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So I have been using P3 black primer for the bulk of my models as I love the way it makes the colors stand out but I'm getting some new units soon and I want to use white primer as a base for some really bright colors.

So, how good is white primer in comparison to black, as in how well does it effect the overall paint job?

Also, the closest place to me that sells p3 is two hours away by bike and its a pain.

How is Krylon as a primer? So far I've only heard about Krylon being good for varnish?

Krylon primer is pretty thick, and it's really easy to obliterate ALL of the detail on your models with it, but if you're careful it holds paint just fine.

White primers will make all your models look like a child colored them in with a crayon unless you use a lot of wash and layers. It's way way less forgiving than black primer.

I've been using Vallejo brush on black and airbrush black for forever, and they're both great, but it's been a long long while since I did anything in white.

I see. Didn't know Krylon primer was that bad

I use Tamiya Surface Fine Primer, both in white and grey versions. Generally, I Dullcote, then airbrush on an undercoat of P3 Black or VMA Black, then the primer goes on top.

Not the best practice, admittedly, but it works quite well for me.

I use automotive primer in both grey and white without issue. Just need to make sure to really shake well before use as with any spray paint.

gohkm wrote:
I use Tamiya Surface Fine Primer, both in white and grey versions. Generally, I Dullcote, then airbrush on an undercoat of P3 Black or VMA Black, then the primer goes on top.

Not the best practice, admittedly, but it works quite well for me.

Yeah, that is a confusing practice.

What are your reasons for doing it that way?

I use a light grey primer I bought in the local hardware store and then chuck a little white spraypaint ontop to lighten it up.

If you use automotive primer avoid self leveling primer as that would likley fill in details on your modles.

Unless you use a lot of layers , white primer will make your colours look lighters, so it's better if you want a saturated looking miniatures.

I prefer citadel white primer.

Vallejo do a good range of primers for use with airbrush but is also brushable. I have and recommend their white, grey and black ones but they have coloured ones too. Comes in large cost effective bottles and as it's airbrushed you have much greater control over the application. You can also mix the 3 if you want a different shade of grey and thin them if necessary.

edit: Badger is releasing some primers currently to go along with their Minitaire airbrush paint set.

Okay, lemme just say that I've had bad luck with Citadel White Primer. It seems like occasionally I just end up with bad cans that spray watery, or powdery, regardless of what environment I spray them in. I hate that. The last thing you want to do with a cool model is ruin it when you prime it.

So I ran out of my last GOOD can of Citadel White recently, and I was looking to buy something else.

After talking to a buddy of mine who does really professional modeling work, I picked up Krylon White.

It worked like a champ. It took a little bit of getting used to. I tested it out on a couple infantry guys I didn't care about too much. I found you need to prime it just a little bit further away from the model as I used to with Citadel. Just a few inches, but it makes a difference.

The key is do NOT buy the Krylon White primer WITH PAINT. You need to find ONLY the primer. I had to go to Walmart to get it. The hardware and craft stores near me only had the primer + paint version.

I've had really crummy luck with Citadel White Primer as well! always makes the surface of my models look like sand paper, I'm gonna try out the Krylon White primer as that seems easy enough to get my hands on.

+1 for Vallejo primers, work great with air or brush

Duplicolour sandable primer. Comes in black, grey, and white. Available for like 5 bucks at your local autoparts store.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

gohkm wrote:
I use Tamiya Surface Fine Primer, both in white and grey versions. Generally, I Dullcote, then airbrush on an undercoat of P3 Black or VMA Black, then the primer goes on top.

Not the best practice, admittedly, but it works quite well for me.

Yeah, that is a confusing practice.

What are your reasons for doing it that way?

Essentially, the Dullcote acts as the primer coat. "The Cult of Clear Primer", I've heard it called.

Why do I do it? Largely because I haven't found an actual black primer that I'm happy with. The stuff from Supercheap Auto is rock-hard, very difficult to strip when I've made a bad mistake. The GW stuff is only an undercoat, Tamiya Fine doesn't come in black, and, well, you've already read about Krylon. Army Painter is far too expensive for my tastes.

