slev:
I always prime. Spray gives the est coverage, and I then patch up any missed bits with thin coat of paint.
Due to technique, I always use black, though have use black and grey in the past.
apocalypstia:
I have painted minis plastic/metal with primer and without with very good results. For me plastics seem to do much better with primer. With the early metals i would always wash and dry them to make sure there was no risdual release agent.
All in all, i have found that primer is a good start for most people. Additionally with a primer coat, paint is much less likely to rub/flake off with handling.
Kera foehunter:
I always prime my models, regardless if they are plastic or metal. I do not use ANY GW primer because I don't believe in spending $15 on spray paint. I use Flat Black Walmart spray paint for $.99 a can and when they are dry, I go over them with a mix of chaos black and water. It gets in every nook and cranny and it is still chaos black in case I make a mistake in painting and need to do some touch ups.i thought gw only sold black paint !! they don't have primer
Lord_Nagash
but i like the amour spray paint at my gw store
BilboBaggins:
Just hit one of the discount hardware or department stores and get their basic primer. I usually use Gray but they have White and Black for under $2.50 a can.
starscream:
you should ALWAYS prime them, even if you dont plan to handle them much it gives a much better finish. I find it much easier for when it comes to recesses and black lining too.
BTW, Halfords Matt Black is far superior to GW.
Servius:
I brush prime using a special primer recipe that im not releasing… Many of the Golden Demon Painters also Brush due to the varying qualitys of the spray primer from can to can. It also allows me to paint new models with my child is around and I am able to prime inside and dont have to worry about ambient temp.
Also GW in effort to save costs no long produces a true primer. Both Chaos Black and Skull White Spray are Spray versions of those pots… While they can work its not primer.
Maul:
I use armory spray paint. Almost always black, white is for very light colored models or those that will be painted to a very high standard.
apocalypstia:
for me priming is part of a technique. Granted most items i primer now, but there are reasons not to prime as well. Plastics i have always primed. Metals not so much.
Bare/polished/tarnished metal with ink washes/glazes can produce some wonderful effects with a depth of color that can rarely be matched by paint alone.
Neither of these early minatures were primed. Both minis are lead. The beastman’s axe was filed a little to remove oxidation then successive layers of red and blue inks/glazes were applied, thus creating a gemlike sheen and play in certain lights. The warriors armor was painted in successive layers of red tone glazes to build up to a lacquer type finish and effect with a great depth of color. His sword i scraped with a knife blade to polish it, applied ink washes then sealed with a poly to maintain finish. The spike mace hand opposite was just given ink washes.