face Vince! Amazing and in depth as always!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@benwatson9642]

Awesome. Love getting a straight, no frills, 10 best ways to make your painting look like you are a master video. Great stuff

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help. :)

[@joaofilhobarbosa6891]

Fantástico, Vince. Tirou todas as minhas dúvidas sobre primer. Obrigado

[@ThePingouin2ter]

Great video! Just wanted to add that Vallejo Desert Tan for airbrush is a great primer for contrast paint, and gives the tonal warmth that is often sought.

[@VinceVenturella]

Great tip!

[@SvenEnterlein]

12:28 one of the most important tricks! I am using the stynylrez primers and they definitely need thinning but even when thinned quite a bit, I always had issues with clogging. Adding a bit of cleaner or thinner before loading the primer works wonders! Thank you so much for pointing out all the differences. While most seem obvious, it never hurts getting them spelled out.

[@VinceVenturella]

Always happy to help. :)

[@markfreiberg9906]

I myself just yesterday tried Stynylez®primer in my airbrush for the first time, and I had clogs essentially from my first touch of the trigger! I was so frustrated I almost threw the whole bottle away! However, I guessed that some thinner might help, and it did -- a bit. I still had far more clogging than with any other paint or primer, but the results on the item being sprayed (a model aircraft) were beautiful once I could get the Stynylrez primer to spray onto the item. The jury is still out for me, but I will continue to try pre-loading thinner and perhaps other additives (retarder?).

[@pedroalves6425]

Best tutorials on the internet! Thank you. Very comprehensive.

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Fascinating explanation. Thanks so much for sharing your skills and insight. I have been painting minis for over fifty years and I am still learning thanks to your videos. Very best wishes from the UK.

[@ElPrezAU]

Great video as always. Commenting to say that if you ever get the opportunity, give Molotow All in One a go. I previously used Vallejo and Stynylrez but after Molotow I'm never going back. Ridiculously durable, super thin (sprays through my .3mm HP BH out of the bottle with no issues at all) and lays down smoother than any other primer I've used. Even though it's not, strictly speaking, sold as a primer (it's actually a marker formulation for graffiti artists) it remains an excellent adhesive surface for subsequent layers of paint. It's one of those products that leaves you thinking there is some form of witchcraft at play after you use it. :)

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, it's really good stuff, but it's hard to find in the US. :)

[@jamesgalbreath343]

Very helpful video! As someone just beginning to play around the edges of this craft, I really needed a basic explanation of priming. Suggestion: it would be very helpful to have an explanation of "reading" the miniature before priming and painting. I know for those who are experts this comes instinctively, but watching you take a raw miniature and explain how you analyze that paint layering prior to doing any of the actual application of anything to the surface would be immensely helpful. Show how you "map" the project in your mind in order to choose primer and colors?

[@jamminghaze]

well planned is half done. XD

[@VinceVenturella]

I'll see what I can do. :)

[@jamesgalbreath343]

@@VinceVenturella Thanks, I'll look forward to it!

[@Arne_K]

Sharing your knowledge is deeply appriciated Vince! I've been painting for five years and i'm still grab some gems from the hobby cheating series. Your advice on using airbrush primes helped me out with the constant clogging.

[@VinceVenturella]

That's awesome to hear and always happy to help. :)

[@prickswithstix1113]

Great video on the basics. I am so glad you continue to do these types of videos. I always learn something if not reminded of something I need to re focus on!!!!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@HeadHunterSix]

From my own experience, it doesn't matter if your paint is "opaque" over a xenithal primer - the color of a primer can and does affect the tone of the colors placed over it, even if you can't "see through" at all. I learned that when painting Imperial Fists. Tried over pink, white, red-brown and neutral primers and even once I got an even coat, they still all looked different.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yes, this is espcially true with brighter colors. The more saturated the hue, the more it can be affected especially by dark primers.

[@rikowal]

While I wouldn’t recommend them for new folks, but Im in love with lacquer based airbrush primer like Mr.Surfacer. Goes on like a dream, sands no problem, and if you use a leveling thinner with a nice clean coat.

[@VinceVenturella]

There is likely a whole video in that. :)

[@EricHonaker]

I started using Mr. Finishing Surfacer this year after starting scale modeling. It's just so good!

[@spamstabber]

Lacquers are a dream to use, just a shame they require a lot more ventilation than acrylics. Too impractical for a lot of small home setups 😔

[@Grithertime]

You are a machine sir with amazingly helpful insights to painting efficiently and not wasting time!

