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So I recently got back into the hobby after a gap of nearly 20 years. Decided to start small with a Necromunda gang - I've got some friends to play with too. So I primed my Van Saar gang in strips of 5 which meant my ability to get underneath was limited (I tried). This has resulted in the underside of some models being very thinly covered. Potentially too thin. I was wondering if this is enough? Or should I give them another quick spray or grab myself a bottle of Vallejo paint on stuff to make up the difference? Ignore the feet as they won't be painted anyway.

https://imgur.com/a/uQYH3sW <- Images here

I'd agree with you in doubting. You will most likely be ok, since these surfaces are also unlikely to be touched.

Considering the painting effort that can be lost, I'd just stick them on a narrow strip of wood or cardboard again and hit them once more from below.

You can use Vallejo Airbrush primer with a brush, or other brush on primers, but spray-primer is better.

That will be fine. You don't need to worry about getting an even coverage of primer. You're going to paint over it anyway. I just give mine a blast from front, back, sides and maybe below if I can get to it. Any bits that are missed get covered by my initial basecoat.

Unless you are using paints/techniques that will cause the paint to bead up on bare plastic and/or rely on the undercoat to achieve a certain effect, I wouldn't bother.

I have always primed/base coated my minis in the predominate color the mini will be in when done, as in why paint just to paint over the entire mini again. I always primed in flat enamel with my airbrush, so getting solid coverage was important; however, in your case where you prime in a color to paint over, it looks like you will not have any issues if it is lighter on the undersides.

Thanks everyone, think I'm gonna give the worst offenders a quick spray from below when I get a chance, nothing too heavy. Just would rather not risk it.

Personally I would prime the whole model as even as possible, in your case for 2 reasons

First is the standard reason that it is easier to paint a primer and you paints will stick to it better making thin layers work better. Also it means all your colours will have the same base colour underneath which will affect their final colouring. Black here will make your colours darker unless you do very thick layers

Second is that you are priming in black but the underneath is a lighter colour than the rest of the model but this area would be darkest as it will get the least light, I.e. it would be naturally shadowed. if you are interested in that kind of thing. The other benefit is that those underneath bits can be hard to get to with your brush so if the area is black once the rest of the model is painted it the eye will just see it as shadow and it can add depth to your model

 MDSW wrote:
I have always primed/base coated my minis in the predominate color the mini will be in when done, as in why paint just to paint over the entire mini again. I always primed in flat enamel with my airbrush, so getting solid coverage was important; however, in your case where you prime in a color to paint over, it looks like you will not have any issues if it is lighter on the undersides.

One reason being spray/bottle paint colours rarely match. So if you need touch up they will look different.

I would hit them with one more pass from underneath. Use poster tack and stick them on their back with their feet pointing up at about a 45 degree angle. Do a light pass each way and they should be perfect.