Seriously annoyed with Army Painter primer

[psyberwyche]

So, I haven't really cooled off from my latest frustration with the Army Painter range, but I have to share this experience, and maybe get some advice from people who've used it before.

A while back I tried to basecoat a bunch of models using their Pure Red. I found it watery and tricky to apply, and when it dried the models had a horrid pink frosting all over them. A second coat didn't help. I emailed the guys at the Army Painter, and was told that models should always be sprayed at 'room temperature', hence the frosting. They suggested I washed the models with red ink to rescue them, which worked, in their defence.

So, now the weather's warmed up a bit, I tried again. This time I even warmed the can first. First coat: pink frosting. Second coat - a horrible gloop that obscured most of the details on my models, and has effectively ruined £25 worth of plastics. I'm so annoyed right now.

For context, I've been in this hobby for around 18 years, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to painting. I've used many spray primers in that time. This is worse than car primer from back in the old days. Unless I'm missing some magic formula, I'm just going to assume that Army Painter spray is not for me.

If anyone has any thoughts on how I can rescue my models, please shout up, otherwise, it's in the bin with them and the cursed spray paint!!!

Cheers,

M

[Faber]

I have only matt varnish spray from Army Painter. Not so happy with it too... not a horrible result but not smooth as I expected it. Not as smooth as what you can obtain with a matt varnish applied with a brush.. And I perfectly understand your feeling about perfectionism about painting
I cannot help you with your trouble but I'm sure that some crazy geek here on LAF will give you some precious tip if you post some pic of your models.

cheers
Faber

[janner]

Their sprays can come out quite thick in my experience, which can clog detail on finer sculpts.

[Coronasan]

To get the paint off plastics, I have been using Dettol.



Works a treat on plastics.

Here is short article on the subject: http://aureliuslegion.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-strip-paint-from-plastic-and.html

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I have used Dettol on metals and it works fine.  I have yet to use it on plastics so be careful.

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

[psyberwyche]

That Dettol blog is a really interesting link. Thanks for the tip!

[Dewbakuk]

This stuff is getting very good reviews (except for heroclix type plastic).
http://www.biostrip.co.uk/

Here's a review showing it used for different lengths of time and on different materials.
http://pressganger.blogspot.com/2012/02/product-review-biostrip-20-metal-and.html



With regards to the sprays, have you used other Army Painter sprays with a good result or is this the first you've tried? The reason I ask is that I've got a couple of friends who spray with different techniques and one of them gets great results from Army Painter sprays while the other one keeps messing it up. I think the one that gets good results 'pulses' the spray. I've only used them on scenery myself.

[Bloodsbane]

I have no solutions to offer, I can only add my voice to the chorus that laments army painters' spray primers. I've had nothing but trouble with them.

[Schogun]

Based on a friend's recommendation, I bought a can of Army Painter gray primer. Went on great, even in 40 degree temps.

[syrinx0]

I have used the flesh and green primer with no issues (so far).  It was in short bursts as it was only a few models at a time. I would not describe it as a perfect cover as it seemed a bit thin but I was only looking for a base for my other layers. Hope the Dettrol saves your figures.

[FramFramson]

It's funny, a while ago I bought some spray primer to use on my minis, but a friend of mine berated me and suggested I use gesso instead. So I did just that and have been pretty happy with some decent quality (Liquitex) black gesso. It's more tedius to brush gesso on of course, but I don't paint large volumes of minis, just a few here and there.

I never did get around to using the spray cans I'd bought, so out of curiosity, I went so see what brand they were. Sure enough it was Army Painter!

Call that a bullet dodged then!

[Chairface]

I've been using them for about a year now, 5 different colours and my experience has been entirely positive. I love the Army Painter products. I'm sorry that you had a difficult experience.

[Vonkluge]

Being a mini painter for almost 30 years I have a bit of experiance with "primers". first my style of painting is geared towards painting groups of figures as I game with them and I normaly paint 5-10-20 figures at a time. I also have a very time consuming job, a wife, 2 children, dog, ect.... so SPEED is paramount to me and in thirty years I can paint fast and well. That said I use cheap spray auto primer! I have used two brands for that long (krylon and Tempo) and have been more than satisfied for years with few prblems and I have painted in high humidity in Hawaii and dry heat in California, and rain, and cold etc....When I say "cheap" it does not mean that the pant is cheap just "cheap" compared to the stuff "produced" for the miniatures trade (over priced) I have over the ears tried different spras from GW,and others and was never impressed, especialy when a smaller can was 2-3 times the price. Now grant you that the those auto primers are for metal (can be used on most resin pieces too) will tear up plastic, but for metal they are the best, they are formulated TO STICK TO METAL! My mins get USED and dropped and I have had people ask "dam no damage? what do you do?" Well simple Auto primer, paint, TWO coats gloss (dry 24 hours in between) and then if you need matt or semi gloss. MATT spray is NO protection!


Now I know you were talking about priming plastic figues so this is what I do I prime with an air brush using regular flat testors ENAMELS in any color I want. The paint is laquer based and will adhere to the plastic like mad with out destroying it. I use an aibrush because it can lay down a fine thin spray that drys  fast enough. Its when these "thinner" based paints go on your figure or model to thick and lay there wet that the chemicals start to eat away at the plastic. You can get a pretty good arbrush sytem for under $200, its a great investment. You will quickly save that in paint can cost if you do any volume of painting.

I do use "army painter" but only their washes when I am really "speed" painting certain troops and have have had great results. Good luck....

I once wrot a whole article hear on Priming and coating minis but I guess its lost.

Bill www.historicalhobbies.com

[Blackwolf]

Yep,Vonkluge has it! Though I use acrylics for basecoating my figures; I mix some acrylic varnish with a little bit of paint and a teensy bit of water,spray it through my airbrush ,no problems and I get into every nook and cranny,it never fails

[Captain Blood]

I use cheap spray auto primer!

Me too. Cheap, plentiful, dead matt (at least the Halfords ones in the UK are).

I can't understand why anyone would want to go to the extra expense of something like Army Painter, just for the sake of a 'wargames branded' product.

I'm sorry to say it, but most wargames branded products of this nature (paint, brushes, basing materials, diddy little plastic tubs of flock or scenic scatter) are invariably over-priced and of inferior quality to readily available alternatives.
Wargamers just like buying them because they like the reassurance that there are brands out there specifically for people like them.
Unfortunately it doesn't make them better products.

Snake oil.

I've looked at a few Army Painter products as they've come out, and they certainly aren't for me.
I do appreciate if you're going for rapid production line volume over quality, then the idea of a base colour spray, a bit of localised touching-in with block colours, and then a dip in woodstain, must seem like an attractive option.

But it makes me sad, that the whole philosophy behind this product range is aimed at encouraging people to set low standards in their wargames figure painting... With a vested commercial interest in ensuring it stays that way...  

I believe everyone can become a better painter. You just need to work at it.
The Army Painter pitch seems to me to be saying: 'Not everyone can be a good painter - but you can achieve quite adequate results using our 'system'. So why waste time trying to improve? Be satisfied with mediocrity... '

How negative...