"Preferred Primer Color for Human Figures?" Topic

Obviously, the primer color you choose to use, may depend upon the type(s), size/scale, era, and final colors you plan to use on your human figures, but generally, which color of primer do you use for them the majority of the time?

Presumably, some/many use black primer for their figures, especially for those in chainmail or plate armor, though on smaller minis, or those where you want bright colors over them, that can sometimes be problematical.

Many use white for smaller minis, and/or those where you want a brighter, overall finish, or colors on top.

Some use gray primer, as a middle of the road technique, which can work well with both brighter and more subdued colors.

Others even use brown, especially for figures that have a lot of exposed flesh on them.

So, which of the above color(s) do you tend to use, and why?

Pick one, or two of the primer coloring techniques you use the most, from the list below.

Choices are:

1. white Primer;

2. black primer;

3. gray primer;

4. brown primer;

5. another color of primer – please specify what color, when, and why – perhaps a dark blue for Napoleonics, or Union troops for the American Civil War, etc.;

6. a combination of primer colors – please specify, e.g. black and then a drybrushing of white – the former to fill the crevices, and the lighter color to serve as a base for brighter colors to be painted over top of it;

7. and, I don't use primer on my figures.

Sorry, no opinion isn't an option on this poll.

Of course, if unofficially, you want to select a third color as well, if you use that many, I'd be fine with seeing that here too.

However, I'm most interested in seeing which color predominates as a primer, and why.

It depends

For bright coloured uniforms, white primer

For armoured figures, black

For figures with a lot of skin, I usually prime white

6.Black with white dampbrush,generally.

Black. If you use good paints it doesn't make sense to use any other colour. I can paint red and yellow over black no problem.

Always white. It gives the best effects (for me) based on my preferred for drybrush and wash panting.

White.

Sometimes white with brown stain.

I've done overbrush white onto brown or black, but don't find any real advantage, partly because I can't make myself adopt a different painting style.

1. for Napoleonic miniatures, 6 for Dark Age and most horses.

I use white for figures that will have a good amount of white clothing or for my toy soldires where i want the cilors to be bright.

Black with white dry brush for figures I want to paint quickly and will use a wash over the dry brush.

Grey for everything else.

I'm about even on which I use. grey would win by about 1-2%

I just tried red/brown for some figures that had mostly brown armor. It did the job.

I pretty much just use whatever is closest… I'm lazy that way.

28mm Black usually
20mm Black or Grey if they are German WW2
White occasionally for horses only

Some people are confusing primer with basecoat. A primer has a specific function -- to enable paint to stick to the surface. Often you can use a primer as a basecoat, but also often you have to prime with one color and then overpaint with another color basecoat.

I prime just about everything with black, though I sometimes prime with grey.

White.

White; I haven't had good results with black primer.

It used to be black. It's now whatever Army Painter spray helps me with the majority base colour.

So (for 1/100th SF) often Skeleton Bone, Desert Sand, various greens etc.

John T

BLACK!
What else?

YouTube link

All figures are primed in black.

3. Gray primer.

It does depend on what I am painting as the main colors.

Reaper Black or Reaper White because I have multiple bottles of both.

I also have used Grey, White, Brown, Black sprays int he past when I have large numbers of figures to prime.

Depends,

For mostly nekkid figures, I use various browns. For clothed ones mostly black or white, depending on the effect desired for the clothes. For zombies or humanoid monsters, I prefer red primer.

I used to prime in black exclusively, but with playing smaller scales, I found that it made it harder to see the detail when I was painting, so a light grey is my compromise.

For very small figures (6mm and below), I prime in the colour they're going to be anyways, typically that's some sort of green or grey for 20th century.

Light gray for everything

If painting with acrylics it does not matter anyhow. For oils definetely white.

BelgianRay,

Explain please.

Allright. The most important about priming (acrylics) is to get a covering on wich your colours stick well. The priming colour is not all that important, because te first acrylic colour you wil use to paint human skin will be the darkest one. This colour will cover whatever primer you use ( try it please on a piece of paper or surplus plastic/pewter). The primer is only there for adeherence purpose,but will have no effect on the skin colour you are using ( try black vs white which are the most extreme pallets).
With oils however, this does not apply.
Oils are much more subtle than acrylics(and will allways give you a better result). The primer will shine through and influence your colours.
When I say : better result , I mean: easier achieved than the same result in worktime with acrylics.
The set back for oils is that they take longer to dry, but if oils are mixed they dry a lot faster(overnight).
Please let me know if you want to know more.