Question about hand painting

Robert631

 

if you have any beginner WW2 planes that uses one uniform color (no camouflage), that would be a good place to start for me. the camouflage i tried to do on the spitfire turned out pretty badly. im still trying to figure out how to wash the paint off and give it another try

 

The bigger rustoleum cans in military looking colors will work fine. Send me your address and I'll see if I have some WW2 aircraft to send your way.

You don't "need" to paint them in camouflage. Use them to practice in a solid color or practice using various methods to do a paint scheme. But you should have a good base coat to add the scheme on top of.

And here is an example to illustrate using craft store acrylics.  These are 54mm civilians that I painted, using craft store acrylics.

I primed them with Tamiya's Fine Surface Primer, to give the surface good tooth.  Then I used the acrylics thinned with water for the base colors-flesh, and clothing.  Then I used glazes made with a little water, a little Future, and a little color, to do the shadows in the folds of cloth, and the pick out detail on the faces.  Everything was then sealed with Future, for a classic toy soldier gloss finish.

I did use enamels to paint their eyes-Testor's gloss black.  The enamels stay wet long enough for me to apply the lid lines and the pupils.  In such small amounts, on the small brush that I use for that detail, acrylics dry almost immediately.

If you're on a budget, then I recommend the craft store brand acrylics, Folk Art, Apple Barrel, or Americana.  They are all water-based, so thinning and cleanup is very easy.  And they are very reasonably priced.  I get mine at Michael's and at AC Moore.  Both stores offer standing discounts.  So does HobbyLobby, who carries them, too.

You can also get decent brushes there, at reasonable prices, natural hair brushes.

As far as being able to achieve thin and flat (not matte, but flat) coats when painting by hand, as opposed to using spray cans, I painted this Maschinen Krieger armored fighting suit by hand, using Tamiya acrylics, thinned out with Tamiya's proprietary thinner:

I got coats as thin as if I had airbrushed them, especially the base color.  The camo spots are a little thicker in some places.  (It's in progress, too.)

Remember, it's just as easy to spray the paint on too thick, as it is to paint it on too thick by hand.  Thinning is the key.

Robert631

These are the current paints and paintbrush im using 

the paint was $10 total from sams club and the brushs were $5 total from walmart.

didnt want to spend too much since im just starting out but maybe the lack of quality is biting my behind now

 

The paints look to be artist type paints, and best used on canvas, paper, or some other porous material. They probably do not have the “tooth” to grab onto styrene very well. If you put a coat of primer on your models, those paints might work more effectively. But again, having never used that type before, that is an educated guess on my part.

The brushes that have the larger, stiffer , and coarser bristles will be less useful for this hobby.

You can use either brake fluid, or an ammonia based window cleaner, or Easy-off oven cleaner to remove the paint .  Might have to do some scrubbing with an old toothbrush to get off stubborn spots.  None of the above will damage the plastic.  Wash well with water and let dry.

Just use common sense and try to do it outside and not breath the fumes from the cleaner.

Rob Gronovius

 

 

Robert631

 

once im done using the current paint ive got,ill try to look into testors and tamiya paints. id like to get spray cans but it seems theyre about $10 for one color can. a bit out of my budget. 

 

 

 

 

You can head on down to Walmart and check out their spray paint aisle. They have several decent types of paint, grab some olive drab, neutral gray and sand or tan paint. It is suitable for a beginner with a limited budget; about $5 for a can three times the size of a Testors can.

Paint the underside of the plane gray, upper surfaces with the green and hand paint the camouflage color. Or if you are comfortable, mask with low tack tape like the blue painter's tape. Make sure the paint has cured for a few days before using tape. And then spray with the tan.

If you let me know your modeling preferences, I can send you some kits you might enjoy.

 

I tried walmart the other day and the majority of the cans they had were for larger projects, like houses and larger peices of material. they did have a small section for acrylic spray cans but i wasnt sure if they were the correct ones for modeling. 

if you have any beginner WW2 planes that uses one uniform color (no camouflage), that would be a good place to start for me. the camouflage i tried to do on the spitfire turned out pretty badly. im still trying to figure out how to wash the paint off and give it another try

stikpusher

 

 

Phil_H

 

 

Robert631

once im done using the current paint ive got,ill try to look into testors and tamiya paints.

 

 

I'd suggest that you not try to continue painting with what you've got. It's not ideal for model painting and will only cause further frustration.

If you're limited to brush painting, as suggested earlier, go for Vallejo Model color paints. Tamiya acrylics are so-so for brush painting (much better suited to airbrushing) and can cause frustration to new players. They can be brush painted, but require patience and  practice. Vallejo Model Color are much more brush-friendly.

 

 

 

 

If you’re goung to stick with acrylics, Hobby Lobby carries these Testor Paint sets that are ideal for brush painting. They are formulated for that, as opposed to their Model Master Acrylics, which are more airbrush oriented, and often require repeat coats. I just also suggest getting some better brushes. This paint set cost about $11 before the 40% off coupon. They are a great way to start out.

 

 

 

These are the current paints and paintbrush im using 

the paint was $10 total from sams club and the brushs were $5 total from walmart.

didnt want to spend too much since im just starting out but maybe the lack of quality is biting my behind now

Phil_H

 

 

Robert631

once im done using the current paint ive got,ill try to look into testors and tamiya paints.

 

 

I'd suggest that you not try to continue painting with what you've got. It's not ideal for model painting and will only cause further frustration.

If you're limited to brush painting, as suggested earlier, go for Vallejo Model color paints. Tamiya acrylics are so-so for brush painting (much better suited to airbrushing) and can cause frustration to new players. They can be brush painted, but require patience and  practice. Vallejo Model Color are much more brush-friendly.

