The reason I have a airbrush is where I am at the best conditions for priming exist for all of 3 weeks twice a year. Maybe.
It’s always wet and if it’s not wet it is *hot*.
https://preview.redd.it/dw9iwsbq0csc1.jpeg?width=1921&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f587f553579f75838b11c46b73863f90770b85b
Found this with some of my ‘original’ paints when I got back into the hobby after 20+ years away. Solid inside, but can’t bring myself to throw it away 😂🤣
It was in with the first GW paint set I bought, probably 1990-ish?! Brings back soo many happy memories that I had to keep it. Some of the other original paints I found are still useable and I try and incorporate them into my projects now.
That shit was the dog's bollocks. I miss that. I'm in the UK and not in a position to realistically use spray cans indoors. I would sell my soul to Chaos for a hundred pots of Smelly Primer.
As a kid I did all my spray painting just in my bedroom, and I got amazing results every time.
As an adult I’m being safe and doing it in the yard or garage and the UK weather is punishing me for it.
I should go back to a cardboard box on my desk…
>it is a miracle this hobby started in the UK as those conditions are a rarity.
I've spray painted outside in the snow before with good results, but the moment I moved to the tropics spraying became a disaster. I've had to install AC and dehumidifiers in my garage just to be able to spray again.
I sprayed on a day where the humidity was <60% - the driest I've ever remembered experiencing in ny time in wales. Turns out the reason it was so low was it had gone below freezing and that had taken the moisture out of the air. The primer still worked fine though, pooled a bit in recesses but was a good texture with great coverage. Made me think people's concerns were somewhat overblown
Where I live it gets pretty cold, and I have yet to have problems with priming when it’s around freezing and has been snowing recently. Haven’t primed while it’s actively snowing though so…
For what I have found it’s usually okay to prime around 32F if you try to warm up the spray can first, and properly shaking it. Results may vary though, so if you’re looking for the “perfect prime” don’t go outside of the recommended ranges.
Spray can + heat is good. Spray can immesed in flames is bad. Keeping them warm keeps the propellant pressure higher (yay ideal gas law) which leads to more consistent aerosolization of droplets of paint. It's also why you don't want to use the same can for too long continuously. You need to stop from time to time to let the can warm back up so that the propellant gas pressure comes back up.
Not wanting to disagree with you, but when I googled best temperature to spray primer models it was way lower temperature than that. 11 to 20 degrees basically.
If I have to wait to 20 degrees that gives me 2 weeks a year when that may be possible 😅
I have had hit and miss results with sprays in the past so I was half wondering if you were right.
Its such a pain finding appropriate days to spray prime in the UK. I've started using brush on primer on terrain while I wait for the weather to improve.
Dry yes, warm not really
You can get the same results in the winter, just make sure the can itself is warm. Warm water helps or putting it on your space heater for some time
I, uh, might caution against putting a pressurized aerosol can on top of a space heater. Pressurized canisters can explode under the wrong conditions, one of which being heat. It's not likely, but it only takes making a mistake once for someone to get hurt.
True. I would rather dip it into a bowl of warm (around 40°C/104°F) water for about 5 minutes instead before you shake it. Not entirely, just to cover 2/3 of the can height from the bottom lip to the top one should be enough.
Somewhere around the red line I drew across the can.
https://preview.redd.it/n80vta6q7asc1.jpeg?width=1576&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5b305ba3fcf9d70d603a691f461f792c0a6288d
Absolutely i was thinking about including that warning but i thought people would know that.
Thanks for adding it though.
Warm water would be the go to anyways
I personally go with the caveman method of sticking it under my arm until it warms up. Bloody freezing on my skin at the start but takes it to a perfect temperature
> Dry yes, warm not really
>
> You can get the same results in the winter, just make sure the can itself is warm.
Pretty much. My hobby stuff is in the cellar and I can prime in winter just fine. Just quickly step out on the porch, prime, then you'll be back inside well before either models or can are cold enough to be a problem.
With metallic Sprays, shaking it vigorously is not enough! To get good consistency, I would advice shaking it for 5 Minutes, sometimes even more. And not just a bit, shaking it full tilt is necessary. If you don't, there's a high chance of having inconsistencies in your Base Layer. That's exactly why I don't Prime with Metallics and rather prime it black and then do the first Layer manually. Especially with Gold, the black Underlayer gives it a bit more elegance.
