How much undercoat do you get through?

[Trickstick]

So I have just finished undercoating a few batches of models, finishing off the infantry in my 1750 list. This consisted of two veteran squads, a couple of HWTs, my CCS and a few random objectives/Nork/advisors.

Anyway, the point is that I started the day with a fresh can of chaos black. By the end of the day it seems that the can is very nearly empty. I just wanted to know how much undercoat others used and if I have been going overboard. I can be a bit obsessive about covering the entire model but I don't think that I am too extreme.

So how many models can you get out of a can?

[Ymmot (M.I.A)]

I would paint pretty much everything you discribed in one batch to save paint...

I can probably get 4 or 5 batches done that way.

[Trickstick]

I had to do two batches as the tray wasn't big enough.

[Ymmot (M.I.A)]

Actually it is more like 4 1/2 batches...with me getting kind of frustrated as the can goes dry half way through the 5th batch.

I try to give all my models a pass on every side, but I don't over do it...I usually paint them again with a thin layer of chaos black after the primer dries.

[cheminhaler]

Whenever I spray it's a windy day and so much gets wasted.

There was an interesting WD article about batch painting ages ago, where one of the studio batch painters explained that he uses a stick, with double-sided tape on all four sides, then attatches infantry bases to all four sides in a long line. Then he takes this double-handed mace of infantry goodness outside and sprays the whole lot.
(Edit : if you do this, you'll have to hold it up until the paint dries )
Personally I always spray into a box, but what you described is about normal. Spray painting is expensive, but it saves you time. Or you could just buy a bigger brush and thin your black undercoats down.

[emptyhat]

As long as you don't ruin the details on the model or bankrupt yourself then you've not used too much. I think I might be getting 60-100% more models done then you though. Kinda hard to recall.

[3ff3ct]

If you spend too much money on spray, try using something else! Halfords do a black primer that works on plastic nicely

[jalapenerine]

maybe thats roughly but..

I need about 1 can for 1000 points.

[ElegaicRequiem]

I hope that's IG - 1K of marines would be a few handfulls of minis.

[egon]

I usually prime stuff on the sprues and the do touch up with a brush. I find it easier to get good cover that way. If you build your minis before priming them there are to many nooks and crannies that need to be filled, requiring more paint and thus more waste.

[3ff3ct]

Jun 21, 2011 4:47:48 GMT -5 egon said:

there are too many nooks and crannies that need to be filled

Story of my life

[KRIEGEIRK]

I agree with egon, if you have a steady hand and trust yourself enough, I would highly recommend using a spray can, then touching up spots you missed with the brush. May be expensive buying two paints but you undercoat a lot quicker and can move on to applying your colors. I usually do all my painting on the sprue as well then assemble the model. You get to add extra detail you may not be able to reach when the model is assembled.

[treadiculous]

I bought the GW spray gun hand flamer thingy... and in comparison to the chaos black cans about 1 + 1/2 pots of chaos black will cover the same area. add to that the propellant and your saving about 25% of the money.

This is only true of Undercoating black, as you can dump the empty spluttering can of propellant in boiling hot water (for a few seconds maximum) and you'll regain pressure... for any other sort of spray project you'll need to be using full or near full cans (to avoid pressure dropping off and ruining the earlier paintwork), where as with undercoat a varied pressure (causing splotchy patterns) doesn't ruin the models paint job as these can be sprayeds over again after a quick 'hot dip' of the propellant can in the bucket.
I have been able to re-use my old cans for undercoating several times in this way, and finally the cost of the flame guun spray thing has become worth it.

If not using the flamer spray thing and using a Chaos Black Can then I'd say 100 models on 1 facing if they're placed quite close to each other. (so 50 front and back). If you've built the model then you will need to fill nooks and gaps etc.

It really really really really helps to leave them on the sprue... but I always forget and build the modles first, then spend ages with a brush afterwards muttering to myself about ineffiecincy.

[Laughing Man]

I use armypainter sprays to do my undercoats. Spray black and paint grey...heck no i spray grey baby!

[mccaptain]

I use a cheap ($3.00) bottle of flat grey spray that you can get at wal-mart. It works just as well.