Red Kit...........Red Paint............PRIMER??????

DarKev · Post by **DarKev** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:40 am

Hello Folks

Okay this one has been bugging me for a while. I have a 1/100 Zaku Warrior from Gundam Seed Destiny (Lunamaria Hawk's Red Version) on the list of kits to do. I eventually want to use a Testor's Acrylic RED (ROT RLM 23 (SG)) as the color but I'm unsure of what color (or brand) primer to use.

The kit is of course molded in red and I've never had good luck with red paint on red molded plastic. My prior attempts have all turned out too dark and not as vibrance as I have seen from either pictures on the net or magazines like Hobby Japan.

Thanks for any help or suggestions forthcoming

DarKev

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:01 am

If it's vibrance you want you'll want white primer. Tamiya Fine White is my white primer of choice.

SpaceDuck · Post by **SpaceDuck** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:39 pm

RLM 23 as you are probably aware was meant to match the WWII German color and is considerably less than red? I'm not sure how much 'vibrance' you expect from that shade? Yes, over a white primer offers a nice 'bright' shade for most reds and then when you move to bright gloss auto color reds proffesional painters actually shoot a yellow base to get the red to 'pop' even more, but RLM 23? To me, since RLM 23 is usually associated with a flat or semi-gloss finish and leans towards pink, rather than red- I'd just shoot it over the red plastic and avoid more paint buildup unless you've experienced paint adhesion problems with that plastic and brand of paint before?

Just my opinion.

Zen-Builder · Post by **Zen-Builder** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:41 pm

Word of warning.

A lot of the pics in Hobby japan are photoshopped, seen the originals vs the photos at many LHS.

Either way for red I would go with a white primer.

Ti Raven · Post by **Ti Raven** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:09 am

Good Point!

scifi58 · Post by **scifi58** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:17 am

I agree with the esteemed mister Well. Tamiya white primer is excellent and one of the rare paints that sprays good out of a can (although the anal perfectionists among us will still decant it). I also recommend Mister surfacer 1000 in the can. For brighter colors, you want white or light gray. Type of paint doesn't matter much as you will be putting acrylic on top and acrylic is not a hot paint destined to eat away at lesser paints beneath it!!!!!

LG Johnson

DarKev · Post by **DarKev** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:44 am

Hi Spaceduck

I guess that RLM 23 looked a little better in the bottle then any red I saw that day in the hobby shop. I have yet to put paint to plastic sooooo I don't know yet what I will get. I will try both methods (with and without primer) to see which one gives me the "lighter" tone/brilliance I'm looking for. If RLM 23 isn't it then I try again with another red.

Thanks

DarKev

SpaceDuck wrote:RLM 23 as you are probably aware was meant to match the WWII German color and is considerably less than red? I'm not sure how much 'vibrance' you expect from that shade? Yes, over a white primer offers a nice 'bright' shade for most reds and then when you move to bright gloss auto color reds proffesional painters actually shoot a yellow base to get the red to 'pop' even more, but RLM 23? To me, since RLM 23 is usually associated with a flat or semi-gloss finish and leans towards pink, rather than red- I'd just shoot it over the red plastic and avoid more paint buildup unless you've experienced paint adhesion problems with that plastic and brand of paint before?

Just my opinion.