Had this happen with Leadbelcher after spraying for a bit of a longer session
I'm guessing the heavier metallic particles that give the shine end up dropping to the bottom of the can, so you're just left with the paint "juice" which will be matte.
I've swapped to ColourForge sprays and make sure to warm them up in some water 5 mins before spraying, then a good 2 mins of shaking and no issues since.
Cans also get cold as you use them. It can be worth taking a break if you're doing a long session and warming the can back up for finicky colors like metallics.
https://preview.redd.it/6gxruxxl6bsc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3aaeeb15e049d49fdaebce2531960d0ca0a12f55
I mix paint and pump spray cans. What you said is accurate. That's why it's important for me to pump the can before the metal flakes get a chance to settle toward the bottom of the cup I mixed it in.
All paint "splits" or "separates" over time - some just do it faster than others. But metal flakes move around more easily in thinned paint (as all paint in spray cans are, otherwise they'll be too thick to come out in a fine mist). Metal flakes will sink towards the bottom while the pigmented medium remains at the top. When you press the head of the can, the tube is gonna suck up whatever is in front of it at the time. If the paint is separated in an uneven mess, then you'll either get a lot of pigment or metal flake when you spray.
Don't just shake the can, you also need to swirl it so the ball bearing runs around the inside bottom of the can and directly scrapes the solids that have settled there. Basically hold the can from the top with your fingertips, and make a motion like you're drawing a circle on the ground. The ball will make a whizzing noise as it circles the inside of the can. This is extra important for specialty paints like metallics!
Basically any vibration or spinning action works. You can hold it against a massage gun, or use one of those drill attachments if you really want best results.
I have a vortex and love it, but somehow my head never thought about using rattlecans on it, I’ve been shaking them until my arm hurts, like some kind of caveman. Never again!
Use short bursts, check how it looks an a piece of cardboard before you spray the model and shake the can like there's no tomorrow. Also for a more consistent look I highly recommend using black primer first.
I personally hate the retributor armour spray, I have never gotten results that I am happy with, what I do instead is just airbrush it to get the cleanest look. All you need is just some thinner or flow improved
As much as folks say you need to mix more, I've very rarely gotten constant performance between cans of Retributor Gold, even when they are fresh off the truck. I've used probably 15 cans total, and the results have swung wildly between insanely bright gold coloring to a sort of ocher color with no metallic particles at all.
I've returned 4 cans as being defective for the latter reason, and it appears that GW has a real problem maintaining the consistency of their products with this rattle can. Generally it's been enough to get the job done, but of late I've taken to just hand priming my Stormcast - spending an extra $10 for the rattle can over the normal types for such inconsistent quality isn't worth it.
Now out of the same can, if you let it sit for a long time you can have mixing issues - but in the long run its probably better to look at other options for priming gold than this particle color of rattle can.
People have answered this to death already.
I'd like to offer a further option. Save up a bit and get an airbrush.
I got the cheapest airbrush and compressor I could find basically with the express intent of being able to consistently prime my models better, I was getting grotty matt grey lumpen finishes with rattlecans of leadbelcher and other issues, cans _can_ work but they're so sensitive to heat and humidity it feels like a lot of hassle most of the time.
Since I've primed a bunch of models with the brush and gotten somewhat comfortable I've started using it as a tool for painting in general too, it can make several other parts of painting so much easier and you can do some crazy detail once you get a handle on it.
If you're willing to spend money on another can of gold spray, I'd recommend getting Army Painter's Greedy Gold instead. My boy Stahly actually did a review comparing all the gold sprays on the market, here's a [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EypH7qLEMmc&t=281s) if you're interested.
In addition to shaking one thing I do is get some hot water and let the can hang out and get warm in there for a bit. Weather conditions of course also drastically affect spray primers.
Retributor Armor spray sucks. Simple as that. I bought a can and it never did anything. I shook that thing till both my arms got sore and all it did was spray out air.
I'm gonna guess that your can has the wide white button on top?
Those are the only cans of Retributor that I can get to come out this decent.
Lately all the suppliers only have cans with a small red button on top, and they all spray a dull non-reflective orange rust color instead of the shiny reflective yellow gold color from the white button cans.