[@VinceVenturella]

Always happy to help.

[@derricklung]

Thank you for these high yield tips! Helped me have my best priming session since I started the hobby 3 years ago!

[@VinceVenturella]

Wonderful!

[@druidobianco9734]

Best brush on primer i ever tried, even if it doesn’t say “primer” on it, is molotow one4all. It’s incredibly thin, dry fast and is tough (tougher than vallejo anyway)

[@VinceVenturella]

It's hard to get in the states, but I know many people are a great fan of it.

[@MikeScarbro]

This was a great video! I can tell you're really working on stepping up the production values on the last few vids, so keep up the great work. One note - the audio is a bit low, so boosting the levels a bit while editing would be great.

[@VinceVenturella]

Thanks! Will do!

[@absolutecardboard1703]

I'm just getting into the hobby and this cleared up ALOT for me. Thank you so much!

[@VinceVenturella]

You are so welcome! Always happy to help. :)

[@AllegedDev]

I've just recently started painting models and miniatures. My results were NOT good. A bunch of people recommended your videos. You have SO much good info, and these videos have been SO helpful. Thanks!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad I could help!

[@christianschmidt1784]

Molotow acrylics are great as primers. Especially their purple is a great start for a vibrant, easy yellow.

[@brokefun7545]

Their vibrant colors are amazing , usually on sale at my local hobby lobby

[@VinceVenturella]

I couldn't find any near me sadly.

[@christianschmidt1784]

@@VinceVenturella Jackson's Art and Blick Material do ship them. They are really worth a try.

[@RossBobbie]

I would also add gesso as a brush on primer, it acts a little different than just a paint.

[@the_elder_medium]

I have had good results with acrylic gesso as well. Even when thinned and run through my airbrush. They're ultra matte and perform well.

[@DMNKLR_official]

I use gesso for all of my Reaper Bones minis, and Stynylrez for everything else. The 2 work so perfectly for those applications. Just whatever you do, don't thin/reduce the gesso with water, for Bones anyway, cuz it'll have a heckuva hard time adhering. Made that mistake early on, and learned my lesson quick!

[@VinceVenturella]

It is another interesting option.

[@TheTruthx58]

I use Gesso because I don't want to go inside and outside all time as I live in an apartment and setting up/getting an airbrush is also incredibly annoying. The only issue I've bumped into is sometimes they have small little pinholes that you have to touch up.

[@krzysztofmathews738]

This is an excellent, very clearly articulated overview. Very good!

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, always happy to help. :)

[@scurvyphansen]

As a relatively new painter of miniatures, this was extremely informative to me. I'll never reach high-level painting skill, but this kind of info will help me at least not get embarrassed by my figures on the game table. Thank you.

[@evulutionofgaming]

Hey Vince, Just wondering what the difference between airbrush flow improver and airbrush thinner. Is there different reason for using them.

[@sarahdisco-dolly1150]

I heard that thinner still cures and so can cause blocking of the needle, would flow improver help slow down the cure and help prevent blocking?

[@VinceVenturella]

Thinner is (generally) a mix of medium and a little flow improver. It's the binder medium that is thinning the paint without adding more solvent. FLow IMprover is just an addititive, it breaks up surface tension. Both are useful.

[@evulutionofgaming]

@@VinceVenturella Thanks for your quick response, and all the info.

[@giraton1]

The only thing I swear by when it comes to rattle cans is I can't trust white from non-miniature sprays, cause the pigments from hardware store cans can vary drastically and I find they clump far more often than the miniature cans. Grey or black is just 1 to 1 the same, white I'm a lot more picky on. Not that I really use rattle cans these days anyway.

[@Mikey__R]

I wouldn't go anywhere near a white rattle can. I'd use grey rattle can, then give it an all over coat of MIG Sand primer.

[@VinceVenturella]

I would generally recommend to stay away from all true white rattle cans in general. :)

[@warrencann3824]

Another fantastic video. You are are a great teacher Vince!

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, always happy to help. :)

[@el_passo_painting2796]

I have always used hardware store cans to zenithal prime from black and grey. Very cheep and effective,like Vince said. I painted 6 armies last year using this method and no complaints at all. Ive recently decided to move to airbrush primer to experiment more with single mini painting and busts. Should be fun! Great advice for anyone especially beginner painters.👍

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, 100%

[@timburgis8339]

I'd be interested to know if anyone uses a zenithal technique when painting a strong OSL effect. If you had a mini standing by a fire why not just zenithal prime from the position of the fire rather than from above?

