painting plastic model kits
heyimsu
I'm a newcomer to modelling (plactic ones..macross, palabor, gundam etc) and would like any help on painting a plastic model. I wish to paint with acrylic paints sinnce they are readily available near my house.
Here are my questions:
1. Do I build model first then paint or paint then build? and if paint before builing is that on or off the tree? and if its on the tree wouldnt that mean i have to repaint since i need to sand away those excess bits of platics?
2. Do i need to do anything prior to start painting with acrylics? (eg priming, undercoating?)
3. What are thinners for? and do i need them?
4. Any techniques to painting? I'm terrible at it...
5. After the model is complete do i need to 'seal' it? (what i mean is coat it with something so i wont scracth, peel..)
6. How do i fix loose joints (eg. leg-torso, arm-shoulder)?
7. Is there some sort of chat channel (irc) on this hobby?
Ok that's about it!
Thank you very much for your time.
Su
Wulf Corbett
wrote:
>1. Do I build model first then paint or paint then build? and if paint before builing is that on or off the tree? and if its on the tree wouldnt that mean i have to repaint since i need to sand away those excess bits of platics?
It depends... OK that's not very helpful, I'll expand a bit. Large
parts that join together (the classic example being aircraft fuselage
halves, but also torso or limb parts) can't really be painted
beforehand, since you'll have to deal with the seam between parts,
unless it's a damn good fit. On the other hand, small internal parts
(like aircraft cockpit parts, there are fewer mecha examples) have to
be painted before assembly. Paint them on the tree/sprue IF the
attachment point is hidden, and IF you can clean up the mould seam
well enough while it's still attached (not often). Generally speaking,
paint before assembly if you possibly can, but after if there are
multiple parts joining together with seams to be cleaned up.
>2. Do i need to do anything prior to start painting with acrylics? (eg priming, undercoating?)
It's always a good idea to wash any kit in soapy water before assembly
to clean off mould release agent. It's always a good idea to apply a
thin coat of primer before applying the final colour. Know what? I
rarely bother with either... Incidently, you don't mention anything
about building the kits - that's a whole other subject.
>3. What are thinners for? and do i need them?
They're for thinning paint. You need them if you have thick paint...
If you'll be airbrushing you'll almost certainly need to thin ANY
paint (I don't, so someone else can comment on this). If brush
painting there's less necessity, but some paint needs thinning anyway.
I find Lifecolor doesn't, while Vallejo definitely DOES. For brush
painting get your paint to a consistency where small blobs don't run
off the brush but big ones do... in other words, experiment. If you
use Acrylics, as you've mentioned, you should be able to use plain tap
water (with just a drip of Windex) instead of expensive thinners,
UNLESS you use the alcohol-based acrylics like Gunze Sangyo, etc.
>4. Any techniques to painting? I'm terrible at it...
Yes, loads of them :-) Start by applying a couple of thin layers of
paint (see thinning above) and NEVER one thick one, and let them dry
THOROUGHLY between coats.
>5. After the model is complete do i need to 'seal' it? (what i mean is coat it with something so i wont scracth, peel..)
There are lots of alternatives here, ask where you buy your paints. I
personally do use a surface layer, commonly a satin varnish. Gloss
looks too plastic, matt looks too rough (which, however, is great for
buildings, ground and military vehicles).
>6. How do i fix loose joints (eg. leg-torso, arm-shoulder)?
>7. Is there some sort of chat channel (irc) on this hobby?
Dunno either of these, I don't build many mecha and I don't use IRC
anymore.
Wulf
Heavyarms
"heyimsu" <hey...@bigblue.net.au> wrote in message
news:bur9nk$1fnq$1...@bigblue.net.au...
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm a newcomer to modelling (plactic ones..macross, palabor, gundam etc)
and would like any help on painting a plastic model. I wish to paint with
acrylic paints sinnce they are readily available near my house.
>
> Here are my questions:
>
> 1. Do I build model first then paint or paint then build? and if paint
before builing is that on or off the tree? and if its on the tree wouldnt
that mean i have to repaint since i need to sand away those excess bits of
platics?
Generally, its a good idea to paint after building the kit. However, if you
have any smaller peices that don't comprise the main "superstructure" (i.e.
a leg, torso, arm) it might be okay to paint it on the tree.
> 2. Do i need to do anything prior to start painting with acrylics? (eg
priming, undercoating?)
Priming is always a good idea, but not always necessary. If you have a part
that is blue plastic, and you're painting it blue, you can save time by not
priming. Its up to the individual. I know several people who prime an
entire model before painting, even if the plastic is molded in the correct
colors. I never prime.
> 3. What are thinners for? and do i need them?
You don't need a thinner for acrylic paint. Ordinary tap-water will do.
Thinners are usually used to clean up enamel, or oil-based paints.
> 4. Any techniques to painting? I'm terrible at it...
