No matter what aspect of the Privateer Press miniature wargame hobby you come from it all starts off with those three words. Prime for WARMACHINE, Primal for HORDES, and Primer for anyone and everyone who wants their models to look top-notch. So let’s find out what Privateer Press’ primer formula has to offer.

For this article I decided to compare the P3 primers with other gaming industry primers from Games workshops. Both companies have a Black Primer and a White Primer.  Some hobbyists prefer one of these shades over the other depending on the overall tone they desire in their finished product.

The first thing most people look at when shopping is price.  Here in Canada, the P3 Black Primer retails for around $10.00 for a 340g can, while the primers by Games workshop retail for around $15.00 for 278g can.  So you’re getting 52g more spray with P3 and saving $5.  Sounds like some spare cash to lay down on that solo you’ve had your eye on!

The next difference that is immediately noticeable is the nozzle. P3 uses a flat fan spray which has a wide coverage area. This type of spray resulted in a thinner coat of primer and I needed to use two solid passes to get a consistent coat, but the coverage was very smooth.  Despite having to make two passes, the Primer still went a long way!  I managed to completely solid coat 10 small based Hordes miniatures, 4 large based Hordes miniatures, 9 plastic trees with foliage, 12 pillars, 4 walls and 1 obelisk. There was still enough primer left in the can to use on a Warmachine or Hordes faction starter box.  The only difficulty I found was getting into the nooks and crannies of the models because it was harder to control a pinpoint location for the vertical line of the spray.  Games Workshop uses a conical spray which only needs one pass to cover part of the model, but resulted in a thicker base coat of primer which took away sharp details on some models. The other drawback to the thicker base coat was that while a small scratch or scuff to the P3 primer could be easily touched up with a bit of black paint, a chip or ding to the Games Workshop primer resulted in a more noticeable crack that required applying a thicker layer of paint to conceal.

The final point of comparison I made between the P3 and the Games Workshop Primers was on the difference in the “tooth” of the applied primers. If you’re wondering what “tooth” is, it is a reference to what sort of grit the primer has.  It’s that grit which allows the primer to adhere to metal or plastic and also allows acrylic paints to adhere better to the primer. The Games Workshop Primers have very little tooth and certain colors will not adhere to it very well. The P3 primers have a wonderfully fine tooth to them that helps paint grip to its surface and as a result some of the most difficult or notoriously thin colors applied nicely with only one stroke.

In order to find out some tips and tricks and to sate my curiosity about some aspects of the P3 Primers, I got in touch with Rob Hawkins at Privateer Press.  He was nice enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.

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Hey Rob,

Thanks for taking the time to go over a few questions I have regarding the P3 Primers. First off, I would like to say that I really love the new P3 Primers.  They have an amazing consistency and cover the models quite smoothly.

Why don’t we start off with a few questions about you for anyone who doesn’t know who you are?

Q. Who are you and what is your position at Privateer Press?

I’m the Hobby Manager here at Privateer Press.  I develop and manage the P3 range of hobby products.  In addition I coordinate with Editor-in-Chief Eric Cagle to produce hobby content for No Quarter Magazine, assist Ron Kruzie with directing the miniatures studio, and build Terrain for our book and box cover photography.

Q. How long have you worked at Privateer Press? How long in the Gaming industry?

I’ve been with Privateer Press, as Hobby Manager, since June of 2007.  Prior to moving out to Seattle I worked on a few concepts for HORDES: Metamorphosis, and was one of the artists for the Infernal Contraption card game.  I got my start in the gaming industry in 2000 with Games Workshop.

Q. How did you get interested and involved in this field of work?

A friend of mine introduced me to Warhammer in 1997.  I had always been interested in scale models and gaming, so tabletop wargaming was a natural fit for me.  I eventually got a job in a GW retail shop, and worked my way onto the US Promotions hobby team in Glen Burnie.  When WARMACHINE came along, the models and setting really grabbed my interest.  I left GW in 2005 and used the time to do some freelance art.  When the position at Privateer Press became available, I jumped on it.

Q. What would you say is your favorite type of food? And where would be best to get it in the Seattle Area?

I like a good barbeque.  For that, I’d recommend Famous Dave’s down in Tukwila.  Being a Jersey-boy at heart, one thing I miss is pizza.  You can’t get good pizza out here.

Well now that we’ve learned a little more about you why don’t we find out a little more about the P3 Primer?

Q. How long has Privateer been developing primer for their gamers?

When I started in 2007 the plan was to make everything available that a hobbyist would need to build and paint their models.  The hobby tools came first, but soon after that, I began sourcing vendors for our Formula P3 Primer.

Q. How long has Privateer been using the primer in house before deciding it was finally ready for use by your discerning customers?

I tried a number of different vendors before settling on one.  There was a lot of testing to make sure the primer would properly adhere to metal and plastic models.  This was around the time we were developing the plastic Bastions, so numerous tests were done on the different plastics we were considering to ensure our primer would work with our upcoming plastic kits.