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, that's why I mention the other names. Really, you're just creating a lighting scheme.

[@adfmac]

The ‘zenithal’ part of a zenithal prime is the spraying from above, if you change the position of the light it is no longer zenithal, but some other directional tonal sketch.

[@EArkham]

Have you ever tried priming with Molotow? I tried them after watching a MarcoNJM vid, and have been hooked ever since. What are your thoughts?

[@Thornbeard]

Dude that is what I prime with as well. Same story with Marco as well, got some from Bombing Science in the 180ml refill bottles (Black, Grey, and White). I haven't looked back since. Goes on so smooth and really sticks.

[@jordydavis6642]

If someone isn't 100% Molotow it is because they haven't actually tried it yet plain and simple. Easily the best primer you can get hands down

[@nubbetudde8922]

I do not now if it is the best, but it works great in my experience. I am pondering to test one of their sticks on anything and covers anything black marker colors I am just a little concerned that it will kill my airbrush.

[@VinceVenturella]

They are hard to get in the states, but I know Marco swears by them,.

[@jordydavis6642]

@@VinceVenturella I get mine from Blick Art Supply! It's always in stock everytime I check. I would highly suggest at least getting the black and trying it for sure. It's a very smooth thin coat with no thinner needed, but some might be deterred by the satin finish.

[@aspermypreviousemail5907]

I enjoyed this video because even if I didn't need any more information about primers, I did need more Vince in my life.

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, always happy to help. :)

[@OpticFusion]

Finally received my Compressor and Airbrush yesterday. Undercoated my first model using zenithal highlighting. I will never go back to rattle cans except for terrain. An airbrush is the best thing I have ever used. It was raining last night and I could undercoat without any problems. Thank you Vince for all the tutorials on this. Some more beginner tutorials for airbrushing techniques would be great if you have the time.

[@VinceVenturella]

It's amazing.

[@AtomicKitty31]

Citadel primer has quite a lot of acetone in it (~60%), which in my experience makes it stick on miniature quite a lot better than airbrush primer. I can remove Vallejo airbrush primer with my nails for instance. Even after paint and varnish, I find that the paint rubs off much more on mini primed with Vallejo airbrush primer. I have not tried other rattlecans or other airbrush primers, so I can't comment on whether it's a brand thing or if it's an airbrush vs rattlecan thing. I find my prefered method is to prime with Citadel chaos black primer, then zenithal with white (or grey, or both) Vallejo airbrush primer.

[@shoty2k]

same here, i only use primers which are not water based because the rest doesn't stick to well. On the other hand vallejo black and green can easily be rubbed off even after months of driying time while the white one sticks as hard as a rock...I have no solution to the issue except to stick with primer with some acetone in it.

[@jimsabo1189]

I live in Southeast Asia. The price for spray cans is atrocious and finding a proper substitute is not so easy(not to mention dealing with humidity). I use Vallejo airbrush primer, but the white is definitely easy to remove. Black i find is actually quite durable if you let it cure for a day.

[@SuperDuperHappyTime]

I found a Army Painter Primer SDS. It has no Acetone listed, but has methanol. I think Vince’s point is there isn’t a difference between the cheap and army rattlecans. (I’ve seen a few differences though)

[@Scott-hv1fy]

I had the same thing happen to me. Do you do more than one coat? I only ever used one coat of Vallejo surface primer and it would come off on my nail no problem.

[@VinceVenturella]

That 60% number feels wrong based on what I'm seeing, but I will say I've coated thousands of miniatures in Vallejo primer, usually just two thin quick coats and don't have an issue (why is everyone scraping their fingernails across their miniatures???) ;)

[@NikkiAnnMarie]

You mentioned you would briefly go over a third kind of rattlecan in the intro, but I don't think you did later on - were these artist's rattlecans, like Molotow/Montana? My experience with those is that they're about the price of hardware store cans, but a nicer quality paint, and the interchangeable nozzles for different applications are nice too, almost a high throughput airbrush at that point.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, the graffiti and artist rattlecans were the next.

[@richardmarriott-smith9517]

Great video. I found when I started zenithal priming, that the most useful aspect was being able to “read” the mini so much more easily. It really improved my painting.

[@karlmarxjr7049]

Wow from a total noob to anything to do with paint, you've saved me a bunch of time and moneh about what primer to get XD. Thanks!!

