Resin Figures

its been asked 1000000 times i think. depends on whether or not you want to. i personally never prime them and have 0 problems. i paint them with enamels and oils. alot of people paint them with water colors....errr....i mean acrylics. . but yeah, it depends on you. if you want to...it wont hurt them....if ya dont...it wont hurt them!!

Always prime before painting. 3 good reasons: 1. The primer will show any construction flaws, giving you a chance to fix them before doing any careful painting.   2. A good primer will provide (bite) for your various hobby-colors to stick to.  3 Priming can give a unified look to what might be a multi-media model(even a figure) (maybe a resin body, different resin head/hands, styrene weapons/personal items, PE slings,ect, you may even add wire,foil,paper,ect,ect.--In the case you've got any of that going on, you want to A. seal it and B. create a uniform surface to paint.          Probably should have posted this post in  Figures?

indy, that is such a misrepresentation. dont get me wrong, you know your stuff very well, but im so tired of people saying that. that is a myth that has been spun out of control. i realize ALOT of people dont want to hear this for just the same reason as you. it's been imbedded into their brain that that is what you HAVE to do to paint figures!!! i dont prime any of my figures/nor do i wash them and as i stated i have ZERO problems with them. i get a nice even layer of paint on them. all of my mayhem and now my latest gun for hire figures havent been primed and you have given me nice compliments on my figures. the figure is already uniform, the primer doesnt make the surface any more uniform...in fact you can really screw up a figure by applying too much primer, like paint, and blob it up and make it run etc. if your not careful. i dont care about "good practice" to get good results etc. IT'S A MYTH!!! i'm living proof of that!! i'm so tired of the people in here making you feel like your way of doing things isnt the right way because that's now how THEY do/dont do them. my results always get the thumbs up...otherwise i wouldnt waste my time!! i dont have an issue with you personally indy (i hope you realize this) it's just this prevailing thought and argument in this place that really irks me sometimes. b4 anyone responds, im not going to turn this into an argumentative thread!!! i'm tired of arguing with people here just because they dont like my opinions and/or my way of doing things. i will say this one last time my opinions and practices are just as valid as the next guy whether anyone likes them or not is irrelevant!!! 

 

camo junkie wrote:

indy, that is such a misrepresentation. dont get me wrong, you know your stuff very well, but im so tired of people saying that. that is a myth that has been spun out of control. i realize ALOT of people dont want to hear this for just the same reason as you. it's been imbedded into their brain that that is what you HAVE to do to paint figures!!! i dont prime any of my figures/nor do i wash them

Hey Bro-it's not a misrepresention - it's textbook ! It's BASIC . Basic use of the meduims and materials. Maybe for a begginner modeler, doing basic work with basic supplies it won't matter ! I saw the question(in totaly the wrong forum) and you where the only one kind enough to awnser the dude(whos probably never even checked back)and I felt free to disagree with your basic advice based on your very individual experience ~ and offer the right way to do things, based not just on my opinion, but based that of dozens(at least) painting articles & books I've read by Masters, doing world class work. A few times I've read (your) opinion that primer doesn't matter ~ but mostly not. I also consider the source & try everything.    Bro, are you doing world-class work? NO. Not at all. Now, You know I think you're cool, and I think your work is pretty cool, but I'm gettin mighty sick of you recommending(your tut.) everytime someone has a figure painting question. Look, I'm not here to be insulting, your figures are ok, not great, not an example of how to do it. Thats why when I see these questions come up, I send the person to an article by Mark Bannerman, or the guys at Vallejo, not try to explain how little 'ole me knows the best way.                  Back to the top : maybe primer or not won't matter for each job. It is a good idea to not get unpleasant surprises(I know everything goes perfect for you C.J.) I often prime with the base color to avoid build-up, and no I didn't go into proper application, that's a different question.The quality of the information is always an issue on public forums, I'm really just trying to bring it up. My philosophy is that even a begginner can benifit from great advice, alot more than learning to skip the basics.

what makes your "opinion" any different than mine??? i've read the books indy, they all say the same thing...prime your figures...im saying it isnt necessary. and im allowed my opinion!! dont tell me its the "right" way to do it as there is NO RIGHT WAY!!! i offer my tut as a way for someone to build and paint some figures. doesnt mean its the right way...it's MY way!!! what's the point of these forums??? to teach people our way of doing things so they can in turn try it themselves or whistle freakin dixie!!! what the heck is your problem anyway???

C.J. Man you sound really upset,like red-faced mad.  I don't even think you have made your best attempt at a reply.     Of course my opinion is "different" than yours (is that what you are really asking?) Look- I don't even know that anyone else is even reading this mis-placed thread. The fact is( as little as I know you - I already said I think you are cool) I want to be buddies-not enemies here.   But, the kind of Buddies that tell it as they see it, not just praise all day till our heads get too big and we get all upset when someone reminds us where we stand in the big picture(that should be humbling) IMHO. Now you can say --you don't care what people think(or just me_ IDK) but I don't believe that. If that was the truth you wouldn't even try. Dude, I wish I could buy you a couple brews and shoot a few games and talk about it like Men, but all we got is this stinkin forum and these stinkin keyboards.       Be cool, will ya     ...........         Indy

All resin should be primed.

There are a few different reasons, but the main one is that if you want your paint to adhere for a long time, its the best option. The moulds from resin can still have release agent on them, and if you didn't clean the resin enough - easy to do! - a coat of primer will show immediately whether you did or not, and also provide a surface for paint to adhere to where there may be less.

The second important reason is that for a good paint job you need a good all-over opaque finish before applying any other pigment based paint. Resin often has a semi-translucent surface that can make it hard to judge the appropriate paint coverage.

If you want to do the best job possible, I'd advise priming.

Good luck with your figure painting!

indy...im glad we cleared everything up...sorry again and your right as far as a few brews etc. this is why i hate these types of places! that said, im going to simply ignore any more of these threads as it doesnt matter i will continue to do it my way and you guys can go on doing it yours.

Well I am reading it and think its a very interesting convo. Personally I prime everything, for the basic reason of being able to see flaws, and paint adherement. just my  worth. 

Nico

you are absolutely correct that it is a good idea to do it to spot flaws etc. my big thing is and always has been that it isnt necessary all the time. but those that do it are not in any way wrong or "worse off" for doing so! again, to those like you that do, hey good job. i tried a million times to prime my figures. my biggest dislike for it was i didnt like my results with a primer coat and i didnt like to have to wait until it was dry. again, that's just me!!! and while i applied my first paint coat, if i noticed a flaw, i could resand it or whatever and just cover over it as the coat acted as a brushed on primer anyway!! i've come across this instance a couple of times already. anyway, so you all know, im not against priming, i just dont do it and i can accept it if that means i'm not "good enough" as everyone is entitled to their opinions...which seem to make up the bulk of all of this anyway!

 I have never primed or washed anything, never had a problem either.

guess it's just a michigan thing buddy , btw, i will get back with you about that other thing!!! may take a couple of weeks but i will!!!

 Roger that!

I work with a lot of resin. a LOT o fit. Not just in figures and in models, but 1;1 rifles, pistols and helmets and other props.  I have been workign with resin since the mid-80's so I have a bit of experience with the stuff.

Every peice gets cleaned and primed every time. I have six items sitting right here in front of me made by others that--

 1: are poorly cast and needed a ton of work.

2: the resin did not mix nor cure properly and is weeping.  Even after soaking a week in Purple cleaner the paint will not stick due to how much is weeping out.

You guys that arent having any issues, you're lucky enough to work with well made peices.  From Garage kits to professionally cast pieces, I clean and prime. And that's no myth!