Repainting Clix - To Prime or not to Prime?

[Onebigriver]

I've rebased my Batman & Hellboy Heroclix figures ready to paint, and was wondering if there's a consensus on using a spray primer on them. Will they take acrylics without priming & will the paint stay on when handled (obviously after varnishing!)?

Cheers

[Duke Donald]

I have never painted a Heroclix miniatures, but from my experience, it is always preferable to prime everything prior to painting.

[gnomehome]

I both strip (aceton doesn't seem to affect the plastic of clix figures, I use a 3 minute cycle in aceeton with an ultrasonic cleaner, wordk great) and prime (Vallejo airbrush primer) my Heroclix figures.

[fourcolorfigs]

I usually do not prime. I will spray the mini with matte finish to give the paint a better adherence. I will also add that often only do touch-ups or partial repaints, and this method works well for that.

[Onebigriver]

Thanks, think I'm going to try painting directly onto the figures. For one thing, I don't fancy trying to paint Bat-symbols freehand.

[Cait Sidhe]

I always strip Heroclix with acetone as the paint they put on them is often super thick and goopy. There are some surprisingly good sculpts under it, some clunkers as well.

I also always prime anything before painting, always surprised when folk ask if something needs to be primed. The matt varnish thing is really just another way of priming the minis before painting, I know some folks use it to preserve the base paint job on hotwheels cars when doing post apoc conversions.

[DS615]

I prime them just so they have a consistent color to start from, and I like the tooth I get from the Gesso.

[Onebigriver]

I also always prime anything before painting, always surprised when folk ask if something needs to be primed.

If it was bare metal, plastic or resin, I would of course prime it!

[charleyyyy]

I actually haven't primed them before and my results have turned out pretty okay.