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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Matthew Toms
Priming - Do you & What Color?
Gunfighter
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: September 03, 2004
KitMaker: 743 posts
Armorama: 274 posts
Posted: Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 09:18 PM UTC
Hello all,

Just curious - do you prime your model before painting, and if you do, is there a set color you should be using depending on the paint scheme? I just want to be sure I'm doing the right thing now that I've moved onto using an airbrush as my main painting tool.

- Frank
TopSmith
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Washington, United States
Joined: August 09, 2002
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Posted: Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 10:35 PM UTC
If there are metal parts or you are using acrylics then a primer is a good thing. I use the gray automotive primer in the can. If you want to you can decant the primer and use your airbrush.

Cheers
janwillem
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Groningen, Netherlands
Joined: October 01, 2003
KitMaker: 1,236 posts
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Posted: Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 10:44 PM UTC
automotive primer for metal parts and the whole model in Tamiya nato black (for pre-shading)
Bigskip
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England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: June 27, 2006
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Posted: Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 08:17 PM UTC
Car primer - From Halfords - white for figures, red for armour.


Andy
Gunny
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: July 13, 2004
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Posted: Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 08:43 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hello all,

Just curious - do you prime your model before painting, and if you do, is there a set color you should be using depending on the paint scheme? I just want to be sure I'm doing the right thing now that I've moved onto using an airbrush as my main painting tool.

- Frank


Hi Frank!
Real simple, mate, yes, you should prime, and I've had the best luck with Tamiya white primer. Everyone has their favorites, you'll have to experiment and stick with what works for you!
~Gunny
Tarok
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Victoria, Australia
Joined: July 28, 2004
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Posted: Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 11:15 PM UTC
I always prime figures - no matter what they're made from and no matter what medium I'm painting them in. I've tried automotive primer. I didn't like it. I use Tamiya's white primer. Work's like a dream.

My armour experience is extremely limited, but I primed with (again ) Tamiya white primer and pre-shaded with Tamiya Flat Black. I worked well. I was happy with the end result.
markm
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California, United States
Joined: September 11, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 11:25 PM UTC
I was at the point where I was priming all of the time. I have been experimenting and have found that alot of my results are pretty much the same if I dont primer. I will use Tamiya flat black for preshading but have almost stopped priming unless the work has PE parts.
Gunfighter
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: September 03, 2004
KitMaker: 743 posts
Armorama: 274 posts
Posted: Monday, August 21, 2006 - 06:47 AM UTC
Wow, lots of differing opinions, products, and colors. The majority of what I use is acrylic paints: Tamiya, Model Master, and Polyscale. So far, they've airbrushed fine, but I'm concerned over durability, hence my question about priming.

Thanks all for the insights. I've had good luck with Tamiya spray cans, so I might just have to look up their white primer.

- Frank
mightymouse
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British Columbia, Canada
Joined: June 25, 2006
KitMaker: 104 posts
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Posted: Monday, August 21, 2006 - 07:31 AM UTC
I prime everything I do. I always prime straight from a can of either Tamiya white primer of Tamiya flat black, depending on what I have lying around. Then I airbrush on the actual colours of the vehicle that I am painting.
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
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Posted: Monday, August 21, 2006 - 07:49 AM UTC
Tamiya XF-1 here.
Hwa-Rang
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Kobenhavn, Denmark
Joined: June 29, 2004
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Posted: Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:36 AM UTC
I always prime metal figures. Using either a cheap white or black spraycan, from the local hardware store.
Unless it's for preeshading, I don't prime afv or car models. So far I've only used Humbrol enamels. When I begin to use acrylics, I may have to start priming these models.
Gunfighter
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: September 03, 2004
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Posted: Monday, August 21, 2006 - 07:45 PM UTC
Out of curiosity for those of you using black as your primer - are you doing this to add pre-shading or for another reason? I would think that it would affect the base coat a bit more than I would like, leading to more coats of paint to get the base color I'd want. For pre-shading, I think I see how that would work with creating shadows and depth.

- Frank
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
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Posted: Monday, August 21, 2006 - 08:23 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Out of curiosity for those of you using black as your primer - are you doing this to add pre-shading or for another reason? I would think that it would affect the base coat a bit more than I would like, leading to more coats of paint to get the base color I'd want. For pre-shading, I think I see how that would work with creating shadows and depth.

- Frank


Exactly! I use it to prime and as a preshade.
Gunfighter
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: September 03, 2004
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Posted: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 04:12 AM UTC
Sticky - from the photos, it looks like it would work well for some chipping too. Depending on the level of accuracy you're looking for, I guess.

- Frank
kevinb120
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Virginia, United States
Joined: May 09, 2006
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Posted: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 05:20 AM UTC
Tamiya grey or white primers are excellent. Laquer based so they will stick to just about anything and never cause a problem for top coating. Can auto primer has huge graining next to tamiya. Floquil(via Testors) also has a line of ultra fine figure primers in black/grey/dark grey/ and white.
wbill76
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Texas, United States
Joined: May 02, 2006
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Posted: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 05:42 AM UTC
I use enamels in all my finishes for 1/35 armor and primer/pre-shade with Testors Flat Black. It serves a dual purpose and allows the basecoat to be applied in multiple thin coats for shadows, variation, etc. just as John describes.
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