Vallejo Surface Primer73.604, RAL7028, DG

Hi Zack. Yes we have all tried them as well as the same colors made by other manufacturers (i.e. Tamiya, Vallejo, Master, Mr. Color). The problem is the same color is slightly different for all the manufacturers, so which one is the closest? Problem with that is, who really knows. They all base their version off of photos or actual paint chips but that is a problem itself. Different photo can have different brightness or darkness or pixel density thus leading to a picture of the exact same paint chip looking a myriad of different shades. It can look like it may be more yellow in one photo from one camera, but look more like a pale tan in a photo from another camera. The problem with paint chips is that paint fades over time, especially after 60+ years. Some chips from the same tank may be more faded than others, thus leading to the different hues manufacturers make. The only thing you can really do is mix colors to try to achieve a "ballpark" color that comes within the " ballpark" of your reference of the supposed actual color. Hope that helps.

I have 9 Vallejo primer bottles collecting dust.  The Vallejo primer is not sandable, and that's a huge disadvantage for me.

Chrisk-k makes another valid point. Vallejo primer is not sandable. Major drawback. For my primers, I use rustoleum painters touch 2x. Comes in a wide range of colors, works on all materials such as resin, metal, wood, plastic, and is wet or dry sandable. Plus it's cheap! I will never use any other paint for my primers now. If you haven't checked em out, go buy one can and see what you think.

Why would you worry what color a primer is if it's going to be under a coat of paint?

The doog,

C'mon on now, your an experienced modeler, why even ask that question? You should know that the color of your primer influences the shade of your top coat. Yellow paint over a black primer will require more coats and will have a darker overall appearance versus putting it down over a white primer. If your final color is going to be a tan or yellow or any color, using a primer in the same color range helps in numerous ways. It can help with areas of shading and creating variances in the overall finish such as to help simulate areas slightly dirtier or beginning to fade. Maybe your just too old school doog! LOL!

i did a 1/72 (aka OTS) T-55 mine roller. primed it with NOW gray primer and than painted it with what i thought was Vallejo Air desert sand but was actually primer. after 4 coats turned out decent enough for a medal. i have learned not to prime in a color very similar to base coat (white) couldn't tell what i missed and it was a civilian truck so less room for error.

Honestly, Reaper, I don't really row that boat, I think that most of that is really psychological with Armor modeling; now, perhaps with gloss paints it matters more, but with flat coats and the shading and lightening coats that I do, I don't really place much stock in the primer color. I just prime gray or white--whatever's available honestly--and then lay down a base coat that THEN gets shaded and altered after that. By the time I'm done base-painting, primer coat is really irrelevant. :)

You have valid points doog. On my 1/25 Tiger, I primed in grey and shaded with my base colors and colors for weathering and paint chipping. Your are right about primer color being irrelevant for armor, I mostly use the primer match when I model my warhammer models, so you are absolutely right. Wasn't trying to chop you down or anything or call you out as wrong, just stating one of the methods I use. Probably should have stated that that technique didn't really apply to armor though! :-)

I like the VJ Polyurethane primer, esp the US OD, which I use as a top-coat colour.

It does stick to Resin PE & plastic though, but I tend to spray in sub-assemblies

As said by many, it isn't very workable or sandable, unless you cut it with 15% +/- of Future/Kleer,  which suits the way I work (your mileage may vary, test on something unimportant first, clove cover before striking, blah blah 

Hi,

Thank you for your input everyone.

Truth is I was hoping that I could take a shortcut and use this as topcoat directly, similar to what Jon_a_its suggested.

I guess I was wrong 

This is what I have so far:

Just noticed I have blown off one of the intake covers - wonder where that might  have gonne 

Zack
 

No problem, Reaper, we're good :). It's funny how many little superstitions and sort-of "mindless rituals" we as modellers develop--like coating the entire tank in gloss to put two decals on the sides--and don't even think about their actual relevance or necessity. I tend to question things more. I don't evne gloss coat under my decals or use a final sealer.

That Panther is looking really nice in the first two pics--it looks appropriately lighter, Be careful not to use DY straight out of the bottle; it's too dark in most cases.

Thank you for the possitive feedback Karl, much appreciated!

Have made some progress since but am no way near yet...

Anyway, thanks for looking and commenting

 

Zack