First foray into 1/700 plastic

I have a secret shame. The last few months I've been amassing boxes of 1/700 aircraft and buildings. I don't really know why, but every time I see a kit in a local hobby shot I've felt compelled to purchase it. I suppose I have vague notions of using them for some kind of WWII or Moderns air-warfare game, but it's all very hazy indeed.

Anyway, I opened up the the box of 1/700 buildings and decided to make them up as a tester.

It is a Pit-Road Skywave kit, and for about US$7 you get a total of nine buildings. They are very small but superbly detailed.

The thing is, how do you paint the blighters? Do you undercoat and risk covering up the detail, or just paint straight on and risk poor coverage? Any thoughts?