grey paint
I've always undercoated in white. I don't like black as it, IMO, obscures the details I have to paint. However, via an accident, I undercoated several figures in light grey. This seems to bring out detail nicely and is, unless someone else has discovered it, the discovery of the century (OK there are probably a few more significant inventions) donald

I've used grey automotive primer for the last 30 years or so. Sorry :(

Dont apologise. I've always been a little slow. donald

If you look at the AWI range on the Perry website, you can see that whoever undercoated the figures that are depicted in a "primed" state has also gone for light grey. Like ninja, I use either light grey or red oxide primer (the latter mainly for buildings and figures with red or brown coats) and they do bring out the detail. The grey also doesn't create the risk of "bleeding" into the top coats as white sometimes can - especially reds - and with thinly applied colours grey can also create the impression of fading or weathering of the clothing material.

I use gray etch primer - the standard automotive primer can be a bit granular (quite a bit with 1 tin!)

I use grey primer as well. I think you get the best of both black and white primers.

Grey primer is best for photographs – its why the steam railway companies used to have their new engines photographed in primer for publicity images rather than when they were completely painted – better tonal contrast. I paint on white primer – I've tried, black, grey, oxide, brown and sand but white is what I like best and for the way I paint it also works better than any of the others. Of course YMMV.

Light grey is a good base colour. Just make sure the pint granuals are fine enough. With some grey primer they are designed for cars not toy soldiers and are much granier then model paint. I used to use grey but changed to white. I think white brings out the top colours more, although i doubt a lot of people would notice the difference with a white and light grey primer. Black primer is just uky. Sorry to all those who use black.

Strange I always used white then switched to black and got better results - funny how we're all different

I kinda like the way how's there's no right or wrong to it and everybody can find their own methods that suit them best.

huh I'm ucky :coffee: :)

God forbid we're all the same. We may as well get all our figures mass-produced & painted in China. I do think a bit more open-mindedness on my part wouldn't hurt. I actually must have read about grey several times over the years & just ignored the advice. donald

Interesting, I paint on a white base follwed by a black wash. That really brings out the detail, I find.

I use grey primer for units wearing red coats, but black for nearly everything else. I switched from using all grey all the time, mainly so that I don't have to prepaint all of the equipment bits black. This saves me a lot of time, but on the whole, I prefer the grey over black (even though I use mostly black. - silly me)