Priming Your Miniatures

In this section, we will explain how to prime (also called ‘undercoat’) your miniatures.

If you are working on Nolzur's miniatures, you can skip to the Painting section as they come pre-primed.

Choosing the right primer

Priming your miniatures is an essential step. Without an undercoat, the paint is likely to flake and peel away with time.

Black primer spray is the safest bet and works well with dark color schemes. If you miss a spot while painting, it won't be too noticeable as the black will look like shading.

White primer spray is ideal for bright color schemes but any spot your miss while painting will be staring at you.

Grey-ish sprays such as Citadel Greyseer and Citadel Wraithbone are highly recommended with Citadel Contrast Paint which we will cover in another section of our painting guide.

Lastly, you can use colored primer spray if you are working on miniatures that have a predominant color (such as Retributor Armour spray for a unit of Stormcast Eternals).

Check here to see all available primer sprays.

Priming the correct way

If you never used a primer spray before, read carefully to avoid unsatisfactory results.

For health and safety reasons, go outdoor or use a well-ventilated area.

Avoid days of extreme heat as the paint would partially dry before reaching the model resulting in a grainy finish. 

Shake your can of spray for a full minute to mix the chemicals.

Keep a distance of about 30 cm (12 inches) between the nozzle of your can and your miniatures and spray them with short bursts. Shake your can a bit between each burst.

When done, wait 30 minutes for the primer to fully dry.

Using a spray stick

If you are spraying a large model like a tank, simply put the model inside a large cardboard box with one side open. The box itself will protect from the wind and from spraying your balcony.

If you are spraying multiple small models, we suggest using a spray stick. It can be a fancy Citadel spray stick, a flat wooden stick of about 50 cm, or long pieces of cardboard.

Attach your models to the spray stick using tape, rubber bands, or adhesive putty. When priming, move and rotate your spray stick to expose your miniatures from all angles.

 

 

Done priming? Continue to the Painting section!