How do you undercoat your miniatures?

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**Jimsolo**

Generic automobile primer.

**Gailbraithe**

I use Duplicolor Black Sandable Primer for metals. It's an auto-primer.

Little secret I learned working at Privateer Press: Duplicolor is what their catalog painters use. They didn't start selling their own primer until after I left, but I've used it and I'm 100% certain that it's just repackaged Duplicolor. Can is the exact same dimension, with the exact same nozzle, and I cannot tell any difference between the two -- except that a can of Duplicolor is half the price of a can of P3 Black Primer (and a quarter of the price of GW primer).

For plastics I used to use Duplicolor, but lately I've been using Krylon Fusion Flat Black for most models, and other Fusion colors for some specific models.

For example I use the Burgandy as the base coat for all of my Chaos Space Marines and then wash it (using a spray gun) with a mix of Baal Red and Badab Black, and the end result is the same deep crimson red of the GI Joe Crimson Guard action figures.

EDIT: Wow, I can't believe how many people use GW spray primer, and hobby primers in general. You guys do know you're throwing money away, right? Auto primer is the exact same thing and costs half to a quarter as much!

**draftamike**

Citadel/GW spray - WHITE PRIMER.

All other painting is by hand with brush.

**Gunkh Inmashnozz**

Ive used Army painter, Citadel Skull white primer and Generic black spray acrylic. All work, army painter is nicest Imho and the green is a great Orky primer, handy when doing multiple mobs

Its also 3 times the price of the generic spray acrylic however, and green is green as long as its a flat finish, not a gloss. Shiny orks=

**BrassScorpion**

Wow, 41% at the time of this writing buy the $15 primer from GW for their undercoating. I would think that alone would keep GW profitable.

I buy lots and lots of models from GW and have done so every year for two decades, but not the glue or primer.

**RanTheCid**

Gailbraithe wrote:I use Duplicolor Black Sandable Primer for metals. It's an auto-primer.

Little secret I learned working at Privateer Press: Duplicolor is what their catalog painters use. They didn't start selling their own primer until after I left, but I've used it and I'm 100% certain that it's just repackaged Duplicolor. Can is the exact same dimension, with the exact same nozzle, and I cannot tell any difference between the two -- except that a can of Duplicolor is half the price of a can of P3 Black Primer (and a quarter of the price of GW primer).

Duplicolor White is my new Primer. Smooth as silk on both metal and plastic. $5 a can at the local car care store.

**Howard A Treesong**

Usually a can of Halfords white car primer or other brand, none of those listed in the poll anyway.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Usually a can of Halfords white car primer or other brand, none of those listed in the poll anyway.

**Phototoxin**

GW spray only for me... I tried 2 cans of army painter red... it's useless.

**BrassScorpion**

Krylong spray paint for nearly all my undercoating and P3 White Primer when white primer is needed.

**Anshal**

Standard chaos black undercoat spray from GW

**Battle Brother Lucifer**

Geek-Squad-Man wrote:I have been painting miniatures for 30 years- I even held a fig-painting class for 8yrs in a couple local stores.
I have used everything (or seen what I haven't used on other peoples stuff)

TAMIYA white spray primer is BY FAR the best- No others even come close-(they make Grey too, but not black)
it covers well, goes on very light and flat and doesn't obscure surface details, drys FAST-
and with certain colors you can basecoat right over the white primer with wash or ink and then drybrush one or two stages of GW or Vallejo and you're DONE!
-------------------------------------------------
The only drawback is price VS. size of can-
-------------------------------------------------
But I guess if I was painting 99 cents a bag "Plastic Army men from the Dollar Store", I'd use cheap Krylon or some other generic garbage-

I spend TOP dollar for HIGH QUALITY figs, I use the best primer, and paints MADE FOR painting figs-
I can promise there are NO Golden Demon winners that used Krylon and Apple Barrel craft paint-

All the talent in the world can't make up for bad, cheap supplies- But top-quality stuff can make it easier for a mediocre painter turn out decent looking minis-

Fix'd that for you. Dear God, I hope all your posts aren't all bold.

**Azzeh**

I use P3. They're what was avalible at my FLGS.

**Laughing Man**

Duplicolor sandable automotive primer. It's what the Privateer studio uses, and it's dirt cheap.

**Boss Goretoof**

99-cent can of black spray paint from Wal-Mart. Been working fine for years.

**Draggoon**

Black Gesso, quick, easy, and easily compatible with very humid summer and sub zero winters...

**Cadichan Support**

Cheap normal white spray paint

**snurl**

Armory primer works just fine.

**Dais**

98 cent gray primer from walmart has actually served me better than most specialty modeling primers I have tried, some expensive primers are just too thick with particles so fine you need literally ideal conditions for them to work.

**Element206**

citadel black primer...the best!

**Dragearen**

I just use cheap primer I get from Freddie's.

**Mukkin'About**

I usually use Gw primer but it's kinda expensive. I know i could buy cheaper alternatives, but it's a matter of supporting my FLGS on the GW sprays. Heck that's also why i avoid buying off the websites. I woudl rather the managers make a buck or two off me than it all go directly to gw through the site

**Mohoc**

Airbrush and Model Master Acryl Grey Primer, because it lays on perfectly without obsuring any detail.

**Warlord Gazghkull Thraka**

I brush on a black coat of paint, but I am planning to spray can it from now on.

**shrike**

I do buy GW spray, I just rarely get round to it. 80% are chaos black hand-painted.

**ChocolateGork**

Army painter spray paint. i will never do an army that i cant spray the base coat onto!

**Wyrmalla**

Brush on a basecoat of Chaos Black and then using a mix of methods, usually dry brushing, paint the model. You don't get enough out of Citadel spray cans for their cost to warrant buying them in my opinion. ¬¬

**Shas'O Dorian**

96 cent can of walmart flat black spray paint. Not the best stuff but if you're like me and just painting to have a decent or good looking army (not for painting competition) it does the job.

**kronk**

For my Black Templars: Krylon Flat Black Spray Primer or Duplicolor Flat Black Spray Primer.

For my Orks, Krylon Flat White Spray Primer or Duplicolor Flat White Spray Primer.

For my Crimson Fists, The Army Painter Navy Blue Spray Primer.

I tried Gesso once. I didn't like it.

**Eilif**

It varies.

Individual figs: white or black Gesso.
Groups of figs: I've used Krylon, and other brands (usually cheap store brands) of spray paints and spray primers. Colored if I can find the right color. Otherwise white or black, and usually white (make the basecoats brighter) now that I'm dipping most everything.

**Ribon Fox**

I use cheepo Hallford's matt car primer, comes in a vast array of colours and sticks to any thing that stuff.