| Painting and Finishing click on images to enlarge |
Overview
I heard a competition modeler once say that a model's finish is the first thing anyone sees when
approaching the model. I certainly buy into that theory. The overall finish will have the biggest
impact on the appearance of a build. So, we should make it the best we can. There are steps that
I like to follow in order to ensure a nice paint job.
1. After construction, wash the model well with liquid soap and warm water. Use an old
toothbrush to scrub all crevices and panel lines. Rinse and let dry completely.
2. From this point on, I will wear a latex medical glove (powder free) when handling the model.
This will keep any fingerprints off. Also, mask any open areas such as cockpits, wheel bays,
intakes, etc. Pieces of wet paper towel or small sponges make excellent form fitting masks.
3. ALWAYS prime the model. Priming will be a live saver when it comes to any type of masking. I
use acrylic paint, so I prime with acrylic paint. Before I apply it, I will blow off the model with
my airbrush at 30-40 psi. This gets rid of any dust particles that have settled. I don't have the
luxury of a spray booth. So, I turn off any ceiling fans/central unit and make sure there's no
dust moving around.
4. After the initial primer coat, I will inspect for seam and joint issues and correct if needed. The
primer will expose flaws in the construction. Now is the time to fix them. If a repair is made,
clean the area well and re-prime it. Let the primer dry for at least 24 hours.
5. Sometimes acrylics can give a gritty, rough finish after they dry. If this happens, use a small
grit polishing pad to sand the areas smooth. There will be no damage to the finish IF the primer
has cured. For best results, each color coat applied should be smooth as possible and lightly
polished if need be.
6. Now is the time to apply all color coats with a 24 hour dry time between colors. Once again, I
will lightly sand each if necessary. It is best to apply all light colors first and darker colors last.
Dark colors will bleed through a lighter color and require more layers of the lighter color. This
may affect any detail in the area and create "ridged" separation lines between colors.
7. At this point, an acrylic gloss coat is applied for protection and decaling.
I heard a competition modeler once say that a model's finish is the first thing anyone sees when
approaching the model. I certainly buy into that theory. The overall finish will have the biggest
impact on the appearance of a build. So, we should make it the best we can. There are steps that
I like to follow in order to ensure a nice paint job.
1. After construction, wash the model well with liquid soap and warm water. Use an old
toothbrush to scrub all crevices and panel lines. Rinse and let dry completely.
2. From this point on, I will wear a latex medical glove (powder free) when handling the model.
This will keep any fingerprints off. Also, mask any open areas such as cockpits, wheel bays,
intakes, etc. Pieces of wet paper towel or small sponges make excellent form fitting masks.
3. ALWAYS prime the model. Priming will be a live saver when it comes to any type of masking. I
use acrylic paint, so I prime with acrylic paint. Before I apply it, I will blow off the model with
my airbrush at 30-40 psi. This gets rid of any dust particles that have settled. I don't have the
luxury of a spray booth. So, I turn off any ceiling fans/central unit and make sure there's no
dust moving around.
4. After the initial primer coat, I will inspect for seam and joint issues and correct if needed. The
primer will expose flaws in the construction. Now is the time to fix them. If a repair is made,
clean the area well and re-prime it. Let the primer dry for at least 24 hours.
5. Sometimes acrylics can give a gritty, rough finish after they dry. If this happens, use a small
grit polishing pad to sand the areas smooth. There will be no damage to the finish IF the primer
has cured. For best results, each color coat applied should be smooth as possible and lightly
polished if need be.
6. Now is the time to apply all color coats with a 24 hour dry time between colors. Once again, I
will lightly sand each if necessary. It is best to apply all light colors first and darker colors last.
Dark colors will bleed through a lighter color and require more layers of the lighter color. This
may affect any detail in the area and create "ridged" separation lines between colors.
7. At this point, an acrylic gloss coat is applied for protection and decaling.
Canopy Masking
Okay, I admit it. I do cheat on this subject. I have been spoiled by
Eduard's pre-cut canopy masks. They are available for many kits,
reasonably priced and save a lot of time. In most cases, they don't
need modification. However, a new xacto blade will trim them if
necessary. Eduard supplies a diagram for placing and will include
additional masks for other clear parts in the kit. I highly
recommend this product, especially if there is a complex canopy in
the kit.
Okay, I admit it. I do cheat on this subject. I have been spoiled by
Eduard's pre-cut canopy masks. They are available for many kits,
reasonably priced and save a lot of time. In most cases, they don't
need modification. However, a new xacto blade will trim them if
necessary. Eduard supplies a diagram for placing and will include
additional masks for other clear parts in the kit. I highly
recommend this product, especially if there is a complex canopy in
the kit.
Paint Additives and Thinner
There are a couple of products I use that make the painting
process much easier. They are Liquitex brand slo-dri and
flow-aid. Keep in mind, they can only be used with acrylic paint.
Slo-dri slows the dry time according to how much you mix in. It
also acts as a thinning agent. Slo-dri will help give the paint a
flatter, smoother finish and eliminate any gritty texture. Flo-aid
increases the flow and workability of the paint. A small amount
added to the paint will help stop the airbrush tip from clogging.
