Newbie Modeler

Hi.

Let me say Welcome.

Here you will find more people with knowledge, and web links and resources than anywhere else. You DO have to self filter out the BS, and crap. Since your here already, you will get used to it.

As for building kit's ? Start with one's that have the fewest parts. Do NOT get hung up with making it right, just get it done ! Practice makes perfect, and you ARE going to screw up. Something about finishing a kit, even if it is not the greatest gives great satisfaction. So even if they aint perfect, FINISH 'em. A good modeler isn't one who just builds nice models. He is one that can fix his mistakes and make them look like they never happened. Takes practice, which = building kit's. You will naturally learn all kinds of stuff it would take a lifetime of people teaching you.

An old saying applies here;

"Anything Worth Doing, Is Worth Doing Badly"

Remember this, and have FUN !!

Clear Skies.

on 9/24/2007 12:22 PM Yupie said the following:

What type of models are we talking about? Planes, armor, etc.? Start with the 1/72, especially if armor. The building time is shorter and there are fewer parts, and with armor, most mistakes can be covered with weathering. Besides, they are cheaper and if you mess it up, replacing it won't hurt the wallet too much. There are a lot of sites for modeling hints, but you have to know how to find them. I don't know if there are sites that provide lists of links to other sites for modeling hints, like there are for computer painting programs (Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc.)

I do wooden boat models. Not sure about the scale. Midwest makes a nice line of stuff -- various skill levels. Start with something simple. You don't want to be overwhelmed by an excessively complicated model. It never gets finished..

I find that painting things as I go along -- like the hull, doing water lines, etc., makes things MUCH easier. If I can pre-assemble and paint something like a cabin, etc., before I mount it, all the better. Recently, I've been using the tape you use for automotive pin stripes for things like water lines. It is very difficult to paint/mask thin lines and have them look good.

I try to do as much with spray paint (gets smoother finish) and blue painter's tape as I can. Good paints are important. I like the Testor's paints for little stuff, and Rustoleum makes a variety of colored enamels in small cans. I generally stick to oil paints, though I do break out my acrylic artist's stuff when I need some weird color. I did a model recently of a screw pole lighthouse (St. Michael's MD), and needed a matte finish paint to simulate corroded copper sheeting.

Good small (#0, #00, #1) artist's watercolor brushes seem ideal. A.C. Moore, or Michael's are good places. Stay away from the cheap hobby/ water color brushes.

I find it is a good thing to have a place where you can leave stuff set up, so you are not putting things away all the time. A good fishing tackle box works nicely for tools, etc., or one of those big boxes for art supplies.

Spray painting is best done out-of-doors, or in the garage with the door open. Newspapers over a garbage can work nicely as a "spray booth." Testor's make small spray cans of various colors. Especially good for stuff like plastic plane models. Somewhat expensive, though. Hardware store stuff (Krylon, etc.) works fine, especially for things like white, black, priming.

Tools are everything...

Hi,

thanks for the answer.

My main problem is the painting part, there I must say that I've got a lot to learn.

The "building" phase I don't have so much problems. I guess I'll have to try :)

Best regards,

Hi, thanks for the answer. The models I have in my "stash" are mainly armors and soldiers (scale

1:35) but I also got some 1:72 planes. I think you're right about the cost of 1:72 models, but isn't 1:72 harder to paint? Is there any link where I can get some tips about painting and wich paints should I use?

Best regards

Hi, thanks for the answer.

I like wooden modeling, although right now it's too expensive to me. I think I've got some good tools to work, I just need to start doing some models :)

Best regards.

Hi,

thanks for the links, I'll go look at them.

Best regards

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com (Yupie) wrote: Hi, I've made some models some years ago, but today I'm wanting to start again with this hobbie :) I'm wandering if there's any place where I can learn more about modeling. what I recall from my ancient times, was that I had a lot of problems with the "painting part"... Right now I've bough a lot of models in ebay, and I'm about start again. By the way, does someone have some kind of suggestion on wich model/ scale should I try right now? I've got some models in 1:35 and 1:72 I think 1:35 is easier, but I'm affraid to start because I don't want to ruin some good models :|. I hope there isn't too many errors in the text, but my main language isn't English. Best regards

........

Welcome to the Madness from me as well As it's already been said concentrate with models that have fewer parts to start off. That way you don't get overwhelmed in all sorts of tiny detail parts. Some of which can be extremely difficult for a seasoned modeler at times. You said you've got a few in 1/35 scale, I am guessing they are Armor Kits. Some Armor Kits can be a lot easier then other Kits. My suggestion to you would be to pick a basic Vehicle Type first like a Truck if you've got one of those in your pile. If not then maybe start with the simplest Tank you have. The one with the least amount of parts. I am guessing that you will be building them for your own enjoyment and if that is the case then you must remember to have lots of FUN while building them. That's what this hobby is supposed to be all about, having FUN and learning a little about History, and pick up some Great Hand and Eye Coordination Skills at the same time. Another reason I would start with 1/35 is because it is Big Scale and you have a pretty good size Kit with usually pretty good sized pieces in it.

