I have just bought some Testors Flat Gray brush enamel when I was at Hobby Lobby as a first primer,even though I wanted to get an actual spray can enamel primer,which unfortunately was out of stock.I have never used Primer before,I don’t know what colors I should use or wether or not I can brush paint them.This post may seem kind of stupid,due to the fact that I can go anywhere to find answers(Such as YouTube,Google,etc.),but fo.r some reason this time I wanted to post on the forum.Anyways,any answers are highly respected and appreciated!
Not I understand what paint you bought (or if it is just paint or an actual primer); however, You can test it on the inside of the car body and see if it lays down and levels out to your satisfaction. Personally, I would get a few cans of Tamiya fine gray spray primer, or I am sure others can recommend less expensive alternatives to Tamiya.
Enamels are on the whole much easier to brush than acrylics…and I have many times used that old Testors ‘square bottle’ battle grey as a primer over the years, specifically because it brushes so well.
Just make sure your paint is mixed well – stir it, rather than just shaking the bottle – and don’t be afraid to thin it, if necessary, to get the consistency you can work with. As with all brushing, it’s about technique: lay down a smooth coat, and try to avoid going back over an area that’s already been painted. If it needs ‘double’ coverage, a proper second coat later on will be much smoother than trying to cover it all in one thick pasty coat.
I generally prine the whole sprues with spray can primer. I use any of three brands. I use Painters Touch sandable primer as a go to, Automotive metal primer if I will be priming any metal, or the Tamiya spray Fine Primer for max detail without a lot of sanding. I see no reason to brush on primer after priming the whole sprues.
For the love of God, stop buying hobby paint through Amazon. They rip you off with what they charge you for hobby paints. You can find them far cheaper at any online hobby store like Scalehobbyist, Sprue Brothers, Hobbylinc, etc…
Just for the record, primer colored enamel paint is not primer. Primer has different properties and is put down to increase bond to the substrate it’s applied to and to ensure the bond of paint to itself vs paint to the substrate ( in our case usually plastic but not always, as aluded to already in a post above). Some primers have a filler aspect, some sealers, some sanding and others meant to be non sanding. Some like Tamiya fine or Stynylrez are designed to snuggle in extra tight to aid in retaining detail.
A good example of this is in the use of Model Master acrylic paint. The stuff sticks to plastic as if someone oiled the plastic but it sticks to primer like mortar to brick. You want that working system.