Around the shop, it always seem to come up about which primer I use, and why. So today I figured I’d talk about it a bit, and see what you all think.
First off I just want to say never ever use that crap from Wal Mart.
Krylon is okay sometimes but that is about it. I have literally seen people bring in models to the store crying because they have melted due to janky primer. How that is even possible I have no idea, lol but I have seen it with my own eyes.
I’m only going to go over the big three primers, Citadel/ Games Workshop, Privateer Press/ P3, and Army Painter (the new kids on the block), mostly because that’s all I generally use. But believe me there is plenty to talk about between them, as they are very different.
Citadel Primer
First off is Citadel Primer. I’ll be honest, this stuff isn’t cheap at a MSRP of $15. But it’s generally spot on as far as quality goes, and it’s formulated to be very forgiving for beginners who tend to glob on the paint.
Another cool feature is that it will attack and dissolve any bits of RTV rubber that may be on the model. Why is this important you ask? Well it’s almost impossible to paint over small bits of rubber than can become stuck in/on resin models from their molds during casting.
So if you’re going to shell out the cash to buy a nice Forge World model, you may want to use GW primer to make sure you get rid of any leftovers from the casting process.
Games Workshop used to also replace any models that were ruined because of faulty primer. I don’t know if they still do that, but its nice to have that kinda of insurance if they do.
The can produces a standard size spray pattern of primer, so generally you want to keep the nozzle about 10-12 inches away from the models your working on.
P3 Primer
I use this stuff for most of my general work. It’s priced decently at $10, and comes in both black and white shades.
What I like about it is that it has a large spray pattern, so it’s much easier to cover the majority of your models when you use it.
I tried to show the approximate pattern below with the red lines, as compared to the normal spray you can see there already.
P3 Primer is also nice because it will get under wicked underhangs of weirdly positioned models, and vehicles way easier than with a normal can of spray primer because it’s special pattern. When I spray I generally keep the nozzle 10-12 inches away from the models I’m working with, just like the citadel stuff.
One bad thing about this primer however, is that does nothing about dissolving RTV Rubber like the citadel stuff.
Army Painter Primers
These guys are the relative new kids on the block, taking the old colored Citadel Spray idea and running with it (it’s even rumored that a lot of ex-Games Workshop guys work for them as well). Either way colored primers are a great idea because lets face it, not everyone can afford/ use an airbrush!
So they have quite the variety of color’s available, as well as the standard Black and White shades. This makes quick work of both primering and base-coating. The only problem is that its very hard to match that primer color with brush on paints, without mixing, so touch-ups are a semi pain.
They also have a whole system of dips, available for making painting even faster, and “getting more time to play”. I don’t use those myself, but I did help a friend paint his whole 2000 point army with them in only a weekend, lol. That was pretty remarkable!
I tend to just use the colored primers from Army Painter, as I prefer the P3 Black for all my general priming needs.
When I use this primer I generally get closer to the models, like about 8-10 inches. This stuff needs less distance to hit your models, and will fuzz up and trap air particles if you spray too far away.
So there you go, what primers I use and why. If you still want to know more about proper priming technique, check out my priming article from a few months ago. This will help you produce the best coat for your models, so be sure to check it out.
What primer do you use? Has anyone had any luck with the cheap-o Wal Mart stuff? -MBG
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at the Las Vegas Open, each of which attracts thousands of players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the 2011 Adepticon 40k Team Tournament. He was even featured for his painting in issue #304 of Games Workshop’s White Dwarf Magazine.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
