PRIMER COAT AND GLOSS
I chose to prime the model with the base colour - olive drab - rather than priming with a grey or black and then over-spraying the OD as a top coat. Some would say that the result lacks depth because of that but I hope to add depth during the subsequent stages. I used Humbrol Light Olive and their gloss varnish sprays.
One thing I did do though was to apply a coat of Tamiya Flat Black over the tracks before glossing.
The next stage is to apply the decals.
I am having a bit of a mental block when it comes to finishing my models. 
I started making models again fairly recently and since then I have nearly completed three models but haven't managed to go that extra yard and actually finish them. My problem seems to be a lack of confidence regarding my painting skills.
SO - in order to get over this problem (not wanting to 'spoil' models I have spent so long building and detailing) I decided what I needed was an 'ice breaker'. A practice paint project on a fairly cheap and simple model just to work through the paint proceedure beginning to end.
I have chosen one of my spare Armourfast Shermans, mainly because you can't get any more basic than Armourfast, and because it lacks any intricate detailing it seems to me to be the perfect blank canvas on which to try out a first painting project...In other words I am not really bothered if I muck this one up as practically no work has gone into building it at all!
Here's the subject...
Now, from reading the forum here's my take on the painting proceedure (simplified)...
1. Primer coat (of the choise of the modeller, could be light grey, black to add depth or an undercoat of the primary colour of the vehicle) - I'm going for a light OD colour on my Sherman.
1.b. Top coat - where you have painted grey or black as a primer coat you will then want to paint on the primary vehicle colour (in my case I have started with a base coat of OD anyway so this is the primer and the basic colour).
2. Light gloss varnish (or coat of Klear) - to act as a base for decals
3. Decalling - Using MicroSet or MicroSol as aid to decals 'bedding in'
4. Sealing coat of gloss (or Klear) to fix decals down
5. Pin washing - to bring out model details and surface lines
6. Weathering
7. Final seal of matt varnish
