The most important rule to remember when mixing paints is to never mix enamel and acrylic paint, this is because one...
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What is the difference between a coloured primer and a basecoat?
Historically, the difference between primers and basecoats had much clearer boundaries, a primer sealed and provided a surface to which paint can adhere and a basecoat was all about providing a coloured foundation on which to build desired effects. But nowadays, we have coloured primers, and you may well be wondering if the one product can really do both jobs!
In modelling at least, that does seem to be the case. As paints and primers have become more sophisticated, the paint companies have found ways to produce primers that can act both as an adherent and provide a coloured basecoat all in one formula. The only problems arise when these chemically advanced paints are not used as intended.
As modellers, we can all be forgiven for getting creative now and then, after all, that's what we do! But paint companies have invested time, money and expertise developing such paints specifically to work with other paints from their range. When we add a spot of home-brewed thinners or pound store specials into the mix, the results can often be compromised, so this needs to be considered if using an advanced coloured primer.
These days, whether you should use a multi-function colour primer on your models is purely a matter of choice. The bigger issue, whether using a traditional primer and basecoat or a colour primer, is getting the colour right for your topcoat. This is a consideration often overlooked but one that can make a huge difference. So do your homework to see which colour undercoat should be used with a particular colour topcoat, and you should be just fine.
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