Me, I'm a black primer man. I spend my money and gaming time on historical miniatures and rules systems and have left that "fantasy crap" be. In that vein, the darker, draber, and deeper the model and mini I can make w/o going to special lengths to do so, the better!
Saying that, what is best to use? I've tried all kind of primers and and paints, and most have left me wanting. But there were some interesting experiments. In all:
DON'T USE PAINT!! Either brushed or sprayed on. It will apply WAYYYYY too thick and you will loose surface detail. They key here is to do the most, with the least in terms of priming product.
After many failed experiments, the best I have found is auto primer in an "off-black" to "darker gray".
The light in this photo gives a yellowish cast, but the results are fantanstic. Primers, as opposed to 'full-on' paint tends to apply thinner and cover better provided you don't have a heavy hand with the can.
This is "Rustoleum", in OFF-BLACK... no full black or standard gray. It kinda splits the difference between the two. I prime figs, vehicles, everything with this stuff and my results have been very satisfactory. It sells for around $5 a can, and does a great job, however, towards the end of the can, or if it has sat for a while, it can "spit" and ruin your project. Always (and this is a good rule for any product) test it first. I use a cardboard box to spray into and keep the overspary contained. A few test shots inside the box before I spray the model or fig is a good idea before I prime.
-aus