I hope some of ths might be a little help to you along the way. But remeber to have a Lot of FUN along the way while You Build.

,,

Rama-Lama-BIG-BORG ; BORG TEMPLE N.Y. Central-Park-West ; Master Builder of blessed temple KITS ; Keeper of Secret Temple Decoder Rings & Bracelets ; Fluent-in-1st--Degree--TALK-to-the-HAND

--TEMPLE-ETTE--Guards--SIX--&--SEVEN--

The----WORLD--WIDE--WEB----is totally jam packed with thousands of people who are Destined to be nothing more then a faded weatherbeaten

---CHALK--OUTLINE--- along the---INFORMATION--SUPER--HIGHWAY---

Some of My Photos from My Yahoo Page

And Introducing "SPOT -the- CAT"

YES - I'M -- the -- REAL-- "BAD--SANTA" Here's a really quick LooK into My Life My Main Page with My Models and INFO

Hi,

thanks for answering :)

After all the answers I think I'm in the right place and right hobbie because I really have a lot of fun when opening the model case, removing parts from the sprues, the plastic smell :) and of course the joy ob building something from a lot of tiny parts.

Yes, most of my models (1:35) in the stash are armors and soldiers, but even if I know that this is easier, I think I'll begin with some

1:72 models, specially because they're more cheap and since I've got no really great problems (at least until today) in the assembly "part of the work".

Although I can see that 1:72 should be harder to paint I must learn to paint in those, 1:35 models cost a lot more =80=80=80 and for the risk to throw them "to garbage" I prefer to spend as little money as possible.

Since my main problem is with painting, can someone please say to me some links to learn how to paint and/or apply some cool effects to models? For example, what should I use to get the models with the "old" (as for age) colors? Is this what people call weathering?

Well sorry for the long message :) and again sorry for possible mistakes in the language, but this is not my main language.

Best regards

Yupie wrote: [snip]

Weathering

This is a video about weathering with an airbrush

Painting

These all came from 5 minutes on Google.

This is a video about weathering with an airbrush

Well thanks for answering.

I still don't have a airbrush, is it indispensible or can I "learn" without it? from what I've read in the internet, I think I can "learn" without it, but what's about your opinion?

About the weathering, thanks for the links.

Best regards,

While reading may be going out of style with guys, I recommend checking out the local library for books on modeling. There are a number on scale modeling, and most of them do cover painting and finishing in some detail. If you can, check several libraries, because they try to spread the books around in a district, so even close-by ones do not have the same selection.

Check out in particular books by Kalmbach, one of the big names in model publishing.

> This is a video about weathering with an airbrush

>

You can certainly start without an airbrush. Given that you are currently working on armor, brush painting is not a major issue, even if you leave brush marks. However, you will probably want to get an airbrush sooner or later. It makes painting *much* easier and gives better results.

The nice thing about tanks is that the more beat-up they look, the better. :-) I've found that painting the tank with oil based paint as its base color (meaning spray cans can be used rather than a airbrush), then doing all the wear via water based paints is very effective, as one doesn't have to worry about a heavy wash affecting the base paint coat. If the wash tends to bead up on the vehicle, a drop or two of dishwashing soap added to it will prevent beading.

Pat

Welcome to the madhouse. You'll find lots of helpful advice here.

I would suggest that you start with something that only requires one color. This allows you to concentrate on paint application without having to worry about demarcation lines and the like. The brighter the better! Some of my favorites on the shelf include an all red captured FW 190, a cute little all yellow Norhtrop GB-1, an all white NASA AV-8 Matador and an all red Lockheed Vega.

Next step when you are a little more experienced would be simple two- tone subjects. My PT-19 sports a blue fuselage with yellow wings and horizontal stabilizers and tail. The only difficult part was the rudder with the red/white/blue stripes, a problem pretty much solved with a decal.

Once you reach that stage you can handle almost anything. On to two tone camoflage, three and more and the like. Search around for weathering kits. I have one for aircraft and another for vehicles as well as a set from Floquil for both.

Be sure to wash all of the kit parts with warm water and liquid dishwashing soap to remove any remaining mold release agents and oils from your fingers. Avoid compex canopies until you have had some experience. Open cockpit aircraft and armor are good starts. If you mess a kit up really bad retire it and use it as a pallate for practicing painting, puttying, masking, sanding, etc.

Watch here for more suggestions from more modelers.

Happy modelng,

Tom

I haven't owned an airbrush for years. I lent mine out about 22 years ago and it's never returned. I prefer to use well-mixed paints and cover large areas with a wide flat brush unless I can use a rattle-can colour. I recommend Humbrols and Model Master paints if you can get them. I have no experience with Xtra colours as they aren't widely available here in N. America. HTH!

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Hi,

thanks for answering. What you're talking is my main goal with the modeling hobby :), I love to see the armors with that "old and rust" look, but all the weathering is a complete mistery for me... I'll have to give it a try.

I suppose this weekend I'll give it a try :)

Best regards

Hi,

thanks a lot for the answer. I think I'll use your suggestion. Just have to founf a "one color armour" :)

I'll have to find those weathering kits, I need to try and learn "step by step".

Best regards