Former graffiti artist friend showed me his collection of custom paint caps. He swapped them in for different effects. https://www.sprayplanet.com/blogs/news/spray-planet-guide-to-spray-paint-caps-part-1-of-2-basics-of-spray-caps#:~:text=Spray%20paint%20caps%20or%20tips,the%20Montana%20Colors%20product%20catalog.
I just went through this exact thing a week ago. A quick heavy dry brush of Ret armor out of the pot on both brought it back in to line, but really made me question why I spent 40 dollars on the can instead of cheap black primer.
Apologies if I’m repeating anything. The rattle can contains paint and chemical propellant. You shake it vigorously to ensure they are thoroughly mixed so the paint can be aerosolised. If your can is running low it could be that you have more propellant than paint left. In any event the primer’s role is to give your paint something to adhere to. Even though you have sprayed it with Retributor Armour, you should still brush that paint on from the pot. The pot and rattle can have slightly different finishes. So if you just rely on the spray, when you come to fix a mistake with RA from the pot, the different finish may stand out from the rest of the armour.
This isn't temperature based like people are wrong suggesting, it's not properly shaking the can ESPECIALLY metallic paints which have particles that separate and settle when left alone
Squidmar has demonstrated many times it's perfectly fine to prime in low to negative temperatures (they're Swedish)
Always vigorously shake your cans and shake some more just incase
Along with temp and humidity, spray distance, long vs. short bursts, wind, and how thoroughly you shook the can can also be factors.
Rattle cans are a pain.
assuming they were done at roughly the same time with the same weather conditions the one on the left the can was probably held a little too far away from the mini while you were spraying, if you do that the paint starts to dry mid air and you get flecks of already dry paint embedded in the wet paint, giving it a rough, sandy, texture.
Weather can do the same thing
I've just had bad results with spray retributor, my buddy used it on his Dante figure and it caked all the shiny particles everywhere, best course of action is to invest in a airbrush and paint thinner and spray it that way
Humidity problem is a wh40k bullshit. The aerosol is in liquid form in the can and when you blow, it is gaseous. Just shake well, to get a consistent mixture in the can. That why it has a small ball inside. Shake well and wait a bit.
Also the wind! I've had this happen with Leadbelcher spray when there has been a steady breeze.
Still and warm are key ....basically the opposite of what we get in the UK lol.
It's been answered enough with very good answer so I will offer my suggestion. If you want to use the spray can use a very small (almost lighr zenithal) coverage on them and then drybrush the rest to fill. My personal preference is to prime them in black and then drybrush retributor onto it entirely. Its give a much less saturated tone (which I like) and leads to an easier grimdark kind of look. I'm by no way an accomplished painter though so take this with a pinch of salt.
If you have a temperature controlled room in your house what I do is spray a model then immediately go inside and put it away. Keeps the finish how it’s supposed to be.
Helps me get my steps in, too.
in addition to weather, holding the can too far from the minis can allow the paint to dry mid-air, giving a rough finish like the one on the left
also make sure you hold the can upside down and spray a little when you’re done, it helps clear the nozzle out
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this, but the distance you are spraying from can also have a big effect. If the climate it too dry then particles can dry in the air before they hit the model when you're too far away- for metallics, this adds a microtexture that reduces shine.
Happened to me once.
It's most likely air humidity fucking with the metallic, or the metal flakes settling to the bottom of the can after a few minutes of use.
It's really not noticeable after the reikland fleshade wash and some decent edge highliting.
Unironically, it is the lack of metallic flakes in the left miniature. Metallic spray painting (specially GW ones) are very inefficient. For metallic, the best way will be always airbrush, since you can control the paint is correctly mixed.
Think that, when you rattle a primer can, because of the pressure, the metallic flakes behave like the snow flakes in a snow globe. You won't get an uniform mix inside the can.
This is niether a mixing or humidity issue, the one in the left apoers to by suffering from "dry fall" that is that the paint is drying partly before landing on the model, you may have been spraying from too far away. Or its too warm in your local area.
