How to paint and weather an aircraft model....

[BarryW]

I noticed I left cotton buds off the list of tools and materials.

Most of what I use are the old basic Johnsons or supermaker own brand - they are cheap and I use these in large quantities for cleaning the aibrush, removing excess wash in tricky places, buffing buffable metallics and so on. There are 1001 uses for them.

But I also use Tamiya botton buds.

Mostly medium triangular and very small triangular. Sometimes you need something to get into awkward small places or a 'tighter' bud perhaps.

I really cannot build a model without them.

 

[BarryW]

Last night I removed the canopy masks. I use a cocktail stick and pushed the masking in away from the frame before picking it off. If you don't do that you risk pulling the paint away from the frame.

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I then clean up the canopies with a very small Tammy cotton bud dipped in ipa. Below they are awaiting the clean up but, as you can see they are reasonably good anyway with just a little cleaning around the edges and some glue residue to get rid of..

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I then picked out some detail on the aircraft with paint, lights and exhausts among others and touched up the camo (not much to touch up, thankfully). Be careful to use a small drop of white in the base coat to touch up and if you airbrushed it then touch up with the a/b too, with localised masking. If you don't do that then you can see clearly where the colour has been touched up.

Here it is with the last of the masking removed.

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I then need to prepare the surface for decalling.

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I use Humrol Clear as it sprays perfectly with no thinning and no messy clogging. The hook is to hang it up to dry after by putting one end in the spinner hole.

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I did two coats, 30 minutes apart to get the ideal surface for decalling.

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I tried photographing the model on a white kitchen roll and while it captures the colour better it looks too dark. I really need a proper camera or maybe learn to use my Blackberry better...

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Apologies for my photography....

next I will be decalling tonight......

 

[Polux]

Fantastic and useful thread

I have a question Barry.

You use white tac to mask. Is any difference with the "blue" one?

Seems yours sticks softer!!

 

[BarryW]

Hi Polux - apparently there is no oil residue with white tac, according to Phil Flory anyway.... I have not tried blue tac for this so don't know first hand.

mmm..... I just noticed that the last pick shows the colour modulation better than any of the other pics....

 

[Polux]

Thanks Barry

 

[BarryW]

Last night I started decalling and first got the no walk lines on.

Then I hit a problem with the Sky band - I just could not get it to fit into place and in fiddling around trying to get it neatly into place it broke apart. Same thing happened with the yellow leading edge wing bands. Usually I paint this kind of detail but thought I would try the decals this time, never again.... Normally I would paint these first and mask them off before applying camo base coats but now I needed to mask and paint over the gloss coat....

Here is as far as I got with the decals:

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The masking up for the tail band was easy enough, a thin 1.5mm strip of tape and then widened it out and sprayed the Sky - it covered well as you can see.

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The wing were another problem as I needed to mask off without the risk of pulling away the no walk lines.

First I used Tammy tape taking care to avoid the decals.

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I then used this..... the perfect solution.

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First you cut off a small piece and remove the backing...

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You then stretch it out and leave it for some seconds to 'settle'....

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It can then be cut and applied to the model and manipulated to follow curves. There is no stickness with this and it stays in place.

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Above you see it half way through spraying - the yellow as always did not cover well but wegot there in the end.

I found very little touching up was needed and ended up with a neat job. I then sealed it again with Humbrol Clear to leave it another 24 hours to harden so tonight I can finish decalling.

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[Dave W]

I have read a lot about how to get these paint effects and not really understood it.Your tutorial has made it all clear to me.Too late to do it on my current build.But I will definitely have a go on my next model.

 

[BarryW]

I am no expert at decalling and I have no real trick or tips to pass on. For me it is the stage I least like though the decals really help bring a model alive.

Last night I hit a problem.

I started applying the decals, which went on well. I did all the white blanks supplied by Tamiya that go under the roundels and tail flash (though I think slightly thicker decal in the first place would be better...) plus the stenciling and squadron codes etc.

As I started applying Microlsol I hear a bang outside, it sounded like a shunt. I dived across to my window to check no-one had crashed into my car (they had not...) but while doing so my grip on the model slipped and I touched a squadron code.... the one that I had applied Microsol to with the inevitable result. The code cannot be saved and I posted a SOS on the forum last night to see if anyone has some in their spares box.... Many, many thanks to Ian and John for responding who are checking to see if they have them. If the worse comes to the worse I will buy another kit, its not expensive, its a nice kit and I could build Sailor Malan's bird or the clipped wing version at a later date. Anyway, whatever happens there will be a short delay until the issue is resolved and I can move to the next stage.

here is a pic of the model as it was left last night.

