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Salabasama wrote:
The Tamaiya primer seemed to go on thicker than I'd like the few times I used it, and its surfaces are smoother than I'd like for gripping paint. That said, I've only used it a few times, and only from the one can, so it might be an ancient can or something.

You do have to use very short bursts with Tamiya paint, the way the cans are set up they put out paint faster than a lot of other cans, so you have to do short quick passes.

BUT, one advantage of Tamiya primer is it really shrinks down and hugs the details, so I've found even when I thought I messed up and sprayed it too thick, when it dried it looked pretty good.

But yeah, it is a touch on the smooth side. It's more designed for spraying model cars and aircraft where you want to avoid a grainy finish at all costs.

I'll second that the surface from Tamiya Primer is on the smooth side and that you do need to use very short bursts. I do dull cote all my stuff when I am done, so it hasn't been a problem.

 CURNOW wrote:
I don't prime I just use acrylics straight onto the plastic .never had any issues

Well you might not have 'issues' but the quality won't be as high. I've done both and tried several primers, huge difference with a sandable autobody primer.

 benlac wrote:

 CURNOW wrote:
I don't prime I just use acrylics straight onto the plastic .never had any issues

Well you might not have 'issues' but the quality won't be as high. I've done both and tried several primers, huge difference with a sandable autobody primer.

Some extremely skilled painters don't use primers, it's not a requirement by any stretch, it just makes the paint job more resilient to being damaged, raises the surface tension of the model for subsequent layers and provides an even colour to paint over. It also adds another layer of paint that will tend to soften detail.

Most painters will find more positives from priming over not priming, but there's some extremely skilled painters who don't, including one guy who I believe won a golden demon.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 benlac wrote:

 CURNOW wrote:
I don't prime I just use acrylics straight onto the plastic .never had any issues

Well you might not have 'issues' but the quality won't be as high. I've done both and tried several primers, huge difference with a sandable autobody primer.

Some extremely skilled painters don't use primers, it's not a requirement by any stretch, it just makes the paint job more resilient to being damaged, raises the surface tension of the model for subsequent layers and provides an even colour to paint over. It also adds another layer of paint that will tend to soften detail.

Most painters will find more positives from priming over not priming, but there's some extremely skilled painters who don't, including one guy who I believe won a golden demon.

hm, fair enough. I imagine you really have to build up the paint on a model without priming it though

 benlac wrote:

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 benlac wrote:

 CURNOW wrote:
I don't prime I just use acrylics straight onto the plastic .never had any issues

Well you might not have 'issues' but the quality won't be as high. I've done both and tried several primers, huge difference with a sandable autobody primer.

Some extremely skilled painters don't use primers, it's not a requirement by any stretch, it just makes the paint job more resilient to being damaged, raises the surface tension of the model for subsequent layers and provides an even colour to paint over. It also adds another layer of paint that will tend to soften detail.

Most painters will find more positives from priming over not priming, but there's some extremely skilled painters who don't, including one guy who I believe won a golden demon.

hm, fair enough. I imagine you really have to build up the paint on a model without priming it though

Sproket is one guy who doesn't use primers. Unfortunately he had a step-by-step which showed his method but it seems all the pictures were on photobucket so they're not working anymore. But here's a pic of his finished Skink Priest...

http://www.coolminiornot.com/342773?browseid=6892658

It's another layer of paint that you don't need with modern acrylics . And it can force you into painting a certain way that actually makes it more difficult especially if you use extreme colours for the undercoat like white or black

http://picbear.com/theendsoftheearthart

 CURNOW wrote:
It's another layer of paint that you don't need with modern acrylics . And it can force you into painting a certain way that actually makes it more difficult especially if you use extreme colours for the undercoat like white or black

http://picbear.com/theendsoftheearthart

I reckon for most people, the benefits of priming are going to outweigh the negatives. That is, better adhesion and higher surface energy when applying your basecoat.

While I wanted to point out *some* high end painters don't prime.... I'd suggest most probably do. I know one high end model painter who doesn't varnish because they feel it softens details too much, but they still prime.