Grey primer

[TheDreadfulSagittary]

Greetings!

 

I'm about to start a new project with some Primaris Marines. I would like to paint them in the colours of the Red Scorpions and because of that I was considering to buy a GW grey primer (Mechanicum Standard Grey if I recall it correctly). Do you have any experience with it? Would you recommend it?

I work mostly with GW Chaos Black primer what never let me down, but I have some really bad experience with their white primer   The hobby store from which I get all my stuff also sells Army Painter stuff, but I also had some bad experience with their white (that's why I dropped the initial idea of a Star Phantoms force...). I'm also looking for an alternative from the black primer because I want to paint some models in lighter colours and some fleshtone (like Repentia). 

Edited September 24, 2020 by TheDreadfulSagittary

[Kain Mor]

If you’re experienced with GW chaos black the mechanicus standard grey will live up to your expectations without any problems. The issues with white primers in most brands is how large the pigment particles are for white paint.

[Karhedron]

Halfords grey primer is very reliable and somewhat cheaper than GW I think.

[Xenith]

Mech standard grey looks good, halfords spray I have a can of and tested out, but not used on a model - it's pretty good, though only a few £ less than GW spray.

 

If you want star phantoms, consider Grey Seer spray. It's just off-white, and you can give models a single coat of ulthuan grey to remove the contrast finish. 

[Karhedron]

I would actually be tempted to go a step further and suggest Apothocarion White contrast. I tried this out recently and was pleasantly surprised as to how easy it makes white armour.

[apologist]

Another thumbs-up for Halfords grey matt primer. I use it for ninety percent of my projects. Reliable, high-quality and goes on smoothly. Cheaper than GW or equivalent art sprays, too.

[TheDreadfulSagittary]

Thank you all for the responses! 
 

Mech standard grey looks good, halfords spray I have a can of and tested out, but not used on a model - it's pretty good, though only a few £ less than GW spray.

 

If you want star phantoms, consider Grey Seer spray. It's just off-white, and you can give models a single coat of ulthuan grey to remove the contrast finish. 

 

Hmm, I did not take the new contrast primers in consideration until now. Aren't they any different from the rest of the primers?

[Suspira Mortis]

The Contrast primers have a less matt finish than the others in order to aid the flow of Contrast paints, I believe.

[Kain Mor]

Yes the contrast primers have smaller pigment particles and a couple other changes that help create a really smooth finish. You can definitely still use them under regular paint, the manager at my GW pretty much exclusively uses Wraithseer for anything he paints and I can tell you first hand that vibrant warm colors look exceptional over Wraithbone. 

[Fajita Fan]

If money isn't a problem then go for it but Mechanicus gray is way more expensive than it's worth.  I'm using Rustoleum and it's $4 a can, the other thing I'm finding is that it's easier to lightly spray something white or black first then spray it gray.  Going gray over gray plastic is hard to see 

[Subtle Discord]

Do you have an airbrush? Are you willing to shoot stuff that has all the toxic stuff in it? Then you might want to consider this stuff...

 

 

It does come in 1500 White, but I've never used it. However, I'm confident that it would cover flawlessly. Hands down, this stuff is the best primer I've ever used on styrene and resin. Also, they have a range called Mr. Color that I might explore if I ever consider doing a different colour scheme that needs something other than Black, White, or Grey.

 

But yeah... be sure to use good ventilation and a respirator when you're spraying it, but despite any joking I suspect that it's not really any worse than most rattle can primers so just treat it the same. "Huffing is really bad for you. M'kay?"

[TheDreadfulSagittary]

Yes the contrast primers have smaller pigment particles and a couple other changes that help create a really smooth finish. You can definitely still use them under regular paint, the manager at my GW pretty much exclusively uses Wraithseer for anything he paints and I can tell you first hand that vibrant warm colors look exceptional over Wraithbone. 

 

Thank you for the suggestion, I might give it a try. The whole contrast thing looks interesting, but I didn't give it a try just stick to my old habits  Maybe it would be time to try it out.

 

If money isn't a problem then go for it but Mechanicus gray is way more expensive than it's worth.  I'm using Rustoleum and it's $4 a can, the other thing I'm finding is that it's easier to lightly spray something white or black first then spray it gray.  Going gray over gray plastic is hard to see 

 

You are right, it isn't the best, but as I wrote earlier I had some bad experience with white primers, and always using a black undercoat isn't that practical (and is boooring...). So I wanted to try out something new. 

 

Do you have an airbrush? Are you willing to shoot stuff that has all the toxic stuff in it? Then you might want to consider this stuff...

 

 

Thank you for your suggestion. Sounds interesting (and a bit dangerous  ) 

I don't have an airbrush but with my painting output it wouldn't be worth getting one... 

[Evil Eye]

Do you have an airbrush? Are you willing to shoot stuff that has all the toxic stuff in it? Then you might want to consider this stuff...

 

 

It does come in 1500 White, but I've never used it. However, I'm confident that it would cover flawlessly. Hands down, this stuff is the best primer I've ever used on styrene and resin. Also, they have a range called Mr. Color that I might explore if I ever consider doing a different colour scheme that needs something other than Black, White, or Grey.

 

But yeah... be sure to use good ventilation and a respirator when you're spraying it, but despite any joking I suspect that it's not really any worse than most rattle can primers so just treat it the same. "Huffing is really bad for you. M'kay?"

I can confirm this stuff is delightful. I more or less exclusively use this for priming now.

[Stercus]

If you’re after a rattle can in the uk, the halfords grey primer is both cheap and excellent. It also works well with the contrast paints if you first spray with halfords grey and then do a quick zenithal  spray with whichever of the GW contrast paint primers you prefer. 

[ranulf the revenant]

Greetings!

 

 

I work mostly with GW Chaos Black primer what never let me down, but I have some really bad experience with their white primer   The hobby store from which I get all my stuff also sells Army Painter stuff, but I also had some bad experience with their white (that's why I dropped the initial idea of a Star Phantoms force...).

You could also look into spray cans from art shops btw... There are some high quality alternatives to GW and the like...

Marco Frisoni covered it as well lately ->

[The_Chaplain]

Vallejo makes a new set of hobby sprays and I think the standard grey is fantastic-- wouldn't recommend the wolf grey however

[MaliGn]

Do you have an airbrush? Are you willing to shoot stuff that has all the toxic stuff in it? Then you might want to consider this stuff...

 

 

It does come in 1500 White, but I've never used it. However, I'm confident that it would cover flawlessly. Hands down, this stuff is the best primer I've ever used on styrene and resin. Also, they have a range called Mr. Color that I might explore if I ever consider doing a different colour scheme that needs something other than Black, White, or Grey.

 

But yeah... be sure to use good ventilation and a respirator when you're spraying it, but despite any joking I suspect that it's not really any worse than most rattle can primers so just treat it the same. "Huffing is really bad for you. M'kay?"

I use the mrBlack as a brush on and it works well for that.