Practice, practice, practice. Preferably NOT on a model you want to
display. Some peice of junk, an old Hotwheels car that you've sanded.
> 5. After the model is complete do i need to 'seal' it? (what i mean is
coat it with something so i wont scracth, peel..)
That's upt to you. If you aren't going to be handling the model much, and
are painting it with a semi-gloss or flat coat, you don't really have to
seal it. If you plan on touching your models a lot, its a good idea to
seal. If you're going to paint it with gloss, you might want to seal it,
because gloss doesn't hide little imperfections like scratches as well as
flat and most semi-gloss finishes. Future Floor Wax is a great overcoat for
gloss finishes (it will even turn a flat color into a gloss finish.) It is
also acrylic, which means you can clean it up with water.
> 6. How do i fix loose joints (eg. leg-torso, arm-shoulder)?
Experimentation. One fix that I use on Gundam models with loose polycap
joints (the rubber-like material used for elbow, knee and anklejoints on
Gundam and Patlabor kits). I get a roll of electrician's tape and cut a
small square of tape off the roll (the square should be about the size of
the hole you're sticking the polycap in.) Put the sticky side of the tape
on the polycap, and push the peg of the polycap into the hole. Presto,
instant joint tightener.
EGMcCann
before builing is that on or off the tree? and if its on the tree wouldnt
that mean i have to repaint since i need to sand away those excess bits of
platics?
Going to agree with "It depends." I build a few different subjects, so maybe
by example:
Aircraft - Cockpit pieces, control panels, detail parts - paint beforehand.
Main structure, camo, afterward.
Gundam - Kind of depends on which one, but usually the face and any recessed
parts get painted beforehand. Body afterward.
> 2. Do i need to do anything prior to start painting with acrylics? (eg
priming, undercoating?)
Another "It depends."
1. Light paint on dark plastic - get a good, solid grey (or white, or
silver) undercoat.
2. Have any filler (for dents, scratches, etc?) Prime so the color
difference goes away.
3. Some brands of paint (early batches of ModelMaster Acryl) work better
with priming, others can do without.
> 3. What are thinners for? and do i need them?
Thinners do just what their name suggests, thin paint. And it does, again...
drumroll please... depend. Some brands work better thinned if you're
hand-brushing, some work perfectly fine without it. Experiement. Also, if
you plan on *airbrushing,* you may want to look into acrylic retarders, so
the paint doesn't dry *too* fast.
> 4. Any techniques to painting? I'm terrible at it...
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? The answer's the same... practice. Get good
brushes - you *can* get decent results with the cheapie nylon Testors
brushes, but better brushes help.
Don't put too much paint on. Thin coats work better, typically.
Give coats plenty of time to dry. Acrylics tend to dry faster - but don't
let the "skin" that forms on top fool you. Put a second coat on top too
fast, you'll dissolve through it and drag partially-dry paint along, leading
to streaks and brush marks.
I tend to cross-brush (first coat left-right, next up-down.) Old habit.
Doesnt' seem to hurt, though I don't recall why I started... of course, more
often than not, I airbrush these days.
Try to stick with the same brand of paint on a project (or at least don't
mix one brand with another.) They're *not* all the same.
> 5. After the model is complete do i need to 'seal' it? (what i mean is
coat it with something so i wont scracth, peel..)
I'd say yes, not just on the handling issue, but because a sealing coat can
hide any decal edges and even out paint hues.
> 6. How do i fix loose joints (eg. leg-torso, arm-shoulder)?
Use the clip... <g> Go with the electrical tape suggestion. It works.
> 7. Is there some sort of chat channel (irc) on this hobby?
Chat, not that I know of. Websites to check (even if they're not all mecha,
the techniques are the same):
http://www.hyperscale.com
http://www.modelingmadness.com
http://airmodeller.tripod.com (mine)
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com
http://www.pcmodeler.com
Hope those help....
-E
Steve
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm a newcomer to modelling (plactic ones..macross, palabor, gundam etc) and would like any help on painting a plastic model. I wish to paint with acrylic paints sinnce they are readily available near my house.
>
> Here are my questions:
>
Here's my $.02.
> 1. Do I build model first then paint or paint then build? and if paint before builing is that on or off the tree? and if its on the tree wouldnt that mean i have to repaint since i need to sand away those excess bits of platics?
Some types of models like tanks allow for several sub-assemblies to be
built and painted before assembly, some don't. Giant robot models
sometimes allow for being painted in sub-assemblies, sometimes not.
Human figures almost always need to be fully assembled (at least the
head, arms, and legs) before painting.
> 2. Do i need to do anything prior to start painting with acrylics? (eg priming, undercoating?)
Another area of personal preference. I primer my models, some people
don't. I do it for several reasons: I primer to see if there are any
areas that need work, like mold lines or noticeable gaps. I also primer
to see how the "flow" of painting the model goes and where special
attention maybe needed. If a bright color is desired, like a bright red,
yellow, or blue, I primer in white first.
