What are the benefits of using a black primer?

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TurkeyVolumeGuessingMan
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What are the benefits of using a black primer?

Post by TurkeyVolumeGuessingMan »

For the longest time, I thought that primer only came in white or gray. Then after I moved to Japan a couple of years ago, I started seeing black primer cans. So what are the benefits of using that? I would think that they would require more paint to color the model properly. Is it for scale? A while back I saw this video ofo a guy painting up an awesome Yamato starship in which it seemed that he was using the black as a way of preshading the entire model and then mostly painting in the middle areas.

So is black primer pretty badass for darker colored models and such?
Greg
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Vetter
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Post by Vetter »

Black is a good base for some metallics.
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Kylwell
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Post by Kylwell »

And if you're into pre-shading you can skip a step.
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Lt. Z0mBe
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Post by Lt. Z0mBe »

It's excellent for getting that look some anime and Star Wars vehicles have. It looks awesome trying to shoot a cool white or light gray over black. Preshading's already done AND it's really easy to get panel variation and splotchiness with light colors over black.

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TurkeyVolumeGuessingMan
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Post by TurkeyVolumeGuessingMan »

OK, so as I expected, it is for preshading. Thanks.

So preshading is the way to go with raised panel lines, right? My MPC A-Wing fighter has raised panel lines, so I was thinking that I would try preshading on it. I can use the black primer by Mr. Hobby first and fill in the gray with precise airbrushing.
Greg
Plastic modeling and other nerd stuff in Japan on my YouTube channel
My WIP modeling page on Tumblr.
One day I was walking and I found this big log. Then I rolled the log over and underneath was a tiny little stick. And I was like, "That log had a child!"
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