Base Paint? - Spray Versus Paint

By K13R4N, in X-Wing Painting and Modification

For my miniatures I am wanting them to all have a similar paint job and I am thinking of a black n white theme. So my question is Should I buy Citadel Base: Abaddon Black or Chaos Black Citadel Spray , I understand that the spray is more expensive but Price isn't a issue (in the least Smug way possible as it still is just £ 11 ).

So I want to know Will the Spray give the miniatures a more professional look over the base paint? and any other information about which is better for the base paint of the ship is Wanted.

Spray will give a better finish, but it's not really necessary to pre-spray x-wing miniatures.

If you are going to spray, don't buy GW, it's almost twice the price of other commercially available spraypaint and no better quality. Go to Wickes or B&Q or whatever and get Rust-Oleum or Plasti-kote.

6 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

Spray will give a better finish, but it's not really necessary to pre-spray x-wing miniatures.

If you are going to spray, don't buy GW, it's almost twice the price of other commercially available spraypaint and no better quality. Go to Wickes or B&Q or whatever and get Rust-Oleum or Plasti-kote.

Thanks, I will be of to Wickes as I live 2 mins away from it ;)

14 hours ago, Dengars Toilet Paper said:

For my miniatures I am wanting them to all have a similar paint job and I am thinking of a black n white theme. So my question is Should I buy Citadel Base: Abaddon Black or Chaos Black Citadel Spray , I understand that the spray is more expensive but Price isn't a issue (in the least Smug way possible as it still is just £ 11 ).

So I want to know Will the Spray give the miniatures a more professional look over the base paint? and any other information about which is better for the base paint of the ship is Wanted.

Another Suggestion.

Halfords Spray paint, as your in the UK.

Is the best spray paint of all of them !

500ml of Primer is £7.49 and there 500ml Mat Black is £7.99 and are Excellent.

Plasti cote and Rust Olem are great paints and much better than Games Workshop.

But they can come out a little on the thick side when applied.

Halfords is much thinner coating paint but gives excellent coverage, I have tried many many paints and found it to be the best.

another tip especially in this weather, Leave your paint tin in a bowel of hot water for a while.

The heat will help thin the resin paint particles and help with adhesion on the model because cold temperatures can cause pluming " white vapour from cold moist air "

as paint doesn't work very well when the temperature drops below 15 degrees.

Oh, and never use Enamel Paints on your X wing models, they are an Oil-meth based paint and can melt the ABS plastic !

Halfords, Plasti-Kote and Rust Olem are all Acrylic base, stick with those.

Hope that helps.

All the best,

Barry.

Masking Viper (1).jpg

Edited by Barry Harker
14 hours ago, Barry Harker said:

Another Suggestion.

Halfords Spray paint, as your in the UK.

Is the best spray paint of all of them !

500ml of Primer is £7.49 and there 500ml Mat Black is £7.99 and are Excellent.

Plasti cote and Rust Olem are great paints and much better than Games Workshop.

But they can come out a little on the thick side when applied.

Halfords is much thinner coating paint but gives excellent coverage, I have tried many many paints and found it to be the best.

another tip especially in this weather, Leave your paint tin in a bowel of hot water for a while.

The heat will help thin the resin paint particles and help with adhesion on the model because cold temperatures can cause pluming " white vapour from cold moist air "

as paint doesn't work very well when the temperature drops below 15 degrees.

Oh, and never use Enamel Paints on your X wing models, they are an Oil-meth based paint and can melt the ABS plastic !

Halfords, Plasti-Kote and Rust Olem are all Acrylic base, stick with those.

Hope that helps.

All the best,

Barry.

Masking Viper (1).jpg

Cheers

As to the topic, either will work, but personally i find it so much easier to get a thin consistent coat with a spray, particularly if i'm undercoating white or light grey.

Either method has it's advantages and disadvantages

@Barry Harker 15 degrees Celsius, right?

6 hours ago, Admiral Deathrain said:

@Barry Harker 15 degrees Celsius, right?

Yes. That also applies to the surface temp of the model. (ie don't attempt to put paint on something you've just pulled out of the freezer to disassemble) Most paints here in Australia cans will list 20 degrees C ambient in the instructions for this reason.

Also avoid high humidity as water evaporation from the mix is factor in acrylic paint drying, which can then negatively affect other reactions in the application -> dry process.

Edited by Ralgon

I've had bad X-wing models (the ARC 170) that normal paint wouldn't stick to so I would recommend priming. The guys above are right that Citidel spaypaints are overpriced but I can't complain about the pair jars for brushwork that said I'll always use spay for primg, it's less work and gives a smoother result

Edited by mad mandolorian