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Tonight I will apply the roundels and tail flash over the white blanks. Incidentally, you might be able to see some white fogging on the model. This is a reaction between the Microsol and the Humbrol Clear and is nothing to worry about. When I seal the decals with another coat of clear that will disappear.

Once the decals are finished and sealed it will be time for a washes to start the weathering process.....

 

[BarryW]

A quick updated - the decals arrived, thanks Neil. I will be applying them and sealing the decals with Humbrol Clear tonight and will post the next installment tomorrow morning.

 

[Doug Hughes]

Thanks for posting all this, Barry - it's really useful and I'm picking up lots of tips. It's also good to know I'm not the only one who suffers the odd setback when modelling!

 

[Laurie]

Second that Doug. Good info coming out picked up a lot of tips. Great stuff Barry.

Got a lot of books but in the end this is how to learn. To be frank the books are very much, to me, useless. Much better to learn direct form somebody different tips and ways to go about the same problem.

Laurie

 

[BarryW]

Last night I applied the final decals followed by a single application of Microsol. I had time, once dry, to then lay down a sealing coat of Humbrol Clear. This seals the decals in and protects them for the next stage.

Here is the model hanging up to dry...

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A shot taken this morning after the Clear dried showing that all the white bloom I had as a result of the Clear reacting with the Microsol is gone.

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next I will be applying a surface wash.

The objective is to start showing the effect of front line use. In this I believe that less is more and I prefer my models to look as if they have had a few days use on the front-line rather than months. I have seem some great models with a really old tired heavily used look to an aircraft but that is not for me.

The wash is to simulate the collection of dirt and it also tones down the paint from a 'new just painted' look.

For this I use Flory clay based washes simply because when applied over a gloss surface they are very controllable. initially I apply a heavy coat all over with a wide brush before cleaning it back to the effect I want.

Here is my wash of choice...

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I always leave the model 24 hours for the final gloss coat to harden and cure before applying the wash so I will post on this tomorrow.

 

[Polux]

Interesting! You add a general wash or a "pin wash"?

 

[BarryW]

One further point...

Now I have sealed the decals you cannot see where they were touched up with blue/red and white on the roundels and flashes. Matching paint to decal colours is always a bit tricky and it is only now that you can see how successful you have been.

 

[BarryW]

Interesting! You add a general wash or a "pin wash"?

A general all over wash Polux and at first the model will just look a filthy mess, but once it has dried and after an hours work with cloth and some spit (or water if you prefer) all will be fine....... I will demonstrate with photos at each stage.

 

[Paul Daniell]

Hi Barry

great thread

can I ask you put a gloss coat on the model then the decals then a gloss coat? I am new to this and have got a gloss varnish to put on the model to seal the paint and to put the decals on but was wondering what would happen if i used it over the decals?

Cheers Paul

 

[BarryW]

Hi Paul - the first decal coat is to help hide the decal carrier film and then, after applying the decals on top of the gloss varnish, you seal the decals in with another gloss varnish coat, needed to do the next weathering stage, the wash.

 

[phikoleoputra]

Hi Barry, this is awesome stuff you giving us . I paint mainly use Tamiya Enamel, so correct me if I'm wrong. The sequence is primer - base paint - gloss coat - decal - gloss coat - weathering/panel line/wash - flat coat.

If I use mainly enamel, then what gloss coat should I use? Lacquer? Those Tamiya rattle can is expensive, any substitute? Unfortunately Klear is not available here . Thanks a bunch Barry

 

[BarryW]

Hi Leo

It is many years since I used enamel and I am sure someone else on here can help you better than I on that one. The basic principals are the same, I am sure and this method will work with enamels too.

I remember 'back in the day' in the 70's before acrylics were widely available, I used all Humbrol enamel, varnish and all, but things have changed a lot since so cannot really be sure of the answer. Enamel varnish would be a safe bet but what I don't know is about the enamel primer options.

 

[john]

Parafilm looks good stuff first time I've seem it used, where did you get it? I can't find it at a reasonable price.

While I was looking I found this review of it