Primers

Roshi24

New member
Hey everyone,

Just starting to get back into the hobby again, I was wondering what primers people are using and are happy with.


Thank you :)
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
I alternate between GW sprays and vallejo AB primers.

I'd really like to stick with the later, but either I do something wrong or it's not sandable. Which is great for several projets I have.

I know the GW ones are pricy and not even a real primer, but I need about 1 can a year or two as I don't paint armies and it does the job how I want it to be.
 

bishop

New member
I also use gesso. Black or white, a bottle lasts for hundreds of models (not that I've done that many, but there's still a lot in that bottle), and you can control the amount used because you are brushing it on.

Oh, and I use the Bob Ross brand, just to honor such a legend.
 
D
I'm extremely new to painting and sourced my paints from Games Workshop... But, without having a basis for comparison, I have found them to be amazingly high quality (primer, bases, layers and shades).

I used Corax White from Citadel paints as a spray to base-coat as there are a lot of flesh tones on the guys I am painting at the moment.
 

MrJim

New member
Another user of Stynylrez primer by Badger here. I have saved enough money on GW spray cans to pay for a good portion of the airbrush setup.
 

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
I'm extremely new to painting and sourced my paints from Games Workshop... But, without having a basis for comparison, I have found them to be amazingly high quality (primer, bases, layers and shades).

I used Corax White from Citadel paints as a spray to base-coat as there are a lot of flesh tones on the guys I am painting at the moment.
Seeing as you're new to painting we'll let you off.
GW paints ain't "bad" just over priced for the volume and longevity in pot that they are renouned for not having.
Corax White, well just an acrylic spray not a primer, car primer much cheaper.
 
D
Seeing as you're new to painting we'll let you off.

:nailbiting!:

GW paints ain't "bad" just over priced for the volume and longevity in pot that they are renouned for not having.
Corax White, well just an acrylic spray not a primer, car primer much cheaper.

In retrospect, and considering I'm brand new to the hobby, I can't believe I even weighed-in on the topic. I have absolutely zero basis for comparison... I guess I was just not disappointed in their product (other than price) and am just excited to be here.

Thanks for not flaming me up and down the yard and thanks for sharing the above - it's great to know... (I had already learned about the price, but longevity is new to me and, a concern (given price)).
 

Sicks

Active member
As DR said, there's nothing wrong with gw paints as such, but there are alternatives which are just as good or better for less, for example GWs paint pots hold 12ml of paint whereas my scale colour pots (and I think formula p3 but the writing has rubbed off my labels) hold 17ml, so when ordering on the internet they appear to be the same price but you get more per pot from other companies, which quickly adds up as your paint collection grows :p

Following DR's advice I am using grey car primer from halfords, I can say easily that the only issues I've had with it have been from my clumsy application of it rather than anything to do with the actual paint, previously I was using gw's brush on primer but after getting 4 bad pots I've given up on it. It's worth mentioning I bought them at a department store here which stocks GW stuff, not an actual gw which probably sells paint faster and doesn't get their primer turning to black sludge on the shelves
 

montysminiatures

New member
In reference to GW paints I just wish they would bite the bullet and go to dropper bottles, like vallejo, army painter scale 75 and many others. As they have a good range of colours
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
In reference to GW paints I just wish they would bite the bullet and go to dropper bottles, like vallejo, army painter scale 75 and many others. As they have a good range of colours

insanity! That would mostly prevent the paint drying in the pot which is a super thing as it makes you rebuy the same color every 6 months or so over and over and over. Not to mention most dropper bottles are 17ml while current GW pots have 12 at most.
Funny solution: Vallejo imitates the colors from other companies in the game color line. Basically the first 60 or so are the old gw colors, then come some Rackham and Reaper ones, then some VMC look-alike, after that they have space for the new GW colors or the scale75 ones. The only drawback with this is the time it takes to get a new color out and that the VGC line is far worse than it should be imho.

------------
I wanted to go with the car-primer here, but a 400ml can costs 10-12 euro where I am, GW costs around 13-14 now, so I win 2 at most a year, so I don't bother with it anymore.
 
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Quantra

New member
GW sprays work great but I don't have easy access to a place I can spray them and they stink up my flat! However it's the toughest primer I've used. I dare say other aerosol primers will also be as tough.

I also like Citadel Imperial Primer. If you are used to the black spray then the finish is very similar and it's pretty much fool proof so long as you shake it very very well. Jab, stab and smash on 2 thin and undiluted coats and it will self level into a brush stroke free detail hugging layer. This isn't as tough as aerosol but still takes effort to scratch off.

I've also been having success with Vallejo Polyurethane black and grey primers. I'm struggling with the white though. Out of the airbrush no problems, blast on a couple of thin coats - job done. However it's the most fragile primer I've used, so got to varnish with this one IMO. Tends to hug details better than GW spray IMO.

In general aerosol for a tough finish achieved quickly, brush on retains the most detail but is slow, airbrush is fast and good details but not so strong.

In reference to GW paints it's annoying how I have 2nd edition pots (circa 1993) which are perfect condition yet everyone complains about the seal on the new pots... If it aint broke fix it until it is ;)
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
try badger for ab primer. way better than vallejo - sandable, and tough.
I know no shop that carries them in the eu. And I rather buy 2-3 GW sprays than the postage from the us to the eu (really, last I checked it costed 35 euro+ to send a package to the US)
 

Zab

New member
they must post from the uk too. Badger has a uk plant. I agree, usps has destroyed ebay for me. i can get something from france or china for 4 bucks why am i paying 25+ from a country on the same continent as me?! blah ;P
 

Quantra

New member
For the Badger primers is the 5-8min drying time a reality? Sounds good! =] I'm sure I'll get some next time I buy paints... This is why I never buy big bottles of anything ;)

As for availability I can find 1 UK shop/ebay shop and at least on his ebay he only ships to the UK =/
 
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