CW 22 - Reaper Miniatures

REAPER MASTER SERIES ADDITIVES
What Do I Do With This Stuff?
There have been two triads of "additives" released in the RMS Paints range, one at the end of the first 108 colors and the
second at the very end of the line. But what exactly do you do with this stuff? How much Anti-Shine Additive do you need
to use to dull a shiny paint? How much should you thin that Brush-On Primer to get a smooth coat? Read on!!
9106: Flow Improver
Type: Additive (Additives are substances added to
paint to enhance its performance)
Use: Flow Improver is like an obediance class for
paint! It breaks down surface tension, so your paint flows
smoothly from the brush and with more control--excellent
for fine details and painting things like eyes. It also helps
washes stay where they belong (surface tension is what
makes washes creep up out of the cracks in a model as
they dry).
Ratio: One drop of flow improver (or "gunk" mix: see
Drying Retarder, below) per four drops of paint for
basecoating. If more thinning is required, as with a wash
or layering, I continue to thin with water. Reaper Master
Series Paints have Flow Improver in them already, so you
do not need to use too much of this additive to get great
results!
9107: Brush-On Sealer
Type: Sealer or Additive
Use: Two uses. It can be used as a protective finishing
coat over a finished model, per its name. If you use it
straight from the bottle it will be a satin coat; thin with a little
water to make it more matte. Also, it can be added to
a paint wash in place of some of the water to make the
wash more transparent, so it will dirty raised surfaces
less.
Ratio: Finishing coat: 4:1 or 3:1 Sealer to water, per
your preference. If you wish a thicker coat but want a
matte finish, add a drop of Anti-Shine Additive to your mix
(see below). As a matte medium to enhance washes, I
will use a 2:2:1 ratio of Sealer:water:paint, adding additional
water as needed for stronger colors.
9108: Brush-On Primer (white)
Type: Primer
Use: Apply primer over metal before painting. The
primer gives the paint a better surface to adhere to than
the bare pewter, which means your paints will be less likely
to rub off and chip with handling over time. This is also
an idea primer for making touch-ups if your spray primer
rubs off with handling while painting the miniature!
Ratio: As with any Master Series Paint, thin 4:1
Primer to water for basecoating, and apply in two smooth
coats.
9214: Black Primer (brush-on)
Type: Primer
Use: See above, Brush-On Primer. This primer
works very well for getting your black primer basecoat into
the deep crevasses your spray didn't reach!
Ratio: See above, Brush-On Primer.
9215: Anti-Shine Additive
Type: Additive
Use: Adding a drop or two of this to shiny paint will
dull the shine. Adding a drop of this to Brush-on Sealer
will result in a duller, more matte finish. Do not add too
much, or your paint will go frosty! The general guideline
is that no additive should make up more than 20% of your
paint mix.
Ratio: 4:1 paint mix to additive at the most. "Paint
Mix" refers to your paint after water and other additives
like flow improver have been added, so if you have a mix
of eight drops paint and four drops water you could use
three drops of this. Some brands of paint may work fine
with a higher ratio; that is for you to experiment with!
9216: Drying Retarder
Type: Additive
Use: Adding a drop of this to your paint mix will make
it dry slightly slower. Do not add too much, or your paint
will take hours or days to dry!
Ratio: One or two drops to your paint mix after you
have added water and other additives. Users in very dry
climates or at high altitudes may need to use a little more.
I am very cautious with my use of retarders, as adding too
much can have adverse effects on your paint, so I typically
will use this to make my "gunk" mix--a combination of
10% Drying Retarder, 40% Flow Improver, and 50% filtered
water. I will then use my gunk mix to thin my paint
to the 4:1 paint to water basecoat consistancy. Any further
thinning will be done with water, as described in Flow
Improver, above.
And there you have it! In our next article, we'll cover the
new Master Series Inks. Until then, if you have any questions,
complaints, compliments, or tips to share, come to
visit us at the Reaper Painting Tips forum at www.reapermini.com/forum!
Thanks for reading, and happy painting!!
Anne Foerster
Lead Staff Painter, Paint Line Designer - Reaper Master
Series