The adventures of an 18th century imagination, located in Northern Europe formerly ruled over by joint rulers Duke Karl Frederick and Duchess Liv.Not to mention the American colony of Ny Tradgardland the 17th century Colony of New Tradgardstadt and the newly restored territory of the Shetland Isles.
Featuring a supporting bill of gaming in a diversity of times,places and scales.Hopefully something to interest all who pop by...
Wednesday 6 November 2013
Preparation of plastic question...
An ultra quick post. How do you chaps prepare plastics prior to painting?I have washed the chaps in detergents and would normally paint them in diluted pva/wood glue now.What do you do?
Sounds about right to me. As an alternative or addition to the pva you could use a specialist plastic spray primer. Incidentally when I use pva as a base coat (on 54mm toys) I don't dilute it.
Short answer: I don't! I think I might have washed plastics in my early days - they were often quite noticeably oily. But I haven't bothered for decades, and don't seem to have any problem, barring flaking from bendy bits.
For primer I use whatever is handy - even house paint. White or Black. For reasons of eyesight problems - one pretty good eye (with glasses) and one bung (everything's fuzzy) - I'm experimenting with undercoats. I need very clear view and good light so I can use what little binocular vision I have remaining.
I generally don't wash plastics; I use acrylic black gesso as a primer for all my figures (leaving it to go off), then with a brown wash on top if needed depending on final colours of uniforms etc
Acrylic Gesso is easy to use - basically slop it on the figures evenly, leave to dry off - I usually wait about 1/2 a day (or more) for it to go off (dry) - then ready to paint
I haven't painted soft plastics for a few years but last time I think I gave the figures a soapy wash while still on the sprue and once dry a coat of acrylic varnish before undercoating them. They turned out fine and robust enough for play.
I still wash mine but after years of experimenting with various primers, gesso, acrylic varnish etc etc, I've found that using craft acrylics, I don't need to. I just slap on an undercoat sometimes the traditional white but these days usually a very pale grey or burnt sienna. Never happy with experiments with the new fangle black approach.
The only trick I've found is that touching the figures before the paint has dried a day or 2 is bad so a painting stick or similar is a must.This said, once the paint has dried thoroughly it is solid. Varnish optional but gives a tough finish sooner.
I do pretty much the same as Tidders. I treat them the same as metal minis. I may give them a quick scrub with an old toothbrush and some dish soap, basecoat with black gesso (not hard to use at all; as far as I can tell it's the same as using any kind of paint on primer - I use acrylic gesso and acrylic paint, so it all washes with water). Then I paint the minis. And finally I give them a good coat of gloss varnish, and once that dries a good coat of matte varnish (Testor's Glosscote and Dullcote). Works for me.
Sounds about right to me. As an alternative or addition to the pva you could use a specialist plastic spray primer. Incidentally when I use pva as a base coat (on 54mm toys) I don't dilute it.
ReplyDeleteAre specialist plastic primers the smelly ones?
DeleteShort answer: I don't! I think I might have washed plastics in my early days - they were often quite noticeably oily. But I haven't bothered for decades, and don't seem to have any problem, barring flaking from bendy bits.
ReplyDeleteFor primer I use whatever is handy - even house paint. White or Black. For reasons of eyesight problems - one pretty good eye (with glasses) and one bung (everything's fuzzy) - I'm experimenting with undercoats. I need very clear view and good light so I can use what little binocular vision I have remaining.
I will be interested to hear more of your experiments.
DeleteI spray 'em with Halfords primer and then start slapping paint on them!
ReplyDeleteSounds direct advice indeed...
DeleteI generally don't wash plastics; I use acrylic black gesso as a primer for all my figures (leaving it to go off), then with a brown wash on top if needed depending on final colours of uniforms etc
ReplyDelete-- Allan
Never used gesso. Is it hard to use?
DeleteI'd be interested in this too...
DeleteAcrylic Gesso is easy to use - basically slop it on the figures evenly, leave to dry off - I usually wait about 1/2 a day (or more) for it to go off (dry) - then ready to paint
Delete-- Allan
I haven't painted soft plastics for a few years but last time I think I gave the figures a soapy wash while still on the sprue and once dry a coat of acrylic varnish before undercoating them. They turned out fine and robust enough for play.
ReplyDeleteMore great advice Jim.
DeleteThanks to all of you!
I do like to get them clean - being lazy I stick them in the dishwasher.
ReplyDeleteI have used gesso but it can clog up some of the fine detail on 1/72s, similarly with wood glue. Probably my heavy hand rather than the medium.
Halfords primer is good too but I have found paint coming off bayonets if bent. Rustoleum is the best i've used but is expensive.
I believe Vallejo has a new polyutherane primer out but I haven't tried it.
I still wash mine but after years of experimenting with various primers, gesso, acrylic varnish etc etc, I've found that using craft acrylics, I don't need to. I just slap on an undercoat sometimes the traditional white but these days usually a very pale grey or burnt sienna. Never happy with experiments with the new fangle black approach.
ReplyDeleteThe only trick I've found is that touching the figures before the paint has dried a day or 2 is bad so a painting stick or similar is a must.This said, once the paint has dried thoroughly it is solid. Varnish optional but gives a tough finish sooner.
I do pretty much the same as Tidders. I treat them the same as metal minis. I may give them a quick scrub with an old toothbrush and some dish soap, basecoat with black gesso (not hard to use at all; as far as I can tell it's the same as using any kind of paint on primer - I use acrylic gesso and acrylic paint, so it all washes with water). Then I paint the minis. And finally I give them a good coat of gloss varnish, and once that dries a good coat of matte varnish (Testor's Glosscote and Dullcote). Works for me.
ReplyDelete