"Sell Me on Your Favorite Primer" Topic

The humidity is dropping here in Oregon, which means I may soon be priming my 15mm sci fi mini figs as well as (hopefully) some resin and possibly plastic armor kits.

What primer do you use for metal, resin and/or plastic, how do you apply it, how do you like it for 15mm (1/100-ish scale) and why is it better than those other primers or methods?

At this point, I'm torn between gesso, Army Painter and Krylon gray primer.

I'm going to be painting in Vallejo Model Color, with the usual washes, dips, varnishes, decal setting solutions, matte finishes, etc.

Any advice would be helpful, since I have no experience with metal or resin, and limited experience with acrylic paints. At this point, I don't own an airbrush, although I have a feeling I'll be buying one soon.

Not looking for diorama-level work, I just want to get some figs on the game table. What's a good primer, and why?

Believe it or not I get consistently the best results with Walmart flat black and flat white at 96 cents a can. Even and very thin coat does not obscure detail and it works like a charm. I've probably used 100 cans over the years.

Dupli-color automotive primer from auto supply stores. Hands down.

Supremely even coating, doesn't bury detail, been using it for a few years now and it has really made a difference in my painting.

I use it on everything except Reaper Bones. Metal, resin, plastic, terrain, etc.

Walmart cheapo flat black spray works better than the 4-6 dollar a can "better" paint I have bought.

Tamiya fine surface grey primer always great finish and outstanding detail and loves any paint.
I still use many others for different items from terrain to rank and file figures ,but Tamiya goes on the best stuff.
Weather is stable in UK but for the record it has performed better than others in different weather conditions here.

I know it can be a chore but always try to wash stuff before priming and let dry completely .

Believe it or not I get consistently the best results with Walmart flat black and flat white at 96 cents a can. Even and very thin coat does not obscure detail and it works like a charm. I've probably used 100 cans over the years.

Seconded. I use Wal-mart Valu-cheapo Flat White, Flat Black and Grey Primer almost exclusively these days, except for when I need red-brown (still use krylon for that as Wal-mart does not make it AFAIK). I use it on metal AND plastic (EXCEPT Reaper Bones!)

Damon.

I've had terrible problems in the past with GW and Armory primers and sealers. I now use exclusively Krylon primers (and sealers) and have no issues whatsoever, whatever the weather or how ill-kept the can is.

I prime with, and recommend, Krylon Camo spray paint -- its absolutely dead flat, which a lot of regular black paint is not, it has just a bit of "tooth", which creates a nice painting surface, and it comes in a good range of colors. I've also never had a problem using it even under some fairly extreme cold weather conditions. Here in North Dakota, heat and humidity is rarely a problem. -- Hans

The cheapo stuff is fine if you don't mind not getting 100% coverage. Army Painter Primer for my minis. Low pressure spray and amazing coverage due to finer grit than cheapo brands. For larger models and terrain, go with the cheap stuff. A plus for the many base colors Army Painter Primer comes in. For minis with intricate details the cheap automotive primers work fine.
Oh yeah! Several of my friends have switched to gesso and swear by it. Some day I'll give it a shot…

I've had problems with army painter sprays in humidity, but none with Tamiya and citadel

i go the other way … i use Liquitex gesso , black or white (i've tried grey and mine isn't matte even though the bottle says it is)
-works in any humidity
-even if i seem to be putting it on too thick it shrinks down onto the figure
-doesn't smell so i can do it indoors all year
-cleans up with water
-i've used it for plastic and metal , 10mm to 28mm figs and FoW vehicles with NO problems . it even sticks to Dystopian Wars (resin?) which i've been told is hard to paint
-works great with Vallejo paint
-surface is slightly rough so paint sticks well but not so rough that it's hard to apply

after painting i use Liquitex's varnish , first a clear coat , then matte , have had zero paint chips on anything done with this method

The cheap stuff from wal mart is the best. You will get good or better coverage than with most professional brands and since it is such bad spray paint it won't gum up details if you over spray.

I am 100% sold on Army Painter Primer. At first I thought it was ridiculously high but after buying a bottle of one of their color primers I am hooked. Good quality and a color primer really speeds up painting for me.

Testors enamel grey through an airbrush – quick, thin coverage. Paint sticks well and you can still see the detail.

Just don't use it on Reaper Bones !

Rustoleum automotive primer. It is available from a huge number of stores for reasonable cost ($4~$6 a can) and you can even get it at store like Wal~Mart that are open 24/7 so when you run out you don't have to wait to get more. It's been safe on everything I've ever used it on: resin, metal, plastic, etc…

I can't believe so many people are for that cheapo Wal~Mart crap-in-a-can. I think it's absolute junk. It's oil based so acrylic paint doesn't hold well to it. I've found the paint rubs off any model based with it after only a few games. No amount of sealing the figure prevents it when your bottom layer coat just doesn't stick. With all we spend on models and paint, why people choose to cut cost corners on the very foundation all their painting is laid upon just boggles my mind.

You've all sold me.