[@davidholden7277]

Ah, a primer on primer. It's the video we didn't know we needed. Thanks for your insights as always Vince

[@VinceVenturella]

Just wait until I have to go to the Primer for the Primer on Primers.

[@nikroth]

Thank you ! I was in real need of what to pick for my next primer !!

[@Phanterinos]

Thank you Vince, i recently bought my first airbrush and and i will prime my mini's from now on with it. Very detailed info expecially i appreciated the Thinner+primer tip.

[@VinceVenturella]

Happy to help!

[@quietside3734]

Thank you for your service to the hobby.

[@VinceVenturella]

You bet - always happy to help. :)

[@todsmith6591]

'this was designed to cover your chair on your back deck' says it all. Controlling the amount of primer coming out is very important. Thank you kindly for this video.

[@motorboot2822]

Damnit, Vince, you've got me. 1,5 years into the hobby and I've already spent enough on rattlecans to afford me an airbrush starter set. Got 6k points of Beastmen ready to be primed, so it's either 40 bucks on more rattlecans, or bite the bullet on an airbrush.

[@PhD777]

Outstanding video, Vince! A few things to add... Re: Can Primers - Since the early-mid 1970's I have used Krylon Flat White & Ultra Flat Black spray-paint - not primer- as the spray-can primer tends toward obscuring detail compared to the spray-paint (thousands of miniatures with no issue). Sketch/zenithal: This can be achieved by brushing (wet or dry) white/light color over the darker undercoat if the can or airbrush is not an option. Brush-on primer: acrylic professional or artist quality Gesso is an excellent material to use that, when dry, does not obscure detail, as it "shrinks" to the surface to provide excellent tooth. This can be painted over or left exposed, too. (Use an old brush - taklon or nylon to apply the Gesso). As an aside: I also do large armies (Thirty Years War, English Civil War, Napoleonic) in 1/32nd scale (54mm) that contain soft plastic miniatures. Due to their flexibility and paint adhesion issues, I use Krylon Fusion spray-paint and Gesso as airbrushed primers do not have the adhesion and durability necessary to survive the he drops or bends. :)

[@InflatablePersianRug]

Great and useful video as always. If anyone is having big issues with priming and just cant figure out what they are doing wrong, id recommend trying a different primer. I couldnt for the life of me get vallejo surface primer to stick to anything. After drying and curing it just peeled off completely at the lightest touch of a finger. Tried multiple bottles and different colors and talked to various users of the product and never figured it out. I switched to stynelrez and problem solved instantly. 3 years later i still have no idea what was wrong. So if youre a newbie and something just seems like a product flat out doesnt work, you might not be crazy, it might just not be working for some reason even when everyone else says it works fine for them.

[@VinceVenturella]

Honestly, that is really good advice, especially since there is often intangible qualities to how well primers work (humidity and other factors).

[@andimusprime3383]

Great as always Vince. I would love a similar video on varnishes some day

[@VinceVenturella]

Great suggestion!

[@udipootaman]

Seeing a notification on my phone from your channel makes me put down what I’m currently doing then check and watch the video almost immediately, especially if it’s a Hobby Cheating video.

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you, that means a great deal and always happy to help.

[@youtmeme]

excellent!! as a newbie painter of miniatures, I have not painted anything before except in school, I find all this info awesome!!! ty!!!😊👍🤙✌✌

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dominicjaquin4780]

Very helpful to watch this video, it's been several years since I painted . Thank you

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@domenicmengel4256]

Thank you for this informative video. You answered every question I had.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@isisnmagic1812]

I use the Army brush on primer for all the reasons you dont use it ie I don't have space for an airbrush or the funds , and I cant use the cans due to health issues . I've only been painting miniatures for nearly two years now and just started watching your channel , did see you on a ninjon video once. Now watched two and this one was so helpful I've subscribed, I find thin coat of the army brush on primer doesn't hide the details on my miniatures, and this video has made me realise I dont need to go all over with a black Matt after ther grey primer as I have been doing and also shown me there is more than black or grey primer, no other video I've watched has shown this or even gone into detail about primers, thank you so much. Now to watch more of your video's.

[@VinceVenturella]

Awesome, happy to have you along on the hobby journey and always happy to help!

[@sebastiandodson189]

As always, love the videos. I think I need to pick up an air brush before I get started on my orruks.

[@VinceVenturella]

It's the best investment you can make.

