Can anyone give advice on base coats for specific colors?

[dantewallace]

Hey guys. I have a really nice purple metallic color I would like to spray but wanted to know what I should lay down color wise underneath on top of the primer. I was thinking silver or black? I also wanted to know if there was a possibility of getting help to write down a list to keep in my shop of what colors to lay under the basic primary colors IE: Reds, Yellows, green,etc . I usually prime in grey or white if that helps at all?

[1930fordpickup]

Try the spoon test . Paint a plastic spoon with three different shades or primer. Than paint you color coat on top.

[Mike Kucaba]

THAT spoon test comment should be a pinned topic. It is astounding (at least to me) how a base coat can influence the color coats.

Generally white makes any color pop and gray will tone it down. Then there are silver, gold copper etc.... that's why the spoon test is so viable.

[martinfan5]

What base coat you use depends on what you want the hue or shade of color coat to be. Spoon test's are the best way to find the shade you are looking for.

A few things to keep in mind, and I am not an expert, so I could be wrong, white should be used for lighter colors, grey for darker colors, silver is another one that can really change the color as well. Black is a good choice for silver paint jobs.

Red should be done over a white base coat,pink would also be a good choice, and silver as well. that is if you want it to be a bright red, but you want a darker red, grey, or red primer

I would suggest for the color you are using, and if you want it to "pop", use a silver base coat, white would be good too, but if you are wanting it be more on the darker side, grey, and if you want it to be even darker, black base coat.

Here is something to keep in mind, if you spray a bright color over a dark base, its going to dull if you will the color, spray a bright color over a bright base, its going to help magnify the bright color

Edited August 23, 2013 by martinfan5

[Casey]

http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=35#.UhgHPrs6QxA

[martinfan5]

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This was edited

Edited August 24, 2013 by martinfan5

[High octane]

I have heard grey primer if you're going to spray the body silver or black, and white primer if you're going to spray any other color. I usually don't use "base coats" unless I'm doing a candy color top coat. Primer, base coats, color coats, clear coats, how many coats are you going to put on a 1/25th scale model? And the more coats, the more build up of paint around your emblems, window trim, etc. or it will cover them up altogether. Use a little paint as you can get away with in achieving your desired results.

[Joker]

Thanks for the link Casey..

Bookmarked for future reference under "Model Cars".

[zenrat]

Interesting that in the Tamiya advice Casey posted the solution to every single problem involves the phrase "repaint".

Not once do they suggest polishing.