I'll just have to try a bunch of things, and see what I like.

Still leaning towards gesso, Krylon, and Army Painter.

Although I see the Tamiya get a couple of votes…

At the price, I think I'll start with Krylon camo on a couple of relatively cheap plastic kits, and see how I like it.

I think an experiment with gesso couldn't hurt, either.

Fifteen bucks a can for Army Painter, huh? Whoa.

Not sure my meager skills are quite up to that yet.

I have switched over to the Walmart black and gray primers. The cost can not be beat. Under a dollars each.

The result of the primer is a very, very flat coating on the figures. Other primers give an slight shine which can hide some details. The results of the Walmart brand paint just makes the details of the figure really stand out. I just ran out of my black and had to use the gray. Took the opportunity to prime while the weather was cooperating.

Going to give credit and again a thank you to John the OFM for the tip on Walmart primer. Not using anything else now.

Matthew

Sorry – late to the party. I use a lot of Army Painter when I need colour (which, I agree, is a real bonus).

Failing that I use white, grey and black automotive primer.

I've not had a problem with any of them. Now dips and varnishes? That's a whole other thing…

John T

Humbrol no. 29:

link

Black I find is just too dark.
Plus I see many many models that are sprayed black which still have the primer showing.
Many people call this shading or black lining, I call it lazy and sloppy.
If you are going to paint a model then paint it and don't leave primer showing.

Besides black is too dark, you don't see conventional artists using a black canvas, and for good reason.

White I use when my brown has run out.
Brown is a good medium colour that lends itself to buildings and flesh and many vehicles.

Never had any issues with clogging or anything either.
I have used the cheaper primers and whilst OK they have not been as fine a spray as Humbrol, something that is important if you don't want details getting clogged up.

Walmart. I've had no problems with paint rubbing off with the same figures I've had for over 20 years. Makes me wonder what Dameon is doing wrong? You can't beat the price and results!

Walmart cheap stuff thanks to a tip from Pictors Studio via John OFM. Coverage is perfect.

Walmart. Anything else is just wasting money.

"Besides black is too dark, you don't see conventional artists using a black canvas, and for good reason."

Conventional artists don't use black canvases because they do an underpainting and then use thin enough layers of colour to get the underpainting to show through. An underpainting of a person might actually be green and that green would actually still be visible.

Unless you are painting very large figures this is irrelevant. You want to use a paint that covers the primer whatever colour you prime the model. Black is easy because if there are depths that are difficult to reach you have already got them in some ways as your deepest level of shading.

ernieR listed the main virtues of Gesso in his post. I would add that the cheap spray paints are OK, but most are not really designed to work with acrylic paint or even as a primer for that matter. Modern Gesso is specifically formulated to work as a primer for acrylic paints. I have been using Gesso (Liquitex)for about a dozen years now on everything and have only had isolated problems with certain resins. It usually comes white, but you can mix it with any color you like which is a huge bonus (try that with your spray cans!). It also comes in a spray version that, in my opinion, works even better than the brush on variety (though it still stinks). Hope this helps in your decision making.

I use Humbrol matt black enamel, mixed 50/50 with turps and brushed/flowed on. Wouldn't use anything else.

Any of the Ultra Flat Black spray cans from the DIY aisle. Some brands are touted as 2x coverage and have worked well for me.

Cost: $2 USD – $4 USD per can.

Thin enough that if you overspray, the excess drains off the figure.

Thick enough to provide "tooth" for your colors.

If the tip clogs, just open another inexpensive can.

Used various brands for 25+ years with very good results and no issues.

One caveat: I've found the Valspar brand to be awful. Watery with terrible coverage.

DM

WalMart flat black and white and grey for all of the above reasons.

I have repeated myself many times on this, and I will again.
A so-called "hobby" primer is not produced in the lot quantities to be consistent. It also does not have stockists with the power to :bully" the supplier into rigid quality control. WalMart and K-Mart (and others) have rather liberal return policies. Any large alarnming percentages of defective cans would result in a "visit" from Bobby "Big Lips" Montoserra, the WalMart Quality Control Enforcer.
A hobby shop has no such clout. I have use almost all of the "hobby" orimetrs in my time. Ral Partha, Armoury, Floquil, etc. Invariably, I would get cans that spit grit, instead of paint. I have had 2 cans of the spray I bought from Battlefront leak all over my hands and the floor. And I paid $14 USD oer can, and yes I should have known better.
At $.99 USD per can that contains just as much as a can of the "good stuff" at 14 times the price, that's where my money goes.
And the Krylon camo cans are just as good, at $3 USD per can.

BTW, I have never had problems with Tamiya or Testor's spray cans. They do not have the same distribution as WalMart, but I have seen them in standard chain hobby shops like Michael's, or Hobby Lobby.

Put me down for the automotive supply primer club. Cheap and good.
The Krylon 'camouflage' flat black makes a decent primer for soft plastic dudes as well.

-TV

I use a cheap flat black automotive spray primer that I get from car parts place. Works on plastics and metal.