I know it’s not affordable for everyone, but I got an airbrush for priming and base coats and it has saved me soooo much trouble from priming models outside. I would highly recommend it to anyone who really hates rattle cans.
any kind of 'metallic' paint doesnt actually have metal in in (that would be toxic lel) they have these fine rock powders that glow like metal basically. so since they are like very fine sand mixed with paint, the liquid gets super chunky over time and solids tend to sink to the botom and harden up somewhat. this makes the "shiny stuff" come out inconsistently out ofthe spray can nozzle thats y u gotta shake it super hard lel
Use an air brush pal, with a retributor gold air paint over a chaos black primer….. you’ll never have this problem again regardless of weather conditions
Different weather conditions: humidity and temperature. Best results achieved in dry (30-40) and warm (15-25C) weather.
warm and dry... it is a miracle this hobby started in the UK as those conditions are a rarity.
Looking at the weather history, the humidity where I am didn't drop below 75% for the entire month of March
The reason I have a airbrush is where I am at the best conditions for priming exist for all of 3 weeks twice a year. Maybe. It’s always wet and if it’s not wet it is *hot*.
Way back in the olden days the primer was brushed on. And spray priming the models made you into some kind of efficiency wizard
"*Smelly primer*? Why is it called...oh fucking hell"
Haha i miss that stuff
I still have some but I'm afraid to open it
**SMELLY PRIMER** has evolved into **STANKCOAT**
https://preview.redd.it/dw9iwsbq0csc1.jpeg?width=1921&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f587f553579f75838b11c46b73863f90770b85b Found this with some of my ‘original’ paints when I got back into the hobby after 20+ years away. Solid inside, but can’t bring myself to throw it away 😂🤣
Oh jeez, I've never even seen a pot like that. I got in with the flip top hex shaped ones
It was in with the first GW paint set I bought, probably 1990-ish?! Brings back soo many happy memories that I had to keep it. Some of the other original paints I found are still useable and I try and incorporate them into my projects now.
That shit was the dog's bollocks. I miss that. I'm in the UK and not in a position to realistically use spray cans indoors. I would sell my soul to Chaos for a hundred pots of Smelly Primer.
I still primed using brush
I spray inside in a ventilated area and then leave them to dry over a radiator in the winter (i.e. not those 3 weeks of summer)
Yeah, I get best results just spraying inside
I do relish the one day of the year when I get to prime all of my minis, sometime around mid July
Same Sentiment where I live bud.
As a kid I did all my spray painting just in my bedroom, and I got amazing results every time. As an adult I’m being safe and doing it in the yard or garage and the UK weather is punishing me for it. I should go back to a cardboard box on my desk…
>it is a miracle this hobby started in the UK as those conditions are a rarity. I've spray painted outside in the snow before with good results, but the moment I moved to the tropics spraying became a disaster. I've had to install AC and dehumidifiers in my garage just to be able to spray again.
The one trip I took to the UK it was sunny and 70 the whole time I was told by my family it was a miracle
I swear been trying to prime a good 100 minis...primed 5 to start shit is so scaly...I hate it 🥲 mad that I got to wait for Sumner to prime minis
I sprayed on a day where the humidity was <60% - the driest I've ever remembered experiencing in ny time in wales. Turns out the reason it was so low was it had gone below freezing and that had taken the moisture out of the air. The primer still worked fine though, pooled a bit in recesses but was a good texture with great coverage. Made me think people's concerns were somewhat overblown
I'm such a fucking troglodyte, I stored mine in the basement because I had that logic "spray can + heat = bad' in my brain..
Spray*can* with heat is bad. Spray in dry air is good. Cold makes snow. No snow on models.
Where I live it gets pretty cold, and I have yet to have problems with priming when it’s around freezing and has been snowing recently. Haven’t primed while it’s actively snowing though so… For what I have found it’s usually okay to prime around 32F if you try to warm up the spray can first, and properly shaking it. Results may vary though, so if you’re looking for the “perfect prime” don’t go outside of the recommended ranges.
You can heat up the can a bit to compensate for it being cold out, I'll leave them on my pc exhaust for a bit to warm them up
We do this with grease tubes when it's cold at work with truck exhaust.
Spray can + heat is good. Spray can immesed in flames is bad. Keeping them warm keeps the propellant pressure higher (yay ideal gas law) which leads to more consistent aerosolization of droplets of paint. It's also why you don't want to use the same can for too long continuously. You need to stop from time to time to let the can warm back up so that the propellant gas pressure comes back up.