 

If you’re goung to stick with acrylics, Hobby Lobby carries these Testor Paint sets that are ideal for brush painting. They are formulated for that, as opposed to their Model Master Acrylics, which are more airbrush oriented, and often require repeat coats. I just also suggest getting some better brushes. This paint set cost about $11 before the 40% off coupon. They are a great way to start out.

Robert631

 

once im done using the current paint ive got,ill try to look into testors and tamiya paints. id like to get spray cans but it seems theyre about $10 for one color can. a bit out of my budget. 

 

You can head on down to Walmart and check out their spray paint aisle. They have several decent types of paint, grab some olive drab, neutral gray and sand or tan paint. It is suitable for a beginner with a limited budget; about $5 for a can three times the size of a Testors can.

Paint the underside of the plane gray, upper surfaces with the green and hand paint the camouflage color. Or if you are comfortable, mask with low tack tape like the blue painter's tape. Make sure the paint has cured for a few days before using tape. And then spray with the tan.

If you let me know your modeling preferences, I can send you some kits you might enjoy.

I did some brush painting yesterday on some tiny 1:700 aircraft.  Proper thinning made it work.  Thinning to the right mix is just as important for brush painting as it is for airbrushing.  I find I do not need as much thinner as for airbrushing, but it does need to be thinner than what is in bottle (especially for an old bottle).

what phil said .

Robert631

once im done using the current paint ive got,ill try to look into testors and tamiya paints.

I'd suggest that you not try to continue painting with what you've got. It's not ideal for model painting and will only cause further frustration.

If you're limited to brush painting, as suggested earlier, go for Vallejo Model color paints. Tamiya acrylics are so-so for brush painting (much better suited to airbrushing) and can cause frustration to new players. They can be brush painted, but require patience and  practice. Vallejo Model Color are much more brush-friendly.

GMorrison

I see, that explains everything.

I would never criticize anyone for choices made to save money, and I will not do so. In fact, with a little experimentation, you might get that artists paint to work. I've used paint like that (Liquitex) on war game figures before.

But here, it's fighting you and causing the problems. It's made to be very gel-like, and usually in fine art brush marks are ok, even desirable. On a model, not so much, right?

Whether or not you invest in an airbrush, familiarize yourself with quality model paint.

The little Testors square bottles of enamel are really great. They thin out well and hand brush just fine.

Hope that helps.

BTW it's good you posted this. Hopefully you'll take a leap in results and like what you create.

 

Bill

 

once im done using the current paint ive got,ill try to look into testors and tamiya paints. id like to get spray cans but it seems theyre about $10 for one color can. a bit out of my budget. 

Strongeagle

t

wow, thats amazing. wish i could do something like that

Strongeagle

Ahoy Robert.  Watch this video and you'll never need an airbrush.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BitmaECqO30

This guy has got skills.

 

Ted-

Only 2?

Good advice.

Robert, 

If you're getting antsy and want to "keep doing stuff" but don't want to sit and wait for paint to dry, start another model.  I have 2 builds going right now.  One more complex, and another "side" project to keep my hands off the more complex model until it's cured/dried.

Idle hands are the devil's workshop. 

T e d

Wide flat quality brush

Lots of thinner.

Thin coats, almost translucent.

High quality paint.

Ahoy Robert.  Watch this video and you'll never need an airbrush.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BitmaECqO30

This guy has got skills.

Robert631;

 Are you painting with oils? Sure looks that way . My advice DON'T ! You can even use craft acrylics and get a better finish.Plus there's an abundance of colors if you choose not to mix your own color. I refuse to use Acrylics because I do a lot of brush painting and I don't like have to mess with the thinning and such . I prefer enamels ( Oil Based ) but they seem to be getting harder to find in a good color range .T.B.

I see, that explains everything.

I would never criticize anyone for choices made to save money, and I will not do so. In fact, with a little experimentation, you might get that artists paint to work. I've used paint like that (Liquitex) on war game figures before.

But here, it's fighting you and causing the problems. It's made to be very gel-like, and usually in fine art brush marks are ok, even desirable. On a model, not so much, right?

Whether or not you invest in an airbrush, familiarize yourself with quality model paint.

The little Testors square bottles of enamel are really great. They thin out well and hand brush just fine.

Hope that helps.

BTW it's good you posted this. Hopefully you'll take a leap in results and like what you create.

Bill

Robert631

mostly Artskills acrylic. sams club were selling a whole bunch of them for cheap.

 

Ok, that’s a brand that I’ve never used, so I can’t offer up any hints or tips for better performance. 

I would suggest that you try some different model oriented brands and see which you may prefer. If there is a Hobby Lobby near you, you can pick up some sets for a good price with their 40% off coupon.

Robert631

im in daytona beach florida, and there is a harbor freight tools nearby. ill check it out. ill also make a trip to hobby lobby for some spray cans and see what i can find. thanks again

 

another option for an air source for an airbrush is the compresssed air bottles for soda dispensers. They can be refilled with co2. 

What brand of acrylics paints are you using?

And as the others have said, the time between coats has an impact.

Acrylics dry relatively quickly, and that lets you apply multiple coats in a short time.  Enamels take longer, and oils even longer.  Figure painters who use oils often make themselves a drying box-a 60-watt lamp is popular as a heat source.  But the oil paint's slow drying time is an advantage in that case, because it gives the painter time to adjust and blend colors, especially along lines of shade.  If you're using oils to weather, then you don't need much paint at all, and the paint should dry faster.