What kind of primer are you using?

Hi Stephen
i pait in Vallejo too.
My favored primer is Citadel Colour skull white spray primer.
BRILLIANT......
Roberto

There are lots of recent threads on primers here if you search a bit.

But, I have used the Vallejo Foundation White for primer (used in the Red Lancer resin bust in my work bench ) and it works fine as I put the Vallejo acrlyic base over it too. I usually wait ~ 24 hrs for fully dry. Also, make sure you wait between coats for full dry too!

I recently discovered the joy of Humbrol 01 as a brush on primer.

Keith

Did you wash the figure first?

Resin figures are covered in chemicals to help release from the mold. Those have to be removed with a bit of a scrub. Use some dishwashing detergent/liquid and water. I scrub a bit with an old toothbrush.

A primer will help, but paint on a dry clean surface should not rub off even without a primer.

Andy

Absolutely. The Vallejo's are peeling off because they don't have an appropriate surface to stick to. Definitely prime the figure and you won't have this problem at all.

Use a little bit of water with soap to wash whole figure. Now I'm using Citadel Colour acrylics and Vallejo and I don't have any problems with painting undercoat.
Other solution: if you have airbrush at first paint whole figure matt lacquer and then undercoat.

Hi,
I'm a n oil painter and Itried acrylics
The problem is thze primer
Now I use Citadel white in bomb . tthat's OK
You can use too any prier in bomb (it's so smooth & thin)
<Best regards
Patrick

I have also had problems with acrylics peeling off metal figures too. I have found that along with washing and a good primer, that using Testors Dull Coat and spraying a fine mist over the figure will solve my problems. But don't spray too close or long, or you'll get a white mist over the figure. Generally I spray at arms length and a few quick passes does the trick.

The few times this has happened to me have been due to either failing to properly wash the figure to remove the mold release, or failing to properly prime the figure. You have to do both... and sometimes I've been in a rush to get started. I don't think it has anything to do with the kind of paints you use or the kind of primer.

The suggestions above will work fine. The important thing is to create a surface that your paints can bite into (called "tooth"). Another thought is that you may be handling your figure too much. Is it on a base? If so, try to train yourself and others to handle it only by the base - even when painting it. Hope this is helpful.

Happy Painting!

The Vallejo acrylics should also be shaken well and smacked against the palm to insure a proper paint/carrier mix. I have found that if I fail to do this or see a trace of the clear carrier on my pallette the paint will not adhere properly, primed or not.

Although I agree about washing the figure and priming it, I also think Dave's comment about thoroughly mixing the paint itself is most important.

Vallejo, when mixed properly, gives a good opaque, thin, and stable surface. I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of their product the more I use it.

A few times I have failed to mix them properly and had exactly the same thing you report happen - fully dry paint comes off in chunks and small shreds even without handling. An unhappy situation when you've spent a lot of effort. :angry:

All the best,
Dan

As everyone has said- good advice. I started using Vallejo's more this last year. You have to:


1. Clean the figure or part. Sometimes I scuff with a fine scotchbrite pad. You see this technique in some of Verlinden's books.

2. Prime with a good primer that has "tooth". Tamiya Grey is my choice. Let dry overnight.

3. Shake the crap out of the bottle.

4. Apply 2 thin base coats. I use a slightly damp brush, apply one coat, then wait a few hours, and hit it again. Your subsequent color applications will be with dilluted paint (shadows and highlights). We don't want thick house-paint type of coats.

5. When done, the stuff works well with a thin coat of Testors Dullcoat applied with an airbrush. This helps knock out any sheen that pops up.

Although redundant, the above works well for me so far--

Matt

after good cleaning with warm soap water and a toothbrush , i do the good drying and prime 2 thin coats of andreas primer. Works fine so far .
but anyway its better to avoid much handling of fresh painted figures. prepere to have them pinned on a base and keep it there till last coat of varnish and only remove carefully to the permanent display of it . I also use Valejo's