Q. Which of the primers is used more often on the studio models? Do you have any suggestions as to when one primer would be preferable over the other?

Matt DiPietro uses white on most of the armoured Retribution models, otherwise black is the norm.  As far as suggesting which primer to use, a lot of that depends on your painting style and how bright your color scheme will be.  White primer is best for models that will have a bright color scheme (Dawnguard, Protectorate models).  More washing will be necessary to darken the recesses, but thin glazes of color can be used to tint the raised, highlighted areas.  Black primer is useful for darker models.  The black primer means that you don’t have to cover every square inch of the model with paint.  Drybrushing works best over a black undercoat, and the darker base is useful when building up to the highlights with a layering technique.

Now onto some more technical questions about the use and application of the P3 Primers.

Q. The diffusion from the spray nozzle on the primer is a wide angle vertical fan; I found that this would give a solid coating of about 2” with overspray of about 1” to either side. With the majority of the wonderful models in the Warmachine and Hordes range being 35mm models why was such a wide diffusion chosen?

When given the option to go with a fan nozzle, I went with it.  Cone-shaped nozzles tend to dump more paint in the center, which risks pooling on the surface and filling in the details of the miniature.  Fan sprays provide more even coverage over the whole model, and are a lot easier on your trigger finger.

Q. Has Privateer considered making interchangeable nozzles for the P3 Primer to allow for a different type of diffusion of the primer dependant on the needs of the painter and the size of model they are priming?

For something like that, I think we would need a much wider market, and in my experience, I’ve never needed to change out nozzles, or known anyone to do so.

Q. When priming models, the underside area of the model are generally the hardest to reach and require models to be laid on their sides, at this stage there is very little exposed metal and generally requires only pinpoint spraying which is harder to do with the fan output from P3. Is 100% solid coverage of a model required for painting?

100% coverage, while ideal, is not necessary for painting.  In fact, there are several professional painters that prefer to only give their model a light dusting of white primer.  To get the underside of a model, taping it to a box lid will allow you to turn the model over and spray the underside.  Affixing the model to a priming stick also works well for this.  In the past, I’ve laid models on their side, spraying from all angles, ensuring to get the bottoms.  When dry, the model gets flipped over and sprayed on the other side.  Then I give it one final hit with the model standing upright.  If you have metal showing in the lower recesses, some thinned Thamar Black can be used to cover it.

Q. I tested the primer outside on a warm summer day with little to no wind and found that the 12” distance suggested on the can caused very little primer to adhere to the model. As such I decreased my distance to approximately 6-8” from the models and received much better adhesion. Is the 12” distanced based on optimal priming results or on health concerns?

12″ away is the recommended spray distance to ensure that an inexperienced painter doesn’t unintentionally clog the model’s detail by starting out too close to the figure.  I tend to go a little closer, though; usually 6-8 inches.  After a few bursts, people will fall into their “comfort zone” for using the primer, and everyone will have different techniques that work for them.

Q. From my experience the majority of gamers tend to base their miniatures before priming. I’m curious how you approach basing and priming models in the studio?

All of the studio models are based after the painting is completed.  When working on my own models, I superglue ballast to the base as part of the assembly process, and then I prime and paint the model.

Q. While talking to other people who have used the P3 primers, it came up a few times that many felt the primer didn’t seem to cover as many miniatures as other primers they had used in the past. Though they were unable to pinpoint if it was due to how they were using the primer, or if it was due to the wide angle of the diffusion and perhaps being unaccustomed on how to most effectively use it. Are there any other pointer you could give us avid painters on how to more effectively control the output and coverage of the primer?

Try closing the distance on the models, using shorter, controlled bursts to avoid over spraying.  Make sure the models are clean and dry to ensure that the primer adheres properly.  Apply thin coats, allowing the primer to dry in between each coat.  We paint a lot of models in the studio, and one can lasts quite a long time.

Q. Rob I have one final question regarding a missing family member of the P3 range.  Are there any development plans for P3 Sealants such as a gloss and Matte coat for us hobbyists to use in the future?

Sealant is something that I would love to add to the Formula P3 range, and I have been experimenting with some different manufacturers.  However, until we can produce a cost-effective matte sealer that competes with the quality of some of the more well-known brands already on the market, I can’t say for certain when or if we’ll be able to release a product like that.

Once again Rob thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and I look forward to seeing what you and Privateer have in store for us in 2010.

My pleasure!

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It sure is nice to know that Rob and the other guys at Privateer Press are always willing to address questions and concerns from their players. It really shows how much they stand behind their product.

In conclusion, I am quite please with the P3 primer.  It’s more affordable for the quantity, has a smooth consistency and great quality. I would strongly suggest any hobbyist to give this primer a whirl for all their miniature painting needs.

Geist

Tags: P3, Painting, Privateer Press, Product Review