View Priming Your Figures
Priming Your Figures
Before you begin painting, your metal and plastic wargaming figures really need to be primed.
Priming serves two functions: First, it gives your paint something to stick to. Paint does not stick permanently to bare metal or plastic. Second, the primer provides an undercolor for your finished paint job.
Primer Colors
Figures typically are primed in one of two colors: black and white. Other colors may be used depending upon what is being painted, though.
White primer is generally used when the painter wants bright, vivid colors. it’s also good when the figure needs to be painted in light colors. Pastels, yellows, and other light colors are hard to paint on darker primers.
The downside of white primer is that all surfaces of the figure need to be covered. Otherwise, it is glaringly obvious that not all of the figure was painted.
Black primer produces darker overall colors. A blue painted on black will be deeper than the same color painted on white.
The advantage of black primer is in painting speed. If you miss painting a crease on a figure, it shows up black and looks like a shadow. With a drybrushing technique, black primer allows painters to very quickly paint a large number of figures to a wargaming standard.
Black, however, is notoriously difficult to cover with some colors. Yellows, reds and other light colors may require several coats to produce the desired effect.
Some painters try for a happy medium and prime their figures in varying shades of gray.
If you are painting figures that are predominately one color, it may also be useful to prime the figure in that color. In painting Zulus, for example, you may want to prime your figures in a shade of dark brown, since most of the figure is bare skin.
Preparing To Prime
Before priming figures, it is usually advisable to clean the figures with a little soap and water, to wash off any residual release agent. The chemicals used to ensure that figures release from their molds can prevent primers from sticking.
Types of Primer
Acrylic Gesso
Artist’s Acrylic Gesso is a medium that painters use to coat canvas and other surfaces before painting with acrylic paints. It also makes a very fine primer for figures, as it adheres well to both metal and plastic. Because it is designed for acrylic paints, it holds colors very well.
Gesso is a thick, paste-like substance that is applied with a brush. It may be necessary to water it down to get it to apply evenly. When applying the gesso, be sure not to obscure the details of the figure. The gesso will shrink a little upon drying, bringing out the details, but gobs will remain gobs.
Gesso is odorless, non-toxic and cleans up with water, making it ideal for priming figures in enclosed spaces. Unlike spray paints, it isn’t affected by cold, heat or humidity, so it can be applied in a variety of conditions.
Applying gesso with a brush is much slower than spray paints, though, so if you are doing a large number of figures in a short period of time, it may not be your best choice.
You can purchase Acrylic Gesso at artists and craft stores. It generally is available in both black and white.
Paint-On Primer
Humbrol makes a paint-on primer for models.
Spray Primer
Spray primers offer good coverage and can be used to prime a large number of figres very quickly.
Painters use a wide variety of brands of spray paint. Several manufacturers—such as Games Workshop—make spray paint designed for wargaming figures. Flat spray paints from Rustoleum and Krylon are popular. Others use auto body primer.
When spraying, it’s better to apply several light, even coats than one thick one. Placing the figures on a narrow board will allow you to spray up to the underside of the figure.
There are several downsides to using spray paints:
First, the fumes are toxic, and thus you should never spray indoors.
Second, the spray is affected by heat, humidity and cold. Spraying figures when the humidity is too high can result in water vapor being trapped in the spray. This will create a rough, unsightly surface on the figure. Spraying when the weather is too cold can result in the paint dripping.
It’s also very easy to over-apply spray paint, obscuring the details on the figure. Spray paint that goes on too thick is difficult to remove.