If you don't primer, at least wash the model in soapy water, rinse, and
allow to air dry in a box if possible prior to painting to get some of
the "gunk" off of it. Some models have a substance on them called mold
release agent, which is used to get the parts out of the molds they were
cast in. Most plastic kits are okay in this regard, but when you get
more confidence and start building resin kits then you'll notice that
the surface may be a bit greasy or oily. In this case, a good washing is
a must, or the paint just sloughs off.
> 3. What are thinners for? and do i need them?
Thinners are to reduce paint volume and for cleaning. Yes, you need
them, but for acrylics you're lucky because the primary thinner is
water. When you get more comfortable with it, you'll branch out and
experiment with things like window washing fluid (Windex in the U.S.)
for thinner because of it's tendency to reduce surface tension in the
paint, meaning the paint flows better over the model. you'll also learn
other techniques like applying heavily thinned paint to add depth and
bring out details.
> 4. Any techniques to painting? I'm terrible at it...
Some thoughts on technique:
1. Practice. By some inexpensive model kits, cars, boats, whatever,
build them out of the box, and practice, practice, practice. Heck, the
boxes the model kits come in are good for practicing camouflage
techniques and the like.
2. Light, thin coats are better than one very thick coat. A big mistake
I always made was trying to paint the entire model in one sitting. For
tank models, that usually works because of the flat surfaces. Gundam,
Macross, Dorvack, etc. giant androids don't necessarily allow for that
due to the number of corners, nooks, and crannies.
3. Experiment. Willingness to try something different only makes you a
better painter in the long run.
> 5. After the model is complete do i need to 'seal' it? (what i mean is coat it with something so i wont scracth, peel..)
That depends. If you plan to add any sort of wear and tear to the kit
via painting, a techniques known as weathering, you'll need to seal the
paint job in between weathering treatments. If you don't weather, but a
highly glossed finish, then a gloss sealer helps bring that out...so
long as your paint job is smooth. There's that practice thing again.
> 6. How do i fix loose joints (eg. leg-torso, arm-shoulder)?
Not sure what you mean here.
> 7. Is there some sort of chat channel (irc) on this hobby?
>
There are literally hundreds of groups that discuss modeling. A search
on Google groups is good start, as well through Yahoo and probably
others already mentioned.
Good luck, it's a great hobby, it's as addictive as ever, and you'll
learn a lot.
HTH,
Steve Frost
sofrostatmindspringdotcom
Riccardo C.
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm a newcomer to modelling (plactic ones..macross, palabor, gundam etc) and would like any help on painting a plastic model. I wish to paint with acrylic paints sinnce they are readily available near my house.
Wellcome!
Acrylic paints are a good choice, find a known brand suitable for
plastic/metal surface, you will be sure they adhere well to the model.
> Here are my questions:
>
> 1. Do I build model first then paint or paint then build? and if paint before builing is that on or off the tree? and if its on the tree wouldnt that mean i have to repaint since i need to sand away those excess bits of platics?
No
> 2. Do i need to do anything prior to start painting with acrylics? (eg priming, undercoating?)
This is way better!
My procedure is:
1 - wash with dish soap plastic parts still attached on sprue (so
oil/grease will come off)
2 - study building instructions to find out main subassemblies (e.g.
arm, forearm, leg, torso etc) that can be built separately and mounted
at last. I will proceed with building those subassemblies.
3 - cut off parts from sprue, remove flash and escess plastic.
4 - glue parts and sand joints if needed
5 - wash again parts before painting, sometimes I prime with a plastic
primer from a spray can, sometimes not.
6 - paint as needed, first large areas then details, light colors first
then dark ones.
7 - join together all subassemblies and voila!
> 3. What are thinners for? and do i need them?
Thinner are specific to the paint you are using.
In general rubbing alcohol, windex or plain water are ok for acrylics, I
prefer windex.
> 4. Any techniques to painting? I'm terrible at it...
Start with a few good brushes, one small pointed (size 1) for details
and one flat medium size (size 3, ca 1/4" large) for flat and large areas.
Thin a bit the paint, lay it in 2 or more light coats, don't rush and
build up. Wait drying time from one coat to the next.
Brush strokes should follow the same direction, crossed from coat to
coat (i.e. if coat1 is brushed in up-down direction, next coat will be
layed in left-right direction).
You will learn by yourself what else is needed.
> 5. After the model is complete do i need to 'seal' it? (what i mean is coat it with something so i wont scracth, peel..)
You can overcoat it with a clear paint, but it's not mandatory.
Just
> 6. How do i fix loose joints (eg. leg-torso, arm-shoulder)?
Usually I sand off some plastic from the mating surface that will clamp
the inner hub when assembled (figure the 2 halves of a shoulder around
the ball joint) so the joint will be a bit tighter.
> 7. Is there some sort of chat channel (irc) on this hobby?
Dunno