For when the plastic underneath keeps winning. Dark mouldings — the reds, blacks and deep blues that Gunpla runners and pre-coloured car kits are full of — bleed through paint with remarkable persistence. You lay down white, it goes pink. You lay down yellow over that, it goes ochre. Three coats later the detail is starting to soften and the colour still isn't right.

Base White exists to end that argument in one step. Mr. Hobby developed the paint specifically for hiding power rather than filling: it conceals dark undercolour aggressively, finishes with a fine, tight texture rather than a chalky one, and gives top coats their intended vibrancy instead of a shade shifted by whatever was underneath. It also carries a mild surfacer effect, so light scratches and handling marks disappear along the way — but covering is what it's built for and what it does best.

• Powerful hiding power over black, red and dark-moulded plastic
• Fine finish that lifts top coat vibrancy, especially yellows, reds and oranges
• Mild surfacer effect deals with minor scratches as you go
• Even, uniform base across multi-coloured runners and mixed parts
• 170ml can with plenty for a full kit

Tip: Resist the heavy coat. White over dark rewards patience — three genuinely light passes will cover better than one wet one, and without the softened panel lines. Before you commit to colour, check the primed part under strong raking light: a thin patch over red plastic looks fine indoors and shows through the top coat every time.

Base White or White Surfacer? This is the one people get wrong. They're both Mr. Hobby, both white, both "1000" — even some retailers mix them up. The difference is what problem you're solving. Base White (B-518) covers. Reach for it when dark plastic is showing through and your colours are coming out wrong. White Surfacer 1000 (B-511) fills. Reach for that when seam lines, sanding scratches and blemishes are the issue. If you have both problems, surfacer first to fix the surface, Base White over it for the colour.

Specifications

Brand: Mr. Hobby (GSI Creos / Gunze Sangyo)
Item No.: B-518
Type: Covering white base coat, aerosol (with surfacer effect)
Colour: White
Grade: 1000
Volume: 170ml
Suitable for: Styrene, ABS, resin
Sandable: Yes — light sanding
Use in: Well-ventilated area; wear a respirator