Do You Really Need to Prime?

[Monty1970]

Hi all,

Having just got back into modelling, i was wondering is it really neccesarry to put a layer of primer on the model before painting. If so why and what would happen if i didn't put primer on before painting ?

 

Many thanks

Ian

[Ratch]

 No you don't NEED to, but sometimes it helps

[DavidJC]

I agree, you don't need to. In fact over the years I hardly ever have. However, there are some colours that would benefit from it, not least yellow (or even red) over white primer.

[Gareth McFadden]

I find priming sometimes helps give the Humbrol acrylics better adherance to the model. In my experience the Humbrol enamel matt range adheres better to the bare plastic than acrylic or even enamel gloss or enamel so I might use a Humbrol enamel as my primer if other more fragile or translucant paints are required for the build. Priming also levels out the surface texture and colour if filler has been used. It also helps to reveal surface flaws. As David says, it can help to give a good base for certain colours: white, red, yellow, orange and metallics benefit from a good base coat.

[John Symmons]

Hello Monty 1970

If you're using acrylics especially the water based ones like Humbrol and Vallejo, I've found that adhesion can be a problem. Tamiya are not water based but solvent based and as such tend to adhere much better like the matt enamels. Also washing any mould releasing compound from the model helps, but to really illuminate any prolems priming is these days recommended especially if using acrylics and or the colours mentioned above.

A lot of modellers use Tamiya matt acrylics; myself included; to prime the model using an airbrush.

Remember we do this for fun     John the Pom

[Monty1970]

Cheers for all the feedback, much appreiciated  😀

[Andrew Taylor1707819856]

As far as humbrol enamels go, the flourescent orange usually benefits from a regular orange primer.

[Sailorman]

I believe it virtually always pay to prime.  That way you can check whether there are any blemishes, gaps or any other areas that need to be touched up.  You'd be surprised what a coat of primer will reveal.  You can then do the necessary touch-ups and your final coat will be that much better.

[ntrocket88]

Priming is also essential for resin and white-metal kits, regardless of the paint used. For the white-metal I have found it necessary to a use self-etching primer. Tamiya make a spray can of this, but it is very difficult to get in the US. Automotive self-etch primer seems to work too.

[Braille Dave]

I never used primer until recently. Now I tend to use Halfords grey primer for most colours, with white primer for yellow, red, orange and... white.

A conversation (over a pint, of course) with a car restorer, has convinced me of the value of a good primer, not only to spot all the little defects that appear from nowhere, but also to get a good adhesion and depth of colour.