Citadel color?

[suicidehummer]

I have a bottle of mithril silver from citadel color, and I'm going to see if I can exchange it for a can.
How are their cans? Good? Bad?

Also, I'm doing a quick, easy build and was wondering if I could skip primer?

[tigeraid]

If you want a paint job to turn out, never ever skip primer. Unless it's a flat, primer-like colour you're doing, in which case you don't need primer

[willimo]

Sometimes you don't get what you want. But you get what you need!

[rsxse240]

Originally Posted by willimo

Sometimes you don't get what you want. But you get what you need!

I'd go get the matching spray, so you can touch up where you mess up, or detail some other parts with the brush.

[suicidehummer]

Why can't I skip primer, what's so important?

[Jay!]

Originally Posted by suicidehummer

Why can't I skip primer, what's so important?

From the FAQ:

Spoiler for What is primer? Do I have to use it?:

YES, YOU MUST USE PRIMER

Primer is a filler and a barrier coat, preparing the plastic to grip the paint, filling scratches and imperfections, as well as neutralizing any incompatibility between the paint and plastic. Automotive plastic primer is the best choice, as it is suitable for any top coat and comes in white or gray. Also available in clear though that has no filling properties. ‘Key’ the plastic by rubbing the whole body with 800 grade wet & Dry paper, then apply up to three coats of primer. Then leave for 24 hours, smooth with 1200 grade paper, then add the top coats.

Also, the primer coat will help you find any small imperfections in the plastic or mold before you continue. As you sand it after the first light coat, the sandpaper will naturally take primer off the high points. These high points must be sanded flush with their surroundings, or else you will polish right through your paint job in these spots!

The shortest answer is, "No, but when something goes wrong, guess what we'll ask you first."

[tigeraid]

What he said.

To summarize, primer:

1) provides a rough surface for the paint to adhere to

2) seals the plastic and gives a uniform surface for the paint to apply to

3) reveals high and low spots in the body, scratches, gouges and other little problems you can't see on the bare plastic, allowing you to sand and correct them, then reprime.

[suicidehummer]

But like I said, it's a quick build and scratches don't matter.
I'm just trying to get back in the modeling mindset.
I've gone too long without doing anything to my models.

[grimmy]

Doing cheap quick builds isn't the mindset you want to get back into is it? If you want to get back into a mindset you need to do things the way you once did them. Without cutting corners.

Besides, if you realy wanted to skip primer, you would have just skipped it. You wouldn't be asking people whom you've never met for permission.

[rsxse240]

if your model is made of gray or white plastic, then primer isn't necessary for an out of the box build that has no body filler, no sanding work...and so on, AS LONG AS YOU ARE USING MODEL PAINTS!!!

now if you are building a car that the body is made of 2 different colors, then primer will be necessary.

also, if you are building a model that is made of (for example)red plastic. you will need to seal the plastic with some sort of primer, or use similar colored paint. red plastic, use red paint only. blue plastic can work with most grays, blues, blacks, dark greens. the reason for this is that the pigments in the plastic will "bleed" through the paint, causing discolorization.

also if you are using a semi transparent paint (or any light/bright colored paint) you NEED a primer so it doesn't look like dyed plastic when you are done.

I'm sure all of this is in the F.A.Q. section, but I need to practice typing! haha

[willimo]

Don't spray primer down first, I know I wouldn't want to!

[willimo]

I have it on good authority that LandRover doesn't use primer on any of its 1:1 vehicles.

[suicidehummer]

On the old rovers that is!

blue plastic can work with most grays, blues, blacks, dark greens. the reason for this is that the pigments in the plastic will "bleed" through the paint, causing discolorization.

I was going to paint a Pontiac, Molded in Pontiac Blue, TS-50 Mica Blue.
They look pretty close, so will bleeding still occur? Will it be visible?

By the way, thanks so much for all your help guys!