What colour undercoat do you use

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

White

[sebigboss79]

A philosophical question really.

For dark colours or darkening the colour scheme: Black
For light colours or lighting up the colour scheme: White

Not sure / neutral: Grey

[Jim Ando]

Hi

There`s no right or wrong answer depends on what you are painting.

under coat your figures the same colour as the main colour of the uniforms( ie acw rebs grey then paint the trousers or jacket a different colour).

Jim   

[Nellkyn]

What ratio do you use to thin the W&N inks?

Fifty Fifty works for me. I've stated to add about 10% flow enhancer to the water I use for thinning paints and inks.

[Kiwidave]

Fifty Fifty works for me. I've stated to add about 10% flow enhancer to the water I use for thinning paints and inks.

Cheers for the info

I've found out the hard way that W&N inks aren't waterproof, and leach into paint applied over the top, so will try using them with 50% Klear to give them some robustness.

[goat major]

For acrylic you may do better using a thinned artists oil wash(with white spirit) - burnt umber is a good colour.  Needs a good 24 hours in a warm room to dry properly though. And don't use it over an oil based undercoat - otherwise the white spirit will lift it

[Turk1964]

Gday all
              Have recieved my figures and have started on the Carthaginian Vetran Spearmen. Ive decided to undercoat these guys with  black due to them wearing armour and  looking good so far. Ive had to rethink a my painting method though due to the size.Its a bit like learning to paint all over again and im enjoying the challange  but man, are they tiny

[Leman]

I have discovered Vallejo white surface primer then washed with Vallejo dipping formula sepia works extremely well, i.e. it brings up the detail whilst  also providing a shading in the recesses. And it adheres to the figures like nobody's business (English idiom for extremely well).

[Bunny]

Hi Turk,

I am doing ACW Confederate, spray them grey the pick out the details and them paint an Army Painter Dark Tone wash over them. They look very good in my humble opinion.

For the Union I will use Army Painter 'Ultramarine' blue and repeat the process.

Images to follow....

[Hertsblue]

The only problem I have with spraying on the basic colour (apart from the bits I inevitably miss, of course) is that I've always believed that the undercoat is there to assist the topcoat to stick to the metal. With modern paints this may not be a problem, but the old codger in me always worries that it might.

[FierceKitty]

I've had an unpleasant experience recently with a black spray that gave a horrible, grainy finish. I'm having to scrub it off with a toothbrush.

[Orcs]

I've had an unpleasant experience recently with a black spray that gave a horrible, grainy finish. I'm having to scrub it off with a toothbrush.

My Dentist suggests that its a bad idea to spray paint your teeth

[Hertsblue]

My Dentist suggests that its a bad idea to spray paint your teeth

[Turk1964]

I have discovered Vallejo white surface primer then washed with Vallejo dipping formula sepia works extremely well, i.e. it brings up the detail whilst  also providing a shading in the recesses. And it adheres to the figures like nobody's business (English idiom for extremely well).

I have been using the Valejo Black surface primer and agree its excellent. I was going to purchase some grey and white primer to test  them out aswell. I brush the primer on and the detailing is still quite crisp .I found Black spray was  covering the detailing more than i would have liked so now brush my undercoats on.

Bunny it would be great to see some pics of your ACW figures