[@jimrobinz3580]

I challenge you on the rattle cans. I live in the deep south USA. And I've used the shaker can from 34 degrees to 100 degrees anywhere between 80% to 100% humidity. And have great success with them. Follow the 6 to 8 inch rule. With a sweeping motion across the figure.

[@marcbowling6451]

I brush primer on during my lunch hour at work just so some sort of forward progress is made. I also have thoracic outlet syndrome so sometimes I literally can't airbrush or rattle can but can brush it on. Just some uses for it. Thanks for the content!

[@ryansergeant2896]

Thank you Vince. Very helpful

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Volcodom]

Oof I have felt the pain of letting primer sit too long in the cup and getting my needle stuck. Great video as always and not too much focus to get us into the weeds. The talk of angled zenithal priming can become so obtuse (even when I explain it) because once you get to the point where you are experimenting with value sketches that's all you end up talking about. I think Marco's fantastic video on rattle cans is a premium next watch for the crowd that has big projects they want to do well, and I've found Uncle Atoms demo on how to prime terrain gives a great overview of the actual spray technique to keep rattle paint smooth, but for the basics of priming and getting an understanding of how it all works and a general idea of when to use each tool this is a grade A resource that I'll come back to many time. Thanks as always Vince your vids have made me a better painter many times over.

[@VinceVenturella]

That's wonderful to hear and I am happy to help (I love both of the videos you mentioned as well). :)

[@Curran_Kleen_Brown]

Great video as always!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@ramonosuke]

Great knowledge! As a soon to be painter of minis, I was getting hung up on this topic so bad. I figured my money would be best saved towards actual paints, over the very expensive citadel/army painter primers starting out. I have heard good things on Krylon and Rustoleum's "CAMO" line, but might stick to the 2x flat black/white options

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad this was helpful. There is no reason those spray primers can't be perfectly fine for priming your miniatures. I prefer an airbrush, but many painters use rattle cans like you're describing to great effect.

[@casspirmk6338]

Vince, I have seen people just blow gas out of Rattlecan, then puncture a hole and relocate all liquid primer to plastic bottle for air brush use. Because 60 ml primer bottle cost 0.1 USD per ml ,while 400 ml rattlecan costs 0.035 USD per ml. And thanks a bunch for such a great tutorial

[@VinceVenturella]

Interesting! I've never heard of such a thing.

[@PaintMinisLive]

Hi Vince, I've just discovered your channel. Great work and excellent information presented in a well put together presentation. I've been brush painting for a couple of years and recently started using an airbrush to spice things up a bit. Like any eager newcomer to an airbrush I decided jump right in with priming my models with Vallejo primers. I followed the normal recommended procedures like thinning the primer just a bit and so on and had great success, I would clean out my air brush after each session, not realizing that I was making a huge mistake. My airbrush has a two component needle guard, meaning that you can unscrew one "half" of the needle guard and then the other to get to the parts where the needle and nozzle meet to spray the paint. I was left with a huge build up of dried primer all over this inner half that had built up over the course of many sessions. It keeps dropping dried flakes of primer onto the needle and clogging the finer components every now and then and is very much so cured onto the metal. What would be your recommended procedure for cleaning this? I don't want to damage the components or their coatings so I am reaching out as I have not seen anyone else cover this around the net. Thanks again and keep up the great work!

[@VinceVenturella]

Welcome! Glad to have you along on the hobby journey. So if you have paint dried in the nozzle, then you need a needle cleaner tool - www.amazon.com/Maxmoral-Stainless-Airbrush-Cleaning-Cleaner/dp/B091YVZG7S/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1LWS6XKZ7HR3G&keywords=needle+cleaner+airbrush&qid=1656631395&sprefix=needle+cleaner+airbrush%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-5 If you're dealing with paint anywhere else, then you could always soak it in something like isopropyl alcohol which will loosen everything up and you can then scrub. Some pipe cleaner tools can then be used to scrub, www.amazon.com/Airbrush-Painting-Cleaning-Accessories-Stainless/dp/B09GYCF2TF/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1LWS6XKZ7HR3G&keywords=needle+cleaner+airbrush&qid=1656631525&sprefix=needle+cleaner+airbrush%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-6 Worst case, you disassemble and use an ultra sonic cleaner it will get everything out. I like jewelry cleaner in the sonic cleaner.

[@PaintMinisLive]

@@VinceVenturella Thank you very much for the reply!

