Should I use a primer or not?

The only time I do not use primer is when I am brush painting small parts on the sprue.

ww2Xplorer

Hi everyone.

I would like to know what are the rules for using a primer.

1. When should I use a primer?

2. When should I not use a primer?

3. When should I use a black primer, a white primer, a grey primer or any other color?

4. Is it ok to paint your models directly without a primer?

Thanks for your help!

 

For the 1st question, primer is used for helping the color stick to the model. 

If your using different aftermarket, resin, PE, then a primer would be the base. 

It helps to show any gaps also that you might've missed.

When not to apply primer. I've seen ship modelers not prime because they don't want to cover the very fine detail.

Black primer would be great for a base shoadow coat that you add your base, then high lights on to. 

White primer would be if you don't want a dark base, lets say for a figure's face or light paint scheme, lets say yellow which is a tricky paint to apply.

I've seen in FSM magazine where a fellow used purple as a base to green.

If you want ideas for contrast and paint realtionship, look up artist color wheel and color theory.

https://www.canva.com/colors/color-wheel/

Lets say you want to paint a solid blue Navy aricraft.

Complementary colors would be Dark blue with a red or yellow base. Or Dark red Green highlights, and Dark blue over it for triddic color scheme.

There is endless possibilities to try and experiment with!

OK, I like to use primers all the time, everytime.

I do this because:

1. I'm using more and more acrylic paint which doesn't adhere as well as enamels or lacquers.

2. I've had a couple issues where I did not prime, and had paint peeling after removing tape from painted areas.

3. After filling seams and sanding, I appy a primer and can see if more filling is needed.

However, I have had a lot of luck in the past painting with Testors MM enamels and not using a primer.

Hope this helps...

Third attempt to post, this is just a test

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/tools_techniques_and_reference_materials/f/18/t/170995.aspx