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Hey guys! So, I'm posting here out of paranoia regarding the longevity of my paint jobs. I just picked up the hobby a couple of weeks ago and have been painting like a fiend since then. I was told by experienced hobbyists/painters that the colored sprays work just as well as the primer as far as getting the paint to stick. However, the internet seems pretty convinced of the contrary. I've attached a picture of my first terminator as an example. During the painting process I did not notice any issues with paint sticking, and in the days since painting it I haven't noticed any sort of flaking.

My question is this: how long would it be before I saw the supposed detrimental effects of not using black primer first. Is it something I would notice while painting the model or would I not notice it until a few weeks after, and would a top coat spray mitigate these problems?

I should add that I used Citadel's Zandri Dust spray for that model.

I think it depends on the brand. Primers have more than just paint in them, so you don't want a coloured spray, you want a coloured primer. I've only used a few of the Army Painter coloured primers, but I've noticed no issues.

The term "primer" is a very broad term that can mean a lot of different things.

In the context of plastic wargaming models, all I want a "primer" to do is give a surface for paint to stick to better and sometimes to provide a consistent colour to work over (though the 2nd point isn't important on a lot of models).

If the paint you use sticks well, it doesn't matter if it's not called a "primer". It's fulfilling the role of a primer and that's all it needs to do.

On a model aircraft I typically also want my primer to be sandable, on a car I want my primer to fill small gaps, on a metal surface I want the primer to bite in to the metal. Those are all important "primer" roles, most of which aren't relevant to wargaming models.

If the paint is sticking well enough now, it's unlikely that it will come unstuck further down the line. Paint usually gets tougher as time goes on, not weaker (in the context of wargaming models at least, paints exposed to the weather or UV light usually get weaker over time).

Thank you Mister Skink, that was very informative. Would you recommend a top coat spray to protect against standard wear and tear?

Hubbington wrote:
Thank you Mister Skink, that was very informative. Would you recommend a top coat spray to protect against standard wear and tear?

Typically a varnish of some sort, a coat of gloss followed by a coat of Matt (allowing both to dry fully). The Matt will stop the model from looking too shiney, but either/or will work well.

Depending on your preference you can get these for airbrushes, you can paint them directly on your model using brushes or a rattle can.