7 Easy & Fun NaMoPaiMo Prepping Tips + How to Troubleshoot Primer Issues

Today's NaMoPaiMo post talks about prepping and priming your horses for next month's National Model Painting Month. The video covers seven tips to make prepping easier and more fun, as well as how to work in the cold (since for most of us, February is a wintry month). In today's blog post, I'll also cover tools, supplies and how to troubleshoot common primer issues.

Tools and Supplies Checklist

• Steel wool
• Fine grit automotive sandpaper (1000-1500 is a good range)
• Flexible sanding sticks in the finest grip possible
• Needle files, seam scraper or mold line remover
• Hobby cutting knife with #11 blades
• Primer
• Filler putty
• Toothpicks
• Gloves
• Protective eyewear
• Mask with particle filters (for prepping) and vapor filters (for priming)

Troubleshooting Common Primer Issues

Too Thick
If your primer is obliterating detail on your micro, it is likely because you are holding the primer can too close, spraying too long, or because your primer is not formulated for such small work. Strip the model, adjust your spray technique, or purchase a different primer.

Orange Peel
Several things can cause orange peel, and some of them aren’t fixable if you are using a canned primer, such as air pressure too low, or a poor mixture. Some are fixable, such as spraying too closely in a dry environment, which creates a thick coat where the top of the coat dries first, before the rest of the primer can dry. The result is an effect like cracked mud. Spraying in thinner coats, with a humidifier running, will help.

Spraying Blobs
Small blobs of primer are often a symptom of spraying in an environment that is too dry. To combat it, hold the primer closer to your model, so the primer has less time to form blobs as it flies through the air, or use a humidifier in your work area (this method is recommended for micros, as spraying closer does risk putting on a coat of primer that is too thick to preserve details).

Too Coarse
​Course primer could be a symptom of a dry environment as well, or it could be you’re using a primer that is not formulated for such small work. In either case, a light bit of sanding with 1500 grit automotive sandpaper, steel wool and/or scrubbing a wet model with baking soda will fix this issue. Be sure to work lightly, as it often doesn’t take much to remove the coarse texture.

Credits and Resources

​SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS FOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FOR MY NAMOPAIMO VIDEO SERIES:
- Jennifer Buxton, Braymere Custom Saddlery (and founder of NaMoPaiMo) https://braymere.blogspot.com/
- Cindy Evans-Yates of Knight's Tale Studio https://www.facebook.com/KnightsTaleStudio/
- Toni Rakestraw
- Summer Riley-Simpson 

​OFFICIAL INFO ABOUT NAMOPAIMO: 
http://braymere.blogspot.com/p/national-model-painting-month-namopaimo.html

OFFICIAL NAMOPAIMO SIGNUP: 
http://namopaimo.com/

JOIN THE NAMOPAIMO FACEBOOK GROUP!
 - Join here https://www.facebook.com/groups/234123470349077/

OTHER NAMOPAIMO 2020 VIDEOS:
- What is NaMoPaiMo? And How to Join Click Here to Watch
- My NaMoPaiMo Horses and How I Made Them Click Here to Watch
- 6 NaMoPaiMo Survival Tips Click Here to Watch
- NaMoPaiMo 2020 Video Playlist Click Here to Play the Video List

Part of the customizing with Blue Mountain Stable and Kristen Taylor series; short and easy guides to all things model horses and model horse customizing. Subscribe for more  tutorials and follow my social media (links below) for regular tips and behind-the-scenes looks. And if you have an idea for an upcoming video, feel free to drop a comment in any of my videos. Happy customizing!

OTHER VIDEOS YOU MIGHT LIKE
- The Ultimate Guide On How To Paint Model Horse White Markings Click Here to Watch
- How to Stay Safe Customizing Model Horses | Ultimate Safety Guide Click Here to Watch
- Making Breyer Stablemate Unicorns Into Horses Click Here to Watch
- Pinking Model Horse Muzzles & Legs  - Thursday Tips Season 1 Ep.1 Click Here to Watch
- How to Paint a Bay - Model Horse Customizing Tutorial Click Here to Watch
- Prepping and Priming Artist Resin Model Horses Click Here to Watch
- Sculpting Stablemate Ears Part 1Click Here to Watch
- Sculpting Stablemate Ears Part 2 Click Here to Watch
- How I Made My Drastic CM Breyer Lady Phase Into a Criollo - VIDEO TOUR  Click Here to Watch

MORE FROM BLUE MOUNTAIN STABLE ON WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA:
- Website: http://www.bluemountainstable.com/
- Blog: http://www.bluemountainstable.com/blog
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluemountainstable/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueMountainStable/
- YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BlueMountainStable

Follow me on social media for tips, WIPS and behind-the-scenes looks into how I paint and sculpt model horses and Breyer horses. Thanks for watching! 

MUSIC:
"Forgiveness," by Patrick Patrikios, YouTube Audio Library.