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I really don't spending $10 on primer if its not worth it. Does it prevent paint chips and make the model look better? Advice please.

Yes... quite simply! If you don't spray prime the paint won't stick to the model properly and will look aweful generally!

Tom

Priming is a requirement. However, you don't have to spend $10 per can of primer. Go down to your local Home Depot and pick up a can of Rustoleum or Krylon Ultra Flat Blacks. Works just fine at a fraction of the cost of a hobby-made primer brand.

I actually prefer Quick Color and stuff works comprably to GWs for only 97 cents a can.

If you don't prime your models you are a moron. Paint won't stick to models well (especially metals) unless you prime them first, and you can use the primer coat to build up colors. For instance, a yellow army over a white primer won't be too hard to pull off.

GW spray paint is woefully overpriced. Go to any hardware store and get some spray primer like Krylon for like 5 bucks a can. And remember, there's a big difference between primer and paint. Primer is specifically there for paint to stick to.

Brother SRM wrote:If you don't prime your models you are a moron.

qft.

like everyone said,you have too prime your minis.

theres no point in saving 10$ and afterwards ruining all of your minis that are worth more by far

And if i might add to all the comments here.. even if GW primers are expensive, i also find them very good.

I tried some others like armypainter and didnt like them.

Actually, I wouldn't say it's absolutely nessesary... It can give your model a color you really don't want at all. Take dire avengers for example. A primer of black basically makes even a well painted avenger look terrible. White is a little too bright also...Several coats of the same base color can do the same thing as primer....Feel free to correct me here!

I don't prime, just because it's a hassle and I'm not allowed to do it inside the house (I have birds all over the place). Maybe in the fall I'll start doing it though. I honestly don't trust the primer I have.

A person who does commissions who doesn't prime?!

MasterSlowPoke wrote:A person who does commissions who doesn't prime?!

Well for someone else's model, I'm sure I would, but i don't prime my own stuff...Cadians for instance. Too much work

Wal Mart Color Place sprays are $1 each and easily prime 50+ models. Both black and white sprays work perfectly as primer, and are IMO actually better quality for models than pricey brand names like Army Painter or Armory sprays.

You can also buy it by the case, which is likely $12 and would give you several armies worth of primer.

Yes Yes Yes Thrice Yes!

For the cost of a can of primer (doesn't have to be an expensive hobby brand, autoprimer will do the job as well) you give yourself a better surface to paint on.

Second function of a primer, is that it highlights any seamlines/mold lines faults not ironed out with filler etc that can be hard to see before the paint is on

Vindicator#9 wrote:I actually prefer Quick Color and stuff works comprably to GWs for only 97 cents a can.

I agree. WalMart has COLOR PLACE for 96cents. Ive used it for the past 5 years ive been painting minis and have had no problems with it.

Damn beat by a penny! You win this time Wal-Mart!

Can someone give me a link to color place? I can't seem to find it on the wal-mart website.

It may just be one of those in store goodies. They dont list everything they carry online. Plus they cant really ship aerosals do to hazards.

You MUST prime in order to paint properly, there is no way of getting away with not priming. All materials: metal, plastic, everything must be primed before painting.

Here's some tips that will increase the quality of a primer layer:
1 - Clean the subjects with mildly soapy water, rinse well and let air dry at least a day. This will remove all finger-grease from the model (which can cause the primer to 'craze' whilst spraying)
2 - Make sure the primer is at least room-temperature before spraying, it is recommended that the can be warmed but it can be a bit dangerous if you're using a double-boiler or sitting it in the sun etc. Be careful!
3 - Spray only on dry days when the humidity is low. Summer is great for priming, although I'm lucky in that I have a warehouse area at work where I can sneak some priming in after-hours, even in winter.
4 - Hold the can about ten-twelve inches away from the subject and don't soak the piece in primer: "short-controlled-bursts!"

- oh, and do it where there is ventilation!!! Protect your lungs! I'm serious, you do not want to compromise your health!

I use Krylon gray primer, I have had only great results with painting on this, it has wonderful 'tooth' for the holding paint and gives a nice neutral base color.

I've been using Walmart ColorPlace paints... the black and white ones work well, but are not good to leave uncovered, bonding agent is weak, but for $.97 a can, I can get about 15 cans for one can of Chaos Black. The grey primer they make is phenomenal! My Land Raider is still in grey and still looks good.

I agree that the Color Place sprays don't hold up well to handling, so often wear off if you are holding models while painting them. I use a pill bottle with coins in it as a model holder and use blue tac to keep the models base stuck to it to paint most things. Otherwise hold them by their base.