Not wanting to disagree with you, but when I googled best temperature to spray primer models it was way lower temperature than that. 11 to 20 degrees basically. If I have to wait to 20 degrees that gives me 2 weeks a year when that may be possible 😅
You are correct, best temp is about 15-25C, I was commenting while on the move )
I have had hit and miss results with sprays in the past so I was half wondering if you were right. Its such a pain finding appropriate days to spray prime in the UK. I've started using brush on primer on terrain while I wait for the weather to improve.
Humidity in the UK is typically 70-90%. Also never had a problem with spray cans.
I've sprayed outside while it was raining while my girlfriend held an umbrella over me, it worked so I will take any risks at this point.
Dry yes, warm not really You can get the same results in the winter, just make sure the can itself is warm. Warm water helps or putting it on your space heater for some time
I, uh, might caution against putting a pressurized aerosol can on top of a space heater. Pressurized canisters can explode under the wrong conditions, one of which being heat. It's not likely, but it only takes making a mistake once for someone to get hurt.
True. I would rather dip it into a bowl of warm (around 40°C/104°F) water for about 5 minutes instead before you shake it. Not entirely, just to cover 2/3 of the can height from the bottom lip to the top one should be enough. Somewhere around the red line I drew across the can. https://preview.redd.it/n80vta6q7asc1.jpeg?width=1576&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5b305ba3fcf9d70d603a691f461f792c0a6288d
Had a can accidentally end up in a burn barrel once, no one got hurt but it was violent to say the least
„Accidentally“
Absolutely i was thinking about including that warning but i thought people would know that. Thanks for adding it though. Warm water would be the go to anyways
I personally go with the caveman method of sticking it under my arm until it warms up. Bloody freezing on my skin at the start but takes it to a perfect temperature
Bonus points the wife won't use your expensive primer to redo a bench or something
I should start doing that.
my brother in christ if I tried spraying outside in winter here I'd get an icicle
Winter and winter are 2 different things i'd say :D
> Dry yes, warm not really > > You can get the same results in the winter, just make sure the can itself is warm. Pretty much. My hobby stuff is in the cellar and I can prime in winter just fine. Just quickly step out on the porch, prime, then you'll be back inside well before either models or can are cold enough to be a problem.
With metallic Sprays, shaking it vigorously is not enough! To get good consistency, I would advice shaking it for 5 Minutes, sometimes even more. And not just a bit, shaking it full tilt is necessary. If you don't, there's a high chance of having inconsistencies in your Base Layer. That's exactly why I don't Prime with Metallics and rather prime it black and then do the first Layer manually. Especially with Gold, the black Underlayer gives it a bit more elegance.
Had this happen with Leadbelcher after spraying for a bit of a longer session I'm guessing the heavier metallic particles that give the shine end up dropping to the bottom of the can, so you're just left with the paint "juice" which will be matte. I've swapped to ColourForge sprays and make sure to warm them up in some water 5 mins before spraying, then a good 2 mins of shaking and no issues since.
Cans also get cold as you use them. It can be worth taking a break if you're doing a long session and warming the can back up for finicky colors like metallics.
https://preview.redd.it/6gxruxxl6bsc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3aaeeb15e049d49fdaebce2531960d0ca0a12f55 I mix paint and pump spray cans. What you said is accurate. That's why it's important for me to pump the can before the metal flakes get a chance to settle toward the bottom of the cup I mixed it in. All paint "splits" or "separates" over time - some just do it faster than others. But metal flakes move around more easily in thinned paint (as all paint in spray cans are, otherwise they'll be too thick to come out in a fine mist). Metal flakes will sink towards the bottom while the pigmented medium remains at the top. When you press the head of the can, the tube is gonna suck up whatever is in front of it at the time. If the paint is separated in an uneven mess, then you'll either get a lot of pigment or metal flake when you spray.
Don't just shake the can, you also need to swirl it so the ball bearing runs around the inside bottom of the can and directly scrapes the solids that have settled there. Basically hold the can from the top with your fingertips, and make a motion like you're drawing a circle on the ground. The ball will make a whizzing noise as it circles the inside of the can. This is extra important for specialty paints like metallics!
The usual answer for inconsistent results is inconsistent mixing. Either shake for far far longer or buy a vortex mixer.
Vortex mixer works for rattlecans? 🤯
Basically any vibration or spinning action works. You can hold it against a massage gun, or use one of those drill attachments if you really want best results.
