I adore the Vallejo paints (even if the Panzer Colors/Model Air/Model Color number system is a mess). They are great products and I use them with joy.

So of course I picked up the Vallejo washes and primers. But my experience with both has been an utter disaster. The washes seem near impossible to get where and how I want. The primer sprays great, but allows for effectively no post-spray cleanup (scraping, sanding, etc.). I'm shocked at how near worthless these products seem to me.

But as much of a Vallejo loyalist as I am, I want someone to talk me off the cliff here. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Maybe others love these products?

Hi Jake,

I too had high hopes for the washes, I nearly ruined a Jagdpanther with their Umber wash. However, on some Space Marines I am doing for a commission the wash worked perfectly to 'shade' the leatherwork and weapons. I think it is more suited to figures than tanks, and as the Vallejo Model Colour range is primarily aimed at figures this would fit. I shall use them exclusively for this purpose in future. I think their use for stowage i.e. bedrolls, sacks, kitbags etc would be appropriate as well.

All the best,

Paul

Never had a problem sanding their primers. You do have to let it cure for probably a good 48hrs, and maybe use a finer sandpaper than you normally would, but otherwise they work well.

As far as their washes go, not sure the problem you are having, but any wash to flow into the recesses needs to have a gloss coat underneath it to flow into crevices properly.

Primer: I let it cure for 3 days, but when I returned to it, sanding and scraping just took off big chunks of the paint like I was peeling off a piece of tape. The model was cleaned and degreased beforehand.

Washes: My concern isn't the flow, it's that when I laid them down, it created hard edges at the non-crevice end. When I tried to knock this back, even with the smallest amount of water on a brush possible, it effectively took off the entire wash.

Again, if I'm doing something wrong, I'm happy to learn. I'd *love* to be able to be all Vallejo all the time

Maybe it's looking for something to help with the flow something like acrylic flow release , this one is made by golden it breaks up the surface tension , just have to be very conservative and mix it with the thinner first . I had the problems you described while using Lifecolor paints and the flow release helped .

Hello

Vallejo primer are polyurethane base. This not acrylic.
I use vallejo primer for a quit a time, and i like.
It permits me to do a nice surface after sanding. Is auto level ( i think is the proper to say)so hides very well some scratches left behind.
Sanding it has to be very light very soft.

To add to what Rui said, I use the primer after I'm sure everything is ok. If something needs to be fixed, strip it off with brush cleaner/thinner. The primary advantage to using Vallejo is the formula covers as a film, rather than a layer of paint, so it can also help seal photoetch. I've started using AK as a check primer because it sands well, but doesn't cover as nicely as Vallejo does for brush painting in my opinion. I've found the washes lay down better if you wet the surface first like you would doing an ordinary wash with oils or enamels. They don't really work the same way as oil/enamel because they dry so quickly, but with a bit of practice and experimenting with thinning, brush size/type you can get some good results.

Kimmo

What basic ratio do use for the primer? I can't get it to spray for s#%^. I've tried various ratios and pressures.

I sprayed straight out of the bottle after rigorous shaking. Sprayed wonderfully.

i found that when i use the vallejo line i use an .045 needle for the primers and base coats and a .035 and thin the paint with vallejo airbrush thinner for finer work I use the vallejo primer because i think it is forulated for use with their paint and have had problems in the past using other thinning agents and i only spray at 15-18 psi sometimes even lower alas i have not tried thier washes i perfer oils for that

No need to thin the primer, but you might have to up your airpressure, and/or go to a bigger needle.

I can push it through a .2mm needle, but I have to run it at about 40psi to do so.

I just did a funny car body with Vallejo White primer, and had a few dust particles in it. Wet sanded it with about 2000grit and worked fine, didn't peel up or anything.

For cleaning up the wash, all you need is pretty much a damp brush or cotton bud, not wet at all, just barely damp.