painting

[mitso]

Hi there people i"m new on here so take it easy on me lol. i just built my model FTO and now want to paint it,put a coat on but to be honest just looks a mess, any tips on painting plastic with acrylics???

 

[dubster72]

Hi mitso, welcome aboard! It would be helpful if you gave a few more details, like was it by brush or airbrush, did you thin the paint & if so, what with, what brand of paint was it, stuff like that. My guess is that the paint wasn't thinned but applied straight from the pot? That's guaranteed to look thick & uneven-I did it myself the first time! If you can, post a couple of pics, then the guys on here can really give you some tips to help. Cheers Patrick

 

[mitso]

hi patrick,i used a brush to paint it i kept the brush damp but didn"t actually thin the paint!! is that where im going wrong? what would you reccomend?

 

[stona]

Hi Mitso, don't despair, we've all been there! As dubster72 says, give us a few more details and we should be able to at least point you in the right direction.

Cheers

Steve

 

[mitso]

hi steve,this is the first model i have made and really enjoyed making it just dont want to spoil it with the painting!! i am using humbrol acrylic paint with a brush i have given it 1 coat but cant seem to get a good coverage,any tips i can try would be appreciated.

 

[dubster72]

Well from what you've said, it sounds as though the paint has gone on too thick, masking the fine detail & probably leaving a 'lumpy' look-am I right? There are plenty of painting guides on the net but the basics are: 2-3 thin coats are better than 1 thick one. Thin paints to around 60/40 (thinner to paint) which will allow it to flow better & avoid brushmarks. I would also investigate the range of humbrol acrylic spray cans as a substitute to airbrushing. They cover well & you'll get enough for 2 models per can. As you become more comfortable with it, you can move up to using an airbrush. Patrick

 

[Paul1978]

Hi Mitso

Thanks to the people on this website, i learnt a lot about painting and it's transformed the quality of my models.

Through experimenting, i only reserve my acrylics for airbrushing. In my haste of picking up the hobby a little while ago, i rushed out and bought about 30 different colours of Tamiya acrylic... then realised they were useless for brush painting. If i ever brush paint using arcylics, i use Humbrol. They're not great but they're not bad.

But the lads' comments so far - i totally agree. I clean the model, build it, prime it (not always necessarily in that order) and when building a vehicle with a large surface area, nothing is better than an airbrush. A few coats of that, then my acrylics (via brush) will stick to anything. But honestly, i prefer using enamel for brush painting. But i will say (in my opinion) that acrylics do leave a nice finish where enamels require a little extra work since they can sometimes leave a chalky bland look. So i just add more coats and varnish.

All the best mate

Paul

 

[noble]

Hi MitsoThanks to the people on this website, i learnt a lot about painting and it's transformed the quality of my models.

Through experimenting, i only reserve my acrylics for airbrushing. In my haste of picking up the hobby a little while ago, i rushed out and bought about 30 different colours of Tamiya acrylic... then realised they were useless for brush painting. If i ever brush paint using arcylics, i use Humbrol. They're not great but they're not bad.

But the lads' comments so far - i totally agree. I clean the model, build it, prime it (not always necessarily in that order) and when building a vehicle with a large surface area, nothing is better than an airbrush. A few coats of that, then my acrylics (via brush) will stick to anything. But honestly, i prefer using enamel for brush painting. But i will say (in my opinion) that acrylics do leave a nice finish where enamels require a little extra work since they can sometimes leave a chalky bland look. So i just add more coats and varnish.

All the best mate

Paul

Hi Mitso i will chuck my two cents in here i paint with acrylics from tamiya but instead of using a brush i use an airbrush, it could be an idea to have a look see if you can get a hold of one there are plenty of good deals going. Honestly since discovering the air brush i've never looked back the paint goes on in thin coats and you get excellent smooth coverage. I agree that you probably haven't thinned the paint enough acrylic paint is an excellent medium but it takes a little more work i think if you decide to brush paint, i hope this has been useful.

Scott:strong:

 

[yak face]

hi mitso,ill echo all the above points and just add to dubsters suggestion of the spraycan.I have had great results using acrylic aerosols as well as airbrushing,plus the added bonus is ,if youre doing a car (ie mitsubishi FTO, v.nice car!) you can get the actual colours from halfords for about £7 a tin which should be enough to do a fair few models.I recently did a plane in fiat broom yellow(*see airfix fouga magister entry*) from an aerosol and got a really nice finish(it was a perfect match for chrome yellow!) good luck with the FTO cheers tony:plane:

 

[mitso]

thanks guys, so if i were to use an airbrush would probably get a much better finish? anyone reccomend any?

dubster you are right thats exactly how it looks thanks for the tip on thinning!!

