Marvin Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 I know paint-on or brush-on or whatnot primers exist; what's are my options? I wouldn't say I'm unhappy with the Krylon spray-on primer I've been using. I'm fairly pleased. I really like the speed of it, and I like the price. But it's kind of inefficient and kind of a hassle. So I was wondering what good options you fine folks, my role models and advisors, would recommend if I were to look at the non-spray variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ub3r_n3rd Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 I personally prefer the Reaper Brush-on primer, but others use the Vallejo brush on primer, and I've seen others use Gesso. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auberon Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 For brush on I've only used Vallejo, so I can't really offer any comparisons for you. I can say that I've had no complaints with it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baugi Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 I love the reaper stuff. I used to use acrylic gesso, and that worked too, but the reaper primer goes on thinner and bites a little harder. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junex Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 You might want to check out Badger's Stynylez primers. I'm still waiting for my order to arrive so I can't give you a hands-on review but a few online reviews I've seen indicate that they're very good. I believe they're designed for airbrushing but a couple of people, like James Wappel, are applying them by paintbrush. I bought them with the intention on using them as brush-on primers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingo Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 (edited) Most acrylic gessos are a little thick and coarse. I use them on canvases and boards, but nothing on so fine a scale as a mini. I tend to use acrylic paint to prime, usually Golden's matte fluid acrylic in Titanium White with a dab of matte medium added, and very occasionally (when I'm priming resin, usually) a smidgen of flow improver. EDIT: Despite the name this line of Golden's paint is not nearly as matte or as fluid as Reaper paints. Just a heads-up. Edited July 13, 2014 by Pingo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrift Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Reaper's brush on primer is all that I use. I've tried every spray on primer out there and a variety of brush on primers as well. Much like their paint, the brush on primer is smooth as silk and does annihilate the details of my miniature. Brushing it on also gives me another opportunity to familiarize myself with the figure and ensure that I'm visualizing every detail before I actually apply paint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loim Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 I've used Reaper Brush on and Acrylic Gesso. No problems with either. One word of warning about the gesso is that it has more tooth than most primers, so use a brush you aren't too fond of. Gesso goes on very thick, but it constricts as it dries, and I've never had any issues with it obscuring details. http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Priming_With_Acrylic_Gesso Having said that I prefer the RMS primer for anything I'm really trying to nail the paint job on. I have a gigantic bottle of gesso I got for very very cheap, and I generally use it when I'm painting Bones to tabletop quality. Cheers. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Thanks for the input, y'all. Reaper's the way I'd lean, sounds like. For my first go-'round, at least. Since I'm comfortable ordering from them, it's easy to order for them, it gives me an excuse to pick up other stuff to get the free shipping, etc. I see in the store two options: "Black Primer" and "Brush-on Primer." Same thing, or no? I'm more of a white guy (lol srsly too), but anyway. Is it dropper-bottled, in a pot, etc? What's the size on these? How many mini's can I expect to prime out of a container of the primer? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ub3r_n3rd Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 They are the same thing in different colors and dropper bottles the same 15mL as the reaper paints. 1-2 drops for the normal figs to primer for me. I water down a tad bit with like 1 drop of water and mix with old brush, apply with same brush. It'll last you a really long time unless you are doing a lot of big figs and bases. I just ran out of my first bottle and I've been using it for over a year. Probably 30 figures + bases of all sizes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loim Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 You can also mix the colors for a grey primer, which is what I do. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Brushing it on also gives me another opportunity to familiarize myself with the figure and ensure that I'm visualizing every detail before I actually apply paint. That's something I've been thinking about, too. I've been doing a little primer-patching just with paint, and I've appreciated the extra looking around the piece before starting the real work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ub3r_n3rd Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 You can also mix the colors for a grey primer, which is what I do. Yup, this! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exwilly Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 i recently started using vallejo primer. usually use reapers brush on primer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 While I like RMS brush-on primer for minis that will not be subject to a lot of handling, my perception is it results in a mini that scratches easier than a figure primed with a good spray primer. I suspect water based acrylic primer does not have as much adhesion as a solvent based spray. I currently use Army Painter Color Primer for minis that ate likely to see a lot of table time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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