What paint to use?

Hi All

Knowing that I might be touching an almost religious matter here I still asks the question: What paint to use for different jobs. By this I mean if you use different paint depending on the model types (airplane, figure, ship or whatnot) Do you use airbrush, brush, toothpick or what. Big question and even bigger room for the answer ;-)

Reply to
Uffe Bærentsen
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Since I suffer from migraines, I've switched exclusively to acrylics the la= st few years, I find they are easier on me. Tamiya, Model Master, and Polly= . Strictly hand-brushed; I haven't sprayed anything in over ten years, just= my preference. I find hand painting to be one of the most relaxing part of= doing a model.

Reply to
eyeball

I pretty much use the same finishing tools, supplies, and methods for all types of models.

I always use enamels on any plastic that isn't clear. I'll only use acrylics to tint clear parts like canopies, etc. On the odd occasion I'll use a lacquer - Testors Metalizer - and usually from a rattle can.

I'll generally use rattle cans for things that are a major color - flat black, dark grey, metallic, etc. but I mainly use a Badger 200 airbrush for spraying. For detail brushing I prefer a #1 round sable artist's brush. I'll groom those on occasion when they get frayed and toss them when they get too small. I'll also use the odd toothpick on occasion, but not often.

I also find myself using pencils more and more - both standard graphite and colored artist's pencils. Mainly for panel lines, but also for shading around control panels, picking out buttons and knobs in a cockpit, etc. Make a mistake - erase it and do it again. Plus no cleanup required...I spray a flat finish over the penciling once it's been laid down.

Reply to
Rufus

That tecnique was new to me, thanks for sharing :-)

Reply to
Uffe Bærentsen

Den 10-03-2012 17:53, eyeball skrev:

few years, I find they are easier on me.

Good point, thinks that comes from the fumes.

anything in over ten years, just my preference.

Again, fewer particles in the breathing air.

I like that too.

Reply to
Uffe Bærentsen

For aviation models it's pretty much brush painting. The exception would be airliners or any craft that requires a large expanse of white. I've never brushed white successfully. Cars and railroad pieces are mostly sprayed with cans. I haven't owned an airbrush since around 1986 when someone borrowed mine and then fell off the Earth. For my 'what-if' German Navy it's been mostly brushing. All this is usually done with enamels. I prefer using acrylics for animal figures. There haven't been a lot of them but I find it easier to fuzz the line between colours with acrylics when both colours are still wet. If I ever get around to building my Airfix Scots Grey, the dappling on the horse looks most easily done this way. I also have some experience with coloured Sharpie pens used for details on cars. They make a great silver pen that handles dashboard switches and tiny dials nicely. The problem for me is to keep the twitching down to a minimum. It seems to have crept up on me the past few years. You know, the 'Golden Years'. ;)

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Reply to
Mad Modeller

i've been able to brush large areas of white by using flat white. i brush on

3-4 very light coats until it is even and looks sprayed on. then if i need gloss, i use the variety of rattle can gloss coat that fits the needed shine. it really works well and makes it easy to avoid the build up glop affect you get with too much spray. this works well with yeller, two. it's especially good when you need to do shadings and want to change panel highlights. i would think it would work well on rolling stock but not being a train guy, i've never tried it.
Reply to
someone

The trick so spraying gloss paint is to thin the crap out of it...until it's like water. Found that out doing a 1/72 XB-70 Valkyrie...the hard way!

I like to do with propellers using cans - I spray them flat black, then I use yellow decal sheet to do the tips and also put any marking decals on the fronts. I then mask the back of the blades and use a can of gloss to spray the front sides. After that I mask the both sides of blades and spray the hubs with Metalizer. Then apply a wash to the hubs.

Reply to
Rufus

your props are excellent.

Reply to
someone

Gracias...another trick I use to do the red trimmings on landing gear doors on my jets is to use decal sheet instead of paint. I just cut strips of red decal sheet and lay that on with a bit of Solvaset. Far easier and more precise than masking and painting them. I'll over spray that with a shot of gloss coat too, depending on the size of the door.

Reply to
Rufus

yeah, that's a good trick, especially on very small areas.

Reply to
someone

One trick that I've found is to spray a scrap sheet of decal paper in white= , yellow or red - colors that my printer doesn't like to make really opaque= for some reason. Then I cover these and when I need a cheat line in a spec= ific color, I cut a piece off to the needed width (I use a straight-edge cu= tting board) and I'm good to go. The paint is a lot more opaque than printe= r colors and as a decal, it's easier to use than masking and painting.

Regards, John Braungart

Reply to
The Old Man

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