That said, I haven't tried out Testors Primer.

I just did a Shadowsun model, which is resin.

I primed with P3's White primer then used nuln oil to put the black in all the right places and detailed from there.

The white turned out very well. Far better than brush painting it.

One thing I totally prefer about priming white is I can see the model details a lot better. Priming black often makes detail harder to see.

 carlos13th wrote:
One thing I totally prefer about priming white is I can see the model details a lot better. Priming black often makes detail harder to see.

This is the reason I always try to use a light grey primer (I mix Vallejo white/Black to taste) followed by a coat of Devlin Mud. My old eyes need all the help they can get!

Light grey is the one I use. Usually do a light coat of white paint after that. I would be using white primer but I accidnetally picked up white paint instead of primer. If I struggle to make out details at that point I use a small coat of army painter soft tone.

gohkm wrote:

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

gohkm wrote:
I use Tamiya Surface Fine Primer, both in white and grey versions. Generally, I Dullcote, then airbrush on an undercoat of P3 Black or VMA Black, then the primer goes on top.

Not the best practice, admittedly, but it works quite well for me.

Yeah, that is a confusing practice.

What are your reasons for doing it that way?

Essentially, the Dullcote acts as the primer coat. "The Cult of Clear Primer", I've heard it called.

Why do I do it? Largely because I haven't found an actual black primer that I'm happy with. The stuff from Supercheap Auto is rock-hard, very difficult to strip when I've made a bad mistake. The GW stuff is only an undercoat, Tamiya Fine doesn't come in black, and, well, you've already read about Krylon. Army Painter is far too expensive for my tastes.

That said, I haven't tried out Testors Primer.

Interesting.

I wouldn't think that Dullcote has enough "teeth" to be used a primer, but I don't know enough about the chemistry of it to be 100% sure.

Three coats of paint (plus any cleaning and assembly time!) to prep a model for painting seems like overkill to me, but if it works for you, more power to you. However, I don't see the need to use the Tamiya primer after the Dullcote and black undercoat. If you are doing it for a zenithal effect, just use white paint through your airbrush instead of the Tamiya primer. I don't know how it cost in Australia, but it isn't cheap here in the States.

Personally, I use Vallejo Surface Primer for plastic and resin models, most often grey. I give the models a light coat of primer (so you can still see the plastic underneath it) and let it dry overnight. I prefer to work with grey but I will sometimes use black if I am going for a darker final tone. For metal I use either white Tamiya Fine Surface Primer or a can of grey primer I picked up at a local shop.

 Yonan wrote:
Vallejo do a good range of primers for use with airbrush but is also brushable. I have and recommend their white, grey and black ones but they have coloured ones too. Comes in large cost effective bottles and as it's airbrushed you have much greater control over the application. You can also mix the 3 if you want a different shade of grey and thin them if necessary.

edit: Badger is releasing some primers currently to go along with their Minitaire airbrush paint set.

I have tried Valejos brush on white primer and I really dont like it. It seemed to fill in details while giving spotty coverage. It may be better in an airbrush or maybe I am just using it wrong.

I've tried out the white-over-black undercoat (no primers) approach before. It doesn't seem to appear any more teeth-y than using the Tamiya primer, you're right.

I don't know how much it costs in the States, but I get mine via sea freight from Hong Kong. It's about a tenner a bottle, not that expensive, and lasts a long time.

There's other models where I just spray the Tamiya stuff, and follow that up with a diluted wash of black or brown ink, so it has more uses to me than merely zenithal.

Of course, if I really wanted the paint to bite, I have to make blood sacrifices to the paint bottle in question first ...

ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

I wouldn't think that Dullcote has enough "teeth" to be used a primer, but I don't know enough about the chemistry of it to be 100% sure.

Magician/Card Sharks/shysters use it to mark cards as it imperceptibly roughens the cards. So it seems like a good idea to use it as a key for paint.

carlos13th wrote:

 Yonan wrote:
Vallejo do a good range of primers for use with airbrush but is also brushable. I have and recommend their white, grey and black ones but they have coloured ones too. Comes in large cost effective bottles and as it's airbrushed you have much greater control over the application. You can also mix the 3 if you want a different shade of grey and thin them if necessary.

edit: Badger is releasing some primers currently to go along with their Minitaire airbrush paint set.

