thoughts about using primer

I paint with acrylics for the finished scheme and used to prime with flat black enamel but I found that it darkened my final colors more than I liked so I switched to priming with any medium gray color enamel, usually light sea gray in a can, or bottle.

i prime all my builds. prime tells me if i need certain attention in certain areas.

I too use a primer. I use black, white, lt grey, dk grey, and brown.

The color of primer I use depends on the color of the final top coat.

For reds, yellows, white I use a white primer.

For "silvery" top coats I use a light grey primer.

Earth tones I use a brown primer.

Etc.

I don't know if this really makes a difference but I've convinced myself that it does.

Some folks swear by certain brands of primer (Mr. Color, Tamiya, Duplicolor) because they lay down a finer, smoother coat.

The main disadvantage to primer is that it can fill in fine detail.

GW figures....cool.  That's what brought me back to modeling, I used to paint GW Lord of the Rings.  Until friends that played it moved away.  I still liked to paint, so I got back into fine scale modeling.

Sorry to digress there....

I've been toying with using a primer for certain colors....I use Vallejo Model Color...and for the really light shades, I've been toying with trying a primer, as I can't get the light colors to come out right.

Since I changed over to Acrylics I have found that I no longer have a choice concerning primer

I used it when I used Enamel paints, and kept the habit when I made the switch,,,,,,,which is a good thing, because some Acrylics won't stick to plastic unless there is a primer or at the very least, a coat of some other brand of Acrylics on the plastic

I think it might be different for the people using the two Japanese Acrlyics*,,,,,,,,but, for the rest, we either wash and prime,,,,,,or watch our paint practically sheet off at the merest glance

I only mention Acrylics because some people might read this and "need to know" about those,,,,,,,,,,the two best primers I have found for those is the LifeColor white primer, and the Vallejo Urethane,,,,,,,although Future can work as a primer when in a pinch, just add a touch of paint or gauche color(acrylic) if you want to see your progress when you spray it,,,,,,after all, lots of people put paint over one coat of cured Future, that sticks okay, then it is sealed

Rex

(*I can't use Tamiya or Gunze here at our house)

I use Krylon gray primer for almost everything. Sometimes I may brush paint a very small part without priming, but I often spray the whole sprues at the beginning so most parts are at least primed except for the sprue attachment points.

Only problem comes with models that require glossy finishes. I have to make sure to sand or polish the prime well before starting color coats.  With flats, as long as parts do not need filler or other surface prep the flats go right over the prime as sprayed.

No not at all,some folks swear by it,I agree with the benefits that you stated.Some however have never used it and have had no problems.I have been using Mr Surfacer 1200 in the rattlecan or the Tamiya stuff in the rattlecan and I do like the results.

ive always used primer but not just grey. i use tamiya and mr color white primer too under bright colours. seen others use acrylic flat paints of various colours as primers as well, especially browns. i definitely do not consider it amateur!!!!