"Priming Microarmor Vehicles and Troops?" Topic

So, do you prime your finely detailed, microarmor vehicles, like those from GHQ and CinC/PFC., and risk covering up some of the detail?

Or, do you paint them without any primer, in order to avoid that?

Perhaps, if you spray a very light coating on them, there's no real risk of covering up the detailing?

Also, curious how you handle the troops as well, if you use and paint them?

I prime mine with gesso. Figures too. No loss of detail.

I use Testors Acryl White Primer, sprayed in a thin layer from an airbrush. Then I airbrush the basecoat. As you can see from the photos at my website texaswargamer.com no detail is lost. A couple of examples:

GHQ

C-in-C

I tried one time to skip the primer. Supposedly Testors Acryl paints could be used without primer. The results were awful…the paint rubbed off with even minimal handling. I managed to save most of the models by brushing Future floor wax on them, then dull coating over that. Never again.

I've also used Vallejo surface primers from my airbrush, black in particular.

In the distant past, I used Krylon flat white or almond semigloss in rattle cans as a primer. I did not notice any loss of detail.

Extra Crispy -- what is the advantage of using Gesso? Do you brush it or spray it?

Gesso surely would be brush on, its a thick goop.

I use vallejo primer via airbrush, as I can control the thickness of the coats far better. Both AK interactive and Ammo from Mig have a range of ab primers in olive drab and ww2 soviet green that would probably speed things up nicely.

i use both black and white gesso brushed on with no problems. Handy to use if I'm only doing a single model or the weathers' too grim for spraying outdoors. However, I mainly use just plain gray spray car primer with no loss of detail on both vehicles and figures Then a coat of army painter's matt varnish sprayed on

I don't prime mine and never had paint come off. Part of that is the pledge with future dip as the last step of the process. Mine are not as nice as Tbeard's though.

My blog has pics of most of them

link

I also use White sprayed through an airbrush: Testors MM Enamel Flat White thinned 1:1 at 20psi. This allows for control over the spray pattern and avoids obscuring detail.

I use Tamiya spray fine surface primer (light grey). Unless you're awfully heavy handed, I've not had any problems with it obscuring detail.

I use some white primer from the hardware store. I haven't had problems with detail getting covered but I'm more careful how it's applied.

Gesso comes in black, white and gray. It is thick, and brushes on. I thin mine very slightly.

However, it takes a leap of faith. When it goes on and is still wet, it looks like you will lose ALL the detail. But gesso shrinks a lot as it dries.

Even the finest grill and vent detail comes back after the gesso cures (I give it 24 hours).

It's been some time since I've painted microarmor, and I need to do a lot of it, which is why I'm asking.

In the past, I've used enamel paints, and painted straight onto the minis, without any issues. Enamels seem to wear fairly well, at least with light use.

I also haven't sealed them, since I see that it can darken the paint jobs considerably.

Probably should prime and seal them, and try to make them a little lighter overall, to compensate for the darkening effect.

Thanks for all the feedback, recommendations, and tips.

I have never had sealing change color. I use Testors and Vallejo spray sealer, usually 2 or 3 heavy coats…

I mainly do not use any primer. Spray on Testor for the base color (Green, tan…) then paint on the rest of the colors needed. Coat it at the end with a dull coat and I'm good.

It doesn't really change the color, but in my experience, it can darken it a bit.

I generally prime everything. I have used brush on primers from Testors and Humbrol, Vallejo spray primers through an airbrush and Krylon fine automotive primers in a rattle can.

They all seem to work equally well although the rattle cans don't work great when it is humid in the workshop. Odor is also a problem, and that goes for any enamel or lacquer primer brush on or otherwise.

Vallejo really needs 24 hours to dry and can rub off if handled too much prior to base coating.

Spraying is quicker but brush on is more thorough with better control over how thick it goes on.