Singleton Mosby:
Well, the title says it all. I’ve undercoated a few in black but not much painted yet. Just bought 40 metal models undercoated in white but I am not sure if I should re-spray them black or not.
What do you prefer and why?
silentbob27:
I prefer black for models with predominantly dark colors and white if i am going lighter. Just dont prime over other primer as you will lose some details.
Bolg:
I always go black. Even if the model will be a bright colour as I just like it when the hard to reach places stay black and. But if you have models that have been pre sprayed either remove the white first of stick with it, dont undercoat twice you will love detail that way.
Singleton Mosby:
Well, the title says it all. I’ve undercoated a few in black but not much painted yet. Just bought 40 metal models undercoated in white but I am not sure if I should re-spray them black or not.
What do you prefer and why?
GRNDL:
If you’re going to use very bright or “clean” colours (like white or light blue, bright reds, yellows, oranges) you’re better off with white undercoat. It will shine through the bright base colours and make them more luminous. But in general black is the way to go. It makes painting armour much easier and its easier to get a “finished model”, since if you miss a bit of black it can easily be construed as shadow, not so with white. A lot of serious painters use a colour neutral base primer like grey or beige.
There’s no right or wrong way, really, there’s just preference and a few issues here and there to overlook.
Zanko:
Formerly only black - nowadays only white!
:hashut
MLP:
Just give the white models a black wash and have the best of both worlds
JonJon:
Black for me but I tend to paint darker colors
tvandyke:
Well, the title says it all. I've undercoated a few in black but not much painted yet. Just bought 40 metal models undercoated in white but I am not sure if I should re-spray them black or not.Neither. I like a medium to light grey. Some colors, regardless of manufacturer, are not very opaque and have problems covering black. This in turn requires extra base coats which can effect the detail a bit. It also just takes longer. I haven't found too many white primers that I trust. For some reason a lot of them tend to leave a chalky surface. I haven't figured out if it's a problem with overspray or temperature but I don't seem to have the same problem with black or grey. I know this is a problem with others as well, since I've bought models from people that have been sprayed with white primer and a lot them have that sandy, chalky surface and end up having to be stripped. Grey is just a very neutral, easy to use undercoat that works well with both dark and light colors.
What do you prefer and why?
Singleton Mosby
gIL^:
I don’t like black it kinda annoys me white i can see the progress and if i want to darken them i can wash them.
Grimstonefire:
If I could I would undercoat all models with a dark brown actually.
Most of the models I’m painting these days I end up painting half of them scorched brown and washing black anyway.
cornixt:
I undercoat black, then re-undercoat in white the areas that will be painted in a poorly-covering light colour. This is really only flesh, light red and yellow - my greens and blues cover well over black. I never even bothered undercoating for my boars (brown) and wolves (grey), the paint sticks well by itself to the plastic.
vulcanologist:
I always used to use White but since starting CDs I use black mainly because it’s such a pain to have to re-undercoat the bases and armour areas black.
Lava Lord:
The black undercoat makes painting more difficult to do. My eyes have a very hard time picking out detail… For that reason alone, the grey or darker brown works well. Also as mentioned before, the washes are awesome. For me and those with less than 20/20 close vision, the lighter browns, a grey, or a wash makes the details a whole lot easier to see and reach… Good luck…
Admiral:
I’ll choose black over white any day, but where I once undercoated every single model black, I’ve lately went for lighter, more neutral undercoats. It’s easier to see all details with a lighter undercoat. Nowadays, I usually paint an undercoat of dark grey (Chaos Black + Adeptus Battlegrey), plain grey (Adeptus Battlegrey), muddy gray (Adeptus Battlegrey + Devlan Mud) or plain brown (Devlan Mud). Dark brown (Chaos Black + Devlan Mud) isn’t to be sneezed at, either. Foundation paints are a great help.
I usually apply the undercoat in about two layers, with some water in it for reaching all recesses and crevices. If the model isn’t undercoated brown, I then basecoat all leather, fur, skin (brown is a fine base for Tallarn Flesh) and other brown areas before moving on to such frivolties as Tin Bitz, Mordian Blue or Mechrite Red.
These Chaos Dwarfs (yes, they’re old, all the new ones are still at the assembly line) were painted with a dark grey undercoat, then given liberal amounts of brown for leather and skin areas. The photos are a bit off, but you’re the judge if the metal areas suffered for lack of black:
Iron recipe: Tin Bitz -> Boltgun Metal -> Mithril Silver -> Badab Black
Bronze recipe: Tin Bitz -> Dwarf Bronze -> Shining Gold -> Shining Gold+Mithril Silver -> Devlan Mud
When I originally began painting on a better level, I discovered the trick of basecoating the model black. After a while, spray paint replaced brush in this process, but some years with spray paint have taught me that if you’re anyway going to miss a lot recesses only to have to paint them with a brush, it’s cheaper to forego spray can and uncercoat every model with a basecoat brush, or bigger brush.
If I could I would undercoat all models with a dark brown actually.Yep, dark brown is a good undercoat, especially for rabble miniatures such as Lotr and Warhammer Orcs, or Skaven or Bretonnian Men-at-arms. However I’ve found that with enough washes, a plain brown undercoat may work just as well as a dark brown.
Most of the models I’m painting these days I end up painting half of them scorched brown and washing black anyway.
Grimstonefire
Kera foehunter:
well my problems is when i need black primer they are sold out
When i look for white primer for figures there sold out
But i have to say i use ruddy brown primer now since i do a lot of skin tone and earth colors