Thanks tony like the sound of being able to use the proper colour!! i agree FTO"s are nice cars i own 2!!! just want to paint my model one though lol.

Thanks to everyone else for tips will look at an airbrush and see how i get on any more advice is welcome!!!

Thanks Darren.

 

[spanner570]

I've been reading your thread with interest mitso, 'cos I have only ever used enamel paints applied with a brush, but when I see the results on this forum from guys using an air brush it's about time I had a go, so I will be reading the replies to your request for information about airbrushes with interest.

Cheers,

Ron

 

[dubster72]

Well mitso & ron, I do use one but im not that experienced with it! frankly the damn thing still scares me so there's better people to give advice. however, I would recommend a single-action to begin with something like the Badger 200, you can get it from various places (even Halfords!) for £40-50. You can get double-action airbrushes that are cheaper like the AB series (i think Scott's got one like that) but it does add another level of complexity to an already complicated operation. However, if you feel bold, not to mention flush, then there are a few good deals on Ebay-I recently saw one for a compressor plus 2 airbrushes (single & double action) for just under £62! Whichever way you go, always practice on some old models first to develop your techniques rather than spoil an expensive kit. Hope this helps a little, Patrick

 

[noble]

Hi Mitso yeah i got a bargin a pair of ab130 dual action air brushes and a mini diaphragm compressor with hoses and attachments for under £100 on E-bay from acompany called Everythingairbrush you should have a look they have very good deals, by choosing a dual action brush although it takes a little more practice the control you can acheive is superb and the results are too.

scott

 

[stona]

Hi Mitso. I'll put in my tuppence worth on airbrushing. Some people achieve truly astonishing results using an ordinary paint brush but I have never been one of them! For me an airbrush is an indispensible tool. I found I could get decent results quite quickly but you will find yourself on a steep learning curve.

I honestly believe that the most important single factor affecting your result is the paint. I don't mean the brand but rather how you thin it ,what you add to it, and how you spray it.

When you get your airbrush I guarantee you will have questions to ask! There is no way I, or anybody else, can second guess them so we'll have to keep an eye on your thread.

Best of luck.

Steve

 

[mitso]

Hi Mitso. I'll put in my tuppence worth on airbrushing. Some people achieve truly astonishing results using an ordinary paint brush but I have never been one of them! For me an airbrush is an indispensible tool. I found I could get decent results quite quickly but you will find yourself on a steep learning curve.I honestly believe that the most important single factor affecting your result is the paint. I don't mean the brand but rather how you thin it ,what you add to it, and how you spray it.

When you get your airbrush I guarantee you will have questions to ask! There is no way I, or anybody else, can second guess them so we'll have to keep an eye on your thread.

Best of luck.

Steve

lol your right,ok ive just used the airbrush and got a much better finish,was really surprised,though it far from perfect i"m happy for a first model!! could do with some advice on thinning humbrol acrylics though. I thinned it with water is this right? also what ratio should i thin it to?

thanks to all replys,my model looks much better now than last week!!!

think i need to learn a few paint mixing skills as it did seem very runny at first but thickened it a little and seemed fine,just need to know how to mix properly and the best thing to thin with.

 

[stona]

I've never used Humbrol acrylics so I have no idea what is best for thinning them. It sounds like water worked. It is very difficult to give thinning ratios as it varies from brand to brand and even different paints from the same brand. You will often see people aiming for a consistency "like semi skimmed milk" which is not bad advice. I usually thin and mix in the paint cup and look for the paint to run of my mixing stick fairly easily whilst still forming a drop. It's all a bit vague and really you need trial and error to see what works best for you and your set up.

Don't forget that the pressure you spray has an effect. Don't spray at too high a pressure (10-15 psi works for me,sometimes less for really fine mottle or similar) and don't spray from too far away!

Once again I'm afraid that you'll have to experiment to find what works best for you.

One last tip - a common problem with acrylics is a tendency to dry in and clog the nozzle. As an ex-enamel guy I found this the single most frustrating issue when I changed to acrylics. I now avoid this by adding a drop of "retarder" to the paint cup. Retarders for acrylic paint are available from any art supply store and work a treat. I use a brand called Liquitex but there are others.

Steve