[@iamryankelly]

I've recently started using enamel primers (alclad) through the airbrush, and they are a real treat! Incredibly durable if you need to do any sanding. The only drawback is they can be very smooth and glossy, so as you said, the paint doesn't adhere well, especially oils. So a quick matte varnish as a last step is usually necessary.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yeah, I should do a whole follow-up on other primer types.

[@markpowell1164]

Great vid as always 👍👍

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you. :)

[@Pewpewchewchew]

I feel like there's pretty good value in hobby spray primers/paints over hardware primer in some cases. If you're building "main line" armies or historical miniatures it can save a lot of time and get a pretty consistent & color matched result. New to the hobby, been building Ultramarines for 40K and American tanks for Flames of War. Where I am, HW primer (13 CAD) isn't terribly cheaper than Vallejo (15 CAD) or GW's (22 CAD). So I feel like getting the military colors from Vallejo or the blue from Citadel is actually a good value pick time and quality wise. Of course I certainly wouldn't buy a generic white or black primer from Citadel. Also great work on the channel and thanks for taking the time to respond to comments!

[@VinceVenturella]

Always happy to help

[@nonamo5700]

Nailed it on the benefit of brushing primer vs spray. Days where the paint starts to dry between the can and the mini and you're just hitting it with paint dust. Honestly, it's a niche - but it's what I'm trying to work around for half the year. That said, I'm pretty sure Mr. Hobby makes a line of primers that can be thinned - will be trying that soon

[@johnbruce4004]

Informative video. One may say good coverage. Like the drops of thinner first for a/b tip. Thanks.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dragonfist]

awesome video as usual

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you. :)

[@davidblenner9082]

Thanks for doing this. I am going to order an airbrush now!!

[@VinceVenturella]

Have fun! It's an awesome tool. :)

[@Jonas_Fox]

Thanks again Vince, this really helped solidify my understanding and questions around priming! I've been struggling with the idea of just getting an airbrush for priming alone since I have a 3D printer. I think you've convinced me it's time to upgrade from the rattle can. I'd love to get your insights on my current dilemma, that being, Neon paints for glow effects. I've tried Vallejo's model air fluorescent red and it's more of a pink, and it's kinda goopy translucent?. I've seen some videos on how to make the Necron Mephrit orange radiation glow by putting down white, which seems standard for neons, and then putting down fluorescent red, then more white, then yellow on top of that for a bright yellow orange peak glow. And while I've had some success with this, the colors are not exactly what I thought they'd be. My attempts so far have not come out as a rich orange peaking to yellow. Maybe because I wasn't using an airbrush. I've tried layering and mixing but still the results have been different and unpredictable. Even if I managed to replicate the orange to yellow, what I want to do is create a Mephrit dynasty orange glow that has a peak of more pink rather than warm yellow. My little custom Mephrit Dynasty glow dilemma has be trying all kinds of things. And while I know how to mix CMYK pretty well, and I'm not getting the result I'm looking for, it has me excited and wondering about using neons on other projects, maybe something not orange. I'm really enjoying using Liquitex Acrylic Gouaches because they tell me explicitly what pigment sources are in them, but they don't publish how they make neon. I'd love to hear what you have to say about all things neon paints. How to best blend them for smooth transitions? What normal colors blend with neons, which don't, and what are some uses in model applications? Does thinning, airbrushing, wetblending, layering and drybrushing work with neons and what's different about their uses from regular pigment piants? What brands are best for neons and what's different about them? If thinning, is it best to use water, thinner, or acrylic mediums? Is there a place for gloss and matte finishes for different effect and what effects can you create? Anyway, these are all the things going on in my head right now as my primed Necron army are staring at me and wondering when they're gonna get some love. I've been doing mad science on some One Page Rules Robot Legion models in the meantime and I'm creating more questions than answers and so far youtube has been little help lol. Thanks again for all you do Vince! I wanna buy you a burger and a beer and give you a big hug. You've been a tremendous help in getting started in "the hobby" and it's been great fun with your sage advice ^_^

[@VinceVenturella]

So here is a video on FX paints - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXeah4eVibFomJY And another - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eX_NaWWlg9tpoK8

[@Berry-gs4xr]