Vallejo primers – mostly black and grey. Can be airbrushed or brushed.

While I have also used very cheap grey primers (which cover perfectly btw), I've also used Army Painter primer, which is great if no accidents occur. Things like high humidity, low temperatures, etc. can really destroy a batch of minis (cleaning a batch of 50 28mm minis or 10 28mm tanks is a pain in the !@#). So I've taken the leap and bought a good airbrush and a silent compressor with the Vallejo Urethane primers (they have 16 colors these days). Not cheap but when you realize how efficient an airbrush uses paint and the price of paint/primers these day you'll earn it back eventually. Not to mention your no longer tied to the weather outside…

It varies. Krylon camo khaki, Army Painter Bleached Bone, even plain gray. Duplicolor Sandable primer is a godsend.

But if you're in the really cold areas, gesso is the answer.

Cheap House Brand Flat White or Flat Black from Ace/Home Depot/Wal-Mart

not had any problems

Lived in Eugene 5 years. Spray primer in humid climate will make you crazy. It will work great, but only on nice days, and only half of them. The other half it will ruin everything.

Liquitex black gesso is magic. I use it for everything. The way it shrinks is incredible, and it is quite strong vs dropping. Dropped a metal 'shreck team, no varnish, from desk to hard floor: only chipped a tiny dot on one helmet.

Tamiya in gray and white. Wal Mart if black is to be used.

Scale 75 Primer YouTube link

Black or white. Airbrush or brush on. Dries completely flat.

Great stuff!

Interestingly, Badger have just announced three new Airbrush Primers YouTube link Might be worth checking out.

Cheapest brand of matt black you happen to be able to find.

I recently switched over to gesso (Bob Ross brand) and I'm happy with it for the reasons above. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get spray to cover all the armpits and other hard to reach areas and poof – the can was out. Gesso not only covers well, it is probably much cheaper on a per figure basis since you're not wasting all that overspray!

Wal-mart Valu-cheapo Flat Grey Primer

Gesso not only covers well, it is probably much cheaper on a per figure basis since you're not wasting all that overspray!

I will pick speed over cost about 80% of the time. Sure, that depends on the cost versus the speed advantage* but If I have to worry about the cost of wasted paint that I spray onto the cardboard past the figures/vehicles I'm undercoating and priming all at once, then I need to pick another hobby…

John T

* Bear in mind that I've never had much of a problem with getting spray paint under armpits of fiures and my dip methods of shading that I now use (again – more speed) covers up any loss of primer in occaisional holes well enough of my satisfaction.

I'm with the Walmart crowd. Both black and white at 96 cents a can. Never with a problem with rubbing off. With that price per can, I don't worry too much about losing some with overspray.

I've tried Gesso, and though it works during winter while spray paint won't, I've not become enamored with it. I'm back to Walmart spray.

@John T – I'm not really the sort who fiddles with a balance sheet either – it is a hobby! Even so, the rapidity with which spray cans kicked the bucket was both irritating and noticeable. Not to mention time wasted waiting for agreeable temperature/wind/humidity!

I am distressed by how many people are using black paint as a primer. primer is not paint -- it is the glue that enables your paint to stick to the figure. It is no wonder so many people are discussing varnish -- that is a vain attempt to hold paint on the figure, whereas if you had used a good primer the paint wouldn't be rubbing off.

I use Wattyl Etch primer in Australia. There is an equivalent from Rustoleum in the USA. It is amazing stuff.

Nick, any issue with the thickness of the coat you get from that primer? Always worried that watyl would go on thick and obscure details.

I was at Home Depot, so I grabbed some Rustoleum 2X Flat Gray Primer. (I also picked up some Tamiya Gray Primer at the hobby shop.) I used the Rustoleum on the one project I did today, snap-together plastic 1/100 tanks. It worked like I expected it to, for spray can primer on tiny little stuff outdoors in a (light) breeze: the nozzle (dispersion pattern) is a bit too wide. Seems good enough anyway.

Didn't try the Tamiya. Results and comments sure to follow.

I have use the costly stuff, and the results were not so good, gritty and clogged the nozzle working on a budget not a good choice, so took a chance with the cheap auto primers from wally world, and never looked back and the results are great and holds very well never had or have a problem with them.

Walmart Grey or White (for light colors). I never use black because I find it is too hard to see where to paint. If I am painting something mainly white or yellow, I will use the more expensive stuff (GW/Army Painter). I also use thinner to clean off the nozzles if I am trying to do a bang up job.

Liquitex gesso, brushed or airbrushed.

Liquitex gesso, brushed or airbrushed.

What do you thin it with and what nozzle size and pressure?

@ McWong -- no issues with thickness (at least, no issues that I have noticed). In fact, I would go so far as to say it is my favourite primer -- I have used the army painter and GW primers, and always come back to the Etch Primer.

As I think about it, one of its benefits may be that it is slightly thicker than other primers. I haven't seen it obscure details. But it does stand up to rough wear and tear better than the army painter primer, possibly because the coat is thicker.