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Chris Copeland
08-12-2009, 09:35 AM
This is a question for the painting gurus out there. I am going to be painting Space Marine Drop Pods soon. I was thinking about going with a mostly silver look to my pods with yellow and red parts painted here and there to go with my chapter's heraldry.

My plan is this: I will paint the models on the sprue. Instead of a white or black primer I will start with silver spray paint (maybe Testor's brand). I will dry brush boltgun and then mithril silver over the base silver. I will then go in and pick out whatever details as needed. After I clip the bits off of the sprue and assemble the models I will go back and do touch ups...

My questions: is this a good plan? Is using a silver as a base (instead of white or black) workable or is there a good reason to only use those old stand-bys? Are there down-sides to painting on the sprue?

I look forward to any comments or advice. Thanks, Copeland

L192837465
08-12-2009, 10:12 AM
No. I've never and will never recommend painting on the sprue. you risk frosting, chipping, bad color matches, inaccurate colorings, and if you mess up assembly, it'll look even worse.

Digitarii
08-12-2009, 10:24 AM
I don't ever recommend using "spray paint" as opposed to "primer". Primer is chemically different from paint as primer is formulated to bond with the item being sprayed and give some "tooth" for the paint to adhere. As far as painting on the sprue is concerned, I don't do that either. I assemble completely and then paint. Unless I have an overbearing need for doors to open or weapons to traverse, I just glue them shut during construction.

crazyredpraetorian
08-12-2009, 12:14 PM
I sometimes paint on the sprue. However, I prime first, then use an airbrush, and I only use GW paints. Using GW paints(I'm sure other brands of paints would work as well.) allows me to do touch ups that match after clipping and cleaning. I have found that for me this method works great for doing alot of vehicles and large numbers of SMs.

Aldramelech
08-12-2009, 12:23 PM
I never paint on sprue. I do however paint my Guard plastics arms and heads separately. I use old Humbrol paint pots (easy to hold, had them for 20 years!) with some blue tack on top. I paint all my wargames figures like this (15mm and 28mm).

There is a third way with primer, the often overlooked grey primer, ideal for undercoating anything thats going to be sprayed or airbrushed white or a light color. Never spray PAINT without an undercoat it will look crap and the paint will fall off.

Remember glue will destroy any paint it comes into contact with, so if the glue accidentally runs you've had it.

Kahoolin
08-12-2009, 05:20 PM
Never spray PAINT without an undercoat it will look crap and the paint will fall off.You know, everyone says this, and I used to use primer when I was a kid, but I used spray paint to undercoat an entire Ork army about 5 years ago and the paint hasn't flaked off yet.

It has on the metal models, I admit, and I'd use primer on them in future. But the plastic models seem fine, and they were undercoated with black spray paint from K Mart.

Oldgrue
08-12-2009, 05:26 PM
The only real reason for sticking to black/white/grey as primers is because they're just that - they are formulated slightly different to adhere better to a surface. Great for playing with light effects, but not too helpful on silvers.

Since paints are not normally completely opaque, the primer can make an impact on how light/dark a color will feel. If you're doing layers of silver, I'd suggest finding a dark silver, spray it, wash it, then drybrush highlights rather than starting over with Boltgun.

Brass Scorpion
08-12-2009, 06:02 PM
1) I use spray paint all the time. It's a great time saver and if used carefully, yields great results. Many of my best models I've featured on BoLS, on forums and on display in stores started with a spray paint base coat. Spray paint can be directly applied to plastic without primer and it will adhere nicely. It also gives a nice even finish on flat surfaces (e.g., Rhino hulls) that hand painting never can.
2) Painting on the sprue can be very useful. I know one excellent painter who does it for nearly everything he paints. I've featured his work a couple times on BoLS and it got great reactions from the readers. It's also won some local painting contests.

So my answer is, do what works well for you.

gwensdad
08-12-2009, 07:21 PM
I've been priming on the sprue, then painting on the sprue depending on the model. Infantry tends to be based first then painted, while vehicles get painted on sprue, sub-assemblies done, touched up, assemblies put together, then more touch up.

slovak
08-12-2009, 08:29 PM
It has on the metal models, I admit, and I'd use primer on them in future. But the plastic models seem fine, and they were undercoated with black spray paint from K Mart.

My experience as well. Done a lot of painting and never had one problem with cheap-o flat black spray paint as an undercoat on plastic models. Metal though is a different story, and primer is a good idea.

Captain Castus
08-13-2009, 08:21 AM
Painting on the sprue has always seemed a crazy idea to me...

You're left with bits to touch up when you cut them off...

And how do you get rid of all those nasty mould lines?!

Definately not for me...

CC

crazyredpraetorian
08-13-2009, 01:09 PM
Painting on the sprue has always seemed a crazy idea to me...

You're left with bits to touch up when you cut them off...

And how do you get rid of all those nasty mould lines?!

Definately not for me...

CC

You trim the mold lines after clipping. The touch up is really no problem

mchawkeye
08-15-2009, 07:53 AM
While I don't have a problem with painting on the sprue as such (so long as you realise the potential hassles that come with it), I'm not sure I would go straight to a silver spray can for the first coat.

Metallic paint tends to have actual particles of metal suspended in it; this tend to make it's reaction slightly different, without some other base below it, it can tend to slide and dry unevenly and is certainly not the best surface upon which to apply other paint. I would not have a problem spraying some bog standard matt paint as a base coat rather than primer, however. For the record, I prefer a grey or brown undercoat. I find them more either more neutral or dark enough with out becoming over powering