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I do prime my models, but what is the actual point of it?

It preps the surface of your model to accept paint better. It will actually bond to the surface so that it doesn't rub off and has some tooth for the paint to hold onto.

It also gives a uniform color to the model(s) to start from. If you have a unit of plastic, metal, and resin models, then a base coat can appear very differently on each one. Lighter colors like yellow and red work better over a light-colored primer coat like white or light grey than they do on bare plastic or metal as well.

in addition it also looks way better a few months down the line when youve given your models a few small knicks scrapes or scratches from being transported/dropped/moved/handled etc. and believe me a un-primed model (especially metal) can become rather gnarly looking as the parts that show under the paint are shiny or in the case of plastic/resin that lovely dull grey color

Regular paint doesnt really bond to any surface... Primer will seal the surface if its porous and gives the surface some "teeth" to hold the paint better.

idk why people keep asking this? Ask the guy whom you buy your models from why to use primer, google "paint" and "primer" and compare the results.