This WIP post will be different from my usual WIP posts where I just share a single image of my current project. Instead, it’s going to be several images of yesterday’s paint session.
Always ensure your t-shirt colour matches your respirator.
This paint session is an airbrush session. It’s really important to wear a respirator. I never used to and honestly after a session if I blew my nose it would look like a snot-rainbow.
The tools of the trade.
I also use an extractor fan. My paint area is next to a window so the stray paint particles just get sucked out and blown out of the window. Before I had an extractor fan, over time my desk would have a paint particle dust layer to it. It’s worth getting one. The Cheapo airbrush is still going strong. Vallejo Surface Primeris fantastic. It’s cheap and self-levelling. I actually thin it further with Tamiya X-20A. The same thinner I use on my GW Citadel paint. No clogs, it’s great stuff.
Don’t you hate it when your airbrush run dries with just a little bit left to do.
That is what I’m working on. The Primaris characters and five Intercessors from the Dark Imperium box set. You can see, all the pieces have had a hole drilled into them and a paper clip superglued in place. They are then inserted into a double thickness piece of foam core. I can hold the foam core and turn it around to really get all the angles with the airbrush. It also cuts down on the amount of paint I get on my hand.
I haven’t assembled all of the models in the box yet because I really find cleaning mould lines a chore. So I have to do a small amount at a time. It’s also nice because it means I’m not swamped with loads of unpainted models. Does anyone enjoy removing mould lines? Does anyone just not bother?
The thin blue line.
I’ve only base coated the models Caledor Sky. Check out my tutorial for the full scheme. For small models, I like to shade and highlight them traditionally by brush. I only really shade and highlight larger models with the airbrush. With that being done, I can get on with painting them.
Did you like this more in-depth look at a WIP? Let me know in the comments.
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Hey Garfy, I'm enjoying the more detailed step-by-step!
I have some technical questions for you. What PSI do you like to use? Is it different for the primer and for the paint? What's the needle size you're using on your airbrush? Finally, about how long did it take you to prime and basecoat those guys?
I feel like my airbrush nozzle gets dried paint on it after just a few seconds of spraying. It makes the process such a chore, wiping the nozzle off with a q-tip and cleaner every minute or so, but at the end it does create a beautiful surface to start hand painting. Maybe I should thin my primer, too.
I'm with you–mould lines are the worst. Easily my least favorite part of assembly. I can't bring myself to skip it, though!
PSI, I don't have a tank so It operates at around 25 to 30 with the airbrush constantly firing. It's the same for both primer and paint because I thin the paints to be as close in consistently as possible. 0.2mm nozzle. To prime 10 minutes. Then some waiting for drying (30mins) then another 20 minutes to lay down a few coats of blue. But, it takes around 20 minutes to clean the airbrush and I did that twice. Then if you include the time to pin all the pieces to a foam core block another 30 mins. So it's close to a 2 hour session in total. I can brush undercoat and base coat quicker… just not smoother.
Thanks for the reply!
Okay, that matches my timing too, I'd say. I feel like there's this idea that airbrushing saves so much time. If you just count actual painting time that's true, but if you add in all the other steps like you have it's a toss up. Good to know I'm not just exceptionally slow with my airbrush.
You going to work on the Dark Imperium box for awhile, or have any of the new Primaris caught your eye?
No filter in the exhaust fan? Even with the filter I still get paint all over my window screen. Fortunately it washes off easily before the wife spots it.
I do normally use, it's in one of the pictures… I can't remember why I took it out. Weird.
Seeing the respirator and extraction fan setup makes me wonder why I am still waiting to do it. It's not that hard, but it's very important for the lungs. Thanks for showing the importance of this.
Cheers
Kevin
This is great – the extra level of detail about your setup and process is very interesting. For some reason I always thought you based all your minis before undercoating.
The more indepth look is great! How do you do the arms? I had my first crack at painting in subassemblies recently, with a squad of intercessors, and it was incredibly painful so I ended up just gluing the arms on and working around it.
I'm not a fan of sub-assemblies. I only do them when it's unavoidable. Most of the time you can't see what's behind the part so it doesn't need to be carefully highlighted and shaded. I tend to glue the sub-assemblies together soon as I've painted the obstructed part. I'll probably detail this in my next WIP post.
Hi Garfy! Have you ever done a preshading via airbrush before the first layer? Maybe with grey. The result will be nice with the brushwork and the others steps…
Yeah I pre-shade vehicles for sure. But not the smaller figures. I prefer the greater control of a paint brush. Just personal preference 🙂