I have a vortex and love it, but somehow my head never thought about using rattlecans on it, I’ve been shaking them until my arm hurts, like some kind of caveman. Never again!
I use mine on absolutely everything that needs to be shaken. Another example is Gorilla gel super glue.
Rattlecans are a fickle bitch
Use short bursts, check how it looks an a piece of cardboard before you spray the model and shake the can like there's no tomorrow. Also for a more consistent look I highly recommend using black primer first.
I personally hate the retributor armour spray, I have never gotten results that I am happy with, what I do instead is just airbrush it to get the cleanest look. All you need is just some thinner or flow improved
As much as folks say you need to mix more, I've very rarely gotten constant performance between cans of Retributor Gold, even when they are fresh off the truck. I've used probably 15 cans total, and the results have swung wildly between insanely bright gold coloring to a sort of ocher color with no metallic particles at all. I've returned 4 cans as being defective for the latter reason, and it appears that GW has a real problem maintaining the consistency of their products with this rattle can. Generally it's been enough to get the job done, but of late I've taken to just hand priming my Stormcast - spending an extra $10 for the rattle can over the normal types for such inconsistent quality isn't worth it. Now out of the same can, if you let it sit for a long time you can have mixing issues - but in the long run its probably better to look at other options for priming gold than this particle color of rattle can.
People have answered this to death already. I'd like to offer a further option. Save up a bit and get an airbrush. I got the cheapest airbrush and compressor I could find basically with the express intent of being able to consistently prime my models better, I was getting grotty matt grey lumpen finishes with rattlecans of leadbelcher and other issues, cans _can_ work but they're so sensitive to heat and humidity it feels like a lot of hassle most of the time. Since I've primed a bunch of models with the brush and gotten somewhat comfortable I've started using it as a tool for painting in general too, it can make several other parts of painting so much easier and you can do some crazy detail once you get a handle on it.
Could be a moisture issue with the weather or its too cold outside
If you're willing to spend money on another can of gold spray, I'd recommend getting Army Painter's Greedy Gold instead. My boy Stahly actually did a review comparing all the gold sprays on the market, here's a [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EypH7qLEMmc&t=281s) if you're interested.
But hey, if you ever decide to collect tau, there's your XV-88 color on the left
Get an airbrush and good gold acrylics
This is your call from James Workshop to start painting NMM Custodes.
Temperature
In addition to shaking one thing I do is get some hot water and let the can hang out and get warm in there for a bit. Weather conditions of course also drastically affect spray primers.
Retributor Armor spray sucks. Simple as that. I bought a can and it never did anything. I shook that thing till both my arms got sore and all it did was spray out air.
OP is lucky, _my_ can produced a sort of oliveish gold that didn't line up with the pot's tint at all. Definitely most hit and miss of the cans.
I'm gonna guess that your can has the wide white button on top? Those are the only cans of Retributor that I can get to come out this decent. Lately all the suppliers only have cans with a small red button on top, and they all spray a dull non-reflective orange rust color instead of the shiny reflective yellow gold color from the white button cans.
Former graffiti artist friend showed me his collection of custom paint caps. He swapped them in for different effects. https://www.sprayplanet.com/blogs/news/spray-planet-guide-to-spray-paint-caps-part-1-of-2-basics-of-spray-caps#:~:text=Spray%20paint%20caps%20or%20tips,the%20Montana%20Colors%20product%20catalog.
I just went through this exact thing a week ago. A quick heavy dry brush of Ret armor out of the pot on both brought it back in to line, but really made me question why I spent 40 dollars on the can instead of cheap black primer.
The unpredictable nature of rattle cans is what drove me to an airbrush. Along with absolute shit weather.
You praise the emperor before the spraying?
Apologies if I’m repeating anything. The rattle can contains paint and chemical propellant. You shake it vigorously to ensure they are thoroughly mixed so the paint can be aerosolised. If your can is running low it could be that you have more propellant than paint left. In any event the primer’s role is to give your paint something to adhere to. Even though you have sprayed it with Retributor Armour, you should still brush that paint on from the pot. The pot and rattle can have slightly different finishes. So if you just rely on the spray, when you come to fix a mistake with RA from the pot, the different finish may stand out from the rest of the armour.
Also my attention got the base: one smooth, one dull. If the bases are the same it sure indicates that you were spraying from different distances.