Hey, I skipped that video for a very long time, because I'm into the hobby over a very long time and thought it contained nothing new for me anyway. Today this video reapeared in my playlist and I listened to it during some gaming as "background entertainment". And I got to say, I was right. It told me nothing new. But actually this is totaly fine to me. As said, I would call myself as expirienced, too. So to my mind this is realy a high quality description of primers and a helpfull video. And I totaly agree with every word said in here. There is just one option, which i personaly do which is not listed in here: I personaly use a dry brush to apply my "zenithal highlight effects" (as long as you still want to call it this way). But the reason why I do this is lazyness. My Airbrushstation is build up in my garage, because noone cares about the spraydusk in there it got fresh air ect. but often, during the wintermonths this spot is cold, too and sitting on a table in your heated house over hours and painting your models is much more comfortable. So for me the quality standard, which I achive with this is often enough for me, but I know it's by far not perfect. But jeah, if a newcomer on fb or anything else asks how to start in the hobby and we talk about priming moddels, I actually give him/her the same hobby tips around priming, as u told here. So in my mind a realy good video u've made here.

[@voidspark7727]

Thank you for this video, specifically about the gloss primer, I was unaware that is was unsuitable for priming minis.

[@VinceVenturella]

Always happy to help. :)

[@laixi4904]

absolutely love this one

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you. :)

[@ChocolateCylon]

Great information. Thank you

[@CrazyTom34]

Fantastic video!

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you very much!

[@noctilithe1008]

Great Video! As all videos in this serie.

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you. :)

[@CaptRapticon]

I have got a cheapo airbrush which I mainly use for priming(Planning to upgrade to a proper one soon). Gotta say it really is a game changer for me. i still use rattle cans for bigger projects or batch painting. But for small bunch, it really works a charm especially Zenithal. The appeal comes in that I don't have to worry gumming up the mini compared to rattle cans.

[@VinceVenturella]

100%

[@jojothepirate87]

Looks like I'm adding monument primer to my list. Their primer is the only paint from them I have not used. I should have known it was as good as the rest of the line :). Thanks for the video!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad I could help!

[@totomekia]

Thanks a lot! this is very helpful

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@spacedock873]

Hi Vince. Really interesting video. As a newbie to mini painting (but an experienced model maker/painter) I have found it baffling that so many "experts" just prime in black as if that is the way to do it - end of. It sometimes seems like an example of "Emperor's new clothes" - everyone else does it this way so they don't want to be different. Thank you for being so clear and direct and cutting through all the bull about black priming. As you point out, trying to get good reds, yellows or whites over the top of a black base is a fool's errand. Starting with a mid-tone primer allows you to work down to shadows (shades) and up to highlights. Preshading panel lines on armoured vehicles, aircraft and spaceships is a standard methodology that simply cannot work over a black primer - how do you shade black?! The same must be true with minis. Indeed, you have done videos where you show zenithal highlighting AND undershading - going up and down from a mid tone. To me this is perfectly logical and intuitive. It is great to see you not following the crowd but presenting logical and sensible arguments for doing things in a particular way in order to achieve a particular result - changing the method to suit the particular circumstance. I found it quite strange adding sand and red primers to my racks for fleshy minis - they look a little odd next to the various shades of grey used on the spaceships! My only disappointment is that we only get one hobby cheating video per week 😔 I know you do Warhammer Weekly too but any chance of some more mini content? Please 😬

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad you enjoy, not much time right now, I still work a full time job of course. :) - But there will always be new videos coming. :)

[@On1Zuk4-Sensei]

Optimal video. Thanks.

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad you liked it!

[@MarldainLunas]

I personally like starting with a light gray, simply because it can be worked up or down in value. I originally learned it using leather paints. The strength of pigments varies wildly, and since light gray is the ultimate mid, it keeps all of your other layers smoother to apply.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yes, neutral is much better if you're starting from a single color.

[@adamfox1669]

I remember priming my 25mm minifigs with auto-primer(ochre in color!) We've come a long way! Thanks

[@VinceVenturella]

Indeed. :)

[@kraftybrigitte]

Thank you Vince. I have an airbrush but always have problems with spattering or the paint not coming out. I will try your trick with the couple of drops of thinner BEFORE putting the paint in.

[@VinceVenturella]

You may want to also check the nozzle and order a needle cleaning tool, if you have primer adhered to the inside of the tiny brass nozzle it will have problems going forward.

