Undercoating/Priming an Ultramarine

[The Bad Guy]

What color priming are you guys applying to your Ultramarines if you're wanting 'box art' colors?  I've seen some using white, and others using black.  What is going to give it more of that ULTRA color?  Example:  I'm doing a Lieutenant Titus and its primed with Grey Seer.

 

Edited February 4 by The Bad Guy

[ZeroWolf]

I do all mine in black as it leads to darker colours, like these guys here:

 

and i don't think they're too dissimilar (though my blue recipe is probably longer than it should be as i relayer the armour after a nuln oil wash )

[Grotsmasha]

I actually start with GW's Macragge Blue Spray, then wash, then relayer with Macragge

[Tacitus]

I airbrush and couldn't rattlecan to save my life.  I use the Zenithal Priming technique though I'm not really talented enough to take full advantage- nor do I have the eye that can tell the difference after its already done.  But it seems to work ok even for an amateur. 

 

I prime black from the bottom, then dust the top with grey, following up with some Vallejo air, washes and stick brushing details etc. 

 

The Ultramarine contrast paint has sadly never satisfied me, but I do love most of the other shades. 

 

Edit to add/technically answer the question:  If you held a gun to my head and made me choose, I'd prime just black.

Edited February 5 by Tacitus

[Prot]

Here is a picture of one of my older UM armies.

 

Granted this is a bit of an exercise in using a spectrum of blues (going to a pastel green at extremes). BUT the reason I'm posting this is the base is UM Blue rattle can from GW.

 

I think you can reach box art if you start with that, and really I found a watered down wash of UM Contrast gives a nice easy effect that you can work on top of to bring up your highlights.

 

You don't have to do this, and my UMs often have a wash of some sort (typically diluted a bit), and then highlights/blending applied afterwards.