How do you undercoat your models?

[Mister Rab]

Grey spray undercoat and a black wash for me. I've just gone back to finish off some figures that were black undercoated from ages ago and it's made me realise how much I prefer grey!

[Hawkeye]

Is there a particular grey primer you use, Mister Rab? I ask because I used to prime white (years and years ago) switched to black about seven years ago, but a couple of years ago I got some 1920s gangster models in a trade, and they were primed grey. That grey primer gave me the best paint jobs (by my standards) that I've ever produced! So now, of course, I've been meaning to prime more models with grey to see if I can keep my painting standard up! NOTE - I am a table-top standard painter! When I say that the paint jobs were "good", I mean that they looked better than what I normally produce!
Anything that helps, basically!

[Greystreak]

Black or grey acrylic gesso, by brush. 

No fuss, no muss, water clean-up, no waiting for 'the right weather', no fumes, shrinks to preserve detail, and provides fabulous 'tooth' to accept paint. 

[Svennn]

White acrylic car primer. No whys or wherefores, used it for well over thirty years and have always preferred it.

[Silent Invader]

I used to use Grey car primer spray but a few months ago I switched to black brush-on primer by Vallejo - very thin, shrinks as it dries, provides a nice smooth coating, isn't a spray so weather is immaterial, and cleans off of brushes with white spirit.

[infelix]

Yea I've also started priming by brush more and more since we don't have an balcony in the new apartment.

[FramFramson]

Black gesso.

I was going to try and mix it with some white to start priming in grey, but the white gesso I picked up recently got was all think and manky :/

I can't understand way. It was sealed and new and the same brand as the black gesso I buy (liquitex, which is fairly good).

[Mitch K]

Artists' white gesso (Liquitex or Winsor and Newton) applied with a big, soft brush so it "flows" on.

[Orctrader]

I use black brushed on.  Humbrol enamel or similar.

...I know many...prefer black primer. There are many top painters (the Captain, Bugsda, StoneColdLead, Spooktalker, the Prof....and...)

...Steve Dean, Kevin Dallimore, Tom Weiss...

I have used both white and grey for experiments but quickly returned to black as it suits my style.

As for - and I have heard this often - you should use white primer/undercoat for bright colours all I can say, with my black primer, how bright do you want it?  

[Ray Rivers]

Yep... they look brilliant, OT!

That's why we hate you! 

 

[Mister Rab]

Is there a particular grey primer you use, Mister Rab?

I got the cheapest one on the shelf as an experiment (Platikote Super Primer) and it has worked fine. I have just (two days ago) had the nozzle clog for no apparent reason, so I may move onto a different brand next time. I think plenty of folk use generic car spray paints successfully in a range of colours.

[Hawkeye]

Thanks, Mister Rab. Of course, after seeing the colours that Orctrader gets over black primer, I don't know which way to go!

[El Grego]

Black gesso.

I was going to try and mix it with some white to start priming in grey, but the white gesso I picked up recently got was all think and manky :/

I can't understand way. It was sealed and new and the same brand as the black gesso I buy (liquitex, which is fairly good).

I had the same problem with my bottle of white gesso (Liquitex).  I actually resorted to diluting it slightly with a 10% FlowAid solution.  Then, I switched to black gesso, although I have a bottle of Reaper Master series brush-on primer which I use on small-scale (1/2400, 1/3000) ships.

[snitcythedog]

Black.  If you miss a bit in a crevice it does not show up as well.
Snitchy sends.

[Wirelizard]

I got the cheapest one on the shelf as an experiment (Platikote Super Primer) and it has worked fine. I have just (two days ago) had the nozzle clog for no apparent reason, so I may move onto a different brand next time. I think plenty of folk use generic car spray paints successfully in a range of colours.

Another user of cheap grey spray primer here. I've tried black, but found it too much work to get properly bright colours. Obviously it can be done, but it's easier for me working up from grey!

I buy whatever grey primer is cheapest at the hardware store, my current spraycan is a no-name generic with the exciting brand name of "Spray Primer Interior/Exterior (Grey)"  Never had any issues, except with one can I dug out of storage after who knows how long (at least three years, I think) that gave a small batch of figures a fuzzy, textured primer coat. Threw those into thinner right away, scrubbed them clean with an old toothbrush, threw the can out, and reprimed them, no further issues.