I don't prime my models, because (for me) it does't make a difference, unless the primer will be showing through, then I do.

so for example..
Here are two metal models, one has been primed the other hasn't, which one has been primed?



and...

Surfboard66 wrote:
I really don't spending $10 on primer if its not worth it. Does it prevent paint chips and make the model look better? Advice please.

Primer wont protect the paint (if you want to do that get some clear flat paint), primer won't make your model look better, it is all about how well you paint and how much time you spend on it.

I like Rustoleum from my local Home Depot, it's cheap, durable, and gets pretty good coverage.

Going on what other people have said, don't prime when its cold, or humid, or if you live in SoCal like me, don't worry about it.

fraggrenade wrote:

Surfboard66 wrote:
I really don't spending $10 on primer if its not worth it. Does it prevent paint chips and make the model look better? Advice please.

Primer wont protect the paint (if you want to do that get some clear flat paint), primer won't make your model look better, it is all about how well you paint and how much time you spend on it.

It does make your model look better. White primer makes bright colours even more vibrant and pretty. While black primer makes everything darker, and gives you automatic shading. It prevents the paint from wearing off, and a primed, fully painted model looks a thousand times better than an unprimed model with paint wearing off.

Primers first purpose is to aid in the adherence of paint to a surface. Nonprimed models will end up having paint chip off in large chunks after repeated handling, even with a good sealant.

Primers second purpose is as Munch Munch said: white primer makes colors brighter and flaws more noticeable(so that they can be corrected) and black primer makes colors darker, hides flaws better, and affords immediate black line shading.

To a further point, trying to get paints to spread evenly over bare metal or plastic is like pulling teeth. yes it CAN be done, but the results are often terrible.

The time saved by not priming does not in any way outweigh the pro's afforded by priming models, and if you prime in batches, the 5-10 minutes you spend outside is well worth it.

Here in southern California I prime early in the morning before it gets hot out. If you live in areas with more inconsistent or extreme weather, use the garage or make a primer booth that you can take into a bathroom and leave the fan running for a few hours after you are done.

At risk of being a moron (or not)...

I don't use spray prime, or primer at all, because I always try to use as few coats of paint as possible in order to preserve details. I clean my minis with soapy water and then undercoat them by hand with a very thin coat of skull white, with the right amount of water it's easily as thin as spray or thinner, and it doesn't miss spots under arms and chins etc...

Oh yeah and it sticks just fine.

Sorry but...
AFAIK water will not stick to metal
All you are doing is increasing the risk of paint rubbing off with gameplay.

It's your call of course, but to anyone new to the hobby I would recommend priming everytime.

It's cheap and it takes so little effort to prep the minis that it is far better to do it right.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Sorry but...
AFAIK water will not stick to metal

It's not water... It's paint.

I haven't had any problems with paint rubbing off, sounds like a myth. People have been using skull white to undercoat for as long as I've been painting (which is quite long) there is nothing wrong with it.

Very thin paint won't stick to metal.

It might coat it, but it WILL rub off with game play.

Guaranteed.

The purpose of priming is to give the paint a better surface for the paint to stick to.

Primer alone won't stop paint coming off.

That's what the varnish is for. To seal everything together.

SmackCakes wrote:

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Sorry but...
AFAIK water will not stick to metal

It's not water... It's paint.

I haven't had any problems with paint rubbing off, sounds like a myth. People have been using skull white to undercoat for as long as I've been painting (which is quite long) there is nothing wrong with it.

Agreed.

Not to sound stupid but primer is undercoat right? i would advise spray, unfortunatly i actually just paint my models black (regardless of final colour) but intend to use a spray at some point soon, just need to russel up the funds.

However i've never had an issue of paint rubbing off, and i've got a load of old models that were painted 5 yers ago, moved house with me twice, sat on the shelf lived in box's and handeled quite a lot and the paint is still fresh, tho i a little dusty.

If you can't or don't want to use spray primers then you can use acrylic gesso. Takes a lot longer to paint on than a spray can if you're doing whole armies at a time, but it doesn't have the hazards of a spray and it provides an excellent tooth for painting onto.

There are a couple of posts on dakka about it which give good advice on how to use it.

I was a house painter for 6+ years and an undercoat worked there as well. Not only for paint to stick too but to stick for a LONG time. Paint is known to age and without a good primer it can eventually chip\peal off.

Im not sure of the effects of with using no primer on mini's as the paint is different to house paint but I sure wouldnt paint anything without some sort of primer.

So in the end, it may go on ok and look ok. But over a long period of time you may come into problems with no primer.