Painting ... Yeah Painting

[Hollywood]

Hey I am rookie to modeling sort of I have been doing since I was a kid but I stopped for years and now I'm getting back in the game anyway I'm doing an Audi R8 and I was wondering do you spray primer on the parts before painting or just paint them after looking and photos of models for guys that have been doing it for years I'm thinking you prime them but I would like tips on what to do thank guys

[Guest]

Primer makes all the difference in painting. I primer every piece.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I prime most things, but not all. Small parts that I plan to paint flat colors like batteries, I don't bother with. Paints like Testors flat black enamel cover well with one coat so I don't find a need to prime before I use them. Steve

[Chillyb1]

I'm with Plowby. I prime everything. I usually use inexpensive gray primer and shoot a very light coat on the parts while still on the sprues. I assemble some stuff (e.g., engines, suspensions, et cetera) before priming rather than doing so when they are on the sprues.

[taaron76]

I prime just about everything, too. Although, I didn't prime my 1962 Corvette Roadster for whatever reason and it came out great. I used Tamiya Red and didn't have any coverage issues, but I did sand the body prior to painting it. If I paint two-tone or stripes, I always prime first just to make sure it covers and sticks. I'm with Steve, I don't primer super small parts either. I used Tamiya lacquer primers now and I loved the results. Test a few different primers to find out which one you like best. In my opinion, the difference will be subtle, so it will come down to personal preference.

I always make sure and scribe the panel lines when I do primer. One coat of primer and few coats of base, followed by a few coats of clear can fill those lines quickly.

Tim

Here is the '62 without primer. I had no issues...

Edited February 5, 2015 by taaron76

[StevenGuthmiller]

Basically for me it comes down to what kind of paint I'm using. Flat enamels have a lot of the same characteristics as primers so I see no need to prime prior to using them. Paints like Testors Metalizer have never given me any issues without primer either, so I usually pass with them as well. Unlike Tim, I've never had good luck with painting bodies without primer, but then again I've used automotive type lacquers for the past decade & with them, primer is a must. On occasion, I've even used primer as a color coat & then just clear coated over it. Steve

[Skip]

Normally prime almost everything that isn't painted a flat color as well. Always prime prior to painting with acrylics. Helps to seal in some of the funky colored styrene, except red.

The best advice on primer ever passed on to me is matching the color of the primer with the color of the top coat. Gray = Gray to Black, Hotrod Black = Black, Red Oxide = Red and Oranges, White = Any light or Transparent Color really makes yellows, Reds, oranges Pop if you want a really bright topcoat try White Primer. Hotrod Black primer makes a pretty good flat black too.

[Pizzwizz24]

I agree with all the comments so far 100%. I shoot primer on just about everything other than the flat black parts. I find it simplest to give a few mist coats on most of the smaller parts while still on the sprues then go from there. As for body parts...primer is probably the most critical stage. Prepping the body for its Basecoat is vital! Scuffing, gray primer, filling, sanding and more primer is usually my process. And like Skip says....second coat of primer is always dictated by the color of Basecoat I'm looking for (gray for darks and white for just about everything else). Sometimes I'll even add a few drops of the basecoat color to the white primer. Particularly when shooting reds. Basically creating a pink primer in a sense.

Chris

[Mike_G]

Paints like Testors Metalizer have never given me any issues without primer either, so I usually pass with them as well.

I've found metalizer works best sprayed in one thin coat on unprimed, polished plastic (at least for me).

[jwrass]

Hollywood,

I prime most everything, even if it's just a light coat to act as a guide to show imperfections

Their was a post started by Clovis on this thread June 20, 2014 (#4411) titled "What type and brand of rattle can primer do you use"

I replied on June 21, 2014 with what I use, it was on page 14 yesterday, check it out I hope you find it useful!