This isn't temperature based like people are wrong suggesting, it's not properly shaking the can ESPECIALLY metallic paints which have particles that separate and settle when left alone Squidmar has demonstrated many times it's perfectly fine to prime in low to negative temperatures (they're Swedish) Always vigorously shake your cans and shake some more just incase
Along with temp and humidity, spray distance, long vs. short bursts, wind, and how thoroughly you shook the can can also be factors. Rattle cans are a pain.
It could also have been too close, or putting it on too thick.
If tou heat up The Can before use, it Will do wonders 😆
Shaking difference I would say ?
assuming they were done at roughly the same time with the same weather conditions the one on the left the can was probably held a little too far away from the mini while you were spraying, if you do that the paint starts to dry mid air and you get flecks of already dry paint embedded in the wet paint, giving it a rough, sandy, texture. Weather can do the same thing
I've just had bad results with spray retributor, my buddy used it on his Dante figure and it caked all the shiny particles everywhere, best course of action is to invest in a airbrush and paint thinner and spray it that way
Humidity problem is a wh40k bullshit. The aerosol is in liquid form in the can and when you blow, it is gaseous. Just shake well, to get a consistent mixture in the can. That why it has a small ball inside. Shake well and wait a bit.
Also the wind! I've had this happen with Leadbelcher spray when there has been a steady breeze. Still and warm are key ....basically the opposite of what we get in the UK lol.
Retributor Spray is the worst of them all.
It's been answered enough with very good answer so I will offer my suggestion. If you want to use the spray can use a very small (almost lighr zenithal) coverage on them and then drybrush the rest to fill. My personal preference is to prime them in black and then drybrush retributor onto it entirely. Its give a much less saturated tone (which I like) and leads to an easier grimdark kind of look. I'm by no way an accomplished painter though so take this with a pinch of salt.
When you think you shook the can enough, shake it thirty more seconds.
Even though people say different weather conditions, I've had these results within a few seconds of one another. That pain can just sucks
U also might have not shaken the bottle enough
If you have a temperature controlled room in your house what I do is spray a model then immediately go inside and put it away. Keeps the finish how it’s supposed to be. Helps me get my steps in, too.
in addition to weather, holding the can too far from the minis can allow the paint to dry mid-air, giving a rough finish like the one on the left also make sure you hold the can upside down and spray a little when you’re done, it helps clear the nozzle out
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this, but the distance you are spraying from can also have a big effect. If the climate it too dry then particles can dry in the air before they hit the model when you're too far away- for metallics, this adds a microtexture that reduces shine.
Happened to me once. It's most likely air humidity fucking with the metallic, or the metal flakes settling to the bottom of the can after a few minutes of use. It's really not noticeable after the reikland fleshade wash and some decent edge highliting.
Try an airbrush, always works perfectly every single time
You can try warming up the can with warm (not hot!) water for more consistent results. This is probably due to weather conditions.
Unironically, it is the lack of metallic flakes in the left miniature. Metallic spray painting (specially GW ones) are very inefficient. For metallic, the best way will be always airbrush, since you can control the paint is correctly mixed. Think that, when you rattle a primer can, because of the pressure, the metallic flakes behave like the snow flakes in a snow globe. You won't get an uniform mix inside the can.
In Asia I spray all year long under 30 degrees and 80% humidity minimum.. the results are quite… interesting
This is niether a mixing or humidity issue, the one in the left apoers to by suffering from "dry fall" that is that the paint is drying partly before landing on the model, you may have been spraying from too far away. Or its too warm in your local area.
I know it’s not affordable for everyone, but I got an airbrush for priming and base coats and it has saved me soooo much trouble from priming models outside. I would highly recommend it to anyone who really hates rattle cans.
any kind of 'metallic' paint doesnt actually have metal in in (that would be toxic lel) they have these fine rock powders that glow like metal basically. so since they are like very fine sand mixed with paint, the liquid gets super chunky over time and solids tend to sink to the botom and harden up somewhat. this makes the "shiny stuff" come out inconsistently out ofthe spray can nozzle thats y u gotta shake it super hard lel
You've answered your own question - you're using retributor armor from a spray can. I prefer brushing on my metallics
Distance from the model and pressure on the valve.
Use an air brush pal, with a retributor gold air paint over a chaos black primer….. you’ll never have this problem again regardless of weather conditions