What should I know about brush-on primer?

[Genghis_Sean]

So, my Scythe kickstarter just came in today and it has five minis for the player pieces.  However, each one is firmly attached to a color coded base and I typically use ArmyPainter spray primer, which won't really work because I'll end up hitting the bases.  I did look through my paints, and I have some white Reaper brush-on primer, but I've never used it before.  Is it as simple as brushing it on?  I searched for threads on it, but only found someone complaining about it being too thin.  I appreciate any advice since I'll probably attempt to prime tomorrow.  Thanks.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2016 by Genghis_Sean

[ub3r_n3rd]

It's great stuff! Come in black, gray, and white. Just shake it up like paint and apply with a brush (I use an older brush or cheap brush), let dry for a bit and go to town painting up your stuff. It REALLY IS that simple.

I like to sometime start with black primer and then let it dry, then dry-brush on white primer to pre-highlight the raised areas and spots the light would hit.

Edited July 6, 2016 by ub3r_n3rd

[LittleBluberry]

Yup, you really just brush it on!   

 

I haven't ever noticed the fact that it's thin causing any problems.  In fact, back before grey primer was available from Reaper I started putting on very thin coats of white primer so that the darker color of the metal showed through.  Didn't seem to cause any problems. 

[Mad Jack]

 As long as there aren't any bare spots left, it doesn't really matter if the layer of primer is thin enough to be translucent and shows the metal underneath - plus, being relatively thin, you can always lay down two coats if necessary without losing detail.

[Guildenstern]

I don't care much for Reaper's brush on primer (sorry!) it doesn't have good coverage, at least in the sense that it's hard to see, when it covers, if it covers. So I either end up redoing an area a couple times, or just using my regular Vallejo primer, instead.

 

That said, since you don't want to hit the bases, you have a couple of options:

 

1. Spray everything, repaint the base the correct colour ala the code, no issues.

2. Mask the base with painters tape - you'll likely have to secure it around the minis legs, so it'll cover enough - then once primed, use the brush on the bits that was covered by the painter's tape.

[Glitterwolf]

I use Vallejo brush on White primer.

 

Shake before use and paint it on.

 

Beware of bubbles.

 

And use an old brush, you don't want to kill a good brush.

 

Sometimes I add a drop of grey paint, mix  and I have grey primer...

 

It works like a charm.

[Pingo]

There is a thing watercolorists use called "Liquid frisket". It is a thick, oddly-colored (so you can readily see it) liquid that dries to a rubbery water-repellent film but rolls right off watercolor paper and other surfaces with a little rub.

 

It's how watercolorists can get those razor-sharp white shapes in the middle of their paintings.

 

Something like that would be more precise than tape for masking the bases, if that is the route you end up taking.

[BLZeebub]

Jeweler's saw?  X-acto?  Can you just get close enough to the base to cut it free, pin the mini for later attachment, and not worry about getting anything on the colored bases?  I like the idea of painter's tape too, but it can be fiddly and isn't really mean to give you a hard line, but to keep mistakes from being irreparable--plus I believe it'd be fiddly at that scale.

 

On a side note, those are very cool minis.  I might have backed that had I known about it.

[Genghis_Sean]

I use Vallejo brush on White primer.

 

And use an old brush, you don't want to kill a good brush.

 

 

Will the Reaper brush-on primer damage my brush?

[buglips*the*goblin]

 

I use Vallejo brush on White primer.

 

And use an old brush, you don't want to kill a good brush.

 

 

Will the Reaper brush-on primer damage my brush?

 

 

Not really... though it may be a bit more prone to stick to hairs than regular paint.  Application is where it will kill your brush because to make it cover will need a lot of poking and pushing around, and because you're covering everything on the miniature (and possibly several miniatures) it will be easy to become a touch careless and subsequently a bit rough with how you handle the brush.  You're pretty much applying unthinned paint in quantity, and this tends to be hard on brushes as a rule.

[Glitterwolf]

 

I use Vallejo brush on White primer.

 

And use an old brush, you don't want to kill a good brush.

 

 

Will the Reaper brush-on primer damage my brush?

 

Nope, but Biglips beat me to it, see below ( or above..)

 

This accoutns for brush on sealing as well BTW!

 

And always use an old brush for drybrushing too..

 

 

 

I use Vallejo brush on White primer.

 

And use an old brush, you don't want to kill a good brush.

 

 

Will the Reaper brush-on primer damage my brush?

 

 

Not really... though it may be a bit more prone to stick to hairs than regular paint.  Application is where it will kill your brush because to make it cover will need a lot of poking and pushing around, and because you're covering everything on the miniature (and possibly several miniatures) it will be easy to become a touch careless and subsequently a bit rough with how you handle the brush.  You're pretty much applying unthinned paint in quantity, and this tends to be hard on brushes as a rule.

 

 

THIS!!!

[Doug Sundseth]

There is a thing watercolorists use called "Liquid frisket". It is a thick, oddly-colored (so you can readily see it) liquid that dries to a rubbery water-repellent film but rolls right off watercolor paper and other surfaces with a little rub.

 

It's how watercolorists can get those razor-sharp white shapes in the middle of their paintings.

 

Something like that would be more precise than tape for masking the bases, if that is the route you end up taking.

 

In addition to liquid frisket, you can also use poster tack as a mask for spray-on primer (which you might already have in the house). Just squash it over the parts you don't want sprayed, spray the primer, and peel off. If you have any residue, just roll the ball of tack over the residue and it should pick right up.

[knarthex]

Silly Putty works as well as a masking material, and can be found at $1 stores often...

[JDizzO]

I use reapers black primer and it works like a charm.  However, just like the liners, make sure not to water it down at all or you might have issues.

[Kheprera]

Brush-on primer...

 

 

Shake the ever-lovin' duggola outta them. Then pop the top, stir with a toothpick or whatnot, then shake until your arm still feels like it's still shaking the bottle.

 

I use brush-on exclusively. It should not be thinned unless it comes out thick and gloopy, then only thin with water.

 

Do not overthin.

 

Primer, especially white (any brand) will dry out faster than normal paint. It may also get grainey. Toss it if it's grainey. It should always be smooth.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Kheprera