I highly recommend these products for each and every paint
application.
As far as thinning acrylics, I use and recommend isopropyl
alcohol (70 or 90%). Thinning is not an exact science and there
are no set ratios. The general rule is the paint consistency
should be that of skim milk. That will give you an approximate
ratio of 60% paint and 40% thinner, give or take. Some brands
of paint are thicker than others. So, more thinner may be
required in that case. When I mix a batch, I use incremented
measure cups to eliminate the guesswork.
For airbrush clean-up, I recommend standard lacquer thinner.
Between color applications, I will run some through the
airbrush for a quick cleaning. After use, the airbrush will be
broken down and cleaned.
There are a couple of products I use that make the painting
process much easier. They are Liquitex brand slo-dri and
flow-aid. Keep in mind, they can only be used with acrylic paint.
Slo-dri slows the dry time according to how much you mix in. It
also acts as a thinning agent. Slo-dri will help give the paint a
flatter, smoother finish and eliminate any gritty texture. Flo-aid
increases the flow and workability of the paint. A small amount
added to the paint will help stop the airbrush tip from clogging.
I highly recommend these products for each and every paint
application.
As far as thinning acrylics, I use and recommend isopropyl
alcohol (70 or 90%). Thinning is not an exact science and there
are no set ratios. The general rule is the paint consistency
should be that of skim milk. That will give you an approximate
ratio of 60% paint and 40% thinner, give or take. Some brands
of paint are thicker than others. So, more thinner may be
required in that case. When I mix a batch, I use incremented
measure cups to eliminate the guesswork.
For airbrush clean-up, I recommend standard lacquer thinner.
Between color applications, I will run some through the
airbrush for a quick cleaning. After use, the airbrush will be
broken down and cleaned.
Masking Products
There are several masking products on the market that make
this job much easier. Some conventional, some not. There
are some brands of masking tape that strictly cater to
modeling but they tend to be very overpriced. Here's a list of
inexpensive products I find useful.
1. Good ole' 3M painters blue mask tape for delicate surfaces.
A large roll is cheap and will last a long time. It can be used
for all hard edged applications and will bend nicely to
contours if thin strips are cut.
2. Post-it notes are excellent low-tac masks for quick jobs or
for covering large areas that you don't want paint on.
There are several sized pads to choose from.
3. Liquid mask is a gel that can be brushed on. When dry, it
acts as a mask and can be peeled off afterwards. This
product comes in handy for hard to reach areas, canopies,
or awkward compound curves.
4. Sponges are great for filling large areas prior to painting. A
fine sponge can be cut into shapes and stuffed into areas
such as cockpits, wheel bays, open bomb bays and doors.
4. Yep, that's right......Silly Putty! Silly Putty is an excellent
mask, especially for camouflaging and irregular lines. It
can be molded to any shape needed and conforms to
angles. The putty is easily removed, leaves no residue
and can be reused over and over. This method is far faster
than cutting conventional mask for complex schemes.
There are several masking products on the market that make
this job much easier. Some conventional, some not. There
are some brands of masking tape that strictly cater to
modeling but they tend to be very overpriced. Here's a list of
inexpensive products I find useful.
1. Good ole' 3M painters blue mask tape for delicate surfaces.
A large roll is cheap and will last a long time. It can be used
for all hard edged applications and will bend nicely to
contours if thin strips are cut.
2. Post-it notes are excellent low-tac masks for quick jobs or
for covering large areas that you don't want paint on.
There are several sized pads to choose from.
3. Liquid mask is a gel that can be brushed on. When dry, it
acts as a mask and can be peeled off afterwards. This
product comes in handy for hard to reach areas, canopies,
or awkward compound curves.
4. Sponges are great for filling large areas prior to painting. A
fine sponge can be cut into shapes and stuffed into areas
such as cockpits, wheel bays, open bomb bays and doors.
4. Yep, that's right......Silly Putty! Silly Putty is an excellent
mask, especially for camouflaging and irregular lines. It
can be molded to any shape needed and conforms to
angles. The putty is easily removed, leaves no residue
and can be reused over and over. This method is far faster
than cutting conventional mask for complex schemes.
Polishing a Finish
Either flat or gloss finishes can be polished which will remove
small imperfections, dried paint flakes and dust embedded in
the paint. Polishing will not harm the paint surface IF the paint
is cured. I always allow at least 24 hours and 48 is even better.
Very fine grit (8000-12000) pads or paper can be used. Pads
are cushioned which allow a softer "touch" and easily bend if
too much pressure is applied. For anyone who uses acrylics
exclusively, I highly recommend the pads.
Either flat or gloss finishes can be polished which will remove
small imperfections, dried paint flakes and dust embedded in
the paint. Polishing will not harm the paint surface IF the paint
is cured. I always allow at least 24 hours and 48 is even better.
Very fine grit (8000-12000) pads or paper can be used. Pads
are cushioned which allow a softer "touch" and easily bend if
too much pressure is applied. For anyone who uses acrylics
exclusively, I highly recommend the pads.
| Using Acrylics |