I have tried Valejos brush on white primer and I really dont like it. It seemed to fill in details while giving spotty coverage. It may be better in an airbrush or maybe I am just using it wrong.

Do you mean the Polyurethane primers? I spray those on (I thought their primary purpose?) and have found them to be great, brushed on they seem milky so encourages too much primer to be used.

For plastic/resin I use nothing but Wal-Mart Brand Gray spray primer. Better than anything else that I have tried. I have also used their flat white rattle can with great success. And you can't beat 1.00 a can.
For metal I use Vallejo primers from an air brush, and have been very happy with them. The only thing with the Vallejo primer is that you need to make sure it goes on wet or it will not stick to the metal as well.

Dale

 notprop wrote:

ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

I wouldn't think that Dullcote has enough "teeth" to be used a primer, but I don't know enough about the chemistry of it to be 100% sure.

Magician/Card Sharks/shysters use it to mark cards as it imperceptibly roughens the cards. So it seems like a good idea to use it as a key for paint.

carlos13th wrote:

 Yonan wrote:
Vallejo do a good range of primers for use with airbrush but is also brushable. I have and recommend their white, grey and black ones but they have coloured ones too. Comes in large cost effective bottles and as it's airbrushed you have much greater control over the application. You can also mix the 3 if you want a different shade of grey and thin them if necessary.

edit: Badger is releasing some primers currently to go along with their Minitaire airbrush paint set.

I have tried Valejos brush on white primer and I really dont like it. It seemed to fill in details while giving spotty coverage. It may be better in an airbrush or maybe I am just using it wrong.

Do you mean the Polyurethane primers? I spray those on (I thought their primary purpose?) and have found them to be great, brushed on they seem milky so encourages too much primer to be used.

Yeah those are the ones. They are sold as spray or brush on but I wouldn't recommend brushing it on. The stuff tends to go into the gaps like a wash but doesn't really stay on the raised surfaces. Didn't for me at least.

I'd offer it to anyone with a spray brush who wanted it but the postage would cost more than the bottle.

 Zuul wrote:
Duplicolour sandable primer. Comes in black, grey, and white. Available for like 5 bucks at your local autoparts store.

This right here.

3 times better than that Citadel junk at 1/3 the cost. Also, it's legit primer. I think the Citadel is just standard spray paint?

 beezley1981 wrote:

 Zuul wrote:
Duplicolour sandable primer. Comes in black, grey, and white. Available for like 5 bucks at your local autoparts store.

This right here.

3 times better than that Citadel junk at 1/3 the cost. Also, it's legit primer. I think the Citadel is just standard spray paint?

I am 98% certain that this is exactly what the P3 primers are - just with a different label.

Personally, i use the grey primer from Halfords cheaper, bigger can and goes on really well. def. better than the Citadel stuff.

Always wanted to try the Army Painter primers and Montana Gold range..

Vallejo Primers if you have an airbrush.

If you have an airbrush Vallejo's White Primer is what I would recommend. It can technically be brushed on but every time I have done so has been disappointing (their black primer is fine either way though).

If you are looking for a can of primer Dupli-Color White Sandable primer is amazing (also comes in black, grey and red). It is an automotive primer and can be found at many auto shops for around $5. The first coat seems to have some sticking issues, but if you do an extremely light coat the 2nd coat goes on like a dream. The best thing I think about duplicolor is that it does an astounding job covering fine details without destroying them. Just make sure to get the sandable as they make several types of primer and most of the others are primer-fillers that will destroy details.

I have used Citadel Primer, Krylon white and grey primer and Rustoleum white primer. Krylon is fine if you keep your distance but Rustoleum is amazing. Rustoleum is on par with Citadel white primer for 1/3rd the cost. I use white because I find that black or grey hide detail from my old eyes. Try a can of Rustoleum white primer, you will not be dissappointed.