[@kraftybrigitte]

@@VinceVenturella thank you so much!!! I do have the cleaning kit but never used it!! Will certainly do now lol

[@deganteng5625]

Thank you for your insight. I am leaning towards handbrush now, as I live abroad in a very compact apartment and currently cannot afford that much money to invest on airbrush. It's not only about the airbrush kit + compressor system, but also the appropriate spray booth. But once I return home and have more stable income, surely airbrush is the best bet for me

[@nathanlovin]

Wow. Started back into the hobby in June this year. It’s December now and I just bought an airbrush. Glad to hear I’m ok track 😂 got so tired of seeing all the things you could do with it.

[@lucky6666]

Awesome overview!

[@VinceVenturella]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@M0U53B41T]

Brush On Primers - useful for touchups, small figs when you don't have space to pull out the airbrush (have a dedicated airbrush setup) and/or can't use spray cans [weather, humidity whatever]. Definitely going to be doing more Zenithal priming as light/shadow placement etc is quite hard for me and my eyes are definitely not getting any younger! One thing I think that's also true about using zenithal, espeically if you're using a grey primer on grey sprue, it can seem to help show off what you may have missed earlier on the model. Other great primers not mentioned would be the lacquers - they are an absolute joy to airbrush, no dry tip etc, but definitely need serious equipment so you don't inhale the vapors (airbrush booth with double vent, decent organic vapor mask, and an airbrush with sealed bushings so the lacquer and cleaner doesn't eat the seals)

[@VinceVenturella]

Good notes on all points. :)

[@candykain2041]

Great video! The only thing I disagree with is lumping GW's spray paints in with the others, from my own research (and emailing GW a lot) their sprays aren't primers. They just use basically normal paint and propellant. However I should note that the GW reps I have contacted all seemed to universally be parroting the same answer without giving much of an explanation. With one of them stating that while they aren't primers they are 'frankenprimers' which apparently means it's GW's own special blend that isn't quite a primer but will be fine anyway. This was the most baffling statement I got during my research. This got so annoying trying to find out I basically just gave up after a while, they're fine regardless it's just really dumb how much GW just can't answer a question properly.

[@ODA204SBD9]

Emailing the customer service or sales teams with questions about chemistry makeups (especially if their proprietary) isn't going to get you great results, they're simply the wrong people to ask

[@VinceVenturella]

I think they are basically meant to be a 2-in-1, there is a polyeurathane element, and acrylic paint, which I think is the same mix.

[@helmhurst]

info' is priceless bro'. thanks

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@VinceVenturella]

Thank you. :)

[@DMNKLR_official]

Stynylrez + following the Badger instructions (essentially, they tell you what needle size to use for best results, etc.) = sublime prime time. Additionally, one can adjust the colors with a little acrylic ink, and not cause issues with it. They also have a crazy assortment of colors now, too, and even brushing it on is crazy effective. Prime, set it in front of a fan, and within mere minutes you're already painting. Also, every paint I've tried over Stynylrez goes on amazeballs, from generic craft paints to Citadel. It's also super-durable, but is easy to remove/clean up when necessary. IPA is your best friend, when that happens.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, I do very much like Stynelrez primers. :)

[@adamholt5395]

A nice tip that I picked up from either Brent from GobbertownHobbies or Scott from Miniac is to use black primer and white ink for your zenithal highlight. I like this method because I don't have to worry about thinning 2 paints for priming. I just use the black, clean out the air brush, and use the white ink, which typically doesn't need to be thinned down.

[@VinceVenturella]

Yep, white ink is a perfectly good tool for zenithal, you want to be careful, in high humidity environments. The ink can reactivate, one way you can help that is to give a good varnish over your ink. :)

[@theastrasolus7767]

I am one of the people who thought using thinner with Vallejo Surface Primer was a no-no. I’ve never had issues until recently, but the next time I prime I’ll drop a few drops of thinner into the airbrush. Thanks!

[@VinceVenturella]

Always happy to help. :)

[@printandplaygamer7134]

I inherited an airbrush, but haven't worked up the guts to use it yet. I use rattlecan primers (usually Krylon Ultra Flat Camo line, per Tabletop Minions) whenever weather permits, but in a pinch, I will brush on the Vallejo Surface Primer. Brushing it on is slower than spray priming, sure, but I haven't had any problems with adhesion or obscured details. Each fall, I try to assemble and prime a good supply of units to paint thru the no-rattlecan months of the winter, but when I need to paint an unprepped model or two in the dead of winter, brushing on the Vallejo Surface gets the job done.

[@VinceVenturella]

If you have the airbrush, get after it! There is no reason to be afraid and you never improve if you don't start. There is nothing scary about it and I have videos on cleaning. You can do it!